swissie

I agree, it's a nice state. Friendly "down to earth people". But to declare it as a "cultural-hub" is a slight exageration.

Fondly, I remember my many visits to West Virginia. I was overwhelmed by "culture". On every street corner operas, museums featuring Egyptian Mummies to paintings of the Renaissance. Everybody playing the fiddle, doing Vivaldy etc etc...Quoting Shakespeare at the gas station. Was impressed by their willingness to keep their livestyle closely connected to history. As many houses have little indoor plumming, but a cosy "outhouse". Was looking for a monument, celebrating Dolly Partons cultural achievements. Much to my dissapointment, I was told that Dolly Parton comes from Tenessee. PS: Much pun intended. To be consumed with "a grain of salt".

Come on guys, this 1960ties Indian guru-stuff is gone. Better focus on modern day Guru's. 50% of US voters have voted for a modern day Guru.

The US Economy is based on consumption. Anyone, disclosing to the US consumers, that they will be able to buy "less things" for their Dollars will not be re-elected. Worse: He will be lynched.

Trumps fury, reaching certain limits. International markets reacting violently to Donalds "wrecking-ball" vendetta against the rest of the world. If nothing else, his billionaire-buddies will talk to him like a Dutch-Uncle, as they don't like to lose a small part of their billions. Donald will not work against the interest of his billionaire-buddies. This could put a floor under the recent market-low's. The billionaires-put-option, so to speak. Donald wants to be worshipped and applauded. The very fact, that someday, his only worshippers left would be a bunch of West Virginia red-neck hillbillies must be Donalds nightmare. So, not to worry, the "right people" will set him straight. His billionaire-buddies will not allow for more damage.

To fire Powell would only make sense, if he could replace him with someone that will "knock down" interest rates. Donald repeatetly said he wants interest rates and the Dollar lower. Result: Increased money supply plus tariffs would kick off another round of increased inflation. Market reaction would be a selloff of US treasuries, thus actually raising interest rates. Donald would find nobody within the financial community that would implement something like that. He would have to replace Powell by a "Economy-Ignorant", mirrororing his own lack of Macro-Economic comprehention. Robert Kennedy jr comes to mind or someone else that mentally resides in economic la-la land.

First of all, Gold tends to compensate for Dollar weakness mid-longer term. But I am glad you posted above charts. It shows, that the recent bull run of Gold was not as beneficial for "non Dollar currency holders". (Price of US$/Gold not showing). Bankers, outside of the US are trying to explain to their customer why Gold has "only" appreciated by 10% recently. They are also trying to explain to their customes that their US High-Tech shares have declined 10% plus 10% currency loss. Non US investors have to take into account that precious metals, oil and US shares/threasuries are traded in US Dollars. In other words, if you buy anything denominated in US Dollars, you buy the US Dollar simultainiously. That's all I want to say concerning the international investment community. No more, no less.

Have you tried to switch form Skype" to "Teams"? I did. Easy at first: Just transfer your Skype adresses to Teams. I did. Next day they were gone and had to repeat the process. But with the transferred adresses I can only send written messages, No audio or video communication possible. (Yes, I clicked "allowed" for those sevices). A smorgasboard of options, that nobody needs. Clearly designed to collect more data. By clicking through all those options can make a person dizzy, granted that he only wants to audio/video communicate with someone. Digitalised overkill that nobody needs or wants. I can only hope that the "wizards of digitalisation" will repair the system that finally will enable users to communicate by way of audio/video again. PS: Someone receiving "remedy options" in English may be blessed. Remedy options in other languages read like they were written by an 8 year old. Chat GTP could do better.

Oh no, not again. Tabloid Newspapers celebrating the price of Gold. Let's look at the situation in detail: - Most physical buyers of Gold reside in India/China. They have stopped buying as the price is too high. - Central Banks have reduced their buying as the price is too high. Currently private investors buying Gold ETF's, supporting the price. Otherwise nothing would support the price. All precious metals are traded in US Dollars. With a declining US Dollar how have your Gold holdings fared in your "home currency"? To be sure: To buy precious metals also means to buy the US Dollar. Making you not only a Gold Investor but also a "currency speculator"- Like it or not. As long as your "home currency" is not the US Dollar.

Be advised, it depends only on 1 person. Not God nor the Pope in Rome. The economical faith of the world is in the hands of a New Jersey born real estate guy. You may get your Bull Market, but only if Donald allowes for it. The largest companies are US companies, very true. Operating internationally, no urge to "come home". But women have always told us that "size doesen't matter". This may also apply to companies. Size not automatically assuring sucess.

Nobody in his right mind would doubt that the US is a rich country. But to focus merely on "government dept" is not the whole picture. Even if every new born baby owes "the government" over 100'000 $ upon birth. There is also "corporate dept" and especially "private dept". As far as private dept is concerned, Americans are world champions. Their homes and cars belong to the bank. Their crdit cards maxed-out. Their retirement stock investment "leaveraged". Upon losing their jobs, after 3 months, personal financial "armageddon" hits. The "low income crowd" even navigating from month to month. All this not for all, but for many. Way too many. Could it be that is was not "productivity gains" but a gigantic credit bubble that made "The West Great"? Time to deflate the baloon?

I am old enough to remember the "Japan Situation" in 1989. Stock analyst were not bothered by crazy high P/E ratios. "This is a new situation not to be compared to anything before". That was the wisdom of the time. We all know the rest of the story. Rinse and repeat?

All the above can happen if Donald gets his way. The question is: Who or what is possibly going to stop him? I believe that violent reactions of the international financial markets can serve as a final referee to restrain or reverse the plans of the current oval-office "wild bunch". Amazing, it takes 1 single person to unhinge the world. By a person, if not rich and famous, would have spent the last years in a mental institution.

Alone to pay interest on the outstanding dept it's nummber 3 as far as annual budget deficit is concerned. If that's not alarming, then I don't know what is.

Taxes is a dirty 5 letter word. Better: Everybody in the US works for free for 2 years. Or even more better: Kick off some hyperinflation. The most elegant solution.

First of all, I can understand your situation. You are 79 years old. Unless your wife is 40 years younger, long term benefits can not be reaped. So your wife is condemned to "trading". Unfortunately, most "short-term" traders lose money, as every (transperant) international broker/trading platform will confirm. It can happen, that the "retirement money" does not cover the increasing cost of living as planned. To fill the "gap" by trading the markets resembles going to the casino. Your wife operating with 1000 $. I assume 500 $ profit per month would help your financial situation. Right? If she manages to do this month after month she would dwarf any investement Guru that ever lived in recorded history. Talk to her like a Dutch Uncle. If she is younger than you she may find gainful employement somewhere, increasing your monthly budget in a risk free environement. You and your wife will have to "face the music". As unpleasent as it may be.

Readers of this sub-forum must have realised that there is an increasing number of complaints concerning "new ways of transferring money". Western Union was never mentioned here in connection with "transfer problems". I wuold stay with Western Union as they have been in business for the last 174 years by transferring money (among other things). More: Avoid internet hokus pokus. Go to the many WU offices in your neighborhood in person. Never no "transfer problems".

And no matter what, they will keep faith in Donald, as they have declared him as their "Messias". Of course, I would never allow my daughter to marry a guy that was involved in 3000 law suits.

So he is alienating his "big money" buddies. The High Tech guys as well as the "drill baby drill" guys. Fine, in the end he will only have some staunch West Viginia Hillbillies as supporters left. But only if the coal mines re-open😂.

I think it would be helpful to immerse ourselfs into the mental universe of Donald. He is a real estate guy and still is. "Diplomacy" to him is reduced to monetary deals. During his career, he may have learned something about "microeconomics", but "macroecomics" is something he simply does not understand. In his first term, he fired advisors that did not support his simplistic views. This time he made sure that only strict loyalists are part of his surroundings. In other words: Donald has not managed to elevate his microeconomic knowledge to the level of macroeconomics. That is the root of all problems that the rest of the world faces today, only because 1 person in power, has refused to do his homework.

For whom?

The steam engine, the combustion engine. Every machine replacing human "muscle". Even airplanes flew in Europe before the Wright brothers. (Otto von Liliental). All this during a time, when the average US settler was busy chasing savage "Indians" in order to get them off "their land".

Alan Turing was classified as a Homosexual after the war. His career came to an end. He committed suicide. The internet started, when a minor scientist working at the CERN in Switzerland in the late 60ties/early70ties started to wonder why should we not connect computers by telefone lines. That was the beginning of the internet. Far away from SIlicone Valley.

Yes, at Blaechly Park during WW2 by Alan Turing. He could not have deciphered the German "Enigma-Code" without "early day computers". The rest is Silicon Valley.

All Silicone Valley stuff.