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You 2 are completely upside down on the most important issue:
Dogs are by far, the Superior pet to have in a home. Its not even a contest. A good dog can control your yard, keeping vermin (2 and 4 legged varieties) out of the shed, barn and chicken coop.
Growing up, we had a Greyhound-cross-doberman (who fortunately retained the doberman colours) she was a great dog, very protective of my mother, and children. Only ate 1 cousin. If a redneck wandered into the farm yard looking for water, she’d keep herself between my mom and the stranger. I noticed the dog started to play a game, she’d slowly raise the hair on her back until the redneck noticed the threat and retreated back to the truck.
(redneck is slang for a oil field worker – mostly people who do well head maintenance)
I was at a meeting today, where some where advocating that Trump be impeached, others objected, because they thought the VP was worse than Trump. (The meeting was a talk on Configuration Management, being given by an acquaintance) The discussion broke out before the speaker got his presentation loaded, and was brief, spirited and completely founded in an alternative reality.
Some didnt understand, that the president isnt confirmed, and doesnt need to show his tax returns. (some thought this was a constitutional oversight – because the income tax is fairly modern) It was an odd conversation.
Word limit…
Oh Yes, “American Carnage” I didnt see the inaugural address, — No offense Mr Trump — but I have a life, and out west this took place in mid-morning, and are rarely brief, but Ive seen some cuts on Youtube and discussed on assorted news programs. To be frank, I didnt care much for the speech. It was poorly delivered (nerves perhaps?) and I took it to be a summary of many of his campaign speeches. I think the only 2 lines that will be memorable in the future are the “American Carnage” and the line embracing populism “returning power back to the people” … Unlike Obama’s inaugural addresses, completely forgettable marathons of empty platitudes, at least Trump said something.
Great podcast, really enjoyed it.
To paraphrase the old public service ad — Get a dog, it’s like being grounded for the rest of your life.
Years ago a friend had tenants named Roach, he used to say he had Roaches in his house but they help pay the mortgage.
I have a phobia of Dogs. I dislike them. I think owning a dog in a neighbor is absolute proof that you hate your neighbors and animals.
What disaster might Trump bring on? That’s easy, if Trump puts real and aggressive pressure on the Chinese to revalue their currency they might, but they could just dump a trillion or so of dollars and the rest of the world, will follow. The dollar will collapse and financial chaos will ensue. Even if they don’t radically dump, but just dump enough to revalue a by doubling the yuan, it will empower them and weaken us. He is just haywire on this and few economists can straighten him out.
China’s holdings of US bounds peaked in 2013, they have been net liquidators of bonds each year since then. China has already decided that they’re exiting US bonds, Trump may slightly accelerate this process, but China is stuck too – they cant just dump bonds and start a trillion-dollar dumpster fire – this is the money that their people have slaved (some say literally) over the past 40 years to produce. If they loose that nest egg, they’d (china’s communist party leadership) all be hanging on a lamp post by sun-rise.
Their are numerous challenges ahead for the new administration, I dont think Trump is the cause of any of it – but will he exacerbate an already tense situation? Possibly. Trump is a new style of leader – the world will have to find away to cope.
What’s their current official holdings, and what did they buy? Revaluing the yuan makes Chinese richer not poorer. When they dump dollars they’ll buy gold or a basket of currencies, they don’t just burn it. Unlike Japan they wont piss away their new wealth. They’ll use their increased buying power to purchase companies that have patents they want, resources, patents and licenses directly, positions and influence in third countries with resources and markets. They could start a dumpster fire, but gradual is better for them, but if we clubbed them over the head with targeted tariffs they might respond.
You misunderstood my point. I wasnt suggesting that China would just burn a trillion dollars. What I meant was that China is stuck with its investment in US Bonds (treasury notes) because if they suddenly moved to liquidate their position, they would move the market, and the value of their investment would evaporate. While the value of the assets they’re attempting to replace the bonds with would rapidly inflate. I was agreeing with your point that China could destroy the US bond market, and the dollar – but they wouldnt want too – because that would be very bad for them too.
I understand and agree, but not fully. They are divesting and will continue to do so and if we beat them up over their fixed currency they can speed it up. What they lose in the value of their dollar holdings they make up in the gold holdings and more important on the purchasing power of the yuan. It is a false goal to want the Chinese to radically appreciate. They could also pull a George Soros, borrow many billions then dump all of it plus enough to sink the dollar, pay off their debt with depreciated dollars and make it a wash. I think this is our greatest vulnerability and the main reason we should be increasing our savings and reducing Federal spending. But their question was what might Trump stumble into. This is one.
Yea, I get you now. I think they’d have to be pretty far into the escape plan before they would even try that. They seem to be very risk averse financially.
Reducing debt is just smart financially – both personally and on a national basis. I was hoping that his talk of a $10 trillion spending cut over 10 years – would come true – but thats looking like a common Washington plan – when the major cuts occur when the plan’s author is leaving office.
Great discussion with Dr. Happer.
As a geologist it drives me nuts that the fact that the earth has warmed and cooled throughout time is basically ignored by all of the global warming nut-cases. The discussion on plants was fascinating. I really enjoyed it – thank you.
Keep up the good work.