Porca Miseria

It happened that I discovered that I was taking 4 pills of Codex each day when the doctor indicated 2 per day. Codex is for lowering high blood pressure, and the double dose lowered it below 120/70. I wonder why I felt nothing. The conclusion is that I am getting old. Like everybody. No less nor more.

Approaching Bonanza

 

This is the SIGMA cannon made by Elbit. A whole factory was sold to an unnamed Asian country. A German delegation is coming to Israel to negotiate the purchase of anti-missile weapons. As the Ancient Greek philosophers said, war is the human condition. You can build a solid business on it. Personally, I do not like this industry but we need good weapons to survive in this region, and no one will sell us when urgently needed. Remember De Gaulle, refusing to deliver weapons already paid for in the middle of a war.  

P.S.: Elbit's shares are shedding 7% in TASE. I cannot fathom the reason.  Maybe Ukraine and Russia have reached some agreement. Maybe Germany decided to pass Israeli weapons and buy USA produce. 

Socratic Dialogue in the Senate

 Socrates used to harass Athenians shopping in the market with unanswerable questions like What is beauty? What is Good? In the confirmation hearing for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sen. Marsha Blackburn asked the Supreme Court nominee to define the word “woman.”

“I can’t — ” Jackson replied.

“You can’t?” Blackburn said.

“Not in this context. I’m not a biologist,” Jackson said.

“The meaning of the word woman is so unclear and controversial that you can’t give me a definition?” Blackburn asked. …

“The fact that you can’t give me a straight answer about something as fundamental as what a woman is, underscores the dangers of the kind of progressive education that we are hearing about,” Blackburn said, before turning to Thomas (a castrated male swimmer), who has been at the center of the debate over policies for transgender athletes.

Blackburn asked what message allowing Thomas to compete sends to “girls who aspire to compete and win in sports?”

“Senator, I’m not sure what message that sends. If you’re asking me about the legal issues related to it — those are topics that are being hotly discussed, as you say, and could come to the court,” Jackson said.

After studying the nominee's record and watching her performance this week, I cannot and will not support Judge Jackson for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court," Senator McConnell said from the Senate floor. 

Advances in Water Engineering

 

From the site of Autocad, there is a very interesting article on a WWTP (Toledo, USA). The whole plant has been designed with 3D Autocad, and the construction is based and followed by over-positioning the actual situation on reality. Later the physical operation can be compared with the pic on CCTV with the design. That is great for the manager, who can see from the "war-room" what is going on in the plant and record it and analyze it post-factum. On the other hand, the hours on Autocad work add to the cost of the project planning. 

My instinct is to find faults and disorders. Look at the trap-door in the middle of the central avenue, which in the design is open (right side)  - in reality (left) it is closed BUT creating an obstacle to free traffic in the avenue. The door is not painted to show a warning and it will certainly cause accidents. On the right side of the avenue, and on the floor (left side), there are many objects thrown in disorder, while on the design there are apparently storage cells with doors. Am I right that I see an operator sitting in the side and eating? Absolutely prohibited to eat in the sewage treatment area. 

Azriel Cannabis Farm

 

Yesterday finished the last stage of the Azriel moshav project, answering the 20 questions of the Health Ministry. It was 1 AM Sunday. Could not sleep till 0300 and now I am too tired to start something new. Most of the questions referred to imaginary menaces, such as using old pipes, crossing drinking water pipes with irrigation, or firefighting water pipes. Irrigation water - kolhim in Hebrew - is supposed to be of drinking quality. The settlement is named for Azriel Hildesheimer.

Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer (1820-1899) served as rabbi in Eisenstadt where he founded a pioneer Yeshiva, in which secular studies were integrated - “Torah with Derech Eretz”. In 1869 was appointed as Av Beit Din of Berlin, where he established his Rabbinical Beit Midrash. Led German Orthodox Jewry.

Mourning

 Police officials have made a request to the Israeli public to avoid driving to the Gush Dan region except those seeking to attend the funeral. "This is a national event, one of the biggest the State of Israel will experience," the police chief said. Rabbi Kanievsky, leader of the Lithuanian faction of the religious sector, has died of old age. 

Puerto Rico vs Aurelius

 

PR has outstanding bonds for 72 billion and has declared bankruptcy. Aurelius, a vulture fund son of Elliott the Father of all Vultures, bought some very depreciated bonds and now demand to be paid in full. The island is a dependency of the USA and the federal taxpayer will have to pay. The debts are the legacy of corrupt politicians of the past. 

The issue is that many municipalities and States like Connecticut and New Jersey have also sold bonds that cannot re-pay. Kostolanyi had an informant (spy)  in the Danish Government so he knew that they had decided to pay the debt - and then bought a big lot on credit very cheap. He made a fortune. That was before WWII. 

Vladimir Vladimirovich

 Watched BBC's film about Putin. Many interviews are very credible. He is (was?) the richest man in the world. He was advanced by Yeltzin because he protected his disgraced boss in Saint Petersburg. Loyalty, a most scarce quality (I don't have it), was rewarded. 

Creative Destruction

The fresh U.S. aid to Ukraine includes a longer-range anti-aircraft system, 800 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 9,000 anti-tank missiles, and 7,000 small arms along with 20 million rounds of ammunition. Previously the U.S. supply included 600 Stinger antiaircraft systems, 2,600 Javelin anti-armor systems, helicopters, and patrol boats, 200 machine guns, 200 grenade launchers, and 40 million rounds of small-arms ammunition.

What is the meaning of this? Wall Street is celebrating. America is playing the strategic encirclement game (Wei qi 围棋  = go) and that is driving crazy the Russians. Further dismantling Russia will increase Germany's security. Russia is resisting and is ready to throw in its nuclear weapons. 

The negotiations between America and Iran are stalling, which always favors the stronger party. It may be the American strategy vis-a-vis Iran.  China continues to build itself but is approaching some kind of Japanese stasis. The only active enemy of Israel is Lebanon's Hizballah. It seems to have been forgotten, but our people must be thinking hard about how to manage it. Am reading Kissinger's "On China". Photo: Russian and Japanese negotiating the end of the 1900 war.  

Hard Work

 I have completed planning the plumbing systems of an old cinema that is being re-built as a VIP gym. The cinema business is disappearing, people entertain themselves at home. The main problem is the large central space that will be reformatted into a multi-level studio. I had to include sewage pumps, which I try to avoid if possible. During this job, my blood pressure remained normal for my age.  

TASE mysteries

Idan Ofer - the owner of 45% of ICL - sold 1.5% to funds that were desperate for the stock. Idan said that the price was high (in fact the highest ever). Immediately, the stock's price sank 7%. Is there something he knows that he is ready to sell now when the perspective of the future rises is 100% certain?  Speculators certainly seem to think he is hiding some weakness.

I am watching Jen Psaki's press conference and am impressed. What a yegua!

Ruining Europe

Somebody on UNZ wrote that the Ukraine war is in fact the USA ruining Europe's economy. Now, Biden has decided to boycott Russian oil - that will cause even higher prices and a severe shock to Europe, possibly recession. Not good. 

P.D.: As Biden finished his speech (very nicely delivered) the NASDAQ changed its color and from deep red turned green. Wall Street knows that war in Europe is good for business. 

Russia warns of famine in Europe

From the Russian journal Kommersant (Google translation)

04.03.2022, 21:34 updated 22:57

Fertilizers do not go abroad

The Ministry of Industry and Trade advised chemical companies to stop exports

136K103 min....

Chemical companies, which have experienced export difficulties since the beginning of March due to the refusal of the largest container carriers to work with Russian cargo, received a recommendation from the government to suspend shipments abroad. The Ministry of Industry and Trade explained that this is due to the risks of logistical failures. At the same time, a decrease in shipments of fertilizers from Russia threatens the food security of many countries in the medium term.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade recommended that Russian chemical companies temporarily suspend the export of their products until the carriers resume regular work and provide guarantees for the full implementation of export deliveries of Russian fertilizers. The department noted that they take into account "the current situation with the work of foreign logistics operators and the risks associated with it." Chemical companies do not comment on the situation.

Sources of Kommersant in the market note that the recommendation of the Ministry of Industry and Trade is rather technical, since since the beginning of March it is still almost impossible to export fertilizers, in addition, there are risks of confiscation or non-payment of goods. We are talking about the fact that from March 1, three key sea carriers - shipping companies Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and CMA CGM - stopped accepting cargo from Russia and for Russia.

“Currently, a situation is emerging where, due to sabotage of deliveries by a number of foreign logistics companies, farmers in Europe and other countries cannot receive the contracted volumes of fertilizers,” the Ministry of Industry and Trade noted.

The cessation of exports from Russia creates obvious risks of crop failure and, as a result, food shortages for the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, South and Southeast Asia in the medium term. It is either extremely difficult or even impossible to replace Russian fertilizers.

Russia is one of the three leaders in the supply of fertilizers to the world market, exporting about 70% of its chemical products. At the same time, a number of global producers either significantly reduced or completely stopped the operation of their plants by the end of 2021 due to a sharp increase in prices for raw materials - gas. This significantly reduced global supply and increased demand for Russian products.

....Ms. Sakhnova recalls that Russia is the world's largest exporter of urea, ammonia, ammonium nitrate, complex fertilizers, the third largest exporter of potassium and the fourth largest exporter of phosphate fertilizers. In her opinion, given the limitation of exports from Russia, we can expect a further at least two-fold increase in world prices, which will lead to a significant increase in food inflation in the world. In 2021, the food price index calculated by the FAO increased by almost a third, the expert reminds.

Israel Mediating Between Russia and Ukraine

My Blood Pressure is normal and finished two projects, one already got paid and the other, as usual, has to be approved by a higher-level boss whose existence was unknown till the very moment they have to pay me. The Tel Aviv bourse finished lower, but I ended with a large profit. I am starting tomorrow to send money to pay my debt. Bennet is mediating in Russia - it is amazing how we Jews have climbed the world political-financial-social pyramid. I assisted in Course of Leadership and Peacemaking (Mediation) with Latin American participants, but I thought "What we know of peace mediation that we are training Latins?" It appears that I was underestimating our capabilities and international standing.   

America Prospering under Biden

 Democrat Biden's Presidency is going well. It is unexpected because I am seeing ignorant, unqualified people pushed to powerful positions, like the Vicepresident and the recent Supreme Court nominee. On American TV and news, I am seeing brutish faces and many diverse females debating with titans of industry and science. It is difficult for me to get used to the new American faces. The WASPs have abandoned visible positions and went underground. But it doesn't seem to import. 

Demand/Price Curve Failing

Brazil is worried that their stock of fertilizers is insufficient and their suppliers - Russia and Ukraine - are inoperative. The remaining exporters - Israel and Canada - should be enjoying the unsatisfied demand. But no, their share prices are falling.   

How does this work? 

Guide for the Perplexed

 

The graph left shows TASE 35 index along the trading day. No direction at all. No one knows if we are into the recession (petrol over 110 US$, inflation 7%) or the renewed Cold War will harm us. I have to pay a large debt and don't know if to sell or to wait a week. The weekend is on us and my mood is grey. Tehila and Noya are here, they ignore me.  

Putin's Mistake

Putin menaced Western Europe with nuclear weapons, and all the West fell in line.  Finland immediately asked for NATO protection and so many others. Commentary writes: 

Germany has abandoned pacifism. The German chancellor announced this weekend that his country would raise defense spending to two percent of GDP, scuttle the Nord Stream II pipeline, invest in liquid natural-gas terminals, and export lethal armaments to Ukraine. Sweden and Switzerland have abandoned neutrality. Bern will join the West’s sanctions regime, denying Russia a financial haven and an avenue to launder money, and Sweden is sending thousands of anti-tank weapons to the Ukrainian front. Passive actors like Denmark and Belgium are dispatching weapons and even irregular fighters to the frontlines. Putin-friendly figures like Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Turkey’s Recep Erdoğan have fallen in line with the West. The European Union is finally acting on its ambitions to serve as a defense force by shipping fighter aircraft across the Ukrainian border. And non-aligned states including Sweden, Finland, and Kosovo are making noises about seeking NATO membership.

History did not end, war-loving Nordics will not settle in their huts but keep looking for a fight.