RANT: My market outlook; catch that falling knife?

Sunday, August 29, 2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908704575433670771742884.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance

* RUNNING WITH SCISSORS
* AUGUST 21, 2010

Rethinking Gold: What if It Isn’t a Commodity After All?

*** begin quote ***

For investors convinced U.S. lawmakers and central bankers will successfully manage the budgetary woes and the massive unfunded liabilities of Social Security and Medicare, then gold is overvalued in the long term. Righting America’s national balance sheet would explicitly raise the dollar’s value as investors with money abroad move assets into a more-sound American economy. The selling of euro, yen and pounds would push the dollar higher—and gold lower.

If, however, you worry the U.S. balance sheet is irreparably damaged, then gold currently reflects the likelihood that a weak-dollar trend still has years to run as the U.S. struggles with its financial mess. Investors—and consumers—looking to preserve their purchasing power will gravitate toward gold, since its quantity isn’t easily manipulated.

Invest in gold, then, according your beliefs about the future of the greenback. Just don’t invest based on the idea that gold is a proxy for inflation. You are likely to be played for a fool.

*** end quote ***

Yeah, trust that politicians and bureaucrats can put us back on the right track? And, the tooth fairy will leave “We, The People” a few trillion dollars under our pillow tonight.

No, this is going to get very ugly.

Just watch the politicians and bureaucrats get gold plated pensions and lifetime healthcare, and see that the serfs get? Obamacare and the proverbial iceberg for old people. Sarah was right about “death panels”. When the livestock is uneconomic what do you do with it? Off to the slaughter hose called healthcare. The State needs the young vigorous workers. The soldiers for its endless wars. Dumbed down by Gooferment education so they won’t object to being led by the elite. (Where do politicians send their children to school?)

At the first hint that the 2010 elections are not going to sweep the D’s out, the market will tank as EVERYONE, including me, tries to hit the exits.

Even if we dodge that bullet, at the first hint that the then Lame Duck is going to do bad things, again the “eject button” gets hit.

And, even if we dodge those two, at the first hint that the New “Tea Party” driven Congress is not going to: defund Obamacare, roll back spending in a big way, and reduce taxation / regulation on small businesses. Again, hit the “eject me from this market” button. Where that wealth goes is problematical: gold, overseas, into real assets like farmland?

And even if we dodge that, at the first hint that BHO44 isn’t a one termer, exit stage left. Wealth will again leave the playing field before it gets stolen. Better to bury your gold coins in your back yard than let your IRA be stolen for an “enhanced Social Security benefit”.

For your own good of course, the stock market is too risky. Never let a good crisis go to waste. The returns on your wealth that was stolen under the guise of Social Security Insurance are so superb; throw your IRA and 401K on the same bonfire.

Argh! Not looking too good for the future generations.

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RANT: A yute can see the “barbara streisand” in a recent new story. Is there hope?

Friday, August 27, 2010

FROM A FACEBOOK ECHANGE WITH A YOUNGSTER WHO MAY BE SEEING THE LIGHT

CS: Anyone else think it strange that right as we pull out of Iraq, Iran unveils a long range unmanned strike bomber?
** 9 hours ago via Facebook for BlackBerry · Comment · LikeUnlike

FJR: No stranger than anyone thinks we are really “out”!
**   7 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·

CS: Well never out but that’s what they have to say
**    7 hours ago · Like

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A fellow your age should be inquiring when exactly we will pull our troops from Germany. The folks who fought WW2 are dying off of old age, yet we’re still there. And, still paying and still paying and paying.

Most importantly, think of all the wasted human effort spent on a meaningless activity. Hours and hours of unproductive human potential flushed.

And, if you think of those hours as “transferable” (i.e., that effort applied to something else frees up some one else to do something undone or that can’t be done by someone else). Best description I ever read was that freeing up one soldier, who returns to be grocery checkout clerk in middle-of-nowhere Idaho, starts a long string of silent unseen human resource reallocations that ends with a research scientist somewhere finding the cure for cancer.

Sigh!

And, we’re borrowing the wealth from China to pay to secure Germany from the non-existent past threat from the defunct USSR that youse youngsters will have to pay back with interest.

Argh!

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RANT: The Clemens case is dumb

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/20/sports/baseball/20clemens.html

SPORTS | August 20, 2010
Clemens to Be Indicted for Perjury in Doping Testimony
By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

*** begin quote ***

Roger Clemens will be indicted on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to people briefed on the case.

*** end quote ***

(1) Who cares!

(2) Who’s business is it what anyone puts in their body?

(3) Where was his lawyer? He should have just taken the Fifth like ANYONE should when speaking to ANY costumed thug.

(4) Perjury is a good nullification topic? If Clinton can flat lie and get away with it, why not Roger?

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RANT: Cheaters do win

Saturday, August 21, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100725/ap_on_sp_ot/cyc_tour_de_france_radioshack

RadioShack’s improper jersey stalls start to stage
Sun Jul 25, 9:39 am ET

*** begin quote ***

PARIS – Lance Armstrong and his RadioShack team have been forced to change unofficial jerseys honoring cancer patients before starting the final stage of the Tour de France.

*** end quote ***

Comment by “The Professor”

*** begin quote ***

Lance’s cancer survival and recovery to win the Tour de France seven times is a story we all WANT to be true…. but if you think about it logically it can’t be true.

The odds of a steroid and EPO free athlete beating all of the steroid cheaters seven times are astronomically impossible.

I get disgusted every time I see a “Live Strong” yellow bracelet because I truly believe Lance’s cancer was caused by steroid abuse. I’ve known TONS of pro athletes and wannabe pro athletes that publicly decry steroids while they use them.

The truly disgusting part is they not only cheat to win, they want you NOT to use steroids so they have an even bigger advantage and greater chance of winning.

To them, it is ALL about winning and the glory and the money that goes with it. They don’t care about your health. They don’t care if you use steroids or not. All they care about is that you can’t compete with them and they get to win.

*** end quote ***

Cheaters do win!

We have to have little mental “signs” that we hang around people when we see them speak on TV. I have a mental list:

  1. Jane Fonda “Sitting in a North Viet Nam Anti Aircraft battery as an enemy prop”
  2. Al Gore “Fraud profiting from Global Warming”
  3. Bill Clinton: “Liar”
  4. Hillary “Cheated Old People out of their vacation / retirement homes aka Whitewater”
  5. Obama “Socialist who has something to hide”
  6. Dodd, Frank, Pelosi, Reid “Corrupt politicians.
  7. Byrd “Racist”
  8. Any ABC, CBS, or NBC talking head “Socialist propagandist”
  9. Any Democrat and all but one Republican politician “Big Gooferment tyrant”
  10. Most sports figures “In It For the Money”
  11. Most Generals and Admirals “Perfumed Princes” aka politicians
  12. Most Hollywood types “Two faced” (One set of rules for them; another for everyone else.)
  13. Any environmentalist “Watermelon”
  14. Any Gooferment bureaucrat “Feeding at the public trough”
  15. Any “Businessman” who takes Gooferment handouts “Welfare Queen”
  16. Any “Gentleman Farmer” who takes Gooferment handouts “Welfare Queen”
  17. Any lobbyist “Welfare Pimp”
  18. Any politician who feathers his own nest “Felon”

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RANT: Hospital visiting policy

Saturday, August 21, 2010

I have to laugh as this appears on one of my regularly visited websites.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig3/miles5.1.1.html

*** begin quote ***

As Mendelson points out, visiting the hospital is serious stuff, and something most people don’t concern themselves with because they are not aware of the shenanigans that sometimes occur in hospitals, nor how terribly wrong things can go. Like our government many Americans think problems here and there are odd and rare, and not endemic to the system itself.

For all our revolutionary heritage, Americans in general seem to have this odd, misplaced, unblinking, and often unconscious respect for credentialed authority, apparently thinking that credentials and expertise somehow cleanse people from the baser parts of human nature like self-willed agendas, petty backbiting, authoritarian behavior, the brazen seeking of power, a cultic mentality, etc.

*** end quote ***

FROM MY CARING BRIDGE SITE

Saturday, August 21, 2010 7:22 AM, CDT

“Good” morning from RWJUH New Brunswick

{Extraneous Deleted}

Nurse informs me of “new policy”. “No visiting before 10. And, how did I get up.” A vigorous discussion of this policy. Even showed her the booklet, on Page 6 “Family members are welcome 24 / 7”, I was given last week. “It’s wrong.” I told her if that was their policy, that I’d transfer her out.” “All hospitals are like that.” I don’t need this <Expletive Deleted> “barbara streisand”! Frau Reinke was getting upset with me. So I let it pass. They’ll have to drag me out in handcuffs. <Expletive Deleted> “barbara streisand”!

And, what’s worse, I left my coffee in the car!

Guess I better alert my panel of attorneys. Who’s got bail money? I’m putting on my Gandhi person. Peaceful non-cooperation with Micky Mouse rules.

If hospital “policy” is “visiting hours are from 10AM to 9PM for patient safety”. (a) what’s happening during those hours that jeopardizes patient safety that a “visitor” will interfere with? The sleeping night shift! (b) The CUs say “no visiting during shift change from 7 to 8 AM and PM”. Lay those two “policies” on top of one another and it really restricts families in the evening. (c) You can’t tell me there are not “hidden exceptions” — neo natal, the dying, pediatrics, honchos, politicians. ARGH!

A peaceful non-violent non-cooperating resistor does have some obligation to avoid a fight. Didn’t want to upset the patient. If she’d said “leave”, I’d have merely replied “no”. If Frau Reinke was up to snuff, I might even comply. Might not. But it would be my choice; not theirs.

Maybe I’ll even have all new nurses tomorrow to deal with.

Nurses at the station have been having a “barbara streisand” session for the last half hour.

And, for the record, that old “no food” policy is “barbara streisand” too since I saw several of the staff eating at their stations.

So, asinine policies get the respect they deserve. Argh! I gotta stop hanging out in these kind of joints.

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RANT: Questioning the purity of my little L libertarianism?

Thursday, August 19, 2010

*** begin quote ***

On Aug 13, 2010, at 9:12 AM, LUDDITE wrote:

I almost submitted on your blog, but decided this should be a ‘personal’ post!   I found your letter quite interesting given your Libertarian label.  Isn’t this a little hypocritical?  Maybe it is hitting ‘too close to home’?  Being a FOWG like me?  lol

*** end quote ***

Well, exxxxcuuuuse me. :-)

Think my “libertarianism” is not “pure” enough? That’s why libertarians rip each other up. Over who is the “pure-est” in the land. Very counter productive to success.

(You could have made it a public post. I take criticism well. I think.)

Let me explain my thinking on EEO and corporations. Maybe you can show me the error of my ways?

When a thief steals your wealth, you have the right to self-defense. Part of self-defense is working the system to get back what was unjustly taken. Think Robin Hood stealing back the King’s unjust taxes. Fighting against injustice is always the correct thing to do.

Corporations are a creations of the Gooferment. So, any diktats leveled on their subordinate entities are of no concern. In my little L libertarian world, there should be no “limited liability companies”. Just people doing business as. You might have “groups” operating under a “trade name” but liability would be unlimited but shared under a contractual arrangement. Thus a “BP” would be responsible for cleanup and damages.

(Sigh!)

But we are NOT in my little L libertarian world.

If the thief has ways of recovering some of your wealth, then, as a principle of common law, I must mitigate my loss.

Some libertarians believe that “true libertarians” should be “pure” and complete forego any voluntary interaction with the Gooferment. These are the anarcho capitalist faction.

Some libertarians believe that “true libertarians” should be confrontational and get in the Gooferment’s grill at every opportunity. These are the social action / peaceful civil disobedience faction. (Think like Gandhi. Of course, it is never moral to initiate force or violence. It’s always moral to defend yourself. In proportion. Can’t kill a politicians and bureaucrats because they rob you of a few dollars. But, in Ruby Ridge, Waco, or Kelo, you defend vigorously.)

Some libertarians believe that “true libertarians” should pick their battles. Steal anything you can back if you can. Pay when you have to. So, each time an opportunity to “interact” with the Gooferment appears, you decide: comply, ignore , or “snipe”. One motivation is to recover lost wealth or liberty. One is to demonstrate the Gooferment’s oppression. One is to gum up the works (i.e., pay tickets in pennies; use their system against them to demonstrate to them or others that they are tyrants).

My EEO post was that the Gooferment permits another part of itself (i.e., corporations) to injure people while the Gooferment is claiming to champion the people and protect them from age discrimination. It circles back on itself. If you look at “corporations” as part of the Gooferment, then the illusion really dissolves.

Does that make sense? Strip away the costumes & labels, and it all seems much clearer.

imho,
fjohn

p.p.s., For example, that’s why like the “University of Maryland” is really the Gooferment in disguise. And, they should not be allowed to fool “We, The People” with different costumes and labels. It’s just all just Gooferment. Big! Overpowering! And, ubiquitous. They call themselves the UoM but it’s just an extension of Big Government. When you total up, you have to figure: politicians and bureaucrats added to all the people who are the “feeders at the trough” of Big G!

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RANT: Good sumation about the (psuedo) War on (some) Drugs

Thursday, August 19, 2010

http://freekeene.com/2010/08/13/n-david-krouses-closing-speech-in-nashua-district-court/

N. David Krouse’s Closing Speech in Nashua District Court
August 13, 2010 by N. David Krouse

*** begin quote ***

The destruction and damage to peoples lives far in excess of anything a drug itself does, must stop. Drug prohibition has gone on long enough and must end, and the struggle to end it must start somewhere.

*** end quote ***

Like (alcohol) Prohibition, Drug Prohibition must end.

It’s no one else’s business what some one puts in their body.

Don’t ask me to pay for cleaning up after your bad choices. And, especially, don’t force me to pay to cage these people.

Focus on the criminals who initiate force or fraud upon peaceful people.

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RANT: BHO44 talks on economics

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Is anyone listening to this?

Is he serious? “Social Security is NOT in crisis.” And the stock market diversification is “risky” because in 2006 the market went down.

Social Security is generally stipulated to be a negative return on investment of between 1 and 3 per cent. Compare that to the average 8 to 10 percent over any decade. (Even if you put your thumb on the scale, there are only 3 out 20 plus ten year periods where the return is negative or below 5%. Argh!)

And, why do we have “enforced savings”? Are people to stupid to balance their current and future needs?

Argh!

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Stossel does a much better job of skewering the economically illiterate BHO44!

http://reason.com/archives/2010/08/19/obama-demagogues-private-enter

*** begin quote ***

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accused Sharron Angle, who’s challenging Reid’s re-election bid in Nevada, of “raiding” the Social Security trust fund because Angle has talked about phasing out Social Security. There are two problems with that statement—as Reid must know: First, there never has been a trust fund! Your FICA tax payments were not saved or invested. Social Security transferred them to current retirees. Second, in return for IOUs, Congress raided Social Security’s budget surplus every year and spent like any other tax revenue.

*** end quote ***

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RANT: Where NOT get life lessons

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-life-lessons-learned-in-grade-school

10 Life Lessons Learned in Grade School
July 21st, 2010 by BestOnlineColleges.net

*** begin quote ***

Grade school was an impressionable time for everyone. It’s when we became immersed into a mini-society, learning valuable life lessons that have remained through adulthood. If you think about it, many comparisons can be made between life in grade school and life in the real world. For example, back then, we had to learn to coexist with our peers – for better or for worse. And for many, it has proven to be a never-ending learning process; though you’re hopefully better at it now than you were as an 8-year-old. Here are a few life lessons we learned during that fun yet trying time, when the world was fresh and we were a bit more resilient.

*** end quote ***

I have to think about this one. But I’m sure that school was not good for me personally. I carry “scars” to this day that I’ve never gotten over.

OK, I thought it over.

  1. Don’t stand out from the crowd. (I later learned the psuedo-Chinese expression “The tallest nail gets hammered”.)
  2. Learn the rules of the game. (The stated rules of life are NOT the real rules of life.)
  3. Having the “right answer” quickly is of little value later in life. (You’re a pushy know it all.)  
  4. Your supposed friends will use you and you won’t even know it until it’s too late.
  5. Life can’t be learned from books no matter what your parent, relatives, or teachers tell you.
  6. Teachers are usually “wrong”, but won’t admit it, and may not even know it.
  7. School is poor preparation for life. It’s an artificial world that distorts your world view.
  8. There’s no substitute for TWO good loving parents; it can’t be substituted for or mailed in.
  9. You’re so dumb! (You don’t know what you don’t know. And, you don’t know how many “paths” you’re shutting off without even realizing it.)  
  10. You have to develop physical courage to stand up to bullies — no matter what costume they wear. (“They may torture my body, break my bones, even kill me, then they will have my dead body. NOT MY OBEDIENCE!” — from the movie Gandhi (1982) spoke by Ben Kingsley )

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RANT: The Gooferment! Can’t even run a website app

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=102767,00.html

*** begin quote ***

Check Out Our Interview-style Application

No need to file a Form SS-4. We ask you the questions and you give us the answers. After all validations are done you will get your EIN immediately upon completion. You can then download, save, and print your EIN confirmation notice.

This EIN is your permanent number and can be used immediately for most of your business needs, including opening a bank account, applying for business licenses, and filing a tax return by mail. However, no matter how you apply (phone, fax, mail, or online), it will take up to two weeks before your EIN becomes part of the IRS’ permanent records. You must wait until this occurs before you can file an electronic return, make an electronic payment, or pass an IRS Taxpayer Identification Number matching program.

We are experiencing technical difficulties at this time and hope to have the issue resolved soon.

We apologize for an inconvenience this may cause.

*** end quote ***

Argh!!!!!

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