Yesterday, I was able to get out in the forest with the chainsaw and do a little work. What a joy that was. Turning out to be a one day wonder as it is raining this morning. The extended forecast is still calling for rain and snow. Maybe by summer we'll get some spring.
An interesting thing happened whilst I was working. I found an artifact and I can't say for certain what it is. At first sight it just looked like a pile of rocks but upon closer inspection it is apparent the rocks have been placed. My first thought was a fire ring but the rocks are about a foot away from the base of an old larch so that's not likely. Next I thought a burial site but again the larch. It's partially covered in snow still so I'll have to wait until the snow is completely gone and ponder on it's origin and purpose later.
I cut down a bunch of mountain maple. Mountain maple is a nuisance and grows like a weed here. It's not a maple tree but kind of a long legged clump. At the moment they are still without leaves but new shoots are starting to appear. When I first started working here I figured that the sound of the a chainsaw would send the wildlife running. Not so. For the deer it's like a dinner bell and they come running. Whilst I'm working they lurk just beyond me and when I quit for the day they move in. Yesterday about twenty mule deer moved in to feast on the tender shoots. Now that's the kind of synergy that lights my candle.
This morning I see Buffett's protege Sokol has resigned over the revelation that he purchased millions of dollars worth of shares of Lubrizol prior to recommending Buffett buy it which he did. Buffett comes out with the statement that Sokol did nothing illegal. He may not have done anything illegal but it sure as hell was immoral. And, if Sokol were a forthright person he would have disclosed that little fact up front at the time of recommending the company. The fact that he did not is a testament to his own opinion as to how right it was. And this guy was tapped to succeed Buffett? Good grief are there no honest business people left?
It was in the news this morning that Chicago has detected small amounts of radiation. Well, I guess some has flown over this cuckoos nest! I'm not particularly concerned about it as the amounts are said to be miniscule. What's more concerning are the implications. Nuclear plant accidents have far reaching effects. When it comes to nuclear we are truly a global village. What happens in one country can effect the globe when it comes to nuclear. Nuclear plants are not completely safe and never can be because they are built on an unstable foundations. The earth's crust is not stable. It's moving about all the time and I don't believe there is, or ever will be, engineering that can effectively guard against it. It's fool hardy hubris to beleive thate we can. I am so not for nuclear energy.
I read this morning that the US debt, including off balance sheet debt, is actaully $75 trillion. If true, and I believe it is, we are so screwed. Their is no concieveable way out of the mess the government and the Federal Reserve has gotten us into. Forget about Fukushima. We are going to be having a meltdown of our own before this is all over.
My personal philosophy is "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best". I find it's a very practical way to look at life. Those of you who want to hide behind rose colored glasses, well, lots of luck with that.
Showing posts with label warren buffett. Show all posts
Showing posts with label warren buffett. Show all posts
22 March 2011
No Spring in Northwest Montana
The snow just keeps on coming and according to the extended forecast there seems no end in sight. Very frustrating as I am chomping at the bit to get started working in my forest cutting up windfall and burning slash.
The Nikkei was up over 400 points following Buffett's proclamation yesterday. Always makes me wonder what comes first the chicken or the egg? Our own Dow was up triple digits. And, there was much chest thumping about being back over 12,000.
This is a pretty good little history of our empire. A Brief History of the United States. Ironically, I think success is an empire's ultimate doom. Empires grow and proper in the production phase of their life cycle but once people become "wealthy" they move into the consumption phase and it's all down hill from there. That's where the US is now. The only thing this country produces in quantity is dollars. Unfortunately, the rest of the world is becoming less than enamored with our currency and when it loses it's status as the world reserve currency, and it's well on it's way, our standard of living is going straight into the dumper. I wonder if one day people will wake up and realize that they sold their very souls for cheap trinkets from China?
Speaking of cheap trinkets form China .... they really aren't cheap. They just give the illusion. The quality is so crappy you have to keep buying the stuff over and over because it doesn't last. Oh, for the days when Americans made great, quality products. I have tools, kitchen utensils, furniture and a host of items that were American made 100 years ago and I still use them today. The junk you buy at Wal-Mart is lucky to make it a year.
I found this an interesting article. Maybe people are starting to catch on to the fact that there is no difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. It matters not the party, the politicians of both are nearly all self serving thieves. And we elect them, go figure! Tea Party will back Democrats challenging GOP big spenders in 2012. Also interesting, Montana's own Denny Rehberg is in their crosshairs.
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| March 22, 2011 |
The Nikkei was up over 400 points following Buffett's proclamation yesterday. Always makes me wonder what comes first the chicken or the egg? Our own Dow was up triple digits. And, there was much chest thumping about being back over 12,000.
This is a pretty good little history of our empire. A Brief History of the United States. Ironically, I think success is an empire's ultimate doom. Empires grow and proper in the production phase of their life cycle but once people become "wealthy" they move into the consumption phase and it's all down hill from there. That's where the US is now. The only thing this country produces in quantity is dollars. Unfortunately, the rest of the world is becoming less than enamored with our currency and when it loses it's status as the world reserve currency, and it's well on it's way, our standard of living is going straight into the dumper. I wonder if one day people will wake up and realize that they sold their very souls for cheap trinkets from China?
Speaking of cheap trinkets form China .... they really aren't cheap. They just give the illusion. The quality is so crappy you have to keep buying the stuff over and over because it doesn't last. Oh, for the days when Americans made great, quality products. I have tools, kitchen utensils, furniture and a host of items that were American made 100 years ago and I still use them today. The junk you buy at Wal-Mart is lucky to make it a year.
I found this an interesting article. Maybe people are starting to catch on to the fact that there is no difference between the Democratic and Republican parties. It matters not the party, the politicians of both are nearly all self serving thieves. And we elect them, go figure! Tea Party will back Democrats challenging GOP big spenders in 2012. Also interesting, Montana's own Denny Rehberg is in their crosshairs.
21 March 2011
Spring? Happy Days are Here Again?
Well, the calendar may say it's spring but I sure wouldn't know it by looking out the window or at the thermometer. It snowed all day Friday and it's snowing right now. The temp is 35. Must be global warming. I said global warming was a boondoggle from the start and nothing has happened to change my opinion. The whole thing is just another scam to scare people and part them from their hard earned cash. Like we need more of those types of things.
Over the weekend the UN started to bomb the heck out of Libya and there seemed to be some progress on getting Japan's nuclear reactors under control. This morning the Dow made a moon shoot on all the happy news. Well, there was some not so good news on the economic front but on one wants you to focus on those. Building permits came it at an historic low and this morning real estate sales were reported down nearly 10%. Oil, which dropped during the Japanese earthquake, is now soundly back above $100.
These markets are just insane. It's like watching a manic depressive or someone with ADD. One minute this is good next minute it's bad. It happens so fast that it's hard to keep up.
There is one thing that seems to just keep moving along and that's precious metals. When I got into them, in 1999, gold was around $300/oz. Today, it's trading above $1,400/oz. I told many of my friends and acquaintances that gold was the place to put your money. But, the dot-com craze was the gamble du jour and I was laughed at universally. It always amuses me how people cannot wait to take the advice of so-called experts, all of whom have a vested interest in your taking that advice. And, when someone with absolutely nothing to gain tries to advise a little common sense they are shunned. There is an old saying "The more things change, the more they remain the same." One thing that never seems to change is peoples endless desire to be led down the primrose path.
The "Oracle of Omaha" came out and said Japan is a buy. So, I guess everyone will be buying the Nikkei. I use to have a lot of respect for Warren Buffett but that was before the media and the public decided to deify him. If you think Buffett gives a fig about you and your wealth think again. What he cares about is his shareholders and Bershire Hathaway. He talks his own book. He is well aware of the impact of his public proclamations.
Now I hear there is a new comet, Elenin, headed our way this fall and it's supposed to be a bad omen, as if we need more bad omens especially in the fall.
The "big" moon yesterday was quite something to see. They say it won't be that large again until 2029. It was much more extraordinary in person.
Things are changing and they are changing faster than most realize. I think within two years life as we have known it is going to be changed forever. How do I know? The same way I knew gold was a great investment back in 1999.
Over the weekend the UN started to bomb the heck out of Libya and there seemed to be some progress on getting Japan's nuclear reactors under control. This morning the Dow made a moon shoot on all the happy news. Well, there was some not so good news on the economic front but on one wants you to focus on those. Building permits came it at an historic low and this morning real estate sales were reported down nearly 10%. Oil, which dropped during the Japanese earthquake, is now soundly back above $100.
These markets are just insane. It's like watching a manic depressive or someone with ADD. One minute this is good next minute it's bad. It happens so fast that it's hard to keep up.
There is one thing that seems to just keep moving along and that's precious metals. When I got into them, in 1999, gold was around $300/oz. Today, it's trading above $1,400/oz. I told many of my friends and acquaintances that gold was the place to put your money. But, the dot-com craze was the gamble du jour and I was laughed at universally. It always amuses me how people cannot wait to take the advice of so-called experts, all of whom have a vested interest in your taking that advice. And, when someone with absolutely nothing to gain tries to advise a little common sense they are shunned. There is an old saying "The more things change, the more they remain the same." One thing that never seems to change is peoples endless desire to be led down the primrose path.
The "Oracle of Omaha" came out and said Japan is a buy. So, I guess everyone will be buying the Nikkei. I use to have a lot of respect for Warren Buffett but that was before the media and the public decided to deify him. If you think Buffett gives a fig about you and your wealth think again. What he cares about is his shareholders and Bershire Hathaway. He talks his own book. He is well aware of the impact of his public proclamations.
Now I hear there is a new comet, Elenin, headed our way this fall and it's supposed to be a bad omen, as if we need more bad omens especially in the fall.
The "big" moon yesterday was quite something to see. They say it won't be that large again until 2029. It was much more extraordinary in person.
Things are changing and they are changing faster than most realize. I think within two years life as we have known it is going to be changed forever. How do I know? The same way I knew gold was a great investment back in 1999.
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