Trade, Personal Income, Moot, and Rooty-Toot

by

I think we can see an outline here which will make my consigliere smile.

First We Gotta Do Trade Dope

Because trade matters “bigly and hugely” in here.

Advance International Trade in Goods
The international trade deficit was $87.6 billion in April, down $74.6 billion from $162.3 billion in March. Exports of goods for April were $188.5 billion, $6.3 billion more than March exports. Imports of goods for April were $276.1 billion, $68.4 billion less than March imports.

After the numbers. Dow dropped more than a hundred.  S&P fell 25 in the pre-open.

Now, back to the smiling consigliere:

You’ll recall he and I are both long-term (50-year+) students of long wave economics and how all that works out in the moneysphere of Earth.

The news has been coming for several days now.  Ever since India overtakes Japan to become world’s fourth largest economy.  But, here we are this morning and the point is amplified in India’s FY25 economic growth hits four-year low of 6.5%, Q4 GDP beats estimates.

Why It Matters:  Anyone with a grounding in long waves has had the discussion of how “power rolls West” in the long wave cycles.  What allowed the Western paradigm to prevail in WW II was that the British and the U.S. were huge manufacturing giants with room to expand even more. Simple point is we outproduced Germany and it’s Axis pals.

We fast-forward to the Now and notice how a dangerous proportion of manufacturing has “flown West.” (The old pilot term “flown west” is a euphemism meaning a pilot has passed away, often evoking the image of flying into the sunset.)

We see this as additional evidence that the financializations are failing and the return of humans to making goods and babies is playing well in western regions.  Not doing so well in either Europe or the U.S.

One possible Historical Power Mapping would have the U.S. reprising German’s role, and Europe/UK will become the next Italy in this version of the replay.  Russia could be very much like Japan’s role in WW II (with Ukraine being an analog to the Japanese invasions west in WW II).  This leaves the Asian powerhouses like China and India to fulfill the roles of Canada and the USA in WW II.

Which makes the real problems:  1) keeping India and Pakistan “spun up” so China won’t get too palsy and thus push closer into that version of replay.  While 2) though a bit off the US-Grand Coulee Dam story, Three Gorges is a dandy pointer toward how Xi (et al) will reprise the U.S. manufacturing power of WW II.

And China’s 100 percent all-in with it, having built ghost ports, ghost cities, because they seem to have a better grip on the future than we do. They are building (have built) back up plans.

Oh, and there’s the little “appeasement replay” going on as U.S.-China talks ‘stalled’ and need Trump and Xi to weigh in, Bessent says.

If one really wants to “trip out” consider the “writings” of Hitler in the pre-War period and then contrast that “compelled to write” with Art of the Deal and now moving on to just making up personalize pseudo-money.

Yep, the world is crazy.  But predictably so.

How can you possibly tell your friends this?  Simply blame me:

“Ure outlines a perspective grounded in long-wave economics, observing that global manufacturing and economic power are shifting westward, as evidenced by India surpassing Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy despite a four-year low growth rate of 6.5%. He draws historical parallels to World War II, where Western manufacturing dominance led to victory, and suggests that current trends—such as the decline of financialization, reduced manufacturing in the U.S. and Europe, and the rise of Asian powerhouses like India and China—mirror a cyclical replay of power dynamics. Ure speculates that the U.S. might play a role akin to Germany’s in this cycle, with Europe as Italy, Russia as Japan, and China and India as the new manufacturing giants, while highlighting concerns like U.S.-China stalled talks and China’s strategic infrastructure investments as indicators of a predictable, yet complex, global shift.”

OK, the A.I. generated summary leaves out the books part, but just between us, there’s an aspect of oration, publication, and coronation between personality types that a future DSM-6 might call out as “warning signs” but of what? May not be a word for it – yet.

Personal Income Fairy Tales

The following is as accurate as the descriptions of Hansel and Gretel.

Personal income increased $210.1 billion (0.8 percent at a monthly rate) in April, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes—increased $189.4 billion (0.8 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $47.8 billion (0.2 percent). Personal outlays—the sum of PCE, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments—increased $48.6 billion in April. Personal saving was $1.12 trillion in April and the personal saving rate—personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 4.9 percent.

Tell me you don’t really think the Fed will have the stones to lower in June, do you?

Sorting Out Life

Cash talks and BS Walks file:  Jeffery Mead on X: “New York has fewer people, higher taxes, and still runs deficits. Florida has more people, lower taxes, and runs surpluses. And guess what? People are fleeing New York for Florida in droves. It’s obvious — we need a country that looks more like Florida, not New York. 

New report out says non-human traffic on the web (bots, etc) now represents more traffic than humans.  So think about that as you read:  Germany weighs 10% tax on online platforms like Google

But, can anyone in Congress read? Donald Trump Sends $9.4B ‘Rescission’s Package’ to Congress: Cut Foreign Aid, End NPR Welfare Now.

And yes, Donald Trump’s got a developer mindset, but here’s a tip as to how he’s playing “The Greenland Card”: If US, Europe Don’t Move on Greenland’s Minerals, the Island Could Partner With China: Minister.

Around the Ranch: What’s Too Big?

Hat tip to our Houston Bureau which called our attention to Musk’s SpaceX town in Texas proposes a new map and zoning.

OK, the liner notes on this go something like: Texas gets Musk to move out of California.  Musk sets up a “company town” and that’s your “how and why” of the corporation is adjusting its plans because of changes.  Fair enough.

But I have a REAL problem with company towns and to my (limited) thinking, the problem is analogous to the separation of Church and State.  This has become, in my lifetime, ever more clear as making Money has become a huge cult-like following. It’s the dominant religion, now.

And what happens?  “The Cult” (not to be confused with the music group) takes over the shell of government.  (Don’t look now, but this is a riff on how many religions over history have worked).  The money religion today is full of new Believers, why ever since the Book of Free Lunch (with secret numbers) was dug up in 2009 by that Satoshi prophet.

A topic I’m wrestling with right now (for the next chapters in Downsizing which is being serialized on the Peoplenomics.com website) is this matter of “too bigness” for corporations.  Ugly theft under color of law pops up in “eminent domain” and lots of other concepts.  Like losing the use of your property for your own purposes if they conflict with the religion’s Starbase plans.

There’s something very concerning here, especially because Big Money owns a great fraction now of all of Reality.  The Money Religion keeps buying influence over Big Government, just as older religions got to their tax exempt status.  You’ll just have to look past the connection between Savior and rate changes.

There’s an odor here friend, and that the je ne sais quo *(…an indescribable or elusive quality, essence, or charm that captivates or intrigues, often used to describe an appealing yet intangible attribute in people, situations, or even the “vibe” of a political atmosphere) evokes militarism in the breast of freedom lovers.

The odor of it? Not quite rotten, not good, but haunting and familiar.  Perhaps we have a few readers in the eastern Ohio or West Virginia coal towns that could give “Starbase” a hand with how to be a proper company town and get it right?

Rooty Toot

A number of readers warned me prior to the root canal this week that “They are dangerous for seniors.”

But are they?  Yes, if you don’t have a serious dental issues to begin with, it’s not something you’d just go out and do for fun because that would add unnecessary risk to life.  BUT, what is the book if you have a toothy root issue?

“For a senior, letting a root canal go untreated is generally more dangerous than getting the procedure when needed. An untreated infection can spread, leading to severe pain, abscesses, bone loss, or systemic issues like sepsis, which can be life-threatening, especially in older adults with compromised immune systems. A root canal, when performed by a qualified dentist, is a safe, routine procedure that eliminates infection and preserves the tooth, with risks like complications or discomfort being far outweighed by the dangers of inaction.”

For now (and an oral surgery for a deeper abscess in an adjoining tooth in July) sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and make the “least worst decision.”  Thing is, as you get older, constant, low-level infections can really open the doorway to other health problems.

Yes, it’s a risk, but sometimes you have to “cowboy up” and do a little pain now instead of a lot of prematurely dead, later.

File Under: “Rooty Toot Yields Toothy Truth.”

OK, column scrawled.  Can I get some drugs now?

Write when you get rich,

George@Ure.net

72 thoughts on “Trade, Personal Income, Moot, and Rooty-Toot”

  1. yeah but da robots and da boyz said china violated tarrifs. so we sell bonds , bump futures , buy a little gold and wait for it buy the euro . the robot programmers are low functioning heroin or cocaine freaks

  2. madness . ok . so any sign of strength one must short harder and buy more bonds . yield doesnt matter eh ? sure

    • 20 years ago for me. Heretatory gum disease and lots of infections and pain. Dentures are a pain in the ass but you do get used to them.
      Had implants put in my bottoms and my body rejected them, very expensive and lots of pain. Implants aren’t for everyone.
      I was in my mid 40s during that, can’t imagine going through that in my 70s.
      Pro tip: If you have dental issues don’t wait, the problem won’t go away and teeth don’t grow back.

  4. “British and the U.S. were huge manufacturing giants ”

    Speaking of history, I was listening to Brother Stair bible thumping reruns the other day He was blathering on about the end of times… the times ended for him & that’s for sure.

    Anyway he was going on about the then coming economic collapse. He did some bible quotes and as a recap Rev 18:10-13, (KJB):

    “Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

    And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

    The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

    And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.”

    The great merchandiser describes China – from Nieman Marcus lux to Dollar Tree foodies – and not the West. That particular biblical Judgement of the West no longer fits. Religions are fluid.

    • When you have been spoon fed a highly edited narrative that deletes or removes information not compatible with said narrative, that to me represents mind control. Simple Occam’s Razor answer.

      That being said, maybe the reason for being so Luddite about this all is the fear that’s been programmed into us all as part of the narrative.

      Who would back such a narrative and thought shaping psyop on societies?

      Maybe the same fraternity and protected class that we have running the finances today? The same fraternity framed The Dude? You know the guy who kicked all the money lenders out of temple? Just saying….

      Not that I’m anti biblical, society needs a set of principles and laws, however, the other edge on the broad sword that cuts is we have a secret org that benefits from enforcing policies that are net necessarily good for us commoners, thus the “how” of how we have arrived to where we are at today….. maybe they are the Anti Dudes?

      Got blockchain.

    • Also agree with your position that it’s not the U.S. but it’s Pooh Team that’s being referenced economically today. 1980, it would fit the U.S.. Perhaps, the Universe IS composed of multiple outcomes and that’s what’s at play here. That would square with quantum outcomes and quantum computings ability to provide the probabilistic answers. We at living in interesting times. Certainly the final chapters before sci-fi world admits the planet into the larger community and the prime directive (of Star Trek) is lifted on Planet Earth.

      Blockchain and AI are the price of admission home gamers. Strap in for an incredible journey.

      • too late Steevo – the proverbial Cat done jumped Out da bag into a quantum Sycamore chip at NASA.

        Information gleaned from the “Veger” probe breach of solar system coma has proven to bee INTERACTIVE.

        It made the computer perform functions it had not even known of prior to.

        It “changed” the People who actually viewed the data – interactive that created a picture in real time of the viewer viewing the data.

        THAT Horse is now outta da barn.

        That interactive Data is now in the Air/Aether we swim and live in, just waiting to be downloaded – ? have we got the Brain capacity to handle it – lets hope so – as its Automatic up Leveling.. incoming.

        • hmmm much like Moses authorizing himself as the only one authorized to see the face of the “Dude”. ? Perhaps said Video interface to the human brain has been hacked? mimimizing the collateral damage? As humans we all have “5” I/O pathways [that weve been told of]. Wont be long before the big revean LOL, not advice, get your own goggles.

  5. buy the euro eh .nah top of the madness totem pole . they will talk some bs reason . have for decades

  6. Rooty Toot Yields Toothy Truth

    My Bride hopped around, doing 3-ish serious stints in Industrial Medicine. She also worked for an Oral Surgery Group (Scrub) and thoroughly enjoyed the Plastic Surgeon. Ya takes your chances with all of it. Me? Still tryin’ to keep my head out of the boat, sniff changes in the wind. Oh, there’s one now.

    Got a bike? I keep meaning to contribute to a proper prepper alt. trans. thing. Bikes are wicked cheap. I kept (4) family bikes and they are now old enough to look cool hanging on an outer workshop wall. Hope to never use one in anger. Note: keep tire patch kits or …

    Write when you get bikes,
    Egor

    ps – hmm, FedHead preferred measure is wicked close to desired fantasy 2% std. Wonder if _both_ JayPow and His Orangeness knew what the number was before their koffee klatch? Yep. Might they cut in June? Sheyah. Or not …

    • Bikes cost more now, but compared to a motor vehicle, price and operating cost are dirt cheap. I like the fat tire touring bicycles. Add a shock stem and spring seat post to protect the landing gear, and maybe some lower rolling resistance tires with penetration protection, and it will be good to go.
      I found an electric I really like, but local assembly and service is a no-go. Bummer. Still looking.
      Get tubes and spare, and don’t go tubeless. Get hydraulic discs brakes. The eleven speed wide gear with one shifter is of mountain bike origin available on touring bikes. Always wanted a planetary gear hub shifter (Rohloff 14-speed), but it bumps the price by about 2.5 – 3K. If I had the money to spare, this would be what I would get, then spend another $1000 in upgrades:

      https://tumbleweed.cc/collections/bikes/products/prospector

      For something more in reason, this one is used on a lot of international treks and afternoon bike rides:

      https://surlybikes.com/collections/bridge-club

      If the frame is broken or bent, the CrMo frame can be straightened or welded back. Parts are generally available local worldwide.
      Replaced the seat, grips, tires and posts, and added a rack, but otherwise ride it stock.
      No complaints.

    • Hey Man, the bed is hard, and the Oatmeal, really lumpy..

      kerPOWells PRINTing press wont save Ure indebted asses this time around, stealth QT or not.

      If Chynah wont buy Ure crap ??? Who will – our own Treasury.

      Talk about made up numbers, a ponzi scheme DREAM QT.

      Yeah Im looking over a steaming pile of crap, while hiding my shiny, and securing my HARD wallet (s).

      PRINT BABY PRINT !

  7. The Qing Dynasty crystal ball arrived and it’s a mini. Now I’m waiting for a full moon to reset the magic.

    The final cost was:

    $35.00 hammer
    23% buyer’s premium
    3% CC fee
    $15.00 S&H

    Total $59.34

    Pic.

    https://i.ibb.co/v65R9zHP/crystal-ball.jpg

    The ball did not include any provenance. The obsidian ball is still out there and on its way.

  8. moment of truth tonite . bonds have bottomed . you wantUS bonds ? gold ? or stocks . your choice . horn guy seen at the corner of wall and broad with his mate the grim reaper

  9. big volumes of shorts on euro. goodnite . god bless and peace to all . even daboyz on da street at wall st

  10. George,
    Tooth care is imperative for good body health. If you needed this procedure, then I am glad you had it when you did. I hope you were given antibiotics, because the gums provide a direct pathway to the heart. When I get my teeth cleaned twice a year, I need to have antibiotics given, due to having metal in both knees and feet. This is a protocol to prevent infection, as sepsis is a very scary health issue.

    • Alas, I am a coward. The drugs being good does help. I will continue the week on penn vk 500. But already there is light at the end fo the tunnel. Oh, wait. I’m totally wrecked on pills…

    • YES, the same directive from my ortho hip surgeon. See him for antibiotics prior to ANY dental work…forever.

      • For years they had me on antibiotics before any dental work due to my having Rheumatic Fever as a child and also having both shoulders and one knee replaced. Now the dentist says it’s no longer necessary. If/when I need anything more than a filling or cleaning, I’ll probably go ahead and dig into my own stash.

  11. Nein, nein,nein – no pain drugs for root canal work .

    Ice Hockey UP G, ya needz to get Ure Ice Hockey game face on.

    ..now its time for some chirping.

    Letterkenny chirps -https://youtu.be/PjdFWEGkdFo?si=FLS9-rSC6NsdjPJz
    Hockeyplayer vs Hicks-https://youtube.com/shorts/8_DlCrhnU4s?

    ? Would you ever consider a taking out a 30 year loan from an institution that was bankrupt 5-6 times over and still running DEEP in the RED on hot air ?

    Rating agencies do what ?

    How is above scenario RISK FREE when we are at WAR with the rest of Humanity?
    In light of what the WEST did to Russian Bonds/Assets/Contracts – is there really ANY SUCH THING as Risk Free Sovereign/ Bond anymore??
    REALLY ?

    In my world the above is called Self Delusion, this is same place that recognizes all the millions of hours of hard work/coding/testing/verifying/ and Proving Bitcoin. None of youse have even glanced at the Bitcoin white paper, yet still talk out Ure collective asses.

    Shell & Bean counters keep trying to convince me their valuation models are accurate..as history keeps proving them all WRONG.

    *scheisse so fast these days – there will be no warnings, just the sound of scramjets screaming by overhead..”too hot in the hot tube” indeed.

  12. The olde Trumpster doing God’s work but never saw him place his hand on the Bible when he was sworn in ….. just sayin

  13. Technology maybe more disruptive this time and may not align with the traditional cycles. Robots, AI, nanotechnology, smart nano bits and teleportation require the right leadership, the right community of likeminded people in a collaborative location to create the next disruptive manufacturing revolution. Who knows, the younger generation may find the company town, just right.

    • Musk to HR. Why cant we get the talent we need to come to Texas?

      HR. What you are willing to pay doesn’t cover the cost of housing.

      Musk. We will build our own town then.

      That’s my guess.

  15. I am pretty sure I have never heard, nor used the word “e?claircissement” — a noun meaning enlightenment – but that was the winning word on the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee last night.
    .., and I doubt that I will ever use it.

  16. re: The Platinum Rule
    feat: “Je ne sais quoi”

    Folks,
    Welcome to the Carneyval! What an exciting week it’s been. Monday and Tuesday saw King Charles III winging round-trip to Ottawa on a Canadian government Airbus 330. The Monarch’s red carpet sendoff was a sight to behold. A 20 vehicle motorcade was overseen by a former Trudeau Quebecois environment minister and global warming warrior. Then as chance would have it, on Thursday the Doge bid au-revoir to his Washington gig.

    Speaking of gigs, one of the oddities to show up on “X” yesterday concerned The Firm. A brother of the Canadian PM happens to be COO at the Royal residence of Kensington Palace. Interestingly his publicly published cv path there was via an exclusive Mayfair office address whose lands beneath are owned by one of the UK’s richest people. There the PM sibling had toiled for the subsidiary of a “Swiss-headquartered” concern. Fortunately German remains one of the official languages of Switzerland.

    As chance would have it, the London address was the late 19th century anchor for the Anglo-German partner of London Rothschild-financed Cecil Rhodes. Together they allegedly pillaged Africa with De Beers and BSAC (British South Africa Company). Recent times have seen De Beers taken over by JP Morgan-financed platinum giant Anglo American. BSAC theoretically became defunct in 1965. However it’s chameleon UK registration allegedly continues as currently seen in the following UK government web link:

    https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02794949

    Apparently as a surname “Colfax” may mean a sly and cunning person. In the link above, it’s simply the name of an American corporation which has been spun off into perhaps a pair of medical technology companies. Are the subsequent spin offs and 02794949 director list mutually exclusive? Has the President of the Ukraine expressed concern about the alleged geographic operating envelope of a spin off?

    Let’s turn to our librarian of records the incomparable DJ George. Today he’s dusting off a golden oldie from 1984 and a Canadian band out of Toronto. (The “he’s a fascist” lyric intro appears to have been purged from this official interpretation for the modern ear.) Here we go with Platinum Blonde and
    “It Doesn’t Really Matter”.

    https://youtu.be/gLYNL5juSh0

    I’m sure all wish The Doge well in his future endeavors.

  17. I am not too sure where the question mark came from – but the word is ” éclaircissement”.

  18. (“(Don’t look now, but this is a riff on how many religions over history have worked). The money religion today is full of new Believers, why ever since the Book of Free Lunch (with secret numbers) was dug up in 2009 by that Satoshi prophet.”)

    ????…. How would Christ return ??
    he came into being the first time as a homeless vagabond that was suppose to be killed at birth since he was conceived by a single woman.
    he was killed viciously by the religious leaders of the day for not abiding by TBE laws of the church and for disrupting their business of money making..
    yet through his death became one of the most influential men of our time. his message of peace and love one another although being muted today by the ongoing business model ..his teachings still reflect purity..

    • Oh my word – Dude you like Books, new knowledge, how to’s..?

      This interview is with Ammon Hillman & Bob Larson on the Bible -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREsFwKy7z0&pp=ygUabGFkeSBiYWJ5bG9uIGFtbW9uIGhpbGxtYW4%3D

      Ammon Teaches NOT preaches Ancient Greek.

      Everything ever written regards your Savior/Bible is Questionable.

      – Answers can be found at Lady Babylon on youtube. Dont know when he will open another class – extremely rigorous, but he is always Teaching. The other side of the coin as it Is.

      ..its ALL about the Purple .

    • re: Conclave Bonus
      feat: €2.5 million

      Looking out of the box,

      Apparently in 2017 the Vatican offered direction to its department Dicastery of Communication to take over operation of American cable broadcaster EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) of Irondale, Alabama. Yesterday the network picked up the Vatican story of the reinstated tax free €500 conclave bonus by Pope Leo XIV for 5,000 Vatican employees.

      Their report notes that Pope Francis had directed bonus monies at his predecessors exit in 2013 to go towards papal charities. Apparently the conclave bonus in 2005 for Pope John Paul II had been €1000. Here is the EWTN link:

      https://www.ewtnvatican.com/articles/-5535

      Irondale, Alabama is named after Irondale Furnace aka the Cahaba Iron Works according to “Wikipedia”. The site itself is now a park, but back in the day it supplied cannons and small arms to the Confederacy during the US Civil War. While the foundry site entered obsolescence in the 1870’s, its dna descended through multiple recasting generations to now be subsidiary within a private, family held construction industry collossus headquartered in Atlanta.

      Today’s message is brought to you by coke (not the soft drink):

      Keep the fires burning!

    • You know LOOB, at this late point in my life, when time is much shorter, I only read the words in red in the Bible. Long sermons and prayers always bored the hell out of me. Much of the Old Testament is meaningless to me.

      Christianity has been twisted and distorted by so many hucksters who care for themselves and not the flock. I remember a late night pastor when I travelled regularly to San Francisco. He offered to come to anyone’s home to collect the offerings. His line was “the ones that want me the mostest will get me the firstest.”

      The world today turns on snapshots and soundbites not long drawn out oratory masterpieces. I pick a short passage in red from one of the four gospels each morning and base my day on it. Jesus never lived in any ivory towers. He was a humble man that washed his disciples feet.

      My daily prayers are very short and usually include the Serenity Prayer or “Alcoholics Prayer.”

      “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

      • “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

        The emerging mindset is not to accept the things I cannot change, but to change the things I cannot accept. Long overdue in my opinion.

  19. I thought that this would be an interesting week for the markets. Instead, it was one total yawn.

    There was a good chance that the S&P500 would climb the few points and beat the May 19th high., which could have triggered an attempt at a new record high. Nope. The market moved sideways. No follow-thru / commitment at all. Boring. Considering that there is over trillion in cash sitting on the sidelines and the big boys haven’t considered the basic fundamentals in a few years -what’s holding them back? More Trump Trash Talk? I doubt it.

    What’s next? Well.., there’s next week. That’s about all I’ve got. I have no idea where this pig is headed in the very-short term. [ Even the 30 Year went back below 5%]
    .
    Still waiting to set-up my Long Expiration Put Options.
    .
    ….., yawn……………..

    • I like the way toy think dLynn.
      Since this market at the moment seems to be a yawner, and is not showing a direction for setting up for a play, what are your thoughts about going fishing for some underpriced growth stocks, in a medium to longer time investment ?

      • I do not give money advise. Bad JuJu.
        Having said that – there are no “Long Term” stocks I like., or more importantly “trust”. With the amount of money available and the viciousness of corporate take-overs – a sound, decent company can be bought out.., ran-sacked., and kicked to the curb in under a month. Right now, in today’s market climate, I don’t believe that there is a “long term” investment play.
        – Medium time range stocks? I wouldn’t waste my time, effort, or money. In a way., they kind of scare me. One well placed rumor and the stock price of any corporation can be cut in half over night.
        – I guess my point is.., this market is not conducive to ‘investment’.., there are several stocks that pay a good dividend – a solid handful of those would make for a good passive income. I guy I know makes close to $4,300 a month
        [ on average] with dividend stock investments.., but he has over $300,000 invested.
        – I will stick to my simple options play – and just wait. .., and – at this stage of my game, I rarely snipe at a single stock. There is too much money out there playing that game anymore and it is way too easy to get caught-up in the machinery and spit-out onto the trade floor. Little guys like me are a target.
        I will just sit back and wait.., there is always another trade coming down the pike.

  20. Received a rather cryptic message on the math forum that I am a part of. A private message – in “Klingon”. WT____ ?? I don’t know anyone who actually speaks “Klingon” !! It’s not like you can call-up Star Fleet and request Worf to beam on over as an interrupter !
    So far., I have been able to translate the first two sentences. It is from a guy on the forum, [one of the founding members] that I have worked with a few times. Always seemed like a pretty good guy.
    I will spend the rest of the afternoon decoding – but I do believe I have found the source of the rather large freeze-dried order I received. [ A very solid ‘guess’.] He does owe me a thanks, or two.

    • well I wondered so I asked,,,
      “can Grok interpit Klingon?
      Yes, I can interpret Klingon to some extent, as it’s a constructed language with established grammar and vocabulary from the Star Trek universe. If you provide Klingon text or phrases, I can attempt to translate or explain them based on available linguistic resources. However, my proficiency might be limited to common phrases and words, as Klingon is quite niche. Try me with something like “Qapla’!” or a longer phrase, and I’ll do my best!
      Klingon grammar rules
      other fictional languages”

      but I suspect you already did

      • and in more detail…
        SuperGrok, the paid subscription plan for grok.com, provides access to Grok 3 with higher usage quotas than the free plan, but it doesn’t explicitly include Klingon translation as a feature. Grok 3, created by xAI, excels in multilingual capabilities, using deep learning to interpret and translate various languages while preserving cultural nuances. However, Klingon (tlhIngan Hol), a constructed language from the Star Trek universe with unique grammar and vocabulary, isn’t among the widely spoken languages typically supported by AI translation tools.

        While Grok 3 can theoretically process niche or constructed languages if trained on relevant datasets, there’s no evidence it has been specifically trained for Klingon. Online tools like the Klingon Language Institute, Translate.com, or OpenL Translate offer Klingon translation, but their accuracy varies due to Klingon’s complex syntax and limited corpus. For reliable Klingon translation, your urbansurvival.com reader might be better served by dedicated resources like the Klingon Dictionary by Marc Okrand or the Duolingo Klingon course, rather than expecting SuperGrok to handle it out of the box. If they want to test Grok 3’s capabilities, they can try inputting simple Klingon phrases on grok.com or the Grok apps, but results may be inconsistent

  21. It’s been an expensive week. I ordered a new set of orthotics for my shoes. I bought the last set a couple of years ago for $200. This week they were $400. I bought a pair of glasses in 2021 for about $550. This week the same pair cost me a couple of bucks shy of $1,000.

    I’m curious how much your tooth cost. My last crown was about $1,200. I ,too, need antibiotics before dental work because I have 8 plastic hand joints, but have had minor foot surgery and have had a couple of warts removed without it.

    • Eleanor. I remain fascinated by your 8 plastic hand joints. When did you have this surgery and was it for osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?

      As I wait in line for a knee replacement in 6 months and suffer 24/7 pain with a bone on bone knee, any info on arthritic pain is welcomed.

      • George, this is for BIC,

        Knee replacements will give you a new lease on life. I have had both knees replaced, and they keep me mobile. You will experience some swelling for about six months, on average, but just elevate and ice the knee area. Also, there will be numbness on the outside of the knee, which is where nerves were cut. No worries on that, as it will return somewhat. The main issue is walk! Walk several times a day and use stairs whenever possible. Do your exercises! Do not sit on the couch and complain of pain. Many men seem to do that. Use your prescribed pain meds to keep ahead of the pain, keeping notes on when you take them, and be dedicated to your exercise regimen. I was hiking trails after two months. I recommend that you purchase a pair of trekking poles for outdoor hiking to provide balance. You will love your new knee.

        By the way, Eleanor was very brave to have had hand surgeries, and she also sounds like she is a fabulous lady.

        • Thanks Nancy. If just get a major reduction in pain, I will be happy. Recovering my mobility will be a bonus. I have heard good and bad stories about this operation. Seems to me your advice on recovery technique is one of the keys for getting back to some semblance of normal.

  23. JPMorgan – “We shouldn’t be stockpiling Bitcoin., we should be stockpiling bullets.”

  24. Not a word about baseball size hail in Austin… 70mph wind too.

    Must be nice to not have that out on the farm.

    Stiks

  25. “He draws historical parallels to World War II, where Western manufacturing dominance led to victory”

    What does Ure and the stack think about the American Civil War era… North vs South?

    The North was able to out manufacture the South, and with shrewd politics kept the Union together. We made a memorial to honor the man.

  26. Imagine hearing “Honda” every time you fart. Desperately you speak to every medical professional. Nobody can solve your problem…

    …you go to Chinatown in a big city and seek advice about Chinese herbs because you are desperate. You are referred to a Chinese dentist.

    The Chinese dentist tells you that you have an abscess, and uses the high speed drill. Success! Now a fart sounds like a fart! Thanks, Doc! How did you know?

    Abscess makes the fart go Honda!

  27. George, strange dreams last night…

    I’m walking down a wide street, workers had all man hole covers off, no warnings, sidewalks blocked with equipment, some people at the snack truck, asked where are you from, they replied “we are Viet Namese! Then I’m waiting on line in an office to get documents, Macron and his wife were with me, then driving through a tunnel, everyone had to abandon their cars and walk because everything was blocked with birthday cakes and pastries, shoes full of cream, then arrive at office where they said a complaint could be filed. Then I wake up in house that I lived in as a kid, hear noise, look out window and neighbor Lou is exiting driveway on his motorcycle…

    Phew! 

    • re: The VoV effect

      JC,
      “Hey, lyou! You need moto taxi?” Welcome to the former French Protectorate now known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with coverage provided by state broadcaster “VoV” (Voice of Vietnam).

      First order of business entailed document signing and exchanges regarding Franco-Viet business deals. Afterwards the First Couple of France delighted in a casual evening walk along market streets accompanied by unidentified Western vips. Locals flocked to the couple and introduced themselves. French-inspired choux pastry would surely be in ample supply. Finally the First Couple found themselves returned to the comforting welcome of their abode for the night, the Metropole Hotel. Its name perhaps derives from the Greek “Metropolis” or “Mother City”.

      Here is a “Voice of Vietnam” link with a gallery of stops made by the French visitors:

      https://english.vov.vn/en/multimedia/photos/french-president-macron-and-first-lady-stroll-through-hanois-old-quarter-post1202429.vov

      More pho for you! One looks forward to your report from Singapore.

        • Pho’ is actually pronounced as ‘Fah’. So then… on King Street in Honolulu is a restaurant known as:
          Pho’ King
          True story, I couldn’t make this up.

      • Jester,

        Thanks for the dream analysis. I thought it didn’t make sense, but now it certainly does!

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