The big news of the morning is that there is NOT a war going on in Ukraine, and with the market putting in a decent low yesterday, we should be set for a major market turn in the near future, which has a whole methodology that will be part of Peoplenomics tomorrow morning.
For now, however, the “big deal du jour” seems to be that the US is looking at a wide range of sanctions against Russia.
But, when comes down to cases, what’s on the table is more “for show than for dough.”
The idea of the US not attending the G-8 meetings – or even going so far as to kick Russia out as some reports have suggested – is hardly meaningful. the G20 is the real game and the G8 is little more than an afterthought in today’s world.
My in-box has been overflowing with hate mail because of our coverage, but please note that we have so far called events nearly right. And so we should be in a period of quiescence while the West and Russia figure out what to do. The real resolution of this won’t come until summer, or there abouts.
What matters in the very short term is that our long position in our Trading Model has been correct again, our intelligence on what’s to come is pretty good. And about the only question is whether George Soros bailed out of his massive short position in yesterday’s market hemorrhaging.
With word that Soros is about to make a big bet in Spanish real estate, we are inclined to speculate that maybe he has, although actual knowledge is far above our pay grade.
But back to point: Vlad Putin is making it clear all over the place that they have no plans to annex Ukraine and that it is deeply indicative of a double-standard for the US to be preaching about intimidation tactics given how many trillions we’re into the Middle East and all.
And high integrity news sites like The Daily Beast are out with reports that echo what we’ve been saying all along here. Go read “How the ‘Realists’ Misjudged Ukraine” and the theme ought to sound familiar.
One of the sad truths revealed by recent events is that a lot of people I know who mindlessly support the Obama administration (one likened questioning their moves to sedition) reveal a fact of polarization politics.
If you can’t deal with facts in an objective manner, you’re going to come to the wrong conclusion a very high proportion of the time. I’m sorry we got this one right, but Russia is not about to lose their warm water port and they will go nuclear to defend it.
Anyone who can’t grok that and believes they understand the situation is seriously delusional.
But no worries. Such people may have a “hole in their rock & roll soul.” To help with repairs, go listen to the 1976 ballad by Al Stewart “Roads to Moscow” over here on YouTube…. Things should come into focus…
Cultural memories are something you don’t mess with. Unless you’re a fool, of course.
Or the EU. But then, I repeat myself.
Do take the headlines about “Russia Massing Troops” with a grain of salt. Remember, they’ve been invaded by Europeans before and they get extremely angry at historical reruns that challenge their sovereignty.
I of course support the US response, just as soon as Congress has declared war in Afghanistan and all the other places we’ve been killing people and breaking things without the Russians confronting us on it.
You did catch the Venezuelan foreign minster calling out “international forces” for trying to whip things up in his country (too).
Meantime, John Kerry is talking about a billion dollars of US aid to the flash-government in Kiev? ViceGrips and doobies all around!
We’re up to our butts in debt and we’re doing what with your tax money? FMTT.
New Road to Wealth: I’m going to some small country, get some Androids, start me a revolution, and get rich…
Global Whating?
While the rest of the country is about to get some Texas-style snows back east, we can’t help but notice that one of our favorite number-crunching realists (Warren Buffett) has been eyeing the Global Warming hype with the same kind of suspicions we have.
“Warren Buffett: Supposed Increase in Extreme Weather ‘Hasn’t Been True So Far’’.”
But the facts haven’t kept Al Gore from going around the country making speeches about it.
Hmmm…where does that put us? We have war-mongering and Gore-mongering, shall we go for a Trifecta?
(Bingo!) Poor Mongering!
The Los Angeles Times has a worthy read about how the Obama budget plans would shift tax benefits from the wealthy to the poor. That would be a good thing.
Except, of course, the rich control the purse strings of the K Street Mafia, so look for the actual benefit to the poor to be minimized in the end.
Still, credit where due: The Obama crew is trying to do the right thing. And that should last about 3 weeks on the Hill where election cash trumps right thing every time.
Mr. Science is In…
A new magnetic material has been discovered that could increase efficiency of things like hard drives.
We have to wonder when someone is going to try updated work on magnetic amplifiers with some of the new exotics?
Meantime, if you don’t grok the Mr. Science stuff, check out an old Bob and Ray material and you’ll find it.
Seriously?
This is national pancake day? Did it arrive (gulp!) Syruptitiously?
Life on the Treadmill
Takes up more momentum and meaning with a “Study: Treadmill desks improve productivity, creativity at work.”
Which is why Ure’s truly has a treadmill smack in the middle of his office.
One of these days I’m gonna plug it in.