Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
Yes, the economy will suffer for most, but before then the suffering will be borne by anyone critical of or not like the turd at the top. This is the party of mean, and the human toll will come before it hits the pocketbook.
Phil
Phil
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DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
In times of war, people have two options to survive. To flee. Or to buckle down, bunker in, and organize guerrilla action.
Obviously it will be a long four years for you lot. You should look at this as time to organize, plan, prepare, and eventually act.
In the USA (much like here in Australia), the established political parties are now seen for what they are. Vehicles for politicians to do favors to their good mates in business.
Two ways to throw a few spokes into the wheels of this cozy duopoly of vested interests would be to one, hit business as much as possible by attacking their hip pockets. Stop buying. Look at used before you buy new. Cut back on everything you possibly can. Keep your money where it's best left anyway, in your bank accounts (bearing in mind that the banks are leaders in the plundering of just about everything worth grabbing anyway).
As you predict, 2025 is now shaping up as a tight year economically. All the more reason to tighten those belts, and save. Cut back, live within your means, plan for a leaner future. You've already written about all this anyway, nothing new here.
Two, annoy the dickens out of your politicians. Contact them, write to them, and DEMAND ACTION on the things that are important to you. Environmental changes, matters of basic justice, human rights for all who live in your country.
And above all else, do the same (as in two above) to your local Democratic Party apparatchik. Insist on changes for the better. After 2016 and now this year, obviously the Democrats must change. The party needs new directions. More to the people, less to corporate donors with hidden agendas (not that those agendas now remain very hidden, in fact they are now very public indeed!!).
All this is what many of us in Australia hope will happen next year when our country heads to another national election. Many now see this coming event as time for big changes in our politics. Less cozy cohabitation between the politicians of our two main parties and business. More independents in our parliaments.
We must all remember that there isn't much time left. The planet is fragmenting, and the time of those thousand cuts are fast approaching.
Cal, as for your new notions of maybe selling up and moving on, you will do well to quietly make plans but wait until mid January before you take any steps in those directions. Things will surely settle down in the interim, as they have every time before a new POTUS takes power.
But do work on your Plan B. Everybody should have a Plan B in their back pocket. These days, even a Plan C is a good extra option...
Obviously it will be a long four years for you lot. You should look at this as time to organize, plan, prepare, and eventually act.
In the USA (much like here in Australia), the established political parties are now seen for what they are. Vehicles for politicians to do favors to their good mates in business.
Two ways to throw a few spokes into the wheels of this cozy duopoly of vested interests would be to one, hit business as much as possible by attacking their hip pockets. Stop buying. Look at used before you buy new. Cut back on everything you possibly can. Keep your money where it's best left anyway, in your bank accounts (bearing in mind that the banks are leaders in the plundering of just about everything worth grabbing anyway).
As you predict, 2025 is now shaping up as a tight year economically. All the more reason to tighten those belts, and save. Cut back, live within your means, plan for a leaner future. You've already written about all this anyway, nothing new here.
Two, annoy the dickens out of your politicians. Contact them, write to them, and DEMAND ACTION on the things that are important to you. Environmental changes, matters of basic justice, human rights for all who live in your country.
And above all else, do the same (as in two above) to your local Democratic Party apparatchik. Insist on changes for the better. After 2016 and now this year, obviously the Democrats must change. The party needs new directions. More to the people, less to corporate donors with hidden agendas (not that those agendas now remain very hidden, in fact they are now very public indeed!!).
All this is what many of us in Australia hope will happen next year when our country heads to another national election. Many now see this coming event as time for big changes in our politics. Less cozy cohabitation between the politicians of our two main parties and business. More independents in our parliaments.
We must all remember that there isn't much time left. The planet is fragmenting, and the time of those thousand cuts are fast approaching.
Cal, as for your new notions of maybe selling up and moving on, you will do well to quietly make plans but wait until mid January before you take any steps in those directions. Things will surely settle down in the interim, as they have every time before a new POTUS takes power.
But do work on your Plan B. Everybody should have a Plan B in their back pocket. These days, even a Plan C is a good extra option...
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
My bursitis is perhaps only a hint. No discomfort, but I feel what I suspect is a vulnerability. It is said to take a long time to heal.
I feel and look less bloated, but I don’t think there is any or much of a weight loss, maybe a pound. I seem to be rangebound and the only way to really shed the 5 pounds I don’t need to get lean and mean is lots of cardio like biking, rowing or elliptical.
“Maggie” thinks Peekskill is stuck. It is a minority community, mostly Latino, and an example of working class. It has some affluence but not enough to matter. In Beacon the DIA art Foundation anchored an art community by buying an old Nabisco factory and creating a major museum of a really big size.
Peekskill needs something like that to make a breakthrough to be a destination, otherwise it is just another suburb. I use Beacon and Peekskill as comparisons because both were industrial cities that suffered a contraction and decay. Today Beacon which lays further north has more of a Brooklyn flavor.
Gentrification in Beacon displaced the poor, and 4 years ago the housing market kinda got played out when we were looking up there, and the pickings were slim and of poor value that we moved on because effectively things were no bargain and effectively we were priced out.
We found better value in Peekskill, and we were drawn to the Baby-Victorian that went unloved what was the beginning of a recognized housing shortage. This Thanksgiving will be 4 years, and the 4 years passed fast.
I still see great value here. I have what I need, but more land and privacy in a more rural setting living in nature has its draw and allure. I kinda like my life here. I enjoy convenience, we are a rivertown, and there is a sense of community.
I wonder if the migrant and immigration policies will be the turn for Peekskill? As I have said before Peekskill has location-location-location, and the northern part of Westchester has to have limited development because it is an important NYC watershed.
Logistically it has the Bear Mountain Bridge which is a bridge to nowhere which is two adjoining states parks that are wilderness.
Beacon has the Beacon Newbough Bridge, but Newbough is a City that has entrenched poverty and crime.
So I have a gut feeling that Peekskill might draw in young white gentrifiers and more hipsters from Brooklyn. Peekskill might never become another Beacon like art community, but I think it will have its day. Sadly Peekskill will become less of an immigrant community, and it will turn more white. It is displacement and gentrification…
At this point it is still the gentrification story that “Maggie” and I performed in NYC to make it a safe place for rich people. We helped gentrify Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Long Island City, and eventually Spanish Harlem.
We are doing that here in Peekskill, but now we are home owners… After reading Phil’s response and post about abandoning our community, I see the wisdom of just staying put, even though I have a distaste for Snoopy and JJ. Their time here is limited because they intend on relocating to Austin Texas as it stands.
I have a lot of blood, sweat, and tears invested in my Baby-Victorian. I can easily be happy here, and do I really need more?
“Woman-Factor….”
Cal
I feel and look less bloated, but I don’t think there is any or much of a weight loss, maybe a pound. I seem to be rangebound and the only way to really shed the 5 pounds I don’t need to get lean and mean is lots of cardio like biking, rowing or elliptical.
“Maggie” thinks Peekskill is stuck. It is a minority community, mostly Latino, and an example of working class. It has some affluence but not enough to matter. In Beacon the DIA art Foundation anchored an art community by buying an old Nabisco factory and creating a major museum of a really big size.
Peekskill needs something like that to make a breakthrough to be a destination, otherwise it is just another suburb. I use Beacon and Peekskill as comparisons because both were industrial cities that suffered a contraction and decay. Today Beacon which lays further north has more of a Brooklyn flavor.
Gentrification in Beacon displaced the poor, and 4 years ago the housing market kinda got played out when we were looking up there, and the pickings were slim and of poor value that we moved on because effectively things were no bargain and effectively we were priced out.
We found better value in Peekskill, and we were drawn to the Baby-Victorian that went unloved what was the beginning of a recognized housing shortage. This Thanksgiving will be 4 years, and the 4 years passed fast.
I still see great value here. I have what I need, but more land and privacy in a more rural setting living in nature has its draw and allure. I kinda like my life here. I enjoy convenience, we are a rivertown, and there is a sense of community.
I wonder if the migrant and immigration policies will be the turn for Peekskill? As I have said before Peekskill has location-location-location, and the northern part of Westchester has to have limited development because it is an important NYC watershed.
Logistically it has the Bear Mountain Bridge which is a bridge to nowhere which is two adjoining states parks that are wilderness.
Beacon has the Beacon Newbough Bridge, but Newbough is a City that has entrenched poverty and crime.
So I have a gut feeling that Peekskill might draw in young white gentrifiers and more hipsters from Brooklyn. Peekskill might never become another Beacon like art community, but I think it will have its day. Sadly Peekskill will become less of an immigrant community, and it will turn more white. It is displacement and gentrification…
At this point it is still the gentrification story that “Maggie” and I performed in NYC to make it a safe place for rich people. We helped gentrify Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Long Island City, and eventually Spanish Harlem.
We are doing that here in Peekskill, but now we are home owners… After reading Phil’s response and post about abandoning our community, I see the wisdom of just staying put, even though I have a distaste for Snoopy and JJ. Their time here is limited because they intend on relocating to Austin Texas as it stands.
I have a lot of blood, sweat, and tears invested in my Baby-Victorian. I can easily be happy here, and do I really need more?
“Woman-Factor….”
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
DU,
We have a plan “B,” but I also have a plan ”A” which might mean staying.
There is a good, the bad, and the ugly. Pretty much “Maggie” does none of the maintenance or heavy lifting. Pretty much I know the country life would mean more work for me.
Like I have repeated before, “Men have shorter lives than women for a reason.”
I learned in the stock market that you really don’t make real money unless you sell. There is an opportunity because of the housing shortage that we could lock in a huge amount of life changing equity.
I also will have a huge pop-up in my retirement income when I eventually collect my Social Security. I could float a $100K-$150K mortgage at even 7% interest because I could pay it off with discipline in perhaps 5 years and outright own a home and have no debt.
So pretty much I would only justify flipping the Baby-Victorian for a major gain and for financial freedom.
“Austerity is Prosperity” is my motto and model. I will build that Charlie Christian solid body guitar, and order that retro amp, and then no further consumption. Pretty much I have clothing and shoes stockpiled, kinda crazy, maybe 60 pairs of shoes bought at the clearance rack that are notable brands purchased for “no-money.”
I am not a man without resources, and I know how to fight to win. Certainly I will rebel.
What I am seeing north of us is that many who could moved around the Catskills. Some are vacation or recreational homes, others are just trophy properties and displays of wealth. The population there tends to be older and established because the economies there are small. Infrastructure like medical care or being near a Home Cheapo is lacking.
I see when there is a collapse/slowdown that there could be a buying opportunity. Remember that most Americans and households live beyond their means.
We need to get our house ready to sell, and this work could be completed next year. Realistically we would have to sell our Baby-Victorian, and get not only the right buyer, but also the right price. Oh-well if it does not go our way, no loss, but understand there is Metro North and only an hour’s train ride to Grand Central. Since I’m retired I have no need to go into the city, but someone looking for a home will pay dearly for that infrastructure.
I guess the target buyer would be a professional couple that might only have one kid. We happen to be in a highly rated school district that is in the top 100 in New York State. This is because we are on the fringe of Peekskill. We avoid the Peekskill schools that have lower scores because it is an immigrant community. The school district is another asset we don’t need.
Our home is small, only 1500 square feet, but the renovations are not a Home Cheapo Special. There are details and expensive upgrades that to the right buyer is of value. So the trick here is finding the right buyer.
The privacy and a grand view… having a second buildable building lot… Again to the right person…
So we have a plan, but it does involve cashing out, and likely renting while we shop for a new home flush with cash. Another thing is I expect when I’m 70 and collecting my Social Security will be just a little more than 3 years from now, pretty far into Bozo’s term. Don’t know how the markets will play out here in Peekskill and further north.
The gamble here involves two tipping points and rather perfect timing. Kinda like a military maneuver, or a one-two punch.
I’m in no rush, and they say “Time is the best weapon.” Meanwhile our Baby-Victorian is appreciating at a rapid pace. I can see the area around the Catskills getting depressed when the slowdown occurs. The longer we stay in Peekskill the more money we make. Appreciation here in Peekskill certainly will be more than near the Catskills I think and believe.
No doubt that the Baby-Victorian is the hotter commodity, but the assets don’t pay us dividends as retirees. Again time is our best friend, and again “Time is the best weapon.”
Not sure how all this will play out. Either way I’m hedged. The big deal though is “Woman-Factor” and the truth be told, I would save and build the cash to convert the garage into a carriage house with a 400 square Oout studio with a view and a deck.
Maggie also is not really a hiker, biker, or a fitness buff like I am. She just wants more privacy and to be able to commune with nature. Moving is a lot for just pleasing a woman. She is not a farmer either…
Woman-factor…
Cal
We have a plan “B,” but I also have a plan ”A” which might mean staying.
There is a good, the bad, and the ugly. Pretty much “Maggie” does none of the maintenance or heavy lifting. Pretty much I know the country life would mean more work for me.
Like I have repeated before, “Men have shorter lives than women for a reason.”
I learned in the stock market that you really don’t make real money unless you sell. There is an opportunity because of the housing shortage that we could lock in a huge amount of life changing equity.
I also will have a huge pop-up in my retirement income when I eventually collect my Social Security. I could float a $100K-$150K mortgage at even 7% interest because I could pay it off with discipline in perhaps 5 years and outright own a home and have no debt.
So pretty much I would only justify flipping the Baby-Victorian for a major gain and for financial freedom.
“Austerity is Prosperity” is my motto and model. I will build that Charlie Christian solid body guitar, and order that retro amp, and then no further consumption. Pretty much I have clothing and shoes stockpiled, kinda crazy, maybe 60 pairs of shoes bought at the clearance rack that are notable brands purchased for “no-money.”
I am not a man without resources, and I know how to fight to win. Certainly I will rebel.
What I am seeing north of us is that many who could moved around the Catskills. Some are vacation or recreational homes, others are just trophy properties and displays of wealth. The population there tends to be older and established because the economies there are small. Infrastructure like medical care or being near a Home Cheapo is lacking.
I see when there is a collapse/slowdown that there could be a buying opportunity. Remember that most Americans and households live beyond their means.
We need to get our house ready to sell, and this work could be completed next year. Realistically we would have to sell our Baby-Victorian, and get not only the right buyer, but also the right price. Oh-well if it does not go our way, no loss, but understand there is Metro North and only an hour’s train ride to Grand Central. Since I’m retired I have no need to go into the city, but someone looking for a home will pay dearly for that infrastructure.
I guess the target buyer would be a professional couple that might only have one kid. We happen to be in a highly rated school district that is in the top 100 in New York State. This is because we are on the fringe of Peekskill. We avoid the Peekskill schools that have lower scores because it is an immigrant community. The school district is another asset we don’t need.
Our home is small, only 1500 square feet, but the renovations are not a Home Cheapo Special. There are details and expensive upgrades that to the right buyer is of value. So the trick here is finding the right buyer.
The privacy and a grand view… having a second buildable building lot… Again to the right person…
So we have a plan, but it does involve cashing out, and likely renting while we shop for a new home flush with cash. Another thing is I expect when I’m 70 and collecting my Social Security will be just a little more than 3 years from now, pretty far into Bozo’s term. Don’t know how the markets will play out here in Peekskill and further north.
The gamble here involves two tipping points and rather perfect timing. Kinda like a military maneuver, or a one-two punch.
I’m in no rush, and they say “Time is the best weapon.” Meanwhile our Baby-Victorian is appreciating at a rapid pace. I can see the area around the Catskills getting depressed when the slowdown occurs. The longer we stay in Peekskill the more money we make. Appreciation here in Peekskill certainly will be more than near the Catskills I think and believe.
No doubt that the Baby-Victorian is the hotter commodity, but the assets don’t pay us dividends as retirees. Again time is our best friend, and again “Time is the best weapon.”
Not sure how all this will play out. Either way I’m hedged. The big deal though is “Woman-Factor” and the truth be told, I would save and build the cash to convert the garage into a carriage house with a 400 square Oout studio with a view and a deck.
Maggie also is not really a hiker, biker, or a fitness buff like I am. She just wants more privacy and to be able to commune with nature. Moving is a lot for just pleasing a woman. She is not a farmer either…
Woman-factor…
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Somehow I feel peaceful.
Call me cocky, but I have the mindset and ability to adapt to turmoil and chaos. My upbringing, training, education, and life experience seems to all have me well prepared to move forward and maintain a positive mental attitude.
I also have a level of confidence, because I stand on firm ground that is easily defended. Somehow I also see opportunity in these highly likely oppressive times.
Sadly I don’t feel that way about our country or the rest of the world. Hard to feel optimistic there. Certainly debt will be like slavery. It is just I will have more freedom, and be less oppressed. Others will be indentured and slave away.
Meanwhile billionaires get more powerful and wealthier. We live in a new age of robber barons that is imperialistic and is a new form of colonialism. Indenturement and slavery via debt diminishes freedom. I don’t think I’m exaggerating here.
I don’t doubt that the time of austerity is near. It is the future, and I know I have the means to not suffer so badly and survive.
I favor heavily just staying put, but if a no mortgage opportunity happens, financial gain, and a more secure and serene setting can occur I will go with the flow.
I could see me growing my own food, and actually doing what I was considering in the 70’s: I was considering homesteading and pretty much going off the grid.
I enjoy a clear head today. No confusion…
Cal
Call me cocky, but I have the mindset and ability to adapt to turmoil and chaos. My upbringing, training, education, and life experience seems to all have me well prepared to move forward and maintain a positive mental attitude.
I also have a level of confidence, because I stand on firm ground that is easily defended. Somehow I also see opportunity in these highly likely oppressive times.
Sadly I don’t feel that way about our country or the rest of the world. Hard to feel optimistic there. Certainly debt will be like slavery. It is just I will have more freedom, and be less oppressed. Others will be indentured and slave away.
Meanwhile billionaires get more powerful and wealthier. We live in a new age of robber barons that is imperialistic and is a new form of colonialism. Indenturement and slavery via debt diminishes freedom. I don’t think I’m exaggerating here.
I don’t doubt that the time of austerity is near. It is the future, and I know I have the means to not suffer so badly and survive.
I favor heavily just staying put, but if a no mortgage opportunity happens, financial gain, and a more secure and serene setting can occur I will go with the flow.
I could see me growing my own food, and actually doing what I was considering in the 70’s: I was considering homesteading and pretty much going off the grid.
I enjoy a clear head today. No confusion…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Did some fact checking between natural gas and propane. I had thought that natural gas had higher BTU’s, but in fact Propane has about twice the BTU’s. My framing was slanted because of trying to boil a quart of water on the kid’s propane fueled stove, and it seemed to take about twice as long as our Bertazzoni natural gas stove.
The difference actually is likely to the cheap stove in the kid’s house that was a “flipper.” Then this was exaggerated by the superb quality of a rather crazy elite stove that I quickly got spoiled by.
Snarky Joe promotes spending your money once. In other words don’t cheat yourself and cheap out. I call him “Snarky” for a reason.
My inquiry is because many homes further north don’t have natural gas and use propane for heat and hot water. I also learned that per BTU natural gas is cheaper, so in the end more economical even though less BTU.
A quirk arose. In discussion, “Maggie” expressed a shorter timeline for her because she is 5 years older than me. She feels she has less time… Time might not be her friend, or as friendly as to me.
Hmmm.
First step is an appraisal from our real estate agent… Next year some work, but then what? At least I’m moving forward, and I’l be ready.
Cal
The difference actually is likely to the cheap stove in the kid’s house that was a “flipper.” Then this was exaggerated by the superb quality of a rather crazy elite stove that I quickly got spoiled by.
Snarky Joe promotes spending your money once. In other words don’t cheat yourself and cheap out. I call him “Snarky” for a reason.
My inquiry is because many homes further north don’t have natural gas and use propane for heat and hot water. I also learned that per BTU natural gas is cheaper, so in the end more economical even though less BTU.
A quirk arose. In discussion, “Maggie” expressed a shorter timeline for her because she is 5 years older than me. She feels she has less time… Time might not be her friend, or as friendly as to me.
Hmmm.
First step is an appraisal from our real estate agent… Next year some work, but then what? At least I’m moving forward, and I’l be ready.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
BTW moving and living in a remote or rural area would not be new to me. I lived in the Santa Fe National Forest 47 miles from Los Alamos and civilization. The time was when Ronald Ray-Gun was President, and I worked at the lab on a Star Wars project.
La Cueva was so remote there was no TV reception. The community was really just a group of mail boxes along State Highway 4.
I lived in New Mexico for a year and a half. Eyes wide open…
Tonight a pot luck dinner at the last moment, and tomorrow the grandson.
Cal
La Cueva was so remote there was no TV reception. The community was really just a group of mail boxes along State Highway 4.
I lived in New Mexico for a year and a half. Eyes wide open…
Tonight a pot luck dinner at the last moment, and tomorrow the grandson.
Cal
Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I'm willing to bet what will happen is the orange turd will create the problem/s: tariffs will squeeze the populace to the brink, these tariffs will be blamed on Biden, since the supporting electorate have been brainwashed to believe anything and a goldfish memory only supports this. Maybe we descend into a depression, maybe just recession, but the housing market right now is one which mirrors the economy, in that fewer can afford to own, so most property is owned by a few. Anyway, further separation of classes, while simultaneously, many of those working poor will still support the regime because they are told to. So the turd creates the problem, then magically comes along and solves the problem. If he times this just right, he could lobby congress to lift term limits. He's probably hoping for this because in 2029, he's currently scheduled to re-enter the civilian populace. He knows his day of reckoning is coming, so to preserve his life, he is going to use and abuse all avenues he has.
Phil
Phil
Retro-Grouch
Veteran
Lift term limits, or declare martial law and suspend elections. Isn't that how dictators always do it? And if we have elections, they'll be "free and fair", of course. But your opponents will just happen to keep falling off high balconies. Don't think 47 hasn't been paying close attention to what his buddy Vladimir has been doing.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
At this time mortgage rates are up again, and some speculate 8% interest rates on a 30 year mortgage, even though the FED reduced rates.
The banks kinda know the future: higher interest rates due to inflation, and increased deficits that will compound each other.
Meanwhile credit card rates hover around 20%… Understand that credit card rates have not dropped. The lower FED rate just means banks make more money.
Banks make more money because they enjoy the FED’s lower interest rate, but they also make more money by maintaining high rates for credit cards and consumers. Also by maintaining high rates on mortgages. Banks defend themselves because they are brokers of risk. Hmmm… Banks are hoarding gold… This is shouting they expect inflation…
Then the FED adds another 1/4 point cut, so who makes even more money, and who benefits? The numbers don’t lie: public knowledge.
Again, the FED lowered rates, but the Banksters in turn did not lower their rates.
If legislation for not taxing working retirees Social Security that earn over $25K happens, pretty much Social Security insolvency will happen sooner than the projected 20 years out, and when that happens there will have to be cuts in benefits. Pretty much Social Security will become more underfunded to create its demise sooner. Understand that the taxes collected for these workers that are already collecting Social Security go into the Social Security fund.
Tariffs kinda work like a Federal Sales Tax. Pretty much the proposed 20% Tariffs on imports is paid by consumers, and the Federal Government pockets the revenue. Tell me if this is any different than say New York sales tax.
Looks like Republicans will get the majority in the House.
Some say that many or some of these proposals that were the Trump platform likely will get moderated because of bipartisanship, but if Republicans hold the Executive branch, the Senate, and the House how will Democrats or Independents have much or any pull?
Some say Tariffs might only be 8-9%.
As an example I have used many times, DJT in his first term instituted a 20% Tariff on Canadian raw lumber. He also placed a 25% tariff on Canadian finished wood products. The U.S. utilized 25% Canadian lumber as imports to meet the demand. Who do you think paid higher prices. Of course the cost of housing automatically went up with the prices.
Who do you think paid the higher prices? I say eventually the consumer.
Realize that tariffs cause almost immediate inflation.
We bought a house at the very beginning of the recognized housing shortage almost 4 years ago (just before Thanksgiving 2020). Our house in prior decades was a rental that had been last remodel in 1975, and back then it was a Home Cheapo Reno.
We spent a lot of money, and our house perhaps next year will be “turnkey” and I can kinda expect a crazy 62% higher selling price. This would be within an envelope of 5-years. How insane is that?
Again tariffs instituted after the 1929 crash helped create the Great Depression.
There was a tax cut also under DJT’s first term. The economy was fine and did not need stimulas. Basic economics of supply and demand started and ignited inflation. This tax cut also meant a bigger deficit. The money has to come from somewhere…
Deficit spending also was performed by George Bush the son. He started two wars, and wars are inflationary. He also gave out tax cuts that were stimulus that were paid by printing debt. Obama made ObamaCare a policy and mandate we could not afford that too caused inflation, and actually also shortages in healthcare. Also there was deficit spending.
I can’t blame Obama for the 2007-2008 credit crisis, he inherited that problem. George Bush the son started out his first term with a surplus and no deficit, but Obama and the FED bailed out the banks, AIG, and businesses that were too big to fail. The end of free market capitalism happened. Our deficits soared. Pretty much the huge losses were “Socialized.”
The American public’s future effectively got “mortgaged,” every citizen regardless of being a homeowner or not became a mortgage holder because of these losses. Effectively we all became endentured and enslaved to various degrees with debt. The American public paid for these losses, a concept here is the reinvention of slavery, but in a different form. Am I exaggerating here? I don’t think so…
Then Biden maintained the Trump Tariffs, escalated trade wars, and also added stimulus to further propel inflation.
So if you read my criticism, I am being bi-partisan, I say both parties suck, made major bad policies, created an inflationary situation, a deficit level that not only can’t be sustained that might not be able to be ever paid back.
The other day I felt peace. Pretty much this peace I feel because I see the future with a high degree of certainty. Mucho austerity, an economic decline of epic proportions that might become known as the “Greater Depression.”
DJT just speeds things up. Harris only moderated the increase in deficit.
What led up to the Great Depression was the Roaring Twenties, almost a decade.
2007-2008 was a bubble that did not burst; it was reinflated. The Pandemic was another collapse that got re-inflated with debt.
Our debt level here in the U.S. is about the same level as the end of WWII. Decades of growth and prosperity were required to manage all that. I’m talking the baby-boom, the rise of the middle class from the working class, and the growth of the American consumer. I can’t see that happening gain…
The electronics revolution that involved personal computers and digital communications allowed Clinton to pay down our deficit to zero by the year 2000. The U.S actually had a surplus, but pretty much it was squandered.
So here we are, 24 years later after a balanced budget and surplus to a massive debt that rivals the end of WWII. Kinda insane trying to max out your credit limit. Then add that higher eventual interest rates will compound the debt load making it harder to pay back.
Also remember that U.S. wages remained stagnant for decades under the Greenspan Era. About 3 decades. The middle-class kinda went sideways, and the standard of living was somewhat sustained by cheap imported goods (I use the word crap) that you buy at Walmart and K-Mart.
Eyes wide open, the erosion of the middle-class into what I would today call the working-class that live paycheck to paycheck, spans decades.
So pretty much I can be at peace because I kinda know the future. I can relax, get prepared, and not be anxious. I’m rather confident I know the ending of this story. DJT just makes it a shorter story to the end.
Cal
The banks kinda know the future: higher interest rates due to inflation, and increased deficits that will compound each other.
Meanwhile credit card rates hover around 20%… Understand that credit card rates have not dropped. The lower FED rate just means banks make more money.
Banks make more money because they enjoy the FED’s lower interest rate, but they also make more money by maintaining high rates for credit cards and consumers. Also by maintaining high rates on mortgages. Banks defend themselves because they are brokers of risk. Hmmm… Banks are hoarding gold… This is shouting they expect inflation…
Then the FED adds another 1/4 point cut, so who makes even more money, and who benefits? The numbers don’t lie: public knowledge.
Again, the FED lowered rates, but the Banksters in turn did not lower their rates.
If legislation for not taxing working retirees Social Security that earn over $25K happens, pretty much Social Security insolvency will happen sooner than the projected 20 years out, and when that happens there will have to be cuts in benefits. Pretty much Social Security will become more underfunded to create its demise sooner. Understand that the taxes collected for these workers that are already collecting Social Security go into the Social Security fund.
Tariffs kinda work like a Federal Sales Tax. Pretty much the proposed 20% Tariffs on imports is paid by consumers, and the Federal Government pockets the revenue. Tell me if this is any different than say New York sales tax.
Looks like Republicans will get the majority in the House.
Some say that many or some of these proposals that were the Trump platform likely will get moderated because of bipartisanship, but if Republicans hold the Executive branch, the Senate, and the House how will Democrats or Independents have much or any pull?
Some say Tariffs might only be 8-9%.
As an example I have used many times, DJT in his first term instituted a 20% Tariff on Canadian raw lumber. He also placed a 25% tariff on Canadian finished wood products. The U.S. utilized 25% Canadian lumber as imports to meet the demand. Who do you think paid higher prices. Of course the cost of housing automatically went up with the prices.
Who do you think paid the higher prices? I say eventually the consumer.
Realize that tariffs cause almost immediate inflation.
We bought a house at the very beginning of the recognized housing shortage almost 4 years ago (just before Thanksgiving 2020). Our house in prior decades was a rental that had been last remodel in 1975, and back then it was a Home Cheapo Reno.
We spent a lot of money, and our house perhaps next year will be “turnkey” and I can kinda expect a crazy 62% higher selling price. This would be within an envelope of 5-years. How insane is that?
Again tariffs instituted after the 1929 crash helped create the Great Depression.
There was a tax cut also under DJT’s first term. The economy was fine and did not need stimulas. Basic economics of supply and demand started and ignited inflation. This tax cut also meant a bigger deficit. The money has to come from somewhere…
Deficit spending also was performed by George Bush the son. He started two wars, and wars are inflationary. He also gave out tax cuts that were stimulus that were paid by printing debt. Obama made ObamaCare a policy and mandate we could not afford that too caused inflation, and actually also shortages in healthcare. Also there was deficit spending.
I can’t blame Obama for the 2007-2008 credit crisis, he inherited that problem. George Bush the son started out his first term with a surplus and no deficit, but Obama and the FED bailed out the banks, AIG, and businesses that were too big to fail. The end of free market capitalism happened. Our deficits soared. Pretty much the huge losses were “Socialized.”
The American public’s future effectively got “mortgaged,” every citizen regardless of being a homeowner or not became a mortgage holder because of these losses. Effectively we all became endentured and enslaved to various degrees with debt. The American public paid for these losses, a concept here is the reinvention of slavery, but in a different form. Am I exaggerating here? I don’t think so…
Then Biden maintained the Trump Tariffs, escalated trade wars, and also added stimulus to further propel inflation.
So if you read my criticism, I am being bi-partisan, I say both parties suck, made major bad policies, created an inflationary situation, a deficit level that not only can’t be sustained that might not be able to be ever paid back.
The other day I felt peace. Pretty much this peace I feel because I see the future with a high degree of certainty. Mucho austerity, an economic decline of epic proportions that might become known as the “Greater Depression.”
DJT just speeds things up. Harris only moderated the increase in deficit.
What led up to the Great Depression was the Roaring Twenties, almost a decade.
2007-2008 was a bubble that did not burst; it was reinflated. The Pandemic was another collapse that got re-inflated with debt.
Our debt level here in the U.S. is about the same level as the end of WWII. Decades of growth and prosperity were required to manage all that. I’m talking the baby-boom, the rise of the middle class from the working class, and the growth of the American consumer. I can’t see that happening gain…
The electronics revolution that involved personal computers and digital communications allowed Clinton to pay down our deficit to zero by the year 2000. The U.S actually had a surplus, but pretty much it was squandered.
So here we are, 24 years later after a balanced budget and surplus to a massive debt that rivals the end of WWII. Kinda insane trying to max out your credit limit. Then add that higher eventual interest rates will compound the debt load making it harder to pay back.
Also remember that U.S. wages remained stagnant for decades under the Greenspan Era. About 3 decades. The middle-class kinda went sideways, and the standard of living was somewhat sustained by cheap imported goods (I use the word crap) that you buy at Walmart and K-Mart.
Eyes wide open, the erosion of the middle-class into what I would today call the working-class that live paycheck to paycheck, spans decades.
So pretty much I can be at peace because I kinda know the future. I can relax, get prepared, and not be anxious. I’m rather confident I know the ending of this story. DJT just makes it a shorter story to the end.
Cal
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Phil_F_NM
Camera hacker
I'm also sick of the media not calling out Turd for saying he's the 47th President. Now everyone is saying it, sorry RG, I'm just getting into my news mode and harping on editorial semantics. No, he's the 45th, just twice. That is unless a separate personality has taken over. Regardless, what we see as the 250lbs of chewed bubblegum is only the 45th. If we count second terms, then we need to go back to George Washington, who was the 1st and 2nd, Thomas Jefferson being the 4th and 5th, Madison the 6th and 7th, Monroe the 8th and 9th, etc, etc, etc.
The movie Idiocracy was supposed to be a critical farce, not a documentary.
Phil
The movie Idiocracy was supposed to be a critical farce, not a documentary.
Phil
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Retro-Grouch
Veteran
Reminds me of the bumper sticker I saw recently: "1984 was a warning, not an instruction manual". But we now begin the farce, and people will die, but not laughing.
If you're not aware of it (and I wasn't until recently), Google up the "Powell Memorandum". Clearly, all of this has been a long time coming; my very amateurish political analysis puts the inception at the end of the Civil War. Or, if one wants, 1776. Or 1620. Or 1492. Etc., etc. I think you get my meaning.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
There has been spring day warmth during the day all through the week, and we had a nightly expected low of 32 last night. Did we frost yet?
I tweak the heat to cut the morning chill, but the heating system is barely on. The house stays comfortable with the solar gain, so there is a micro-climate in the house that is comfortable, and is perhaps ideal.
Last night there was a good amount of improvisation and crossover of scales and keys. A lot of fun and inspiring.
My touch has softened a bit to sweeten my tone. My attack on the strings can get too much in your face when playing plugged in. The amp exaggerates things. I am pleased with my progress, but there is a long-long way to go.
I carried the grandson around the neighborhood yesterday while “Maggie” had a call. It aggravated the bursitis a little. He is not so small and might be approaching 40 pounds.
So far no results from the biopsy. Also my urologist will be away, so my follow up appointment will be more than a week away.
I caught the water department doing a soil sample by where there is an obvious sink hole up the block. Seems like the city is going to address replacing the sewers and other updates before the road gets replaced by Con Ed sometime next year. There is a delay because all the house hook-ups and meter conversions all have to be completed.
My mindset is leaning further towards austerity. Much of our purchases were used as DU suggested. Pretty much our furniture are all antiques. We intend on curbing our consumption, and pretty much we have what we need already on hand. No real hardship or sacrifice required, but a tightening of the belt is underway.
Our debt levels are low, and we want to keep it that way. Our 30 year mortgage is well under 3%, my student loan is at the record low of 2.125% (refinanced in July 2006) and will e paid off in full when I’m 69 in two years.
The most auster thing we can do is stay here in Peekskill. Moving, selling, and buying a new home has expenses. I don’t know if my plan for financial gain will work out. The future is known, but it still is unpredictable. If we stay in Peekskill I’m alright with that. It is “Maggie” and woman factor that strongly promotes the moving.
Of course I know who will be doing the heavy lifting. At this point I’m realistic and see moving and relocating is a very big deal. Don’t know if I have the energy and will to do it again. Also, kinda love our home. Gas is cheap, and Lake Minnowaska and the Catskills are not that far away.
I think I lost some fat. My torso looks trimmer, and my butt is not so chubby. Some of it might simply be water weight. My knickers that are well tailored for my body fit less snug. I’m not ripped yet though. I don’t want to get distracted again from biking like what happened this year. I’m hoping that Maggie enjoys her artistic solitude and becomes less maintenance.
If we more into a more rural local the isolation and privacy is very real. I know from experience, because of my living remotely in the Santa Fe National Forest 47 miles from civilization. While not as remote, still isolating. My eyes are wide open, but I don’t know if Maggie can cope with the solitude.
Cal
I tweak the heat to cut the morning chill, but the heating system is barely on. The house stays comfortable with the solar gain, so there is a micro-climate in the house that is comfortable, and is perhaps ideal.
Last night there was a good amount of improvisation and crossover of scales and keys. A lot of fun and inspiring.
My touch has softened a bit to sweeten my tone. My attack on the strings can get too much in your face when playing plugged in. The amp exaggerates things. I am pleased with my progress, but there is a long-long way to go.
I carried the grandson around the neighborhood yesterday while “Maggie” had a call. It aggravated the bursitis a little. He is not so small and might be approaching 40 pounds.
So far no results from the biopsy. Also my urologist will be away, so my follow up appointment will be more than a week away.
I caught the water department doing a soil sample by where there is an obvious sink hole up the block. Seems like the city is going to address replacing the sewers and other updates before the road gets replaced by Con Ed sometime next year. There is a delay because all the house hook-ups and meter conversions all have to be completed.
My mindset is leaning further towards austerity. Much of our purchases were used as DU suggested. Pretty much our furniture are all antiques. We intend on curbing our consumption, and pretty much we have what we need already on hand. No real hardship or sacrifice required, but a tightening of the belt is underway.
Our debt levels are low, and we want to keep it that way. Our 30 year mortgage is well under 3%, my student loan is at the record low of 2.125% (refinanced in July 2006) and will e paid off in full when I’m 69 in two years.
The most auster thing we can do is stay here in Peekskill. Moving, selling, and buying a new home has expenses. I don’t know if my plan for financial gain will work out. The future is known, but it still is unpredictable. If we stay in Peekskill I’m alright with that. It is “Maggie” and woman factor that strongly promotes the moving.
Of course I know who will be doing the heavy lifting. At this point I’m realistic and see moving and relocating is a very big deal. Don’t know if I have the energy and will to do it again. Also, kinda love our home. Gas is cheap, and Lake Minnowaska and the Catskills are not that far away.
I think I lost some fat. My torso looks trimmer, and my butt is not so chubby. Some of it might simply be water weight. My knickers that are well tailored for my body fit less snug. I’m not ripped yet though. I don’t want to get distracted again from biking like what happened this year. I’m hoping that Maggie enjoys her artistic solitude and becomes less maintenance.
If we more into a more rural local the isolation and privacy is very real. I know from experience, because of my living remotely in the Santa Fe National Forest 47 miles from civilization. While not as remote, still isolating. My eyes are wide open, but I don’t know if Maggie can cope with the solitude.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
We are going to Rockerfella Preserve to hike around on gardened carriage roads. 1,771 acres. To give you a scale Central Park is 800 acres, and just a bit larger than Blue Mountain Preserve. Blue Mountain Preserve combined with Peekskill’s Depew Park is around 1,700 acres in total and they butt against each other.
No biking. Horses are favored. Not a far drive and is north of Tarrytown.
So we are doing the exercise thing.
There are local State parks that are mucho big. By Carmel is one State Park that is 14K acres. No need to drive to the Catskills. We can stay local.
Bear Mountain does get crowded with NYC dwellers in the summer…
Cal
No biking. Horses are favored. Not a far drive and is north of Tarrytown.
So we are doing the exercise thing.
There are local State parks that are mucho big. By Carmel is one State Park that is 14K acres. No need to drive to the Catskills. We can stay local.
Bear Mountain does get crowded with NYC dwellers in the summer…
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Hiked for an hour 40 minutes. I’ll see if that was too much or too little with my bursitis. My guess is that the walk up and down hills did me more good than any harm. The tell will be when I lay down to sleep tonight.
Not as rugged as Blue Mountain Preserve, then again we are talking gravel roads in Rockefeller Preserve, and single track hiking trails in Blue Mountain.
The drought continues. The rain that was predicted Sunday a few days ago is no longer in the forecast. My butterfly bush is still flowering. I don’t think a frost happened yet.
Now “Maggie” thinks we should stay put. I was able to express the cost of selling a home, renting short-term, and then the expenses of buying a new home. Pretty much unless there was some huge financial gain, it was not worth the move to me.
She mentioned getting a “camp,” but I told her how much use do you expect, and then all the liabilities. There is a big chance it would not be practical and would go underutilized. For me not worth the effort.
Then I pointed out that I knew and experienced living remote and know about how rugged.life can be, and the sense of independence, but pretty much freedom does not come for free, and ultimately you become responsible for all your needs being met with little or no assistance.
I confronted her with being unsettled and uncertain. I was clear in a firm way and it did not turn into a fight. She did get defensive though. She did not like the word “unsettled” but then I expressed that pretty much she offers no clarity, and that’s why I use the word unsettled.
So I had mentioned using a propane space heater, and I did the full disclosure of the dangers, but now it has renewed interest. My idea of converting the garage into a carriage house with a deck garnered interest. She loves her shed as her private workspace, and now wants me to have the second level on the garage, her only interest is the 2d story deck that would be the entrance.
We agreed that a bathroom makes sense. Not too big a jump for me to add a darkroom. Hmmm. did my dream come true? How did this happen?
Today I plugged in the Cabronita Tele with a single TV Jones Gretch pickup in the bridge position. Yesterday this guitar disappointed me when plugged into the Vintage 47 VA-20 amp, but today it is awesome. The tone control is counter-intuitive, and when turned down it actually brightens the tone. The Cabronita ends up being a stellar guitar for me.
I’m a big fan of Jeff Beck. I loved that he played an early Fender Esquire back in the day with the Yardbirds. Pretty much a bright single bridge pickup is all he needed.
If you watch more modern videos of Jeff Beck’s play, he plays a Strat exclusively using only the bridge pickup. That is a very special talent. Not so easy to do.
So I had a good day. I am embracing austerity. Not so bad in my case. Seems like I will eventually do as Devil Dan suggested and build s studio in my back yard.
Moral of the story is a guy like me who has lived under oppressive conditions only has problems with uncertainty and lack of clarity, because I can creatively adapt and create solutions that are mighty clever.
My house even with the additional 400 square feet of living space would only add up to a total of 1900 square feet. The studio could also serve as a guest house. A wood stove would be nice. The view and privacy would be otherworldly, and pretty much one of the keys was the great healthcare system we enjoy that would be lacking further north.
Our hospital and medical offices are literally about 2-2 1/2 miles away. The big reveal that a move further north would not have such a big operating envelope before living remote and more rural would become a liability.
For me I know it would or could be great, and that I could adapt and endure making it great for me, but Maggie realizes her limitations and that for her the envelope would only be for a short time.
So in my boring life, today was actually a big day, and a good one for Calvin.
Cal
Not as rugged as Blue Mountain Preserve, then again we are talking gravel roads in Rockefeller Preserve, and single track hiking trails in Blue Mountain.
The drought continues. The rain that was predicted Sunday a few days ago is no longer in the forecast. My butterfly bush is still flowering. I don’t think a frost happened yet.
Now “Maggie” thinks we should stay put. I was able to express the cost of selling a home, renting short-term, and then the expenses of buying a new home. Pretty much unless there was some huge financial gain, it was not worth the move to me.
She mentioned getting a “camp,” but I told her how much use do you expect, and then all the liabilities. There is a big chance it would not be practical and would go underutilized. For me not worth the effort.
Then I pointed out that I knew and experienced living remote and know about how rugged.life can be, and the sense of independence, but pretty much freedom does not come for free, and ultimately you become responsible for all your needs being met with little or no assistance.
I confronted her with being unsettled and uncertain. I was clear in a firm way and it did not turn into a fight. She did get defensive though. She did not like the word “unsettled” but then I expressed that pretty much she offers no clarity, and that’s why I use the word unsettled.
So I had mentioned using a propane space heater, and I did the full disclosure of the dangers, but now it has renewed interest. My idea of converting the garage into a carriage house with a deck garnered interest. She loves her shed as her private workspace, and now wants me to have the second level on the garage, her only interest is the 2d story deck that would be the entrance.
We agreed that a bathroom makes sense. Not too big a jump for me to add a darkroom. Hmmm. did my dream come true? How did this happen?
Today I plugged in the Cabronita Tele with a single TV Jones Gretch pickup in the bridge position. Yesterday this guitar disappointed me when plugged into the Vintage 47 VA-20 amp, but today it is awesome. The tone control is counter-intuitive, and when turned down it actually brightens the tone. The Cabronita ends up being a stellar guitar for me.
I’m a big fan of Jeff Beck. I loved that he played an early Fender Esquire back in the day with the Yardbirds. Pretty much a bright single bridge pickup is all he needed.
If you watch more modern videos of Jeff Beck’s play, he plays a Strat exclusively using only the bridge pickup. That is a very special talent. Not so easy to do.
So I had a good day. I am embracing austerity. Not so bad in my case. Seems like I will eventually do as Devil Dan suggested and build s studio in my back yard.
Moral of the story is a guy like me who has lived under oppressive conditions only has problems with uncertainty and lack of clarity, because I can creatively adapt and create solutions that are mighty clever.
My house even with the additional 400 square feet of living space would only add up to a total of 1900 square feet. The studio could also serve as a guest house. A wood stove would be nice. The view and privacy would be otherworldly, and pretty much one of the keys was the great healthcare system we enjoy that would be lacking further north.
Our hospital and medical offices are literally about 2-2 1/2 miles away. The big reveal that a move further north would not have such a big operating envelope before living remote and more rural would become a liability.
For me I know it would or could be great, and that I could adapt and endure making it great for me, but Maggie realizes her limitations and that for her the envelope would only be for a short time.
So in my boring life, today was actually a big day, and a good one for Calvin.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
I might ask Devil Christian to make me up some building plans. A paid gig.
I need to figure out the costs. The money has to come from somewhere.
Glad I did not replace the roof yet on the garage since it will eventually get demo’ed anyways.
Moral of the story is don’t be in a rush, and it pays to be a lazy-slacker.
Now I’m excited about photography again… My dream come true.
The house is only 1500 square feet of living space, there is a two car garage, two off street parking spaces (driveway), a 400 square foot detached workspace that includes a full bathroom, along with a separate complete building lot.
This is in a city with sewers, natural gas, city water, and city services like snow plowing. Understand that on the street parking is prohibited starting soon until sometime in April.
Cal
I need to figure out the costs. The money has to come from somewhere.
Glad I did not replace the roof yet on the garage since it will eventually get demo’ed anyways.
Moral of the story is don’t be in a rush, and it pays to be a lazy-slacker.
Now I’m excited about photography again… My dream come true.
The house is only 1500 square feet of living space, there is a two car garage, two off street parking spaces (driveway), a 400 square foot detached workspace that includes a full bathroom, along with a separate complete building lot.
This is in a city with sewers, natural gas, city water, and city services like snow plowing. Understand that on the street parking is prohibited starting soon until sometime in April.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Kinda amusing how there was a “Maggie” reversal.
I’m glad.
Something definitely is happening in the guitar. The scales and keys are starting to blend and merge. I would not say it is music, but there are connections happening that are profoundly interesting.
The cold weather package on our Audi has heated leather seats. Kinda wonderful after a workout on the ride home. Pure comfort. Very soothing.
In the end both Maggie and I see the value added in staying in Peekskill. We got lucky.
Understand I would not build out the garage unless I have the cash in hand. Pretty much no debt.
I took notice that the Reverb site I monitor the owner of the store I know is a bass collector, and pretty much I see him selling off his collection and raising cash. Also a lot of consignments happening. It seems as if a credit crunch is happening.
Anyways I know this one Reverb vendor is a tiny sample, but the stuff he sells is of interest to me because of the vintage gear that is coming out of the closets. I really don’t know what is happening, but something is going on. Abundant selection… Some really rare and unusual vintage gear.
So now I have to place another string order, and this time it is for electric guitar sets.
Then I have a complete guitar to assemble that has been laying around for over 6 months. It is the 2 pickup Cabronita. The pickups are TV Jones “Classic” Filtertron replicas. The output is slightly lower than the Duotron I now love in the single pickup Cabronita that is a relic’s two-tone sunburst nitro finish.
Pretty much looks like a gently used 30-40 year old guitar with some weather checking and a mild amount of chipping in the finish. The 2 pickup Cabronita is a similarly aged white nitro finish.
I have to carve a nut, slot it, and level the frets before assembly, but I need strings.
I’m thinking of moving some of the vintage amps I have stored in the basement into my second story studio. I have 6 guitars, a bass, and two amps up there already. Pretty much I can make a wall of amps. Very cool.
I have enough gear to create a universe to live and embed myself in, so I will enjoy a comfortable austerity because I kinda have all that I need plus a selection…
Playing acoustic guitar is one instrument, but playing an electric guitar involves an amp, and when playing an electric guitar you are playing the guitar, and also playing the amp as an instrument. Pretty much you are playing in a way two instruments at the same time that interact. Basically I already am learning 3 instruments in a way.
So I could add a bass. Understand that I own 4 bases guitars. Two date back to 1980, one is a 79, and the oldest 1977. Similar to guitar but different.
So the potential here is great to kinda go crazy. No austerity here.
So it seems both Maggie and I have no problem living and using what we have. No need to consume or spend. Austerity is no problem.
I figure about 2/3rds of the American public will suffer hardship. There is a lot of anti-China vibe around, and again I have to be careful. Best to avoid some places… I see hate crimes happening because certain people will be emboldened. Sadly there is a long history here where Chinese are considered the enemy. Chinese Exclusion laws, heavily restricted immigration policy, lynchings, the Korean War…
I was not scared in the Great White North, but you never know… Don’t know If I’ll go to North Carolina again.
Cal
I’m glad.
Something definitely is happening in the guitar. The scales and keys are starting to blend and merge. I would not say it is music, but there are connections happening that are profoundly interesting.
The cold weather package on our Audi has heated leather seats. Kinda wonderful after a workout on the ride home. Pure comfort. Very soothing.
In the end both Maggie and I see the value added in staying in Peekskill. We got lucky.
Understand I would not build out the garage unless I have the cash in hand. Pretty much no debt.
I took notice that the Reverb site I monitor the owner of the store I know is a bass collector, and pretty much I see him selling off his collection and raising cash. Also a lot of consignments happening. It seems as if a credit crunch is happening.
Anyways I know this one Reverb vendor is a tiny sample, but the stuff he sells is of interest to me because of the vintage gear that is coming out of the closets. I really don’t know what is happening, but something is going on. Abundant selection… Some really rare and unusual vintage gear.
So now I have to place another string order, and this time it is for electric guitar sets.
Then I have a complete guitar to assemble that has been laying around for over 6 months. It is the 2 pickup Cabronita. The pickups are TV Jones “Classic” Filtertron replicas. The output is slightly lower than the Duotron I now love in the single pickup Cabronita that is a relic’s two-tone sunburst nitro finish.
Pretty much looks like a gently used 30-40 year old guitar with some weather checking and a mild amount of chipping in the finish. The 2 pickup Cabronita is a similarly aged white nitro finish.
I have to carve a nut, slot it, and level the frets before assembly, but I need strings.
I’m thinking of moving some of the vintage amps I have stored in the basement into my second story studio. I have 6 guitars, a bass, and two amps up there already. Pretty much I can make a wall of amps. Very cool.
I have enough gear to create a universe to live and embed myself in, so I will enjoy a comfortable austerity because I kinda have all that I need plus a selection…
Playing acoustic guitar is one instrument, but playing an electric guitar involves an amp, and when playing an electric guitar you are playing the guitar, and also playing the amp as an instrument. Pretty much you are playing in a way two instruments at the same time that interact. Basically I already am learning 3 instruments in a way.
So I could add a bass. Understand that I own 4 bases guitars. Two date back to 1980, one is a 79, and the oldest 1977. Similar to guitar but different.
So the potential here is great to kinda go crazy. No austerity here.
So it seems both Maggie and I have no problem living and using what we have. No need to consume or spend. Austerity is no problem.
I figure about 2/3rds of the American public will suffer hardship. There is a lot of anti-China vibe around, and again I have to be careful. Best to avoid some places… I see hate crimes happening because certain people will be emboldened. Sadly there is a long history here where Chinese are considered the enemy. Chinese Exclusion laws, heavily restricted immigration policy, lynchings, the Korean War…
I was not scared in the Great White North, but you never know… Don’t know If I’ll go to North Carolina again.
Cal
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Calzone
Gear Whore #1
The drought looks to continue at least another week. Possibly a frost maybe Tuesday, and the end of another extended growing season.
In the mornings I click up the heat to draw off the early morning chill. There are still leaves on the trees and fall is still incomplete.
It would of been sad selling and leaving this house. I’m glad that the idea of staying got fixed. Surely is the most economical. All the fruits of my labor endure.
Yesterday’s hike was not too much. Probably just right. There is a new study that suggests that walking up inclines burns more calories than running on level ground. Makes sense to me. Pretty much you have to use strength.
We are considering getting snow shoes to extend our hiking season, but then there is global warming…
I am noticing a slimming down in my torso, likely from cutting back on carbs and eating less. My butt is less chubby. In the past it was pretty easy to loose weight, but now that I’m older it seems not so quick. Then again I’m not as active…
I feel secure in my personal future, and continue to move forward.
Cal
In the mornings I click up the heat to draw off the early morning chill. There are still leaves on the trees and fall is still incomplete.
It would of been sad selling and leaving this house. I’m glad that the idea of staying got fixed. Surely is the most economical. All the fruits of my labor endure.
Yesterday’s hike was not too much. Probably just right. There is a new study that suggests that walking up inclines burns more calories than running on level ground. Makes sense to me. Pretty much you have to use strength.
We are considering getting snow shoes to extend our hiking season, but then there is global warming…
I am noticing a slimming down in my torso, likely from cutting back on carbs and eating less. My butt is less chubby. In the past it was pretty easy to loose weight, but now that I’m older it seems not so quick. Then again I’m not as active…
I feel secure in my personal future, and continue to move forward.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Bond yields already are seeing inflation in the future. Future Trump policies mean guaranteed inflation. This also means higher interest rates.
Pretty easy to see why the Banksters are keeping credit card rates high around 20% and why they are not cutting mortgage interest rates. They can borrow at the lower FED rate, and pretty much this just adds to their bottom line as profits.
Then some say that the FED made a mistake by lowering rates, and pretty much it was too early because the war on inflation was not won. The idea of high rates is to slow down the economy and slow down spending.
Effectively the rate cuts are stimulating the economy, but the interest rates on mortgages and credit cards have not made any adjustment. Pretty much a head fake.
The biggest concerns for me is the immigration policy which will create a labor shortage that will heavily effect agriculture and the construction industry. Cheap labor will get expensive, and guess who will pay in the end.
Over the past 4 years we already experienced a 25% increase in food prices. Those prices have not reset or gone down.
“Oh-well,” I say. Americans did not understand what they voted for.
Cal
Pretty easy to see why the Banksters are keeping credit card rates high around 20% and why they are not cutting mortgage interest rates. They can borrow at the lower FED rate, and pretty much this just adds to their bottom line as profits.
Then some say that the FED made a mistake by lowering rates, and pretty much it was too early because the war on inflation was not won. The idea of high rates is to slow down the economy and slow down spending.
Effectively the rate cuts are stimulating the economy, but the interest rates on mortgages and credit cards have not made any adjustment. Pretty much a head fake.
The biggest concerns for me is the immigration policy which will create a labor shortage that will heavily effect agriculture and the construction industry. Cheap labor will get expensive, and guess who will pay in the end.
Over the past 4 years we already experienced a 25% increase in food prices. Those prices have not reset or gone down.
“Oh-well,” I say. Americans did not understand what they voted for.
Cal
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Just ordered 15 sets of DR Pure Blues strings. These strings are nickel strings and they have that old school sound.
For those that use DR Strings, know that JustStrings.com is running a sale of 20% off DR Strings for the month of November. Shipping is free.
The full price is $8.99 a set, and I was a bit shocked by the price increase, but still I expect this. 20% is a substantial savings, so I’m thinking of doubling down, noting I can hoard, stockpile, save another 20%, and count on strings being more expensive in the future. It is an expendable commodity…
The timing is wonderful, I just used my last set last week. Lucky I didn’t rush. It pays to be a lazy-slacker sometimes…
I just saved $17.98 on an order that only cost me $107.88. It makes sense to double down or triple down before the month is over. These costs add up…
Another stroke of luck. Why when I order strings that my particular brand is on sale? Time to load up the truck before November is over. Not so different than buying say gold futures. I can speculate that with high probability that inflation will make this commodity rise.
Save money while you can at every opportunity.
Austerity=prosperity.
Living below your means is the only way to live.
Debt is the new slavery.
We are all indentured already by the government deficit.
A reminder and insult, in 2007-2008 Wall Street loses were “socialized.” We are all mortgaged whether your are a homeowner or not.
Cal
For those that use DR Strings, know that JustStrings.com is running a sale of 20% off DR Strings for the month of November. Shipping is free.
The full price is $8.99 a set, and I was a bit shocked by the price increase, but still I expect this. 20% is a substantial savings, so I’m thinking of doubling down, noting I can hoard, stockpile, save another 20%, and count on strings being more expensive in the future. It is an expendable commodity…
The timing is wonderful, I just used my last set last week. Lucky I didn’t rush. It pays to be a lazy-slacker sometimes…
I just saved $17.98 on an order that only cost me $107.88. It makes sense to double down or triple down before the month is over. These costs add up…
Another stroke of luck. Why when I order strings that my particular brand is on sale? Time to load up the truck before November is over. Not so different than buying say gold futures. I can speculate that with high probability that inflation will make this commodity rise.
Save money while you can at every opportunity.
Austerity=prosperity.
Living below your means is the only way to live.
Debt is the new slavery.
We are all indentured already by the government deficit.
A reminder and insult, in 2007-2008 Wall Street loses were “socialized.” We are all mortgaged whether your are a homeowner or not.
Cal
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