The (Daily) Vent 2

{(At An End Your Rule Is (and not soon enough it was)} President Biden gave a "farewell" speech to the nation last night. The speech was about eighteen minutes in length and Biden laments throughout. He still thinks climate change is the same existential threat he was told it was. President Biden has been the focus of these Pages from Day One in 2021 and have been highly critical. Looking at Entries from that time, Biden several failures like with energy, the economy, immigration and so on. But the greatest rebuke came over the abandoning of Afghanistan. Everything about the world today can be traced to that decision, The consequences were always going to be dire, but the President seemed to never be truly aware. In the news that Israel/ Hamas have reached an "agreement" that includes some hostages release as early as this weekend. Predictably. Biden is taking credit for the development but when the reality of Trump threats being the likely cause, Biden asked if th...

(By The Numbers. . .) Good morning and welcome to the inaugural issue of The (Daily) Vent. That was fourteen years ago. January 15th, 2010 on a lark and a few shots of bourbon at the time, these Pages started as commentary on Current Affaires and Popular Culture. These Pages have seen Obama, then Trump, President Biden, and now Trump again. There have been wars and rumors of wars, political bloodbaths for both sides. In the end, it has been fun and one can only hope that this unique brand of humor (mine) that hopefully entertained as well as educate. Numbers are a big part of what goes on here. This morning a tame inflation report is making Markets rally. Bond yields are retreating There is renewed optimism that there will be a Fed rate cut sooner rather than later. Of course, this turn of economic news has nothing to do with the departing President Biden. The Trump Cabinet Nominees are facing their own Confirmation proceedings. Pam Bondi at Justice, Ratcliff as DCI, Rubio at State, Bu...

(Horatio At The Bridge. . .) A few years ago, there was a reasonably entertaining movie called The Last Legion  though thoroughly  in-accurate. Basically, he last Roman presence in Britain, the IX or "Dragon" Legion, became the basis of the Arthurine Legend, defending Hadrian's Wall as the last piece of Roman Territory after Rome itself had fallen.  As The Last Legion was set at end of the Roman Empire, a story that had been set towards its beginning was the perhaps apocryphal account of "Horatio at the Bridge." That is the account of a singular Roman Legionnaire single-handedly holding off hordes of attackers by standing post on a bridge. Like lone Horatio on his bridge, so Trump's Nominee to head the Defense Department, Pete Hegseth is before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The California fires are persisting as are questions on leadership. President Biden in his waning days in Office just forgave more student debt. President Biden was also making th...

(Strings Attached) Whenever there is a significant aircraft incident, like a crash, there is extensive examination in the aftermath. Be it an engineering fault of some type or maybe pilot error, recommendations get made to replace a part or in a case of pilot error, supplemental training is applied. In the past, the National Transportation Safety Board in the U.S. and other advisory committees in other countries, are made to airplane manufactures to make the suggested changes. The California wildfires are like an air disaster, at the moment stands at sixteen. Any subsequent investigation will make its recommendations. Going forward, water is likely to be retained in reservoirs. Forest management will receive new priority. Logging and farming can be resorted. The Golden State can re-new itself by finally dis-missing excessive environmental regulation and the DEI obsession that it accompanies. That being said, Sacramento might not have a choice if it plans to re-build with federal money....

(Compounded Interest) There is a saying that good news is bad news, at least as far as markets are concerned. Last Friday's December jobs report showed a gain of 256,000, stronger than expected. A large portion of that was still government or government related. Wall Street, however, was expecting a favorable environment to more rate cuts. That has put cold water by the federal reserve who has not decided on any consistent policy for the entirety of the Biden Administration. Biden caused inflation by all his spending and the Fed found itself as the brake to keep this inflation under "control." The ultimate rate got as high as 9%. It has retreated some, but prices are still too high for most people and the Fed remains clueless as to hit the target rate of 2%. Nominally, rates get adjusted on the state of the economy. One recalls the half point cut from September. The Fed has been trying to compensate ever sense. In December, Chairman Powell announced that rate cuts would b...

(Things Lost In The Fire. . .) One can begin this morning by announcing that President-Elect Trump was sentenced today by New York Judge Juan Merchan. Merchan long a Trump nemesis imposed no sanction on the incoming Chief Executive, instead wishing him "Godspeed." So, Trump got away with it. That being said, re-building the Los Angeles area will be a long and extended process. Ten thousand structures have been lost, including hundreds pf homes. However, those dwellings will not be re-covered, Pacific Palisades will not be re-built as long as the permitting process and environmental reviews remain onerous. The destroyed neighborhoods will need an expeditated system for recovery and the red-tape from Sacramento and elsewhere. That standard cannot be applied to re-constructed. Beyond Palisades, what about homes in Eaton or Hollywood Hills, or Malibu ? All the other scorched acreage ? Many of these homes had value. Million-dollar properties. How involved will it be to restore the...