The Nation's Financial Condition

[Peter Brown]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

You gotta jump off this lib train, a fan. It’s headed over a cliff!

Btw, your company better start accepting Bitcoin.

[Farfromgeneva]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

They need to learn from DMac on how to get busy on the discounted sale stuff! Make America Read the Food Thread!

[NattyBohChamps04]

Because everyone was working, there was no inflation, and fuel was not twice the price. Discretionary income was more plentiful with people willing to spend it.

Huh, if only there had been some warning about stagnant wages and massive deficit spending the past few decades.

Tired of cleaning up the mess created by others...

[a fan]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

You gotta jump off this lib train, a fan. It’s headed over a cliff!

Btw, your company better start accepting Bitcoin.

Nope. All my competitors are raising their prices. The supply chain is so bad right now, that Campari sent out a press release telling the world that their prices are going up. This is going to make my company more profitable, and the dollar more valuable as the global supply chain falls apart.

Bitcoin is ponzi with no underlying value.

[Farfromgeneva]

This is something uber Fed Reserve puts out periodically called the Financial Stability Report (FDIC does something similar on banking, basically there’s various governmental units that provide a wealth of information if anyone is interested and it’s sometimes technical if you get into their research arms but better than googling Bloomberg/CNBC for info for those that care a lot)

https://www.federalreserve.gov/publicat ... 211108.pdf

Had lunch with two execs from a Business Development Company (“BDC”). These are public companies that make middle market subordinate or higher risk business loans and structured to pass through the bulk of their net income, like a REIT, but don’t get taxed at the corporate level (not a tax expert but believe these fall under RIC, Registered Investment Company). They were talking about getting their cost of Capital down to be more competitive and one commented “yeah so we can chase deal prices downward”. So they borrow at cheaper rates and lend more cheaply but cheap debt isn’t doing anything for these borrowers, typically bank kick out businesses or highly leveraged and speculative. But logically it’s petty rare that driving down your cost of debt is the difference between thriving and failing. It’s just extending the option on something in the future but at the risk to the greater economy as loss severities/recoveries in default are typically far worse when the pain is delayed. RadioShack is a classic example of that. Sears is another .

There’s been an explosion of these since the financial crisis as folks have been starved for yield vs CD laddering of whatever dumb thing a basic financial advisor pitches but has principal risk (honestly with a flat curve at such low levels the cost of locking the money up is prohibitive but that laddering playbook is all they’ve got).

[Farfromgeneva]

Because everyone was working, there was no inflation, and fuel was not twice the price. Discretionary income was more plentiful with people willing to spend it.

Huh, if only there had been some warning about stagnant wages and massive deficit spending the past few decades.

Tired of cleaning up the mess created by others...

At this point the cleaning is akin to taking a seriously dirty rag and wiping it all over the surface…

[a fan]

Because everyone was working, there was no inflation, and fuel was not twice the price. Discretionary income was more plentiful with people willing to spend it.

Huh, if only there had been some warning about stagnant wages and massive deficit spending the past few decades.

Tired of cleaning up the mess created by others...

Theyre going to blame Biden for all of it.

Because they think this somehow changes the economic reality. TrumpNation is F’ed. Been saying this for years now, and Trump made it worse. Blaming Biden won’t sop up the spilt milk under the bridge

[Peter Brown]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

You gotta jump off this lib train, a fan. It’s headed over a cliff!

Btw, your company better start accepting Bitcoin.

Nope. All my competitors are raising their prices. The supply chain is so bad right now, that Campari sent out a press release telling the world that their prices are going up. This is going to make my company more profitable, and the dollar more valuable as the global supply chain falls apart.

Bitcoin is ponzi with no underlying value.

Does a Picasso have underlying value? Do fiat currencies?

Bitcoin now has $1.3 trillion of ‘no underlying value’ and is up 350% year over year. The dollar appears headed the other direction.

[NattyBohChamps04]

The "hottest" red state hottie of them all.

[a fan]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

You gotta jump off this lib train, a fan. It’s headed over a cliff!

Btw, your company better start accepting Bitcoin.

Nope. All my competitors are raising their prices. The supply chain is so bad right now, that Campari sent out a press release telling the world that their prices are going up. This is going to make my company more profitable, and the dollar more valuable as the global supply chain falls apart.

Bitcoin is ponzi with no underlying value.

Does a Picasso have underlying value? Do fiat currencies?

No. A Picasso doesn’t have an underlying value. Which is why I don’t accept them for payment at my business. And is why it’s not actual currency.

[youthathletics]

Because everyone was working, there was no inflation, and fuel was not twice the price. Discretionary income was more plentiful with people willing to spend it.

Huh, if only there had been some warning about stagnant wages and massive deficit spending the past few decades.

Tired of cleaning up the mess created by others...

Theyre going to blame Biden for all of it.

Because they think this somehow changes the economic reality. TrumpNation is F’ed. Been saying this for years now, and Trump made it worse. Blaming Biden won’t sop up the spilt milk under the bridge

I like FFG's reply "At this point the cleaning is akin to taking a seriously dirty rag and wiping it all over the surface…"

The blame game is always going to happen, it makes for dialogue. Although I am not sure what you really want.....is it socialism to the max since you convey that it is working quite well so far in the states, smaller gov't akin to what the centrists really want and crave, or just a reason to pick nits.

[Peter Brown]

Yea...because there is no penalty to withdraw cash from investments, for immediate need now.

Huh, so why was everyone foaming at the mouth over the stock market and housing numbers when Trump was in office?

With proper planning, the penalty is a lot less than earning money other ways...

There's a reason Americans are noticing higher grocery bills. Pretty much every major protein is up sharply, along with other key items.

Steaks 24% (y/y)
Bacon 20%
Pork chops 16%
Eggs 12%
Fish 11%
Chicken 9%
Milk 6%
Coffee 6%
Food at home 5.4%
Flour 5%

Boy, i bet that's making things rough for Trump's forgotten voters, eh, Pete?

The above numbers are fake news, Pete. There's NO WAY things are that expensive after 4 years of brilliant tweets that stuck it to the libs . Tweets fix everything.

You gotta jump off this lib train, a fan. It’s headed over a cliff!

Btw, your company better start accepting Bitcoin.

Nope. All my competitors are raising their prices. The supply chain is so bad right now, that Campari sent out a press release telling the world that their prices are going up. This is going to make my company more profitable, and the dollar more valuable as the global supply chain falls apart.

Bitcoin is ponzi with no underlying value.

Does a Picasso have underlying value? Do fiat currencies?

No. A Picasso doesn’t have an underlying value. Which is why I don’t accept them for payment at my business. And is why it’s not actual currency.

If you won’t accept a Picasso in exchange for a bottle of bourbon, well I don’t know what to tell you.

[Farfromgeneva]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

[a fan]

If you won’t accept a Picasso in exchange for a bottle of bourbon, well I don’t know what to tell you.

If someone showed up and trying to exchange it for a bottle of Bourbon.....how would I know it was real?

Sense the problem yet?

(it's not currency).

[Peter Brown]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

The entire insurance industry is built in that principle, right?

[a fan]

The blame game is always going to happen, it makes for dialogue. Although I am not sure what you really want.....is it socialism to the max since you convey that it is working quite well so far in the states, smaller gov't akin to what the centrists really want and crave, or just a reason to pick nits.

Trump ran on the idea that he would help flyover America, YA. And you all bought it.

And as I told you before he took office, sit back, and watch him not lift a single finger to help them...and in the end, they'd be in worse shape then when he arrived.

And that's precisely what happened.

Biden? If he signs the infrastructure bill, where do you think that money is going to go? Everywhere. In every State, where they can't possibly afford to fix bridges, and provide high speed internet to bum-F-Ville, USA. THAT is going to help flyover Americans. But that's just a start. One tiny step in the right direction. I have no freaking idea why Trump didn't do this, but whatever.

What I really want is to make greatest nation on Earth great again. Just like Trump promised. I want to be #1 in education, literacy, R&D, health outcomes for the poor, wages, cost of living.....all of it.

And your team has shown to me that they don't have one single idea as to how to do that. Not one, for at least 20 years now, if not more.

I'd be OVERJOYED if they did, because like you, the far left libs annoy the F out of me, too. I'd LOVE to see conservatives show us how to govern. But they can't do that anymore.....all they can do is gin up fake issues....and then do NOTHING to fix them. And yep, the Dems were no better until Biden signs this infrastructure bill. But I want to hear from YOUR team on how to fix our problems.

[a fan]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

I just checked with my crew. None of them are art appraisers. So that's out.

[Farfromgeneva]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

I just checked with my crew. None of them are art appraisers. So that's out.

How about this, if I locate a Picasso owner, lend me a bottle, I’ll personally guaranty payment plus 15% per annum and give you a kicker of 15% of what I make on a trade above the first 15% (a waterfall) so you get some upside. I know some appraisal house professionals. I’ll take care of the rest.

[a fan]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

I just checked with my crew. None of them are art appraisers. So that's out.

How about this, if I locate a Picasso owner, lend me a bottle, I’ll personally guaranty payment plus 15% per annum and give you a kicker of 15% of what I make on a trade above the first 15% (a waterfall) so you get some upside. I know some appraisal house professionals. I’ll take care of the rest.

Whoa. All for a $50 bottle of booze? Sold!!

[Farfromgeneva]

This is a good point. If you can pick someone off you should.

The entire insurance industry is built in that principle, right?

Where’s your nuance here? There’s elements of that in execution but not the principle of insurance. Problem is customers don’t know how or what the meaning of insurance really is and misuse it. But it’s all built on arbitraging a maze of regulation and tax code nonsense.