Welcome to the AudioShark Forums.
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 227
  1. #1

    Economy and Finance Thread

    Thought I'd start a thread where we can discuss the topic of Economy and Finance in general. It is always good to stay informed.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bucks County PA
    Posts
    3,702

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Can it be discussed without Politics? I doubt it.

    They are devaluing the dollar to the point of collapse to put forth the Great Reset. Invest in Physical Gold and Silver and watch Crypto. The Central Bank recently announced their own version of Crypto, but it is still the same Federal Reserve Note in digital form and they can manipulate it any way they want. They are scared of Bitcoin and the rest.

    I am 7 years away from retirement and scared what I have saved will be worthless if something isn't done about it now. Cant say more without it being Political.
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  3. #3

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    I do pay attention to what the "superstars" of the financial world have to say in general. One does not get to be a Multi-Billionaire by making all the "wrong" financial decisions.

    Ray Dalio is not exactly a "Bear" when it comes to finance. He runs the world's largest hedge fund "Bridgewater". Granted, the fund lost big $ in 2020 by being overly cautious with everything going on but IMHO that does not undermine Ray Dalio's knowledge and study of historical facts and figures of finance and understanding exactly how things work.

    In a nutshell, when Ray Dalio speaks up, I tend to take notice.


    Take everything with a grain of salt of course but Ray Dalio has some rather unpleasant predictions about our economy. Now, many will call that being pessimistic and that it will not happen but beware because those people will also not be able to offer a logical counter-argument as to "why it will not happen"...

    Ray Dalio Sends A Warning On A Horrid Economic Collapse Ahead - YouTube

  4. #4

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Shadowfax View Post
    Can it be discussed without Politics? I doubt it.

    They are devaluing the dollar to the point of collapse to put forth the Great Reset. Invest in Physical Gold and Silver and watch Crypto. The Central Bank recently announced their own version of Crypto, but it is still the same Federal Reserve Note in digital form and they can manipulate it any way they want. They are scared of Bitcoin and the rest.

    I am 7 years away from retirement and scared what I have saved will be worthless if something isn't done about it now. Cant say more without it being Political.
    I am thinking that "yes" it can be discussed without politics. We got to where we are today with many, many presidents and administrations and their collective input over the decades. Still, the finance in my opinion transcends politics. Presidents have much less impact on the stock market in general than they would like to think or boast about... That is a fact so no need to invoke any particular policy or administration as a scapegoat for blame.

    One needs to stay ahead of inflation of course and be prepared that prices will definitely NOT be the same 10, 20, 30 years from now and that fancy burger that is say $12 today, may cost you $30 in retirement... (I am not talking about the gourmet Wagyu Beef $5,000 burger. If you are eating those, you don't need to follow this thread at all...)

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Bitcoin or Dogecoin?
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  6. #6

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Warren Buffet needs no introduction... The man tends to be a "conservative and traditional" investor. Took him a long time to "warm up" to some high flying stocks that could have made tremendous gains for him but no need to knock Berkshire Hathaway performance, he has been doing just fine...

    So what has Warren Buffet been up to lately? Warren Buffett Is Selling Out Of His Stocks & The Reasons Behind It Are Scary - YouTube

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Warren missed the ride with Amazon, and he's from old school.
    He's anti-Bitcoin. He's a Coca-Cola/Colgate guy.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  8. #8

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    Bitcoin or Dogecoin?
    Dogecoin has done very well for a friend of mine. He bought that new $25K Harley Davidson he wanted with the small investment into Dogecoin. Happy as can be. That cute Shiba Inu coin bought him his ultimate toy.

    Don't underestimate the power of the people and when Elon Musk proclaimed "Dogecoin" the people's crypto, the Reddit youth took to buying it.... To the Moon it started to go. No matter that it is a joke currency, no matter that it will have severe volatility, it is still cheap enough to have fun with and it will do well over time. Of course the entry and exit points will determine the overall success long term, just like Bitcoin.

  9. #9

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    One thing for sure, today's youth is very much ahead of my generation (GenX) and Babyboomers as far as being in tune with investing and the stock market potential at an early age. I did not invest into the market until in my late 30's. It will ultimately lead to many success stories and many failures but there will be many lessons learned along the way.










  10. #10

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    This video is certainly thought provoking.

    The Scariest Financial Experiment In History Happening Now | Roaring 20’s or Hyperinflation?

    1 year ago the entire world went through a massive shock that send economic markets plummeting. The SP500 lost 26% in one of the worst drawdowns in financial history. But here we are, more than 1 year later and on paper we have essentially fully recovered and blossomed from this 2020 low. Unemployment rates are getting close and close to normal, bankruptcies are falling to record lows, and the stock market is at all-time highs. On the surface this seems very good, but dig underneath and you will uncover the biggest and most terrifying financial experiment in history which could result in a new golden age, or it could potentially bring us to a chilling dark age that we have never experienced before.

    https://youtu.be/dPW1tbMOAA4

  11. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    SE Pa
    Posts
    2,027

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Interesting reads Serge, as a recently retired person I share a lot of the concerns.
    Cheers ! …. Dave

  12. #12
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Serge, question for you: When you file your taxes do you have to pay taxes on Bitcoin?
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  13. #13

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    Serge, question for you: When you file your taxes do you have to pay taxes on Bitcoin?
    As far as I know, under US tax law, cryptocurrency is considered property and as such, you owe taxes on realized gains when sold.

    I have not kept up with the unrealized gains taxes being kicked around but the current administration is trying to implement the mark-to-market approach where one will be on the hook for unrealized capital gains. That will be a huge kick in the crotch

  14. #14

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Here we go, this article just came out

    Stocks Fall on Worries About Capital-Gains Taxes

  15. #15

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread


  16. #16
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    How to know whether you owe taxes on bitcoin

    Serge, do you have to pay taxes on audio gear you sell on eBay? ...On audioshark?

    Last, do you have to pay taxes on drugs you sell? ...Like the drug dealers (lords), do they have to file on time and declare all gains from their businesses?
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  17. #17

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    I neither use nor sell drugs but the answer to your question is pretty obvious. The pot economy is booming and paying quite a bit of taxes where it has become legal, illegal drugs are well, illegal and criminal.

    Private sales of Used stuff there is usually a limit as to how many transactions per said amount of time but it varies from state to state. Florida for example let’s you sell two items in 12 a months period and then you are considered a business and should be collecting sales tax. Good luck enforcing that not that I’m implying the IRS can’t or won’t catch up or that one should cheat on their taxes.

    In general, the tax loopholes are such that the government collects about 25% of corporate tax what it used to in say the 60’s, keeping it proportional to the size of economy I read.

  18. #18
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Good point Serge; pharmaceutical companies sell medicinal therapeutical ethical drugs for the well being of humanity...healing. And they have to pay taxes too, or their CEOs wouldn't make the money they make. Marijuana is legal in some states, and they pay taxes. Vaping and smoking (tobacco)...you pay taxes, to our government.

    Audio gear on the used market; the tax collectors aren't interested in second-hand audiophiles, do they?

    There is tons of money to be made right now; check your finances, make a plan, invest in the right places...e-commerce, vaccin companies, cryptocurrency, high-end audio paranophelia, wiring, luxury yachts, real estate, hypercars, castles, mansions, private islands, YouTube, Instagram, Apple, Amazon, ...
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  19. #19
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Cool, a Cinderella happy financial reality ... all based on pure fun/humor à la Elon Musk.

    Reddit trader: I'm a dogecoin millionaire, inspired by Elon Musk
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  20. #20

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    Good point Serge; pharmaceutical companies sell medicinal therapeutical ethical drugs for the well being of humanity...healing. And they have to pay taxes too, or their CEOs wouldn't make the money they make. Marijuana is legal in some states, and they pay taxes. Vaping and smoking (tobacco)...you pay taxes, to our government.

    Audio gear on the used market; the tax collectors aren't interested in second-hand audiophiles, do they?

    There is tons of money to be made right now; check your finances, make a plan, invest in the right places...e-commerce, vaccin companies, cryptocurrency, high-end audio paranophelia, wiring, luxury yachts, real estate, hypercars, castles, mansions, private islands, YouTube, Instagram, Apple, Amazon, ...
    Typically luxury items such as yachts, hypercars, high end audio, are not exactly an investment but that's not to say they can't be a source of revenue. Yacht chartering such as UpYacht, BoatBookings, etc... and TURO, HyreCars for cars. I am not familiar with details of such but know they exist and people do it to either offset the cost, break even or perhaps even make some money over time.

    High End audio? Well, at one point I actually thought of creating a high end audio leasing model but keep it as an exclusive, small operation for special clients that I could trust. One thing we know about audio is that people like to upgrade and play much more often than they want to actually keep any of their gear.

    So why make them purchase an expensive pair of speakers (Like the new Wilson AlexxV $125k) or a that fancy new Boulder amp when they can play with them for six months to a year and it would cost much less than they would be selling them at a depreciated, typical preowned audio prices and not having had to tie up a large chunk of money that could have been invested into an assets that has the potential to appreciate over time? The leasing/sharing models work very well for other depreciating class items and are popular, so why not high end audio for high end clients? As the gear ages, the leasing numbers would adjust lower and be accessible to a larger pool of clients... Pretty sure the idea would work very well in certain markets that have a concentration of wealth and lifestyles where luxury items are well, a necessary component for a happy life...

    Of course that business model requires a much more substantial, up-front investment to get going compared to a traditional retail model where all the profit is available at the point of sale.

    I have always thought I could put my money to better use elsewhere. But for an established store with many wealthy clients???

    Mike?



    Islands are beyond my scope of knowledge or ideas... Never thought of it but the few who own them, seem to be doing very well? 10 Richest Private Island Owners | TheRichest.



    One thing for sure. Beachfront properties are a sure bet long term investment. They just don't make more waterfront/beach property. When some of the investors started hinting at Puerto Rico... that was a good time to jump on it as their prices were depressed. I hesitated, thinking I don't want those headaches with the hurricanes and all that... and of course that has market has exploded as of late .

    Manmade islands are no longer sci-fi of course, it is quite within the reach and has been done (Palm Islands Dubai). Maybe the idea will catch on someday in many other places and that will create new and perhaps even more exclusive/expensive beachfront properties?



  21. #21

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    I like the George Gammon channel on youtube. He is very much on top of things and explains concepts and current financial events/trends in an easy to understand format while drawing historic parallels which are always important to keep in mind IMHO.

    For those interested in the current Real Estate topic. Will it keep Booming or will it Bust?

    Real Estate 2021 Deep Dive (Will Prices Boom Or Bust!?!) Real Estate 2021 Deep Dive (Will Prices Boom Or Bust!?!) - YouTube

  22. #22

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    James G. Rickards is an American lawyer, economist, investment banker, speaker, media commentator, and author on matters of finance and precious metals. He is the author of Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis (2011) and six other books.

    Jim Rickards: New Great Depression Coming!! (How To Prepare) Jim Rickards: New Great Depression Coming!! (How To Prepare) - YouTube

  23. #23

  24. #24

  25. #25

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    "The US national debt now tops $123 trillion, including unfunded Social Security and Medicare promises, far surpassing the official figure of $28 trillion, Truth in Accounting (TIA), a non-partisan American think tank, reported on 15 April. This mammoth debt means a $796,000 burden for every federal taxpayer, TIA underscores". https://freeworldeconomicreport.com/...analyst-warns/


    Actually it is $162 Trillion of unfunded debt/liabilities according to the official debt clock. U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

  26. #26
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by TheOctopus View Post
    Thought I'd start a thread where we can discuss the topic of Economy and Finance in general. It is always good to stay informed.
    It is one of my main interests in life...the state of the affairs/finances, and knowledge.

    Tesla (TSLA) earnings Q1 2021
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  27. #27

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    It is one of my main interests in life...the state of the affairs/finances, and knowledge.

    Tesla (TSLA) earnings Q1 2021
    Tesla stock does not interest me at the current valuations. When the CEO (Musk) tweets that the stock is "too high" and that was when it was still less than half the value it is today, then one looks at the P/E ratio which is over 1100 (coming down due to solid earnings finally), then it becomes clear it will be one of the stocks that has the potential of "adjusting" and "punishing" the investor in tandem with the falling market. Market cannot keep climbing to the moon forever either, the day is coming. 2001 Dot Com Bubble is still a bit painful to think back on for me... 2008 wasn't all that fun either!

  28. #28
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Our Canadian loonie is gaining, the real estate market is booming (North America), the economy in China and in the USA is healthy, bitcoin will eventually hit $100,000 US.

    The price of timber has tripled. Your house is worth more. Kids need very good jobs to enter/finance the exorbitant housing family life. In some countries the kids have to eat wild leaves and bugs (locusts) to survive (Madagascar, Africa).

    We live in a pandemonium crazy world, where money and power dictates destinies.
    Vaccines cost more in India than in the USA, even if India is the biggest vaccine's manufacturer in the world. Some people have to pay from their own pockets, the leaders are not bailing/paying.

    In Europe the economy isn't as robust as in the USA or China for example; it actually is not doing too good.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  29. #29

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    Our Canadian loonie is gaining, the real estate market is booming (North America), the economy in China and in the USA is healthy, bitcoin will eventually hit $100,000 US.

    The price of timber has tripled. Your house is worth more. Kids need very good jobs to enter/finance the exorbitant housing family life. In dome countries the kids eat leaves and bugs to survive (Africa).

    We live in a pandemonium crazy world, where money and power dictates destinies.
    Vaccines cost more in India than in the USA, even if India is the biggest vaccine's manufacturer in the world. Some people have to pay from their own pockets, the leaders are not bailing/paying.

    In Europe the economy isn't as robust as in the USA or China for example; it actually is not doing too good.
    All keen observations... As far as Bitcoin goes, I still have not heard the long term, end game scenario. The energy required and the associated cost to keep Bitcoin running, now exceeds some some small countries energy demand. So far that cost has been absorbed by those entities involved with mining the Bitcoin as a reward for energy and computing power expenditure. Who will absorb that cost when the last Bitcoin is mined? Remember that Bitcoin was always capped to a finite number and that number theoretically will be reached some day.... There will have to be not so insignificant maintenance costs involved that will need to be passed on to Bitcoin owners or the cap will have to be removed to keep the system going with an unpredictable effect as to the price of Bitcoin. Not to mention that the governments around the world are also looking into their own Cryptocurrency as the civilization starts to transition to a largely cashless society. Not any different from the current FIAT currency of the fractional reserve, debt structured monetary system, that is based solely on the faith of the governments issuing it....

  30. #30

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Thought of the day.

    A FIAT currency is money that is not backed by a physical commodity like gold, but instead backed by the government that issued it. Most modern currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, euro, pound and yen, are fiat money. “Fiat” means “an authoritative or arbitrary order.”

    Are there countries that do not use FIAT currency?

    "There is no country which does not use fiat money. It is the natural evolution of currency. There is no need to back money by any single commodity. Fiat currency is backed by the whole economy of the issuing country, or every single product/service produced by it. "

    So can a government assure us that "everything is gonna be OK?"



    No... Of course they can't... But just continue to put your trust and faith into your government. You have no other choice

    Definition of HYPERINFLATION.




  31. #31
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    I'm not an expert on Bitcoin, I just believe its inevitable aim, no matter the roller coaster rides.
    Is it permissible to invest on pure speculation, on air we breathe, water we drink, food, gold, currency, cryptocurrency, ...? Anything goes, there are no rules on resources investments.
    The money we spend on Amazon is the money we earned from the same source, or others.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  32. #32

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    I'm not an expert on Bitcoin, I just believe its inevitable aim, no matter the roller coaster rides.
    Is it permissible to invest on pure speculation, on air we breathe, water we drink, food, gold, currency, cryptocurrency, ...? Anything goes, there are no rules on resources investments.
    The money we spend on Amazon is the money we earned from the same source, or others.
    Right... So a world economy built on governments printing money that are not backed by any physical assets to keep things balanced and the printers in check... We print our way out of every problem and situation and we often derive the wealth that is created out of that same thin air by the creative financial schemes and speculative plays on Wall Street. Where the stock market as well commodities and other assets go on to hyperinflate the large bubbles that always and by their inherent nature must eventually go POP.... with the average JOE of course always left looking into his empty wallet and wondering what the HELL just happened... Now of course we have the mighty military that will stand up and say NO YOU DON"T when the system or the wellbeing of a government/country is threatened since the FIAT currency is only as good as the country is strong. So don't be surprised when the next world power CHINA stands up and says NO YOU DON"T and they already are doing just that. It's only fair and natural.

    Of course ALL that has been tried throughout history and FAILED but we have no other bright ideas at the moment. The US has had other Central Banks before the FED and they have also FAILED.... But many don't even know that fact

  33. #33
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    The US is doing very good financially, with the most billionaires in the world, right after China.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  34. #34

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    The US is doing very good financially, with the most billionaires in the world, right after China.
    Depends how one measures "doing good". It comes at a price of a serious Debt to GDP ratio that is very concerning to most rational people....

  35. #35

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread


  36. #36
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Tell Warren to tell that to the people of Madagascar.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  37. #37
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  38. #38

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by NorthStar View Post
    Tell Warren to tell that to the people of Madagascar.
    That's exactly what Buffet is saying. The inflation rate of Madagascar is significant but pales in comparison to Iran for example which experienced a 49% inflation in one year.... Article said furniture and household goods shot up 71% in one year. Imagine your money being worth half or less in one year's time. In a few years time they could be worth nothing but history already showed us exactly that with other nations, dynasties, empires, etc... Hold on to your hat, the times ahead will be interesting to say the least. We could find ourselves continue to prosper on this FIAT, debt driven, economy or we can go down in flames in a colossal fail. Trying to be at least somehow prepared is the subject of the thread as it develops over time.

  39. #39
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Madagascar folks don't need Apple shares, they need real apples (to eat) right now.
    We live in the present, good investments are in the present.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  40. #40
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
    Posts
    9,413

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Invest in the time now, not in the time tomorrow. Tomorrow is too late, they'll be dead.
    Invest in giving to the poor, not in giving to the rich; it's the poor who can benefit the most, not the rich. A good investment is a benefit to the ones on the precipice of starvation and death. Invest in life.
    ~ Bob ~
    "And it Stoned me to my Soul" Van Morrison
    ClickAudiophile Audition
    Snoopy as the Red Baron attack
    Avatar = The Alan Parsons Project - Eye in the Sky (1982 - orbiting)

  41. #41

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Bob, precisely why the current system that allows for some being obsessed over $100k plus speakers while others starve to death will ultimately cause a total collapse. It's not unique, they say history does not necessarily repeat but it sure does rhyme very often, or by some "wheel of karma", the civilization keeps returning to the rise of the riches and power only to face the ultimate and colossal collapse and do it over and over....

    Technology has helped us achieve tremendous progress and riches yet like the Dragon that starts to eat its own tail, we keep pumping money back at the source of the financial furnace to make more, more, more while others are exploited and die from disease and starvation or even a lack of clean water.... Shameful really but it is the reality.

    Even the poor kids as young as 7 are exploited to dig for cobalt for batteries because it makes us feel good that we are doing less damage to the planet as we drive our Tesla to the store for MORE luxury goods while a kid starves to death elsewhere..

    I suppose the prefrontal cortex was both a blessing and a curse as it sure gives us intelligence but directs it to be very egoistic and against the laws of balance of nature? So mankind one day will ultimately disappear and most likely by its own man-made demise. We keep sending probes to Mars looking for what is left of that planet and wondering why there is an asteroid belt instead of another planet... Wondering why there are isotopes in the atmosphere of Mars that could only have come from a massive scale atomic blasts? Do we really have to wonder?

  42. #42

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Housing prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic, as it seems many people bought new homes. But something else is going on, too: not enough homes are hitting the market.

    A report from real estate analytics corporation Black Knight puts into perspective just how dire the situation is: housing inventory is down by 40% compared to the same time last year, with new listing volumes down 16% year-over-year in January and 21% in February, amounting to a 125,000 deficit in inventory compared to 2020 levels.

    "Any hopes of 2021 bringing an influx of homes to the market and lessening pressure on prices appear to be dashed for now," Ben Graboske, Black Knight's data and analytics president, told real estate news site HousingWire.



    The increase in housing prices was of concern to Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather, who said in the report that it's putting homeownership out of reach for many Americans.

    "That means a future in which most Americans will not have the opportunity to build wealth through home equity, which will worsen inequality in our society," Fairweather said.





    Plenty of articles on the "institutional buyer" aggressively buying up any real estate they can grab and turn them into rental cash cows for their portfolios. This is nothing new and has started over a decade ago and is only accelerating.

    This video puts it all together nicely to understand the picture of what is going on. The Great American Real Estate Heist | Watch Out! - YouTube

  43. #43

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Good time to keep a very close eye on your portfolios. With the market valuations quite a bit outside the sane and reasonable level (my own opinion FWIW) if the FED refuses to do anything about the inflation to keep the market from tanking, the average Joe feeling the pressure and the closed loop system of how economies actually work will eventually tank the market anyways.


    "President Joe Biden received further negative news Wednesday about the economic environment in the U.S. under his leadership as newly released numbers show that the economy is overheating and inflation is growing at an even higher rate than anticipated. “Inflation accelerated at its fastest pace in more than 12 years for April".

    “Rising commodity markets, supply-chain blockages and hiring difficulties have prompted some investors to expect a prolonged upswing in consumer prices,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “That could lead the Federal Reserve to raise its target for short-term interest rates sooner than it has signaled, potentially weighing on stocks and other assets that have benefited from over a year of near-zero borrowing costs.”

    The news comes less than a week after the Biden administration suffered a major setback when April’s jobs report showed that only 266,000 jobs were added to the economy, 700,000 less than had been projected."

    Why work when sitting on the couch and not paying your rent will yield a better result? Let's see how long the FED/Administration can keep that up.

  44. #44
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bucks County PA
    Posts
    3,702

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Told you it could not be done without Politics
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  45. #45

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Shadowfax View Post
    Told you it could not be done without Politics
    That's not politics but the quote from the article saying that the current president received news that under his leadership, things are not going great as far as inflation and jobs... But we all knew that already

  46. #46
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bucks County PA
    Posts
    3,702

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by TheOctopus View Post
    That's not politics but the quote from the article saying that the current president received news that under his leadership, things are not going great as far as inflation and jobs... But we all knew that already
    The whole market, economy, pipeline hacks and everything going on is all Politics, no way to get around it.

    Back to my popcorn
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  47. #47

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Shadowfax View Post
    The whole market, economy, pipeline hacks and everything going on is all Politics, no way to get around it.

    Back to my popcorn
    Because the world always needs a scapegoat and a guy/gal to point the finger on. Human nature. In reality some things are a direct effect of policies and others not so much. They exist and manifest outside the residing presidents/administrations. Presidents get the blame, and take a lot of the credit, for the performance of the stock market while they are in office. The truth however is that the president's ability to impact the economy and markets is generally marginal and indirect at best.

    Remember, no president wants to tank the market and hold that bag of doo-doo of blame and they tread carefully when it comes to any policy that directly affects the markets and wealth of the hands that feed the politicians and donate to their campaigns. The highest net worth on Capitol Hill is over $360 Million. Congress is rich. How rich? From an article some years back..."On Monday, Roll Call released its annual analysis of financial-disclosure forms, identifying the 50 richest members of Congress, and this isn’t an easy club to get into—it takes a minimum net worth of $7.4 million to crack this year’s list."

  48. #48

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    But the actual negative OIL prices in 2020 were something! Not that it was Trump's doing but the actual pandemic and the whole world reacting. The coordinated effort of world leaders shutting everything down and saving the human race from the nasty virus that kills 0.0025 percent of the population did have a direct effect on the lack of demand for OIL and other commodities. We will pay for that in the coming years with higher prices and the socio-economic as well as psychological damage will linger for decades. That's not one guy that was to blame and it will not be one guy to save the world either.

  49. #49
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bucks County PA
    Posts
    3,702

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    You must not be listening too closely to Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum's plans and suggestions.

    Politics does not mean USA and a single guy. Politics is Global and there is a global plan to tank the US to push the Green New Deal and the Great Reset.

    Your Parroting of the above is exactly what they want people to think while they try to take us down.

    Is Klaus Schwab the Most Dangerous Man in the World? by John Mac Ghlionn
    -----------------
    Brian

    Main System -
    Rotel RCD-1572 / Rega P3 > Luxman 505UX Mark II > Fyne Audio F502SPs > Synergistic Cables

    Secondary - OPPO 93 > VAC CLA 1 MKII Pre > Odyssey Stratos > Dynaudio Audience 82s > Tara Labs Cables


  50. #50

    Re: Economy and Finance Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Shadowfax View Post
    You must not be listening too closely to Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum's plans and suggestions.

    Politics does not mean USA and a single guy. Politics is Global and there is a global plan to tank the US to push the Green New Deal and the Great Reset.

    Your Parroting of the above is exactly what they want people to think while they try to take us down.

    Is Klaus Schwab the Most Dangerous Man in the World? by John Mac Ghlionn
    I'm familiar with that theory and Klaus Schwab. I'm familiar with the presentations. One does not need a crystal ball to see a future where the Fourth Industrial Revolution and largely displaced and unemployable society due to AI, robotics and failing education system will result in Universal Basic Income. We have seen that in the past year as people stopped paying rent/mortgages and are sitting on the couch instead of going back to work. The future is here and it hasn't even began yet. By 2030, 73 Million people will be displaced from jobs by AI and that is a conservative figure... So yes, the future will be very different with or without Klaus Schwab just like it was before, during and after Karl Marx and his visions.

Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
AudioShark - The Best High End Audio Discussion forum.

AudioShark forum is a leading forum site for High End Audio Discussion, Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater System Discussion, Best Home Stereo System Discussion, Home Theater Installation Discussion etc.

The AudioShark forum was created for sharing the passion of high-end Audio. We have Audiophiles from all over the world participating and sharing their knowledge. From novice to experts, you will find a friendly environment for discussing about High End Audio, Stereo System, Home Theater System, Home Stereo System, Home Theater Installation, Amplifiers, Speakers, Subwoofers, Integrated System, Acoustic treatments & Digital Room Corrections and many more.

At AudioShark, we also have incorporated an exciting Marketplace where members can peruse terrific buys on used gear, as well as meet dealers and discuss the purchase of new gear.

We are as crazy about this hobby as you are! So come on in and join us! Audioshark.org the Friendliest Audio Forum!

Industry Participation Disclosure : The owner and administrator of Audioshark is the owner of Suncoast Audio LLC in Sarasota Florida. Suncoast Audio has a full brick and mortar presence in Sarasota with several great show rooms with many world class brands. More information can be found at http://www.suncoastaudio.com

Audioshark is a community of like minded individuals. Audioshark welcomes participation from all manufacturers and owners of all brands and products. It is our belief that online forums provide a community of like minded audiophiles and music lovers to encourage the growth of this wonderful hobby.

Sincerely,
The Audioshark.org Team

Economy and Finance Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •