Sunday, April 30, 2023

Interest rate and other pains


I am paying 7% on a bank loan. The highest ever, I think. 

The Taxman took money from my account, without giving me an advance notice. It depressed me and I am thinking of closing the shop and stop working. I never planned to work till age 77, but here I am and what else is to do? People volunteer, not me. Some spend time in the club, but I prefer to hoard money and help my hardworking daughters. Traveling - did enough for one and a half lives. Sex - remind me what it was about. 

Friday, April 28, 2023

Marine Littoral Regiment



Japan is re-arming.  Pic. American base at Futenma, Okinawa. 

Russia and China's aggressiveness has triggered a worldwide re-armament movement. Kissinger's Westphalian World Order is being shaken and a shooting war may be around the corner. 

 

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Counter-Demonstration

 

After eight weeks of leftist demonstrations, the right took over the public space. That's Jerusalem now.  

As always, I am undecided. For one, the self-elected Supreme Court protects effectively our international legality and democratic image. On the other hand, it tries to impose utopic humanitarian behavior on a community under daily, no, hourly terrorist attacks. 

German Girls are the Best

The Economist of today:

 In 1980 Israel's gdp per person was about half of Germany’s; now it is 12% higher.

Amazing! The Soviet Jews who were left out with a visa for Israel but choose Germany... lost. Leaving Judaism means surely declassing. I learned that in Argentina. 

In my adolescence, I used to spend whole days reading the latest Economist, missing out on classes, and not studying. 

What did I learn today? That the world is already in a recession cycle, as Ray Dalio's book says. I have bought his book but it is so large that it cannot be read in the bed but has to be rested on a table, like the Tanach, so I just skipped around.  

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Mi meshugah?


 Who is Psycho?

I am psycho.

Who is crazy?

I am crazy. I am a crazy golanchik.*

I want to be a fighter.

To fight the terrorists. 

And return home in peace

To the Brigade that is a dream.

Who is a crazy golanchik?

I am a crazy golanchik!

* Golani is an infantry brigade. 

Monday, April 24, 2023

Classic Bank Run


 Credit Suisse has revealed the scale of the bank run that triggered its state-backed rescue in March.

The Swiss banking giant said 61.2bn Swiss francs left the bank in the first three months of the year.


68.6 Billion US dollars. 


Switzerland's Foreign Currency reserves are about 800 - 1000 Billion US$.  The Swiss are very rich. They could have easily saved the bank.  But it was not worth saving. 

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Ohne Fleiss

 

No pain no gain. My first Austrian lesson. Wien 1956.

The Potash market is sinking.  Potash had a substantial price decline in recent months. Prices in Brazil dropped from $1,200/ton in April 2022 to just $600/ton in November 2022.

I speculated that with Ukraine and Russia busy in their war, K supply will fall and prices will go up. But the Canadians exploited the situation to win market share and are flooding the market with potash. 

I am losing a lot of money.