2018 Ethereum Sale

368%  gain to the Parisian family coffers.

Never in my wildest dreams did I believe that would happen.

Good for me. 

Better for the family.

No doubt the biggest scandal in United States politics

From the Wall Street Journal

The House Intelligence Committee voted Monday night to release a Republican memo that by most accounts reveals how the FBI handled, or mishandled, federal wiretap requests during the 2016 presidential campaign. The White House should now approve its public disclosure as the first of several to help the country understand what really happened.

Democrats are objecting to the release, claiming partisanship and violations of national security. None of this is persuasive. Republican Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes has followed a long and deliberative process that follows House protocol.

When the FBI finally agreed after months of resisting to answer a committee subpoena for documents, Mr. Nunes deputized former prosecutor and South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy to investigate. The subsequent memo was vetted for security concerns, provided to the entire House committee, then made available to the entire House, then shown to the director of the FBI, and is now undergoing White House review. This is hardly a Chelsea Manning-to-WikiLeaks-to-New York Times leak.

Another false claim is that Republicans are “censoring” a rival Democratic memo. The same Democrats howling about national security wanted the committee on Monday instantly to approve the public disclosure of their counter-memo that hasn’t gone through the equivalent reviews that the majority memo has. Committee Republicans voted to start that process by making the Democratic memo available to the full House, and by all means let’s see that memo too.

The House memo is not about “attacking the FBI” or “our law enforcement professionals,” as Democrat Adam Schiff insists. This is about restoring confidence in a law enforcement agency that played an unprecedented role in a U.S. presidential election regarding both the Trump and Clinton campaigns.

Americans deserve to know whether accusations that the Kremlin infiltrated the Trump campaign have any basis, and prosecutors and Congressional committees are investigating. The FBI might well have had cause to believe Russians were targeting the Trump campaign when they sought a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant. But Washington also should be able to investigate if and how law enforcement agencies exceeded their remit in seeking wiretaps.

The memo also concerns the integrity of the FISA process. Democrats created FISA in the 1970s to protect against wiretap abuses during the Cold War. We opposed it on grounds that it would dilute political accountability, and what do you know here we are. FISA is supposed to provide a measure of legal assurance against abuse, and FBI and Justice officials appear ex parte before the FISA judges with no competing claimants.

The public should know if as part of its warrant application the FBI used the Christopher Steele dossier that we now know was financed by the Hillary Clinton campaign. The House intelligence memo may answer that question, as well as whether the FBI made other misrepresentations or omissions in its FISA application. In June 2017 former FBI director Jim Comey referred in Senate testimony to the dossier as containing “salacious and unverified” material. Is that what the FBI told the FISA court in 2016?

If the FISA judges weren’t told about the partisan provenance and doubts about the veracity of the memo in the middle of a presidential election campaign, then what is FISA for? To serve as a potted plant so the FBI can get whatever warrants it wants? Are they genuine Article III judges with an independent writ or merely another arm of the executive branch that can be rolled like some deputy assistant secretary of State?

The same progressives who demanded accountability for FISA courts after Edward Snowden exposed federal snooping now want President Trump to shut down the House’s limited attempt at transparency. Don’t buy it, Mr. President. Let it all out—the two House Intelligence memos, Senator Chuck Grassley’s referral letter for a criminal investigation of Mr. Steele, and all other relevant FBI or Justice documents that won’t undermine U.S. security. Our democracy can take the transparency, and after the 2016 fiasco it deserves it.

Tweet from David A. Clarke Jr.

"The reason the Congressional Black Caucus is not excited about the lowest recorded level ever of black unemployment is because they determine their relevance in the amount of black people’s misery. The more miserable black people are the more important the CBC feels. Sociopaths."

SOTU

Let me see if I got this straight.........

If we take a nuke it will be missiles built with technology given to China by Bill Clinton, with warheads developed from uranium sold to Russia and refined by Iran into weapons-grade plutonium in Russian centrifuges bought with the money Obama gave them. 

And the Left thinks Donald Trump is a traitor for his attempt at undoing this unbelievable shit-storm sell-out?

Yup, I got it.

GHOST RANCH RULES

Wake up smiling.

Watch wildlife.

Eat good.

Relax.

Make memories.

Watch birds.

Leave with an agate or a shed.

Nap.

Sit by a fire.

Listen to the river.

Drink refreshingly.

Savor the sunset.

Congress of the United States of America

So, you think these politicians represent you and what you want out of your government? 

Think again.  Their only goal is to remain in office and do what they do.   They care not what you want. 

Beholden to the greed and money that funds them.

Sickening state of affairs isn't it?

(MORE) Taxation without representation

Beginning or around March 19, 2018, TD Ameritrade will pass through the FINRA imposed trading activity fees on sell transactions. The Trading activity fee is based upon sell transactions for certain security types such as covered equities, options and bonds.

Your clients were notified via a message in their December 2017 statement and trade confirmations. The same message will also be included in their January 2018 statement and trade confirmations.

Going forward, this fee will a be included under the "Reg Fee" section of each trade confirmation, combined with any other applicable regulatory fees. It will also be reflected in the totals for "commissions and fees" on the TD Ameritrade website within transactions and order histories.

A breakdown of the fee is below:

1. $0.000119 per share for each sale of a covered equity security, with a maximum charge of $5.95 per trade;

2. $0.002 per contract for each sale of an option; 

3. $0.00008 per contract for each round turn transaction of a security future, provided there is a minimum charge of $0.01 per round turn transaction; 

4. $0.00075 per bond for each sale of a covered TRACE-Eligible Security (other than an Asset-Backed Security) and/or municipal security, with a maximum charge of $0.75 per trade; 

5. $0.00000075 times the value, as reported to TRACE, of a sale of an Asset-Backed Security, with a maximum charge of $0.75 per trade.

6. In addition, if the execution price for a covered security is less than the Trading Activity Fee rate: 

a. $0.000119 for covered equity securities 
b. $0.002 for covered option contracts 
$0.01 for a security future on a per share 

INFLATION in AMERICA

Over the span of 2000-2016, the amount of money spent on food by the average American household increased from $5,158 to $7,203, which is a 39.6% increase in spending.

Despite this, as Visual Capitalist's Jeff Desjardins notes, for most of the U.S. population, food actually makes up a decreasing portion of their household spending mix because of rising incomes over time. Just 13.1% of income was spent on food by the average household in 2016, making it a less important cost than both housing and transportation.

That said, fluctuations in food prices can still make a major impact on the population. For lower income households, food makes up a much higher percentage of incomes at 32.6% – and how individual foods change in price can make a big difference at the dinner table.

FLUCTUATING GROCERY PRICES

Today’s infographic comes from TitleMax, and it uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to show the prices for 30 common grocery staples over the last decade.

Courtesy of: Visual Capitalist

We’ve summarized the statistics in the following table to show the grocery prices in 2007 and 2017, as well as the total percentage change.

Only prices of three items fell: chicken breasts (-6.4%), whole milk (-7.4%), and eggs (-14.9%).

However, the average price increase for all items was 22%, buoyed especially by meats like bacon (58.2%), ground beef (44.6%), top round steak (40.6%), frozen turkey (38.3%) and sirloin steak (35.2%).

THE FUTURE OF FOOD

As we’ve previously noted, technology is being applied to agriculture and food in really interesting ways – and the future of food could be very different than what we see today.

How will the grocery prices of everyday staples be affected by growth in automated vertical farms, aquaponics, in vitro meats, and artificial animal products?

With shifting consumer preferences towards more local and sustainable products, it will be interesting to revisit this data in the coming years.

The New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in Minneapolis

I like the New England Patriots.  Started following them many years ago.  I like their coach and the owner.  The organization seems to exhibit many traits that I admire.  They do the best they can do.  They try not to make the mistakes that will fail them.  They hustle.  They bring a very focused demeanor to their game.

What does it take to get to the top?  In football, or accounting, or sales, or management?  Without a doubt, the few individuals who get to play in the Super Bowl every year are at the very top of their profession.  There are no part-time players in the Super Bowl.  No part-time, apathetic, half-baked or half-committed ones.  They are there because they made a conscious decision to do whatever it takes to get to the Super Bowl.   Those Super Bowls players aren't just putting in their time in the NFL for a retirement check.    Most of those players in the Patriots locker room are focused on only thing, to do their job, every play, every game.

As the chase for great football players at the high school and college level has increased it still remains that 50% of the NFL teams will lose every Sunday.  Every Sunday, cornerbacks and safety's who make millions will get beat and give up game winning touchdowns.   Coaches will get fired every year.   High School players who all seem to think they are D-1 caliber will flame out in the off-season.  The work was too hard they say.  Colleges keep building temples to the teams and for the fans who then want winning programs.  Have you, in your life ever watched a team increase their winning with a new stadium? 

For all the kids out there who sit on the benches I was fortunate enough to sit on over the years remember this.  There are no traffic jams in the extra mile.  Ability is secondary to hard work.  Who wants to pay the price?  Is there a team that works harder than the New England Patriots?  Is it any wonder they are the cream of the NFL year in and year out?  I hope it is a great Super Bowl this year.  I hope the better team wins the game.  I hope no player is injured and that Minneapolis puts it's best foot forward for the big game.  I hope it is a super game to watch!   

Disgusting statistic............

3,067,696 = Number of PUBLIC wilderness acres that non-residents can NOT hunt in Wyoming. 

Humor, Wall Street or otherwise........

Nothing beats morbid humor coming out of Wall Street trading desks.  Not even Ron White can dish it out any faster.

One can only wish the scum at the top of the FBI heap will get their due.

Wouldn't it be great if we could order up Pay Per View or watch on ESPN some of these sordid souls get their due?

What a beautiful thing that would be! 

IMAGINE..............

Imagine if a Republican Secretary of State destroyed 33,000 emails illegally. Imagine if FBI agents bragged about a "secret society" and a "back up plan" to destroy a Democrat President. Imagine if a Republican used the IRS to target liberals. Imagine what the media would do!

Never, ever forget this if you live on an Indian reservation

I grew up on many Indian reservations across the Great Plains.

Not a single town or community had a velocity of money that by any barometer one could call "wealthy" or "rich".

Old man "CAN'T" is dead.  He's  been dead a long time.

I helped bury him.

FED 2% Inflation Policy

I studied inflation extensively in college while taking an economics degree.   I dealt with inflation upon arrival in San Diego in 1979 when real estate prices were doubling every few months and gas rationing was rampant.

I have always felt that inflation should be ZERO per cent.

ZERO

Anything more is robbing all of us.   ALL Americans.

These academics at the United States Federal Reserve who actually believe 2% inflation is a grand target should be jailed.  How can they set a 2% inflation target that excludes as "transitory" what ALL Americans would deem to be necessities?

United States Federal Reserve Policy on 2% Inflation

It amazes me that America is so out of touch with economics.

This is a must-read for America.

FEDERAL RESERVE INFLATION

Here is some liberal bullshit while the MSM/fake news carry on their lies

Dear Dean T. Parisian,

As part of our recent work to understand Russian-linked activities on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, we identified and suspended a number of accounts that were potentially connected to a propaganda effort by a Russian government-linked organization known as the Internet Research Agency.

Consistent with our commitment to transparency, we are emailing you because we have reason to believe that you either followed one of these accounts or retweeted or liked content from these accounts during the election period. This is purely for your own information purposes, and is not related to a security concern for your account.

We are sharing this information so that you can learn more about these accounts and the nature of the Russian propaganda effort. You can see examples of content from these suspended accounts on our blog if you're interested.

People look to Twitter for useful, timely, and appropriate information. We are taking active steps to stop malicious accounts and Tweets from spreading, and we are determined to keep ahead of the tactics of bad actors. For example, in recent months we have developed new techniques to identify accounts manipulating our platform, have improved our process for challenging suspicious accounts, and have introduced new measures designed to identify and take action on coordinated malicious activity. In 2018, we are building on these improvements. Our blog also contains more information about these efforts.

People come to Twitter to see what's happening in the world. We are committed to making it the best place to do that and to being transparent with the people who use and trust our platform.

Twitter

Stunning beauty on Colorado winter range

Wanted. In my lifetime...........

Wanted:    Articulate, non-narcissistic POTUS who can lead a government for the people.

Happy New Year!

In review of some United States government-backed assets I own I found some rather unique directions to help the congress critters inside the District of Corruption and your fellow taxpayers.   If you pay any tax at all I hope you are sitting down when you read this because you will be laughing........Here, take a minute and see for yourself if the dollars you might contribute will actually make a difference......Click this link and watch.....

DEBT of the United States

 

Why does the debt sometimes decrease?

The Public Debt Outstanding decreases when there are more redemptions of Treasury securities than there are issues.

How do you make a contribution to reduce the debt?

There are two ways for you to make a contribution to reduce the debt:

• At Pay.gov, you can contribute online by credit card, debit card, PayPal, checking account, or savings account.
• You can write a check payable to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, and, in the memo section, notate that it's a gift to reduce the debt held by the public. Mail your check to:
  
  Attn Dept G
  Bureau of the Fiscal Service
  P. O. Box 2188
  Parkersburg, WV 26106-2188