Four Bits of Advice

 1.  It's ok to work at Starbucks as a barista....making $10 to $15 an hour.  But you really don't want to make this a career and still be there in 20 years....making 10-to-20 percent more. 

2.  Just seems to be a lot of well-to-do folks (making $100k a year)....engaged in mortgage fraud.  You might to weigh the odds of a $50,000 fine or a couple of months in jail.

3. Maybe I'm wrong, but there's about to be a fair shortage of American truck-drivers, and logistical movement is going to be a issue for 6 to 12 months.

4. If you start seeing 200,000 migrants exit the US monthly....either willingly, or by ICE....apartment rentals are going to be noticed....but these are cheaper units that the average American won't desire to move into.

Phenomena Story

 I sat this afternoon....watching a interview with Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna.  Luna says....confirmed that they’ve received testimony and evidence pointing to non-human life forms, with possibly interdimensional phenomena (classified presentations).

I paused over this. To be honest....I was up to the level of accepting aliens (live, regular folks).

Then they've flipped this additional situation.....non-human aliens (like Borgs) into the situation.

On top of that...interdimensional  phenomena....meaning star-gate portals.

It entices me....if some portal were to open up and I  could go off to some star-gate world with Elvis Presley as President, Nancy Pelosi in jail, and McDonalds rib-sandwiches existing all year round...I'd probably step through and stay.

My Problem With Gov Newsom In The 2028 Presidential Election

 1. He seems goofy....like on some kind of tranquilizer-high energy drink combo.

2.  He  talks with his hands...ALOT.  Like some 3rd base coach for the Reds....signaling batters/runners.

3. There seems to be 10,000 problems in California, but he never seems  to be working on them.  

4.   He looks like a 50-year-old male model.

5.  Finally,  you really can't find any achievement of his...over the past 30-odd years...that he personally achieved.

(Note, he reminds me a lot of Barak Obama)

How a Currency Swap Works

Two countries meet, with their central  banks....drawing up a 'swap' deal....usually with a period of effort, and amount. 

At the start, the two parties exchange equivalent amounts of principal in different currencies, based on the prevailing spot exchange rate. For example, Party A might give $10,000 USD to Party B (Argentina), while Party B gives  14-million Arg-Pesos to Party A (assuming an exchange rate of 1 USD = 1,400 Pesos).

Yeah, if you were wondering.....1,400 Pesos to the dollar is pretty high rate. Back in 2022...it was around 400 Pesos to the dollar.

During the swap term, the parties exchange interest payments on the borrowed principal, each in the currency they received. These payments can be fixed or floating, depending on the agreement. 

At maturity?  At the end of the swap term, the parties re-exchange the original principal amounts at the same exchange rate agreed upon initially (or a pre-set rate). This ensures neither party is exposed to exchange rate risk on the principal at maturity.

Having reviewed US use since 1990.....there are NO failures. Of the 47 efforts....a couple were break-even cases....no losses, no profits.  But around 80-plus-percent were profitable. 

Three Things I'd Like To See Change In DC

1.  House-member or Senator....once you buy a house and indicate on the mortgage form that it's your primary residence....if it's outside your state, then that should be your last time to run from the home state.

2.  A special tax created....once you (Senator or House-member) reach $500,000 or more in stock profit/dividends for a year....a 50-percent tax occurs on the amount above $500k.

3.  Finally, in the month of October each year....you (Senator/House-member) have to walk from the Washington Monument to the capital in a 1-hour period, without help or guidance.  If you fail....your term ends on 1 January of the next year....no exception.

Books I Recommend Over 1920, Crash, And 1930s That Followed

The Day the Bubble Burst by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts (1979),basically cover the crash, lot of personal stories and financial analysis.

The Roaring Twenties and the Wall Street Crash by Richard M. Worth (2013), historical piece....covers the build-up in the 1920s, and the weeks after the crash.

The Stock Market Crash of 1929: The End of Prosperity by Brenda Lange (2007), more in-depth viewing of the crash, and recommend for people  with basic ideas of finance.

The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge by Calvin Coolidge (1929), Coolidge writes this from the position of  being there throughout the 1920s. Might be a hard book to find....unless you look for the E-book.

The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shlaes (2007), absolute go-to book over the era. Start with this one to understand the period.

Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel (1970), covers the 1930s, and  depression  effects.

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s by Frederick Lewis Allen (1931), covers strictly 1920s....up to the crash.

What Led To The 1929 Crash?

I asked Grok/AI what ten things lead to the 1929 crash, and it listed this:

Speculative Bubble in Stock Prices: Throughout the 1920s, stock prices soared as investors, fueled by optimism and easy credit, engaged in rampant speculation. Many stocks were overvalued, with price-to-earnings ratios far exceeding sustainable levels, creating a bubble ripe for bursting.

Excessive Use of Margin Debt: Investors heavily relied on margin loans, borrowing up to 90% of a stock’s value to purchase shares. This amplified gains during the boom but magnified losses when prices fell, as brokers issued margin calls, forcing investors to sell assets at depressed prices.

Overproduction in Industry and Agriculture: American industries and farms produced goods far beyond demand. Factories churned out consumer goods, and farmers expanded output, leading to surpluses, falling prices, and reduced profits, which weakened economic stability.

Unequal Distribution of Wealth: The 1920s saw extreme income inequality, with the top 1% owning a disproportionate share of wealth. Most Americans lacked sufficient purchasing power to sustain the economy’s growth, limiting demand for goods and services.

Weak Banking System: Many banks were undercapitalized and poorly regulated. They invested heavily in speculative ventures and extended risky loans. When depositors panicked after the crash, widespread bank failures wiped out savings and contracted credit.

Decline in International Trade: Post-World War I, European economies struggled, reducing demand for American exports. High U.S. tariffs, like the Fordney-McCumber Tariff of 1922, further stifled global trade, hurting export-dependent industries.

Overconfidence and Irrational Exuberance: The “Roaring Twenties” fostered a belief that prosperity was permanent. Investors, often inexperienced, poured money into the market without regard for fundamentals, ignoring warning signs of economic imbalances.

Lack of Government Oversight: The Federal Reserve and government failed to curb speculative excesses. Loose monetary policy in the mid-1920s fueled credit expansion, and there were no effective regulations to prevent risky financial practices.

Corporate Malfeasance and Fraud: Some companies manipulated financial statements to inflate stock prices, misleading investors. Investment trusts, a popular vehicle, often lacked transparency, hiding risky or worthless assets.

Trigger of Panic and Loss of Confidence: By late 1929, small declines in stock prices and economic indicators sparked fear. On October 24 (Black Thursday) and October 29 (Black Tuesday), massive sell-offs overwhelmed the market, as panicked investors dumped shares, collapsing prices and eroding public confidence.

I need to add this unique problem....as the banks 'tumbled'....the money on the books in the vaults....simply weren't there.  Over the years/decades...the  clerks and management had quietly 'robbed' what was supposed to be there.  So when some business came in for their pay-day, and usually removed $12,000 to pay the wages....banks quietly said $5,000 was the limit....this caused the rush where everyone felt banks were unsafe (they were...no doubt).  The Fed could have resolved some of this, but had no real guts.