Exports of petroleum products and capital goods jumped to record highs reducing the U.S. trade deficit.
The capital goods item is interesting and I haven't seen it explained. That is a positive trend, if sustainable. The oil exportation one is not as it depletes a diminishing resource at the expense of U.S. consumers. A lot of it seems to be related to AI exports, which isn't necessarily good, aircraft production, and war related purchases. If all that is correct, it won't be sustainable at the current levels, probably.
Screwworms have reappeared in Texas after a sixty year hiatus. The Trump administration is blaming the Biden Administration, as that's its default thing to do, but the Trumpistas lifted protections that were in place and allowed importation of Mexican cattle via ports in a probable attempt to lower beef prices. This is likely to have the opposite effect. It's a more likely cause, although there were concerns about animals moving across the border illegally during the Biden Administration.
Mexico itself was screwworm free as of 1991. Somehow that got reversed one way or another, and now the problem is back. Given that, it probably was coming back no matter what. It is a major crisis.
Nobody has cited the weather, but it is spread by a fly, and that may very well have resulted to the spread of the flies range.
Inflation is up to 4.2%.
cont:
Reporter: Are you concerned, Mr. President, about the latest inflation number which came out this morning?
Trump: No, I love it. I love the inflation.
Johnson is already saying that's not what he meant.
Those of us in the livestock industry should pray for rain. We also ought to realize that voting for climate change deniers like Harriet Hageman is basically putting a knife to the through our our children, and then cutting their arteries.
The 1.5-gigawatt Prometheus Hyperscale data center will now all be in Natrona County on the Falls Ranch property owned by Texas billionaire carpetbagger Russell Gordy.
Trump called the housing bill that passed both houses "a big yawn". He's holding it hostage in hopes it makes congress pass the antidemocratic SAVE Act.
July 1, 2026
ABC reports that President Trump has earned more than $1 billion from his cryptocurrency ventures while in office.
Atomic weapons were detonated, this time on Bikini Atoll, for the fourth time in human history. The testing was on ships. The device was not on target, so the impact was less than expected.
It was front page news, of course, but it was mixed with economic news and concerns.
Ameican troops were fighting German uniforms again, but over a different cause.
The OPA's emergency wartime powers ended at midnight in spite of an effort by President Truman to extend them.
The Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) authority also expired at midnight as did the authority of the War Relocation Authority.
Surplus military vehicles were being sold.
Sunday was apparently the cheesecake edition of the News. A photo of an actress was given the full page treatment for no other discernable reason, while later in the paper the famous Jane Russell Outlaw poster was also.
And an add depicted teenagers advertising at home.
A sham election in Poland placed the country under the Communist Party and approved the post war borders with the USSR.
Nationalist Chinese troops killed ten demonstrating middle school students at Xuzhou when their commander, Feng Yu-xiang Fang Jingxing ordered them to be fired on by machine guns.
The US was struggling through a post war meat shortage. Denver newspapers were reporting that the Office of Price Administration was accordingly being kept in operation and that Denver butcher shops were nearly bare.
The YB-35 flew for the first time.
Long considered a real oddball, the aircraft anticipated the B-2.
$100 when this bond was issued had the spending power of $1,892.16 today.
How did the U.S. pay off much of the debt from the Second World War and the Cold War?
It inflated the economy out of it.
Let me note something here right from the onset. I think Donald Trump is suffering from dementia in a major way and doesn't come up with plans for anything on his own, very often. Put another way, I think he's a puppet at this stage, pulled by National Conservative and Populist strings, the two not being the same.
Which brings me to this.
What if, behind the scenes, somebody on the NatCon end has come up with the plan to inflate the economy and steal as much of the petroleum oil belonging to Venezuela and Iran as possible.
It'd be way sinister, and evil, and destroy the lives and savings of many, but it might work.
But it'll be devastating to individuals.
Here's how it might works.
Raise tariffs to the point where domestic production actually is increased. That would make everything much more expensive, and hence inflation would result. Putting US oil increasingly on the global market would do the same, as that only happens when the price of oil is high. The value of the debt would decrease as the value of money would decrease.
Crazy?
Well, that's similar to what was done with the World War Two and Cold War debt.
The problem is, of course, that living in inflationary times is devastating to individuals, which is why it can't be, and never has been, done openly.
NatCons, however, may very well like this idea, if they can pull it off. At the end of it the thesis would be that government spending would be brought under control, the national debt greatly reduced, and domestic production realty increased. All of which would be for those who economically survived the ten to twenty year period it'd take to pull it off.
Which many would not.
And it might not work at all. Indeed, it would only work if it was accompanied by high employment, which often high inflation operates against. That's why the increased domestic production would be necessary.
NatCons are a really different group and they've operated in this administration very much in the shadows, which doesn't mean they aren't operating.
This has been in the news for awhile, but I haven't posted it yet.
Frankly, the impact of pipelines is mostly in their construction, to it's temporary. At least for the state. These pipelines tend to transport Canadian oil, so the impact is less than it might seem.
And the state has got to get over its addiction to petroleum.
Regarding petroleum, the U.S. is now exporting a record amount due to the war with Iran, which doesn't help U.S. citizens whatsoever, as it cause the price of the product to rise, and accelerates U.S. depletion of the resource. Export of it, save for conditions in which the petroleum cannot be refined here, should be banned.
For that matter, as a resource that nobody contributed to putting in the ground, some thought should be given to nationalizing the resource in some fashion.
Some members of Congress are threatening to ban the import of Chinese electric vehicles as the GOP searches for ways to make a bad situation worse.
May 7, 2026
Headline:
Trade Court Rules Trump’s 10% Global Tariff Is Illegal
A panel of federal judges found that President Trump could not legally impose the tariff on most imports.
No surprise whatsoever.
Anyhow, now this money will have to be refunded too. And Mad King Donny still hasn't refunded the money owed from the last such ruling.
May 13, 2026
Inflation rose to 3.8% last month with the fastest rise in prices in three years, caused by an illegal war with Iran which the demented Mad King Donny has no idea how to end.
Mad King Donny has gone to China. It'll be a disaster. The best possible result would be if he just gets lost over there, thinks the Chinese babes are cute, decides to marry one, and stays.
June 4, 2026
Casper's car radio store, Car Tunes, is closing after forty years.
If we're going to be Socialist in regard to coal, which we shouldn't be, why not just nationalize the industry? I ask this seriously, as now we're spending public money on a dying industry.
And not one that's just dying, the rest of the world is racing beyond fossil fuels while the ancient leaders of the United States continue to believe its 1954.
With this pathetic news, we'll start a new edition of this thread.
It's interesting that the overwhelming majority of the world's UFO siting's are from the US.
Same for cyptids.
It's almost like we; 1) got money, 2) got bored, 3) got stupid, and 4) elected Trump. He'll probably result in all of those things getting beat out of us.
Everyone has always wondered what would happen if a society got super flush. Well, apparently we entertain wacky conspiracy theories, become fascinated with our reproductive organs, and listen to batshit crazy hucksters.
Donald J. Trump, who fancies himself a Wile E. Coyote level genius, is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business.
It certainly doesn't show, or Wharton isn't all it has been cracked up to be.
Having gotten the United States into an illegal war as Bibi Netanyahu talked him into it, Donny appears to have been taken off guard that Iran could and would close the Straits of Hormuz, hit tankers, and hit oil and gas facilities throughout the Middle East.
Why wouldn't they?
Perhaps if Melania lets Barron go see his father over Spring Break, assuming they're not perusing travel brochures entitled "where we can go to live after Don dies where people won't know we're Trumps", and assuming that Barron isn't doing the right thing and enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, they can break out some hex and counter games and play Naval based Superpower v. Land based regional power" and see how that works out.
Anyhow, Donny Trump (did we mention that he fancies himself a Wile E. Coyote level genius?) has lifted sanctions on already loaded oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, which means that Iran now has a source of cash it didn't before the war started.
So, we didn't wipe out their nuclear capabilities in the Twelve Day War, their government hasn't fallen in this one, people have not risen up to toss out the Iranian government, the Straits of Hormuz are closed, we didn't stockpile oil before the war, the price of oil has skyrocketed, and now the Iranians can legally transport some oil
Assuming that Trump isn't secretly trying to destroy the American economy and benefit Iran (and Russia), it's hard to see the smarts in any of that.
Petroleum is back up over $100/bbl, basically because King Donny is a liar.
March 26, 2026
And the war inflation hits packages:
U.S. Postal Service Announces Transportation-Related, Time-Limited Price Change
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a time-limited price change to better align its costs of transportation with the market. This temporary price adjustment will provide needed flexibility for the Postal Service by helping to ensure that the actual costs of doing business are covered, as required by Congress.
While this price increase is a time-limited adjustment, it will provide a necessary bridge to a permanent mechanism to reflect market conditions in prices for competitive products that can support the Postal Service’s ability to achieve the universal service obligation in a more financially sustainable manner going forward.
The planned price change, which was approved by the Governors of the Postal Service on March 24, is an 8 percent increase that would affect base postage prices on the following retail and commercial domestic competitive products: Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select. No other products or services would be affected, including First-Class Stamps. Pending favorable review by the PRC, the price change would go into effect at midnight Central Time on April 26 and would remain in place until midnight Central Time on Jan. 17, 2027. At that time, the Postal Service can determine if a different long-term approach is needed.
Transportation costs have been increasing, and our competitors have reacted with a number of surcharges. We have steadfastly avoided surcharges and this charge is less than one-third of what our competitors charge for fuel alone, so even with this change, the Postal Service continues to offer great value in shipping with some of the lowest rates in the industrialized world.
The time-limited price change is consistent with industry practices and will support the Postal Service’s ability to continue achieving its public service mission — providing a nationwide, integrated network for the delivery of mail and packages at least six days a week — in a cost-effective and financially sustainable manner over the long term, just as the U.S. Congress has intended.
The PRC will review the proposed price change before it is scheduled to take effect on April 26. Complete USPS price filings, with prices for all products, can be found on the PRC website’s Daily Listings section at prc.arkcase.com/portal/filings. Price tables are also available on the Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.
# # #
March 27, 2026
More than 90% of new renewable power projects worldwide in 2024 were cheaper than fossil-fuel alternatives, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Guess they aren't as woke as Chuck and demented Don would claim.
And this two years ago before the tin pot dictator decided to destroy the world's oil importation system.
March 30, 2026
West Texas is at $100/bbl this morning. Brent is at $115/bbl.
With the Houthis now in the war, there's a fairly good chance the Red Sea will be effectively closed, massively widening the war, and propelling the world into a King Donny causes severe recession.
March 31, 2026
Brent is at $114.88. West Texas at $104.
The price of almost everything is rising.
This is your economy at war. An undeclared war by a demented octogenarian.
Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as Amended, on Natural Gas Transmission, Processing, Storage, and Liquefied Natural Gas Capacity
Presidential Memoranda
April 20, 2026
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
SUBJECT: Presidential Determination Pursuant to Section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as Amended, on Natural Gas Transmission, Processing, Storage, and Liquefied Natural Gas Capacity
On January 20, 2025, I issued Executive Order 14156 (Declaring a National Energy Emergency), under the National Emergencies Act. That order found that hostile foreign actors have weaponized America’s reliance on foreign energy and used it to cause dramatic swings in international commodity markets, leaving the United States and its allies dangerously exposed. It emphasized that America must develop its capacity to supply reliable, diversified, and affordable energy to international allies and partners to compete with hostile foreign powers, strengthen relations with allies and partners, and support international peace and security.
Consistent with that declaration, I find that ensuring sufficient natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity is critical to sustaining United States defense operations and ensuring allied energy security. Inadequate pipelines, processing, storage, or natural gas and LNG export capacity would leave the United States and its partners dangerously exposed in times of crisis.
Therefore, by the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (the “Act”) (50 U.S.C. 4533), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 303(a)(5) of the Act, that:
(1) natural gas and LNG capacity, including gathering and transmission pipelines, compression, processing plants, underground storage, LNG liquefaction, storage and marine load, export facilities, and critical distribution infrastructure, are industrial resources, materials, or critical technology items essential to the national defense;
(2) without Presidential action under section 303 of the Act, United States industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide these capabilities for the needed industrial resource, material, or critical technology item in a timely manner due to financing constraints, long-lead equipment and construction schedules, permitting delays, and infrastructure bottlenecks; and
(3) purchases, purchase commitments, financial support for the development of production capabilities, or other action pursuant to section 303 of the Act are the most cost-effective, expedient, and practical alternative methods for meeting this need.
I have declared a national emergency under Executive Order 14156, and I further determine that action to expand domestic natural gas transmission, processing, storage, and LNG capacity is necessary to avert an industrial resource or critical technology item shortfall that would severely impair national defense capability. Therefore, pursuant to section 303(a)(7) of the Act, I waive the requirements of section 303(a)(1)-(a)(6) of the Act for the purpose of expanding such capability.
You are authorized and directed to implement this determination, including making necessary purchases, commitments, and financial instruments to enable these projects, and to publish this determination in the Federal Register.
DONALD J. TRUMP
April 27, 2026
I listed to all three weekend shows. They were grim.
This Week made it clear we're headed into an economic crisis thanks to the damage to oil infrastructure. It may take years to repair and prices are not going to decline very soon, if ever.
