discussion comment
2 years ago
Someone blew up the Nordstream pipeline yesterday. Most countries are pointing the finger at Joe Biden. A year ago, he said he would shut down the pipeline if Russia invaded Ukraine. This closes any possibility that the pipeline can restart sending Russian gas to Northern Europe for the winter.
If Russia blows up the Norwegian pipelines in retaliation, it could lead to all out war.
All of this will contribute to global inflation of energy prices.
discussion comment
2 years ago
The National Average 30 Year Mortgage Rate posted at 7.08% today. Wow, that happened fast.
discussion comment
2 years ago
The average on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was at 6.29% last Thursday, according to Freddie Mac. Last year around the same time, that rate was at 3.41%. Rates are as of Tuesday at 6.87%, according to Mortgage News Daily.
discussion comment
2 years ago
If you do a search for Mettlers Mankato, you’ll find pictures of the wet t shirt contest. It looks like an event that’s rated PG.
discussion comment
2 years ago
China became the manufacturing source for the world. Nearly every manufactured good has at least one Chinese component. In most cases, China is the only available source for these components. For months, the Chinese factories have been shut down to stop the spread of Covid.
Six months ago, there were over 100 huge container ships waiting to enter the port of Long Beach. Most recently, there were only 8. The flow of critical goods has dried up.
Russia is a major supplier of oil, gas, and the chemicals needed for fertilizer. As a result of the Ukrainian embargo, only a fraction of this is being exported. And, since Russia relies on American technology and technologists to run its energy wells and pipelines, Russia’s ability to produce fossil fuels is crumbling.
Inflation results from an excess of demand over supply and our supply of critical goods has plunged.
The federal debt is now over $30 Trillion. As short term interest rates have risen from zero to the new target of 4.5 %, the federal government has an added interest expense of $1.5 Trillion per year, and rising. That’s about $15,000 per year for every taxpayer. Since government debt is ultimately taxpayer debt, that means your annual income just dropped by $15,000 ( payable either through higher taxes or inflation ). Start the money printing presses !
Given all this, the reason some “experts” are telling us that inflation is going away, is political propaganda.
discussion comment
2 years ago
No matter how many editorials Democrats write to reassure voters before the election, the financial markets are the most accurate predictor of inflation.
10 Year Treasury Yield is 3.77% right now as the Bond rout continues. For reference, it began the year at 1.38%.
The wealthy are betting their assets that inflation will stay high for years.
review comment
2 years ago
I’ve been to the vip near the front door a couple times, at the suggestion of the dancer. It’s also $20: much more private, and was particularly fun both times. Most dancers seem to avoid it. Beyond that, it’s a mystery to me.
discussion comment
2 years ago
During the good economic years, I spend less than I could. That leaves me debt free with a sizable nest egg.
So, during the lean years, I can keep spending at the same level. In fact, I might spend more if the value proposition improves.
discussion comment
2 years ago
The business sets the rules. You have a choice whether to accept those rules or go somewhere else. It’s that simple.
discussion comment
2 years ago
Right now, the Democrat majority Congress is working on huge spending bills, the worst possible thing that can be done in an inflationary environment. But, they know this is their last chance to shower money on their Wall Street supporters before Republicans take over. Now, I don’t deny that Republicans might be just as corrupt and stupid, but I’m hoping they aren’t.
discussion comment
2 years ago
The Federal Reserve Bank was established in 1913 with the backing of Wall Street titans. It was criticized at the time, and has been criticized since then, as a destructive force which uses its money printing power to devalue the dollar. The main beneficiary of this money printing is Wall Street. The main victim is Main Street and those work for a living.
If the Fed didn’t exist, then the money supply would be stable and interest rates would be set by market forces. That would provide an automatic limitation on inflation and allow money to be invested in the enterprises that had the best returns.
discussion comment
2 years ago
I remover they caught him when drove his Ferrari to work
discussion comment
2 years ago
Try Zenos paradox
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno%27s_paradoxes
discussion comment
2 years ago
With the end of globalization, the US has the option to reduce its military spending. As a result, it will be the end of Pax Americana and regional wars will be common.
When Social Security was established, life expectancy was 65. It was not intended as a 20 or 30 year pension.
Similarly, when Medicare was established, average medical expenses were a fraction of what they are now. That’s in part because there was an expectation that it was natural for people to die of old age. Now, half of all medical expense are related to squeezing an additional year or two of life at the very end using extraordinary measures.
review comment
2 years ago
I’m still trying to figure out how you and I could have such different opinions of the same club on the same day. Maybe you are a glass half full kinda guy. Maybe your preferred body type runs 50 pounds heavier than mine.
discussion comment
2 years ago
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TetradonI'll act nicer if you'll act smarter.
TUSCL is a business whose primary offering is free speech. It’s also a business that must be aware of potential legal liabilities. It’s a tricky business threading your way through those conflicting forces.
I don’t understand why people would participate in a free speech forum, only to demand cancellation of people they don’t agree with. Odd. Ironic. Hypocritical. Something like that.
Hell, Founder even gave us the ability to personally block people we don’t want to hear from. That’s further than a lot of open forums would go to.
I’ve blocked a few people, including SJG. I assume some people have blocked me. No worries.
discussion comment
2 years ago
On Jan. 1, 2023, at midnight, a very real version of “The Purge” will be enacted in Illinois via the 2021 SAFE-T Act law. The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today Act will completely eliminate cash bail for the majority of defendants charged with criminal acts. Judges will decide whether or not to release defendants on a case by case basis, based on if they feel a person poses a threat to the community or is a flight risk. Seeing as many Illinois judges rule like progressive activists, it’s likely they will send many criminals back into communities without hesitation.
discussion comment
2 years ago
Why would anyone want to live or work in a city where this lawlessness is tolerated by police?
We are becoming a nation of two types of society. Blue states and red states ?
discussion comment
2 years ago
Shop around for other locations near you. Some interview locations are less crowded if you are willing to drive an hour or two.
discussion comment
2 years ago
As with most countries, the elite in Ukraine protect themselves from the horrors of war. Watch the videos of their children in Kyiv at nightclubs while the eastern half of the country burns. Meanwhile, 99% of Ukraine is suffering horribly. Death. Torture. Food shortage. Separation of families.
discussion comment
2 years ago
I don't think any rational person ever doubted that Putin was evil. Just like everyone knew the Soviet Union and Communist China were evil. Well, except for the Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyns of the world. Them, and college sociology majors.
The question was how much of a threat were they to the US and what should we do about.
After the Soviet Union collapsed, we realized how much the CIA had ( intentionally) exaggerated their abilities. Ukraine has exposed something similar with Russia. It’s an evil paper Tiger. I contend so is Communist China.
That’s where the military industrial complex comes into play. Exaggerating the threat to justify their budget and illegal activities. Thankfully, most of our eyes are pen to that now.
review comment
2 years ago
Maybe rather than saying the majority of dancers were Cuban it would be more accurate to say that 20 of the 30 dancers were curvy Hispanics. Curvy is not my preference.
Of the remaining 10 dancers, there may have been 6 who I’d rate a 6, three who I’d rate a 7, and one 8.
discussion comment
2 years ago
China needs natural resources. Siberia is loaded with it. Now, Russia’s military is depleted.
discussion comment
2 years ago
One good thing that has already come out of the Ukraine war is that it has exposed the Russian military as poorly led, poorly trained, under equipped, and generally impotent. Once it’s over, I think we can leave NATO and bring our troops home from Europe.
I think something similar will happen with China over the next couple years, especially if they make of move on Taiwan. All of the advanced military technology in China requires American high end chips. We’ve cut them off from much of this and the remaining trickle of aerospace and chip technology is ending. China is largely unable to compete in modern warfare and the gap is widening.
We can drawn down our military to a large extent and pull our troops back from Germany, South Korea, and Japan.
discussion comment
2 years ago
I’ve noticed many times that someone in the club will go out to the parking lot and meet with someone. Pretty sure it’s always some sort of drug deal. The strip club is just a place where skeezy people can hang out and conduct business without attracting attention. They’d be a bit more obvious at McDonalds.