Lucky Strike

Stock market news live updates: Stocks slide to end April with steep losses, S&P 500 drops 8.8% in the worst month since March 2020

I spent the last two months selling stock to help my daughter R to buy a large apartment in Hod Hasharon. This Friday I finished transferring her the sum agreed upon, and voila, immediately, the NASDAQ and the S&P fell precipitously. That's luck. Apartment prices in Israel, especially in the center, are astronomical. One million dollars is the average. The price of the same 50 km from Tel Aviv is only half or a third. I hope to be rewarded with another beautiful grandkid. 

 

The Lauder Yavne Kindergarten - Budapest 2022

 

End of "semester". The next Hungarian Jewish generation. 

So few...

Shanghai in Quarantine

Shanghai has been closed for two weeks and now the panic of the Coronavirus has spread to Beijing, which is being half-closed down.  That and the cherem of Rusia will cause a world recession. 

I had a bad three-day illness caused by Pesach food and a grandkid's panic attack. And the Russian Standard. Once stopped, it is most difficult to re-establish my working routine.  

Russia Mentioning Nuclear Weapons

 
Western arming of Ukraine is worrying Russia and they are AGAIN (*) mentioning the fact that they have nuclear weapons and are ready to use them. This is a serious development. If they do, NATO may also use its weapons and we will have a third world war. Once broken the nuclear virginity, the world becomes a frightening balagan. And that will lift the barrier to everybody using nuclear arms. The Germans are terrified and should be.

(*) Moments before Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his attack on Ukraine, he shot a stern warning to the rest of the world. Any country that interfered, he said, would, quote, "face consequences greater than any you have faced in history." He also bragged about Russia's nuclear arsenal and, several days later, Russia's deterrent forces, including nuclear weapons, on high alert.

20,000 new immigrants arrived in Israel, mostly women and children. The Bennet Coalition is falling apart, as was predicted.  

Chinese sage meets Jewish Uberchochem

 I am re-reading Henry Kissinger's book "On China". He was back from Beijing and reporting to President Geral Ford (pic) about his high-level conversations with Mao Tse-tung. Mao was then 82 y.o., sick, semi-senile, and with speaking difficulties. He asked Kissinger "Do you have something to make my speech clear?"  Since Mao spoke in metaphors and allusions, Kissinger reported that Mao was interested in American assistance to inform the world about China's peaceful intentions. The rather simple-minded Omaha-born, Eagle Scout Gerald Ford was probably left wondering about Chinese subtlety and Jewish Talmudism.

Another conversation with Mao:

Chairman Mao: Your Secretary of State has been interfering in my internal affairs. 

President Ford: Tell me about it. 

Chairman Mao: He does not allow me to go and meet God. He even tells me to disobey the order that God has given to me. God has sent me an invitation, yet he (Secretary Kissinger) says, don't go. 

Secretary Kissinger: That would be too powerful a combination if he went there. 

Chairman Mao: He is an atheist (Secretary Kissinger). He is opposed to God. And he is also undermining my relations with God. He is a very ferocious man and I have no other recourse than to obey his orders.

Secretary Kissinger: We are very glad. 

Chairman Mao: Yes indeed. I have no other way out, no way at all. He gave an order (Secretary Kissinger). 

President Ford: To God? 

Chairman Mao: No, to me. 

When the meeting broke up, Mao repeated his beloved little joke:

Secretary Kissinger said that he was glad that the Chairman obeyed his orders, i.e. not to go to heaven. President Ford said that he hoped to straighten the Secretary out so that the Chairman could go to heaven, but he and the Secretary added that they hoped that this would not be soon. Chairman Mao indicated that he could not go since he was under orders from the Secretary. Secretary Kissinger said that he would maintain those orders. 

The Goy did not imagine that the Chinese have Heaven (Tian) but no Hell, so he  "straightened" Kissinger allowing Mao to die soon. While Kissinger understood perfectly and tried to play along with the Chairman. Ford famously was so dumb that he "could not chew Bazooka and walk down on the staircase at the same time". 

Quinquennial Plan

The seven-year project was completed a year ago and its objectives were achieved. The last and current year my life goes on by inertia. The sciatica attack has been left behind, and a stronger medication has normalized my blood pressure before my kidneys and eyesight could be harmed. In summary, probably I'll not die in the near future and I need to formulate a five-year plan пятилетний план. 

I am starting to think about the goals.   

Tiangong

China has built a space station that has been offered for use to all humanity.  China also has a vehicle exploring the dark side of the Moon and another one on Mars. It is a very impressive technological achievement. As the European nations are sinking into ugly, murderous wars, China soon may become the ONLY country exploring the universe. 

The Russian Mir space station was launched fifty years ago and the International Space Station is three times larger than the Tiangong (Celestial Palace), but China is coming ahead very fast. As the International Space Station will retire after 2024, the Tiangong is likely to become the only operational space station in the world. Bai Linhou, the deputy chief designer of China's space station, said that China's space station is an inclusive one and has been designed in a way that foreign astronauts can adapt. 

Mearsheimer says that this war may last for years...

 ...because this time America and its NATO allies are deeply involved and failing will embarrass them. America is supplying very sophisticated weapons and will fight "to the last of the Ukrainians" (sic).  Putin cannot stop now, the Americans will not stop and the Ukrainians don't have the agency to stop. M. says that the one winner of this war is China. Russia, India, and the USA are on the same side of the ledger, and they should be working laser-like on containing China. The current situation is bizarre and foolish. 

Youngest daughter engaged

Done! 

Kabul as the future

 The Palestinian Arab village of Kabul (peat in Hebrew) in Galilee has a fertility rate of 1.6 that is, its population is shrinking. The Jewish population in Israel is out reproducing the Arab minority. We are winning the population war. The future is ours. 

Arrested in possession of goats

Two Jews have been arrested today in possession of goats in Jerusalem. They are suspected of intending to enact the ritual of sacrifice on the site of the Temple. 

Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering,  but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel. 

Dystopia in Shanghai

Residents in Shanghai are forbidden to walk out of their apartments now for a full week. They are desperate and hungry. The Government's policy of zero coronavirus in the environment is very hard on the population and they are shouting from the windows. 

New Style and Ceremony

 

Prior to the IDF's operation to repair damage to Joseph's Tomb Wednesday morning, Samaria Brigadier General Roi Zweig addressed his troops. "Today we are embarking on an operation to repair the destruction of Joseph's Tomb. This is where the Land of Israel was promised to our forefather Abraham and we will act with a heavy hand, not as thieves in the night, but as sons of kings."

The pic shows the ceremony of transference of the command of the military forces in Samaria to Brig. Gen. Roee Zweig. I have never seen that kind of standard, it must be an innovation. Roman legions had "Eagles", why not Zahal? 

Hungary's Population Policy has Failed

 

Hungary's right-wing government is following a strong pro-population growth policy, paying for marriages and births and offering long paid vacations to couples with babies. The country has been papered with patriotic pro-child propaganda. It is not working. Last January saw only 6600 births, which is the lowest ever, 10% lower than a year ago and 20% lower than two years ago. The nation is losing almost 1% of its population each year.

It could be that safety and comfort inhibit the animal instinct to reproduce, and that insecurity, misery, and famine stimulate reproduction. Humans can thrive only when challenged by existential dangers. Peace and prosperity mean extinction. 

Sinay

My daughter is touring the Sinay Peninsula. This is the Santa Katherina monastery, it has not changed a bit since I visited with an Egged Tour Bus in 1977 or so. 
 

Fire in Emmanuel Industrial Zone

Emmanuel is one of the less developed settlements in Samaria. When I visited it (wanted to be its part-time City Engineer) they had a big problem with the industrial zone. The place was far from the city (which at that time was a dumping place for religious trash) and far from Arab villages that could supply manpower. Only problematic, dirty industries had moved into it. In the pic. I see that in the last ten years the zone has developed over my expectations. 

Good Thinking about Real Estate

 (NYSE: BRK-A) shares reached $500,000 last month, and have stayed above that level since. If there’s one thing that’s made Buffett one of the most successful investors in history, it’s his commitment to his strategy.

A countless number of new investment techniques and algorithms have come and gone over the years, but Buffett has maintained his fairly simple strategy of picking solid companies and focusing on long-term growth while somehow ignoring the noise that sends most investors into a panic.

It may seem odd that somebody with such a disciplined long-term approach to investing has no interest in purchasing real estate, especially since it's what vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Charles Munger used to build his fortune.

There’s a Difference Between Buying Real Estate and Investing in Real Estate

Buffett isn’t opposed to investing in real estate and has invested in several real estate investment trusts (REITs) over the years. However, he knows it makes little sense to get into the business of being a landlord.

Buying and managing real estate is more of a business than it is an investment, and Buffett knows that his time is better spent choosing companies to invest in than it is running a real estate business.

Real estate is a tough business and one that often needs to be scaled to comprise several properties in order to build significant wealth. Many individual investors get into real estate with the misconception that it’s a passive investment, and most eventually exit those properties once realizing what they’ve actually gotten into.

Temper Tantrums in the Coalition

 The reason for the sudden departure of Silman from the Coalition was the issue of hametz. Pesach is coming, when religious Jews eat unleavened bread in remembrance of the Hebrew escaping from Egyptian servitude, some 4000 years ago. Traditionally, bringing bread and cakes to the hospitals is forbidden during this week, respecting the sentiments of the religious. Horowitz (she? he? they?) insisted on eliminating this tradition, which caused the explosion with religious Ms. Silman. 

I am for the continuation of the status quo, since at last, after years of paralysis, we have a functioning government, and the partnership with the Islamic Movement is working nicely. This proves that Arab parties can be bought, their ferocious declarations against the Jews are a bargaining strategy to increase their price. The government is falling apart because of infantile, imbecile temper tantrums of the ultra-liberal toddlers of the left. 

The Coalition is Unraveling

 

The President of the governing Coalition resigned and joined the opposition. She could not suffer the Minister of Health, Nitzan Horowitz (an open homosexual and a moiser of the international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands.). The Right is jubilant. Pic.: Ben Gvir, a Kahanist, is speaking at this moment.  This is a night of hope, he says, HaShem is with us. 

Why there is no Russian Liberation propaganda?

A Chinese commenter (accessible for me thanks to google translate) says that "the continuous annihilation videos, combined with the rare Ukrainian military drone results, have greatly encouraged the fighting morale of Ukrainian nationalists, and indirectly affected NATO's determination to intervene. It can be said that the Russian propaganda system, especially its military propaganda system, disappeared in the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict, just like the chasing and fighting drones."

The commenter quotes Mao: "The main task of the Army is to make propaganda". This is from Szu Tsu, who said the best is to win the war without having to fight a battle. 

In my opinion, the Russian Army should have presented itself as liberating a brotherly people, oppressed by the Nazi regime. It should have been a liberation battle, with pics of schoolgirls receiving Russian tanks with flowers and bread and salt. Maybe that line would have been impossible given the Ukrainian people's virulent hate toward the Russians.  

The Chinese also said that Russian heavy-armed columns are programmed to advance 50 km a day, but advanced more than 100 km so they had to abandon much heavy equipment such as tanks, etc. which were "captured" and shown on the media as Russian defeat. BTW who killed civilians in Bucha (North Kyiv)? It was the Muslim Chechen National Guard, somebody allowed them to enter and raid Ukraine.  

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday, dragged down by losses in tech, as investors weighed remarks by Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard that indicated policymakers were ready to act more aggressively to rein in inflation. Investors also braced for the likelihood of new sanctions on Russia by the European Union.

Sermonizing the Barbarians

 I am reading the history of the Opium Wars. Selling opium had been prohibited in the Chinese Empire since the 17th Century. The British merchants were introducing contraband while corrupting the functionaries in Canton.  The Chinese Emperor sent a very polite letter to the English Queen protesting the actions of her subjects. Something like: " Imagine that foreigners come to your country to sell contraband, isn't that objectionable? The stink rises to Heaven, distressing the spirits."  The whole argument of the Celestial Emperor was formulated in moral terms, trying to shame the British.

Today, the Chinese government says: "Western politicians often talk about how literature and art transcend borders, and the same goes for music. They also say “private property is inviolable.” So, what have these writers and musicians done wrong? Meanwhile, the private property of so many Russians has been frozen or confiscated. Let’s hope that Western politicians will reflect on these principles..."

Hahaha! "Let's hope they will reflect on these principles..." That's good!  Of course, the Chinese were not naive then or now. They know that Western Barbarians are shameless and unshameable pirates, but they try and try again to teach them Confucian ethics and seize a lofty moral position.  

How the economy works

The real interest rate in the USA today is -4%. Meaning that if I buy land on credit, it will cost less than the nominal price today. Who is subsidizing me? The Fed i.e. the Government, that is society. Why? They want to stimulate activity, commerce, and investment. In fact, by incentivizing anything I want to do, they are "forcing" me to do things, to be active in the economy. By doing, I'll pay taxes, I'll create jobs, I'll invent new products. Just by buying land, I create turnover and pay taxes, which probably compensate for the subsidy I am receiving.  High-interest rates freeze economic activity. It all devolves to the physical health and intelligence of the human population "doing" the economy. 

The corollary is that society pays me to own a house for free because ownership is a burden. Counterintuitive. Thinking it over, I know lots of people who rejected or let go of promotions or leading positions (including myself, more than once). There are many abandoned houses in Argentina and here too. In my time, Paraguay gave 5000 hectares of land in the Chaco to anyone promising to fence it and live there for five years. No one I know of took up the offer.