/s Meanwhile, in some Signal group: “Should we suicide her or do you guys figure she might have some ICE-worthy tattoos?”

Not to speak of options. With how high volatility got, writing puts must have made bank, and, despite that high volatility, buying calls must have too.

I think this charade parade is both a play to his MAGA base and a sort of loyalty test to see who in the military goes along with him.

On the one hand, scurvy is not a concern, because it is very unlikely to develop it, even with a bad diet, as far as I know. On the other hand, it might not be possible, economically viable or environmentally sound to add vitamin C to water in the way fluoridation is; I don’t know enough to judge here.

It’s fascinating how some people, however fringe, believe both:

• that there is a Deep State or some other form of conspiracy that controls hurricanes and people’s minds; and
• that Trump –or anyone else for that matter– can rein in such a powerful, almost omnipotent force.

On the one hand, I share your doubt, which is justified in the face of all the deceit and mismanagement that Merz in particular and the CDU and CSU in general engage in and their disdain for the public good. On the other hand, the fact that the Sovereign Tech Fund / Agency survived the German budget crisis gives me some hope that it will at least stay.

Although they could do more, I wouldn’t say they don’t care. For instance, Germany established the Sovereign Tech Agency.

This is due to a few people in power, not because of tsunamis etc. So this can switch over in just a day.

In my view, the damage is very real and businesses will keep suffering even if Trump winds down his tariff ambitions, because the uncertainty and unpredictability hinder investment decisions. For example, if you managed an aluminium business like Alcoa, would you put up the cash to set up new smelters in the US despite melting stock prices, high borrowing costs and the possibility that the tariffs shielding those US smelters from foreign producers are reduced or even scrapped altogether without warning? Many businesses are “damned if they do, damned if they don’t”.

I’m sure there are smart plays in this market, but I’m also convinced that we’ve entered a bear phase.

Trump could blame Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve. In fact, Trump is already pressuring him, writing or at least posting the following:

This would be a PERFECT time for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to cut Interest Rates. He is always “late,” but he could now change his image, and quickly. Energy prices are down, Interest Rates are down, Inflation is down, even Eggs are down 69%, and Jobs are UP, all within two months - A BIG WIN for America. CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!

On Reddit someone posted a parody of the whole affair. I believe it was originally posted on r/wallstreetbets, but it has since been deleted.

Donald Trump did indeed write at least the first three sentences back in 2018. I couldn’t find a source for the rest of the quote, but (a) I wouldn’t put it past that man to utter such nonsense and (b) it’s only fair we indulge in some stretching of the truth, given the extent to which he and his lackeys disregard it.

I searched for German articles about this, but found none. However, the three parties expected to form the next government –the SPD, the CDU and its Bavarian sibling, the CSU– are considering to weaponize migration background against “sponsors of terror, antisemites and extremists”, which could be construed to include some peaceful critics of the Israeli government and military and their actions and plans.

Interesting to note that since 2022, he lost under 1% of his population to the war… Meat attacks could go on for years on end and it would barely move him.

If that “1% of his population” refers to the general population, I would note that the total includes many people who could never fight, such as:

• all those involved, whether directly or indirectly, in the development and production of military hardware,
• all those involved, whether directly or indirectly, in the extraction and trade of natural resources, without which the Russian economy would collapse, and
• all those physically unable to fight, such as children, the elderly and disabled people, and all those who care for them in one way or another.

As much as Putin’s tyranny may yet squeeze out of the general population, 1% in three years is already devastating, in my view.

For anyone who doesn’t know: this is a clever reference to the myth of Midas’ Touch that I’m totally stealing.

Hogwash! Capitalist pigs will end us. I for one advocate for roo committees.