Archive for the Wall Street Category

The Casino: The House Always Wins! Oh, And Happy Groundhog Day! (February 1, 2021)

Posted in Cryptocurrency, Currency, Money, Silver, Wall Street on February 1, 2021 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “The little guys flashed their electronic pitch forks and played the same game as the big guys and gamed the game.  They can try to out game the system with GameStop, but the games will not stop.”

J          “The game today is to destroy successful enterprises and to bleed wounded businesses.  Productive undertakings are destroyed and delivered to the undertaker.  Uncreative destruction, I call it.  Nothing is created; everything is destroyed.”

. . .

K          “Most silver futures contracts have a provision allowing them not to deliver physical product and instead to settle in dollars.  The paper contracts only require the delivery of fiat paper currency.”

J          “Anyone seeking to long the shorts may get the short end of the stick.  However, some day, when the world is forced to deal with five hundred claims on each one ounce of physical silver, some folks will be sorely disappointed.”

. . .

K          “The rules will be rewritten and construed to protect the powerful and well-connected.  In the final analysis, the little guys are doomed to lose.”

J          “No matter how things stay the same, they stay the same.  Groundhog Day all over again.”

. . .

[See “GameStop Shares: Dark Pools Owned by Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, UBS, et al, Have Made Tens of Thousands of Trades” and other articles in “Wall Street On Parade” dated January 28, 2021 by Pam Martens and Russ Martens who were the recipients of the “Fifth Annual Noble Prize In Eco-nomics (October 12, 2020)” for their pioneering and sustained contributions.]

[See the e-commentary at “On Revolution (March 15, 2010)” discussing the extreme dissatisfaction and complete inability of any person to do anything within the current political and economic racket about the obscene inequality in society and a week later “On The Digital Revolution (March 22, 2010)” proposing that any change will involve and require digital transfers.  Bitcoin is back in the headlines again and discussed in the e-commentary at“Bitcoin”, “Ethereum” . . . “Blockchain Technology” Say What? (July 3, 2017)” and is another response to and verdict on unlimited money printing.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

The House always wins!

Happy Groundhog Day!

“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.” Frédéric Bastiat

Due to unprecedented demand on physical silver products, we [APMEX] are unable to accept any additional orders on a large number of products, until global markets open Sunday evening.

Update:  Due to unprecedented silver demand, SD Bullion is unable to accept any additional orders until the market opens Sunday evening.

For some background on just how unprecedented this weekend’s action in silver markets is, Tyler Wall, the CEO of SD Bullion writes the following: 

In the 24 hours proceeding Friday market close, SD Bullion sold nearly 10x the number of silver ounces that we normally would sell in an entire weekend leading to Sunday market open.

In a normal market, we normally can find at least one supplier/source willing to sell some ounces over the weekend if we exceed our long position (the number of ounces we predict we will sell over the weekend).

However, everyone we talk to is afraid of a gap up at Sunday night market open.

This is about ready to get really interesting as there was very little inventory left from suppliers/mints going into Friday close.

Our direct AP supplier informed us after close on Friday that the “US Mint will be on allocation for the remainder of Type 1” (Current Silver Eagle Design).

Our sales for the month of January exceeded any one month last year during the heart of the pandemic. It was an all-time record month in our company history. 

The “D” Division Invades The Swamp. The War On America Is On In America (January 25, 2021)

Posted in Bideni, First Amendment, O'Bama, Presidency, Trumpi, Wall Street, War, War and Wall Street Party on January 25, 2021 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “The ‘D’ Division rolled into Fort Swamp last Wednesday without much genuine fanfare or even many fans.  Attendance at the Emperor’s coronation looked like a Bideni campaign rally last fall.”

J          “To the accompaniment of more centurions than the Empire acknowledges in its many overseas wars of choice.  A bleak and barren tableau against a desolate and deserted landscape with a rank and file of American flags made in China.  No citizens were on the National Mall and no shoppers were in the nation’s shopping malls.”

. . . 

K          “One crime family leaves and another crime family arrives.  I provoke all manner of perplexed responses when I observe that we are giving up an Ivy League President and getting someone who graduated something like 97th in a law school class of 58 at a regional law school.”

J          “Trumpi only got into an Ivy League school because he is from a second generation crime family.  The Bidenis are now an established second generation crime family and thus Hunter had a spot held for him in the Ivy League.” 

. . . 

K          “Bideni is a foot soldier for the neoliberals in domestic policy.”

J          “And an errand boy for the neoconservatives in foreign policy.”          

. . .

K          “Nothing ever changes.”

J          “Everything stays the same.”

. . .

K          “He was true to himself until the end and simply could not muster the courage and integrity to pardon Assange and Snowden and instead pardoned some stray punks and thugs.  He is a waste of protoplasm in a great wasteland.”

J          “He pardoned people who reminded him of who he is not who he wants to be.  He will always be the saurian beast until he slithers off this Planet.”

. . .

K          “Bideni promised that nothing will change; he will keep that one promise.  Day 6 is a modest improvement, but under the most optimistic scenario the country will only marginally improve under him/her/them.”

J          “Marginal is the best we can do in this country.  He will broadcast a few flashy but hollow and symbolic policies.  Few legitimate grievances will be addressed.  This is the third term of the O’Bama administration.  O’Bama spawned Trumpi.  He/she/they are the transitional Presidency to a new more slick and subtle Trumpi Version 2.0 in four years.”

. . .

K          “The war on America and Americans now begins in earnest.”

J          “The only way to grow and expand the war industry is to invade and colonize new territory.  America is just sitting there between the two vast sloughs waiting to be plucked and plundered.  America is the last frontier and the last battleground.”

. . .

[See “Here Are the Superheroes To Come and Save Us”: Media Waste No Time Fawning Over Biden” in “MintPress News” by Alan Macleod dated January 22, 2021.]

[See the e-commentary at The “War And Wall Street Party” Concludes Its Confabulations (August 31, 2020)”, The Choice:  Pro War And Pro-Wall Street Candidate v. Pro War And Pro-Wall Street Candidate (April 13, 2015)”, “The ‘War and Wall [Street] Party’ On The War Path (February 1, 2016)”, “The First Look At The ‘Second Political Party’ (January 3, 2011)” and “DNC:  ‘We’re Losers.  Vote for Us.’ (February 27, 2017)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Give war a chance

No hope and no change

Dissent is patriotic

Hank Aaron

There is something to and something about ivermectin that compels a closer look-see

?The Dow at 20,000 or less by Halloween?

Seeing 20/20 In 2021 (January 4, 2021)

Posted in Covid / Coronavirus, Federal Reserve, Vaccine, Wall Street on January 4, 2021 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “We did not see 20/20 in 2020.”

J          “We will see 2020 on steroids in 2021.”

. . .

J          “Despite some concerns, I am ready to take the plunge. They can plunge the needle into my body.”

K          “You know my concerns.  First they said there were no adequate, approved and available treatments which was not true because no available treatments were adequately tested let alone approved.  Second they said their concoctions diagnosed, prevented and treated the disease which is also unproven and unfounded speculation.  I am taking care of myself and thus taking care of the entire community.  I will obtain natural immunity without taking or taxing any public or private resources.  We are in this alone.  I am obliging and accommodating to the reality.”

. . .

K          “Over the last more than dozen years, the economic system has been illiquid with those in power responding by giving more free money / liquidity to the major connected players.  At this time, the system is close to insolvent which cannot be solved by giving away even more money to the major connected players.”

J          “We started the year with this conversation four years ago or so.  This year may be the year.  The problem is giving away money is all they know how to do.  They will continue to give away even more money and give away what is left of our future.  I still hope it is a happy new year.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary one year ago today at “Seeing 2020:  Federal Reserve Logic:  QE =/= QE.  Print, Lie, Print, Lie, Print, Lie.  The Great Financial Coup D’état Rages On. (January 6, 2020)” and four years ago at “Twenty Sixteen (January 4, 2016)” and a few mid-summer reflections and premonitions at “Venturing A Few Unfounded And Unwarranted Predictions (July 13, 2015)”.  “Back Door Inflation (July 16, 2007)” is back knocking at the door.  The coming and not at all paradoxical 1) deflation/drop in the price of “bubble baubles / faux assets” (i.e. ETFs and theme parks) and 2) inflation/rise in the price of “real assets” (i.e. grub and farm land) is discussed in “Stagflation?!?  Hands Down Or Hands Up? (January 14, 2019)”.  In response, “They Can Print Money (November 2, 2015)” and they do print money.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

2021 to 2020:  “Watch this.”

2022 to 2021:  “Hold my beer.”

Keep your stick on the ice

Interregnum: Incredulity And Instability (November 16, 2020)

Posted in Elections, Political Parties, Wall Street, War, War and Wall Street Party on November 16, 2020 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “After a dubious election, the ‘D’ division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ is taking over from the ‘R’ Division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ again.”

J          “The ‘D’ Division will send in more divisions overseas and create more divisions in the land betwixt the shining seas.”

. . .

Bumper stickers of the week:

That shit don’t flush

That dog don’t hunt

Panda < Eagle > Bruin; Panda + Bruin > Eagle  

The “War And Wall Street Party” Concludes Its Confabulations (August 31, 2020)

Posted in Book Reference, Political Parties, Wall Street, War, War and Wall Street Party on August 31, 2020 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “The ‘D’ Division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ nominated its candidates and concluded its confabulation last week.  The ‘R’ Division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ nominated its candidates and concluded its confabulation this week.”

J          “Both Divisions remain pro-war and anti-peace.”

K          “Both Divisions remain pro-Wall Street and anti-Main Street.”

. . .

J          “The sets looked like glitzy game shows with the gamesters playing games, selling snake oil and titillating the bases.”

K          “And the Democratic National Committee (DNC) did not even have the decency and integrity to invite Tulsi Gabbard to speak.  They may have lost the progressive vote.  It may be over.”

J          “Mark my words, the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ will win in November.  We need a viable second party.  The ‘Peace and Main Street Party’ is catchy, but will it catch on.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “The Choice:  Pro War And Pro-Wall Street Candidate v. Pro War And Pro-Wall Street Candidate (April 13, 2015)”, “The ‘War and Wall [Street] Party’ On The War Path (February 1, 2016)”, “The First Look At The ‘Second Political Party’ (January 3, 2011)” and “DNC:  ‘We’re Losers.  Vote for Us.’ (February 27, 2017)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

And the Democratic National Committee did not even have the decency to invite Tulsi Gabbard to speak

Great Meteor 2020  Just End It Already

MOFA  Make Orwell Fiction Again

Covid-19 PanICdemic/Plague:  Taking Stock (June 22, 2020)

Posted in Bankruptcy, Blue States / Red States, Book Reference, Covid / Coronavirus, Freedom / Liberty, Law, Medicine, Privacy, Public Health, Wall Street, War and Wall Street Party on June 22, 2020 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Taking stock of the stock market is the stock in trade of the Federal Reserve.  The only certainty throughout this Plague is the Federal Reserve doing everything possible to protect and serve Wall Street.”

J          “Those on every street in and out of uniform who are obliged to protect and serve have protected and served the interests of Wall Street not Main Street.”

. . .

K          “It has been a tough few weeks to be a statue.”

J          “Some had to be moved.  But in their uncontrolled and unfocused rage, they may topple a statue of Lincoln without knowing who he was or what he did, albeit with alloyed motives.”

. . .

K          “This is also a tough time to be a state in the Union.  The federal government can print money at will in unlimited amounts forever until the rest of the world unseats the United States as the purveyor of the world’s reserve currency.  The towns, cities, counties, boroughs, water authorities and other political subdivisions can always file bankruptcy.  But the states are stuck because they cannot print money and cannot deficit spend and cannot file bankruptcy.”

J          “And cannot pay their bills.  The federal government has an out, the other governments have an out and the state governments are left out.  It will soon manifest and not be pretty.” 

. . .

J          “My initial fear was that it appeared to be some variety of the Hantavirus which is far more virulent and infectious than Covid-19.”

K          “My continuing fear is that it is becoming more virulent and infectious.”

. . .

K          “I do not know what to make of “Event 201” in October 2019 with the powerful players playing war games and discussing the outbreak of a Coronavirus at the very same time that the Coronavirus was breaking out.”

J          “The exercise let everyone know that they had more than a clue that the Plague was coming, but they were absolutely clueless about what to do about it as it came.”

. . .

K          “The proper use of masks was obvious.  I joined the cover up immediately and was the first Occidental in my Costco to wear a mask way back in early February.”

J          “Make masks great again.  We have always known that fact despite what those in power said and misled.  However, based on recent findings, the concern with spreading by contact with paper, door handles and the like is still a concern but a less urgent one.”

. . .

J          “Faux libertarians say their right to swing their fists only ends an inch from my nose.  However, their swing is still a battery against me and my nose.  And their refusal to wear a mask and cover their nose and mouth hits me right in my nose and mouth.”

K          “They say it is the hit to the kisser that can be the kiss of death.”

. . .

K          “We are in the halcyon days of the Plague.  When do we enter the next stage?”

J          “That is what I fear.  That is what I don’t know.  I’ll simply go on record as prognosticating ‘Winter’ at this time.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “On Freedom and Liberty (May 24, 2010)” and “Who Is Your Big Bad Bogeyman? (March 26, 2007)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Make masks great again

“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered.  And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute.  History has stopped.  Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”  George Orwell, 1984  Orwell’s “Party” = War and Wall Street Party?

Seeing 2020:  Déjà vu All Over Again.  Oh, And Happy Groundhog Day! (February 3, 2020)

Posted in Collapse, Covid / Coronavirus, Ebola, Health Care, Public Health, Wall Street on February 3, 2020 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Contagion in the market and contagion outside the market.”

J          “I have seen this before.”

. . .

J          “No matter how much things stay the same, they stay the same.”

. . .

Bumper stickers of the week:

Coronavirus:  Coming to a town near you

No one ever died from overexposure to education

Impeachment Imbroglio.  Oh, And Happy Saint Nicholas Day! (December 2, 2019)

Posted in Democrats, Elections, Impeachment, Republicans, Wall Street, War, War and Wall Street Party on December 2, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Then don’t say anything at all, she would say.  Nicely.”

J          “Mom’s Injunction is one of her enduring legacies.  Before saying anything about him, I sat down with a pen and paper and forced myself to posit some positive attributes about him.  There just is not much nice you can say about him.”

. . .

K          “O’Bama committed one hundred impeachable offenses, but the big players let them slid.  Even Mitch McConnell, the vile and virulent pest and parasite of the Senate, was more of a gnat than a tape worm to O’Bama.”

J          “Our good friend President Cheney and his Vice President Bush committed one thousand impeachable offenses, but the big players let them slid too.  Lettings things slid is the settled practice for those on the inside.”

. . .

K          “I first suspected the existence of what others call the Deep State when I read an MSM article discussing the Pentagon’s actions contrary to President Jimmy Carter’s direct orders and directions.  Youth confronting truth.”

J          “They really do what they want to do.  That is the settled practice for those on the inside.”

. . .

K          “Foreign Service Officers are selected after a rigorous review to guarantee that they will espouse the company message without question or hesitation.  Their testimony is not surprising and not worth much.”

J          “Neo-conservatives in foreign policy and neo-liberals in domestic policy manufactured by what passes for Academia with the homogeneity of McDonald’s hamburgers.  The State Department earned the metonym ‘Foggy Bottom’ from the nearby Metro stop and the miasma that emanates from the swamp it calls home.  Apt and delightfully ironic.”

. . .

K          “Another mole hill being morphed into a mountain to make money for the MSM.  No one even alludes to the real crimes.  Everyone disregards the actual election interference.”

J          “And the MSM are getting rich beyond their wildest fantasy channeling the Congressional zoo the way they ring mastered the election circus.  A side show was turned into the big show.”

. . .

K          “Roving bands of warring Mafia-like criminal families including the Clintoni Gang, the Trumpi Gang, the Bideni Gang and other gangs range the country.  The Clintoni Gang contrived their billion dollar criminal enterprise doing business as the Clintoni Global Initiative and skimmed tens of millions of dollars for themselves.  The criminal enterprise doing business as the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is now supporting the Bideni Gang.  I am all in favor of investigating the crimes of the three crime family syndicates.”

J          “Trumpi has never played well with others.  The others are ganging up on him because he is not on the inside.  The Clintoni Gang and the Bideni Gang are conspiring with the Deep State and the MSM to take out and take down the Trumpi Gang.  Bloods versus Crips.”

. . .

K          “The Republican National Committee (RNC) ran a fair and open primary that regurgitated the worst possible candidate.  The Democratic National Committee (DNC) ran an unfair and rigged primary that regurgitated the worst possible candidate.”

J          “The great war between the ‘D’ Division and the ‘R’ Division of the ‘War and Wall Street Party’ rages on.  The Bloods and the Crips, I tell you.  It is a street fight raging in the suites.”  

. . .

K          “From the testimony to date, the Saurian Monster merely jay walked.  Jay walking is not an impeachable offense.  Unless the Democrats focus their undigested and misplaced anger, he will ultimately walk away with the election.”

J          “He did more than jay walk.  Let’s describe it as speeding at an excessive rate in a grammar school zone.  Yet his many other high crimes and deplorable demeanor are rarely and barely mentioned.”

. . .

K          “The biggest challenge for the individual American citizen is to search for not outlandishly and outrageously expensive health care.  The biggest issue facing the nation is the failing financial system on life support via the quasi-legal activity of the Federal Reserve bailing out the banks without any Congressional approval or oversight.  Congress should be holding hearings on that issue.  The biggest threat facing the planet is the threat we pose to the planet.”

J          “Round Four of Quantitative Easing is now in full swing at three trillion dollars and spiraling.  Many kids would not mind the Fed tossing a trillion dollars their way to ease the quantity of their student loans.”

. . .

K          “If he is to be impeached, Trumpi should be impeached by the populace on November 3.  And he should indeed be impeached by the populace on November 3.”

J          “After deciding in 2016 to lose with Clinton rather than to win with Bernie, the Democrats are secretly and realistically anxious that they cannot make a compelling case to the American people next November.”

K          “The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is committed to losing with Biden or a Biden substitute rather than winning with Bernie or a Bernie substitute.”

J          “The Democrats truly are losers.  The impeachment charade may be their last hurrah.”

. . .

[See “Why do some British people dislike Donald Trump?” in “Quora” by Nate White dated February 14, 2019, “Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal” in “The New York Times” by Jo Becker and Mike McIntire dated April 23, 2015 and all the trenchant articles by Pam Martens and Russ Martens in “Wall Street On Parade” presented as a public service to all of us.]

[See the e-commentary at “DNC:  ‘We’re Losers.  Vote for Us.’ (February 27, 2017)”, “Giuliani – Draft Dodger And Chickenhawk (March 2, 2015)”, and the e-commentary over five years ago questioning the involvement of the sons and scions of politicians in dubious business deals overseas at “World’s Reserve Currency War I = Cold War 2.0 = WW III (?) (September 8, 2014)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

“For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.”  Nate White

2020  Any Functioning Adult

Too Much Dirt; Too Few Rugs. Repurchase Agreements (September 23, 2019)

Posted in Collapse, Repurchase Agreement, Wall Street on September 23, 2019 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “Too much dirt.”

J          “Too few rugs.”

. . .

K          “Sweeping the dirt under the rug may not do it any longer.”

J          “Loom another rug?”

. . .

J          “Manufacture another can?”

K          “In China?  Subject to a tariff?  The road still needs to be repaired before we can kick something down it.”

. . .

J          “Raise another canary?”

K          “The market, not the government, is shuttering the coal mines.”

. . .

K          “The failure of the ‘Repo Market’ may be the Big Jolt.”

J          “Make another Market in its place?  . . .  Maybe not.”

. . .

[See the contributions of Pam Martens and Russ Martens in “Wall Street on Parade”, the real journal explicating Wall Street.]

[See the e-commentary at “Strait of Hormuz or Deutsche Bank?  Deriving Derivatives (July 8, 2019)”.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Loom another rug; manufacture another can; raise another canary; make another Market.

Debt may not be repaid, but it is always paid.

“In the End, only three things matter:  How much you love, How gently you live, and How gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”  Buddha 

To Be (In Debt), Or Not To Be (In Debt), what is the answer? (July 23, 2018)

Posted in Banks and Banking System, Debt/Deficits, Interest Rates, LIBOR, Wall Street on July 23, 2018 by e-commentary.org

. . .

K          “The argument and the aspiration is that there will be a debt jubilee relieving them of debt.  Acquire the debt now and be ready for the great debt reset.”

J          “Yet someone else expects to be paid on that debt and may not be jubilant if there is a jubilee.  Few will voluntarily release the debt of another.  That is the dreaded counterparty risk.” 

K          “I remind others that foreclosures continued unabated throughout the First Great Depression.”

. . .

J          “Another observation is that the government’s only solution to debilitating debt and deficits is to keep printing money and then in desperation to inflate the economy and prices.  The debtors who can maintain their cash flow may be able to ride the government’s coat tails and pay their debts with dollars worth substantially less.”

K          “The dollars may be worth less, but the homeowner/renters will be forced to pay more dollars.  I am confident that even someone who has a fixed rate mortgage will discover that the interest rate is nonetheless cranked upward unilaterally by the financial players.  The scandalous LIBOR interest rate scheme is disappearing which may vitiate some loan agreements.  And sure enough, the courts will not offer any hope or redress to the homeowner.”

J          “But the judges will make their tee times.”

. . .

J          “Student loan debt is expressly not dischargeable in bankruptcy and serves to enslave the kids who may be the ones to spearhead a jubilee.”

. . .

K          “If you are in debt, you are in servitude to someone else.”

J          “No question.  But not everyone is free to make the choice to be debt free.”

. . .

[See the e-commentary at “National Financial Literacy Month: Teaching Financial Literacy In The ‘Debt Age’ (April 25, 2016)”.]

[See “The Most Important Number in Finance Is Going Away.  Wall St. Isn’t Prepared” in “The New York Times” by Matt Phillips dated July 19, 2018.]

Bumper stickers of the week:

Debt is not so good

“Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them.”  Ogden Nash