Markets Channel Higher – Hot, Thirsty and Woo-Notes

by

We have a new and exciting game for wide-ranging market day trading addicts like me.  OK, and one ot two others around here.

Game is “What’s Yahoo Doing?”  Today, when we clicked on World Stock Indexes: prices, charts, percent change, volume, and news – Yahoo Finance the early morning futures prices were off in the right gutter of the page.  Yesterday they were (more conveniently) at the top of the page.

We think this is a fine example (referring to my book The 100-Year Toaster) of how corporations make up “magical improvements” to things like “page layouts” and pimp it around like it was actual Progress.  Microsoft does the same thing – every time a new version of Office 365 comes out, I have to go around “lifting up ribbons” to see what’s under them.  So much for progress.  In the end, we can’t type any faster, so it’s mostly bullshit for marketing types, anyway.

(You do know about the hidden option to “scroll when hover over inactive windows”?  Otherwise, you spend all day going between spreadsheets. (Should be activated by default, but that’s just an old sourpuss talking.)

Reader D’Lynn reported a note that says 19 percent of Earth’s energy will be soaked up by A.I., in the next five or six years.  This is an even more colossal waste of resource than crypto currencies. Being able to “make computers smarter than humans” doesn’t make the underlying humans a damn bit brighter.  But such is the progress of delusional thinking.

And if you’re wondering how to hedge the future (without the hysterical headlines) we got an email from The Tax Foundation early this morning that sobered us up. (Well, somewhat…)

“Exempting Social Security Benefits from Income Tax Is Unsound and Fiscally Irresponsible

Former President Trump recently floated exempting Social Security benefits from income tax. Congressional policymakers have introduced similar proposals over the last two years, arguing that it would help retirees financially during high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Our analysis finds that doing so would increase the budget deficit by about $1.6 trillion over 10 years, hasten the insolvency of Social Security and Medicare trust funds, and create a new hole in the income tax base without a sound policy rationale.”

Our simple plan out here at the end of the string (in the woods) is to set up so we can live on one-third less income.  The government will be along to take the other third over time (whether directly, or by inflation) so we sleep well knowing we’re on to the crook’s con job.

One more Reality Check?  I did mention in the Monday column headline that we are in Baker’s Weeks now until Labor Day.  One of our impeckerble sources with a serious science and military background has been watching the climate hysteria and tells us:

I see its mid-August in central Virginia. Night time temps down to about 60 F, days only in mid 80s. These are mid-September temps, not mid-August.

Canada Cold Front To Drop Temps In Midwest – Videos from The Weather Channel

Yeah, some record lows being recorded. In August. Gotta love that global warming climate change. Gents, it may be a dern cold winter. Hope you have a goodly supply of dry firewood under cover.

Remember, the globe has not yet recovered to interglacial temperature norms since the formal end of the “Little Ice Age”. All this “hockey stick” warming crap is just a short view of reversion to the norm, except…we never got back to interglacial norms. Fact is, we are poised on the edge of the next ice age. So, summer unusual cooling spells should kinda now be the norm. Hmmnnn…”

We are roughing out plans here for a “caboose” kind of structure between the Big House and the Shop because it would be a great place for a big wood heater to be installed.  And when you live on a 28-acre wood lot and the Texas Snowmageddon is still alive in the memory, the design options are less crazy-sounding than we they first arose in 2004.

Enough real news.  Let’s hitch up the harrow and run it through the morning’s bullshit which has fermented overnight.

Screaming Retail!

Just out:

Advance Estimates of U.S. Retail and Food Services
Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for July 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $709.7 billion, an increase of 1.0%
(±0.5 percent) from the previous month, and up 2.7 percent (±0.5 percent) from July 2023. Total sales for the May 2024 through July 2024 period were up 2.4 percent (±0.5 percent) from the same period a year ago. The May 2024 to June 2024 percent change was revised from virtually unchanged (±0.5 percent)* to down 0.2 percent (±0.2 percent)*.

Markets Channeling Higher

Bring out the seance table,  Here we go…higher then lower, seems like:

OK, the rest of it is pretty meh.  Gold was up about $20-bucks, but silver – wow – over $28 again and smoking 3.7 percent gains for the day. Bitcoin which was $61,739 for a few milliseconds earlier this week is back to being BitTurd under $58,700 again.

Want to see this week’s unemployment filings?

And in which part of the Latter-Day Worker’s Paradise, it was landing?

Gosh, how spine-tingling exciting huh? Later, I will open a can of paint, and we can all watch it dry.  Hosannah!

Wars, Nukes, and Decorum

While you’re reading the slow-rolled stories on nuclear weapons, an email from long-time reader and retired (O5 or 6, it’s early) Warhammer who rode the Bufo’s with a bomb under his butt for…what, 30-years?  Anyway, as a retired “Riders in the Sky” we put a lot of weight to his thinkings on”flashy wars.”

“The New Russian Calculus

Through the latter phase of my military career, I’ve studied, researched the key reasons for any nuclear power to justify the use their WMDs (nuke, chem or bio) and where and how they might employ them.  An article by the Center for Strategic & International Studies nicely sums up some of the core elements of my points of view regarding nukes.  In summary:

For Russia, the traditional primary reasons for the first use of nukes are believed to be:

– indication of incoming foreign ballistic missiles

– the actual use of nukes against Russian territories

– incapacitation or destruction of Russian command and control capabilities that executed Russian nuclear assets

– an overwhelming use of conventional weapons against strategic Russian locations which threatens the very survival of the state

Might Putin use nuclear weapons over a situation in Ukraine which may not directly satisfy any of the 4 reasons listed above.  For a despotic megalomaniac like Putin, and the rich and powerful Russian oligarchs who back him, Ukraine, aided by NATO and the U.S. threatening the very survival of Putin’s regime could be viewed as the threatening of the entire Russian state.  In Putin’s mind, and the minds of his oligarchy, this could justify the first use of nukes. Where that might ultimately lead the world to I leave to Stu and Ure-self to decide.

For a more in depth explanation of the above, I refer you and Ure readers to the most excellent Center for Strategic & International Studies article which provides much more detail in a very digestible, easy read format: Deter and Divide: Russia’s Nuclear Rhetoric & Escalation Risks in Ukraine (csis.org)

Now to the Serious Parts

Where will nukes blow off first.

(Envelope #1):  Ukraine gambles on an incursion deep into Russian territory. The bold move changes the battlefield – Washington Times

(Envelope #2): Just as Iran to deliver hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia soon: sources – The Japan Times, we notice that Iran advancing research on nuclear bombs, expert tells JPost – The Jerusalem Post,

[Offstage Announcer: Tiiiiimes UP!]

OK, Envelope #2 and Vanna’s number…

The Blow Report:  Hurricane Ernesto leaves hundreds of thousands without power in Puerto Rico (irishexaminer.com)

And a weight watching note: Wally Amos, 88, of cookie fame, died at home in Hawaii. He lost Famous Amos but found other success | Stars and Stripes.  Lesson?  Never lose your cookies and stay frosty! Great guy.

At the Ranch: Mirror Mirror on the Woo

My bud, the Major, and I watched the original movie Snow White at the old Beacon Hill theater in Seattle when we were growing up (arguably, we haven’t) back in about 1955 or ’56.  The movie and the mirror in it came up in the wine-time conference call last night and may be related to Mirror, mirror on the wall. I know that the movie says Magic mirror on the wall but we all remember Mirror, Mirror on the wall. I just found an old Disney story book published in 1978 that does actually say Mirror, mirror on the wall. The book is Walt Disney’s Treasury of Children’s Classics : r/Mandela_Effect (reddit.com)

Both he and I along with Elaine swear it was “Mirror Mirror on the wall…” But the major – when he wasn’t researching Costco’s Michelin run-flat new-tech tires for his rig – spent a decent time block the last couple of days trying to find somewhere – anywhere – that would cite “Mirror, mirror…”

So far, no soap.

I told him not to bother and that my latest crackpot theory says that one of the implications of the MWI (Many Worlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics) is that periodically a whole sociological base group (humans) will simply massively create an alt.history.  It’s required by the MWI.

Then the convo went weird.  “Has anyone ever done a study to see if there are differing disease rates and lifespans attributed people to hold to the earlier (non-shifted, Mandella died) paradigm?  I think those that just accept the “new history” get to stay in the Sim of Life longer.

I think this would be one of the most fascinating areas of research imaginable.  Because (if we all live in a sim) does the sim have a mechanism to “dump out old players” (die them) by simply erasing their histories?

Hmm… inquiring minds.

Write when we wake up,

George@Ure.net

91 thoughts on “Markets Channel Higher – Hot, Thirsty and Woo-Notes”

  1. “Exempting Social Security Benefits from Income Tax Is Unsound and Fiscally Irresponsible …
    Our analysis finds that doing so would increase the budget deficit by about $1.6 trillion over 10 years, hasten the insolvency of Social Security and Medicare trust funds, and create a new hole in the income tax base without a sound policy rationale.”

    George, I believe TPTB already know that, which is why they’re touting it. – Just another step to bring us down.

        • That’s one of the many reasons that they track our age so religiously! Is there any important identity document without a DOB?

          This nonsense essentially programs us to expect our demise, so we don’t plan a future as easily once we hit our 8th decade. We’re always reminded that it’s short and we’d better not dream big!

          We need to massively renounce that concept!

      • Were COLAs built into the SS trust fund*? Link below for COLA amounts.

        We have to make some assumptions.

        Begin contributing at 18 y/o. Start participating at 65. Benefit ends at 80 y/o.

        47 years contributing. 15 years participating.

        Using the 8.7% 2022 COLA as example.

        A COLA increase during the 50% point of the participation phase should have equated to an increase at the 50%+/- point of the contribution phase.

        During 2022 a person who was collecting SS for 7.5 years would make them 72.5 y/o (50% participation) and received a COLA should have had a corresponding increase in SS contributions when they were 41.5 y/o (50% contribution), or the during the year 1998?

        In the case of 2022 SS rates should have gone up 8.7% back in 1998 for the 72.5 y/o.

        *I think people also oscillate between SS being a Trust Fund and pay-as-we-go.

        Ida Mae Fuller was the first person to take benefits from Social Security. Does Ida’s experience describe a trust fund or pay-as-we-go? And don’t forget there was a generation of Idas:

        “Ida May Fuller worked for three years under the Social Security program. The accumulated taxes on her salary during those three years was a total of $24.75. Her initial monthly check was $22.54. During her lifetime she collected a total of $22,888.92 in Social Security benefits.”

        If SS is a trust fund the fund had to go into debt to make those first payments to Ida and her generation. This means future contributions into the Trust Fund had to pay interest payments on the beginning debt. From a trust fund point of view what year did the trust fund break even if ever?

        Cost-Of-Living Adjustments

        https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/colaseries.html

        All that to say is SS is an economic control method that keeps the system going and one reason why CW2 will never be.

        Thinking about the Mandela Effect and Ida Mae Fuller. I thought Ida was African American but today noticed she isn’t.

        “Fuller’s family traced its American roots to Mayflower passengers…”.

        • Social Security COLAs are a figment of a politician’s imagination.

          Generally, if real inflation, as computed by the government, using whatever type of “accounting” they choose to yield the best numbers, is under 3%, “stated inflation” will be zero, for purposes of computing a cost of living adjustment for Social Security and Railroad retirement beneficiaries. If inflation is between 3% and 5%, there will be an increase in Social Security benefits, which will be more-or-less completely offset by an increase in “Medicare insurance premiums.”

          I had never seen an increase in my monthly Social Security benefit of more than $5, until last year. Don’t use “8.7%.” That is incredibly disingenuous. Use “2%” instead, which is still more than we get, on average, but at least it is not insulting…

        • the problem is if SS is increased 4 percent Medicare is increased 12 percent so you don’t actually see an increase in cash all while everything across the board is increasing at many times that..

    • Inflation:
      “What cost $1 in 1960 would cost $10.47 in 2023.
      Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2023 and 1960, they would cost you $1 and $0.1 respectively.”

      Only money above that amount should be subject to current income taxation.

      Since we’ve already paid income taxes on that amount that amount of taxes must be deducted from any possible income tax today.

      The fact that retirees are taxed on all of it, again, suggests the unfairness of it all AND that in real $$ terms your SS income is negative.

      It also helps explain why the FED promotes inflation. For example, by the time you retire the first dollars have lost 4x their real value.

      • Yep AND the big one; WELFARE is NOT TAXED.

        Neither is the billions given to the illegals.

        FREE NON TAX MONEY.

        This system is putting the FREE programs on the backs of the TAXPAYERS.

    • they can’t.. they just brought over several million illegals given away hundreds of billions of dollars and used up the vast majority of our strategic reserves.prices are so high everyone is feeling the effects of biden kammy dive into the pits if hell..there was an exodus of a great deal of our wealthiest.. and shutting down oil pipelines..prices have to continue to increase..we just got notice to expect a higher home tax and house prices are so far out of the loop that many are seeking tiny homes or moving int campers.. a friend just told me he is going to that next month. he retires his home taxes and payment and rising utilities will be more than they get..

        • You seem unable to understand economics. Do we need to repeat law enforcement judicial and prison costs from crime ridden illegals for you? WTF>

        • You must earn at least 40 Social Security credits to be eligible for Social Security benefits. You earn credits when you work and pay Social Security taxes. The number of credits does not affect the amount of benefits you receive.If you don’t earn 40 quarters of coverage, you, unfortunately, won’t qualify for Social Security retirement benefits.
          now if they pay in the same taxes that a us citizen is required to pay before receiving benefits and come to America legally i have no concerns at all..
          unfortunately I have met way to many that get here and have everything given to them..
          unfortunately I live in the real world and have had real struggles in life..
          you obviously must be a politician or govt worker that gets the golden goose benefits..

        • G & Loob, why is it that 86% of U.S. Businesses refuse to participate in E-Verify?

          Because the illegals will do our dirty work cheaper! Get a clue!
          https://www.cato.org/blog/facts-about-e-verify-use-rates-errors-effects-illegal-employment#:~:text=Use%20of%20E%E2%80%91Verify&text=In%202018%2C%20DHS%20had%20enrolled,use%20E%E2%80%91Verify%20in%202018.

          https://www.e-verify.gov/about-e-verify/e-verify-data/e-verify-usage-statistics

          Most illegals work in Agriculture and Construction:
          https://www.statista.com/statistics/652960/employed-undocumented-immigrants-in-the-us-by-industry/

          Food and Housing prices higher due to lack of illegal workers:
          https://www.foodmanufacturing.com/labor/news/22223118/less-immigrant-labor-contributing-to-price-hikes

        • (“Because the illegals will do our dirty work cheaper! Get a clue!”)

          Now I can say I have had the rough road and I was willing to work for whatever I could get.. done some really crappy jobs in my life.. in day labor.. so they are willing to work cheaper.. but low income housing requires a twenty dollar an hour take home.. a house payment.. alone for a moderate home is sixty dollars an hour today.. my first rent was forty five dollars a month my electricity was five….
          I never made enough money to qualify for the first time home mortgage.. see the income guidelines were at that point..
          the chinese working in our area.. they come to the USA because one hours income here is the equivalent to a months income there.. they make several years work a week.. my boss at the hospital once told me.. if he could he would take a bus to the border and bring back because..they would work cheaper.. but he is the first one to let those in the service departments go.. so he can show that the budget is under control to prove his million dollar a year wage was a value to them.. there are still face prints on windows.. from when I was thirty two years old.. they got rid of the housekeepers.. put carpet in.. just like Micky D’s doing away with the counter staff and putting in automated Kiosks..
          the difference.. one of the guys I worked with.. back in the early eighties.. he was guaranteed forty hours a week.. I had to work six jobs.. the wife says I worked eight.. to get forty hours a week.. he got free medical for him and his children and wife.. he got free daycare.. his house was bought and given to him.. he even had a brand new conversion van food stamps utilities.. it was shocking.. we were sitting on a bunk of wood when our income tax checks came in.. he got back every dime he paid in.. every dime the company paid in plus he got the EIC tax credit.. his check was more than what I grossed working six jobs.. and I had to pay in seventy five dollars. that is the problem.. I do believe that the good Samaritan laws are good.. but they should be used for the original purpose to help those going through catastrophic events.. instead it has been changed.. come here legally.. pay the taxes we pay.. don’t get benefits until you reach the qualifications that is required by a citizen.. be a citizen and abide by our laws.. putting the burden on the kid at the burger shop or the guy sacking groceries.. is only going to drag us down.. I do believe that we should have a set tax.. poverty level the standard deductions then eleven percent of all income brought in.. no tax deductions.. no million dollar homes given to someone just because.. there isn’t a free ride for anyone.. we all have to work together. of course that is just my opinion..

    • “Just another step to bring us down.”

      “A hacker group called USDoD successfully broke into the records from the National Public Data system and stole EVERY social security number. The media first reported that 2.7 billion records, including physical addresses, were stolen but now intelligence agencies believe that government data on every resident of the US, Canada, and the UK were confiscated by hackers.”

      https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/corruption/massive-personal-data-breach-revealed/

      • When Yahoo was hacked back a few years back….

        My info was stolen.

        That woman who led Yahoo got a payoff golden parachute for looking the other way. Big Payoff for her crime and of course, no jail time or prosecution.

        So I paid for my own credit monitoring. Put on a credit freeze.

        This is the situation, not every vendor checks with the credit bureaus, so if they have your SS Number, your name, address, telephone number, AND drivers license Number, they can open up or create a fake ID and credit card in your name and there is nothing you can do about it.

        Credit monitoring is not going to stop them one bit. ALL credit monitoring will do is tell you that something was opened in your name AFTER the fact.

        All I can tell the people, the US citizens, in their 40’s on up, is to go ahead and open up a My Social Security Account now, so that they CANNOT do that with your info and steal your SS Benefits by filing for them BEFORE you do. IF they file for it before you do, good luck trying to get that sorted out.

        EACH credit bureau gives out ONE FREE credit report each year, so if you do that correctly, every 4 months you can run your FREE credit report to check for any inconsistencies.

        https://www.annualcreditreport.com/gettingReports.action

        America is FOR SALE, we are a captured people, with NO security, NO privacy, NO freedom, but the increased debt will be dropped on our backs like a sack of shit.

      • P.S.

        I just got my letter in the mail, that I was hacked again.

        The letter was dated August 5, 2024, which I received earlier this week. THE EVENT happened on February 21st and they immediately knew about it.

        NICE TIMELY NOTICE (NOT).

        At least this letter ended with the following (and it’s a first): “We are sorry for any concern this event may cause.”

  2. One of my daughters and I had a UFO encounter around 1991 or 1992 and she says that we moved timeliness at that point. My younger brother also told me that he thinks he switched time lines because he has very few memories of his childhood. (I don’t either.) Both site Manadla effects as proof. My opiate post surgery self was totally convinced that I was a time traveler. Perhaps switching time lines and being a time traveler are the same thing. I have hope that if we F##k it up here that we can move to a new, better time line.

    • We may be making a reasonable assumption: that we can only sense — be “in” — one timeline of a multi-verse at any point. Maybe, if there are skitty-el-jillions of parallel-running time lines, we can “be” in two or more at once — and maybe not even know this.

      This effect might even be temporary. George had a marvelous graphic on here a few years ago that showed a movie film splitting at a certain observer’s decision point, and then re-joining after a brief excursion, back into a single track. (“Lost keys: keys mysteriously being re-found right back where the first track had them all along.” I think was the context.)

      Surely, in some parallel tracks Mandella IS most sincerely dead, and in others, doing just fine.

      …or maybe it was some business concerning a cat in a bax and some theoretical guy named Schroedinger… or something.

    • Switching timelines at this point is a great idea! I’ve been working on it (whatever that means) for awhile. Whenever people have different memories of particular events or eras, I consider the possibility that timeline changes were involved. A friend whose memories frequently differ from mine has often said she thinks she’s living in an alternative universe. However, some say all timelines are merging now, so perhaps we’re stuck in this one.

      I hope to find some clues in the book, “Fractal Holographic Universe: The Matrix Code Revealed,” which I ordered yesterday after watching the video, “Are We Living in a Simulation,” with Paul Wallis and Billy Carson:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_hwVzRmHyI

      (Paul Wallis has many fascinating videos on alternative interpretations of historical writings and events.)

  4. George,
    Thanks for the BUFF call out (big, ugly fat f**ker to those who fly her). Ure ‘confusion’ is entirely justified. I officially retired as a an 0-5 (Lt Col) after 22 years of service, despite being promoted to 0-6 (Col). I’m no Tim Walz, so I make sure to let everyone know my ‘real’ (i.e. retired) rank when they ask. In all branches of the military, Lt Cols are traditionally addressed as Col, just as 2nd and 1st Lieutenants are both addressed as Lt. To retire as an 0-6 one must serve 3 years time-in-grade unless waved to 2 years by the SecDef. I never pinned on my eagles (colonel’s rank is an eagle carrying arrows), instead voluntarily submitting my retirement papers before the 0-6 promotion board ever met. While honored to earn the promotion, my path was leading me elsewhere.
    Cheers,

    • see https://www.startribune.com/fact-check-walz-retired-from-army-national-guard-after-24-years-to-run-for-congress/600962516

      In the active duty ranks, the nominee is usually sent to the leadership course enroute to the promotion and next position. The National Guard doesn’t have this luxury as it does everything around weekends and 2 week summer drills. Leadership training is a part time (and personal time) endeavor. Given more time, Waltz would have finished the training and made his appointment permanent. Vance has some gall as a two year E-4 (specialist or corporal) to call out and challenge the career of an E-8/E-9 (master sergeant, sergeant major). How long was his enlistment? One might say he joined the Marines to get resume points while Waltz joined the Army National Guard to support his state. But it’s politics and they’re both grown ups, one a little more than the other.

      • Joe, you don’t understand the subtleties of the situation and don’t lecture retired service members about military matters on behalf of a politician.

      • E-4 , going up against an E-8/E-9 ???
        That is just too damn funny !!!

        Gonna have to get some hip boots and a bigger shovel if they keep piling it on…

        Dave

      • “Given more time, Waltz would have finished the training and made his appointment permanent.”

        Probably.

        Unfortunately, his deployment orders to Iraq came along too soon.

        “Quitting” to run for Congress doesn’t pass anyone’s smell test. He quit because he was yellow, and everyone who’s worn a uniform knows it.

        Tulsi Gabbard didn’t resign because of her spot in the Hawaii Legislature, and she sure as hell didn’t resign when she ran for, and became, a U.S. Congressman. She also didn’t cut & run when she was deployed to a war zone.

        Vance joined the Marines because it was a way for a desperately-poor kid to eat. He also didn’t cut & run when he got deployed to a war zone.

        To be fair, neither Gabbard nor Vance were front line combat soldiers, but they were both far enough forward to get shot at. Artillery isn’t a front line position, either.

        Nobody is dissing the commie from Minnesota for his military service. We are down on him because he lied about his service FOR 20 YEARS and because he ducked-out and ran away from his troops, when it looked like he might be sent into harm’s way.

        BTW, if you are going to try to defend WALZ, you should probably learn his name, first…

    • I automatically revert to Major Kong from Dr Strangelove !

      Was that movie held in high regards amongst the crews ?

      ( One of my more memorable moments in the military was when a B-52 did a couple of VERY low level passes on my ship ( CVN ). Incredible !

      Dave

  5. Oil Price Shock … Incoming??

    Good article yesterday am at Zero Hedge regarding the oil shock of 1973, 1979, and the current oil situation.

    1973: 5 million barrels of production removed from 56 million total worldwide, 9%+- reduction
    oil prices went up 4x

    1979: 4.3 million barrels of production removed from 66 million total worldwide, 7%+- reduction
    how much oil prices went up but dimly recall it was about 2.5x

    If Strait of Hormuz was shut down now because of War with Iran 21 million barrels of oil DAILY go through the Straits out of total world production 94 million, 22%+-

    In addition 33% of the world’s liquified natural gas transits the straits daily

    While the US is basically self sufficient in oil, hitting record all time daily high production a week ago, unlike in 1973 when we were importing 30% to 40% of our oil used (per memory) and was and is totally self sufficient in natural gas, the closure of the Straits would ensure a price explosion to the upside for world oil prices.

    A shortfall of 20%+- in the world’s oil supply to a world needing 90 million barrels a day would drive the pricing up by a LOT … 4x to 5x is not out of the realm of possibility ($300/bbl to $375/bbl) since it went up 4x in 1973 with only a 9% shortfall.

    In fact such a price rise would be likely since while the US /Canada /Russia would be OK wrt supplies (and probably limit their internal price increases thus not cutting consumption much) the rest of the world would be severely short of oil.

    We are already bordering on a world wide recession with many believing we have already entered one, China surely has. This event would accelerate and deepen that economic chaos which would naturally spread to the US even if gasoline /diesel prices here only went up 2x to 3x.

    “IF” GA Stewart’s projection of a US Carrier being destroyed in that part of the world become true then that means that an oil transport shutdown through the Hormuz Straits is a given.

    The ONLY way that I can envision the US and the West being able to reopen that transit point in the short run after such an event is via a LAND INVASION of Iran itself, so as to seize the parts of Iran that are near the Straits. Does the British experience with “Gallipoli” ring any bells? (for such an invasion to be successful much would depend upon what the Saudi’s would decide to do – but remember Saudi Arabia has a very sizeable minority of Shiites residing within it)

    Don’t worry … Defense Secretary Austin seems to be running our Middle East Foreign Policy, while Joe takes a nap, and he keeps saying we are ready for WAR there.

    https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/one-step-away-biggest-oil-shock-history

    • In the hypothetical scenario you envision what ships would the USN NATO have to send? How long would it take? With respect to timing we have a precedent. The entire process of salvaging the Costa Concordia took 15 months. That was just one ship.

      In the scenario you described a far more likely organization to reopen the Straits of Hormuz would be the PLAN. The PLAN already has two bases in the area one in Djibouti and the other conveniently located in Iran. Also the belt and road goes to Iran and China is an ally of Iran. So from the point of view of China and Iran reopening the waterway would be a construction project protected by the PLAN. It would not be an invasion.

      In other words the hypothetical Naval battle that you envision would result in the immediate rise of China to superpower status without China having to fire a single shot or go to war.

      “China would come in peace.”

      When would China leave? History books suggest an answer. The time for China to leave would be counted in terms of decades or centuries. As a bonus would China leave in peace? Ancient Taikonaut theorists say “not likely Bro.”

    • I’ve heard a lot about Austin calling the shots and never hear about Biden being in a war room discussing any of it, nor does Joe formally address the public about what’s going on. Hell, they don’t even send Kamala to address us on Biden’s behalf.

      Seems everyone in the Biden administration is just doing their own thing. Puts a new twist on anarchy.

      I wouldn’t mind, if these people really knew what they were (suppose to be) doing. But, it’s not for us. It’s for the agenda.

      I get up everyday and pick up my phone …. Looking for that daily “surprise” that makes me spit my coffee across the kitchen. I think a lot of people do.

      • Keep on stroking PB, keep on stroking !

        Speaking of Stroking – rumored Xi had a big one last week. Has not been seen in public since..

        -“rutrow Wraggy”-ScoobyDoo

  6. “Iran to deliver….”

    If not for the 50 years of sanctions the West would be speaking Iranian by now. The Arabic alphabet has 28 letters so keyboard layouts would be different.

    The QWERTY would be the ??????.

    • LOL no they wouldn’t. But mb the US would have a normal cooperative trading relationship with them, instead of having to keep them demonized in support of the ‘Middle east’s only Democracy’

    • I don’t think he could if he wanted to ..most of our stuff is made in other countries..
      like most things they outsource parts assuming the people are to stupid to know what it’s for..

  9. I was a little surprised. Guess I missed something.
    Retail sales came in higher than expected. Consumers are more resilient than I thought., or more foolish. Spending their savings., or loading the credit cards ?
    From the numbers I saw on May and June sales I figured July would come in weak as consumer spending tapered off. Wrong ! It hasn’t slowed down, or tapered-off.., and the economy is moving along as though there is nothing wrong and pushing the possibility of a recession even further down the road.
    With such strong consumer spending.., how will that effect inflation and the Federal Reserve’s decision on making an interest rate cut ?

    • dLynn: was spending 3% higher YoY or things cost 3% more and the way we measure things fails to adjust for inflation? Some data sets are “adjusted” and some just made up then revised. Good work if you can get it!

      George: “roughing out plans here for a “caboose” kind of structure between the Big House and the Shop because it would be a great place for a big wood heater to be installed”

      Nearly all the farmers around here have built a “hotsa” between farmhouse and workshop(s). There is more freefall than we can burn, just need to cut and split to suit. I may be there someday …

      Tick-tock. Almost done.
      Let’s Regatta!
      Egor

      • I hate to rain on ya’lls parade but with wood will come banning of burning wood.

        England has gone from wood/coal to natural gas to electric to heat. Meaning they were persuaded to give up their wood coal/wood burning fireplaces and convert first to natural gas, then now to electric.

        New LAWS and REGULATIONS don’t ya know to combat climate change.

        Electricity prices through the roof.

        Expect the same here some fine day.

        The assault on gas stoves has already started.

        • The US assault on wood burning began about 45 years ago when the wood stove industry was forced to improve the design of their stoves for more complete combustion and add a catalytic element to reduce the carbon output. That more than doubled the cost of wood stoves and outlawed the sale of the older units.

          Countering that, most new homes began to have fireplaces with no carbon reduction devices.

    • I’ve noticed that grocery stores are stocking more items of the type that preppers would buy, such as things in bulk and long-term storage food. It would be interesting to know if other prepper supplies are also being sold in greater numbers. If that were the case, the higher retail sales might indicate that people are finally waking up and getting ready for the shaky future.

      • Recent Costco emails are all showing specials on buckets of long term freeze dried storage. This is a drastic increase. Some are pallets for over $200k.

    • AFAICT every number the government puts out has been cooked. You’ve got to get the raw data and do your own arithmetic.

  11. baked onions extraordinaire…
    two or three onions.. sliced into quarter inch rings or half slices..
    grease a pan lay the onions in it.. sprinkle over the top a little garlic powder and salt and pepper and some good shit seasoning and some italian spagetti spice mix over the top…… put a little chicken broth not a lot just a drizzle over the top.. cover and put in oven at 400 degrees bake it for about forty five minutes..
    take it out.. then cover it with cheese.. I like italian blend.. then put some parmesan cheese on top

    https://www.amazon.com/Big-Cock-Ranch-Good-Seasoning/dp/B00F6ZOC0S/ref=sr_1_1?

    https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Italian-Spaghetti-Seasoning-Blend/dp/B01IF7UH3E/ref=asc_df_B01IF7UH3E/?

    put the cheese covered onions back into the oven for about fifteen minutes until the cheese has melted and started to brown..

    good stuff… great taste.. I have made it with hamburger mixed in as well.. to make a casserole..
    I have been toying with the idea of using the hamburger and tomatoes to.. but haven’t done it yet..
    if the kids won’t eat onions.. they will eat these onions.. bacon wrapped stuffed onion rings is a good one to.. two onion rings.. put hamburger in between the two.. then wrap bacon around it.. put in oven for about a half hour then flip the onions for another fifteen to twenty minutes.. you can fry them to.. till the bacon gets good and crispy..

    • Yo Loob – the simplest of simplest OnYon recipes..

      For da grill – Charcoal or Gas;

      Slice those big fat sweet and juicy OnYons bout 3/8s of an inch thick.
      Slather both sides of Z slices with Texas Petes Hot Sauce, and place on plate to bring outz to hot bbq.
      Place those badboys on the grill – an grill till done.

      Simple, easy and MMmm tasty!

      • yummy sounds good.. I actually make them on the grill to.. the grand kids get Squamish about onions..they will devour these..

  12. re: “Markets Channel…”
    feat: you have a Telegram

    Folks,

    It appears that at least some of the heavy lifting in the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk, Russia is being carried out by the neo-nazi, anti-Putin Freedom of Russia battalion. The legion led by “Caesar” issued the following July 31st statement on its public Telegram channel severing ties with its oligarch and former Russian Duma political leader Ilya Ponomarev.
    https://t.me/legionoffreedom/1284

    By coinkydoink, Mr. Ponomarov’s Wikipedia page relates an impacting August 1st event. Apparently a drone struck his home in Kyiv resulting in his subsequent hospitalization.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Ponomarev

    Further to unleashing a powering up AI, fans of Sunday’s Snoop Dogg Olympic performance may wish to compare with Monday’s opening of the week-long Army 2024 being held at Patriot Park, Moscow. Chopper recruits display their latest software routines in the following link:

    https://t.me/shot_shot/70143

    • re: Wrecking Ball
      feat: not Miley Cyrus

      Folks,

      Spoiler alert: the New Deal pricing schedule between pharmaceutical companies and US Medicare will take effect on –
      January 1, … 2026…

      This afternoon broadcaster C-Span served up the dynamic duo of President and VP at a school gymnasium in Prince George’s County, Md. The east Washington DC wealthiest Black county in the USA was named in 1696 after Prince George of Denmark, spouse of Queen Anne I, the last English Stuart monarch whose House began ruling Scotland in 1361. The county’s motto is “semper eadem” (ever the same) which Wikipedia incorrectly attributes first use to Queen Anne. However the facts would appear to support Queen Elizabeth I as originator by way of her mother, Anne Boleyn, beheaded at the Tower of London in 1536.

      VP Harris corralled President Biden onto the stage before she commandeered the microphone first as loudspeakers streamed “We Take Care of Our Own” from the “Wrecking Ball” album by The Boss.

      The VP launched into a 10+ minute address which the President respectfully stood through by the dais at the VP’s right hand side. After introducing the President for his speech, the VP is understood to have departed the stage area.

      The C-Span stream noticably changed to a less complimentary camera view from the side between the 27:30 and 27:50 mark of the broadcast. The President criticized Project 2025 during that time frame.

      Following the President’s remarks, the VP reappeared for a photo-op before the pair retreated to a pair of side doors. The President was met at one by a competent adult and the VP exited through the other under her own recognizance. The Mr. Excitement (Jackie Wilson) August 1967 hit “Higher and Higher” could be heard over the rapturous crowd applause. Here is the C-Span link:

      https://www.c-span.org/video/?537692-1/

      Let’s return now to the latest from Mr. George Ure-
      “Markets Channel Higher…”.

      • re: queen of diamonds
        feat: ?

        Folks,

        “The New York Times” published a report on July 17th which currently sits outside their paywall. The article named the Chinese manufacturer of suspected bomb parts found in the vehicle of Mr. Trump’s now-deceased attempted assassin. Here is the “NYT” link:

        https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/us/politics/trump-gunman-crooks-bombs.html

        The newspaper notes contact was made with the Chinese manufacturer who concluded they had no record of a customer by the name of the alleged assassin.

        The USA distributer’s website does not readily provide a bricks and mortar address. However this and their name can be publicly located on the Chinese manufacturer’s website. Google maps clearly shows the building lots on either side with 2021 and 2023 date prints. The lot in question is a blurred out building and an autumnal scene of fallen leaves bearing a 2024 date.

        That county region apparently had been amongst the final 8 greenfields some 11 years ago in the search for the new FBI headquarters complex space. It seems President Biden made the final selection of an elsewhere state location late last year. By coinkydoink though the county of the future FBI complex to-be is the same one that the President and VP spoke at yesterday evening.

        Have a great weekend everyone!

  13. “I see its mid-August in central Virginia. Night time temps down to about 60 F, days only in mid 80s. These are mid-September temps, not mid-August.”

    Here in the Okanogan Highlands of Washington State we’ve been having some weird weather. Last Winter we had a cold spell of a week or two (hard to remember), with two or three days with highs below 0F. Other than that it was a strangely mild Winter. Where I live I usually get knee deep snow and snow on the ground for 3 months or so. Last Winter I got snow, sometimes, but didn’t use my snow shovel once. Also only used about half (guessing) of my normal amount of firewood.

    Follow that by a cool Spring, then the hottest part of Summer happening in July instead of August. Now I’m having lows in the 50’s with highs in the 80’s and a week from now it looks like I could be seeing highs in the 70’s.

    As mentioned above, this seems like September temps.

    Now, if we could just get a bit of rain to put an end to wildfire season.

  14. ice age or global warming
    Time magazine is on not on ure side
    https://truthsocial.com/@catturd2/112957527449201256
    so now they call it climate change so they don’t have to change their shitty pants with every flip and flop
    what a piece of shit rag
    even Trump trolled them with his comment on Spaces the other day talkin about how the CammmAllah even looked good on their cover,,, jeez , how it went over some people’s ability to catch it,,, but was referring to the COVER of the rag
    he did not say” she looked good” as a stand alone comment

    for Andy,,, Entheos talks to rubber duck with a KEY symbol
    https://truthsocial.com/@ENTHEOS/110804668093028271

  15. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?
    It is the mantra of Snow White’s evil stepmother when she looks in the mirror.

  16. I absolutely remember ‘Mirror Mirror’. I saw that movie in the theater as a youngster( in the late 70s or early 80s, whenever it was in theaters back then), and that was the phrase used for sure. My sister and I used to say it to each other all the time.

    I wonder, if some people or organization had the power to go muck about in the past to keep things favorable for them going forward, if the changes they make may cause these subtle ripples, however mb for some people, if reality is indeed stored in the matrix of the body and mind, there is residue left from the original timeline.

    Definitely interesting idea about the health effects of the people who remember the differences. mb the DNA program becomes incompatible with the current operating system, until the point where it can no longer run effectively.

  17. A couple of recent comments brought back this memory.
    Things change – but, not really.
    Years ago, I used to write a bi-weekly column for a website. The website, now long-gone, had a subscriber rate that average 238,000 annually. It closed down when the owner suddenly died and the disgruntled – disheartened wife had everything deleted, even the back-up and closed the site down.
    My column, every two weeks, was called “Up Against The Bricks”. Let me explain. Every day when I finished my morning ride, I would back my Harley into a parking spot directly across from the only shop open on main street. A coffee shop. I would get a double Americano, sprinkle in some cinnamon add half a shot of bourbon and go back across the street and lean-up against the brick-facing of building, sip my coffee and watch the morning come to life in my little downtown – which was completely empty that early. I became a well-known “regular”., amongst the store owners and a couple of county sheriffs. [ One really liked my Harley and would stop and talk.]
    My column was a semi-humorous yet cynical look at your world. Sort of a take-off on Jim Varrney’s “Your world., as I see it.” It was pretty popular. A couple of weeks before the web site disappeared, I wrote a column regarding what had happened to me and the coffee shop. I was banned from coming in. The owner, anew guy from Seattle, somehow discovered that I conceal carry and didn’t want a gun totting misfit in his shop. The description was accurate, though delivered rather harshly., and it was, after all, his shop.., so I never went back.
    That column had the most reads/hits than any other piece on the site over the previous six months.
    Since I was banned from my usual morning stop, the downtown store owners and a few other noticed I was no longer “Up Against The Bricks” in the early mornings and started asking questions. When it was discovered that I had been booted they started giving the coffee shop owner a real hard time. Within a year of being chastised and ostracized, he was forced to sell and eventually moved out of the area. Should be noted that the shop owner’s wife did not like what he did and apologized to me about two months after he banned me., she told me that if she was behind the counter, I was still welcomed – but I never went back.
    I haven’t been into that coffee shop since the new owners took over.., I found a couple of others that I like even better., and since the web site was gone., so was my twice-a-month column. I stopped writing it.
    I still take my ‘false-dawn’ morning rides, before all the idiot tourists wake up with their hang-overs and shitty attitudes., believing they are having a great vacation. I still conceal carry. I still have my morning, spiked, double Americano – now leaning up against a big ole tree, over-looking the lake., though now I include a small bag of dried corn, to feed the ducks. The coffee shop is still there., and “behold !” – so is main street.
    Not much has changed in all these years., though there seems to be more potholes than ever before. My regular mornings are very much the same., I just no longer write about it., or you.

    • wow ..I dont get why anyone would be against conceal carry.. I don’t but just about everyone around the wastelands does.. I was in Sam’s club and someone that just moved here from Vegas was amazed no one cared.. we were talking and I said probably 9 out of ten in the store had one..
      it’s not the legal concealed carry people i worry about..it’s the gang members handing out AK’s from a trunk of a car to new gang members that I worry about..

    • dLynn, nice to see the term “false dawn”, reminds me of crabbing (trot lining)back in the 90’s on the West river with a buddy, up at 330 am on the water at 4, lines laid by 430, ready for false dawn shortly thereafter. Good memories, helps to be a morning person….

    • Tail – Dog

      Tail wagging the Dog. What else is NOT new wrt US /Israel.
      Remember the USS Liberty

      “On the afternoon of 8 June 1967, while in international waters off the northern coast of the Sinai Peninsula, Liberty was attacked and damaged by aircraft of the Israeli Air Force AND motor torpedo boats of the Israeli Navy; 34 American crewmen were killed and 174 wounded.[5]:?2? Though Liberty was severely damaged, with a 39-by-24-foot (11.9 m × 7.3 m) hole amidships and a twisted keel, her crew kept her afloat, and she was able to leave the area under her own power. ”
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Liberty

      • AND Israel was never reprimanded nor punished for attacking and killing our servicemen, on a boat, clearly marked as a United States ship.

        So evil likes to move along and create false flag events to shape situations and herd people to a particular place in time, for their benefit, of course.

  20. I know I’ve given this recipe before but back during the depression and there was food rationing .. things were tough to come by..here’s two pie recipes..

    Preheat oven to 350°.

    Ingredients
    9″ deep dish pie crust

    1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
    1 1/2 cups shredded coconut (I use sweetened)
    1 1/2 graham cracker crumbs
    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    1 cup egg whites

    Mix dry ingredients together, then add egg whites and mix well. Bake 45-55 minutes in a 350° oven.
    of course you need two pie crusts..

    the second o e is just a water pie..

    1 1/2 cups of water
    1/2 cup of flour
    1 cup of sugar
    1 pie crust..
    1 tbsp of vanilla
    ( variations has pecans crushed or 1/2 cup of chopped strawberries or blue berries sprinkled alternately )
    pour the water in the pie crust
    drizzle the vanilla into the water
    mix the flour and sugar together in a separate bowl.
    then sprinkle the flour sugar mix over the top of the water..
    at this point you can alternate drop a little of the fruit or crushed pecans .
    then sprinkle sugar flour over it alternating like you would a lasagna.
    making sure the top layer is flour and sugar.. if you want a pecan pie you can put pecans on top..
    put in a 400 degree oven and bake until done.. the finished pie will be similar to a pecan pie.. you can put a tbsp of maple syrup for a twist along with the vanilla..

  21. I have this Jekyll and Hyde life. Stu the Nostradamus expert, and Stu the military contractor. Both personalities say that the United States is doomed.

    Stu, the military contractor, has worked with active-duty personnel at an operational level for the last 26 years. I have always been a ground level grunt that fixes broken things. Besides my electronics degree, I also have my FAA airframe and powerplant licenses. I have also worked at a high-level military jet engine and rocket research facility for 14 years. Roll in 4 years of active service for the Navy with a tour in the Persian Gulf, and I have pretty much worked on a large chunk of the U.S. military aviation inventory, that includes helicopters, heavy jets, fighters, the space shuttle, and the Atlas-Centaur rocket. I was also part of the team that tested the first Russian rocket engine in the U.S. and the West.

    The current branch of the U.S. military that employees me cannot even build a building. The addition to my facility was built sixteen-inches too short. How does that happen?

    For the last 3 years, a six-million-dollar simulator bay has sat empty and unused, and in a few months, some of it will be bulldozed.

    The 40-million-dollar simulator that was supposed to be moved into it has been moved to another state. My team has been forced to cover that site too, because of poor planning and my employer being too cheap to bring in other personnel.

    The particular aircraft that I work on now is strategically and tactically necessary for the mission of this branch of the military and the operational integrity of NATO.

    My site was supposed to be closed down in November. I bet the pilots and technicians that I work with that we would not be shutdown in November. That has turned out to be true. The site closure has been moved right to the Spring of 2025. If the United States still exists as a country by then, I think that date will be moved further to the right.

    Why is it that I have a better sense of our operational capabilities than four-star generals?

    I sent the first F-22 engines to NASA for testing in 1988. F-22s and F-35s are a maintenance nightmare affecting readiness. Why do they want to re-engine the F-35; it is a brand new aircraft?

    https://www.defenseone.com/business/2024/02/f-35-engine-upgrade-track-despite-congressional-dysfunction/394016/

    https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/its-official-the-f-35-will-not-get-a-new-engine-anytime-soon/

    These are some of the unfathomable questions that I cannot answer. It is way above my pay grade, and I should not care, because there is nothing that I can do about it.

    But the Afghanistan debacle did not surprise me. As I see it, the U.S. military needs new leadership and some long-range thinking ability. These generals and politicians have no respect for our tax dollars. They think it is a well that will never run dry.

    Stu, the Nostradamus and prophecy expert, believes that the enemies of the United States will take advantage of that, and very soon.

    I was, however, encouraged by Russia’s inability to defend its border. The only thing that we can hope for now is incompetence on all sides.

    • we will be really screwed if we are defeated by an army brought across the border and supported by this administration and homeland smiley.. yet not one member of congress has started moving family to safer ground..even though it is obvious that politicians of a country seized and their families are usually the first targets..
      if it evolves in civil war then it’s the upper social classes and the politicians and their families.. I truly don’t believe all of them in the positions of power are that ignorant ..
      all of this scares the hell out of me..but then who am I just some moron in the wastelands..

    • “Why is it that I have a better sense of our operational capabilities than four-star generals?”

      Because Mr. Obama fired or retired every General Officer who had combat experience, or who know his(her) shit. Think back to 2010. I kept a running count here for a while — Stopped counting and stopped posting about it when the number of ex-Generals hit 70. Obama didn’t stop at 70. That’s just where I figured it should be plainly obvious to everyone that he was eviscerating the military…

      • Clintons cleared out the vet War fighters prior to oBUMmer..the beginning of the End.

        ..wonder which “family” controls the clintons….hmmm

        ..satanic jesters ? shriner free masonic royal order of jesters ? Gee dont the FURSTENBURGS have a jester on their family coat of arms ?
        What a cowinkydink..

    • G.A. Stewart, all your work and effort is to be commended.

      I often wonder about these ruling families/elites/globalists that have EVERYTHING sewed up (both sides, all governments, and keeping us pitted at each other’s throats).

      These are the owners (George Carlin said it best, we have owners – they control EVERYTHING, they control YOU…):

      https://stateofthenation.co/?p=157022

      And we have overlords. What a gentle slide of pictures to demonstrate the intermarriage and continuity of power. Something the average person has no understanding of.

      https://stateofthenation.co/?page_id=206434

      And lastly, a great research project has been undertaken, another life-long quest to understand the world as it was and is – The Real History of The World:

      https://archive.org/details/trh-77_202111

      We just want to live in peace, but peace cannot be found, is it over here, no it is not over here, is it over there, nay it is not over there, where oh where has peace gone?

      These 3 links will take you ONE whole day of your life to read, and it is well worth it. Just ONE day.

      The third link, page 17, is quite an eye opener, I don’t think that I can eat another fast food burger, EVER.

  22. If you accept that programs and simulations can be modified, updated, changed or extended; timelines can be altered or jumped; or there are parallel universes, then why accept Edgar Cayce, Nostradamus or other prophetic views? Might they not have been limited in scope?

    • .., or looking into a different parallel., different timeline.., or different universe. And not too many want to talk about, or acknowledge that possibility.

      • Or merely seeing the parallel timeline we will eventually follow, rather than the one upon which our collective fates currently lie.

        Head hurt yet…?

  23. Baked rice..

    2 cups rice cooked you should have something like 8 cups of finished and drained rice..
    let it cool..
    1/2 cup of milk
    3 eggs
    1 lb of hamburger or Italian sausage
    1 onion chopped
    1 tbsp of tones Italian spaghetti spice
    1 container of cottage cheese
    1 cup of parmesan cheese
    1 bag or mozzarella cheese.
    1 small jar of spaghetti sauce
    1 tsp garlic powder
    mix the milk or cream with the eggs like you would making French toast. mix this along with the cup of parmesan cheese in with the rice.
    fry up the burger with the onions and the spaghetti seasoning then add the spaghetti sauce and 1 tsp of garlic powder
    mix your cottage cheese and mozzarella together.
    now take your greased lasagna pan and put a layer of rice stamped down.
    place a layer of the cottage cheese mix on top spread it out.
    the another layer of rice and parmesan egg mix.. do this all the way like a lasagna. covering it with cheese cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 for 40 minutes uncovering the last fifteen until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
    let cool and serve like you would a lasagna

  24. 1 cup chocolate chips

    what’s there pie.. during the depression many different recipes all using just what was in the cupboard..

    1 cup caramel bits
    1 cup pretzels, (or potato chips, crackers crumbled whatever you have )
    1 cup of chopped pecans
    1 cup graham crackers, crumbled
    1 cup coconut
    1 stick butter, melted
    14 ounce can sweetened
    condensed milk ( you can heat the sweetened condensed milk in the can sealed for an hour or two as well to make a Carmel sauce the longer you cook it the thicker it gets place it in a large pot, fill the pot with water so that the can is submerged entirely, place the pot on the stove over high heat, and let it boil for an hour or so.)
    1 tbsp of vanilla ( or maple syrup )
    9″ pie crust

    Directions
    Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all filling ingredients together and pour into pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
    my mom would make this and turn the sweetened condensed milk into a light caramel the serve it with a scoop of home made ice cream..

  25. After he lost the ‘Famous Amos’ trademark, Wally Amos marketed his cookies as “Uncle No-Names” cookies. I met him several times at Costco and chatted. I teased him about losing his name, but he was gracious and good natured about it, simply blaming ‘those corporations’. In his later years he was promoting childrens books and reading programs for the young ones. Yes, he was a great guy, and will be missed. RIP Wally Amos.

  26. When a first use situation arises ?

    Putin did spell one out quite clearly.

    He will NOT get his warm water naval base taken away from him in Ukraine. I believe the next closest port is way north where the ports freeze in for a bit in the winter.

    Next thought.

    NASA and the JPL both have the info confirming other planets in our system going through the exact same “warming” as Earth. The list is long when you consider the moons are included.

    But how ? No SUV’s on Saturn….

    I believe most any country would drop.

    • I’ve been waiting for either a pincers or a seal.

      It’s certainly what I would do if I were Anashkin (or Kuzovlev, or whomever the Southern District Commander is, this week).

      I’m not really sure it’s coming, because I don’t know the logistics with which the Russians are dealing. They may not be able to field an army big enough to do the job, in the place they would need to field it. That said, it is the move which makes the most sense, both logically and tactically, if they can do it.

      • (“I’m not really sure it’s coming, because I don’t know the logistics with which the Russians are dealing. “)

        They are waiting..I asked chat gpt 4.5 when it would begin.. it predicted Nov.. Now did the computer pick it because of Trump Winning and we would have a true leader..someone in charge..
        or did it pick it because of us having a weak leadership …
        Now that it seems that this was a coup on trump.. my thought is they plan to finish the job once he is incarcerated…
        https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-sentenced-prison-september-fox-news-1939639
        here is the SS as it breaks in and burlerizes a shop in boston…
        https://youtu.be/VyqH5Kf3Yv8?si=AZFRp2U7eEHga7c3

        My thought is they spent billions of taxpayer money creating all the alleged crimes that trump did.. they spent ten years trying to destroy him.. and the whole attempted assassination looks like it could be a setup worse than we ever thought.. sending him to rikers.. wow.. now did the democrats get it passed to take away his secret service detail..

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKi1ygs_xHw

        https://youtu.be/FAqf0sDkcz0?si=e03JPZTq2y75wZ9i
        https://youtu.be/XQBsPTRLe4s?si=cNl450FxqAMmWDZ9

        I am waiting to see the inside videos of the salon… in todays nanny state.. there are cameras everywhere..
        one of the nurses I worked with was talking way back in ninety three or four.. about her daughter thinking someone was in her apartment as she slept.. odd things.. I said she did change locks.. no the office has to have a key to every door.. no they have to let you know if they are going to enter and you make sure your there.. then change the locks back when you leave.. did you put in a security system.. put up cameras..
        https://www.samsclub.com/p/night-owl-20×10-4k-flex-dvr2tb-12-chwnnel-security-system/P03017421?xid=plp_product_13
        now none of mine have lights on them.. but at the time the cost for a twelve camera system was about two hundred dollars..
        so I gave the nurse one to set up in her apartment.. it was the landlord that would come in and pick up her dirty underwear and sniff them while watching her sleep..
        it wasn’t long after that that I was with one of the meat cutters at the grocery store.. we were talking about that incident and he said something odd is going on at his apartment complex.. I said you did change the locks.. no .. god are you kidding me.. ex cons go to work at apartment complexes.. its the first thing you do.. not even counting how many people have lived in the apartment you live in and how many keys did they have made up..
        So I told him about putting in a security system.. he put one in it was one of the maintenance workers.. he would come in go through his drawers and drink his booze then fill it with water.. ( oh he didn’t use a cup either.. ) and did all kinds of stuff.. the meat cutter was mortified.. he didn’t have a clue that was happening.. at walmart.. they have you on camera the whole way.. around the store to the car.. its on film..
        all shops have them.. people put in ring doorbell systems.. heck the insurance companies insist you have one that way if there are any claims made.. they have proof.. our system here I have wifi no wires.. inside and out.. someone breaks a window they all turn on.. at once.. in the yard I can move them around.. in the eighties.. stores had the dressing rooms wired.. you would be shocked at how many ladies will give you a show in an attempt to put several layers on..
        NANNY cams..
        https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Security-Battery-Control-Portable/dp/B0CG5MY732/ref=asc_df_B0CG5MY732/?
        they come like clocks or teddy bears toys or just to sit on the shelf.. we had to put in ours it was a requirement when we took in homeless people to stay in our spare rooms.. in order to have social services help us in the selection of those to live in our spare room the government had requirements and so did the home insurance companies.. and paid a great deal for it.. its monitored 24/7/365
        so these agents that broke into the salon covered over the camera outside the entrance.. did they go around the company and cover over all the other ones..

  28. ” Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Is often a misquote from the original 1937 movie. It is actually – “Magic mirror on the wall., who’s the fairest of them all.”

    Proof – ? Here ya go..,

    https://youtu.be/mqmIMvWnIV8

    • Someone above mentioned videos on youtube with both versions. It makes me wonder if “Magic Mirror” was the original and it got changed to “Mirror, Mirror” at some time due to complaints that Disney may have been promoting “Magic” to children.

  30. “Exempting Social Security Benefits from Income Tax Is Unsound and Fiscally Irresponsible

    “Our analysis finds that doing so would increase the budget deficit by about $1.6 trillion over 10 years, hasten the insolvency of Social Security and Medicare trust funds, and create a new hole in the income tax base without a sound policy rationale.”

    I used to read the garbage at The Tax Foundation.
    I do so no more.
    This is why:

    Average SSI payment per recipient is about $1700/month
    Current HIGHEST marginal tax rate is 37%
    Number of Social Security recipients (2023) is ~67 million
    37% of $1700 = $629
    $629 x 67,000,000 = $42.143 billion
    $42,143,000,000 x 10 years = $421.43 billion

    $629 per person is the maximum amount, on average, which can be confiscated by the government as a “Social Security recapture tax” or whatever fancy BS name they choose to give it.

    The number of SSI beneficiaries grows by between 1mln and about 2mln people per year — the difference between the number of people who claim either retirement benefits or disability benefits, and the number of beneficiaries who’ve died during the past year. Eventually this difference will invert, as people begin to die faster than people go on the benefits list. There were actually 58 million beneficiaries in 2013.

    It is not too unreasonable to assume there will be 77 million beneficiaries in 2034. If that is the case, the maximum possible amount of taxes which could be assessed on benefits for calendar 2033 would be $48.4 billion and the total amount of unrealized wealth confiscation, $452,665,000,000 over the 10 year period between fiscal 2024 and 2034.

    452,665,000,000 does NOT equal 1.6 trillion.

    Understand that this is the maximum possible amount. The vast majority of Social Security recipients do not have a tax liability, and so, would be completely unaffected by being exempted from paying tax on their Social Security benefits. I would guess the number of SSI recipients who have a side hustle that provides enough income that they are subject to an income tax assessment on their Social Security benefits would be under 6 million people.

    This would make the total amount of possible recaptured Social Security around $40 billion.

    40,000,000,000 does REALLY NOT equal 1.6 trillion.

    This is why I no longer pay attention to The Tax Foundation and no longer pay attention to the garbage they spew…

  31. “I see its mid-August in central Virginia. Night time temps down to about 60 F, days only in mid 80s. These are mid-September temps, not mid-August.”

    My daytime highs have been between 71°F and 79°F, nighttime lows between 49°F and 60°F, for more than the past week. August was always the hottest month here, with high temps in the high 90s to mid 100s, a 2-3 day frigid break in the 3rd week, then a resumption of the triple-digit onslaught.

    This is shaping up to be the 17th out of the last 21 Augusts, where average daily temperatures range between 12 and 20 degrees below normal. I have not seen 90° in nearly a month…

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