I trade European gas for a large energy player. As you probably know gas prices have roofed. Fortunately, so far, the winter has been relatively warm and Chinese demand for LNG has been weak, so more ships are arriving here. But if it gets cold or Asian demand picks up again, then there is a real chance that we run out of gas, I.e. storages empty. In addition when prices spike, companies which have sold their gas in the futures market to hedge get insane margin calls which cause cash liquidity problems, while retailers who haven’t bought enough go bankrupt because end users are on a price cap… it could get horribly ugly and the under supply is structural
Dear Bill, I applaud you to draw attention to the "real" things in live, in our existence. It's all about "making" money — but what about creating real value, contents? I am highly alarmed about the explosive development of imagined worlds which have nothing to do with hard and direct reality, where you face very physical hunger, pain, disability etc. Are we driving — or being driven — to the opium dens of a by-gone era where drug induced dreams gave their victims some temporary reprieve from their sad existence? Just imagine — God beware — our young solders facing a heavy combat situation where no metaverse can help, as desperately as they would try?
Bill, I think people are waking up to the facts and are choosing not to want to play by the rules of the work world and government.I think in order to put the U.S. back to work,we need more profit sharing companies in the U.S. of A.,where workers can be proud of what they make and proud of owning part of the company.Its risky,and no Union benefits for the most part,and no bonus checks if there is no profit.But these companies are successfull because the workers have a voice and are part of someting bigger than themselves.Lazy workers need not apply..Also cell phone use is only tolerated at breaks.Scott
Sat here in Dubai waiting for the building contractors to arrive at 8.30am to renovate our apartment on the Palm I can heartily agree. It's the speeding Kazah Bitcoiners in their Ferraris and the non-stop party yachts at night that bug me. Still this has been the same story since Conealius Vanderbilt made his fortune on Wall Street as the Railway King. Just look for the next train arriving. I did not take Joel's tip on Bitcoin a decade ago but have an ear for whatever he might suggest next time...
I’m still wondering about Bill’s concept of keeping a “safe distance” as this drama unfolds. If Dr David Martin is right about the unholy alliance between the federal government’s ability to place debt upon the taxpayer and the insurance/union/pension/social security’s ability to make promises it never intended to keep, knit together by this little ruse called the Federal Reserve.... then what we are witnessing (supply chain disruptions/helicopter money, ZIRP/the great quit/the US and UK’s curious desire for a Russian/Ukrainian war, $30 trillion of debt, the black hole of the derivatives market, etc etc) is a host of connected marbles indeed. But to what end? Is this still a slow motion train wreck with hours and hours of film yet to go? Or, have we found the wall??
The tangled web woven by incompetent leadership and narcissistic money players will not crash overnight. All those involved will keep throwing duct tape and baling wire at it until it collapses under it's own weight. In the meantime, 80% of the public will blithely go about their business until they run out of snack food. Then the fit will hit the shan. Take cover.
One thing doesn't make sense to me, perhaps some clarification is in order; if the percentage of workforce nonparticipants as retirees is going up, does that show a trend of either a: an aging population (i.e. baby boomers coming of age), or b: more workers taking early retirement? Or could it be both? And what of the confusing jobs report, that unemployment went up at the same time that 3 times as many new jobs were created (according to a recent NYT article)? Can you please dig down a little deeper into these numbers and statistics? We all know about supply chain issues; stories abound of worker shortages and vaccine firings; is this all just a perfect storm? Aren't more people opening new businesses than ever before (I just opened a new biz last year)! Smoke and mirrors, or is there truly a connection between any or all of these things?
I trade European gas for a large energy player. As you probably know gas prices have roofed. Fortunately, so far, the winter has been relatively warm and Chinese demand for LNG has been weak, so more ships are arriving here. But if it gets cold or Asian demand picks up again, then there is a real chance that we run out of gas, I.e. storages empty. In addition when prices spike, companies which have sold their gas in the futures market to hedge get insane margin calls which cause cash liquidity problems, while retailers who haven’t bought enough go bankrupt because end users are on a price cap… it could get horribly ugly and the under supply is structural
Dear Bill, I applaud you to draw attention to the "real" things in live, in our existence. It's all about "making" money — but what about creating real value, contents? I am highly alarmed about the explosive development of imagined worlds which have nothing to do with hard and direct reality, where you face very physical hunger, pain, disability etc. Are we driving — or being driven — to the opium dens of a by-gone era where drug induced dreams gave their victims some temporary reprieve from their sad existence? Just imagine — God beware — our young solders facing a heavy combat situation where no metaverse can help, as desperately as they would try?
Folks, wake up and get real!— Garyhard
Bill, I think people are waking up to the facts and are choosing not to want to play by the rules of the work world and government.I think in order to put the U.S. back to work,we need more profit sharing companies in the U.S. of A.,where workers can be proud of what they make and proud of owning part of the company.Its risky,and no Union benefits for the most part,and no bonus checks if there is no profit.But these companies are successfull because the workers have a voice and are part of someting bigger than themselves.Lazy workers need not apply..Also cell phone use is only tolerated at breaks.Scott
I gave up my job at the helium factory after only one day. I just didn't like the way they spoke to me.
I took me a New York second to figure out what you just said. And, yes . . . I laughed my ass off.
Sat here in Dubai waiting for the building contractors to arrive at 8.30am to renovate our apartment on the Palm I can heartily agree. It's the speeding Kazah Bitcoiners in their Ferraris and the non-stop party yachts at night that bug me. Still this has been the same story since Conealius Vanderbilt made his fortune on Wall Street as the Railway King. Just look for the next train arriving. I did not take Joel's tip on Bitcoin a decade ago but have an ear for whatever he might suggest next time...
Great stuff . . .
I’m still wondering about Bill’s concept of keeping a “safe distance” as this drama unfolds. If Dr David Martin is right about the unholy alliance between the federal government’s ability to place debt upon the taxpayer and the insurance/union/pension/social security’s ability to make promises it never intended to keep, knit together by this little ruse called the Federal Reserve.... then what we are witnessing (supply chain disruptions/helicopter money, ZIRP/the great quit/the US and UK’s curious desire for a Russian/Ukrainian war, $30 trillion of debt, the black hole of the derivatives market, etc etc) is a host of connected marbles indeed. But to what end? Is this still a slow motion train wreck with hours and hours of film yet to go? Or, have we found the wall??
The tangled web woven by incompetent leadership and narcissistic money players will not crash overnight. All those involved will keep throwing duct tape and baling wire at it until it collapses under it's own weight. In the meantime, 80% of the public will blithely go about their business until they run out of snack food. Then the fit will hit the shan. Take cover.
Well said.
One thing doesn't make sense to me, perhaps some clarification is in order; if the percentage of workforce nonparticipants as retirees is going up, does that show a trend of either a: an aging population (i.e. baby boomers coming of age), or b: more workers taking early retirement? Or could it be both? And what of the confusing jobs report, that unemployment went up at the same time that 3 times as many new jobs were created (according to a recent NYT article)? Can you please dig down a little deeper into these numbers and statistics? We all know about supply chain issues; stories abound of worker shortages and vaccine firings; is this all just a perfect storm? Aren't more people opening new businesses than ever before (I just opened a new biz last year)! Smoke and mirrors, or is there truly a connection between any or all of these things?