77 thoughts on “Easy Money Friday – Options 101”

1. As we know, the Demo_rats just passed another lie into law…The Inflation Reduction Act. Have you read it? They haven’t! 730 pages of lies, graft, and pork. They continually present legislation with the opposite name than what it really is. Yes, remember The Affordable Care Act, Barry Hussein Sotero’s healthcare baby. Affordable my ass. Pelosi said she would have to read it to know what was in it…after it passed.

   What a crock of manure with another lie-naming it for something THEY CAUSED. Inflation they created is going to be stopped by spending another $740 Billion of deficit money. Even some of the Lib Propaganda networks are saying it will not stop inflation, but is a bill designed to offset healthcare costs where they need votes, and to fund the Green New Deal lie.

   According to the LA Times, California stands to gain the most from several of the Inflation Reduction Act healthcare provisions because it has the largest number of potential beneficiaries. Money from one misnomer lying law (Inflation Reduction Act) to bail out another misnomer lying law (Affordable Care Act) brought to you by the biggest lying, war making party in American History…the Demo_rat party, which is actually now the Socialist Communist Party. $3.7 Trillion in spending in the 19 months that idiot in the White House has been living there.

   For starters, the law now continues for three years the extra premium subsidies for the Affordable Care Act insurance policies that last year’s American Rescue Plan inaugurated. Those subsidies — which amounted to $1.7 billion a year for California alone — dramatically lowered premiums for more than 1 million Californians, including middle-income consumers who had not been eligible for aid previously. Under the act, no one shopping for an Obamacare plan (unAffordable Care Act) would have to pay more than 8.5% of their income in premiums. Government price controls. And how did those work out for you Venezuela?

   Yeah, we know they are now going to send $80 BILLION to the IRS to hire an additional 87,000 IRS agents. That is more than doubling the total 2021 IRS employees of 78,661 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. The newbies are not there to sit in some cubicle and audit tax returns with their guns strapped to their hips. It is a full-blown circumvention of the Posse Comitatus Act. An end run by the Demo_rats they are implementing via the IRS.

   The real reasons the money goes to the IRS…
   # (1). The liberal CBO doesn’t count it as an expense but instead a revenue producing item (new revenues from gun toting agents) that offsets all the PORK in the bill. Just another screw job by Pelosi and the Demo_rats. Why didn’t they use that money to hire 87,000 Border Patrol Agents and give them all that ammo Obama bought, millions and millions of rounds, and start using it by firing in front of or over the head of anyone wading more than halfway across the Rio Grande? One day…just one day… and the invasion at our Southern Border would be stopped dead in its tracks.

   # (2). Those 87,000 IRS agents will be posted at the doors of banks soon before many banks close for good to inventory safe deposit items and withdrawn cash if it is even still available. When the banks go down, and they steal people’s money under the Bail-In provisions passed in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, the IRS will have responsibility for grabbing anything that is left, and protecting the bankers. Just like what is currently happening in Commie China with tanks and soldiers protecting the banks that are closing from commercial defaults and protecting closed ATMs that don’t work failing to return the people’s money to them. The new IRS agents will also be checking digital money to see if it was legitimately earned and taxed. Nothing to compete with the Central Banking Federal Reserve digital currency to come. And don’t say it cannot be traced. It can. Too many arrests for digital currency fraud and theft worldwide lately to think otherwise.

   Dodd-Frank mirrored the Basel III International Reforms 2 that were created by BIS, the Bank for International Settlements, the Central Bank of all Central Banks. Just another Ponzi on top of each countries Ponzi Central Banks. For the naive, uneducated, and uninformed, the crooks in the government stated in Dodd-Frank that there would be no more bank Bail-Outs by the government, but instead of government Bail-Outs, there would be Bail-Ins using depositor’s money. All deposits over $250,000, unsecured creditors, and bondholders would be in line to get their money AFTER derivative claims are paid. In other words, they are going to take the people’s, businesses, and funds on deposit from other sources over $250,000 to pay for the bad decisions of the same damned crooked bankers that have already each been fined in the billions for their illegal business practices. B of A, Wells Fargo, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, all have paid billions in fines. There are many other banks that were fined $100s of millions. The executives should be in jail. Glad handing, back slapping, bankers—your friends when you have money or are dumb enough to still serve on their boards, and just a pawn in their game when you don’t.

   Derivatives are investments that banks make among each other, which are supposed to be used to hedge their portfolios when they were allowed to get into the casino business on Wall Street. Repos, Reverse Repos, writing naked calls and puts, and short selling metals not owned. The 25 largest banks hold more than $247 TRILLION in derivatives, which poses a tremendous amount of risk to the financial system. Game over type of risk!! The financial press has been eerily silent for the last 3-6 months about derivatives. Those banks will be gone along with their correspondent banks, safe deposit boxes, and funds in excess of $250,000 deposited in checking/savings accounts in the banks. Bail-Ins!!

   Think even your funds under $250,000 are safe in banks with FDIC insurance? It could take years to get those funds under $250,000 back from a broken and bankrupt FDIC system. After going through extensive investigation by 87,000 newly armed IRS agents (only a starter of the total force) stationed at banks checking where that money came from that you want to withdraw or take from your safety deposit box.

   If you have cash, they will give you a password key that you can use to access a portion of YOUR money that will be in the New World Order Digital Currency managed by your regional Central Bank…in our case in Texas the Federal Reserve Bank district offices in Dallas and Houston. Did you say it cannot happen? It already did once. Read about FDR stealing all the gold using Executive Order 6102 in 1933 which was really a bail-in for the privately owned Federal Reserve.

   Close your safe deposit boxes now, not only at the banks, but any private ones because not only did the FBI raid an ex-President of the United States, but they also just recently raided Private Safe Deposit boxes in California. They were sending a big message: If we can raid an ex-President, we can raid you.

   Bury your silver, gold, some extra guns and ammo, seeds sealed in nitrogen containers, and other valuables in PVC pipe with a screw on cap that has been further sealed to make it waterproof and airtight. Place the pipe in a vertical hole drilled by an augur that is under one of your fence posts, or under your slab. Put wire, junk metal, and nails on top of the dirt covering it to confound metal detectors or ground based radar/lidar, and more dirt on top of that. Do not count on GPS coordinates for the location for heirs or family. GPS is very vulnerable and could be down. Tape measures are not. Such directives written in a family Bible and/or sealed envelope with directions such as under the 11th fence post going south from the NW fence boundary is an example to use. Or 6 feet from the intersection of a line from the Oak tree to the SE corner of the barn where it intersects with a line from the NW corner of the house to the closest windmill under the large white rock.

   If you think that owning SLV or GLD or any other metals-based ETF is safe, you are sadly mistaken. They do not own fully assayed Gold or Silver anywhere near what they have sold. It is Leverage on Leverage. A stock market or bank run resulting in mass liquidation of physical assets will cause so much volatility in markets it will be driving prices all over the board. Markets will close. Also, any ownership of Gold and Silver through a 3rd party that you cannot put your hands on is vulnerable. A lot of the metal in vaults is not 100% gold. It is heavily gold plated tungsten or other composite metals. Tungsten is vastly cheaper than gold (maybe $45 dollars a troy pound compared to $21,293 per troy pound for gold right now). And remarkably, it has exactly the same density as gold, to three decimal places! Counterfeit gold bars have been discovered all over the world and are one of the many secrets being withheld from the public.

   If you cannot put your hands on it in the next Demo_rat robbery like FDR pulled off, you don’t own it for long. FDR got the physical gold because no one at the time thought that the government would mandate all gold would ever be confiscated by the U.S. government for paper issued by the Federal Reserve. Buy, take possession of, and hide physical assets, not paper assets representing ownership in something, including paper dollars. Stocks representing ownership in companies are not even safe. Unless you have specifically requested that it be registered in your name, it is more than likely in the street name of your broker dealer. Broker dealers will fold in the next route of the financial markets coming soon to a street named Wall.

   Get ready for new taxes for small businesses provided by the Socialist Communist party (otherwise known as the Demo_rat party) putting the final death blow on small business that the COVID lockdowns didn’t destroy. The liars will do anything to maintain their power and push their socialist, Marxist agendas. They are like termites; you don’t even know they are there until it is too late, and the porch falls down with you on it. The Marxist/Communist termites have infiltrated our schools, universities, courts, bureaucracies, federal, state, and local governments. They are so emboldened now that they believe nothing can stop their march to Marxist Communism.

   Socialism does not help the masses; it just puts power into fewer people’s hands. Socialism is how they sell their Marxist agendas…free this and free that. Socialism is the step before full blown totalitarianism under differing names: Progressivism, Communism, Marxism, Leninism, Maoism, Peoples Socialist Party, or Revised Marxism (Revisionism). Once they steal the votes, they go for the guns, once they get the guns, the people’s freedoms are gone…. forever. There won’t be any U.S.A. to come save the world AGAIN from tyranny if they get the American people’s guns! The New World Communist Dictatorial Order will be in full force!

   • Own phys or pslv if your going in that direction- gld and slv are used to suppress pricing. Physical is best.

     • Yes, IF you can sell it at a profit, or at least without too much overhead. Today there’s a market built around “spot”, that includes a great deal of naked shorting to hold the line. China recently eliminated the option to do naked shorting using their banks as of October sometime. I’d have expected this to boost prices in the US, but apparently it’s having the opposite effect. I’m puzzling over this yet have absolutely no idea what’s happening. Does anyone understand this dynamic?

     • This is more for NM Mike than for Clawsy, but there isn’t a reply button under NM Mike’s comment:

       NM Mike’s comment:
       “Yes, IF you can sell it at a profit, or at least without too much overhead. Today there’s a market built around “spot”, that includes a great deal of naked shorting to hold the line. China recently eliminated the option to do naked shorting using their banks as of October sometime. I’d have expected this to boost prices in the US, but apparently it’s having the opposite effect. I’m puzzling over this yet have absolutely no idea what’s happening. Does anyone understand this dynamic?”

       My inflated 2 cents, of which you probably already know most of so maybe it can help inform others who might read it:

       Individuals who hold physicals are typically not doing so with the idea of selling later “at market” (unless they’re a coin shop). They are typically holding it as a hedge (10% of your net worth in physicals seems a good goal) against the markets no longer existing, at which time their physicals may be worth many times over the previous “market” price via use as payment/barter for bread, to not be killed, to pay ransom, etc, in a world with no rules. Of course, one may need a silver b****t, not to be confused with b******t, to hedge (protect) your hedge in a time of chaos.
       As to the g/s markets and one’s expectations of if-this-than-that for causation of price moves, do keep in mind that the use of paper sales in lieu (lieu = “lie to u”) of physicals is how market manipulation is carried out. There is no where close to enough physicals to cover the derivative paper that is created out of thin air so it’s a fake market that’s easily manipulated. Price going up? Just print more paper to inject into the marketplace to drive the price down. The paper is a derivative, not the real thing, but the derivative is actually what is used to manipulate the price.
       Business school kids are taught that gold price is based on inflation, the value of the currency in their country, interest rates, etc, while it should really be based on the supply and demand of the actual physical product.
       So, the question for each person is, what is your intent with the item? Is it to buy paper now and realize AFTER a crash that it cannot be traded in for the real thing…making it too late for holding physicals? Is it to buy physicals now with the idea that it’s a hedge that may never be used, provides zero income while holding it, and may never be seen again by your survivors if buried or stolen? Or, is it to just day trade for an income via the paper derivative? Or, is it a combination of some or all of the above?
       If we are to believe the business school definition of how the derivative changes in price then one would go with gold being down right now due to there being less risk of inflation and the likely smaller increase in interest rates in September (so, either 1/4% or 1/2% interest increase instead of the last two 3/4% increases) based on the government (lie) that there was no inflation in July and the continued higher percentage of bad economic news compared to good economic news. There’s also the issue of if your currency (the dollar index) is going up, meaning your currency is strengthening, then it takes less dollars to buy things so your markets will cost less to buy and if your dollar is going down then it costs more to buy things so your markets will go up. Also, it’s an election year so we’re trying to rosy up the way things look with a pr campaign.

       In the end, it’s imperative for a trader to trade based on what they SEE and not on what they THINK is SUPPOSED to HAPPEN. I hear whining all the time like this: “Well, Home Depot and Walmart had great earnings news this week so I bought that day and they spiked up and then came down instead of continuing up and now I’m stuck upside down in the trade.” DUH! Trade what you see, not what you think…most of the time, unless the earnings are blow out spectacular, if price was going up before and into their earnings announcement day, then the increase in stock price of that upcoming news report was mostly already built into the price BEFORE the news was announced. This is where you get “buy the rumor, sell the news.” The big$ is selling into that spike, um, to you, and leaving you holding the bag.

       I hope this Saturday diatribe helps someone find their way forward with the paper derivatives vs physical, hold paper vs hold physicals, and the bschool reasons price moves/manipulates.
       And, thank you for an excuse to spend some time here writing instead of crushing the honey do list…writing seems much more relaxing. : )

     • My thanks to Cashbox! I don’t consider myself a good investor in “passive” assets at all. That includes all forms of paper, along with PM’s. Tools, education, equipment and real estate are all things where my personal expertise can make a huge difference in ROI. Some people are very good at gauging likely results going forward in various markets. I’ve not been that way. I read George’s charts until I get a headache, and I only have a very basic idea of what’s going on. I think that one needs to be in sync with the flow and rhythm of markets along with understanding signals and the ability to react(rather than act) very quickly. Perhaps it’s a visual thing, or a right brained/gut kind of thing. I respect those who can do those things. Personally, I have a great distrust of paper(and crypto), but like crypto used to be, it can be good as a speculation with a limited part of your net worth. I’d thought of metals as a store of value without a counterparty. Nevertheless, at some point you need to sell some, perhaps only a little to balance things out or more to deal with an emergency. Finding an optimum time to sell is problematic if the signals can’t be read and reacted to in real time. The USDX went up this weekend for unknown reasons and obviously the metals went down. Even being able to predict the USDX to some degree would be a huge help. Of course, there’s always the black Swan events, again with unpredictable consequences. Successful passive investors seem to be able to read tea leaves(or perhaps charts) very well and quickly. This is what I’m seeking. For some reason, the buy side is relatively straightforward, but the sell side is much more difficult.

     • NM Mike,
       If you are very good at being a strict rule follower then set-and-forget.com might be of interest…there are free videos that provide a quick overview of their supply/demand system. I am not affiliated with the owner, but do know him online because we use supply/demand for trading so we’ve talked via email a few times. You mentioned bitcoin, if you scroll down to the bottom of the webpage, there are 6 videos, one as recent as yesterday (on bitcoin) that give you an idea of what he’s doing.

       On the other hand, sometimes life is good the way it is so learning to trade just isn’t worth the time or work (unless one needs an excuse for alone time away from the wife).

   • Prices have dropped on Obamacare back to where they should have been originally, if you haven’t looked recently. I would guess the g-men are making their progress payments, rather than having the insurance companies steal from the full price insured to finance the subsidized policies. UHC has reentered the Obamacare market. The high prices were caused by bipartisan Congressionals engaging in bipartisan looting of early retirees and small business owners. Most of you either never caught on, or were in denial. The overcharges were recoverable as federal tax refunds, if your adjusted income was below 50K, and your tax person could unknot the cover stories and do the paperwork.

   • West Texas Horse Sense
     August 19, 2022 at 08:09
     Thank you for today’s comments. Again, you are right on target.
     The clever bastard lawyers have mastered using law to remove or cancel laws with which they disagree. Your tips and advice are completely sound for times such as these.
     Having observed the type of crap that has been used by the clever bastards around the world to enslave populations many times over the years makes it recognizable to the fact that the crap is being pulled on us this time.
     What does it take to motivate an entire population to awaken and reject such BS? Still looking for that magical event…
     The clever bastards have formed multiple armies, tested and at the ready, to implement the slavery with THEIR military, local and Federal police, every government employee, and now, potentially a booster army of 87,000 more “willing to use lethal force,” armed- IRS stooges. Hell, even the truant officers at schools are packing heat.
     You identified one Hell of a tough row we are going to have to hoe…

     • “What does it take to motivate an entire population to awaken and reject such BS?”

       The last election ..that sure woke up the public to support Joe Biden..on an election where normally 37 % turnout there was what 100%
       Congress has a 98% chance to be re-elected.. so we need to see if everyone will get out and vote. If they vote the same ones back in we can’t blame anyone but ourselves and we deserve what they give us..

   • I just hope I’ll be able to remember where I hid the directions to the cache. Maybe I’ll just post ’em on the bulletin board in the kitchen.
     On second thought, I remember what happened to String Bean and his wife….

   • wow Horse Sense indeed. While the MSM has you thinking they are coming to your doorstep, the idea of the 1933 style box grab makes a whole lot of sense. I started typing a long run on sentence but I believe the homer gamers know how to fill in between the bullet points on the powerpoint presentation [no pun]. The only question is in the timing of it all. Maybe those new agents will adopt the gen Z approach to work lol

     https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/quiet-quitting-are-you-doing-only-whats-necessary-work-and-no-more

   • Excellent post West Texas, as usual.
     Getting the guns is crucial to their plans because they know they can’t implement their plans for total control.
     I don’t think they realize how many firearms are in the publics hands. Maybe they do and thats why they are arming irs and mail men. They will be slaughtered when they try and seize everyones guns. I hope they try soon because I’m not getting any younger and I don’t want to miss the festivities.
     Its time to rid the planet of all the Liars, Killers and Thieves.

   • Great post WTHS… what irritates me is..they don’t read any of it…lol..then tell you how wonderful it is..lol it’s my biggest pet peeve..

     “730 pages of lies, graft, and pork. They continually present legislation with the opposite name than what it really is.”

     That would take what a day to read.. and you and I both know they didn’t crack the cover of it..it’s like the Obama care health bill.. I suffered through 600 pages of that dam thing.. with all the go to and refer to sections..I bet that stupid thing was over fifty thousand pages after all the diversions to shuffle over. I wonder what this stupid thing would pen out to..
     I suffered through the water fowl protection act years ago.. after all those pages on the last page it gave the and if you find a way around any of this.. we can dictate what we want anyway.. everyone knows congress is on vacation the month of August..only work what 4 half days in September..the dam thing went unread.they actually will argue why they should not have to read it…fortunately for me I am not allowed to read the bills anymore..unless I go to the library..I get the you don’t have proper authorization flag lol.. I use to read that crap..it was the funniest stuff.. then listen to the morons on TV telling you how great it was that always had me laughing lol..
     I believe We have the best politicians that money can buy..lol
     They need to read the bills… and actually write the stupid bills.. wouldn’t that be a refreshing change huh..and all written so a high-school graduate can read the bill..of course if they had to write it it would be written so an 8th grader could understand it..
     I personally don’t care if someone votes yes or no..but seriously they should know what it’s about discuss it in session then vote their conscience..
     Heck then go with the majority vote of those members present on the floor.. they would have to actually be there on the floor..instead of the five or six paper shufflers. Heck the mere concept of having to show up at work..dam who ever heard of such a thing..

     • I would argue that no bill could be more than four pages in length(I’d prefer one). It should be read aloud three times before a final vote. It could not incorporate “by reference” or changing a few words in other laws. I’d also argue that congress(both houses) can only convene during proper business hours aka 9-5 or so. None of this nonsense of passing 2000 page bills in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. I’d also think that they need to punch a clock (anything auditable) to account for their required 40 hour week, either in the office at home or in session.

       This entire idea of legislating by deception has to go.

     • There’s a state out west that should have their legislation process copied over to every legislative body…
       Only one item can be voted on at a time.
       It keeps things simple and keeps politicians honest because people can see their vote and judge them on each individual things. It makes it hard to pass a bunch of junk.

       • WHICH state is that?

     • “I would argue that no bill could be more than four pages in length(I’d prefer one). It should be read aloud three times before a final vote. It could not incorporate “by reference” or changing a few words in other laws.”

       My thought, from years ago, was that no bill should be longer than the Constitution (28 pages, typed.) No bill should cover more than one legislative subject.
       No bill should be voted on, save an Emergency Appropriation (like when an F-5 pops up and erases Joplin) until it has been made available to the public (as in prominently published, where everyone can read it, not “published” on page 1178 of a congressional rewrite of “War and Peace”) for a minimum of 30 days.

       And EVERY bill should sunset 10 years after it is signed into law.

       A sunsetting bill can be extended, but an expiration date would eliminate the many, many garbage pieces of crap legislation and regulation which get stupidly passed every year. If a stupid idea can’t be properly and successfully implemented in 10 years, it can’t, and we’re better off without it.

       Speaking of sunsetting, I’m not going to spam the thread, other than to just mention that “term limits” would have the same effect on the fools on the Hill…

2. The problem with GM is they shouldn’t be alive right now. But since they are alive we are guaranteed to be bailing out their pension schemes in the future.

   Yesterday I was listening to the radio and one of the State pensioners was saying they want a raise. His solution is to raise the Michigan sales tax from 6% to 10%.

   The man didn’t even flinch working out the math on our backs. Everyone just expects bailout.

   Meanwhile Adam Smith’s invisible hands are not idle. They are busy building homeless camps all across the fruited plain.

   At some point there will be a backlash against old people. The Delphi 13 year retroactive bailout takes the cake, man. Sadly, I’m headed in that direction and the previous generation has wrecked the destination.

   “Today, the futures indicate the S&P will trade down 45 points.”

   Are you good at Roulette – only black or red to choose from…. except the green. Or dice, odd/even.

   SPX 0 Day To Expire

   SPXW weekly options expire every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; We trade them on the day it expires.

   https://0dte.com/

   • Chuckle, “Roulette – only black or red to choose from…. except the green” seems all the kewl kids are playing green (GME, AMC, BBBY) and either making bank or walking away on empty.

     Wordslinger: I am not married to my count (Nasdaq) but still see equal chances this is (err, was) 4 -or- 2 (as in your count). Hope I’m right irt 4 ending(ed) thinking 5 will be less painful than a BIG 3.

     Sales tax? Sure, let’s go 15% national and eliminate the income tax. That would be the ideal progressive tax, to hit those with the most dosh hardest (in actual #s if not %). But, it makes too much cents?

     Were MI to go stoopid on sales tax those of us near the border will just shop across the line. Ahem, it happens already though we try hard as we might to spend local, help the Mom and Pops survive.

     So, has the $2T in notional OpEx cleared yet? Methinks nyet.
     Keep your helmet handy and remain near the foxhole rim.
     Write when you get rich (or wet, which is a rich too).

     Egor

     • If we let the feds have a national sales tax, you can bet they will keep the income tax too. The income tax is a confessional, signed under penalty of perjury. It’s a control mechanism as much as it is a tax. It also keeps armies of accountants busy wasting their time and your money listing things that most people would simply manage in their heads. It’s important to keep money scarce on the street in order to maintain its value.

       BTW, in doom scenarios under COG, the plan has long been to implement a national sales tax since it would be harder to avoid and easier to administer.

     • You would have merchants become Federal tax collectors? I already despise being forced to be state tax collector. They would have to have a Fed behind every sales counter to ensure collection. One at every yard sale?

   • There will be a backlash, but not just against “old people” the backlash will be against all the “non productive” that demand tax payers fund their lifestyles. I have no debt, as I worked and did without to pay off my house, cars, etc.. Looking at my quicken for past 12 months, 36% of all my spending is taxes, and that accounts for only those costs that are quantified easy. So things like sales, gas taxes are added on top of that. That would be a far higher %, if I had not spent over 20K$ on re-siding my house to blow out the home repair category to 18%. Next highest category is groceries at 9%. Yet everyone is always in line to get more goodies. Think about that, 33%+ of my life’s effort is legally stolen from me to be consumed by others. I am so pissed at the executive just deciding to forgive peoples debt for student loans, transferring even more debt onto the productive. There must be a reckoning to this travesty. I can understand why people are leaving the workforce, why continue to sweat and toil for such nonsense.

     • JoeDish
       August 19, 2022 at 10:13
       … I can understand why people are leaving the workforce, why continue to sweat and toil for such nonsense.

       Easy to understand why. You are right to be agrieved over how much the Federal stupidity squanders of every taxpayer’s money.
       Still, something is missing regarding those that willingly give up on gainful employment. When they quit, they will need someone with deep pockets to finance their roof and bed, food, and transportation to somewhere they can freeload on someone.
       Unfortunately, their costs at that point, usually fall on a relative that sympathizes or is stupid for supporting the idea that their progeny deserves to ride for free on someone else’s dime.
       Ass, gas or grass-no one rides for free.

     • Non-productive are everywhere. Any bailout is debt forgiveness.

       Biden recently did the multi-employer pension plan bailout. It was called the “American Rescue Plan”.

       The pension debt owed to those workers is the responsibility of their company and their unions. Now the workers, companies, unions and government involve me and you.

       The workers should chase down previous management or the unions that managed their resources over the decades. We had no say. It’s not our fault the invisible hand has them by the neck, but now it is.

       Another reason why there won’t be a revolting. Throw in the discount ‘meds’ and people are hooked.

     • “I can understand why people are leaving the workforce, why continue to sweat and toil for such nonsense.”

       Thats a great idea Ed C..just Run for congress lol…

     • I think 50% is more accurate than 33%. 33% was true back in the 70’s perhaps.

       There are two kinds of “non-productive” people. Those who work hard for themselves outside the money system(and retired folks who have already earned their money and wish to spend it while still alive), and those who take money under various “programs”. Some are legitimate, and many are not.

       When we see so much money going into agencies who’s entire job is to limit and regulate freedom of action(most letter agencies), we see our money being used against us, so why not simply do the minimum and enjoy just being alive? Why feed the beast? It will get hungry and it will get truly nasty, but feeding it will eventually consume the entire economy!

   • Wrong , everything will be bailed out with increasingly worth less fiat digititus.

     got black chain and gold/silver? [the bankers money].

   • https://www.google.com/amp/s/qz.com/594984/the-secret-history-of-gms-chinese-bailout/amp/

     • >>Having relied on the guanxi of a Chinese partner while in a position of desperation, GM could be repaying the favor forever.

       Sounds reminiscent of The Sopranos…

3. Lot’s going on in East Texas.

   Will the White House schedule be updated soonly to reflect that the President has no public activities scheduled today? Snooze button, anyone?

   Okay, let’s get back to DJ Ure rocking the foundations of the status quo and forging some nu-metal with a pick from the “Get Some” album. Grab a kleenex and hit the

   “Snooze Button”.

   • No snoozing round these parts, “Twinkletoes’, not when the da monay be so hot & fleeting.

     We da Sheeps just gave pedo joe & inbred s a brand new shiny $500,000 security fence around his shore house down fudgeywudgey way in Rehoboth, DE – where the 3 dolla bill is local currency. She wouldnt be concerned with all Butt Pirates in Rehoboth Beach, as she is one hisself..

     I wonder what they is so afraid of ?

   • Joe Biden – President’s Public Schedule

     Schedule updates at midnight Eastern Time, or when pushed out via social media, whichever is earlier.

     “The President has no public events scheduled.”

     This has been Biden’s calendar for 8 of the past 9 days. On the 9th (August 16th) he flew from his vacation to D.C., signed the Inflation Act, then flew off to Delaware to rest up.

     If you follow Biden on Factbase for a while, you’ll get pissed, both at him, and at the flatassed liars in the Administration who’re constantly talking about how hard-working he is…

     https://factba.se/biden/calendar/

4. ‘Easy Money’ Friday! Music please!

   Let’s go back in time, to Central Park in New York City, and listen to King Crimson perform a song titled…

   https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tK6mgSfkRkE

5. We had an early frost here at the ranch last night.
   I mentioned to the boss the yesterday that the hoop house may not be in operation before early winter. She whipped out a brochure for an aeroplane tabletop hydroponic “Farm” for 675 smackers. I said those things don’t last more than a couple of seasons and besides, I can set up something better from supplies we already have for a lot less money. “I don’t want that noisy, smelly stuff leaking all over my floor in the sun room again. Remember the last time you did that.”. No dear, that was using soil based material that did not leak water on the floor. It was the flowers you dug up outside and brought in that had fungus gnats on them, that was the problem. Things got icy for a while after that.
   I’m thinking it will be here by Tuesday at the latest.

   Peace. 73

6. “Raccoons haven’t jimmied the door yet,”

   This is novel …

   https://youtube.com/shorts/ANQYBKXFsoo?feature=share

   • Good idea,

7. Today is my Birthday. I’m down at the Beach, looking at Seattle talking to THE DUDE. Fact: I am so Blessed and Truly Fortunate. I have an amazing relationship with God, I have 2 and a half years clean and sober, healthy and happy children, really inspirational healthy friends, I live in a Mansion on Alki Beach, I drive a new car, I hang out backstage with Rock Legends at their shows anytime i want (and get paid to be there), I Drive Brand new $300,000 Kenworth Truck at work. The portion of my income that my bills are is only 15.23% of what I take home every month. I look fucking good for my age. I’m healthy and fit. This is not where I thought I’d be in life at this age. I honestly didn’t think I’d live this long! I’m so Grateful! Today I Be 52 years old and I’m living good! Truly, Im Rich as F!

   It’s funny I talked to someone yesterday who just paid $2300 (each) for 2 back stage passes for the Motley Crue, Poison, Def Leppard and Joan Jet concert. Said maybe I will see ya backstage.

   I said you will, I was requested to run backstage. Better have your badge on. Haha.

   Then it occurred to me George. There are people in life who shell out $4600 to meet their favorite Rock Stars and there are People who get paid to meet them. I get paid to meet them. Not only that, i get requested to be back stage. My cousin runs T-Moble Park. She called me yesterday and said, boy you are really getting a reputation out here. I said oh shit. She no no its a good thing. I just got out of a meeting and the head of the tour said we want that guy back here. She that guy is my cousin. They said great. We heard he is a hard ass and keeps everyone and everything moving smoothly from some other tours. He comes highly recommended. There is going to be alot of special guests back stage. She said I will call him and see if he will do it.

   That feels really good. THE DUDE is so good to me.

   Thank you so much George for all the words that provoked thought, imagination and inspiration over the years. And everyone else. Truly I’m a better knowing ya. What a ride this life has been so far. So good.

   Truly I am Blessed and Highly Fortunate! It is my hope you are as well.

   Off to renew my CDL, get my passport and renew my Concield pistol license. Then dinner with my Daughter and folks, meeting one playboy bunny who has something special planned for about an hour or two, (she has other stuff going on) then off to see one of my other Play Boy Bunnys who also something special planned. One is Miss June and other Miss May. And no I won’t tell you what years. LOL.

   Today I Be 52. Bingo! Haha. Funny, I used to have a Chrysler as big as a whale.

   Que: ~ Love Shack ~

   https://youtu.be/9SOryJvTAGs

   The B-52s

   • I will tell ya one thing that happened back stage. Last concert I worked (The peppers), Chris Rockk was there as a guest back stage and him another Mr Veder, went off stage and came back and he left his badge somewhere. He came back and the Peppers were performing on stage. And they only 2 different bases that get you access when they are on stage playing. Im standing right at the ramp to go on stage with a really big dog next to me, just itching to toss someone on their head. It was his first show.

     I stopped him and you can’t come on stage. He said I just Left the stage about 10 minutes ago. I said i dont know what happened in the last 10 minutes but you don’t have your badge. He said Do you know who I am? I said yes sir. I do. You are man trying to access the stage while band is playing with out a badge and I have a job to do.

     Eddy looks at Chris and says you better not fuck with Andy. They turned around and left. Came back 5 minutes later and he showed me his badge laughing. Eddie took of his hat and did a bow. Then whacked me with it in the arm and was laughing super hard. I just smiled. Then the head of personal security for the peppers came out, laughing his ass off and gave me a fist bump and said good job dude. I heard about you. That is exactly what the band loves to see back here.

     I just smiled and said fuck around and Find out. He said I saw that video of that blonde cougar jumping on you wrapping her arms and legs around you and licking the side of your face as you hauled her ass out. She had a swimsuit top on and it wasn’t holding her lady parts in. I said ya she got back here and I said where is your pass. She said the other guys let me back. She had to go through 2 check points to get back there.

     She said I will do anything you want. Drunker than hell and looking good. I said if you will do anything i want. I want you to exit backstage with me and be nice about it.

     She didn’t like that idea. Hahaha

     I don’t know what she offered to get past 2 check points. I don’t care what she is offering. If you dont have the proper credentials to be there? Im hauling your ass to the sidewalk. Haha. So i snatched her up. She was drunker than shit. Eventually got her over my shoulder and carried her kicking and screaming out the door. And handed her off to the cops.

     That dude who runs their personal security laughed and said better you than me. Hahahah. All part the show. Hahaha

     The next day I was sore as f. I’m getting a little to old to be snatching up wiggly drunk cougars and wrangling them out the door. Boobs flying everywhere. I told my cousin that and you know what she started laughing and said Andy? I said yes Mam. She said, Cowboy up!

     I said yes Mam!

     Hahaa. Have a wonderful day dude. No matter what is on the news? Life is good. Really really good.

     First things first.

     Heading to the gym!

     • Happy Birthday, Andy!
       Always love reading your insightful comments.

     • happy birthday young man.. I myself quit counting at thirty..

     • LOL! LOL! Thanks for the laugh, Andy. “Boobs flying everywhere” Hahahaha. That made my morning.

     • “LOL! LOL! Thanks for the laugh, Andy. “Boobs flying everywhere”

       @Hank in Hawaii…..I have to ask.. where did you read that… I have looked through all the news and can’t find where congress is flying anywhere…..

       https://youtu.be/RCn8HJ6FMi0

8. George, Had a GMRS repeater, (a Motorola GR1225) for a while., analog. Can’t really recommend that unit. They advertise 40 watts on UHF but you will put in an early grave. It is literately a 25% duty cycle unit. What I can recommend is an XPR 8400. Mine is on DMR (mototrbo) and works like a dream. 100% duty cycle. It can be programmed for analog and DMR at the same time (is digital allowed on GMRS? Can’t remember. Mine is on my high band business pair. The thing I love about DMR is 2 time slots. Two totally different conversations on the same repeater at the same time with no interference. I host the local web connected DMR ham repeater on UHF and it is a 25 watt hyterra. Can’t really recommend that either. The only thing is Motorola is real tight with their programming software unless you buy it and put it in their “digital locker.”

9. O/T – I did have a dream about a week ago of what I now think was a vision of nuclear meltdown. LOL

10. “Not every day a nuclear power plant goes in play as a war drags on. But…Ukraine warns Russia may cut Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant from power grid, both sides brace for ‘provocation’.”

    they may have to cut it since it was attacked by missiles..what was it the russians said the backup systems were damaged by missiles it will have to be shut down if I am not mistaken.. I don’t like nuclear power plants.. to dangerous and to easy to destroy a whole area.. Fukishima should be one example..

    https://www.npr.org/2022/08/15/1117484462/missile-strikes-near-a-nuclear-power-plant-in-ukraine-leave-residents-on-edge

    https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukrainian-nuclear-plant-power-lines-shelled-2022-08-05/

    • I always thought nuclear reactors were being strategically placed. Kinda like placing flea bombs …

    • Nuclear power is the safest form of power generation there is — just like air flight is the safest and most-efficient form of travel there is.

      The problem is, when something goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong…

      • yes.. when something goes wrong it goes horribly wrong.. and the cost of disposal of waste..
        https://earth.stanford.edu/news/steep-costs-nuclear-waste-us#gs.953doj

        I know they tried to tell the native americans on the reservation that it was healthy for them.. to let them disopose of it there.. basically the same thing they told the residents of the Bikini Islands..
        after reading the reports on Fukishima and its affect on the PNW.. that is some scary stuff.. No.. I am not a fan of nuclear power.. until they can dispose of the waste in an efficient manner and guarantee the safety.. look at where most power plants are sitting.. near a fault line.. I worked day labor scooping dirt next to a water containment where they had a spill years ago..

11. Hey George,

    Have you ever done a writeup about your solar electric system and the up front cost involved in installing and setting it up? A family member is talking to solar contractors about getting a system installed, with quotes of around 46k to do it(before all the rebates), and I’m wondering how this stacks up. They also say that backup batteries aren’t worth it(as the technology isn’t very good yet). And also, I guess that they wouldn’t be reimbursed for feeding power back to the grid, rather it goes into a ‘power savings account’ which will make sure your Kwh usage can be maintained in the low- sun times of the year.

    • sell them my book! https://amzn.to/3dHy8Aq

      • I totally love my Kindle membership.. I have to see what it is going to cost to get a new battery for my ebook reader.. LOL.. its getting weak

      • LOOB, just run the app on your PC. I don’t have a kindle and don’t particularly want one. I want a decent sized screen for easy reading. I do have a friend that does all her reading on her phone, but that sounds truly dreary. But without question, get a good battery for your reader device.

    • You can check out some youtube videos by Engineer775 for some interesting info around solar. Check out Will Prowse, if they have any interest in DIY. Solar contractors have a terrible reputation especially if they are in some sort of deal where they put panels up and you buy power from them. Key question is how long they typically live at property. Will they be there long enough to get payback, often times the cost on solar installation will not be recovered on a property sale. 46K with no batteries seems very high, at 300$ per month energy savings, that would be 13 years to payback. Though probably less as energy costs continue to rise. And not accounting for any failures or other service calls to add to costs. I would take longer as I have gas heat and hot water, so don’t use much energy outside the 4-5 summer months when the AC is running. I probably average 150$ per month across a year.

      You would want batteries, and they are very good lithium Iron Phosphate models these days, though still expensive, if they desire power during grid down, or want to time shift power, charge batteries during day and charge your BEV at night kind of thing.

      Without batteries your daytime power use cases will determine how much you are saving. I like to sleep on the colder side at night. Power companies seem to be reducing price paid for residential solar generated power, as they have a lot of power during the day as they deploy panels of their own the don’t have as much requirement there, but more in the late afternoon when sun is setting and people are beginning their after work activities.

      I would pay that cost to be more independent with the batteries, but my property has a lot of mature trees shading the house and property and I am not willing to part with them to be able to go solar.

      • I probably use $60.00 worth of electricity a month, but the base charges for various accounts drive it way up. No A/C needed this year at all, and wood will carry most of the heat burden in the winter. A grid independent solar system does have benefits for redundancy, with as large or small a battery system as is affordable or desirable. If you build it on a trailer, you can move it, and you also bypass all the permitting and negotiations required by the government and power company.

12. “Buying a home is off the table for millions: Buying a House? Which Mortgage to Choose & Why No Crash Is Coming.”

    Heck I am sweating paying taxes… at the local pub.. they had to change the price of chislic.. here is the thing.. two years ago.. chislic by the case was twenty seven dollars.. now it is a 134.95.. plus delivery fee..
    chicken wings.was seventeen dollars a case now it is over a hundred.. plus delivery .. the styrofoam container same thing.. price almost trippled..
    our grocery costs have more than doubled.. and gas is back on the rise again..
    a home cost.. phew.. just the materials is more than doubled what they cost two years ago.. average home around here.. a quarter million and up.. now pay for that making twelve dollars an hour.. you cannot.. rent doubled.. utilities .. well didn’t brandon just sign into being a policy where the have to increase it ten percent.. and that is before they tie in their operating expenses..
    health insurance medications.. shoot.. so far out of range that a working man cannot afford them.. go to a starbucks and have a cup of jo.. now don’t go where the rich people are.. they don’t have a clue.. go where the regular guy goes.. and listen cup of coffee is almost five dollars that use to be fifty cents.. and listen to them discuss the daily grind..
    they had a thing on tv talking about the no show applicants.. they didn’t discuss the no show employers.. I will give you a call.. and you never hear from them.. I told all the kids.. go have coffee with them in the break room.. if you can’t go there.. then go where the employees hang out.. you will know in ten minutes what the place is like.. and then question what is the turnover rate.. if it is over thirty percent.. then management is shitty.. make sure the wage justifys it and leave it as a temp job.. jobs that have shitty management have a high turnover rate on purpose.. they don’t give two cents about the person working for them.. its their business model..

    • Hey LOOB. Just to lighten things up a little. The wife and I have given up on grocery inflation. We just accept it and eat less. Seriously.

      But there is one particular “treat” that we both enjoy. Used to have one each mid-afternoon. It is called Tiger Paws and is a frozen orange sherbet bar on a wooden tongue depressor type stick. The bar is dipped in chocolate part way up the bar. There are 8 in a box. I have followed the pricing over the past few months. It has gone from 2 boxes for $8 to two boxes for $9 to $5.99 a box as of yesterday. Looks like a 50% increase to me.

      But there is something even more sinister going on.

      1. The bar size is about 2/3 of what it was.
      2. The chocolate dip is now about 1/3 of the way up the bar instead of 1/2 way.
      3. They have diluted the chocolate to the point where it is now a tissue paper thin coating.

      We now have one bar every 2 days as a treat instead of every day.

      I am sure you have a recipe you can share except I am sure it has wine in it. LOL.

      • I have to try those.. I make push ups.. but have never tried these..
        food is our first thing out.. I will not starve again.. and trust me I won’t go hungry for a while LOL.. my wife use to think I was nuts.. then we went a year without an income.. now she helps..
        I have been curious if I should be freeze drying more.. just in case there is an emp..
        I do need more salt..salt is so useful in so many ways.. my brother asked me last night if I would teach him how to make bologna.. absolutely..
        I did check to see If I can get them here.. unfortunately it isn’t for sale in these parts.. so I will have to make some..
        to make them…or an orange bar..
        1/2 oz. of knox gelatin..
        1/2 cup of cold water
        4 cups of half and half.. ( you can cut this recipe down if you want )
        2 cups of sugar
        2 Tbsp. of vanilla.. ( I like real vanilla)
        3 cups of cream
        1/2 tsp of salt
        heat the half and half to a simmer.. then add the knox gelatin and sugar vanilla and salt.. once the sugar and everything is mixed into the half and half..
        let it cool then mix in the cream.. (to make an orange dream sickle.. instead of the knox gelatin.. mix in two boxes of orange jello.. and one can of frozen orange juice..)
        then place it in your ice cream maker.. and churn away.. before it gets to solid but is starting to firm up.. put it in your bar mold..
        https://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Popsicle-Silicone-Maker-BPA-Cavities/dp/B07CSPLV65/ref=sr_1_8?crid=LSC8LMFWRZF3&keywords=popsicle+molds&qid=1660944143&sprefix=popsickle+molds%2Caps%2C107&sr=8-8

        https://www.amazon.com/Onyx-Stainless-Steel-Popsicle-Mold/dp/B00ZAXMWIA/ref=sr_1_5?crid=YWC464RRWO5V&keywords=steel+popsicle+molds&qid=1660944195&sprefix=steel+popsicle+molds%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-5

        I have both the steel and the silicone mold.. I prefer the steel ones.. once frozen then dip it in warm water for a second or two..
        to make the dipping chocolate.. take your chocolate.. ( chips milk chocolate or dark chocolate.. your choice) to every couple of cups of chocolate add a couple tbsp of crisco.. then warm it up mix it and your good to dip..

        https://www.amazon.com/Elite-Gourmet-EIM402-Fashioned-Appalachian/dp/B08NC5TN33/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=SETLEFEM9DL0&keywords=manual+ice+cream+maker&qid=1660944518&sprefix=manual+ice+cream+maker%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

      • Oh if you want an orange sorbet..
        1 can of frozen orange juice concentrate
        2 cans of water not three
        1 cup of sugar
        1 tsp of lemon juice
        1/4 tsp of gelatin take a half a cup of the water for the juice.. and sprinkle the Gelatin in it.. then bring it to a boil.. once it is boiling.. then put it in the juice and mix.. then in the ice cream freezer.. if you don’t want to use knox gelatin then you can put a package of orange jello.. in it.. same thing half cup of water mix heat then add to the cold juice.. if you want to get fancy then you can blend up oranges.. and add to it to.. give yourself a nice fresh fruit..

      • …As shrinkflation hits Canada.

        Y’know what pisses me off the most? The dishonesty. It bothers me a lot more that the can of Folgers is 10oz, down from 16, than it does that the contents are now $10/lb. The contents of the Maxwell House, Chase & Sanborn, and every other “shelf-staple coffee brand” is going to be $10/lb, too. There’s only a short-term sales advantage, and only for the first label to shrink its contents to any given point. The advantage is essentially moot, because most people are brand-loyal WRT most non-generic foodstuffs.

      • “The dishonesty. It bothers me a lot more that the can of Folgers is 10oz, down from 16,”

        its getting agressive again.. like bags of potato chips.. they are puffing the bags up to make it look more.. then the potato chips are less.. ( an average of one potato in a bag) a pound of bacon is now ten ounces.. ( the one on sale..) you can still get a pound of bacon.. but the cost is ten dollars for something that two years ago was shy four dollars..
        Ribs.. we like ribs.. once in a while.. ( we don’t eat pork.. I am the only one that eats hot dogs or bratts.. wifes dad was a packer and at a nickle a package from the company store.. that is all they ate in a big family.. because china bought the company the company store closed..) because of that.. I don’t make bologna or bratts and hot dogs.. I am the only one that eats it and a simple run is fifteen pounds.. I will make bologna with my brother.. then just keep a little for myself..
        I did pick up rib ends.. LOL went to an ethnic store.. and they had a case of it for dollar a pound.. ( that is what they use in sausage LOL) got seven meals out of it.. bought a box for the young woman struggling with children to.. she was so excited… it was a treat .. gave her some beef to.. I am worried about what my cow is going to run this year at eight bucks a pound for corn.. I put a cow in the field every spring.. then I give half to the kids and keep half.. we share the expense of feeding it.. the price of the hamburger at the ethnic store.. that was down.. two dollars and ninety nine..
        what is funny is the farmers are not the ones making the money.. rice is up thirty percent.. I have a couple hundred pounds of rice.. but need to pick up another hundred I think..
        corn.. I talked to the elevator he said wait.. price should be going down in a couple of weeks..
        seed store asked me if I wanted a hundred of barley price is zero a bushel for me…. ( they want more beer LOL) I do not know what oats are going for.. ( I won’t roll any oats anyway.. if I do I will make quick oats.. quick oats is when you wash the oats you pre cook the oats whole.. then dry it then take your roller and roll them out.. do that with the barley do except you don’t pre cook it.. ) https://www.ebay.com/itm/363943248931?
        https://www.ebay.com/itm/363938962492?
        I have a much bigger one.. but also have the small one to..
        https://youtu.be/bLkxW9JVXXM
        now I use more than a tbsp of water.. but that is me..
        it sits on a shelf.. ready to go to work..

      • @LOOB:

        “Solar Salt” common water softener salt. It’s a dime a pound. Wash like any other stone, to get the dust out, then grind to whatever consistency you want (or bust up with a hammer, in an emergency…)

      • WHY is it that this shrinkflation isn’t shrinking me?

        I still wear the same sized pants and belt that I did before this covid idiocy, regardless of work. It’s just dishonest!

      • @Mike

        “WHY is it that this shrinkflation isn’t shrinking me?”

        Apparently, you’re off-market… :-)

13. After 5 decades of labor force rationalization,automation [that’s not quite autonomous], off shoring, the countless”independent” consultant studies that simply said to increase work load on those who were spared the pink slip, etc,etc,. All of it used to fuel the c suite lifestyle. The marginalizing and removal of pensions, marginalization and rationing of health insurance etc.etc. Has created a workforce trained in the divorce of the idea of giving “110%” to the effort. And lets not forget, in some peoples experience, this new attitude is simply the adoption of the attitude of the H1B’s and offshore’s that were brought in at a lower price to replace John and Joe sixpack who got let go. Jane and Jim who are left are simply exhausted of fixing newbies mistakes, balldrops and not work. The recipe [or should I say blow back?] for the Rand Accenture Souffle is about to collapse in the oven. LOL.

    https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/quiet-quitting-are-you-doing-only-whats-necessary-work-and-no-more

    • “consultant studies that simply said to increase work load on those who were spared the pink slip, ”

      Exactly @steevo…..I wish I had a dollar for every hour it was just me.. working in healthcare.. the building costs remain the same.. the utilities remain the same.. the set expenses are non discussion.. employees working that is flexible.. the only flexible way.. the place my wife is working.. they cut the hourly staff.. and increased the hours worked by the salaried employees.. this month we would have had five hundred dollars to live on.. luckily the manager did not want to work the hours they put on them and gave the wife an extra few days.. the plan was to cut staffing across the board.. see it all the time in health care.. when they can get students.. they cut the higher paid employees that still have a way to go for retirement.. the annual witch hunt.. only now the witch hunt isn’t just waiting for fall return of the kids.. it is across the board.. I haven’t had to buy groceries except for milk eggs etc.. we were at the point of selling the car back to the dealership.. our car insurance alone was more than what we would have had.. cut the unessentials.. It was months that I worked that it was just me for the whole building over a hundred patients.. LOL the DON would tell me every day.. we are looking for people.. no one wants to work here.. I was sending friends in and they were being told.. we are not hiring.. so my niece was born.. I was sitting there.. looking at all the people… and I thought.. How in the heck would they remember me after all these years … SO.. I went in and applied for my job.. the answer I got.. was we are not hiring right now.. we are only taking in house employees transferring.. that night I went into work.. and the boss said.. I am so sorry it is just you again.. we just can’t get anyone to put in applications.. which is where I said.. speaking about that.. I applied for my position.. you are not hiring.. LOL LOL they had a full staff less than two days later..
      NOW it is worse.. operating prices have increased.. all the supplies are made in china.. we have brandon and Nancy doing their best to irritate china.. while it is clear drug production, particularly of APIs, has moved out of the U.S., the FDA doesn’t know a lot more than that.almost all of my pharmaceuticals are made there.. and so is all the equipment we use.. what was it someone said.. don’t insult the firemant one day you may have a fire and need him..
      My wifes boss.. doesn’t have a clue what his expenses are for that facility.. I don’t even have to look at the books to know he is not making a dime..
      One of my friends said their work load in lab increased almost ten times.. the same for the therapy department.. someone leaves they pass it on.. wages don’t go up.. the one hospital has an almost ninety percent turn over rate.. or more than that.. you won’t see the same person twice.. they pile the income and the perks the benefits etc.. on the executive staff..
      One hospital administrator and I were having a beer by his pool once.. ( his daughter and my daughter are like sisters..he had been downsized) he felt insulted that the only offer he could get in 1992 was a little over a half million dollars a year.. ( I made five dollars an hour my wife six) I said I wish they would insult me like that.. LOL LOL.. he then said I can get six to every american from mexico for a fraction of what we pay here. and if we could get a machine to do the work.. . excuse me.. what..
      they hire by points.. I was a point five.. which meant they only gauranteed me five working days every pay period.. and you have to work your weekend shift.. so.. you could only take off five days if you went on vacation.. If you did.. you didn’t get paid because they gave you your five days.. (from what I have been told this is still like that now) every year I would give away my eighty hours of vacation hours to someone that is sick..( if you get sick.. your job is gone.. which is what happened to my great niece.. she went to her grandmothers funeral and they let her go.. she has not been able to find any job whatsoever in four months.. she has been living off of credit cards.. not eligable to get food stamps.. or any rent assistance.. I told her to call me if she needs to vent.. seems everyone she assumed would be there for her left her high and dry..)

14. Here is one for you George… Germaine to our times!

    Camels at the door
    Didn’t Thomas Jefferson say something like, “My great grandfather was a warrior so my grandfather could be a farmer so that my father could be a merchant so that I could be a scholar”?
    Read a kaleidoscope of truth and reality below.

    Camels on the Horizon:

    The founder of Dubai, Sheik Rashid, was asked about the future of his country, and he replied, “My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I ride a Mercedes, my son rides a Land Rover, and my grandson is going to ride a Land Rover…but my great-grandson is going to have to ride a camel again. “Why is that, he was asked?
    And his reply was, “Hard times create strong men, strong men create
    easy times. Easy times create weak men, weak men create difficult
    times. Many will not understand it, but you have to raise warriors,not parasites.”
    __________________
    And add to that the historical reality that all great empires… the
    Persians, the Trojans, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, and in
    later years, the British…all rose and perished within 240 years.
    They were not conquered by external enemies; they rotted from within. America has now passed that 240 year mark, and the rot is starting to be visible and is accelerating.
    We are past the Mercedes and Land Rover Years…. the camels are on the horizon. The greatest generation consisted of 18 year old kids storming the beaches at “Normandy”, which caused the end of World War Two.
    And now, just two generations later, some 18-year-old kids want to hide in safe rooms when they hear words that hurt their feelings. They also want free stuff from the government because they think they are
    entitled to it.
    The “camels are on the horizon” for sure…

    • Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.

      We are absolutely on the weak men side of this timeline. Speech is violence and all the other garbage where people absolutely will avoid any struggle in their life.

      • I know some exceptions to that rule. They grew up more slowly than my generation, but they do exist. Sadly, the universities are still trying to instill teenage values in their students.

        This fourth turning will be a doozy!

    • “America has now passed that 240 year mark, and the rot is starting to be visible and is accelerating.”

      It’s more than just visible..@Ed C.. it’s oozing.. and it’s the subject being discussed at every coffee house and restaurant across the nation..
      It was actually BLM and Antifa and the vast support of their damaging cities that started people to talk..

15. Thanks Man! I’m just grateful to be a guest in THE DUDES house another year.

    You know what I find interesting?

    .George writes this big thing about Robots a few years back. And now in about get busy on a big job that rumor has it, is for a big robot factory.
    George rants Robots!!!
    2 years later
    Andy works helping build a robot factory.

    George writes about peak oil. Because George is directed by DUDE about oil, then a few years later we have a gas crisis “because of Putin in the Ukraine”

    George rants Peak Oil! Prices go up!
    A few years later.
    Gas from $2.00 a gallon to $6.00 a gallon.

    Okay thanks for the heads up George! Thank the DUDE for Geroge listing.

    I also find It interesting that Elon Musk is big purponent of DOGE coin. And he is founder of tesla. Then a few later Dodge announces that 2023 is the last year of the gas powered muscle cars such as the hellcat (also the name for a bad ass plane in WW2) , the Challenger, the Charger etc etc that they are working with tesla and in 2024 they will all be all electric vehicles.

    Elon Musk, tesla, Doge coin
    2 years later
    Dodge, tesla electric musle cars.

    Huh. That is peculiar. DUDE is certainly working with some really cool little dudes. And I like that DUDE works with them and me. My life is a result of 99% of HIS doing. I can only take credit for 1% which is usually bumbling around trying do HIS job for HIM. Or trying to understand what the fuck is really going on.

    Hahahah.

    Thanks ! I’m have an awesome day! Whoohoo!

16. Welp, the drought just ended around here. Got 1.3″ in the gage so far and had to pump out the cellar again. Probably won’t be the only time this week. Going to have to look into some substantial cement sealer at Lowe’s soon. At least I wasn’t hauling water again today. Don’t think the goats ever came in for water at all. This will get things to start greening up in a couple of weeks as the vegetation comes out of its stupor.

    But we’ve got more weather headed everyones’ way this week so pay attention: “A Flood Of Surging Storms Is About To Unleash Over The Coming Days…”
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mAGo1wDFkg

    • It’s raining here all day after a week with several inches of rain already! Weeds are ridiculously high and I mowed only two weeks ago. Things have been greener than normal since July, and I can look outside at two bushhogs needing repair. I’ve been working on one, but I refuse to weld in the rain. It can be a shocking experience that I’d rather do without. Hopefully we’ll get a break in the weather next week and I can get the place back under control. Gardens don’t grow here, but weeds do for some reason.

      • May old many Ure recommend a small oxy acetylene rig for just such occasions?

      • Toro and Husqvarna both make “hovercraft mowers.”

        Just sayin…

      • It’ll be a couple of weeks before we see the first fruits of this week of rain emerge. We got anywhere from 3/8th of an inch of rain on the South end of the ranch to 3″ at the North. First time we’ve had to use 4WD in a long time to get around. The big draw bisecting the ranch has its deepest ponds full again. Felt great with the cooler temperature and not having to haul water since the water tanks are basically big rain gauges in their own right. So 3″ of rain is equivalent to 3 trips with the water tank and a few gallons of gas not burned. Pretty sure the goats will just stay out in the pasture anyway since there’s water to be found all over. Still feeding the deer, though, while I can. I don’t have any covered feeders to use when it rains but they’ve got a bit more to go on with the past week’s worth of feed in them.

17. WTHS; thank YOU so much. What you wrote is a wake up call to many. It’s a shake up from their slumber.

    People cannot put the pieces of the puzzle together because these laws canvas many years, they cannot step from one stone to the other, the birds have eaten the bread crumbs, they are stuck in the forest and cannot see the trees, nor a way up and out.

    The plan is hatched, the net is cast, and the people are lulled in their ignorance, but they long to be FREE and they YEARN for understanding.

    As you so eloquently pointed out that neither of these laws/acts actually do what they are titled to do:

    Inflation Reduction Act;
    Affordable Care Act.

    Which sounds a lot like: War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength, from George Orwell’s, 1984. I suggest everyone read it.

    Some quotes from this website: https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/153313-nineteen-eighty-four

    “The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, the Ministry of Truth with lies, the Ministry of Love with torture and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation. These contradictions are not accidental, nor do they result from from ordinary hypocrisy: they are deliberate exercises in doublethink” ? George Orwell, 1984

    “Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” ? George Orwell, 1984.

    “Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.” ? George Orwell, 1984 .

    More of this kind of “Double Think” talking to the Sheep:

    Homeland Security;
    Department of Education;

    These are the main agencies of the federal government. The heads of these 15 agencies are also members of the president’s cabinet.

    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    U.S. Department of Commerce
    U.S. Department of Defense
    U.S. Department of Education
    U.S. Department of Energy
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
    U.S. Department of Justice
    U.S. Department of Labor
    U.S. Department of State
    U.S. Department of the Interior
    U.S. Department of the Treasury
    U.S. Department of Transportation
    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

    I would like to see one person name one agency that actually DOES what it is titled to do.

    What is missing are these:

    Department of Peace; The Art of Making Continual War;
    Department of Selling out the USA;
    Department of Abortion; Starting at Pre-Birth (Be Somebody; plan your conception, pregnancy, and abortions here;)
    Department of Gender and Transition;
    Department of Systematic Change, Transformation, and Direction of The United States (Otherwise known as The Constitution is Dead);
    Department of the Transition from Socialism to Communism.
    Department of the Media: Propaganda Brainwashing, and Common Lying. (Making sure the media stays in the corrupt hands and the sheep stay stupid).
    Department of the DRUGS; (how to import them into the USA and sell them on the street using cartels.)

    Have some fun, name some of your own Departments or Sub Departments.

    https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government

    • Hello URE ON,
      Thank you for your comments re: my post. More importantly, thank you for adding very deep and insightful thoughts. Been a long time since I read 1984. Your knowledge shines through and your analogies to Orwell are well thought out.

      I used to be an optimist…now I am a realist. I promised to inform the people. As you so eloquently pointed out, many do not hear. This ship is sinking fast.
      Best wishes…

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