Just need to vent...

So now you've identified yourself as having things to hide so the spooks will be watching.

JeffD

 

The US Dollar

"The US dollar has lost 87% of its purchasing power since 1971"

Warren Buffett once quipped that likening active traders to investors is 'like calling someone who repeatedly engages in one-night stands a romantic.' Here's how he suggests you invest (msn.com)

The Federal Reserve and our government entitlement programs are stealing the middle-class blind.
This wealth redistribution scheme is affecting everyone who has accumulated long term savings in their retirement accounts.

Tax preparation for the year just ending put this on my radar again. Began saving for retirement in 1970 - those saving have been ravaged by the Federal Reserve and the government to 13% of their original value - the government and Federal Reserve taking 87% to finance their debt and give away money on entitlements like candy on Halloween.

How Inflation Erodes The Value Of Your Money – Forbes Advisor UK

U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time (usdebtclock.org)

Understanding How the Federal Reserve Creates Money (investopedia.com)
"Money creation doesn't have to be physical, either. It needn't be printed. The country's central bank can simply determine the new dollar balances needed and credit them to other accounts."

"Suppose the U.S. Treasury prints $10 billion in new bills. In addition, the Federal Reserve credits $90 billion in readily liquefiable accounts. At first, it might seem like the economy just received a monetary influx of $100 billion. However, that's only a very small percentage of the potential total amount of money created.
This is because of the role of banks and other lending institutions that receive new money. Nearly all of that $100 billion enters banking reserves.
The credit markets have become a funnel for money distribution. In a fractional reserve banking system, new loans actually create even more new money. Despite a legally required reserve ratio of, normally, 10%, the new $100 billion in bank reserves could potentially result in a nominal monetary increase of $1 trillion.12"

This has to be the most incredible Ponzi/wealth redistribution scheme ever created!

 

... and yet, over the long haul, the U.S. dollar is still one of the strongest currencies on the planet. When this came up earlier, it seemed the Swiss Franc was the only one with a long-term improved exchange rate over the dollar, while the Euro was essentially tied with our dollar for the comparatively short time it has been around. Everything else (except for a handful artificially pegged to our dollar) had lost even more to inflation than we have.

 

I bought a VON that an anti-Russian, pro-Ukraine, YouTuber recommended. I like the guy and suspect the Russians exercised his a lot.

Immediately, significant decrease in YouTube ads. Works on my MacBook, iPhone, and Apple TV. Hopefully it will block the Orange one’s ad.

Bob Wilson

 

Yeah, inflation's kind of a fact of life. The 9.1% a couple years ago was unpleasant; the 3.1% or so it is currently is just about exactly the average US rate since as far back as I can look, and just about exactly the rate we were taught to expect in econ when I was in college (not yesterday...).

The Fed targets 2% but that might be a little on the aspirational side.

I'm happy when we just have people at the Fed with the steady hands to keep it from being hundreds of % (as in some countries where less steady hands are put in charge), and to get it from 9.1% after a big perturbation back down to 3.1% in a couple years without a recession, which is pretty cool.

Some people have more savings and some have more debt, and experience inflation differently; in between, for the most part, if you are earning dollars from work and buying stuff with your dollars, (stuff per $) ✕ ($ per amount of work) simplifies to (stuff per amount of work) with the $ cancelled, whatever the value of the $ is this year.

 

I was also taught a target of 3%, way back then, when we were still in a period of higher and much longer lasting inflation than we just came through. Some small inflation is useful to help encourage people to invest and put money to productive work, boosting employment and economic growth, instead of just squirreling it away in their mattress.

Thirty years ago, when setting some lifetime financial targets and goals, I built in an inflation guesstimate of 3%. Before this recent bout, it averaged 2.2%, which (in part) helped reach financial independence targets ahead of schedule. Even with this recent bubble, the average over that period is still just 2.5%, less than had I calculated for.

From this chart, it looks like we are still in the longest period of inflation stability since the statisticians began keeping track:

 

Haven't gotten used to instantaneous up & down traffic, the VPN takes a much larger time. So ... back to being constantly monitored.

 

Yep those older folks amongst us remember all-too-well the sick game AOL played whenever we tried to call and cancel our AOL accounts! SiriusXM seems to be playing the same game. I have it in two of my vehicles, got a "package deal" when I first signed up. After a year, I noticed my monthly deduction went WAY up so I called intending to just keep it in my primary car, not both. But they had another "special" running so I actually kept it and the monthly bill is the lowest it's ever been....I expect to be calling, again, after this special runs out to play the game, again. (Actually, I don't call anymore...they have an on-line chat feature that's convenient.)

 

It seems that pretty much any time I have service done at the dealer (say, flashing an ECU update), I'll get a letter afterward telling me I've had a month of free XM activated. So maybe I listen some for that month, and then I don't reply to their letters to extend it, and it goes away.

I went to the dealer sort of on purpose before a trip to DC once, so the XM-powered traffic updates would show up on the car nav while I was there.

 

I’m pleased social security invested in treasury securities with my contributions, better safe than sorry, and Medicare helps pay my medical costs. If those are the entitlements you mean. Yes, I am entitled to them.

 

we started saving in 1973 - & to the same Chagrin saw savings getting 'redisteibuted'. Seeing how this was happening before our eyes - we realize we'd have to save a $hart pile of dough accumulated by age 67 (50yrs worth) - just to account for the fed's Ponzi scheme.
Worst part of entitlements (imo) is that many don't have an overzealous work ethic but rather rely on handouts. There's so much similarity to the drug addicts looking for their next fix. Our church hands out a lot of food & such, even tho noticeable amount of recipients may pull up in Autos, clothing - shoes, WAY way nicer than ours. And some of these will then hit other charity places on top of already receiving lots of charity goodies. That's not to judge but pointing out how that abuse unduly burdens systems meant for the truly needy. Our former Church dolled stuff out based on proof of a couple job applications turned in per week ... & whether capable people would sweep parking lots, pull weeds, vacuum, windows washed Etc. Some were willing & likely get a sense of self-respect - while others will flip you the bird, feeling indignant that, "how dare you ask me to do stuff for Stuff".
Those who will work for their handouts - out of self-respect - give us a great sense of satisfaction when they get out of relying on the free stuff.

The thing is, those are "paid into" systems. Nowadays, our political whores willy nilly give away our stuff that the hard working (working nonstop for many decades) earned. Now it's going to be giving away to anyone who crosses our non-existent border because political whores realize whomever they Pander to - the political whores are likely to get their votes.
Chances are the (social) Titanic lifeboats won't sink while these same political whores are on duty - but will happen to the next batch of political whores. Even so, more and more are piling into the lifeboats.
.

 

↑
“I’m pleased social security invested in treasury securities with my contributions, better safe than sorry, and Medicare helps pay my medical costs. If those are the entitlements you mean. Yes, I am entitled to them.”
“The thing is, those are "paid into" systems. Nowadays, our political whores willy nilly give away our stuff that the hard working (working nonstop for many decades) earned. Now it's going to be giving away to anyone who crosses our non-existent border because political whores realize whomever they Pander to - the political whores are likely to get their votes.
Chances are the (social) Titanic lifeboats won't sink while these same political whores are on duty - but will happen to the next batch of political whores. Even so, more and more are piling into the lifeboats.”

I don’t know, the borders are still there same as before with even more border control agents. Poor people want a better life in the USA, Statue of Liberty and all that. I know, come in through proper channels. It’s a tough problem. We should not be cruel to others. It shouldn’t be exaggerated as no border.
People have no kids but there are schools they are required to give money to, is that socialist? Yes. One vote for each citizen, rich or poor, isn’t that also the s word? Shouldn’t people paying more tax have more say? No they don't get more to say than the poor person in this country. Ticks some of them off too. Some have a wider view. WWJD? I think embrace the notion.

 

It's interesting how nobody thought that the migrant crisis was much of a thing until they started offloading them in 'sanctuary cities' by the bus and plane load.

Jesus would feed them with biblical efficiency and give then a good sermon.
History is a little more complicated with what happens after that.
The one really SMART thing that some of the border governors are doing is making this human tragedy a 51 state problem.
I think that anyone who is unfamiliar with the current parole process, or the numbers involved, or some of the downrange effects of uncontrolled migration should become more informed about some of these issues before poking fun at the Reds or the Blues - because the migrants themselves are now tragically under-served by BOTH political parties.

One quaint example:
France grounds Nicaragua-bound plane with 303 Indians, 2 arrested | World News - Hindustan Times
SO.....
WHY would an airbus w/ 303 people, mostly very young girls of Indian origin en-route from Dubai to Nicaragua BE detained on a technical halt at a French airport?
What does this have to do with OUR border?

The answer may surprise you.
If you were ever blessed by having a daughter - it might even sicken you!!
This isn't pizzagate.
It's not a red thing or a blue thing.....but rather it's an AMERICAN thing, which is why we used to have to have mandatory 'TIP' training (trafficking in persons) for all government employees and military members since about 2000.
Many of the things that are happening in America as I type this make what Epstein was doing on 'Diddler's Reef' look like very small taters!
We're not even wanting to THINK about things like fentanyl, some of the Narcotraficantes other activities, or people on the terror watch list - which some idiots in our media (who are supposed to be the 'smart' people in the room) conflate with the no-fly list.

I hail from a family of immigrants.
My current extended family includes people from three continents who have either permanent residence cards or have become naturalized for-real US citizens - which MEANS that they are more familiar with our government than 90-percent of those who are just in the 'lucky sperm club.'
I've participated in naturalization ceremonies for shipmates in two military units, once while overseas.
I believe that people who present themselves at the border with identification and a verifiably non-criminal past should be given a work visa so that they may participate in the racist, poverty pockmarked hellscape that is my country.
This would eliminate, almost overnight, the people who work in construction, processing plants and domestic labor for less than minimum wage - AND we would benefit from more income, payroll and other taxes being PAID by these future citizens.

What we are doing NOW is NOT THAT, and NOT EVEN CLOSE to what is prescribed by any of the monotheologies that I am aware of.

What Would Jesus Do?
We have one biblical example, but it wasn't one of the 'nicer' ones.
The Messianic Whippersnapper: Did Jesus Use a Whip on People in the Temple (John 2:15)?

 

I hope you realize the dumping of people in other cities is nothing but a political stunt to create a story. Problem is, it happens only when a D is President. You do see through it I hope? You remember when they blamed the President for the poor mother’s son dying of fentanyl? Had her speaking, blaming the current President, and everything. Then people realized the death happened in 2020. Don’t see any apologies they blamed the wrong President. Eventually a person has to ask what are they really up to here.

 

A lot of presidents have been pretty big Ds.

 

Oh?
Which one?

Maybe its own topic.
Wondering what people are using for a VPN these days.
Prepaid?
Roll your own?

I use a TAILS (Tails, or "The Amnesic Incognito Live System", a Debian-based Linux) drive every now and again when I'm out and about.
It gives me access to boxes that I do not have a local account with for light browsing or communicating with tech support.
I really do not pay attention to the TOR browser because my presumption is that there IS no anonymity on-line and TORs/VPNs only make it look like you're trying to hide stuff.
Leopards are much more incentivised to chase stuff that is running.

HOWEVER (comma!!!)
More and more there are other reasons to use a VPN to anonymize one's location for other not-illegal 'stuff and things.'

 

Nearly all of them by my count.
What else would make somebody go through the process of being elected.

Ah...I see.
So the 'humane' solution to tens of thousands of people living in horrible squalor with inadequate access to food, shelter, water, and protection from predation on one side of a river is to force them to live in horrible squalor on the 'free' side of that same river- and not offer them access to transportation to states and cities where there is more adequate infrastructural support?

Riiiiight.
I get it now!
Thanks for the brilliant explanation!!

 

Sorry but the "Border Boggie Man" has no effect:

• Mass shootings - are real and a true health risk . . . but not committed by masses of immegrants,
• Retail shootings - are another real a true, health risk including kids playing with what their guardians leave unsecured.
• Cop shootings - we still see execution by cops who should never have had "defense by badge."
• Anti-COVID - in Madison Alabama, the ICUs are 90% occupied and beds up to 80% by unmasked, unvaccinated, and obstinate suckers to health hucksters.
• Impared drivers in cars without ADS systems.
• Undiagnosed depression induced suicides.
• "HELP WANTED" signs and low unemployment.

So I got a letter from my Congress critter in response to my private, $50 donation to Ukraine. I asked him "What have you done?"

• Seven paragraphs detailing what is going on in Ukraine and his support.
• One paragraph, not solicited by me, about the USA border.

I realize that some Congress critters are driven by their political 'masters'. But I had not expressed an opinion about anything but Ukraine. This is what he had sent me:

. . .
I also have serious concerns about President Biden's failure to protect our own borders here at home. The House of Representatives has acted to overrule President Biden and protect our own borders by passing H.R. 2, the Secure our Border Act. As the Congress considers future Ukranian aid, I believe it is critical that we ensure we are also requiring the President to secure our nation's borders.
. . .​

I quickly realized he was trying to scare me by saying 'BOO BORDER' which really doesn't work on me. It was not part of my original letter about Ukraine. Although I have mentally composed a reply, I'm not putting 'pen to paper' beyond what I started this post. Married 43 years to my late wife, one of many lessons learned, don't demand perfection . . . that is her job.

Seven good 'atta Boy' paragraphs almost wipe out by one "Oh Shit."

Bob Wilson