March 31, 2022

Random thoughts on how people live in the 21st Century.

So in my home town... we have a shopping mall. Built around 20 years ago, it's one of those BIG beasts, an "outdoor mall", meaning there's a covered but outdoor walkway that strolls through the stores on the left or right.

Well...problem was, the next town over had a 50 year old mall in a more affluent area and they spent 100's of millions of $$ to upgrade it so OUR mall emptied out and is a ghost town.

Now they've agreed to modify the mall to build apartment buildings, creating a few hundred apartments positioned over and next to these walkways adjacent to mall stores. SO literally... you leave your apartment building, walk past a Gamestop, Victoria's Secret and walk into an AMC theater for a movie... then walk across the street to California Pizza Kitchen for a snack.

Look at a place like Austin, TX where they are building 1000's of new homes in the suburbs, straining infrastructure and the environment.

We need to start living small. Work where you live, shop where you live, be entertained where you live...

And how about tiny houses?

WHY can't cities and states take some of their own land (they have lots) and build MASSIVE tiny home communities lots with lakes, hiking trails and such things...

Make them nicer than mobile home parks... without the stigma.

And tiny homes are really the future...

Maybe 2500sf lots... and sell for like 25k.

And of course... I'm a big fan of large block style apartment buildings but they have the whole "the projects" stigma.

March 31, 2022

What do we KNOW about the Hunter Biden/Laptop thing?

On one side... the idiotic conspiracy theory side prattles on about nonsense and the other side says nothing to see here, walk past this.

As usual, reality is usually somewhere in the middle.

What FACTS do we have?

Has any FACTUAL source confirmed ANYTHING?

From NYT:

“People familiar with the investigation said prosecutors had examined emails between Mr. Biden, Mr. Archer and others about Burisma and other foreign business activity,” the Times writes. “Those emails were obtained by The New York Times from a cache of files that appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Mr. Biden in a Delaware repair shop. The email and others in the cache were authenticated by people familiar with them and with the investigation.”

I'm not going to swallow anything fed to me by Tucker Carlson OR Politicus...

What do we KNOW?

March 30, 2022

Inexplicably... the Ruble Rallies to near pre-war levels

Do we have a Sanctions plan B?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-28/ruble-rallies-to-strongest-in-a-month-paring-big-post-war-loss

The ruble is rebounding from the steep losses seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, signaling that capital controls may be easing pressure on the currency as officials seek to counter the impact of crippling international sanctions.

The currency extended gains on Monday, advancing for a sixth straight session to close at 89.75 per the U.S. dollar, the strongest since soon after the outbreak of the war late last month.

“Capital controls are designed to keep U.S. dollars in the country and also to restrict rubles from being converted into dollars,” he said. “If the ruble basically can’t be sold, that’s a policy that should support the ruble and be a way to stabilize the currency against intense selling pressure.”

March 30, 2022

No matter what happens in Ukraine... it's been a HUGE victory for Ukraine and the West.

Yes, it's probable that many won't like the final situation in Ukraine after the shooting stops... BUT

1) Russia is exposed as a paper tiger, albeit a nuclear armed one.

2) The EU and NATO stood tall as one

3) Russian soldiers are poorly trained and equipped.

4) The Russian "high end gear" either doesn't work or they're afraid to use it.

5) It's a lesson for Taiwan that a ferocious defense can stunt any attack.

6) Global financial interconnectivity is a weapon in itself to isolate bad actors.

7) The EU will wean itself from Russian gas/oil

8) President Biden stands out as the adult in the room who didn't get us into WW3.

9) The concept of "the free, arming those who are willing to fight" has been proven to work.

10) Ukraine will STILL be a Democracy, led by Zelenskyy when this is all over.

March 29, 2022

Day 34... the Ukraine War map

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/28/uk-says-russian-mercenaries-to-be-deployed-eastern-ukraine-liveblog

US official warns any Russian troop movement ‘not a withdrawal’

Any movement of Russian forces from around Kyiv would constitute a “redeployment, not a withdrawal”, a US official has said after Russia promised to scale down military operations near the Ukrainian capital.

“We believe any movement of Russian forces from around kyiv is a redeployment, not a withdrawal. And the world should be prepared for continued major offensives against other areas of Ukraine,” the official said, adding: “They are shifting gears … No one should mistake that for Russia ending the conflict.”

March 28, 2022

Hollywood has a long history of "Roast" comedy... Smith has a thin skin

In fact... Amy Schumer was even more brutal than Chris Rock...

She lit up DiCaprio hard... but he didn't walk up and assault her.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/oscars-live-oscars-hosts-savagely-roast-stars-during-ceremony/G6IBFXEZUGQCN7KJTDJKTKJALI/

Schumer on DiCaprio:

"He's done so much to fight climate change, and leave behind a cleaner, greener planet for his girlfriends. Because he's older? And they're younger? Get it?"

Schumer on Will Smith:

Referencing Will Smith and Jada's famously, ahem, "relaxed" relationship, she asked Will to join her and insisted, "Jada said she's OK with it," which left the couple squirming.

March 28, 2022

Reuters: Ukraine willing to be neutral, says Russia wants to split nation

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/rockets-strike-ukraines-lviv-biden-says-putin-cannot-remain-power-2022-03-27/


LVIV, Ukraine, March 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine is prepared to discuss adopting a neutral status as part of a peace deal with Russia but such a pact would have to be guaranteed by third parties and put to a referendum, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in remarks aired on Sunday.

Zelenskiy was speaking to Russian journalists in a 90 minute video call, an interview that Moscow authorities had pre-emptively warned Russian media to refrain from reporting. Zelenskiy spoke in Russian throughout, as he has done in previous speeches when targeting a Russian audience.

Zelenskiy said Russia's invasion had caused the destruction of Russian-speaking cities in Ukraine, with damage worse than the Russian wars in Chechnya.

March 25, 2022

"Heavily Regulated" Russian Stock Market rallies on first day open since war.

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/b254673a-6864-3325-840c-3bd8540950b9/russian-stock-market-rises.html

The Russian stock market, which has been closed since the end of February following the invasion of Ukraine, partially reopened on Thursday and rose as much as 12% before finishing with gains of about 4.4%.

The MOEX Russia Index traded just 33 stocks out of the index’s normal 50. The market was opened for only four hours, closing at 2 p.m. local time. Stocks such as energy giant Lukoil and Gazprom finished the session with gains.

Short-selling was banned, and Russian brokerages weren’t allowed to let foreign clients sell securities. With those measures put in place, a huge drop at the open wasn’t expected.

March 24, 2022

I'm incensed by "dealer mark up" on new cars. How about you?

We bought our first Toyota back in maybe... 2003? Then maybe around 2010 the local dealer was bought out by a new group.

When we were shopping for our 2012 Prius, every car on the lot had a small $1000-3000 dealer mark up added to the MSRP. Oh and they also were charging the $895 for "Paint Protection and Security Package" meaning another worthless markup.

Starting then, we travel 30 miles to another Toyota dealer where they sell at sticker price.

We've bought 3 more cars from that dealer since then.



And now... I've seen ridiculous mark-ups. Ford released their new crappy Bronco (check out the QC issues) and were asking up to 20k over sticker.

WHO pays over dealer price???

I mean, I guess I can understand if it's a 2023 Corvette Z06 or something... but for a Camry or a Tacoma?

March 24, 2022

Biden Says to Expect 'Real' Food Shortages Due to Ukraine War

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/biden-says-expect-real-food-175308088.html

Fucking wonderful.

9-11

Wars.

Beheading videos

COVID

Insurrection.

Then inflation and gas prices...

Now food shortages.

The 21st Century sucks.

Thanks Vlad!


"It’s going to be real,” Biden said at a news conference in Brussels. “The price of the sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia. It’s imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well.”

Ukraine and Russia are both major producers of wheat, in particular, and Kyiv’s government has already warned that the country’s planting and harvest have been severely disrupted by the war.