Competition changes all the time. Japan famously had the most dynamic economy in the world...up until 1990. Everyone wanted to learn the latest Japanese buzzwords.
Comment on something I read a few BB reports ago. Someone mentioned that AIPAC (the Jewish lobby, controls the U.S. government). AIPAC is a lobbying group just as the following organizations are. The national iranian council, the Armenian assembly of America, Turkish heritage organization, Saudi Arabia ARAMCO, their subsidiary Motiva and many more. These are organizations run by American citizens not foreign countries. These do not fall under FARA where foreign countries need to be registered as foreign entities. We may disagree on this, but reports and comments should be fair. Honestly, I truly believe that ALL lobbying should be banned. They all function as self interested organizations.
Ban lobbying, and the fuel for the engine of the Deep State goes away. Are you nuts? That would kill our corrupt system! We'd have to do our own thinking and our own dirty work! Surely, ANYTHING but that. Best always. PM
Be careful, Bill, you have several know-it-all, untraveled readers who don’t like seeing ANY of the truths about today’s China. They are going to label you as a China bot and there’s nothing worse than that!
Are you sure, Ed? Nothing worse than a China bot. And, do you think ol' Bonner/Baker gives a hoot. I am sure he smiles as they just can't stand many of his views but they stay and pay. The best of both worlds - he gets to rattle their chain with thoughts they hate to hear and then they gripe and complain and re-subscribe. What a marvelous scame ol' Bonner/Baker has established. I am here for his thoughts but thoroughly enjoy watching the "screaming" in the Comments. Such fun!
Well Bill, you sure got the prevailing narrative down pat. Unfortunately, that is the same misleading song constantly being sung by our domestic enemy "media" and various other America-haters taking advantage of our Freedom by remaining here only to seek our destruction. Job well done, Mr. Bonner. Your D.C. Cocktail Party invite is in the mail.
The TRUTH is that many (most?) parts of the "China Economic Miracle" are either smoke-and-mirrors or flat-out mirages. Not ALL, but definitely the majority. From empty Super Cities to idle, vacant factories to randomly exploding infrastructure to buildings collapsing because of crap materials to technological "advances" that can't be tested/verified/replicated to a "huge increase in the peasant's wages" - 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗶𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗼. But I get it - things are soooo much easier when one accepts the lies being touted rather than actually digging even an inch below the surface. AmIright, dimocrats?
To clarify - yes, China is a threat to the USA (and the world) in numerous and diverse areas. But as for "eating our lunch" and everything else on our menu? Meh, not so much any longer - and Trump is putting the rapid kibosh on many of the recent gains they have been able to achieve against us since O'hammed was driving us into the ditch.
The thing is, communists LIE. Pretty much whenever their lips are moving or fingers typing - and ALWAYS in deference over whatever is true. I know that might be a shock to your leftarde "elitist" sensibilities, but it stands as our Reality. Dig deeper and do better - the TRUTH is out there and getting easier to find everyday. We can get the same lame Parrot Points anywhere - we don't need you to recite that demonstrable BS here.....
Thanks for the comment. If you have any links to the problems China is experiencing, that would be welcomed. I keep reading where China is building power plants, just completed the tallest bridge in the world, and other incredible feats. I have also heard of their empty cities as far back as 20 years ago or so. So, you wonder what is really happening.
I think somebody at one time said "what is truth? " Seems to Me that it is getting harder and harder to find these days! Just from what I see with all this tech innovation etc., etc.
The two juggernauts of the Japanese economy in the 1980s were automobiles and electronics. With some help from a cheap yen, it was Innovations in both product and production that caused Japan to leapfrog the world in product quality and affordability in both of these industries between 1975 and 1990. But the pace of innovation seemed to slow beginning in the 1990s, allowing the US in particular to close the competitive gap with Japan, particularly with automobiles. It was, I believe, the more free and entrepreneurial spirit of the US versus the more planned and controlled economy of Japan that caused Japan to recede and America to emerge beginning in the late 20th century.
Mike, it's not the fall, it's the sudden stop that does it. What the heck? Let's just stay up in the stratosphere, forever, right? So, now, you're understanding my mindset. 30 years to make money, and 30 years to hold onto it, so that you can buy "right" and then have to wait another 30 years for the payoff. Meanwhile, the government taxes every thing you do and every breath you take. I lived the first 30 part once and said, "Why?" Best always. PM
I wrote this on 9/26/2025. $4000+ gold only makes this more abysmal.
A review what happened back in 1/1/1990 to the Japanese Nikkei. The Nikkei was also considered, at that time, to be the market to end all markets. But then it ended!
1. Nikkei closed on 1/1/1990 y$38,957.
2. Nikkei closed on 9/26/2025 y$45,355.
3. Total return in Yen over almost 35 years 16.4%.
4. US Dollar value of Nikkei 1/1/1990 $270.00.
5. US Dollar value of Nikkei 9/26/2025 $304.00
6. Return Nikkei in US $ over same 35 years 12.6%.
7. Ounces of gold to buy Nikkei 1/1/90 0.65 oz.
8. Ounces of gold to buy Nikkei 9/26/25 0.08 oz.
9. Total return in gold oz over 35 years -87.6%
Final fact, the Japanese stockholder that spent $270.00 to purchase 0.65 oz of $418.00 gold, he would still have the 0.65 oz of $3,775 gold. This returns over 900% over these same 35 years.
I think the graph charting Japan's "progress" to the recent all-time high of the Nikkei is somewhat deceptive. Adjusted for inflation, the recent "high" is not really a "high" in terms of value. My so-called heyday (such as it was, piddling) in the market came in the 90s. I was not into tech stocks. I started in 1966 with companies that made stuff and stayed there, but with the all the "money" that rushed into stocks in the 80s and 90s, that rising tide lifted all boats, but when the dot.com excitement became a frenzy, I knew it was time to bail, and I did. Look what I've missed: a new "high" which isn't a high on the Nikkei, and a Dow with precious few "industrials". May it last forever. Best always. PM
Comment on something I read a few BB reports ago. Someone mentioned that AIPAC (the Jewish lobby, controls the U.S. government). AIPAC is a lobbying group just as the following organizations are. The national iranian council, the Armenian assembly of America, Turkish heritage organization, Saudi Arabia ARAMCO, their subsidiary Motiva and many more. These are organizations run by American citizens not foreign countries. These do not fall under FARA where foreign countries need to be registered as foreign entities. We may disagree on this, but reports and comments should be fair. Honestly, I truly believe that ALL lobbying should be banned. They all function as self interested organizations.
I agree 100%, Abe. They not only function as self interested organizations but also as a legal way to bribe our CONgress and presidents.
Ban lobbying, and the fuel for the engine of the Deep State goes away. Are you nuts? That would kill our corrupt system! We'd have to do our own thinking and our own dirty work! Surely, ANYTHING but that. Best always. PM
Be careful, Bill, you have several know-it-all, untraveled readers who don’t like seeing ANY of the truths about today’s China. They are going to label you as a China bot and there’s nothing worse than that!
Are you sure, Ed? Nothing worse than a China bot. And, do you think ol' Bonner/Baker gives a hoot. I am sure he smiles as they just can't stand many of his views but they stay and pay. The best of both worlds - he gets to rattle their chain with thoughts they hate to hear and then they gripe and complain and re-subscribe. What a marvelous scame ol' Bonner/Baker has established. I am here for his thoughts but thoroughly enjoy watching the "screaming" in the Comments. Such fun!
That’s really true—and fun!
Y'all get a room....
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩...𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳...𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴."
Well Bill, you sure got the prevailing narrative down pat. Unfortunately, that is the same misleading song constantly being sung by our domestic enemy "media" and various other America-haters taking advantage of our Freedom by remaining here only to seek our destruction. Job well done, Mr. Bonner. Your D.C. Cocktail Party invite is in the mail.
The TRUTH is that many (most?) parts of the "China Economic Miracle" are either smoke-and-mirrors or flat-out mirages. Not ALL, but definitely the majority. From empty Super Cities to idle, vacant factories to randomly exploding infrastructure to buildings collapsing because of crap materials to technological "advances" that can't be tested/verified/replicated to a "huge increase in the peasant's wages" - 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗶𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗼. But I get it - things are soooo much easier when one accepts the lies being touted rather than actually digging even an inch below the surface. AmIright, dimocrats?
To clarify - yes, China is a threat to the USA (and the world) in numerous and diverse areas. But as for "eating our lunch" and everything else on our menu? Meh, not so much any longer - and Trump is putting the rapid kibosh on many of the recent gains they have been able to achieve against us since O'hammed was driving us into the ditch.
The thing is, communists LIE. Pretty much whenever their lips are moving or fingers typing - and ALWAYS in deference over whatever is true. I know that might be a shock to your leftarde "elitist" sensibilities, but it stands as our Reality. Dig deeper and do better - the TRUTH is out there and getting easier to find everyday. We can get the same lame Parrot Points anywhere - we don't need you to recite that demonstrable BS here.....
Thanks for the comment. If you have any links to the problems China is experiencing, that would be welcomed. I keep reading where China is building power plants, just completed the tallest bridge in the world, and other incredible feats. I have also heard of their empty cities as far back as 20 years ago or so. So, you wonder what is really happening.
I think somebody at one time said "what is truth? " Seems to Me that it is getting harder and harder to find these days! Just from what I see with all this tech innovation etc., etc.
Johnny Cash.
The two juggernauts of the Japanese economy in the 1980s were automobiles and electronics. With some help from a cheap yen, it was Innovations in both product and production that caused Japan to leapfrog the world in product quality and affordability in both of these industries between 1975 and 1990. But the pace of innovation seemed to slow beginning in the 1990s, allowing the US in particular to close the competitive gap with Japan, particularly with automobiles. It was, I believe, the more free and entrepreneurial spirit of the US versus the more planned and controlled economy of Japan that caused Japan to recede and America to emerge beginning in the late 20th century.
35yrs to recover. Who in their right mind would want to buy stocks when the magic ratio, Dow/Gold, hits 5?
Mike, it's not the fall, it's the sudden stop that does it. What the heck? Let's just stay up in the stratosphere, forever, right? So, now, you're understanding my mindset. 30 years to make money, and 30 years to hold onto it, so that you can buy "right" and then have to wait another 30 years for the payoff. Meanwhile, the government taxes every thing you do and every breath you take. I lived the first 30 part once and said, "Why?" Best always. PM
Japan did have low inflation during those years. I don’t think that’s what’s going to happen in the US.
I wrote this on 9/26/2025. $4000+ gold only makes this more abysmal.
A review what happened back in 1/1/1990 to the Japanese Nikkei. The Nikkei was also considered, at that time, to be the market to end all markets. But then it ended!
1. Nikkei closed on 1/1/1990 y$38,957.
2. Nikkei closed on 9/26/2025 y$45,355.
3. Total return in Yen over almost 35 years 16.4%.
4. US Dollar value of Nikkei 1/1/1990 $270.00.
5. US Dollar value of Nikkei 9/26/2025 $304.00
6. Return Nikkei in US $ over same 35 years 12.6%.
7. Ounces of gold to buy Nikkei 1/1/90 0.65 oz.
8. Ounces of gold to buy Nikkei 9/26/25 0.08 oz.
9. Total return in gold oz over 35 years -87.6%
Final fact, the Japanese stockholder that spent $270.00 to purchase 0.65 oz of $418.00 gold, he would still have the 0.65 oz of $3,775 gold. This returns over 900% over these same 35 years.
Take the above comments for what they are worth.
I think the graph charting Japan's "progress" to the recent all-time high of the Nikkei is somewhat deceptive. Adjusted for inflation, the recent "high" is not really a "high" in terms of value. My so-called heyday (such as it was, piddling) in the market came in the 90s. I was not into tech stocks. I started in 1966 with companies that made stuff and stayed there, but with the all the "money" that rushed into stocks in the 80s and 90s, that rising tide lifted all boats, but when the dot.com excitement became a frenzy, I knew it was time to bail, and I did. Look what I've missed: a new "high" which isn't a high on the Nikkei, and a Dow with precious few "industrials". May it last forever. Best always. PM