So, a couple of the boys have been texting me: “Why the hell would Trump drop the Hormuz blockade bomb on a Sunday? It’ll send oil screaming past $120, maybe $130 if the algos really panic. Makes zero sense if you actually want cheaper barrels.” But it makes perfect sense. Beautiful, even. See, Tokyo and Hong Kong are already humming by the time the East Coast is still nursing its coffee. Those futures pits—Dow, S&P, the whole equity complex, plus Brent and WTI on the screens—never really sleep. You’ve got fourteen, fifteen hours of runway before the New York bell. Plenty of time for the right hands to lean in: long the indices in Hong Kong, short the crude in Tokyo, riding the fear wave as the blockade tweet lights up every terminal from Singapore to Sydney. Then, right on cue, before the U.S. opens, comes the pivot. Something about “there’s regime change in Tehran,” “we can do business,” “Talks were Good,” the usual art-of-the-deal baloney. Markets whip around like they’ve been Tasered. Oil gives back the spike, stocks rip higher. The boys in Asia unwind clean, pocket the spread. A few hundred million, maybe more, conjured out of thin air on the back of one perfectly timed Sunday morning post. Not bad for a morning’s work. The Street’s been running these kinds of games for decades: information, timing, leverage. Just never quite so… presidential!!

Worth a reposting...

Today, we unequivocally and unapologetically reaffirm, to the United States of America and to the World, the following undeniable and indisputable facts. We ask all Americans, including all elected officials from all Parties and all levels of Government, to join us by sharing and reposting this message for the World to see: 🇺🇸 Three years ago today, Vladimir Putin illegally invaded Ukraine without justification and without provocation.   🇺🇸 The United States of America stands for the Rule of Law, and respects and defends the borders and territorial sovereignty of all Freedom-Loving Nations.   🇺🇸 Ukraine is an independent, sovereign, and freedom-loving nation, and is an ally of the United States of America and the Free World.   🇺🇸 Vladimir Putin, through his illegal invasions, genocide, kidnapping, rape, torture and murder of innocent civilians, including women and children, is an enemy of the United States of America and the Free World.   🇺🇸 The United States of America stands with Democracies and opposes Dictatorships. 🇺🇸 Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the Legitimately Elected President of Ukraine through a free and fair election.   🇺🇸 Vladimir Putin is an Unelected Dictator who imprisons his political opponents and who has never held a free and fair election.   🇺🇸 The Ukrainian election has been delayed because Ukraine is under daily relentlessly bombings, over 200 per day, by Vladimir Putin, and Ukraine is in a State of 24/7 Martial Law.   🇺🇸 Ukraine will hold their elections as soon as Vladimir Putin stops his unprovoked, unjustified daily bombings inside Ukraine. 🇺🇸 If Putin is rewarded for his illegal invasion and genocide, this will serve as a green-light incentive to other Dictators, such as CCP Chairman Xi Jinping, to pursue their own conquests (i.e. Taiwan), which will lead to more instability across the Globe. 🇺🇸 Dictators like Vladimir Putin are the Adult Versions of the School Yard Bullies that we all confronted in Grade School. And they must be dealt with in the same exact way. There is Peace through Strength, and there is War through Weakness. There is no magical third option.   #PeaceThroughStrength

#ResistanceUnited Advertisement at a London bus stop… ya gotta love the British

«Students don't need a perfect teacher. Students need a happy teacher, who's gonna make them excited to come to school and grow a love for learning» — Richard Feynman

That just about explains it :)

Wouldn't it be fun to try to live in such a place? Just for a short period of your life, of course.....

The reality of occupation rather

Correct

Discussing the global macro challenges and business direction this year for @Forbes Five Critical Trends Impacting Enterprises In 2024 - Forbes - goo.gl/alerts/bd5Aev @ForbesTechCncl

Rational explanation as to why USA have turned so completely nuts over the past couple of decades. terikanefield.com/why-some-p…

There is a great irony in the fact that Ukraine is now fighting the enemies of the United States — Russia, Iran, and North Korea — but without the help of the United States.

What happens if our political leaders fail to support Ukraine and russia is successful? russia will have access to millions more for conscription. These people will have lived through the promises and betrayal of the west and it's ideas. They will be fresh with anger and at the same time expendable to moscow like their far east population. The countries who border Ukraine will also have witnessed it and russian supporters will be in full swing promoting those betrayals. With significantly smaller military capability (after massive per capita donations from baltic states) and anyway to rebutt theses arguments these countries will be very ripes for quick advances. The west will be exhausted militarily and credibility wise. Full swing production increases for western weapons will take time as our manufacturing is geared towards complex specialty manufacturing. The west will eventually pick back up but it will be very expensive monetarily and with lives. Many times more than if we act now. At the same time our ability to support any one else anywhere in the world will be non existent along with the credibility any of our past generations built. If anyone still thinks russia would just march to Lviv and then everything would go back to normal for everyone else they are ignorant, compromised, insane or all of the above. A lot of doom and gloom but that's the reality and politicians need to start acting like it because they can't walk back a lot of the damage their political theatre is causing.

I was reminded of a known psychological syndrome that explains what we see in today's Republican Party. It's the same thing that happened to Nazis. It happens sometimes in war, and it is common among the ruling class in most authoritarian regimes. 1/14

Very illustrativt, yes.

Vladimir Putin is a war criminal. Russia is a terrorist state. RT if you agree!

September 30. In Norway. Yeah, right.....

Must like the cityscape view from our hotel in Vilnius

We can do with one more reminder of what Russia is about...

They’re saying I sounded angry. I’m not angry. I’m really fucking angry.