Americans vote every two years, like clockwork. We’re random. More like twice a decade. American citizens can also cast separate federal ballots for their Congress rep, their senator and their president. We get one. So you might love the guy who’s your MP but think he works for a dork of a leader. Too bad. One choice.
This makes US politics volatile, less predictable and ultimately far more democratic. It’s a messy system. Usually it works. But these days there is doubt, thanks to a deep polarization of views, a larger-than-life political operative and the blessing/curse of social media.
So tomorrow is voting day for lots of key positions but not that of president. Republicans look ripe to win and Democrats to lose control of the Senate. Maybe the House, too. Hard to know but usually midterm elections are tough on the party of the guy in the White House.
Here are the latest odds:
American democracy is an awesome thing. But never before has it been tested by a former president who tells people the system cannot be trusted, that the guy he lost to is illegitimate, and who tried to prevent the peaceful transition of power. It’s what you’d expect to read about in a banana republic. Not Washington. But he got away with it (so far) and Trump is now a few days from launching another presidential bid.
The amazing part is that tens of millions of voters – including seven in ten Republicans – believe the 2020 election was rigged. There’s no evidence of that. The current president had a margin of seven million ballots (Biden, 81,282,916; Trump, 74,223,369). But this is the age of conspiracy, and a ‘stolen election’ is the Big Lie that refuses to die.
In fact there are 300 candidates running for office federally and at the state level tomorrow who have bought into the Trump allegation. Lots of them will win. Meanwhile the Democrats drift further to the left, thanks to people like AOC and Bernie Saunders, while the Republicans trend right towards Trump.
“We’re bracing for blood in the streets down here,” Brian told me on the weekend. He and Liz are retired Canadians (North Van) with a winter house in Arizona. They just arrived a week ago and Brian says he has never in 13 years seen such visible anger and acrimony. “God knows what will happen after Tuesday night, but we are seriously talking, Liz and I, about this maybe being too uncomfortable a place to come to again.”
So what will happen?
Beats me. But riots are unlikely, except on Twitter.
More likely is that the Trumpers take control of the House of Representatives and maybe the Senate. This creates a split government with Congress most often at odds with the White House and the President’s agenda. Nothing much changes in terms of inflation outlook, central bank monetary policy, an interest rate pivot or GDP growth. What does change is the pace of federal spending which will come through gridlock, maybe another debt ceiling shutdown and political theatrics as the next presidential cycle takes off (and the guy in the red ball cap tries for that comeback).
Stocks like gridlock. Major policy issues and the oversized spending that Biden seems to favour will be thwarted. There are more checks and balances, and an environment which is seen as more favourable for equities. In fact, history bears that out.
The bigger worry, of course, is 2024.
Biden will be 80 before long. By the time of the next election, Trump will be 78. Is it logical to think either will be up to a job that never sleeps? Who’s in the wings? Kamala, a divisive figure? DeSantis the migrant-buser? Would Bernie screw everything up again? Will Rubio the political weather-vane run? Or lefty beach boy Gavin Newsom?
And how secure is a democracy where tens of millions of people say they don’t trust the system? When the defeated president encouraged an insurrection? Where a dude with a zip ties and hammer hunted the Speaker, then whacked her husband? Where Qanon or Alex Jones or Joe Rogan are embraced?
It matters. Without the US our economy might be the size of Ecuador’s and if the American military were not next door, we could be speaking Mandarin. Or just imagine if our own two major political parties started drifting further and further into extremes, with the Libs recklessly spending on special interest groups, doing a deal with socialists and driving us into debt while the Cons tried to politicize the central bank while supported anti-vaxers who illegally occupied our capital city?
How troubling would that be?
About the picture: “Photo snapped this week by acquaintance,” writes Leslie, “whose critter collection includes two kittens and three dogs. These two, Dakota and Bandit, exemplify the secret formula: peace in unity.”
194 comments ↓
How troubling would that be?
___________
Or we could elect provincal government who ignore the rule of law and invoke the notwithstanding clause in indiscriminately.
Just a word on the US electoral college. It was originally designed to prevent the populous rural areas from dominating the few urban areas. 250 years later, it serves the same function, but in reverse. It stops New York, Chicago and Los Angeles from dictating to the country.
Kind of amazing when you think about it. Avoids the Hunger Games scenario.
Biden did not win by “8 million votes”
He won by a few hundred thousand. I know you know that but choose to pretend otherwise.
Dems have disputed election results for decades, especially Gore, Abrams.
Watch who disputes these election results.
1) US is a constitutional republic.
Check for the word democracy in the US constitution.
2) Election laws are set at the state level: watch the results at the gubernatorial level.
3) Polls are as worthwhile as forecasts: garbage in, garbage out.
I guess the blessing came true ,we do live in interesting times. And it could be worse than speaking Mandarin …as in Cantonese has twice the tones (generally speaking 7 vs. 4 ) and virtually no learning courses so good luck learning that ,I can’t hear the difference between tones in mandarin to begin with.
On the other hand we do have the chinese prices (both mainlaind and honk kong) for our condos , does anyone else finds it insane that condos are twice as much or more expensive per sq.ft than SFH ?
Lack of prosperity and murky future is what creates society divide , when people have good incomes and career opporunities they focus on living and enjoying their life , when they are shut out ,regardless of the reason they look for someone to blame.
Good post. However, there is nothing we can do about this situation, and for my own mental health I prefer to dwell on issues that are within my power to change. I would never contemplate buying any winter property in the USA. Buying a condo in Mexico or Costa Rica (or renting a place in Nicaragua) is much more appealing to me for a winter destination.
Dakota & Bandit look very sweet together:)
The last main paragraph in today’s post is very tongue in cheek, since that is pretty much what has happened. As for Trump style politics, in Alberta Ms. Smith & crew have invited a medical advisor who had previously advised Trump during Covid to advise (speak to) them how herd immunity could avert the horror of vaccination, masking & social distancing here in Canada. Let’s just say that support for anti-vaxers is strong within the UCP ranks – after all, at least 2 UCP MLA’s participated in the protests. One participated in the Coutt’s blockade, the other participated in the Ottawa convoy.
I live in Arizona. I am not seeing anything crazy down here. Pretty calm. However, my in-laws down here , do believe trump won the election.
Oh boy, Garth has dared to say some slightly negative things about right wingers. Prepare for a crapstorm from big truck drivin’ snowflakes.
Something something something Democrats, but at least something something something Republicans! (Rimshot)
Regardless of US politics, at least the UN has declared saving the climate is a lost cause so we can finally stop spending time and money there and get back to important stuff.
Like Twitter and Tesla. And hunting and cooking and pure mindless consumerism.
Great Blog today
As Garth says the big worry is 2024. Bill Maher explained it well on Fareed Zaharia’s show yesterday. I went on twitter and was going to post that Bill Maher made a lot of sense. But I could see by the comments there that I would be asking for trouble if I publicly said Bill Maher made sense. I post on twitter under my actual corporate name, so too dangerous to post. Sad.
Bill also said Trump tried a coup in 2020 (clearly) and if he loses in 2024 he will try again, this time with many election deniers in key state positions. Scary.
I seldom get to see Bill Maher. Why? Because he got literally and figuratively canceled (before it was even a thing) from network TV in 2001 or 2002 for saying (as I recall) that the 9-11 pilots were evil but that it was wrong to call them cowards. It was “too soon”. All of America had labeled them cowards, and everyone had better agree. To me it’s pretty clear that being a kamikaze pilot for a warped cause is not an act of cowardice. Bill Maher spoke truth and got canceled.
I’ll be watching the Arizona gubernatorial race closely. Kari Lake has promised to confiscate all the abandoned federal construction materials along the border and finish building the Arizona stretch. If she wins, she could be Trump’s running mate in 2024.
On the contrary, I’m glad the taboo on using the NW clause is now broken.
#123 Peter on 11.07.22 at 12:22 am
For those who were asking about alternative offers to variable, I locked in a 10 year term at 2.14% fixed. It was on offer from Tangerine 18 months ago.
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That’s fantastic. Very smart! Anyone who chose variable instead of a 10 year under 3% (maybe even 4%) just had no sense of how abnormal the zero-based rates were. I doubt any had run a mortgage amortization schedule to show them what could happen.
Sadly were likely to be speaking Russian before Mandarin. The Russians have built bases in the arctic; and have armed ice breakers.
Don’t worry though are Canadian Navy will save us…oh wait, our navy ships are outdated rust buckets with old technology…GO NAVY!!
Chaos is coming to America.
Putin is working relentlessly behind the scenes.
Iran and China are rubbing their hands with glee. North Korea already going rogue.
Tumult and assassinations are days away.
Get out of major centres after this week.
PREPARE
We need Trump to move to Canada and run for Prime Minister.
Back in the day, we are now talking 30-40 years ago, when we wanted to buy another house for our Calgary rental pool we would be required by ATB to put up one without a mortgage as collateral.
Three times, in my memory, as Calgary real estate declined in value the ATB would ask for more collateral.
I’m going to assume the consortium of lenders behind the Tes…sorry Twitter deal would require that their position remained in ratio as well. As Tesla declines in value, as the layoff costs rise, as the lawyers, etc pile up I wonder who ends up owning Tesla?
I tell you this, GM, Ford, VW et al are probably loving this.
#2 Senator Bluto on 11.07.22 at 3:07 pm
Just a word on the US electoral college. It was originally designed to prevent the populous rural areas from dominating the few urban areas. 250 years later, it serves the same function, but in reverse. It stops New York, Chicago and Los Angeles from dictating to the country.
Kind of amazing when you think about it. Avoids the Hunger Games scenario.
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If only we could prevent Toronto, Montreal and the least coast from dominating this country, maybe we could get things done.
The Division Bell has been ringing loudly for a number of years now – expect more throughout the world in years to come – sadly we will more than likely see a major armed conflict at some point involving China/Russia and the U.S. – perhaps part of the Great Reset meh
The American experiment is coming to an end… it will have been crushed, subtly, by their enemies and narcissists.
The GOP, Trump, Russia and China are all doing their best to reshape America…
GOP — by instilling irrational fear of the Dems
Trump — by insisting he isn’t actually a loser and his followers should just trust him
Russia — through Social Media manipulation (think bots)
China — through Social Media manipulation (tik tok algo)
The worst part is… America let it happen because they think they are too strong to fail and that banana republics aren’t in their cards (they’re wrong on that one).
A shame… an empire is collapsing in real-time
So much for a “new American century”
Okay, I’m thoroughly depressed now. Even the most reasonable commentary (like Garth’s) these days makes me want to hide under the covers and never come out. I think I need to go find a kitten or a puppy….
The man in the red cap running again with the Chief Twit opening his platform to him will sink Putin, inflation and rates, as bad as they will be, to the bottom of the news pile. The next 2 years look to be messy and for the first time as a Canadian I’m actually worried about the outcome.
I enjoyed the article until you just had to throw in some trollbait to trigger the conservative leaning readers.
I’m not Trump fan but when Biden gets more votes than even Obama got, something is fishy… and he likely lost some support this weekend with his Desantis remarks but he wasn’t a bad President. No wars under his watch. Manufacturing was coming back to America, inflation was in check and world leaders didn’t try anything stupid because they were worried about Trump’s response. Russia and China aren’t too concerned about Biden, that’s for sure.
He didn’t try and start an insurrection. There were 10’s of thousands at his rally(notice the press never did give estimates of the size) and a few thousand malcontents, decided to storm the capitol (some even let in by police) and you think that was Trump’s fault. Trump offered the National Guard to Nancy who is responsible for security at the Capitol and she said no.
Who’s fault was it for the ANTIFA riots in Minneapolis, Portland, etc? No one died on January 6th other than the protestor who was shot by a coward cop who didn’t bother shooting anyone else trying to get in. I wonder why…
and now you speculate that some weirdo Canadian went after Nancy and attacked her husband when she wasn’t home. Why you wouldn’t question why Paul answered the door to Police and not ask for protection? or called the intruder by his name to 911? or why no video has been released? or no explanation why there was no security or alarms set off when the “intruder” broke in… is beyond me other than it feeds the trollbait.
I personally hope that Desantis takes a run at the nomination. I think he would guarantee a win for the GOP and quite possibly stop a looming civil war.
There is no divide in today’s photo.
Both creatures agree, the cat is on top.
As is always the case.
#12 Shawn
“Bill Maher spoke truth and got canceled.”
…and so did Piers Morgan.
citizens can also cast separate federal ballots for their Congress rep, their senator and their president
– Garth
Benefit of living in a Republic, Italia the same. First time I voted here I looked at the Ballot Clerk and said
Are you kidding me? I expected just the 1 NOT 3.
On the messy, come to Italia. We have better hand gestures than the Americani, not as many guns though.
And ya, US Twitter the past few days …
MUY CALIENTE
——————–
On a personal note, thank you for the cat picture today Garth. I’m up again, not huge, but up.
The bigger the cat in the picture, the higher my portfolio goes.
Could you swing a Siberian Tiger photo for the rest of the week?
– Thanks in advance.
PS:
In a pinch, Hercules the Liger will do or Smilodon.
There will be gridlock and that will be great. The world will not end, this US will still chug along…
…and eventually Joe Biden will remember how to get off the stage after talking all by himself.
Trump will be running in 2024. Whether you like him or hate him, Trump policies are much better than Biden
#2 Senator Bluto on 11.07.22 at 3:07 pm
Just a word on the US electoral college. It was originally designed to prevent the populous rural areas from dominating the few urban areas.
I’m sorry, but that’s not remotely true. Perhaps you’re thinking of the senate? Each state gets two senators, regardless of its population.
The original purpose of the electoral college was, ironically enough, to prevent the election of demagogues like Trump. (Instead, it served to elect him, despite loosing the popular vote.) The idea was that it would be made up of well-informed intellectuals who would decide on a president in a deliberative and non-partisan manner.
Suffice it to say, the idea was half-baked and quickly corrupted. Today, it’s just a bizarre method of electing the president by indirect popular vote.
Trump Won
The Yeah, but what about what He/She / They DID defennse
#3 Electoral College on 11.07.22 at 3:10 pm
Biden did not win by “8 million votes”
He won by a few hundred thousand. I know you know that but choose to pretend otherwise.
Dems have disputed election results for decades, especially Gore, Abrams.
Watch who disputes these election results.
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I agree on your first point. It was according to Conrad Black about 50,000 votes in key states. Conrad tweeted a few days ago those COULD be false voted (Democrats stole ballots from good republican mail boxes and voted them democrat) . I guess crooks gotta stick together and he does owe Trump bigly for that pardon.
But your “what about the dems” defense is sad. I never saw election disputes make the news until 2020. Well, the other time was 2000 where it came down to a very few “hanging chads” in Florida (circular bits of paper that either were or were not sufficiently and properly punched out by a voting machine I understand) and the count was extraordinarily close but the democrat AlGore accepted the recount by the courts and conceded gracefully. The Democrats moved on and did not call it a stolen election.
It is a bizarre system where most States have all their electoral college votes go either fully democrat or fully republican rather than splitting them proportionally as I think 2 little states do. But you know this. Do the President by country-wide popular vote and the mess would be cleaned up.
You really lit a fire with this post Garth.
re: #22 Yorkville Renter
So much for a “new American century”
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The Project For a New American Century is precisely why our neighbors to the south are where they are today. There’s a long history lesson here but there’s already a lot of long wind(ed) bags on here so I’ll just get to it. The Thirteen Colonies were never designed to be an empire, the laws of the land were specifically written so it could never become one.
The tragedy is: they speak English.
Boy are you ever wrong! If the nutbar conspiracy theory party takes both the house and senate then expect the end of democracy in the states
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/nov/06/how-close-is-the-us-to-civil-war-barbara-f-walter-stephen-march-christopher-parker
#46 Observer on 11.06.22 at 5:06 pm
Beside my Flea Circus I keep the Corvid Circus. Currently training Sub Variant 6.66
Now would be a great time to admit that what you are doing isn’t working. The hospitals are filling up with people doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. They may learn to trade their newly found superstitions with science.
—— As mentioned, in March 2020 every system designed to protect us was turned against us.
In Soviet Kanada home owns you.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/landlord-tenant-eviction-delays-1.6638367
“Just last year, Marco had two houses to his name, but for months has been sleeping in his car — all because his tenants, whom he’s been unable to evict, haven’t paid their rent. ”
—– Oof this is how they will further bring the Former First World Countries to their knees.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/climate-reparations-explainer-1.6641502
Global South prepares a major push for climate compensation at COP27
#1 Love_The_Cottage on 11.07.22 at 3:07 pm
Or we could elect provincal government who ignore the rule of law and invoke the notwithstanding clause in indiscriminately.
————————————
That would be Quebec. Twice.
China funded a Clandestine Network of Election Candidates
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/07/china-weaken-canada-democracy-justin-trudeau
Qwazy Wabbits.
What’s going on isn’t about who will be the next POTUS. But DeSantis is correct when he recently predicted the Dems will ‘push aside’ Biden after tomorrow’s mid term results. Joe B will be thrown under the bus by any means necessary, and that ship of pirates has the legacy and ruthlessness to get the job done. Hell, they disappeared Epstein, didn’t they?
Just bring in a doc, have him declared unfit for office, and then Kamala takes her orders from Obama until Michelle emerges from the shadows to run as Prez in 2024. Or they reinvent the party and float Joe Manchin as a candidate. They are so squirrely it’s hard to know.
On the flip side, it can’t be Trump. Too polarizing and would be almost 80 when sworn in. He carries far too much wackadoodle baggage. Trump Nation ( like Wild Rose/Reform Party) is still out there, but they are yesterdays news. Americans want to see ‘vigor’ in their President, so notwithstanding admirable breakthroughs made by women in political life they also likely want a man. Rubio will run but can’t be trusted, which leaves DeSantis who is a picture postcard of American Pie.
Hopefully his wife stays healthy.
What’s really going on is not about the candidates. It’s bigger than that. It’s a Holy War. While not purely religious this is a war to save the soul of the most powerful nation on earth. Can it rescue itself from the current self destructive, corrupt WOKE trajectory it is on? Maybe the country is a lot like Twitter…….
“It is important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square, where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner, without resorting to violence. There is currently great danger that social media will splinter into far right wing and far left wing echo chambers that generate more hate and divide our society.” (Elon Musk)
#25 canuck on 11.07.22 at 4:00 pm
Your post is the proof that “I’m not a fan of Trump but…” is the new “I’m not a racist but…”
Who’s in the wings?
– Garth
—————–
You forgot
Ron deSanctimonious
– Trump,
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3722859-trump-says-desantis-should-be-reelected-one-day-after-labeling-him-ron-desanctimonious/
PS:
I liked “lefty beach boy Gavin Newsom”
though, I think he is more famous for his hair grooming:
US To Begin Importing Oil From Gavin Newsom’s Hair
https://babylonbee.com/news/us-to-begin-importing-oil-from-gavin-newsoms-hair
unless he also puts the sun tan oil on …
#3 Electoral College on 11.07.22 at 3:10 pm
Biden did not win by “8 million votes”
He won by a few hundred thousand. I know you know that but choose to pretend otherwise.
Dems have disputed election results for decades, especially Gore, Abrams.
Watch who disputes these election results.
Wow. That’s quite the grab bag of lies and equivocation there, pal. Biden won the popular vote by approximately 7 million votes [1]. In the past, when the Democrats (and the Republicans for that matter) have disputed election results, they’ve done so through the proper channels and accepted the final result. That quite different inventing tales of voter fraud out of whole cloth. And prior to 2020, I don’t recall either party ever inciting a riot in the hopes of disrupting the process.
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/11/03/us/elections/results-president.html
President Trump kept the USA from falling off a cliff. (And Canada along with it , as we are riding their coattails).
#41 Joseph R on 11.07.22 at 4:30 pm
#25 canuck on 11.07.22 at 4:00 pm
Your post is the proof that “I’m not a fan of Trump but…” is the new “I’m not a racist but…”
____________________________________________
Thanks for the ad hominem shot. Very Liberal of you.
It’s unfortunate that you can’t look past Trumps personal shortcomings (no, he isn’t a racist but is a narcissistic egomaniac) to see what he accomplished with his policies.
He isn’t running for father or husband of the year and that isn’t whats needed to sort out the current mess.
Bolsonaro’s loss in Brazil bolsters the idea that inflation and climate change are not the only global phenomenon. Time to put elections on the block-chain; not the people, nor the currency.
Everyone’s been quiet about Mr. Market the last few days.
Gains for me vs. Jan 1 2022, about +3.5% portfolio value YTD. Fine by me.
Divs high and apart from the above. Clipping along at 29.4% annualized.
Ya, I probably just jinxed everyone including myself but the Recovery is underway I say.
Just wish the Cdn Financials would pick it up a notch, would be good for my 1 of my Cdn ETFs which relies on them doing well (will miss a div pmt because of Price vs. NAV) …
https://www.google.com/finance/quote/BNS:TSE?comparison=TSE%3ATD%2CTSE%3ACM%2CTSE%3ARY%2CTSE%3ABMO&window=YTD
Some life in Cdn Bank & Financial stocks coming? Sure hope so.
——————-
Holding off on 1 of my Nov divs for reinvesting. Waiting for US Midterm & US Inflation.
Hoping for a dip to buy cheap … have not seen one as of late.
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
#165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Almost 5.00 for a decent loaf of multi-grain bread
—
Make your own. A 10kg sack of flower nets me 20 loaves at a cost of $15 all-in (salt being the other expense). I give away about half of what I make, so am paying $1.50 for artisanal quality bread.
Here’s a unitless recipe based on weight in baker’s percent:
65 pct unbleached white flour
35 pct whole wheat
75 pct water
20 pct starter (@ 100 pct hydration)
2.5 pct salt
————
Never made a loaf of bread in my life, if I did – I’d try my hand at “Ezekiel Bread”. Right now, I’m just crossing my fingers that Maritime diesel prices don’t migrate West. Lots of balls in the air, consumption changes on the regular, 9 mpg notwithstanding (that’s USG btw).
I find it hard to believe that someone on here is actually quoting Conrad Black. The ex-Canadian, who abandoned his citizenship for a British lordship. A convicted felon, notwithstanding a pardon purchased from the orange turd. The guy who looted the Dominion Stores pension plan. The guy who bankrupted Massey-Ferguson and Argus Corp.. The guy with verbal diarrhea who needs a thesaurus to write a sentence. Spare us, please.
Every media outlet is biased and can’t be trusted to be true. Where does the news come from?
There’s been too much propaganda in the media and indoctrination in the schools.
I go by what I see in my own life, and it doesn’t look anything like what the media presents.
When you realize how false the news is, it really makes you wonder how accurate history is.
Trudeau should have kept his mouth shut after Biden was elected and not bad mouthed Trump.
If Trump gets in he is probably going to kick Trudeau’s butt. Maybe even do a Trade Embargo against Canada just to teach him a lesson
Amnesia is convenient for those seeking amnesty. Nice try Emily!
Let’s Declare a Pandemic Amnesty
Let’s focus on the future, and fix the problems we still need to solve.
By Emily Oster
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/covid-response-forgiveness/671879/
Well, this blog is about politics, so we all must agree to disagree.
It doesn’t matter who wins or loses any of the contested races tomorrow, the loser will declare fraud. It’s easy to do, because there is no way to verify the results. No audits, no exit polls, and even observers are legally obstructed from observing in some cases. Strange things happen in the middle of the night after everyone’s gone to bed. Courts don’t really help because they don’t have jurisdiction*. Recounts don’t really help because the fraud, if there is any, would be done before the ballots get put in the counting machines.
A key point to keep in mind is that something does not have to be illegal to be fraudulent from a common sense point of view. The law is reactive in that laws aren’t usually written until after someone has exploited a loophole. Anyone who has bought a used car knows this. “Buyer beware” as they say. The seller doesn’t have to disclose that the engine is blown and he’s covered up all the rust with Tremclad. But you’d consider that fraud as a buyer. Too bad for you though, you don’t get your money back and no court will help you.
Would you invest in a company that wasn’t audited? No you would not. We know without audits, the temptation to cheat is just too high. Even with audits, massive disasters like Enron, WorldCom, and Madoff happen. It’s human nature. Humanity is both good and evil, as explained in the creation stories. Sometimes the only real determinant is opportunity. If you put the apple in the tree, somebody is going to eat it.
An important consideration is that people are presumed innocent until proven guilty**, but corporations are presumed guilty until proven innocent. Governments also should be presumed guilty until proven innocent. All governments, everywhere.
No matter who wins tomorrow, the losers will declare it can only be due to fraud. Yes, Democrats too. The tactic of denying election results really came of age with the “not my president” crowd after Hilary lost. Heck, they even wanted to cancel the electoral college, one of the foundations of the republic, just because they lost. Kind of sucks to live with your own precedent, doesn’t it.***
No matter what happens, it will be entertaining. I think Elon was right about that, that simulation we live in always produces the most entertaining possible outcome.
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*Courts do not try “evidence”. They enforce laws. You can prove all the fraud you want, unless you can point to a broken law, and a guilty party, there is nothing for the courts to do. Thus, saying that courts found that there is no evidence of fraud is sort of like saying courts have found no evidence of God. It doesn’t make any sense. None was presented. And as always, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
**Except for taxes. In the case of taxes, people are also presumed guilty until proven innocent.
***More worrying perhaps is that Biden has stated that voting Republican “threatens” democracy. What does that mean exactly? What sort of talk is that? I guess we’ll find out on Wednesday.
Back in the ’60s there was a TV show “Smile! You’re on Candid Camera!” which monetized peoples emotional responses for TV entertainment and advertiser $$$.
MSM news works the same way today. If you get angry and upset, just think : “Smile! You’ve Just Been Monetized!”
If you think the news is the product, you’re wrong.
You are the product.
If you want to strike back at Social Media and MSM, don’t react; just get out and vote. No emotional reactions starves them out.
#9 Faron on 11.07.22 at 3:21 pm
Oh boy, Garth has dared to say some slightly negative things about right wingers. Prepare for a crapstorm from big truck drivin’ snowflakes.
==========================
Barely a response. Must be disappointing for the resident garden-variety troll trying to stir the sh!t.
Why IS that anyway?
Something very damaged there.
US may not even have an election in 2024
The cheating in the midterm election next week is going to be so great that it is almost impossible to make a prediction. . . . In a fair midterm election, the Republicans would win the House and the Senate.
It’s going to be tight, and the Republicans have a shot at taking the House. Technically, they should take the House and the Senate. I am just not sure.
The corruption is so bad, it’s crazy.
The cheating is going to be so in your face President Trump may not even be able to run for President two years from now. We may not even have an election in 2024. It is not looking very good, and it’s probably because this election is not going to be accepted.
Boy, this blog post might set a new record for triggered conservative snowflake comments.
#25 canuck on 11.07.22 at 4:00 pm
You are hereby declared snowflake-in-chief for the time being. Congrats.
#40 the Jaguar on 11.07.22 at 4:29 pm
…and then Kamala takes her orders from Obama until Michelle emerges from the shadows to run as Prez in 2024.
—
What the hell are you talking about? Anyone with even the slightest understanding of the Obamas knows Michelle has zero personal interest in the presidency. Did you make this one up, or is it from one of your “snippets”?
#45 canuck on 11.07.22 at 4:46 pm
#41 Joseph R on 11.07.22 at 4:30 pm
#25 canuck on 11.07.22 at 4:00 pm
Your post is the proof that “I’m not a fan of Trump but…” is the new “I’m not a racist but…”
____________________________________________
Thanks for the ad hominem shot. Very Liberal of you.
—————————
It’s not an ad hominem attack: I didn’t attack the writer (you). I pointed out the flaw in your prose:
Read on this famous idiom : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_not_racist,_but…
I’m not a fan of Trump but.. (Proceeds to state that Trump has been unfairly portrayed. You repeat Trump talking points talking points: Antifa, Portland, conspiracy theory about the attack on Paul Pelosi.,..)
It points out that you are a fan of Trump and not an independent.
If you believe being a fan of Trump as an insult, then that’s on you.
Massive inventory building and price dropping just like clock work.
We have close to 10,000 employees who probably should not be with us right now.
Wednesday we cut staff.
What’s wrong with Joe Rogan being embraced?
I will be taking a seat in the Senate after Tuesday. Just watch me.
DELETED. (Once more and you will be banned – Garth)
I’m staying with my predictions from last week;
56R-44D in the Senate, 250R – 185D in the House
This is a change election. Hearing many people (mostly women) who hated Trump but now want sanity, safety and prosperity back.
Last election had a lot of fraud in small pockets, but enough to swing the electoral college. Difficult to prove exactly how, but the numbers from some areas were mathematically impossible, and seemed to come in during the middle of the night when poll watchers were kicked out.
Nothing like that has ever happened in Canada. Paper ballots, counted by hand in front of Party Scrutineers, and reported in a couple of hours.
Best way to combat accusations of fraud is to not spam 40M ballots into the mail and get back more than the number of voters in some areas.
Most elections run at the County level under State rules. 3300 Counties, most with no problems, people accept the results, life goes on.
10 software engineers for every one software engineering job right now.
…but
10 Barista jobs for every one software engineer at present.
Hooked on Phonics University will be offering a new Bachelor of Barista Degree to keep pace with current industry needs and skilled workers.
…..look what a mistranslation in 1946 can do along with a narrow minds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdfxPDZEO5k
I have a friend who worked in the electoral process in a small town and they got more votes that came in that the total population of that town. He was told to shut up. Another story I heard was that all the ballots were exchanged again under threat of silence. So, yeah, I do not trust the system and I am cheering for its collapse. The results are controlled, but not by the people.
Well that’s a mighty bleak picture you’ve painted there Garth. Certainly some frightening musings let’s say.
Which makes me…with your thoughts put out there like that….are you still confident in a balanced portfolio?
Because in a world gone amuck…I’m not sure the market is such a great place.
But I get it…as you always say…the fear isn’t losing money it’s running out of money.
I get that but things out there are awefully unnerving and this blog entry didn’t help :)
This is precisely the time to be balanced and diversified. – Garth
I find it interesting that VIX is asleep at the wheel and skew is at 0th percentile on the eve of a possibly fraught US election. Contrast with 2020 when VIX climbed from 25 to 41 on the eve and skew was meh.
High VIX can catalyze an index squeeze and that is one factor in the post-election rally in 2020.
Low skew implies low demand for downside protection via index puts.
#65 From learning to Code to learning to Barista on 11.07.22 at 5:26 pm
10 software engineers for every one software engineering job right now.
…but
10 Barista jobs for every one software engineer at present.
************************************
Software Engineers are not usually popular with the hottest ladies. (At least until they understand their pay cheques) They should move to an areas that has 10 Baristas per Software Engineer if possible. This will improve their chances. Sexist? Sue me, I’m old.
Bernie Sanders was far and away the best choice for 99% of the country in the last two elections, yet he did not even secure the nomination from his own party (though what he achieved running against the political machine was remarkable).
It is so sad how often Americans vote against their own financial interests due to misinformation and myriad other reasons. I cannot believe people in the US voted for candidates like Donald Trump and Joe Biden when you had a politician like Bernie pledging himself to your service. It is almost a form of insanity.
I don’t like the terms left and right, which feeds identity politics. Bernie was simply about decency, fairness, and curtailing the immoral wealth divide between the uber rich and the bottom 50% who are barely surviving.
#51 Victor Llearna on 11.07.22 at 4:55 pm
Trudeau should have kept his mouth shut after Biden was elected and not bad mouthed Trump.
If Trump gets in he is probably going to kick Trudeau’s butt. Maybe even do a Trade Embargo against Canada just to teach him a lesson
—- –
There’s seldom been a time where Trudeau opened his mouth and something good came out. I’ve just resigned myself to the fact that anytime his handlers let him speak, it will be a bumbling nonsensical disaster. That’s probably why CF is doing most of the talking these days.
Politics in Canada and the US is incredibly tame. You’ve way overblown it Garth.
louder for those in the back…
THE ELECTION IN 2020 WAS NOT STOLEN
TRUMP IS A LYING LIAR WITH A FRAGILE EGO
even Dan Crenshaw says the GOP knows this is a lie and say as much behind closed doors. how are you people so naive and gullible?
Trump has ALWAYS been a terrible person and business man. ALWAYS
“To independent-minded voters:
Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic.
Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who’s in charge!“
– Elon Musk
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1589639376186724354
#67 – Blog Bunny – I call bullshit.
With all eyes on elections, you claim ‘more votrs than population’ came in and no one noticed? Is EVERYONE in this small town voting age? not a single person under 18?
Such a weak story to make up… more votes than people would absolutely cause alarm.
The US is now a kleptocracy (or a kakistocracy). The top 0.1% (the billionaire class) have captured the Republican party having bought the politicians with huge donations. The strategy of the 0.1+republicans is to exploit racial animosity against blacks, browns and immigrants. The non-college educated whites are afraid of losing their place in society. This is driving much of their behaviour. It is tribal. Pure Democracy may not survive in the US for very long. It will be more like Hungary or India. Democracy in name only.
Biggest thing in US and global politics is Biden’s not going to COP27 till after the mid-terms.
2024 is a very long way and who knows what can happen till then, I highly doubt it will be smooth sailing for Trump with Ron DeSantis being very popular, it will be the GOP that will ultimately end Trump’s aspirations. Already FOX is downplaying Trump. The Democrats are in a very bad place and need change quickly.
“ Or just imagine if our own two major political parties started drifting further and further into extremes, with the Libs recklessly spending on special interest groups, doing a deal with socialists and driving us into debt while the Cons tried to politicize the central bank while supported anti-vaxers who illegally occupied our capital city?”
There is an alternative: To change the first-past-the-post voting system. To embrace proportional representation.
In Canada: https://www.fairvote.ca/
In USA: https://fairvote.org/
Maybe the Americans could get the Congressional Apportionment Amendment (CAA) passed.
https://mereorthodoxy.com/congressional-apportionment-amendment/
More scratching at the door. Could be time to call a pest control exterminator.
The race in Pennsylvania is the one to watch. Some serious grift on the table in that state…
2020 election stunk. I don’t know if it was fair or fraudulent, but it did not *appear* fair. Appearances in this case mattering a lot. Democracy doesn’t work if people don’t trust that their vote is being counted fairly. There was, at the very least, the appearance that too many votes were counted in some areas. Voters understandably skeptical – bad business all around.
Lmao, and Biden got more of the black vote than Obama, lol, right?
Yikes Garth.
You had a recent post on the increased probability of some sort of nuclear war, and now this post.
The evolving societies around the world have gotten worse and not better during my (gen-x) lifetime. The hope 25 years ago was that the internet would be a catalyst for freer and more open societies. Instead it seems this new tech enables conspiracy nuts and echo chambers, and allows dictators like Xi to impose draconian control over people.
I wrote a thesis on algorithms, part of which warned against the potential for immoral use. A hammer can be used to construct a beautiful home, or as a murder weapon. These new “toys” are powerful and we do not understand them.
Consider this recent paper: https://philarchive.org/archive/YAMUAI
I have two children and fret that I have handed them a world that is most certainly worse than the one my parents gave me.
How do we right this ship? Each of us individually have little power, but collectively we can make a positive contribution and difference. I’m just unsure what, exactly, we can do.
One thing is certain. Canada will have to dramatically increase its defence spending, by at least 5-fold. We can no longer rely on our increasingly erratic neighbor to our south for security assistance, and are being probed by both Russia and China who are searching for and identifying our weaknesses.
2%er. Your kidding…..right
#48 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 4:52 pm
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
Make your own. A 10kg sack of flower nets me 20 loaves at a cost of $15 all-in (salt being the other expense). I give away about half of what I make, so am paying $1.50 for artisanal quality bread.
Here’s a unitless recipe based on weight in baker’s percent:
65 pct unbleached white flour
35 pct whole wheat
75 pct water
20 pct starter (@ 100 pct hydration)
2.5 pct salt
——–
Never made a loaf of bread in my life, if I did – I’d try my hand at “Ezekiel Bread”. Right now, I’m just crossing my fingers that Maritime diesel prices don’t migrate West. Lots of balls in the air, consumption changes on the regular, 9 mpg notwithstanding (that’s USG btw).
——–
We barely eat bread. Mostly root veggies, salads, eggs and meat. Lots of meat. After this very physically demanding hunting season, I have to be careful about walking around without a shirt since my wife gets all frisky. Our main bird dog dropped 15% bodyweight and feels like steel cable under his fur. Like a physically perfect god in dog form. Anubis?
Wow, you sure are a box of chocolates.
Tuesday – USA and their politics my 1000ft View.
The US establishment used to be aligned to the Republicans, Bush, Cheney era. The Christian Right, moral majority and all that stuff in lock step with the War-mongering Neo Cons, all living in the same house.
But after a lot of pointless foreign wars , globalized outsourcing, continuous wealth gains by the 1%, Snowden information dumps, etc a few principled, patriotic Right leaning Americans looked up and realized these dynamics were harmful to Americans.
…and then to make a long story short they ended up with Trump. Clean the swamp, anti China, end the pointless foreign wars, MAGA etc.
So what did the US Establishment do…well they Co-opted the Left with a deal.
“Lefties, you allow and ignore us establishment guys as we continue to make (proxy) war, fund our security state, make enormous amounts of wealth for our 1% and we will support your weird Social Justice stuff.
The right wing people have got these icky things called principles and they are getting in the way of our goals, you Lefties just got all these irrational emotions and we can manipulate that much easier….“we are a kinder, gentler, greener, WOKE machine gun hand”.
The election of Trump in 2016 was a rejection of these Establishment Guys, the rejection of Biden in the mid-terms will be another rejection of this Establishment.
It may be left and right on the surface but the “rejectionism” is really about a corrupt ruling class.
#3 Electoral “Biden did not win by “8 million votes”
He won by a few hundred thousand. I know you know that but choose to pretend otherwise.”
————————————————————
Proof? Naa didnt think so. Baseless accusations are tiresome. The Grifter does it 21 times a day. Your Hero? Or your M.O.?
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/trump-lies-false-presidency-b1790285.html
#33 Shawn “It was according to Conrad Black about 50,000 votes in key states. Conrad tweeted a few days ago those COULD be false voted”
———————————————————–
The same Lord Black of Crossharbour caught taking documents out of his office at 3 in the morning? A convicted felon? Served time. Pardoned by his Mar a Lago Neighbour. That Conrad?
US election: tainted by dark money, pacs, a loaded supreme court, and in some cases: lying idiots running for office.
Canada just as undemocratic but in a different way as explained above.
The lunatic 10% on both sides of the political spectrum have waaay too much influence and need to be ignored so the normal 80% can get sh$t done.
George Carlin speaks the truth BTW:
“Maybe it’s not the politicians who suck; maybe it’s something else. Like the public. That would be a nice realistic campaign slogan for somebody: “The public sucks. Elect me.” Put the blame where it belongs: on the people. Because if everything is really the fault of politicians, where are all the bright, honest, intelligent Americans who are ready to step in and replace them? Where are these people hiding? The truth is, we don’t have people like that. Everyone’s at the mall, scratching his balls and buying sneakers with lights in them. And complaining about the politicians.”
Go Republicans!… even if the Democrats cheat again, they will lose.
More worrying perhaps is that Biden has stated that voting Republican “threatens” democracy.
That is not correct
“Donald Trump and the Maga Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic,” Biden said in remarks delivered at Independence Hall.”
Biden emphasized that not all, not even most, Republicans are “Maga extremists” “You can’t love your country only when you win,”
I’ve spent the last month and a bit in Arizona and Nevada…not too much rhetoric on these upcoming elections.
Had a few folks laugh at us Canadians about the Emergency act, Covid motels and a few other embarrassments though.
According to a NYT/Siena poll done last week, people aged 45–64 are breaking for Republicans by a 59-38 margin. While pinning a 20-point Republican margin on the 45–64 bracket, the same poll found voters over 65 to be evenly split—48 percent to 48 percent—between the two parties.
If this poll is even remotely accurate, which, anecdotal evidence suggests it is, then the Gen X’ers may finally be about to exert their influence on the world. They are angry and clearly showing it. This could change politics and swing it to the right for the next 20 years or so, especially with a right wing supreme court.
Tomorrow may be the beginning of a 14 year republican run.
#56 Martin Armstrong
There won’t even be A USA by 2032 -Martin Armstrong
Lancet report calls climate change a huge threat to human health
An alarming new report in the medical journal The Lancet calls climate change the greatest global threat to human health and highlights how it’s much more than an environmental issue.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2091648579664
Interesting point about the diversity of choice in the US electoral system. Another advantage they have is the President’s ability to appoint the best person for the job. I was reflecting on this when reading Ashton Carter’s, the late US defence secretary, obituary. He was a double major in physics and medieval history at Yale, and wrote a paper debunking Reagan’s Star Wars initiative, which got him discovered by the Democrats. He was known for opening up all combat positions to women, as well as for his insistence that the US military invest in more advanced technology. His counterparty in Canada, Anita Anand, may be one of the brighter lights in Trudeau’s cabinet, but it is no slight on her to note she has nowhere near his level of expertise in the field. How could she given her professional background? Canadian governments are limited in who they can recruit for cabinet positions while Americans can reach out beyond a narrow elected circle to bring in the best talent available to advise and craft policy. That fact alone counts for the number of dullards sitting around the Liberal high table (and any other government of whatever political stripe for that matter)
Oof!
Twice a decade?We had 3 in just over 1/2 a decade and one when we were supposed to be in lockdown!
#82 the Jaguar on 11.07.22 at 6:03 pm
More scratching at the door. Could be time to call a pest control exterminator.
—
Yeah, the cockroaches are abundant today.
Just be careful, with your news and political rhetoric, there’s a very good chance they will confuse you for the roaches. Permethrin is nasty stuff.
#9 Faron on 11.07.22 at 3:21 pm
Oh boy, Garth has dared to say some slightly negative things about right wingers. Prepare for a crapstorm from big truck drivin’ snowflakes.
—
Ringing true so far. Garth, how much hate mail have you received today from P.O. Trumpers or QAnoners?
In the US, threats of violence in politics come from the right over the left at a 2:1 ratio.
There will be a sea of red tomorrow night in the United States, I suspect the Republicans will upset the Biden team according to most polls.
Money is expensive to borrow right now and banks are much more careful in lending than yesterday.
Banks are asking a lot of questions when applying for a mortgage and they most likely will mention your other obligations, for when you sign on the bottom line, think of this knowledge offering as an education in property management.
Buyers of houses and condos in Ontario pay land transfer tax when they purchase a property – Sellers never pay. Your lawyer will arrange for land transfer taxes to be paid when the deed to the new home is transferred in your name (on closing day).
In addition, if you are a Foreigner, you need deep pockets for property purchase in Ontario and a few other provinces.
From March 30, 2022 to October 24, 2022, (inclusive) the NRST rate was 20 per cent applied on the purchase or acquisition of an interest in residential property located anywhere in Ontario by individuals who are foreign nationals or by foreign corporations or taxable trustees.
A land transfer tax, which may also be referred to as a property transfer tax or even a welcome tax, is one of several closing costs that must be paid when buying property in Canada. It is important to plan how you will pay the land transfer tax when you are deciding on a realistic budget for your future home.
Toronto Land transfer taxes start at 0.5% for the first $55,000 in purchase price, and progressively increase all the way up to a transfer tax of 2.5% for each dollar of purchase price over $2,000,000, hope you have deep pockets.
I looked at the number of open houses in Southern Ontario over the weekend, I was blown away with so many open houses that were being shown, something unheard of just a few short months ago.
Remember the sellers never pay land transfer taxes, that is a statement for the bird’s, time to think out loud, how bad do the sellers want to get out?
You are in control of your purchase, regardless of how the money exchanges hands, put a clause in your offer stating the seller will rebate you your closing cost, that is what you pay the agents for, let them figure it out.
Home Sales are way down now right across Ontario and down right across the old country for that matter, make your offer low and lower, make sales conditional on the Homeowner pays the land transfer taxes or maybe even half, do not be shy, you have nothing to lose if you are buying now.
Homes: There will soon be plenty of homes to choose from, they will be lined up like little ducklings in a row.
You can take this to the bank, The Bank of Canada will raise rates as high as 4.75% before it settles down in 2023, stretch rates will come in close to 8%.
There are still a few desperate dreamers listing their homes at yesterday’s prices, {blame their Real Estate Agents} just move on, lots of homes to choose from, the sellers will soon get the message quick enough, price right or they can keep their own baggage.
Quote of the day: In investing, what is comfortable is rarely profitable
#87 Sail Away on 11.07.22 at 6:10 pm
#48 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 4:52 pm
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
Just be careful with the fad diets. Something something cholesterol something.
Also mortality as a function of BMI (not the best metric) is U shaped.:
The relationship between body weight and mortality: a quantitative analysis of combined information from existing studies
#87 Sail Away on 11.07.22 at 6:10 pm
#48 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 4:52 pm
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
Make your own. A 10kg sack of flower nets me 20 loaves at a cost of $15 all-in (salt being the other expense). I give away about half of what I make, so am paying $1.50 for artisanal quality bread.
Here’s a unitless recipe based on weight in baker’s percent:
65 pct unbleached white flour
35 pct whole wheat
75 pct water
20 pct starter (@ 100 pct hydration)
2.5 pct salt
——–
Never made a loaf of bread in my life, if I did – I’d try my hand at “Ezekiel Bread”. Right now, I’m just crossing my fingers that Maritime diesel prices don’t migrate West. Lots of balls in the air, consumption changes on the regular, 9 mpg notwithstanding (that’s USG btw).
——–
We barely eat bread. Mostly root veggies, salads, eggs and meat. Lots of meat. After this very physically demanding hunting season, I have to be careful about walking around without a shirt since my wife gets all frisky. Our main bird dog dropped 15% bodyweight and feels like steel cable under his fur. Like a physically perfect god in dog form. Anubis?
———
Oh I like meat too. White meat and seafood. But I love me some good bread, with a healthy slab of butter. Can’t go hog wild on it lest I shoot north of my 230 lb happy limit though. Tonight was pork sunk in a garlic/onion/chicken broth/mushroom roux with stuffing on top, baked in the oven. Mamma Mia!
Nice try on the Trump trolling Garth. Trump will be back to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” I’ve already bought the shirts, hoodies and flags for his 2024 comeback from what was clearly a stolen election!
P.S.
Have you ever been to one of Trumps rallies? It truly is an incredible experience and a great time!
#96 jess on 11.07.22 at 6:50 pm
Lancet report calls climate change a huge threat to human health
An alarming new report in the medical journal The Lancet calls climate change the greatest global threat to human health and highlights how it’s much more than an environmental issue.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2091648579664
————–
The Lancet, once a cutting edge journal that exposed quackery, is a disgrace.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-the-lancet-lost-our-trust/
#81 Saving democracy on 11.07.22 at 6:03 pm
There is an alternative: To change the first-past-the-post voting system. To embrace proportional representation.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Never gonna happen, the lopsided electioneering system works too well as-is. The US of A has an odd system but man, seriously ours is so much worse.
Look at the last QC provincial election – what a joke. Even though nearly of Montreal proper blindly votes PLQ, next time I’ll stay home; there’s no point.
It’s no wonder the turnout is so low and declining.
All this, too, shall pass.
Of all the countries in the world, which one is most likely to invade Canada? If you guessed red white and blue, Bingo!
#154 Imperial vs metric on 11.07.22 at 10:36 am
One place I am finally seeing metric adopted in building is in tiling (and probably masonry, that is concrete block).
Apparently it makes a tiler’s job much easier using metric sizing
———————
Of course,
Metric is much more precise.
Can’t hide a sloppy tiling job behind dry wall.
Every Accountant knows that.
A: Is there ever a time not to be balanced and diversified?
#63 Yukon Elvis on 11.07.22 at 5:25 pm
DELETED. (Once more and you will be banned – Garth)
*********
Congrats! You’ve made ‘The List’.
Garth has an itchy trigger. You feeling lucky…
Politics aside, Honda is building a battery factory in Ohio and a transmission plant in Georgia and Hyundai is digging dirt to build an EV plant in Georgia. One can be confident America keeps on keeping on.
#106 Old Boot on 11.07.22 at 7:27 pm
baby and the bath water ?
publish or perish
retraction watch .org
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/11/07/COVID-Reinfections-And-Immunity/
165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Did a little grocery shopping last Friday. 3 Romaine hearts – $6.50/pkg. Sweet Onions cost over 100% more than cooking Onions. Almost 5.00 for a decent loaf of multi-grain bread.
Ms. IH bought a cabbage last week, we’ve never eaten much Cabbage. So far we’re on meal #4 with that same huge Cabbage, plus a big bowl of coleslaw in the fridge. She made “Bavarian Apple-Sausage Hash” which was tasty, hearty, and pretty cheap. Re-heats well too. Good food inflation buster.
——————
Yep,
As the old adage goes “ Necessity is the Mother of Invention”.
High fibre, high veggie protein is the way to go.
Just bought 10 kilos of carrots and 4 kilos of split red lentils at Costco.
10 bucks together.
But make sure you cook it for a long time.
Otherwise you’ll fart like FURZ.
US democracy is remarkably resilient. To understand it you would need to remove your provincial small town view of the world and look at the big picture.
There is a reason why their economy was number one in the world for quite a while and they still manage to steer world policies to large extend.
Fix your own house first rather than looking to fix you neighbors house.
There are 2 trends in US – globalism and nationalism, both backed by prominent wealth – banking/financial sector for democrats, military and big oil for republicans. It is absolutely normal to have a division these days with the bad monetary policies clearly weighting in favour of republicans.
Trump is just the figurehead enforcing the division and yet he is much less BS than our dear leader.
The standard of living of the middle class in US is still much better than the unlivable place that Canada has become due to the much worse monetary policies and the idiotic housing bubble, the worst in the history of the world.
The only thing keeping things whole here is the false sense of superiority and ‘pride’ backed by nothing (other than weed and clearly some brain freeze) which from a side looks truly pathetic.
…. first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye… says the bible.
#105 Terry terry terry…..”Nice try on the Trump trolling Garth. Trump will be back to “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” I’ve already bought the shirts, hoodies and flags for his 2024 comeback from what was clearly a stolen election!P.S. Have you ever been to one of Trumps rallies? It truly is an incredible experience and a great time!”
————————————————————-
Of course you have proof of the “stolen election”! No? Maybe it’s. a. Lie.? Hard to believe given Honest Don’s track record, but there it is.
With your sartorial purchases, no hat to hide the comb over? BTW The grifter thanks you for your purchases. And yes he likes you too!
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/donald-trump-declares-i-love-the-poorly-educated-as-he-storms-to-victory-in-nevada-caucus-a6893106.html
Regarding his “incredible experience rallies”
https://bipartisanreport.com/2022/10/04/trump-rally-flops-as-attendees-leave-after-only-20-minutes/
Did I miss anything?
As crazy as Trump is, let’s not pretend that the 2016 election wasn’t heavily co tested by the Dems. Granted, that’s not a former President but Hilary would need to win one to become one. Russiagate lasted 2 years and amounted to a hill of beans.
#105 Terry on 11.07.22 at 7:25 pm
Have you ever been to one of Trumps rallies? It truly is an incredible experience and a great time!
^^^^^^^^^^^
That’s what all deluded cult member say about gathering with fellow cult members to idolize their particular demagogue.
Any dogs getting the feeling their dentist is out to fleece them?
Went in for a cleaning today. Afterwards the dentist came in, did a check, and I had a cavity. But, there were other issues too. No surprise, I got the bad teeth gene from my Dad. Welcome to my life.
I was ushered into a “specialist’s” office where I was to get the details. Then, I was serenaded with all the various issues, and what could be done to fix everything, and presented with an estimate for $14,000.00 to do all the “necessary” repairs.
I was basically being told: “Mr IH, you have fallen well short of perfection. Here is how to rectify all these serious shortcomings”. It wasn’t too much effort to drag several other options out of them under some pointed questioning. I guess most folks just don’t hold their dentist’s feet to the fire…
There are 14, count ‘em – 14 dental offices in town. ~20K population. Was 4-5 offices 30 years ago. Business must be starting to get tough. Time to prey on those who have a historical ability to pay big $$ for non-covered procedures? I can’t remember ever getting a high pressure “sales pitch” from medical professionals like this before…
What should we do with the Unbalanced? (Those without Balanced Portfolios).
Should we ban them from this comments section unless they product a receipt showing a recent portfolio rebalance?
Your balanced portfolio protects me; my balanced portfolio protects you.
To be fair, the guy who had the zip ties and hammer is Canadian…..
Nancy Pelosi interview
I just happened to catch and listen to the full interview of Nancy Pelosi on Anderson Cooper on CNN. It’s about 30 minutes. I think the first half of it is the main thing to watch.
I’d like to say something about her but I would mostly want to say it to people who have seen that interview.
Frankly I seldom will click on video on the internet. But this is well worth watching for anyone with any interest in U.S. politics and its democracy.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/politics/nancy-pelosi-interview-paul-pelosi-attack/index.html
In contrast of the optimistic ‘there is always a good time to invest’ meme Elliot Management hedge fund guys said that decline of 20 % from the top is probably too little and 50 % could be well backed in.
Combine that with double digits real inflation (not the fake CPI) for a few years and you end up with at least 60-70 % loss of the purchasing power of your investment in 3-5 years period which clearly indicated that the stock market was in a gigantic bubble due to cheap debt and low rates.
Not much different than the housing bubble with houses ‘appreciating’ 7-10 times in GTA in 20 years
without any other driver than cheap debt/low rates.
Now every indication is that inflation will be persistent with energy and wages inflation picking up steam.
It seems we are about to experience decade-decade and a half of very bad stagflation as to compensate for the over-consumption and asset overvaluation boom from the past which will clearly result in much lower standard of living going forward.
That provided that we have a return to somehow closer to normal real rates (minus 5 % looking optimistic with rates at around 4 %, CPI at 6-7 % and real inflation in double digits)
Inflation is not going down significantly, it will persist and if the central ‘bankers’ are too soft (as the chicken little at BOS is) we might hit some unpleasant outcome rather sooner than later.
Elliot Capital Managements even states that hyperinflation or something close to it could be in the cards.
But what do they know? They only managed to make money for their clients in 43 out of the last 45 years
of their operations (i.e. loosing money in 2 years out of 45).
You (and they) have no idea what hyperinflation is. None coming. – Garth
Nancy Pelosi
The link I posted it seems is just a short excerpt. If anyone can find a link to the full interview, please post it. Everyone should see it.
#106 Old Boot on 11.07.22 at 7:27 pm
#96 jess on 11.07.22 at 6:50 pm
—
LOL, classic whataboutism.
Maybe, Old Boot, you could try addressing any one of numerous health-related links to climate change that they address in the report? Here’s where to find it:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)01540-9/fulltext#%20
Or, you could continue to dishonestly try to distract from the facts while remaining ignorant of them. Your choice.
#104 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 7:23 pm
Oh I like meat too. White meat and seafood. But I love me some good bread, with a healthy slab of butter. Can’t go hog wild on it lest I shoot north of my 230 lb happy limit though. Tonight was pork sunk in a garlic/onion/chicken broth/mushroom roux with stuffing on top, baked in the oven. Mamma Mia!
—————
Oh yeah, after that description, I’m pulling out a can of mushroom soup for a grouse, carrot, noodle casserole. I could stand to put 7-8 lbs back on after this hunting season- 7 days spike camping below 20F demolished the bodyfat. And just in time for the holidays :-)
What I love about the US system is no president can sit more than two terms. Its something we could do with having.
OH OH !!! Something just broke! A couple of somethings actually. This will be very bad. Wait for it……………
#110 Ponzius Pilatus on 11.07.22 at 7:45 pm
Of course,
Metric is much more precise.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
To be fair neither is more precise than the other strictly speaking. However in practise Metric is so consistent within itself; conversion is stupid easy, English units might go down to 1/16″ or in extreme cases thousands but most round up to /32″ which leads to compounding errors even on scales we can perceive.
Let’s not talk about the orders of magnitude rough conversions.
It’s really a messy way to work – apart from dumb pride, why is this hot garbage still in regular use?
Clearly, you don’t know Americans, Garth. I say this respectfully. They are the most violent people on earth. Prepare for just about ANYTHING bad to happen in the US.
@#50 What’s true? on 11.07.22 at 4:54 pm
Every media outlet is biased and can’t be trusted to be true. Where does the news come from?
There’s been too much propaganda in the media and indoctrination in the schools.
I go by what I see in my own life, and it doesn’t look anything like what the media presents.
When you realize how false the news is, it really makes you wonder how accurate history is.
–
it’s fairly easy to deduce whats going on without resorting to anecdotal evidence and conspiracy theories.
History is a set of lies agreed upon.
do better pal.
I’ve thought of a slogan the Dems could use after the coup attempt
‘If you are tired of voting, just vote for Trump. You may never have to vote again.’
@#90 WTF on 11.07.22 at 6:12 pm
The lunatic 10% on both sides of the political spectrum have waaay too much influence and need to be ignored so the normal 80% can get sh$t done.
George Carlin speaks the truth BTW:
“Maybe it’s not the politicians who suck; maybe it’s something else. Like the public. That would be a nice realistic campaign slogan for somebody: “The public sucks. Elect me.” Put the blame where it belongs: on the people. Because if everything is really the fault of politicians, where are all the bright, honest, intelligent Americans who are ready to step in and replace them? Where are these people hiding? The truth is, we don’t have people like that. Everyone’s at the mall, scratching his balls and buying sneakers with lights in them. And complaining about the politicians.”
–
Bingo!
the biggest complainers are usually the ones who didn’t even vote to begin with.
Simping for the yankees bigly on this one Garth. They are a flawed ideal and signs of their implosion are seen every day.
Ponzius Pilatus on 11.07.22 at 7:45 pm
#154 Imperial vs metric on 11.07.22 at 10:36 am
One place I am finally seeing metric adopted in building is in tiling (and probably masonry, that is concrete block).
Apparently it makes a tiler’s job much easier using metric sizing
———————
Of course,
Metric is much more precise.
Can’t hide a sloppy tiling job behind dry wall.
Every Accountant knows that.
=================
Ponzie, m’ lad.
I suggest you stay with strictly accounting opinions as it appears you have somewhat limited idea as to what precision means in the real world.
To wit,
I have a machine drawing that specs an 8″ diameter shaft fit to a corresponding coupling with an 0.001 – 0.002 ” (thousand inch) interference.
You cannot assemble these parts by hand without a certain technique but the fitting is precise and it is not metric.
As always, ‘ willing to help clarify these things.
Cheers, R
DON on 11.07.22 at 7:57 pm
#63 Yukon Elvis on 11.07.22 at 5:25 pm
DELETED. (Once more and you will be banned – Garth)
*********
Congrats! You’ve made ‘The List’.
Garth has an itchy trigger. You feeling lucky…
========
Punk!
You left out the “punk”.
Once the sanitizing euphemisms are removed, and the braces and brackets are removed and the equation is simplified we get:
Right wing nutters = brainless and unconscionable
Sail Away on 11.07.22 at 6:10 pm
… ——–
We barely eat bread. Mostly root veggies, salads, eggs and meat. Lots of meat. After this very physically demanding hunting season, I have to be careful about walking around without a shirt since my wife gets all frisky. Our main bird dog dropped 15% bodyweight and feels like steel cable under his fur. Like a physically perfect god in dog form. Anubis?
========================
This goes way back.
Eat right for your blood type was the book at the time.
Repackaged? I didn’t get much into it.
https://www.healthyandnaturalworld.com/eat-right-blood-type/
Another thing to keep in mind when discussing stolen elections, the “end of democracy”, and TEOTWAWKI:
Ever since an early age, many of our youth are taught that if you or your favorite team loses a game, it is obviously the result of:
1. The other team cheating,
2. The ref’s blindness,
and/or
3. A terrible call ruined the game.
And why not? Most certainly:
1. The other team did cheat,
2. The ref is blind or biased,
and
3. There are always bad calls.
Every good coach knows that all 3 are inevitable. And if you want to be really honest about it, your players probably cheated too.
And yes, you were offside. Like, really offside.
Every good coach knows that the only way to guarantee a win is to play not only better than the other team, but better than the other team plus the margin of cheating and bad calls. A bad call and a cheat don’t matter if you are up by 3.
And its always been this way, ever since the first boy kicked a pig bladder and the first tribe voted on their new chief. It’s nothing new. I guess the only major change is we used to be mature enough not to talk about it. Whining about it used to be considered ungentlemanly. Now we’re a bunch of sore losers.
We should be glad we’re not Romans, as most of their politicians seemed to die of unnatural causes while still in office. Actually that ran right up until the invention of elections. I mean what would have been of Shakespeare if he had been born after the Magna Carta? Boring. “To campaign in Florida, or not to campaign in Florida, that is the question.” Zzzz…
So the world probably isn’t going to end tomorrow. Probably not much will change. All we are going to find out is which bunch of liars managed to cheat enough to be declared the winners. The lying and cheating will continue, much as before. Maybe we’ll get a new set of lies. That’s about it.
—————————————
One thing that sort of amazes me is that no matter how bad things get, mostly as a result of our politicians, the world we live in continues to get better. I think it is because the grand path of human evolution, even on a societal level, is guided by trial and error in a sort of Darwinian kind of way much more so than by the short term wailing and gnashing of teeth our politicians. The good stays with us and the bad eventually dies (unfortunately taking a lot of people with it, but hey, Darwin don’t care).
I mean, do you really want to trade places with a medieval peasant? Or even a medieval king? The greatest of medieval kings did not have Wi-Fi and a smart phone. No Uber eats. No cars even. No planes. They had boats, but they had to worry about sailing off the edge of the earth. (Sailors who lost sight of shore were likely to never be heard from again, so good enough.) Their children mostly died. They themselves, being lucky enough to survive childhood and ascend to the throne, were likely to die of some dang infection that we think nothing of, if their brother or their son didn’t off them first. Life was short and brutal. But yet here we are, worrying about whether the temperature might rise 2 degrees in 100 years, or whether the polar bears have enough to eat, or whether the current president is too mean on Twitter. We’re doing ok. As long as the nukes don’t go off.
Most of our problems are self induced. But “the world” continues much as if we didn’t matter. Because we don’t.
Once we get the Gen IV nuclear power or maybe even fusion (although I don’t know when that will be) combined with AI, there really won’t be any limits. Our great-grandchildren’s world will look as different (and as better) to us as our world looked to our great-grandfathers.
This too shall pass.
From Wikipedia – US Vote Winning Counts over the last 20 years
There is something wrong with this picture. It is unlikely that we will ever see over 80 million votes for the winner well into the future.
Biden 2020 – 81,283,501 Votes
Trump 2016 – 62,955,340 Votes
Obama 2012 – 65,915,795 Votes
Obama 2008 – 69,456,897 Votes
Bush 2004 – 62,040,610 Votes
How did Biden get over 10 million more votes than Obama did in 2008 when Obama was the second coming? Obama was also a much better POTUS than Biden is today.
IMHO the pandemic turned election results on their head and allowed for cheating. It allowed for:
– Ballot Harvesting
– Ballot Box Stuffing
– Dead People Voting
– Double/Triple Voting
– Election Fraud – DeSantis is arresting people in FL for this.
The numbers don’t add up.
For the good of the world I hope that the Republicans take the House and the Senate in this election.
Next will be the horrible Trudeau/Singh coalition.
God bless from Alberta!
The alley cats are out tonight. – Garth
The alley cats are out tonight. – Garth
——————————————————————–
Meow!
#133
For the good of the world I hope that the Republicans take the House and the Senate in this election.
Next will be the horrible Trudeau/Singh coalition.
God bless from Alberta!
——-
Did it occur to you that there was a MUCH LARGER turnout for the 2020 elections than in the past because people who might not have cared so much about the elections in the past (i.e. the “meh.. should I bother to vote crowd”), decided that things were at a critical juncture with the clear polarization… this includes democrats (who did not want another 4 years of Trump) and the other nameless group who saw Trump as their savior and messiah who would rescue them from the evils of globalization etc…
Not at all surprising the number of voters who turned out, and frankly I would have thought that the numbers on both sides would be even larger…
#125 Russ on 11.07.22 at 10:08 pm
DON on 11.07.22 at 7:57 pm
#63 Yukon Elvis on 11.07.22 at 5:25 pm
DELETED. (Once more and you will be banned – Garth)
*********
Congrats! You’ve made ‘The List’.
Garth has an itchy trigger. You feeling lucky…
========
Punk!
You left out the “punk”.
******
that was the ‘…’
LOL.
106 Old Boot on 11.07.22 at 7:27 pm
#96 jess on 11.07.22 at 6:50 pm
Lancet report calls climate change a huge threat to human health
An alarming new report in the medical journal The Lancet calls climate change the greatest global threat to human health and highlights how it’s much more than an environmental issue.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2091648579664
————–
The Lancet, once a cutting edge journal that exposed quackery, is a disgrace.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-the-lancet-lost-our-trust/
———————-
I think by now, every person with an average IQ probably has figured out that the heat and the pollution has increased mortality rates world wide.
Just check out the pollution in New Delhi.
And it’s just gonna get worse.
#125 Shawn on 11.07.22 at 8:59 pm
Nancy Pelosi
The link I posted it seems is just a short excerpt. If anyone can find a link to the full interview, please post it. Everyone should see it.
———————-
Unbelievable woman.
Saw the clips of her during the Capitol riots.
Cool as a Cuke.
Put all the men around her to shame.
And she’s 82.
Too bad, she’ll probably retire.
After what happened to her husband.
Can’t take any more risks.
#141 Bonobo on 11.07.22 at 10:19 pm
It’s really simple Bobo … a lot more people voted in 2020.. both parties went up lots in 2020… oh look Trump found 11 million dead republicans… only the brain dead would spew these idiotic conspiracies
2004 George W. Bush 62,028,285
2008 John McCain 59,934,000
2012 Mitt Romney 60,589,084
2016 Donald Trump 62,979,636
2020 Donald Trump 74,216,154
>>Without the US our economy might be the size of Ecuador’s and if the American military were not next door, we could be speaking Mandarin. <<
LOL. POOR CANADA
#115 Ponzius Pilatus on 11.07.22 at 8:19 pm
165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Otherwise you’ll fart like FURZ.
—
COVID killed my sense of smell almost specifically to farts and Basset hounds. I have to be careful around co workers. Makes me cryptonite to crowdie tho.
Anywho, look up a recipe for braised cabbage. Yum. And it will give you abs the size of grapefruit.
#139 Russ on 11.07.22 at 10:14 pm
Sail Away on 11.07.22 at 6:10 pm
We barely eat bread. Mostly root veggies, salads, eggs and meat. Lots of meat. After this very physically demanding hunting season, I have to be careful about walking around without a shirt since my wife gets all frisky. Our main bird dog dropped 15% bodyweight and feels like steel cable under his fur. Like a physically perfect god in dog form. Anubis?
—————
This goes way back.
Eat right for your blood type was the book at the time.
—————
No idea about the book, but with an elk, 2 deer and around 100 gamebirds in the storehouse, meat dishes are on the menu for the foreseeable future. That plus salmon and dried spring morels make winter survival likely.
Such bounty!
#129 Terry on 11.07.22 at 9:24 pm
OH OH !!! Something just broke! A couple of somethings actually
—
I see ES stable, but bitcoin down sharply. Forex looks fine. Oil etc. What was it?
#147 The Joy of Steerage on 11.07.22 at 10:56 pm
It’s really simple Bobo … a lot more people voted in 2020.. both parties went up lots in 2020… oh look Trump found 11 million dead republicans… only the brain dead would spew these idiotic conspiracies
—————————————————————–
Stay out of steerage son…
I can tell you’re getting hysterical. You don’t want your blood pressure to cause a stroke do you?
Back to dentists. Some guy in these comments was quoted $14,000 for Canadian dental work. If you want first class but very affordable dental work, the answer is Hungary, not Canada.
Off topic but if you want that hair loss pluggy thing then go to the Chinese technicians in Turkey. I saw a friend in Italy last month who had this done in Istanbul and the results were amazing. He paid $2400 Cdn including flights and 3 nights in a 5 star hotel for half a head of hair! I am pleased for him. The guy in the next chair he said was 79 years old!
#147 The Joy of Steerage on 11.07.22 at 10:56 pm
#141 Bonobo on 11.07.22 at 10:19 pm
It’s really simple Bobo … a lot more people voted in 2020.. both parties went up lots in 2020… oh look Trump found 11 million dead republicans… only the brain dead would spew these idiotic conspiracies
2004 George W. Bush 62,028,285
2008 John McCain 59,934,000
2012 Mitt Romney 60,589,084
2016 Donald Trump 62,979,636
2020 Donald Trump 74,216,154
—
Let’s not forget that Hillary annihilated Trump in the popular vote:
65,844,954 to 62,979,879
You have to go back to 2004 for a Republican victory in the popular vote.
Here’s a resonable prediction…
Assuming the Republicans win both the House and the Senate in the mid-terms tomorrow, there will be a high probability that just about every Democrat and Canadian Liberal will be thinking that the elections were rigged.
Then wait until 2024 to see what happens if Trump then goes on to win POTUS. The election deniers will be coming out in droves. 70 million Democrats will never accept Trump as their president.
As I watch both elections, the popcorn on both the mid-terms and 2024, laced with salty liberal tears will be delicious.
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
#165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Almost 5.00 for a decent loaf of multi-grain bread
—
I make, so am paying $1.50 for artisanal quality bread.
Here’s a unitless recipe based on weight in baker’s percent:
65 pct unbleached white flour
35 pct whole wheat
75 pct water
20 pct starter (@ 100 pct hydration)
2.5 pct salt”
Yogi Berra would love your math. Remember “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.”
Trump at a rally before the Capitol Hill riots:
“I know that everyone here will be marching over to the Capitol to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
Oh, so encouraging of an insurrection.
#157 Investx on 11.08.22 at 3:28 am
Trump at a rally before the Capitol Hill riots:
“I know that everyone here will be marching over to the Capitol to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
Oh, so encouraging of an insurrection.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You should have been asked to testify at the Jan 6th committee hearings!
Your comment would have nullified all the overwhelming evidence – given by Republicans – that Trump incited an insurrection.
/s (in case that wasn’t obvious)
Time for Western Independence! We have everything we need except Ontario and Quebec’s debt!
@#152 Bonobo on 11.08.22 at 12:04 am
#147 The Joy of Steerage on 11.07.22 at 10:56 pm
It’s really simple Bobo … a lot more people voted in 2020.. both parties went up lots in 2020… oh look Trump found 11 million dead republicans… only the brain dead would spew these idiotic conspiracies
—————————————————————–
Stay out of steerage son…
–
nah, steerage needs folks like them to keep pointing out how wrong folks like you are.
#115 Ponzius Pilatus on 11.07.22 at 8:19 pm
165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Did a little grocery shopping last Friday. 3 Romaine hearts – $6.50/pkg. Sweet Onions cost over 100% more than cooking Onions. Almost 5.00 for a decent loaf of multi-grain bread.
Ms. IH bought a cabbage last week, we’ve never eaten much Cabbage. So far we’re on meal #4 with that same huge Cabbage, plus a big bowl of coleslaw in the fridge. She made “Bavarian Apple-Sausage Hash” which was tasty, hearty, and pretty cheap. Re-heats well too. Good food inflation buster.
——————
Yep,
As the old adage goes “ Necessity is the Mother of Invention”.
High fibre, high veggie protein is the way to go.
Just bought 10 kilos of carrots and 4 kilos of split red lentils at Costco.
10 bucks together.
But make sure you cook it for a long time.
Otherwise you’ll fart like FURZ.
_____
I’m lucky with Ms. IH’s cooking abilities. She does a lentil soup with curry and a bunch of other hearty stuff in there. It’s a real tummy warmer – great for a cold day. Having the kids out of the house really opens up the options for suppertime.
I still need to get my meat sleeps though.
#140 Nonplused on 11.07.22 at 10:17 pm
One thing that sort of amazes me is that no matter how bad things get, mostly as a result of our politicians, the world we live in continues to get better. I think it is because the grand path of human evolution, even on a societal level, is guided by trial and error in a sort of Darwinian kind of way much more so than by the short term wailing and gnashing of teeth our politicians. The good stays with us and the bad eventually dies (unfortunately taking a lot of people with it, but hey, Darwin don’t care).
______
IMHO, there is a higher force guiding humanity – call it whatever you like. Our entire existence has been one of joining forces, conquering frontiers, and consuming energy. Thousands of generations all doing the exact same thing for 300 thousand years straight – with an explosion of progress starting only a few hundred years ago. The next couple hundred years will probably decide our fate.
We are in fact getting pretty close to a pivotal point in our history, where the last borders (national/economic/cultural) that still stand must fall for progress to advance. The logical end to our journey here on Earth is a global society, we have always been on this path. We now live in a time where we see both our destination, and the resistance to same. If we can make this step without irradiating the planet, the future will be an amazing one as we become a planetary civilization – the biggest step we’ve ever made as a species.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_civilization
#126 Faron on 11.07.22 at 9:02 pm
#106 Old Boot on 11.07.22 at 7:27 pm
#96 jess on 11.07.22 at 6:50 pm
—
LOL, classic whataboutism.
Maybe, Old Boot, you could try addressing any one of numerous health-related links to climate change that they address in the report? Here’s where to find it:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)01540-9/fulltext#%20
Or, you could continue to dishonestly try to distract from the facts while remaining ignorant of them. Your choice.
————
Perhaps the Lancet could also publish a report comparing the worldwide risks to health in the pre-industrialized era, versus those which we face today.
Then we can all decide which era we’d rather live in.
#156 Yogi Baker on 11.08.22 at 2:56 am
#188 Faron on 11.07.22 at 2:18 pm
#165 IHCTD9 on 11.07.22 at 11:56 am
Here’s a unitless recipe based on weight in baker’s percent:
65 pct unbleached white flour
35 pct whole wheat
75 pct water
20 pct starter (@ 100 pct hydration)
2.5 pct salt”
Yogi Berra would love your math. Remember “Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical”
—
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_percentage
Greatly enjoying watching TSLA get curb stomped. Still a long ways to go.
#161 Ihtcd9
I’m lucky with Ms. IH’s cooking abilities. She does a lentil soup with curry and a bunch of other hearty stuff in there. It’s a real tummy warmer – great for a cold day. Having the kids out of the house really opens up the options for suppertime.
I still need to get my meat sleeps though.
——————
Add some smoked pork hock to it.
With the bone.
Slow cook for at least 2 hours.
Peasant food is yummy.
And cheap.
Looks like the steal is on in key US election races. Voting machines breaking down and others misreading ballots!
Elon Musk paid more taxes last year than all the politicians in the world.
#167 Brian on 11.08.22 at 10:55 am
Looks like the steal is on in key US election races. Voting machines breaking down and others misreading ballots!
———————-
You’re so funny.
Who’s the thief?
Here’s a resonable prediction…
Assuming the Republicans win both the House and the Senate in the mid-terms tomorrow, there will be a high probability that just about every Democrat and Canadian Liberal will be thinking that the elections were rigged.
————————————————————
Ha, “reasonable”. For a primate perhaps
All the deniers of record are Republicans, many have already indicated, in advance, their refutation of the election results, IF THEY LOSE. If they win all is above board.
For a Bonobo your typing skills are pretty good, the critical thinking? meh
#117 @ WTF………..
“According to sources and a “Google” search there were 168.31 million registered voters in the USA in 2020. According to the same sources there were 155 million votes cast in 2020. That equates to an approximate 92% voter turn out. Does or can anyone believe that?!”
You are part of the problem and complicit with it if you have accepted that Trump actually lost in 2020. You have eyes but will not see.
Ken Fisher Market Predictions:
He’s been in the investment business forever and is a solid guy. Son of famous Phil Fisher who wrote Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits circa 1950 a favorite book of Warren Buffett.
On BNN yesterday:
Says midterms are a super reliable indicator of strong markets ahead as they reduce uncertainty and usually lead to no big policy changes in next two years.
Says the sharply higher Fed fund rate will not reduce borrowing (and I guess inflation) as expected because: With higher loan spreads, banks are incented to loan more and this puts even more money in circulation.
To me more lending sounds like bad news leading to continued inflation and more rate hikes and lower stock prices.
I would have liked to ask Ken: What about bank appetite to lend if there might be more defaults at higher rates? And most importantly, what about sharply lower desire and demand to borrow at higher rates? Won’t that cool the economy?
Oh well, time will tell. Pass the popcorn. And stop buying so much stuff, that is what will force prices down.
#16 Chance, don’t talk about things you know nothing about!
Haven’t you heard about the new Harry DeWolf Class of Arctic Offshore Patrol Vessels? Look it up.
They may be armed lightly, but do you know they have RADIOS, and can call in Air Strikes from CF-188 Hornets based at CFB Cold Lake and CFB Bagotville?
#165 Faron on 11.08.22 at 10:45 am
Greatly enjoying watching TSLA get curb stomped. Still a long ways to go.
———-
The narcissistic left always reveals itself. A fundamental lack of insight into their own need for others to suffer, in the service of providing them with their requisite narc supply of ego gratification.
The “words/silence/opinions are violence” crowd are just hypocritical toddlers who satisfy their inner tyrant by senselessly breaking things. They lack the emotional and cognitive development to stand outside themselves, and see themselves as others do.
I’m in Arizona too.
Election Day.
Getting ready for some good entertainment.
However, I do not, as some other steerage section participants have mentioned, sense any sort of tension or divisiveness in the air.
Arizona is the most homogenous, non-inclusive, non diversified, white, wealthy (Phoenix/Tucson), right wing, freedom loving, independence loving, gun toting, truck driving, unwoke, non-fat (ranked 50th in obesity among all 50 states plus DC), gated community living state in the Union.
Since 1952 it’s only gone “blue” twice – the last time by the skin of its teeth. I believe both times they regretted it.
I think they will be returning to their Republican tendencies today.
And remember: I Know Nothing.
Just here for the sun, fun, hiking, drinking, off-roading, eating, pool time, shopping, and fantasizing about how great life can be without being surrounded by woke SJWs.
https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/state-data/?state=az
#122 Bucky
To be fair, the guy who had the zip ties and hammer is Canadian…..
———————————————————————————————————
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a84KUyLynDA
#163 Old Boot on 11.08.22 at 10:06 am
#126 Faron on 11.07.22 at 9:02 pm
Then we can all decide which era we’d rather live in.
—
False equivalency. Next!
#174 Old Boot on 11.08.22 at 12:17 pm
Nope, just simple justice, basic valuation and a small victory lap.
This is fun, got anything else?
communicator? how much are they paying this person to rinse lather repeat
https://pressprogress.ca/new-conservative-communications-director-railed-against-globalists-and-new-world-order-on-blog/
#174 Old Boot on 11.08.22 at 12:17 pm
[Donald Trump is a] hypocritical toddler who satisf[ies his] inner tyrant by senselessly breaking things. [He] lack[s] the emotional and cognitive development to stand outside himself, and see himself as [sane people] do.
Fixed it for you. Seems you are spiraling, maybe take a break.
#168 Sail Away on 11.08.22 at 11:06 am
Elon Musk paid more taxes last year than all the politicians in the world.
========
check out the subsidies
https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company_op=starts&company=tesla+
The Trump Won lunatics
#171 Terry on 11.08.22 at 11:37 am
#117 @ WTF………..
“According to sources and a “Google” search there were 168.31 million registered voters in the USA in 2020. According to the same sources there were 155 million votes cast in 2020. That equates to an approximate 92% voter turn out. Does or can anyone believe that?!”
You are part of the problem and complicit with it if you have accepted that Trump actually lost in 2020. You have eyes but will not see.
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Terry you are seriously deluded. The voter turnout among eligible voters was high in 2020 at 66%.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/28/turnout-soared-in-2020-as-nearly-two-thirds-of-eligible-u-s-voters-cast-ballots-for-president/
In at least one state, North Dakota, you do not have to be registered in order to vote.
Those who are registered tend to be motivated voters and therefore have a far higher turnout. They bothered to register and they tend to vote.
You also did not bother to give an links to back up your claim.
You have been misled.
#101 Faron on 11.07.22 at 7:12 pm
#9 Faron on 11.07.22 at 3:21 pm
Oh boy, Garth has dared to say some slightly negative things about right wingers. Prepare for a crapstorm from big truck drivin’ snowflakes.
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Ringing true so far. Garth, how much hate mail have you received today from P.O. Trumpers or QAnoners?
In the US, threats of violence in politics come from the right over the left at a 2:1 ratio.
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Faron at his trolley best.
It wouldn’t be a full moon would it?
I thought the doctor told you to double down on the meds during a full moon.
Another Crypto exchange has “paused” withdrawals after 6 billion withdrawn in three days.
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/crypto-exchange-ftx-saw-6-175831839.html
I’m a native Californian who moved to BC 10 years ago.
For all its flaws, I would never consider leaving Canada, with its 5 party system, to go back to the two party tribal madness in the US. Even with Ford’s abuse, the Notwithstanding Clause is a stroke of genius to counter overreach by the Supreme Court.
I’m American by birth, but Canadian by choice.
#180 jess on 11.08.22 at 12:56 pm
#168 Sail Away on 11.08.22 at 11:06 am
Elon Musk paid more taxes last year than all the politicians in the world.
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check out the subsidies
https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/?company_op=starts&company=tesla+
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Elon Musk paid more taxes last year than all the politicians in the world, plus all the subsidies ever received by all his companies.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/20/elon-musk-says-he-will-pay-over-11-billion-in-taxes-this-year.html
#181 Shawn on 11.08.22 at 1:00 pm
The Trump Won lunatics
#171 Terry on 11.08.22 at 11:37 am
#117 @ WTF………..
You have been misled.
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Don’t make it sound like a passive process.
#185 Sail Away on 11.08.22 at 1:47 pm
#180 jess on 11.08.22 at 12:56 pm
#168 Sail Away on 11.08.22 at 11:06 am
plus all the subsidies ever received by all his companies.
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Wow, high bar there.
Also:
1) He had to exercise options to buy stock that netted him almost $26 billion. He doesn’t have to do that again for years. Before then and after, he will pay no income tax while living off of low interest loans collateralized by his Tesla shares.
2) Between 2011 and 2021 his net worth grew by $175 Billion. If you divide 11 by 175 and the result by 10 years you get an annual tax rate of… 0.6% crudely speaking.
Meanwhile, normal people shuttle off %30 of their income to the gov’t — a rate 50 times larger fraudy pays.
Bitcoin under $18,000
What gives?
Justin Trudeau to appear on ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ spinoff series
https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/justin-trudeau-to-appear-on-canada-s-drag-race-spinoff-series-1.6144161
#9 Faron on 11.07.22 at 3:21 pm
#57 Faron on 11.07.22 at 5:16 pm
#70 Faron on 11.07.22 at 5:34 pm
#100 Faron on 11.07.22 at 7:06 pm
#101 Faron on 11.07.22 at 7:12 pm
#103 Faron on 11.07.22 at 7:21 pm
#126 Faron on 11.07.22 at 9:02 pm
#149 Faron on 11.07.22 at 11:17 pm
#151 Faron on 11.07.22 at 11:23 pm
#154 Faron on 11.08.22 at 12:52 am
#164 Faron on 11.08.22 at 10:22 am
#165 Faron on 11.08.22 at 10:45 am
#177 Faron on 11.08.22 at 12:40 pm
#179 Faron on 11.08.22 at 12:49 pm
#186 Faron on 11.08.22 at 1:50 pm
#187 Faron on 11.08.22 at 2:28 pm
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Back at ‘work’?
#187 Faron on 11.08.22 at 2:28 pm
#185 Sail Away on 11.08.22 at 1:47 pm
Elon Musk paid more taxes last year than all the politicians in the world, plus all the subsidies ever received by all his companies.
——–
Wow, high bar there.
Also:
1) He had to exercise options to buy stock that netted him almost $26 billion. He doesn’t have to do that again for years. Before then and after, he will pay no income tax while living off of low interest loans collateralized by his Tesla shares.
2) Between 2011 and 2021 his net worth grew by $175 Billion. If you divide 11 by 175 and the result by 10 years you get an annual tax rate of… 0.6% crudely speaking.
Meanwhile, normal people shuttle off %30 of their income to the gov’t — a rate 50 times larger fraudy pays.
——–
1. ‘he will pay no income tax’ Speculative
2. Both irrelevant and incorrect. Unrealized gains are not taxed.
3. Incorrect. Income tax is paid on income. Elon pays exactly the same nominal rates as anyone else.
Do better.
Bernie Sanders is a communist, socialist and if you believe otherwise you are looking to be living in misery, poverty and your life’s freedoms, choices taken away.
#188 DON on 11.08.22 at 2:34 pm
Bitcoin under $18,000
What gives?
__________________________________
An alternative gives!
The governments in Canada wanted the peasants to build and buy as many new homes and condos as possible paying for the infrastructure, roads, schools parks etc taxing them low to get everything sold – now the tide has changed and it is tax to the max from one of the country to the other. Keep renting – the deals are amazing and there is a non stop supply of rentals hitting the markets monthly.
#67 – Blog Bunny – I call bullshit.
With all eyes on elections, you claim ‘more votrs than population’ came in and no one noticed? Is EVERYONE in this small town voting age? not a single person under 18?
Of course that people noticed but what can you do? These things get silenced. The media will never tell you the truth. According to what they show you, the voting system works perfectly well. They keep repeating the same lies over and over again until everybody believes that they are the truth and anybody reporting an irregularity is labeled crazy.