Politics

[John Wasmuth]

What’s all that green color on the ticker tape this morning? I thought the sky was falling?

 

[rookhawk]

What’s all that green color on the ticker tape this morning? I thought the sky was falling?

Careful. Nasdaq was up around 4.5% when I checked my portfolio earlier, now its 1.5%. Volatility abounds and we'll have to look at the closing bell later today.

My biggest fear is the high frequency trading systems blow the market up amongst all the inflows and outflows. If the NYSE or Nasdaq circuit breakers trigger and they temporarily suspend trading it would wreak havoc on on the marketplace.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Seems the Aussies have their own version of Joe to contend with.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Careful. Nasdaq was up around 4.5% when I checked my portfolio earlier, now its 1.5%. Volatility abounds and we'll have to look at the closing bell later today.

My biggest fear is the high frequency trading systems blow the market up amongst all the inflows and outflows. If the NYSE or Nasdaq circuit breakers trigger and they temporarily suspend trading it would wreak havoc on on the marketplace.

Point being, the sun came up today despite all the doom and gloom peddling….. markets fluctuate just like they do from time to time.

 

[1dirthawker]

@mdwest take away his money and his leverage for a minute and answer me a simple question. On an equal playing field would you enter into business with anyone who exhibits the traits Donald trump does? Proven lier, bombastic statements, long history of failures in business, you’ve said yourself you think he’s an asshole if not for the advantages he got in life from his inheritance do you believe anyone would of done business with him?

i would try to get him to work for me!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

i would try to get him to work for me!

They say who you choose to associate with reflects on the kind of person you are, is he who you’d want representing your business?

 

[SaintPanzer]

I like you Mr west.

I concure.

However the only thing I may object is the desire of "america". That is somewhat gone. Had we talked 40 years ago I would say yes!. Its becomming clear for many europeans(and americans too) that europe is actually a great place to live. Why do you believe as an american a life is just so much better where you are versus where I am?. Where does it come from?.

In regards to Rosie...I surrender. You got me...:LOL

OK, I'll play silly games.

I lived in Germany (near Stuttgart) for about 10 years, so here are just a few things:

I've moved a lot in my life. I may have had to get a new driver's license, but I never had to go to the local Rathaus to inform the government I've changed my address.

I've never worried about my neighbors informing on my personal opinions to the police.

I can make fun of government personalities/people.

I don't need a special license to affirm my training to do common things. For instance, I can buy raw wood from the local saw mill. The mill in Waldenbuch would not talk to me if I didn't have the appropriate license, and several others in the area were the same.

If I want to, I can target shoot in my back yard.

Guns have been mentioned. Yes, I had guns in Germany. But first I had to take a class to "justify" my need. Then I needed to assure the government I had the "proper" safe, the requirements of which changed three times in the years I was there. Then I had to accept that the Police could stop by my house any time and demand to see both my guns and my safe(s).

Then I started reloading, which required another license just to purchase the powder, and (you guessed it) another safe. And again, Police could stop by any time to check. And sales of that powder had to be logged.

If I wanted to buy a pistol, that was a different procedure. And I could only buy ammo for the pistol that was registered in my book... and if the government was slow in getting that book back to me? Well, not ammo for you until I got that book back.

Of course, if the guy in the store was not well informed, if you had a lever rifle in .357 mag, or .44 mag, or other "pistol" caliber, well, that got interesting because that pistol wasn't in your book.

Hunting was nice, because if you had a hunting license, it was assumed you needed a rifle. And you could have up to two pistols. That's it. If you wanted more, or if you just wanted to compete (target, pistol, trap shooting) that was a different license, much harder to get, and you needed to stay current (minimum number of documented shootings per year).

Of course there were all sorts of rules on carrying. And that's just the guns.

Where I've settled, I can do as I wish. I can carry my pocketknife in the city center without worrying about if I am in a "knife free zone". Stadtmitte in Stuttgart had rules about that. Here, if people want to protest Musk by painting a swastika on a sign, or call Trump a Nazi, they are not going to jail for that. In Germany, I saw a lot of militaria displays of antiques from the late Great Hate, but they all had something to "cover" parts of old uniforms, etc. because they had the wrong symbol. Hunting? In the US, my land, my hunt. I can hunt on my neighbors land if I simply ask him and he says OK. Public land? No problem. And when I harvest, I can keep the harvest, I don't have to pay for the right to keep the meat. And I'm not asking the Jagdpechter for permission to join his group of merry men.

Is the US perfect? No. But here is the difference: Other places in the world, the Government may promise you things like "free speech" or "free press" or some such. Here, they cannot promise me that, because the assumption is I have that, and we as a people have expressly forbidden the Government from making laws about that. The difference is whether you believe the Government grants rights, or if you limit the Government.

My biggest grip are all the people in the US who want to change things to give the government more authorities. That way lies madness. The Government big enough to give you anything you want can simply take away anything you need. Don't take my word for it. Just ask people who used to get free things from USAID.

 

[mdwest]

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/08/trump-tariffs-live-updates-stock-market-china.html

things are definitely going to get spicy with China quickly..

Trump is being true to his word if nothing else.. he said if any country's response is to escalate, he will just escalate further..

Will be interesting to see how things play out as the US moves to settle the tarrif issue(s) with most of the free world over the next week or two, and China becomes more and more advasarial..

Will also be curious to see the impact on China and the US's markets tomorrow.. as well as the rest of the global markets..

 

[Red Leg]

You’re right Brent my business credentials are on a much smaller scale as are my person Finances. What I have is is 15 years of business experience in several fields.
At 17 I stepped up and finished out my fathers contracts when he became medically incapacitated. 14 years later I still have his power of attorney. If that wasn’t enough responsibility to have thrust upon mother dearest took one look at the old man in a hospital bed and checked out taking every cent she could abscond with and my younger sister. You want a real introduction to to business try dealing with a crew of loggers with no respect for a teenager and limited amounts of currency on hand to keep up with wages.
In a lot of the businesses I’ve been involved in business practices like trump routinely employs could well of lead to severe physical repressions. I’ve got scars to prove my credentials in some rather unpleasant industries.

I went from the logging industry to a shipyard in six months I was running the slipway and in under five years I was 3rd in command and running the place. Routinely dealing in million plus dollar contracts and with multiple layers of government bureaucracy. When the wages failed to keep up with responsibilities I went to sea and at the same time purchased several woodlots putting men to work for me once more in the forestry sector.

There’s my credentials a few scars and a lot of hard work to get where I am what have you accomplished in life ?

Where were you twenty years ago? We would have made you an offer that would have been tough to refuse. At the time we were building aircraft carriers.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Where were you twenty years ago? We would have made you an offer that would have been tough to refuse. At the time we were building aircraft carriers.

Grade 6

 

[Red Leg]

Grade 6

Ok. Maybe not just then.

 

[Tbitty]

One of the things most interesting about the tariffs is…

No one seems to care about Ukraine anymore..

No one is clamoring to see the Epstein client list…

No one is talking about the process underway to dismantle the Dept of Education..

No one is raising hell about the most recent DOGE cut..

No one is talking about the NATO 2% issue…

The American people love chasing the most recent and shiney object..

If tariffs become to hot of a topic, I feel certain DC will roll out another new highly controversial objective for us all to focus on.. while they continue to work the tariffs in the background…

Something I noticed during Trump's first term.. He would often create a huge distraction with something he said or did that took over the news cycle and talking points for a few days, and during that time would get a lot of quality accomplishments done that were overlooked by the left while they were distracted by the other thing.

 

[Red Leg]

If true, a perfect example how easy it is for many to absolutely despise his narcissism. This is the behavior of a Saddam Hussein or Muammar al-Gaddafi. I am sure his acolytes here will be ecstatic to worship him on his special day.

Trump planning $100m US military parade on his BIRTHDAY through Washington

DONALD Trump is reportedly planning to splash a whopping $100 million on a huge military parade that will snake through the streets of Washington DC on his birthday. For years, the president is sai…

www.the-sun.com

 

[WAB]

If true, a perfect example how easy it is for many to absolutely despise his narcissism. This is the behavior of a Saddam Hussein or Muammar al-Gaddafi. I am sure his acolytes here will be ecstatic to worship him on his special day.

Trump planning $100m US military parade on his BIRTHDAY through Washington

DONALD Trump is reportedly planning to splash a whopping $100 million on a huge military parade that will snake through the streets of Washington DC on his birthday. For years, the president is sai…

www.the-sun.com

I'm sorry, but if true, this is the stuff of a third world dictator.

 

[Wheels]

A couple of thoughts regarding tariffs and China.

Most of us know in 1992 Soros broke the Bank of England and made a fortune in the process. Druckenmiller was the portfolio manager and Bessent ran the London office. The idea was Bessent. The execution was Druckenmiller.

The Chinese economy isn't doing great. The real estate market which five years ago was the primary source of individual savings has tanked.

Bessent and Trump announce tariffs end of day on April 2, before a Chinese holiday where markets are closed. It makes a person wonder if Bessent and the US Treasury have built up a massive short against the renminbi. I don't have an answer but wouldn't be surprised.

CNY USD Chart - Investing.com

Get instant access to a free live streaming CNY USD chart. This unique Chinese Yuan US Dollar chart enables you to clearly notice the behavior of this pair.

www.investing.com

 

[Altitude sickness]

Maybe Trump will do it on his birthday. As they do Royalty in England. Trooping the Colour

 

[wesheltonj]

A couple of thoughts regarding tariffs and China.

Most of us know in 1992 Soros broke the Bank of England and made a fortune in the process. Druckenmiller was the portfolio manager and Bessent ran the London office. The idea was Bessent. The execution was Druckenmiller.

The Chinese economy isn't doing great. The real estate market which five years ago was the primary source of individual savings has tanked.

Bessent and Trump announce tariffs end of day on April 2, before a Chinese holiday where markets are closed. It makes a person wonder if Bessent and the US Treasury have built up a massive short against the renminbi. I don't have an answer but wouldn't be surprised.

CNY USD Chart - Investing.com

Get instant access to a free live streaming CNY USD chart. This unique Chinese Yuan US Dollar chart enables you to clearly notice the behavior of this pair.

www.investing.com

Those guys are killers, unfortunately the general public has no clue.

 

[spike.t]

What would a US-China trade war do to the world economy?

The US president says he will hit Beijing with further tariffs, as global markets continue to fall.

www.bbc.com

 

[Altitude sickness]

What would a US-China trade war do to the world economy?

The US president says he will hit Beijing with further tariffs, as global markets continue to fall.

www.bbc.com

Below is an excerpt from my earlier insightful, informative, everyone is calling it a very high quality post.

“On paper, the US should be in a stronger position to negotiate than China. But in reality, the Chinese are used to struggling and pain. The US is not. We are a self-centered, short attention span, immediate gratification generation. And the Chinese surely know this.

It could be argued the last generation that would’ve viewed this as an economic Cold War. And as their patriotic duty. Would have been the greatest generation. That’s probably the last US generation that has truly struggled.

What concerns me more than paying $20 more for a TV. Trump has given China a scapegoat to blame all their woes on and China will use these tariffs to blame all their financial problems on. So since they need this excuse, they will not be in a hurry to end this trade war.

And worse than that, it will probably give them in their minds, cover to blockade Taiwan and take it over.

China will not capitulate first. But the US will gain a lot of revenue from tariffs. Which is I think what trump really wants and needs to fund the tax cuts.

 

[Brent in Az]

You’re right Brent my business credentials are on a much smaller scale as are my person Finances. What I have is is 15 years of business experience in several fields.
At 17 I stepped up and finished out my fathers contracts when he became medically incapacitated. 14 years later I still have his power of attorney. If that wasn’t enough responsibility to have thrust upon mother dearest took one look at the old man in a hospital bed and checked out taking every cent she could abscond with and my younger sister. You want a real introduction to to business try dealing with a crew of loggers with no respect for a teenager and limited amounts of currency on hand to keep up with wages.
In a lot of the businesses I’ve been involved in business practices like trump routinely employs could well of lead to severe physical repressions. I’ve got scars to prove my credentials in some rather unpleasant industries.

I went from the logging industry to a shipyard in six months I was running the slipway and in under five years I was 3rd in command and running the place. Routinely dealing in million plus dollar contracts and with multiple layers of government bureaucracy. When the wages failed to keep up with responsibilities I went to sea and at the same time purchased several woodlots putting men to work for me once more in the forestry sector.

There’s my credentials a few scars and a lot of hard work to get where I am what have you accomplished in life ?

For many years, I owned and operated an incorporated business, specializing in the manufacturing of architectural millwork.
I have hired, and fired, many people over the years.
My company was involved in many multi million dollar projects. From the southern border of Arizona, to tribal land in the north, and many places in between.
I've had large companies outsource computer aided drafting projects to me, because of my skill with Autocad, and some trade specific design software . Designs that would be presented to owners and architects of these large projects. i was well respected by my peers and clients
I too have battle scars, made mistakes, and was knocked down by the nasty recession of 2008- 2009.
I have guided elk and deer hunters, fly fisherman, and done many other things in between
Despite my list of accolades, trials and tribulations, my business was just a grain of sand in a big bucket. My expertise in my field, doesn't qualify me to criticize others for mistakes in theirs.

Fortunately, I didnt have some unhinged foreign stranger from thousands of miles away criticizing my every move, and every breath I take on a daily basis, when that person does not have the skills to do my job in the first place.

Sound familiar?

You aren't even an american citizen, yet you seem to have a disturbing and unrelenting hatred for a President of another country.

Despite Trump's character quirks, past mistakes, or the fact that that the anti Trumpers think he is Adolph Hitler reincarnated, Trump is going to make this country safer, more prosperous, and deal appropriately with global threats.

I for one am going to sit back and enjoy the ride, and future prosperity.

The rest of you anti trumpers can wallow in your daily anti Trump misery for all I care. Whatever makes you feel better.