Hello everyone (Dan here). Just getting ready to post the weekly update for paid subscribers in a few hours. Stay tuned.
In the mean time, I'm glad to see there is a lively discussion going on here. That's one of the reasons we moved to this platform--for the free and open exchange of ideas. And that's more of a conversation (rather than a monologue, or worse, a shouting match).
In that regard, we are what you might describe as free speech absolutists. Ideas are tested through robust debate and scrutiny. And sometimes sunlight is the best disinfectant. Either way, we believe in questioning everything and having an uncensored but cordial discussion, especially about matters we all feel passionate about.
Please to try to keep it civil and avoid personal attacks. We're a community here. And though we wont' (and shouldn't) agree on everything, we are trying to wrestle with the same questions and solve the same problems. We want it to be a community that adds value to everyone's private deliberations and considerations. Have a great weekend!
I so appreciate your story-telling fashion of writing. It truly helps bring home to me a much better understanding of how the finacial world has and is playing out (i.e Agrentina used as an example). Just want you to know and to keep up your writing style. I for one greatly value your postings.
For all the ruffled in the audience who seem to have such certainty about the evil of Putin, and the unusual righteousness of the USA... it might be worth your while to pick up a copy of Perkins’ “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”. Equal weights and measures would require greater disgust with USA corporate/political rape of third world countries than the disgust bestowed upon Putin for his actions in the Ukraine. Great certainty is bred from great ignorance.
So many, including some of your readers below, seem to think that the right place to get their worldview du jour is from the media. So if the media tells us that Covid is going to kill us all and that we must all mask up, shut down and shoot up, that must be the right answer. Student body left! And if the media suddenly tell us that the only thing in the world that matters is Ukraine and that one side is Satan and the other side is Gabriel, and that sending nuclear bombers to Poland is the right answer, well, student body right. And since the subject is Russia, it might be instructive to bring up Pavlov’s dog, and to note that even Pavlov knew he wasn’t demonstrating merely canine behavior. If someone gave you or me as much power as the American people have given to the American media, no questions asked, well, we might be tempted to use it. Everyone who’s ever been a crosswalk guard in grade school knows how intoxicating power can be. But the rest of us crosswalkers knew that crossing the street could get us killed, so we decided to check for oncoming traffic ourselves, just in case.
If you can seize an individual's property simply because they are a member of a hated group (in this case Russians), we fundamentally do not believe in property rights.
Here's something I have not yet heard discussed: Putin has successfully kept the West from stopping him in Ukraine by our (sane) fear of nuclear war. But if his ambitions move to the NATO countries, say carving out a "buffer zone" inside Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, won't he again threaten to use his nuclear weapons? Does Biden call Putin's bluff to save 10 miles of Estonia? And if not, then what?
It seems to me that no matter how corrupt the current Ukraine government is or how much a puppet it may be of the West or Russia, sending rockets into apartment buildings is not a good thing. Nor is bombing a nuclear generating station. Civilians should not be used as canon fodder.
Putin is evil Look at his record of destruction. Look at Grozny. He used his own bombing of apartments in Buynaksk, Moscow and Volgodonsk as a pretext for ascending to power. He killed his own citizens to become the hero that took revenge on Chechnya. Putin is evil and must be viewed as more than just another dictator who wants power and land. He was Colonel Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the KGB. Does this suggest that he may be completely amoral and without a soul? Please do not compare Putin with our own war criminal George W. He is far more savage and amoral.
There is propaganda and there is the reality that Putin will do ANYTHING to achieve complete control over Ukraine. Doesn't it matter that the Ukrainian people had a revolution to be free of Russia? It does. They want to be free. They want to have a sovereign nation. They are willing to die for it. They are dying for it. Military and civilians are dying for their nation.
What is Russia doing? They are killing to subject Ukraine to the New Soviet Union's dominance.
That is a fact. Putin's Liebenstraum is without mercy or humanitarian morals. Putin is a sadist.
It may matter to some that the U.S. has bloody hands and is calling Putin evil. But it does not matter to Ukrainian citizens.
And, Bill, you are not seeing the bigger picture. Putin has his eyes on controlling all of the former Soviet colonies and then all of Europe. You may disagree. But if no one stops him, why should he stop at Ukraine? Why not takePoland back? Why not make Germany pay for all the Russians they killed in WW II? Putin cannot be appeased any more than Hitler could.
In war, there is no black and white, good vs evil. When the bombs and bullets fly, there is only survival.
Ukraine will succumb to Russian aggression. It will happen. But that will not be the end of Russian aggression. Mark my words. Putin wants it ALL>
Bill - My wife and I had dinner with good friends two nights ago. People with open minds, willing to have a discussion. I carefully posed offered an opinion or two and posed some questions along your line of thinking about the Ukraine/Russia war. Whoa! Almost everyone in this country, and I mean everyone, doesn't want to hear why Russia's reasons for invading or how poor of a messenger/example the US is. It does not mean what you say should not be said. And I applaud you for saying it. But it won't get you many paying subscribers.
You probably ruffled a bunch of feathers again, so I'll balance out at least one of your naysayers. I'm with you 100%. We have NO IDEA what what's best for the Ukraine or anywhere else for that matter as long as the would be world improvers continue in reality to be be the world impairers.
C'mon Bill!! Russia might have had valid grievances concerning Ukraine but they lost all legitimacy when they threw the might of their army to cause utter destruction, deaths and human suffering in Ukraine, just like US did in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere and nearly bankrupted herself. Now with the onslaught of the western sanctions, Russia is guaranteed to became an impoverished vassal state of China. Chinese must be elated now! Regards
Bill, did Putin call you and threaten to cancel your publication if you spread fake news. You have no problems blasting U.S. economic affairs (sometimes justifiably) because you're free to do so. Email us your Russian issue.
Bill, when the World finally `responds' drastically to Putin's Encroachment--you pick it apart? Good God! Calm down, perhaps the Russians will throw Putin OUT???
Something John Oliver said on his show: " George W Bush criticized the invasion for its infringement on sovereign rights and the deaths of thousands of civilians. Then he paused and said, "ok, now I hear what I am saying."
Yes Mr. Bonner you are correct that the Ukraine is run by their Elites as in every other country, albeit it seems to me that Hitler's genocide of the Jews is similar to bombing civilians by Mr. Putin.
For God’s sake Bill take a well deserved and VERY long break in the Andes … despite modern communications, your hoping from one continent to another you appear to be rather out of touch and rather exhausted and sound like a broken record… over and over again.. the “ elite “ bla bla just like colleagues Tom .. wanting to uproot his kids again by going to Mexico ( Tom do they play Cricket or Rugby in Mexico? ) or the hermit in Laramie .. basically absolutely nothing new ( maybe I missed the latest potato planting idea ) other than gold & tankers.
For this guy PS V : no name ???
Hi grumpy old git … also please take a long …., long break ; your rants and verbal diarrhoea are nauseating
Did you realise that two in Bill’s team are actually a Brit and and Aussie and that the readership is actually quite international thus your claim that the US “ is the greatest country in the world “ is bloody arrogant ( God save America … why not Luxembourg or for that matter Ukraine)
Hello everyone (Dan here). Just getting ready to post the weekly update for paid subscribers in a few hours. Stay tuned.
In the mean time, I'm glad to see there is a lively discussion going on here. That's one of the reasons we moved to this platform--for the free and open exchange of ideas. And that's more of a conversation (rather than a monologue, or worse, a shouting match).
In that regard, we are what you might describe as free speech absolutists. Ideas are tested through robust debate and scrutiny. And sometimes sunlight is the best disinfectant. Either way, we believe in questioning everything and having an uncensored but cordial discussion, especially about matters we all feel passionate about.
Please to try to keep it civil and avoid personal attacks. We're a community here. And though we wont' (and shouldn't) agree on everything, we are trying to wrestle with the same questions and solve the same problems. We want it to be a community that adds value to everyone's private deliberations and considerations. Have a great weekend!
I so appreciate your story-telling fashion of writing. It truly helps bring home to me a much better understanding of how the finacial world has and is playing out (i.e Agrentina used as an example). Just want you to know and to keep up your writing style. I for one greatly value your postings.
For all the ruffled in the audience who seem to have such certainty about the evil of Putin, and the unusual righteousness of the USA... it might be worth your while to pick up a copy of Perkins’ “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”. Equal weights and measures would require greater disgust with USA corporate/political rape of third world countries than the disgust bestowed upon Putin for his actions in the Ukraine. Great certainty is bred from great ignorance.
Completely agree Bill.
So many, including some of your readers below, seem to think that the right place to get their worldview du jour is from the media. So if the media tells us that Covid is going to kill us all and that we must all mask up, shut down and shoot up, that must be the right answer. Student body left! And if the media suddenly tell us that the only thing in the world that matters is Ukraine and that one side is Satan and the other side is Gabriel, and that sending nuclear bombers to Poland is the right answer, well, student body right. And since the subject is Russia, it might be instructive to bring up Pavlov’s dog, and to note that even Pavlov knew he wasn’t demonstrating merely canine behavior. If someone gave you or me as much power as the American people have given to the American media, no questions asked, well, we might be tempted to use it. Everyone who’s ever been a crosswalk guard in grade school knows how intoxicating power can be. But the rest of us crosswalkers knew that crossing the street could get us killed, so we decided to check for oncoming traffic ourselves, just in case.
If you can seize an individual's property simply because they are a member of a hated group (in this case Russians), we fundamentally do not believe in property rights.
Here's something I have not yet heard discussed: Putin has successfully kept the West from stopping him in Ukraine by our (sane) fear of nuclear war. But if his ambitions move to the NATO countries, say carving out a "buffer zone" inside Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, won't he again threaten to use his nuclear weapons? Does Biden call Putin's bluff to save 10 miles of Estonia? And if not, then what?
It seems to me that no matter how corrupt the current Ukraine government is or how much a puppet it may be of the West or Russia, sending rockets into apartment buildings is not a good thing. Nor is bombing a nuclear generating station. Civilians should not be used as canon fodder.
Putin is evil Look at his record of destruction. Look at Grozny. He used his own bombing of apartments in Buynaksk, Moscow and Volgodonsk as a pretext for ascending to power. He killed his own citizens to become the hero that took revenge on Chechnya. Putin is evil and must be viewed as more than just another dictator who wants power and land. He was Colonel Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the KGB. Does this suggest that he may be completely amoral and without a soul? Please do not compare Putin with our own war criminal George W. He is far more savage and amoral.
There is propaganda and there is the reality that Putin will do ANYTHING to achieve complete control over Ukraine. Doesn't it matter that the Ukrainian people had a revolution to be free of Russia? It does. They want to be free. They want to have a sovereign nation. They are willing to die for it. They are dying for it. Military and civilians are dying for their nation.
What is Russia doing? They are killing to subject Ukraine to the New Soviet Union's dominance.
That is a fact. Putin's Liebenstraum is without mercy or humanitarian morals. Putin is a sadist.
It may matter to some that the U.S. has bloody hands and is calling Putin evil. But it does not matter to Ukrainian citizens.
And, Bill, you are not seeing the bigger picture. Putin has his eyes on controlling all of the former Soviet colonies and then all of Europe. You may disagree. But if no one stops him, why should he stop at Ukraine? Why not takePoland back? Why not make Germany pay for all the Russians they killed in WW II? Putin cannot be appeased any more than Hitler could.
In war, there is no black and white, good vs evil. When the bombs and bullets fly, there is only survival.
Ukraine will succumb to Russian aggression. It will happen. But that will not be the end of Russian aggression. Mark my words. Putin wants it ALL>
Bill - My wife and I had dinner with good friends two nights ago. People with open minds, willing to have a discussion. I carefully posed offered an opinion or two and posed some questions along your line of thinking about the Ukraine/Russia war. Whoa! Almost everyone in this country, and I mean everyone, doesn't want to hear why Russia's reasons for invading or how poor of a messenger/example the US is. It does not mean what you say should not be said. And I applaud you for saying it. But it won't get you many paying subscribers.
You probably ruffled a bunch of feathers again, so I'll balance out at least one of your naysayers. I'm with you 100%. We have NO IDEA what what's best for the Ukraine or anywhere else for that matter as long as the would be world improvers continue in reality to be be the world impairers.
C'mon Bill!! Russia might have had valid grievances concerning Ukraine but they lost all legitimacy when they threw the might of their army to cause utter destruction, deaths and human suffering in Ukraine, just like US did in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere and nearly bankrupted herself. Now with the onslaught of the western sanctions, Russia is guaranteed to became an impoverished vassal state of China. Chinese must be elated now! Regards
Bill, did Putin call you and threaten to cancel your publication if you spread fake news. You have no problems blasting U.S. economic affairs (sometimes justifiably) because you're free to do so. Email us your Russian issue.
Mike M.
Bill, when the World finally `responds' drastically to Putin's Encroachment--you pick it apart? Good God! Calm down, perhaps the Russians will throw Putin OUT???
Something John Oliver said on his show: " George W Bush criticized the invasion for its infringement on sovereign rights and the deaths of thousands of civilians. Then he paused and said, "ok, now I hear what I am saying."
Yes Mr. Bonner you are correct that the Ukraine is run by their Elites as in every other country, albeit it seems to me that Hitler's genocide of the Jews is similar to bombing civilians by Mr. Putin.
Very good comment Mr. B. Bonner.
For God’s sake Bill take a well deserved and VERY long break in the Andes … despite modern communications, your hoping from one continent to another you appear to be rather out of touch and rather exhausted and sound like a broken record… over and over again.. the “ elite “ bla bla just like colleagues Tom .. wanting to uproot his kids again by going to Mexico ( Tom do they play Cricket or Rugby in Mexico? ) or the hermit in Laramie .. basically absolutely nothing new ( maybe I missed the latest potato planting idea ) other than gold & tankers.
For this guy PS V : no name ???
Hi grumpy old git … also please take a long …., long break ; your rants and verbal diarrhoea are nauseating
Did you realise that two in Bill’s team are actually a Brit and and Aussie and that the readership is actually quite international thus your claim that the US “ is the greatest country in the world “ is bloody arrogant ( God save America … why not Luxembourg or for that matter Ukraine)
Regards from another old (79) git
👍