We never offer investment advice around here. Just an odd way of looking at finances wrought by cobbling an F/U lifestyle of a complexified minimalist.
The notion of minimalism is fine. But, in a technological age, anyone trying to relive Thoreau’s Walden is crazy. Even though we have been premature dropouts from high-pressure city life, we still have (*and use) a great deal of technology. We just have a different agenda than having the smallest, fastest, feature-laden phone, for example.
We first begin by deeply considering the function we’re trying to accomplish.
How This Relates to Markets
Back in ’98, when I finished my dime-store (ivy-free) MBA program, it occurred to me that markets are often seriously misleading if you take them at face value of a single index.
Take yesterday – or the early futures this morning: Dow was (nominally) up.
Yet, when we use our broader toolset, the market is wallowing; unsure whether to zoom up and have a retest (and slightly above) the recent Wave 3 (4) highs or break down admitting that from the top of Wave 3 (4) we are going through a 3 (5) which is only now getting sorted out. Looks like this in our Aggregate view:
As you can see, since the most recent minor rally, things have been shaky at best. Tech is trying to figure out which side of the 14-thousand NASDAQ Composite it wants to live on. Frankly, we don’t care, much. China still has our nuts in a vise over Taiwan and it’s an easy bet they will move well before any new Intel plants with fine-pitch semis comes online in ‘Merica (formerly the land of brave, free, and due process – blown up by the mandating over-reachers).
Despite the Dow being up a lousy 1.4 points yesterday, the NASDAQ and the S&P continued the financial mudwrestling. Fans gotta have a show!
Data Days
The Fed released the monthly consumer (great yoke of Oppression) data Monday afternoon:
In 2021, consumer credit increased 5.9 percent, with revolving and nonrevolving credit increasing 6.6 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively. During the fourth quarter, consumer credit increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.6 percent, while in December it increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.1 percent.
That’s from the data page here. Like the tape-painting market, the paperhangers at the Fed don’t want you thinking long and hard about a different data page: This one. It’s the H-6 Money Stocks report.
It reveals that in October, the US Monetary Base was $6,331.0 billion. While the December reading was $6,413.3 billion. Stick with me; a calculator moment is required…
The increase in the “slosh” as we call it, was 1.3%. At a compounded (for four quarters) rate, this annualizes to? 5.3%
Please note – as the Fed itself said – “…consumer credit increased …in December…at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.1 percent.”
All of which screams at us something that sure sounds like “The Economy is almost entirely made-up. If we want growth, we’ll just have to print it…”
Or leave the borders open, let anyone with a pulse (and some dead people, too) vote, and pretend all is well.
To these aged eyes, however? We look at the bottom of Big Wave 3’s bottom at (3) from here halfway down from the peak of 3 (4) and try to find good news to propel markets higher.
I have more eye appointments coming, but in my 20/35 (minus 2) world we don’t see any improvement nationally. So minimally, we’d expect a retest of 3 (3) lows at some point. Still, two more reports to ponder:
NFIB Optimism
Well, it ain’t says a press release just dropped:
“Inflation remains at highest level since 1981, while owners increasing average selling prices reaches highest reading since 1974”
Washington, D.C. (Feb. 8, 2022) – The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased slightly in January to 97.1, down 1.8 points from December. Inflation remains a problem for small businesses as 22% of owners reported that inflation was their single most important business problem, unchanged from December when it reached the highest level since 1981. The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased four points to a net 61% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading since the fourth quarter of 1974.
“More small business owners started the New Year raising prices in an attempt to pass on higher inventory, supplies, and labor costs,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “In addition to inflation issues, owners are also raising compensation at record high rates to attract qualified employees to their open positions.”
Life’s a bitch when you trust the Fed to “print growth.” What could go wrong, right?
The Answer is Trade!
Since in Buyed ’em Idiocracy has killed American energy independence, just WTF did you think would happen? Trade goes to shit because we don’t make everything in America, anymore. ScrewJo doesn’t even have a plan to reindustrialize America which will pave Delusional Highway all the way out to the defeat of America within 5-years.
Example: U.S. to lift Trump-era tariff on Japanese steel – CBS News. Why not make more steel HERE? Japanese buying NFTs from the laptop prince, or something?
You maybe suspected trade would leave a financial crater somewhere – and that’s the soaring National Debt run-up by the abdicated CONgress.
I’m not trying to be a bummer here, but financial scrying is not terrible hard once you’ve studied the Grimoire’s of Money a bit. One of which is The Zurich Axioms: The rules of risk and reward used by generations of Swiss bankers.
America has $30+ trillion in debt, no way to repay it except taxing working people and making up money along that path. Worse – and no one talks about this – is interest promised on this debt which increases it to nearly $50 trillion. And let’s not leave out state and local government which as of our most recent research tops things off with a Maraschino of $1.556 trillion worth with again, YOU AND ME being the payers of first resort. So, on top of federal taxes going up (conveniently after the ’22 election cycle), property and sales taxes will be going up to.
Inflation: The gift that keeps on screwing.
Insanity is Contagious!
Ask a Canadian.
It’s only logical Canada should come down with communicable insanity, what living next-door to the land of screaming me-me’s.
While “goscrewme” has impounded trucker donation funds, we hear there’s a new set-up for contributions at https://givesendgo.com/FreedomConvoy2022. We also see where Freedom Convoy Raises Nearly $6M on GiveSendGo as Justin Trudeau Demands Truckers Stop. So seems legit, but who knows, anymore?
Meantime, however, U.S. Truckers Plan Anti-Vaccine Convoy to Washington | 2022-02-08 | SupplyChainBrain. Meantime, Canada’s crimeminister is sounding as harsh as Vlad Putin as they’re now warning the U.S. about “foreign interference” Ottawa hits back after Ron DeSantis, Ken Paxton support ‘Freedom Convoy’ truckers.
Considering both the U.S. and Canada have anted up forces for Ukraine, as Screwjo defends Ukraine borders in Europe, but not American borders in Texas, NM, AZ, or CA, this whole world-mess demands Thorazine cocktails on the holodeck this afternoon.
Meanwhile, anyone making Delta-10 gummies, yet?
Short Snorts
War is still in the air. Footsies and jawboning aside, the reality is Ukrainian soldier wounded amid five ceasefire violations. Coastwise, the bracing for Russia’s advance shows up in Mariupol: War fears in Ukraine’s vulnerable frontier city | Ukraine-Russia crisis.
VERY BIG DEAL HERE:
Ukraine crisis: Kremlin denies French claim it promised to stop military manoeuvres near Ukrainian border – Sky News. This will put Russian landing craft off Ukraine tomorrow.
And here’s that peace-loving U.S. again. When the chips are down, count on U.S. US approves $100 million sale for Taiwan missile upgrades.
Does this sound right/ethical? Mandated by whom? Covid: Pfizer (PFE) earnings report for the fourth quarter, 2021.
Does anyone care that COVID cases inside the Beijing Olympics bubble are going down? China just locked down another city over omicron…
Markets are still sleeping on the Russian ship movements. We’ll be listening for snorts and signs of waking up.
Write when you get rich,
George@Ure.net
Dam.. I read something that really opened my eyes..
I have been reading old old OLD cook books.. and anyway got reading one from roman empire..
the reason was laid out why most of the food is vegetable and bread oriented.. it was because of the lack of animals.
BUT
the Elite and the Royal classes had meat.. but it had to be transported from great lengths.. they believed that more horrific they tortured their animals before slaughter that the more horrific it was killed would make its meat and blood give them longer lives… the blood of course was mixed with wine and served in rituals.. or used in sauces..
I always wondered who in the hell thought that crap up..
Look up the conspiracy theories about “adrenochrome” … nightmarish, for sure.
Dam… there are some really really sick people in this world…
Sadly.. that kinda of sick crap makes me want to cry.. then to think that almost every agency that is suppose to be there for the protection of the people work overtime to protect those sick evil people…
Horrific and sad..I believe if Brandon plays leap frog.. they will all die from radiation poisoning like the rest of us..unfortunately they won’t have to pay for their evil activities before hand..
That so many people believe QAnonsense like the Adrenochrome bullshit makes ME want to cry.
And no, Girl Scout cookies are not made from Girl Scouts. No matter what Q may claim to the contrary.
What a co in ci dence,, MicroSoft Adreno and MicroSoft Chrome,
symbolism by the vaccine spreader Billy Gates, with freQuent flyer miles to Epstein Pedo Island
the Q posts did a good job of EXPOSING these evil satanists
Remember Liddle Adam Schiff, name called by President Trump?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/09/27/trump-mistakes-an-apostrophe-hyphen-strange-tweet-lecturing-cnn-about-spelling/
Now let us see “LIDDLE KIDZ FOUNDATION ” global ambassador sponsored by Billy Gates
https://qagg.news/?q=Bill+Gates
as the little ones do NOT survive their ‘walnut sauce’ being removed and consumed
PURE EVIL
Liddle Adam has issues/problems, Why do think he attacks Trump with every ounce of strength he has? SURVIVAL,,,
Why is CNN going through such turmoil, ol’ Zucker was called out by name, more to come. How is Gislaine doing?
Want to talk PsyOp? unhealthy cookies sold by little girls in uniform, and over price,, they attack your sense of doing good ‘for the girls’ and hit your weakness for junk food,, ya best get 2 doz
the G.S. leadership makes a MINT $$$$
“That so many people believe QAnonsense like the Adrenochrome bullshit makes ME want to cry.”
One of these days @Another George.. I will have to actually read some of this Q’s posts.. so far I haven’t read any of them…
Payers of first resort, last resort represented ?
With all this trucker activism, I’m having flashbacks to the 80’s. Gotta dig out my C.B. rig, Astatic noise-cancelling mic and 1,000 watt linear. Required watching: “Smokey and the Bandit” and “Convoy”. Keep the rubber side down and the shiney side up. 10-4, good buddy.
Fun fact: Chip Davis, who wrote the music for the song “Convoy”, went on to found the easy-listening juggernaut Mannheim Steamroller. It’s a small world after all….
While the media has been blaming Russia for the troop build-up east and north of Ukraine, they barely mention that Ukraine built forces of over 50,000 soldiers against the Donbass.
Also, with the U.S.S. America off the coast of Italy in the Med, there are 5 Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups between Japan and the Philippines. ie., the South China Sea. The last time we had this many ships in one Theater of Operations was in early December, 1941 at Pearl Harbor.
We only needed two Aircraft Carrier Battle Groups to clear Iraq’s Command & Control and air superiority. But 5 in the South China Sea, and they are not there to support the Olympics…
TP, gees I just typed that please don’t take it personally! ” The last time we had this many ships in one Theater of Operations was in early December, 1941 at Pearl Harbor.” I noticed that too! Battle Groups in this day and age are like the dinosaurs, and we all know how that turned out. They had a really bad day! IMHO whoever positioned these assets this way is in on it. I would be concerned about there skill sets to lead an attack of ants on a picnic. Unless they had an anteater on each flank and the ants didn’t charge up the gut!
Hi Chuck, I take nothing personal… most of the time. :-)
We are thinking along the same lines. Being ex-Army, I have a descent battle strategy mind, but playing World War Three Command and Control and winning with virtual weapons is not the same as being on or near the front lines and sitting a ICC (iHawk III/Patriot – Air Defense Artillery) waiting for a command to launch and waiting for a tone-burst and hoping that incoming munitions are not on the way. I wouldn’t want to be on one of those ships either, waiting to see how good the Chi-Coms or the N. Korean’s new targeting systems are.
Flashbacks….
Great post George! I keep reading about Crypto on here and have bitten my tongue long enough.
Some people believe that Cryptos are a safe haven! I am not so sure of that supposition.
Just like owning Tulips…they are pretty when they are blooming for a brief period of time, but they wither and die and may not come back if the weather is drastic. Yep-Tulip Mania 17th Century Holland.
As of Friday, February 5th, 2022, if you had purchased Bitcoin at its all-time high of $68,789, expecting it to go to $100,000 or some other astronomical number as hawked by the crypto crowd, your gamble/splurge was worth $41,474. That is a 39.71% LOSS. It will have to appreciate from that close on Friday 65.86% to get back to your original investment!!
Where is the Crypto correlation with gold? Both are supposedly inflation and currency hedges that should move in sync because of limited supply. Cryptos go ballistic…up and down…gold moves slowly. Volatility is out of sync. But that is what happens when you have Central Banks creating money and playing craps in the markets. Reason no longer prevails.
Thoughts and Questions to ponder and consider:
1. Can you hold a Crypto in your hand like a tulip, gold, or silver? No!
2. Can you audit Cryptos e.g., where does the money go and how much is there for ultimate redemption? No!
3. Can Cryptos be grabbed by the government just like FDR did with the gold that could be bluffed out of people’s hands or stolen by the government from safe deposit boxes and metals depositories? Yes!
4. Can the government or the non-governmental Federal Reserve and all other central banksters, the World Bank, BIS, and other Rothschild banking creations come out with a competing digital currency that completely devalue Cryptos? Yes!
5. Is Crypto dependent upon the electrical grid being operational? Yes!
6. Is Crypto dependent upon the internet being operational? Yes!
7. Contrary to popular opinion, is Crypto traceable? Yes!
8. Do you open an account online? Yes!
9. Are online actions traceable? Yes!
10. Can you spend different Cryptos at your local grocery store or filling station? No!
11. Are the numbers broadcast on the value of all digital currencies a fabrication of Central Banksters or other bankers like Gold and Silver pricing has been manipulated by JP Morgan Chase? Mmmm very possible! Who is the man behind the curtain pulling the pricing levers?
Remember the name Madoff {with the money} and $20 billion? Does his name ring the Ponzi scheme bell? How does it differ from Cryptos? One man operating via paper can ring up $20 Billion in fraud! What can computers do running 24/7/365?
Reminds one of the famous Dire Straits song… ‘Money for Nothin’… “That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it. Money for nothin’, and your chicks are free.” There aren’t any free lunches! Ask numerous Ponzi millionaires that lost it all.
Crypto.com just admitted that $30 million was stolen from 483 user’s digital wallets. Google the phrase “European Crypto Arrests.” Fraud and arrests for crypto theft are running rampant in all the European countries, Asia, Turkey, etc. “Europol arrested 10 in a $129mm crypto theft from Celebrities”. Wired magazine reported North Korea stole $400 million in Cryptocurrency last year. So much for novices thinking block chain keeps everything totally secure.
Digital Crypto numbers showing on a cell phone, or a computer screen are a false sense of security. It is like buying air, or virtual real estate and is not flight to safety. It is not like buying Treasuries, which could be argued are no longer safe. Other than TIPS, treasuries are subject to Biden’s runaway hyperinflation that is making the dollar even more worthless.
People that brag how much money they have made from Crypto are dependent upon the next sucker buying it. P.T. Barnum was right: “There’s a sucker born every minute.” MONEY FOR NOTHING doesn’t exist forever. Someone ends up paying the piper. That is why they are called Pyramid Schemes. There are fewer and fewer bricks (entities) at the top to play with to cover the bricks (entities) down below.
Caveat Emptor.
You nailed this one, Hoss. Rightly said.
Hope you’re going ok.
U must a just crawled out from under a serious pile o sage brushs, pardner.
Non buyers – should be warned about consequences of NOT owning and understanding BTC and crypto’s. Ure points are not even on the paper today, let alone center mass. I would suggest practicing Ure trigger pull, check Ure sights, and for uneven barrel wear..
Counter points to Ure West Texas FUD/rebuttals;
1) yes – of course you can, print it out on paper, with the QR pattern.
2) Ask Coinbase exchange about Audits and what their lawyers were willing to give to IRS
3)UNCONFISCATABLE – see conference in Vegas March 3-6 -“Bitcoin, not Blockchain Conference. 3-3-22 Kickoff at D Hotel – including Carnivory Dinner, Poker Tournament and the annual Scammy Awards (sheetcoins/sheetcoinerz)..https://unconfiscatable.com/
4) Ridiculous – learn history of BTC, white paper, coredevs, networking effect
5) Mute – so is everything else
6) Mute – see 5
7) Some are, some arent, BTC -was, semi yesterday..
8)Mute
9)VPN & coinwashers, next?
10) convert/conversion to USD as needed. In Asia – hard to use Cash anywhere anymores.
11) Hahahah – on chain analysis shows exactly what is being “hashed” at any given time. see Willie Woo best On-Chain analysis TA on planet.
BTC is the ultimate mirror of an Individuals Spirit – if you cant or dont Trust it..
You forgot for Item #10 you can get a crypto credit/debit card linked to your trading account, and Visa is also offering products as well.
Again, its great to have been EARLY. Now, HODL and in the words of Kevin O’Leary, don’t touch your principle.
I agree with Hoss’ angst, [adding context] that if you’re just looking at this now, the cost of entry is a consideration, and most likely too late for U.
You see, Kevin was a BTC fanboy on CBC WAY BACK in June 2013 [until his financiers told him to clam up lol].
Unless you search the internet archive you’ll be hard pressed finding the original CBC interview on U tube. [ these actions alone should give the home gamer and contrarians a clue].
http://www.bitcoinnews.ca/home/kevin-oleary-commenting-on-bitcoins-future
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2375412460
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khFGXyZrscE
Do your own research people and risk assessment.
The conference sounds like the way to spend $400 directly and perhaps 1-2K indirectly. I’d rather get in on the free Zoom call, if any.
I trust anonymous transactions with product in had, like buying or selling real coins. I don’t trust virtual “coins” and don’t have the years of life necessary to fully understand the details of the code and methodology. I suspect investing in seeds and water makes more sense. Raw materials, tools, knowledge and skills seem to have greater utility.
Then again, I’m not a great investor. I prefer things that can be put aside for many years without worrying about losing much value. The adrenaline rush doesn’t matter anymore.
We own a little coin. Diversification. What happens to my bank acoiuny when the grid goes down? What happens to my 401(k)s and pensions when the grid goes down? How about that TD Ameritrade account? Your Charles Schwab?
I like pretty shiny metal, and folding paper. I like my home and land, but all of this is fleeting and can vanish like a fart in the wind.
On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero. Lol
“Remember the name Madoff {with the money} and $20 billion? Does his name ring the Ponzi scheme bell? How does it differ from Cryptos?”
People were bragging they had him to invest their money to.. even the federal reserve wanted his advice lol.. a computer screen with a number or a piece of paper.. I have often wondered if the federal reserve was using his tactics to kite the country and our economy..
LooB –
Cryptos are NOT selling you anything . They do not care bout Ure emotions and feelings – digital .There is No pot o gold at end of crypto rainbow. Just good ole honest VERIFICATION of every single transaction(multi, mutual verification’s) and FREEDOM. Slaves to the FRN – will burn with the FRN, as the long planned CDE unfolds on the worlds markets and businesses.
Too bad all you all financial geniuses didnt put chyknees realestate – Morgages/Bonds&Drivitives on the Blockchain – Not a ReSet, but creatively destructive event of old system…tick,tick,tick ShiBOOMi!
Ukraine ~ Ever wonder how America can profess to be standing for border integrity, ‘sovereignty’ and anti-terrorism in Ukraine when in 2011 they supplied terrorists attempting to overthrow the legitimate government of Syria? When in 2014 they trained and equipped 15 thousand rebels (terrorists) to attack the lawful government of Syria? When in April of 2017 they launched missiles attacking the Syrian Shayrat Airforce base? When under The Donald’s administration it committed to an open-ended US military presence (read occupation) of Syrian territory. When the US carries out outright banditry by occupying the oil and food rich north-east of Syria. which reflects 90 percent of the country’s oil and much of its wheat-producing regions, and almost daily rapes the country by brazenly stealing Syrian oil and shipping it off for their own purposes. This is on-going while they twaddle on about Russia threatening Ukraine and how the evil Boris Badenov is coming (any day now) and that the US is willing to go to war over Ukraine’s “sovereignty” and the “integrity of Ukraine’s national borders”? The hypocrisy and total BS is astounding to listen to and yet, people believe this nonsense and they vote…
You forgot Liba the richest country in North Africa
GONE.
And who got the gold lol.. wasn’t it nicknamed the football..
I personally think that this is all a business transaction that was agreed to by the kid.. we started to build up our military presence with nuclear missiles bases ships etc. Long before Russia did..
I’m curious..if those that want to shut down nord stream2 and pump the oil out of the Balkan had to actually pay for it.. would they? I personally doubt it.. why pay for their endeavors when the hourly wage earners can..
Superpowers do this sort of shit all the time. It’s a make-work project for the smartest people in the room and think-tank wonks. Wouldn’t the world be ever so much better if only…?
“It’s a make-work project for the smartest people in the room and think-tank wonks.”
This time I believe it’s a who will be the ones to survive..
I believe this time..it will be on American soil to.. Putin and Xi are very proud men each control one of the three.. both are game savvy..each loves their country and will do the best the can for the people they serve..
Now what would you do if you controlled one of the super powers and you seen this coming ?
Why should all the death and destruction be only on their soil..
Not necessarily smartest — Usually most-aggressive and least deterred by conscience or morals.
Good report.
“The Economy is almost entirely made-up.”
Everything went over the falls in 2008. GM failures got a trophy and now we’re in the economic ghetto.
The path not taken will never be known but they did say, “If we don’t save GM the supply lines will collapse.” Well, the supply lines are collapsed anyway.
One interesting point that Tucker, I think, or it could have been Ingraham, is that with the “controls” that Go Eff Me and the banks are putting on sovereign currencies they’re giving more and more credence to Cryptos that ARE making it to the truckers up North. This, no doubt, will help along the descent of the dollar into oblivion as it begins to mirror the intended control that Fed Coin will be able to impose on its holders. I hate to quote Princess Leia but “The more you squeeze the more we will slip through your fingers”. Every totalitarian regime begins to try this on some level when they begin to assert their authority. Does it ever end well?
Hey Tex, just a quick note irt: my solar journey. Today the sun is bright under scattered fluff. The neighbors fixed solar panel array is now 75% clear of slow melt (no idea why he made no effort to clear the panels). We ponder this while reading about “off grid” living as the thermometer goes >20F. Hmm, where are the short pants? Egor
ps – thx for the updated wave count
Hey All, Shirvan at Caspian Report puts together some nice videos.
If anyone wants a geography refresher and more, it’s worth a watch.
“What a Russian assault on Ukraine would look like”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNIU6TRsRzk
It’s a good job you have the northern border secure against us law breaking criminal insurrectionist Canadians.
https://nypost.com/2022/02/06/the-mexico-us-border-is-an-imaginary-line-to-joe-biden/
George,
You mentioned they don’t make anything here anymore. Blame Wal-Mart. They got in a bit of trouble back in the late 80’s with their Made in America ad campaign when it was revealed that over 60% of their goods were made overseas and Mexico. So, they pivoted and changed their slogan to “lowest prices everyday”…which really means lowest wages everyday…based on where they were made. The best way to curb inflation is to curb wages…and sourcing in countries in Asia were the best remedy to keep costs low…Unfortunately, that was nearly 40 years ago when we started sourcing there and now China is fully developed and a superpower with rising wages…add tariffs to that and China isn’t so cheap anymore. Neither are any of the other fully developed Asian countries…except one… With China directing and in control of North Korea, they could be the next sourcing center. But will America be invited?
As Far as our own manufacturing capabilities…America is way too entitled to compete on a world scale with most manufacturing gigs. Hell, we can’t even compete with the most rudimentary jobs as we demand $15 minimum wages. However, if we do convert to Made in USA policies, expect inflation to be a part of our everyday lives into perpetuity…it’s either that or else break up unions and go back to skill based wages or robotically make everything.
I will add that Nixon and Bill Clinton…with his ties to Wal-Mart, which is based in his home state opened up the China sourcing. Also America’s addiction to low prices, sales, promotions forced this switch to overseas manufacturing.
The greatest incentive to domestic manufacturing will be the removal of 80% of regulations on everything from autos to woodstoves. These regulations are best ignored if you intend to be competitive. That’s a risk, but so is bankruptcy. Most sensible people avoid games that are obviously set up so only the insiders can win, unless, of course, they themselves are insiders.
“Also America’s addiction to low prices, sales, promotions forced this switch to overseas manufacturing.”
You were so right with most you’ve said in that we tend to always complain about our own US “cumulative choices.”
“their Made in America ad campaign when it was revealed that over 60% of their goods were made overseas and Mexico”
Seriously…it’s difficult to find anything made in America..
West Texas…
You are assuming that people hold on Bit-coin and other crypto. …Smart people do not…They trade it. If they bought it early last year when it was $28,000 and watch it rise to $69,000 and sell…like I did…they walked away with a nice profit at the peak…if they rebought it when it hit a low of $36,000 and watched it rise again to today high of $43,000…like I did, they are potentially in a scenario where they can make even more money. I am holding this second wave, because I see the trends moving upward again.
Like stocks…crypto is just a buy low, sell high game. Nothing wrong with that.
Tell me how this improves the general good of the nation. I must be stupid, plain as day.
I see BTC and the other gypto winners as being better gamblers while victimizing poorer people. Does BTC actually return anything to the guys who bought at $69,000? No, not so far…
Kinda like a tax on people who never learned in Stats 101 that gambling is a zero-sum game (well, except for the gutting of resources to keep the games going. Not unlike markets where dividends aren’t paid and only stock appreciation matters).
Help a dense old man along, please.
George, why is this any different than stocks? Does buying Meta at $384 benefit anyone? Not now anyway. Thousands more like them out there.
Which is why we don’t buy ’em – well said.
????? – the guys & girls that bought at $69K have piece of mind in that their money/investment/currency is Safe, Secure, Unconfiscatable and UnHackable. They also have peice of mind that their hard earned cashish is not being ERODED away on a minute by minute basis. Further to sleeping in deep fashion, is the knowledge that while Ure bank account, treasury direct account and all other FRN based accounts are LOSING Value/money every single minute of every single day – “print baby print!”” like they say in the natural resource business..”the solution to pollution(debt), is Dilution.
Nope – still nein BTC due Ure obsession wit da Fiat..
Want no part of ’em – suckah! https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/over-2436b-of-bitcoin-seized-in-dojs-biggest-finance-bust-ever/ar-AATDy7X?ocid=BingNewsSearch
George – Charles Hugh Smith outlines it pretty well here –
“The “Crapification” Of The US Economy Is Now Complete”
https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/crapification-us-economy-now-complete
“One aspect nobody seems to notice is the transformation from a society that once drew its identity from producing quality goods and services to a society that draws its identity from consuming crapified goods and services. Now that Americans define themselves by consuming, they are enslaved to consumption: to limit consumption is to disappear–and ‘spending time” on social media is a form of consumption, even if no goods or services are purchased directly, as one’s attention / time are valuable commodities.”
“In other words, Americans have been trained like Pavlov’s dogs to consume, no matter how poor the quality and service. We just buy it anyway, and grumble over the decaying quality and service–but we won’t take the only action that would impact corporations and the government: stop buying the products and services. Opt out, drop out, make it at home, cancel the service, just stop buying abysmally made junk and pathetically poor services.”
It’s a game, and if you enjoy playing, have at it. Those who run the game are the real winners. Many of us would rather earn less and not have to deal with it at all. After all, a major fraction of any high income goes to finance a government that’s doing all it can to limit our freedoms.
There’s a sweet spot between poverty and gratuitous affluence where you actually have time and peace to reflect on life and enjoy each moment.
It’s a lot like the money game…
Those who did business with Bernie did ok to..
https://youtu.be/0AAUrMuMPlo
I even made money on the money game..
Mark- I did a little looking around at crypto exchange reviews to satisfy my curiosity, but both in the US and offshore, the one common denominator I have noted is that high percentages of crypto exchange patrons seem to be completely screwed and murderously angry. I would be curious where this crypto Nirvana exchange you have been betting in is located. Whether the House is in Hong Kong, the Seychelles, or back in the USSA with a bigtime House, crypto investors are about the most unhappy group I have ever read consumer comments from. That doesn’t inspire investor confidence. There seems to be another common thread to the complaints – the House always wins, and the losers lose all.
N___
It’s not a crypto nirvana……it’s Coinbase, based in San Francisco. Anyone and everyone uses it. Link it to your bank account. Pick your crypto of choice and buy and sell just like you do stocks at Schwab or TD Ameritrade. Simple. No secret sauce. I also use Crypto.com whose spokesperson on TV commercials is Matt Damon…live in my world and you too can benefit financially.
Biden’s way of passing the pipe …. WOW.
https://www.wfmz.com/news/us/reports-of-bidens-taxpayer-funded-crack-pipes-draw-scrutiny/article_c14da334-aff4-5b3a-805a-aa64a4134b1e.html
“Biden’s way of passing the pipe …. WOW.”
Hmmm.. I think about the concerned Father… his kid is so wrapped up in drugs and dealing.. with foreign sources.. it doesn’t take a very smart person to realize.. if your getting drugs and making deals with great deals of money from a country that your threatening to annihilate it only makes common sense to consider that maybe the drugs they give him to rot his brain and destroy his body with.. may not be as pure as they think maybe there could be an addition of a few extra chemicals to give it more zing……
I wouldn’t even be surprised to see that he gets agencies to produce it here locally..
I think they should legalize marijuana.. and its products.. those that are using the plant for a recreation will anyway. our prisons are filled with those that do..
And with so many beneficial products that can be made from the plant.. it outways the negative aspects of the plant..
“We never offer investment advice around here.” ;-)
Legally not — but would you consider yourself being a major influencer, or is it meaningless?
Not even an influencer. My ad revenue says it’s meaningless, lol
Consider the upsell to generate additional income.
United States ›
Avg. on Feb. 7 14-day change
New cases 253,782 –62%
New deaths 2,598 +25%
Cause of death: Forgetting to breathe ‘-)
Thank goodness Ure peepers are getting checked, again G. The newest corrections will hopefully clear Ure blurred vision. What is someone who has never ridden a surf board, doing counting waves in the first place ? That aint no 3rd wave of waves of waves(help! Ive been fractilized) – you cant tell that shcheisse till after the fact – is lagging indicator..
try listening to the Chairman – his crooning will lead you to more Writing ; )
https://youtu.be/Y2rDb4Ur2dw
Comon man its ALL FAKE – Organized Crime Runs the World.
They created ISIS as FAKE terrorism, reported by FAKE News, to FAKE countries, with FAKE governments and FAKE economy’s based on FAKE MONEY.. and U dont TRUST Bitcoin ! -vice grips aint gonna suffice – nor is CMAFR.
– That Scheisse is FUBAR
How FUBAR, watch the yield on the 10yr..sum ting smell funny, like chikadee chyknee realestate funni.
If Organized Crime runs the world, why don’t they do a better job of it?
I think they are doing a fantastic job at destroying individual freedom. Oblviously you agree with that, = AG? You just want them to do a better job of it!
Go spanky your bummy and love your mummy. Ca hahaha
Comrades,
I must say my spirits were uplifted late Sunday when one of the Ottawa bureacrats declared that garbage collection would proceed per normal schedule on Monday. Ah, the irony of garbage trucks dispatched on their timely mission to cleanse the streets.
Further afield, the CBC wades into matters Ukrainian by reheating a 2020 report declaring borscht is a Ukrainian dish, not Russian. A spokesperson from the Russian embassy even agreed. Crimea may have fallen, but the borscht is strong.
Cooking up a storm in the kitchen, cooler heads in Norway have received a cordial acknowledgement from Russia of Nato’s pre-planned exercise next month in the North Sea – operation Cold Response 2022. Apparently 35000 Nato troops are down for the confab. Providing their act isn’t held over for an encore in the Med, it will be the Dancing Bear’s “1812 Overture” versus “the buck stops here” sign from the USS HS Truman & Co. in bracing sea air.
“Messrs K & H assure the public their production will be second to none…”
Leprechaun fisherman scare Putin’s navy away, watch out for the the ‘wee’ people Vlad!!
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/how-irish-fishermen-made-russian-navy-back-down-20035
George, many ‘Big Shots’ are in agreement with your gypto (great parody name, btw, lol!) outlook, giving it the ‘Big Shorts’ thumbs down
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/10/why-the-big-short-guys-think-bitcoin-is-a-bubble.html
Biden’s DOJ scores biggest crypto bust to date (yep, your uselss prez is up to no good again!)
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/doj-3-6-billion-bitcoin-couple-bitfinex
Ok, just to be clear, there is alot of misinformation out there on crypto. Here is what I know of it to clear some of that up.
As of Friday, February 5th, 2022, if you had purchased Bitcoin at its all-time high of $68,789, expecting it to go to $100,000 or some other astronomical number as hawked by the crypto crowd, your gamble/splurge was worth $41,474. That is a 39.71% LOSS. It will have to appreciate from that close on Friday 65.86% to get back to your original investment!!
>Well, very true, but who buys at the all time high and sells at the low? Crypto market is like the stock market, would you buy Google stock at the all time high? ($ 2996) It is $2766 now, you would have lost $ 230 if sold today. Keep in mind Bitcoin started 2021 at $32,127 and ended at $46,306 so it was up $14,179 for the year. Thats a pretty good yearly return, most people who buy Bitcoin are holding, not trading.
Where is the Crypto correlation with gold? Both are supposedly inflation and currency hedges that should move in sync because of limited supply. Cryptos go ballistic…up and down…gold moves slowly. Volatility is out of sync. But that is what happens when you have Central Banks creating money and playing craps in the markets. Reason no longer prevails.
>There is no “paper crypto trading” like there is for Gold or Silver. Certificates are the control factor. Buying silver “on paper” is just an IOU from the holder, who may, or may not have the silver. This is the control mechanism. You cannot buy crypto “on paper” unless you buy and hold it in an exchange. Even then, the amount is fixed, so it cannot be fractionally reserved like your bank does to dollars.
Thoughts and Questions to ponder and consider:
1. Can you hold a Crypto in your hand like a tulip, gold, or silver? No!
>You can’t hold ideas either, but they are worth insane amounts of money, this is why we have patents, each type of crypto represents a different idea, a novel method to utilize blockchain technology in the hopes to be the future “must have” technology. “Of what practical use is a newborn baby?”..Ben Franklin when asked about the idea of lighter than air flight (the Montgolfier balloon).
2. Can you audit Cryptos e.g., where does the money go and how much is there for ultimate redemption? No!
>Of course! Each transaction is coded to a wallet identification and can be followed from wallet to wallet or buyer to seller. I assume “Ultimate redemption” means reconverting to cash? Most serious crypto is limited in amount, and source code is free and inspectable, all easy to audit.
3. Can Cryptos be grabbed by the government just like FDR did with the gold that could be bluffed out of people’s hands or stolen by the government from safe deposit boxes and metals depositories? Yes!
>No. Crypto held in your own wallet cannot be “confiscated” by the government. Can it be bluffed out? Sure! People can be conned, they are every day. Crypto held on an exchange wallet could possibly be confiscated, after all, you don’t really “own” that, (like your bank), you just have a redemption card telling you how much of their stash “you own”. As they say in cryptoworld, “your keys-your money”, if you don’t hold the keys, you don’t own the crypto.
4. Can the government or the non-governmental Federal Reserve and all other central banksters, the World Bank, BIS, and other Rothschild banking creations come out with a competing digital currency that completely devalue Cryptos? Yes!
>Yes they can. But they have no advantage to sell it. It offers nothing in common with crypto except that its digital. It is not limited in supply, therefore it is subject to be inflated. It is not decentralized, therefore it is controlled and changeable. The crypto world hates the CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) as it represents everything they are against. The only hope the Central Bank has to to ban all crypto holding and transactions, however even that will not work, as it would have to be banned worldwide to squash the use. If even one computer somewhere in the world still contains the blockchain, the crypto lives on.
5. Is Crypto dependent upon the electrical grid being operational? Yes!
>No. Thousands of miners run on alternate energy sources every day. Most countries wont allow mining operations running off the grid. There are home appliances that run miners while performing their own tasks. Grid down doesn’t kill crypto, in the worst case, it simply suspends it, freezing it until some form of power becomes available. If power never returns, lack of crypto is the least of your problems.
6. Is Crypto dependent upon the internet being operational? Yes!
>No, not really. For traders, yes, and operational net is necessary, just like the stock market. But like the stock market, the trading doesnt stop if the net goes down. If the net exists anywhere in the world, things continue on, but you may not be able to play if yours is out. Can you still buy with crypto – YES. Crypto based credit cards have been out for a few years now. You can buy anything in any store anywhere with it, automatically converting your crypto accounts to dollars, yen, zubri’s, or whatever currency the shop you are in deals with.
7. Contrary to popular opinion, is Crypto traceable? Yes!
>Thats the point. It is called a Public Ledger after all. Thats what a blockchain is.
8. Do you open an account online? Yes!
>Yes, KYC is a thing in the US. It is the same opening a checking or savings account, or a credit card.
9. Are online actions traceable? Yes!
>As pointed out, yes, transactions are traceable, they are supposed to be.
10. Can you spend different Cryptos at your local grocery store or filling station? No!
>YES – any crypto credit card will let you buy anything (Visa offers one) with your crypto balance.
11. Are the numbers broadcast on the value of all digital currencies a fabrication of Central Banksters or other bankers like Gold and Silver pricing has been manipulated by JP Morgan Chase? Mmmm very possible! Who is the man behind the curtain pulling the pricing levers?
>NO. Prices are compiled through an index of active exchanges. There are different prices seen on different exchanges and arbitrage trading is possible. You can buy at the cheapest exchange and sell at another. There are crypto tokens that do this job in trading on the exchanges, they have programming built into them to monitor and report (smart contracts).
Remember the name Madoff {with the money} and $20 billion? Does his name ring the Ponzi scheme bell? How does it differ from Cryptos? One man operating via paper can ring up $20 Billion in fraud!
What can computers do running 24/7/365?
>Nothing – programming cannot be modified, each crypto runs a certa>in way and cannot be altered. Fidelity Investments just did a great piece on this. Decentralized means no one can control how a crypto behaves.
Again…Superior sensibilities prevail. Great explanation!
This should have been monitored from the very beginning.
Who was admitted to hospital with covid, who got covid AFTER admission to hospital, bla, bla, bla.
Couldn’t understand why it was all overlooked …
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/07/biden-covid-hospitalization-data-recalculate-00006341
But when you think “government takeover of healthcare” the possible answer is, they needed a reason. – create a reason, then act on it. hmmm?
For a couple years, things were left to happen without recourse, while hospitals were taking $13,000 for and admit and $39,000 for ventilator use and, whatever the kickback was for meds on the recommended treatment protocol. Greed is a bitch.
So now, the questions are being asked, government investigations will begin and those found guilty will be (dealt with?) … probably enough to shut hospitals down.
Big Pharma made a killing, to the point they could go a while without selling meds in hospitals, because the jabs were so profitable.
But people can’t not have hospitals … so guess who would take over?
Crystal Ball see’s changes coming.
You might want to top-off WMT supplies. Everyone is taking it up a notch.
In Elliot Wave terms:
The stores were full-full then they weren’t. That would be an “A” wave down.
The store stocks were replenished from heavily depleted back to full, but not full-full. That would be a corrective “B” wave.
The truck driver thingy could turn into a “C” wave down when stores remain depleted for prolonged periods of time.
Mayan level collapse. Who will stay in the area with no food? People will be on the move.
Comrades,
“That’s not Woodstock, Charlie Brown!” said Beethoven.
I hadn’t realized Spotify took an alleged $2 billion value haircut last week with the proverbial bus running over the podcaster. That must have been a sweet, short ticket to ride for some in the company of Lady Luck or otherwise? This is not investment advice, just wondering out loud.
Remember everyone was hospitalized and died from Covid with a co-morbidity.
Now we are going to see stats that they they were hospitalized from the co-morbidity and happened to die with Covid. They will ignore vaxed versus non-vaxed. Watch for unfavorable clinical data coming from Pfized per zerohedge article……..
Pathfinder Bob: Just who are these “Government Investigators” and from which of our very ‘trustworthy’ Government agencies are they going to come from? If there were such an agency, the Obama regime got rid of everyone except those that can’t find their butts with both hands in a closet with a flashlight. If they were somehow to find someone, what “justice system” are they going to face–the same one that at the BLM crooks face? Gray Fox
According to Monkey on his out of sequence SitRep today the embassies are being cleared out in the Ukraine and he’s looking at a 24 to 48 hour window for things to go hot over there. Surveillance flights have been discontinued for the most part as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZMXFg7-i1E