COVID19 Factors We Should Consider/Current Events

[Mark Rippetoe]

Rip, I am sure you have seen this from Denninger- "More on the Bridge". It was linked on CFP. His thoughts on the Key bridge accident and the internet conspiracy junkies and their panic attacks are golden.

Market-Ticker - The Market Ticker

The comments following the Denninger piece also address the conspiracy nuttiness that pervades forums across the internet. Some of the commenters use fake IDs to try to mask their identity so their opinions must be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.

I understand what you're saying, and I agree that this was most likely just a fuck-up, but let me ask you a very important question: If somebody offered to prove to you that the government had run that ship into the bridge, could you honestly say that could never happen? That the government doesn't do such things? How many things like this do you have to read to become sufficiently cynical? US Government Confirms that Preventing Fraud & Vaxxx Death "Is Inconsistent With its Public Health Policy."

How many times over the past 4 years have you been exposed to evidence that these people are capable of quite literally ANYTHING that advances their agenda?

Majority see FBI as Biden’s ‘personal Gestapo’ after Trump raid - Washington Examiner

In the latest Rasmussen Reports survey, 53% of likely voters agreed that “there is a group of politicized thugs at the top of the FBI that are using the FBI as Joe Biden’s personal Gestapo.”

Asked the same question last December, the portion who agreed with that view was 46%.

At what point do you stop and say "This cannot happen in the good old USofA, and yet here we are."?

[Nicholas Laureys]

Man, nothing is ever good enough for you people. It's always the fault of someone else, and if it wasn't ze Jews... it would be someone else. It's not that people aren't doing terrible things, but rather they always have. Human nature has always allowed for treachery and evil.

When are you going to stop pissing yourselves, accept it, and get on about living your life in such a way where you thrive regardless? Or at least just aren't annoyingly angry about it all the time?

Fair enough, and this is a timely moment for me to go OT, David.

What do you all do with your 'nest eggs,' your rainy-day-funds, the extra cash you have stowed away? I still don't know enough about inverted rate curves, I'm sure, but I instinctively see how craxy it is that one-month CD's pay equal or higher coupons than longer-term ones. AFAIK this means "investors" think a recession is looming and so banks must pay out accordingly so that someone actually buys their debt. Karl Denniger (whose opinions I value highly since Rip had him on the podcast, and he more or less got Covid right, and apparently quite adeptly predicted the '08 crash) seems to think financial calamity is incoming ( as in, more likely within months, not years!) given the whoppers of inflation for the first time in 40 years, overseas credit emission being shut off with the sanctions on Russia, and our snowballing, ever-growing Medicaid and Medicare costs. But he shuts down "conspiracy-theorists" who think the gov't could default on FDIC guarantees while in the same breath celebrating revenge-porn as the only way to fix the nation's many other problems (immigration, COVID jabb requirements, Medical Monopolies....). Only extreme cognitive dissonance could make you think the gov't would honor laws to support depositors while explaining in the same breath how that same gov't has ignored so many other laws on the books for the past 40+ years.

So I am curious what you have been doing with extra cash/assets and your rationale behind doing it. If a person really sees all the stars aligned for a big-time financial readjustment, unprecedented in nature, then I'm not sure how even an FDIC guarantee would make you feel safe about parking your cash in CDs, bonds, treasuries, or even a checking account (if the amount is large enough). And as for MSNBC and all the other "experts," for those interested, KD's many articles over the past few years explain how most money managers have no idea what they're talking about, since most of them were lucky enough to be alive during the ZIRP eras of overseas credit expansion where money was incredibly cheap to borrow and even crappy business ideas could succeed for awhile.

OR, even if we don't wanna go there with the doom porn: the current CDs, treasuries, etc. offers essentially don't keep up with inflation. I imagine the rates offered during the 80's cycle of pain didn't keep up with inflation, either - where did you oldies put your money back then, what kinds of things ended up being safer and more lucrative places to park cash (I'm sure we didn't buy durable goods with our useless currency like the cynical Russians did in '08, but if the stuff KD opines on even partially comes to fruition it sounds like we'd come damn close to that)? And, besides, even with the current levels of inflation that no Millennial has ever felt, it already feels like if this inflation continues long enough, we'll get there, unless TPTB spark up some new war or pandemic to allow for new zero-interest policies and all the Potemkin economic growth that comes along with them!

[David Roberts]

I understand what you're saying, and I agree that this was most likely just a fuck-up, but let me ask you a very important question: If somebody offered to prove to you that the government had run that ship into the bridge, could you honestly say that could never happen? That the government doesn't do such things? How many things like this do you have to read to become sufficiently cynical?



How many times over the past 4 years have you been exposed to evidence that these people are capable of quite literally ANYTHING that advances their agenda?

Majority see FBI as Biden’s ‘personal Gestapo’ after Trump raid - Washington Examiner



At what point do you stop and say "This cannot happen in the good old USofA, and yet here we are."?

I doubt that I could become more cynical about many of the actions taken by the US and world government bureaucracies in the last four years or the entirety of my life for that matter. I do believe that there are many bad actors in and out of government who will do almost anything to further their personal interests and agenda. However my default position is not that every hyperbolic news event, accident, or fuckup is the result of a grand conspiracy. The conspiracy junkies see things they don't understand, piss their pants, then start making up bull shit stories. I am just as cynical about the conspiracies and their purveyors as I am about the actions of government.


Regarding the Key bridge accident. I have no expertise in operating ocean freight vessels so I will defer to those who do, like Denninger- let them find the cause of the accident- my imagination will not help get to the bottom of it. My only experience with large ocean going vessels was the years I spent flying from US Navy ships while serving as a Marine aviator. We had boat accidents and aviation accidents back then too, all related to operator error or in some cases design deficiencies. Not part of a conspiracy and DEI didn't exist. But we still had fuckups.

Now every time there is an accident, the online conspiracy junkies default to blaming DEI, the Jews, or the grand conspiracy by "them" to control the world and create a Marxist or Fascist government.

We are all aware that from the beginning of time human beings have made up explanations for things that don't understand. Myths and religions are based on such misunderstanding. You are acutely aware of some of these myths related to strength training.

It seems mankind has made little progress in handling the unknown and misunderstood. Imaginary explanations for real world phenomena does not advance knowledge and understanding one bit.

[anticausal]

That the government doesn't do such things?

I find it interesting how some people seem to find such a satisfaction in declaring things meaningless and without any malicious intent. You can kinda sense that they get high off the feeling. It's very interesting to me, psychologically.

I haven't found the bridge situation interesting enough to comment on for two reasons:

1) It's not a pattern yet. If something like this happens again relatively soon, the "everything is fine" crowd will become far less persuasive.
2) The situation is not being obviously exploited by Clown World in some major way. (This either indicates an accident or that Clown World might actually be the victim here. In the latter case, I'm happy to just sit back and watch things unfold.)

The fact is, neither the "everything is fine" crowd nor the conspiracy theorists have a very compelling case here.

Denninger, and almost all of us, have been strongly conditioned by the "conspiracy nutter" narrative. But having uncovered true conspiracy, he feels like the "wackos" will discredit the "conspiracy-realists" like himself, and it really pisses him off. It comes across strongly in that article and several others.

I don't really blame him, but I think it's a stupid mindset to have because he is willingly engaging within the enemy's frame. In terms of persuasion, Karl is doing what his enemy does to him. They created this stigma, so rather than abiding by it, I say reject it. Who cares if some not-particularly-bright people come up with crazy conspiracy theories? Is Karl under the illusion that we are going to eradicate the world of such people? Should their dumb theories be made illegal to propagate? Why get your panties in such a twist over this?

One deliberate act of self-reflection I often engage in is to ask myself "What parts of my thinking are still based on Clown World lies and mythology?" (I doubt I will ever find them all). This improves both knowledge of enemy and knowledge of self, which, as Sun Tzu tells us, are the keys to victory.

[George Christiansen]

Man, nothing is ever good enough for you people. It's always the fault of someone else, and if it wasn't ze Jews... it would be someone else. It's not that people aren't doing terrible things, but rather they always have. Human nature has always allowed for treachery and evil.

When are you going to stop pissing yourselves, accept it, and get on about living your life in such a way where you thrive regardless? Or at least just aren't annoyingly angry about it all the time?

You have no sense of proportion if you can type that with a straight face.

We are not just living in some sure things are tough and the world is full of bad actors moment in history.

At the very least technology has made the bad actors, that always exist to some degree, reach and power that they have never had before.

Workarounds that existed on other times don't now and issues are becoming less and less localized to where you can just avoid the fray.

I live in a 1500 person town right now and see all the same issues that are in the news. The only difference is the scale.

So just minding your own business and making the most of what you have isn't enough.

[TommyGun]

I doubt that I could become more cynical about many of the actions taken by the US and world government bureaucracies in the last four years or the entirety of my life for that matter. I do believe that there are many bad actors in and out of government who will do almost anything to further their personal interests and agenda. However my default position is not that every hyperbolic news event, accident, or fuckup is the result of a grand conspiracy. The conspiracy junkies see things they don't understand, piss their pants, then start making up bull shit stories. I am just as cynical about the conspiracies and their purveyors as I am about the actions of government.

I sailed on these ships in the engine room for a few years, so this is the rare occasion that I am not talking out of my ass.

This accident is just that - they lost the plant at a very, very bad time. Just one hell of a bad day at the office. Keep your eye on the fuel quality, and where it took on fuel over the last few moths. Just a hunch, could be a wide variety of things mechanically. But one of the issues in shipping is really poor fuel out there (at several locations overseas such as Singapore) which can under the right conditions, cause the engines to shut down. This is in spite of all kinds of strainers, filters, centrifuges/ purifiers onboard used to remove any impurities and contamination. These ships have massive engines which required such fine tolerances for proper combustion that anything out of spec could damage the fuel pumps, and injection.

Sounds like the crew - both in the engine room and on the bridge - did what they were supposed to in those scary “dark ship” minutes prior to colliding with the bridge. The Coast Guard’s investigation will be lengthy but they will test the fuel in the day tank and storage tanks ASAP and identify that quickly if that is the cause.

Just speculating.

[Subby]

Man, nothing is ever good enough for you people.

What do you mean by "you people"?

Re the bridge.

Yes conspiracies happen and yes the government is capable of shit like this but sometimes accidents are just accidents.

This is just an accident/incompetence because if it were a conspiracy, it doesn't make sense, and if it did, there's better ways to destroy a bridge as a false flag. The plan "turn the power off and hope the uncontrolled boat hits the bridge" is a stupid plan.

[anticausal]

Regardless of what one thinks about Easter, trying to overshadow it with a celebration of the mentally ill is such a clear slap in the face to a huge part of American culture that everyone sane should be bothered.

Attachment 8585

And there is no possible way that these two things are linked, right?

Because I'm told that they are only 2% of the population and only have these positions because they are so much smarter and better than me.

Attachment 8586

"Religion is so primitive and stupid.
A “soul,” separate from the body, that transcends materialism in some way we can’t rationally explain?
Pure superstition.
That’s why we must defeat Christians in order to support trans folx who know their true self was born in the wrong body."
-White House Staffers (Probably)

I find it very interesting that those who invert truth and reality, mock nature, and insist everyone "tolerate" them hate Christianity so passionately. In fact, it seems to be their number one priority. And even more than that, an obsession.

I find it embarrassing that we've allowed this to happen, especially considering that we had early 20th century Russia as a warning and case study for all their priorities and tactics. We basically had their playbook, and we just let it happen again. Fucking hell, man, we are so susceptible to their propaganda. They're good, but we also shouldn't forget that it's a lot easier when you're running with the winds of entropy at your back. Anyone can destroy a house, but only a few have the skill to build one.

Happy Easter, everyone.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Man, they are really rubbing it in:

Gov. Kathy Hochul Orders New York Landmarks Lit Up in Trans Flag Colors on Easter Sunday for Transgender Day of Visibility, Including One World Trade Center and Niagara Falls

It's like they're actively trying to find out whether that old "fire and brimstone" thing is true.

[Matt Jackson]

So, from Mr. Rowe it's... Keep Calm And Shabbos Goy?

[David A. Rowe]

Fair enough, and this is a timely moment for me to go OT, David.

Well, to be entirely frank... that worry was taken out of my hands over the last two years. It was emphatically the worst and darkest time of my life, and it almost cost me my life. It certainly ruined me financially, though I am beginning to recover from it. Things are, in many ways, better than they ever have been now. Spiritual, mental and emotional pin firing if you will.

However, I employee same strategy I always have. Eliminate debt aggressively, and now more than ever I invest into wealth and not mere finances. If I need something, I save for it, research, and acquire something that will serve my needs the rest of my life (or at least a couple of decades). I'm investigating in my home and property. I'm putting my children, still young, through homeschooling co-op, and investing my time into teaching them and shepherding them.

I'm quite unqualified to give sound financial advice. If I won the lottery you wouldn't know it, and I'd likely live off of the money without sinking it into investments because I wouldn't trust myself or others to be wise enough with that much.

You have no sense of proportion if you can type that with a straight face.

We are not just living in some sure things are tough and the world is full of bad actors moment in history.

At the very least technology has made the bad actors, that always exist to some degree, reach and power that they have never had before.

Workarounds that existed on other times don't now and issues are becoming less and less localized to where you can just avoid the fray.

I live in a 1500 person town right now and see all the same issues that are in the news. The only difference is the scale.

So just minding your own business and making the most of what you have isn't enough.

Tell me how much less of a bad actor Nero was, and his lack of power, because he didn't have a cell phone. Oh, but if Ghengis Khan had only had broadband access to the Internet -- imagine the TRUE horrors he could have inflicted.

Technology is likely an accelerant, but it is by no means the epitome of human power, and, in every instance throughout our history, the more power centralized into fewer hands the more tyranny and corruption follow and are amassed in its shadow. It tracks in our own history in the U.S. as Constitutional Law as eroded.

Don't overlook how important minding your own business is, or rather handling your own business. Which is to say act as and where you actually can in accordance with your values, and don't worry or surrender to anger on all of the suffering, injustices and lies in the world that you have absolutely no control over.

That's why I didn't type it with a straight face. I had a genuine smile. I live in gratitude for what I have, I know I stand to lose any and all of it every day I wake up, and I've decided to accept that and move on, regardless. I let my faith and values dictate my actions, even when they put everything at risk. I don't mean to make myself sound particularly brave. I'm just more afraid of losing myself and what makes me who I am than I am of those consequences.

What do you mean by "you people"?

Forgive me, Subby. I very intentionally added that first sentence. Partly as a game because I had full faith that at least someone on this board would say something about it. Partly to illustrate, perhaps with too much subtlety, the Sisyphean nature of assigning blame to groups and getting mad about it. Hateful, even. There's a bottomless well there of self-induced suffering if that's what you're into.

For what it's worth, I hold no ill will towards you, or Matt, or even the trolls on the board. Well, the real people -- all AI must die.

I just know how freeing letting go of the anger is, and I hope others can experience the same. You don't need it to wake up everyday and do what is good and right. I promise.