investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--Constitutional court decided here that Police curfew is Illegal [Update no curfew]

Now they gon na suspend some of it , then they are saying they will suspend most of it till they complain on this decision of US BiH .
Maybe people will sue again , even go for European Court for Human Rights .
They both the US BiH and rest are still braking this decision of their because of a lot of decisions of US BiH were never implemented .
A lot of people were released from quarantines after they were protesting with hunger strikes .
PS .
US BiH is the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Bosnia .
Advocates and people will still sue again to US BiH because not all from the decision of US BiH court isn ’ t implemented .
We are expecting even lockdown to be ended .
Serbia is opening on Monday small businesses like barber shops etc .
Bosnia will to but we don ’ t know when exactly .
We lost almost billion of KM in FBiH budget .
The deficit is almost a billion .
Before the deficit was smaller .
Some things will stay as prevention measures like no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , social distancing , wearing masks , and similar .
But people did that even before the curfew etc .
Sh*ty country , my homeland , did this .
Seems Bosnia isn ’ t too much a sh*ty country .
Plus people learned the law seems so .
Sue the government for breaking their own law .
Some are saying to sue the government for reparations for all this .
Businesses were hit really badly by all of this .
So they now say these businesses should sue the government for causing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Curfew is illegal in Bosnia.
www.dw.com/bs/oba-entiteta-obavezni-da-provedu-odluku-ustavnog-suda-bih/a-53214030
Now they gonna suspend some of it, then they are saying they will suspend most of it till they complain on this decision of US BiH.
Maybe people will sue again, even go for European Court for Human Rights.
They both the US BiH and rest are still braking this decision of their because of a lot of decisions of US BiH were never implemented.
A lot of people were released from quarantines after they were protesting with hunger strikes.
PS. US BiH is the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Curfew and quarantines are now almost ended in Bosnia. Advocates and people will still sue again to US BiH because not all from the decision of US BiH court isn’t implemented.
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We are expecting even lockdown to be ended. Serbia is opening on Monday small businesses like barber shops etc. Bosnia will to but we don’t know when exactly.
We lost almost billion of KM in FBiH budget. The deficit is almost a billion. Before the deficit was smaller.
Croatia to is opening.
www.klix.ba/vijesti/bih/u-federaciji-bih-ukinut-i-policijski-sat-naredba-stupa-na-snagu-vec-od-danas/200424097
Some things will stay as prevention measures like no more a lot of people in groups, social distancing, wearing masks, and similar. But people did that even before the curfew etc.
Sh*ty country, my homeland, did this. Seems Bosnia isn’t too much a sh*ty country.
Plus people learned the law seems so. Sue the government for breaking their own law. Some are saying to sue the government for reparations for all this. Businesses were hit really badly by all of this. So they now say these businesses should sue the government for causing them a loss of money and work.
h/t Novis


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--EYE-OPENER: After 5000+ COVID-19 Tests, ER Docs Confirm The Lockdowns Are No Longer Needed

Two Bakersfield doctors cite their testing data to urge reopening Before COVID-19 was even detected in the United States , Dan Erickson , a former emergency room physician who now co-owns Accelerated Urgent Care in Bakersfield , bought as many tests for the virus as he could .
He knew it would be here eventually and wanted to be ready to test those who needed and wanted it .
Now , after testing thousands of people , he and his business partner , physician Artin Massihi , say they have enough data to draw some conclusions about COVID-19 .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less deadly than we think .
It ’ s similar to influenza and we should therefore reopen society and stop treating the situation like the lethal menace it was initially thought to be .
“ Two months ago we didn ’ t know this so I ’ m bringing it to light now , ” Erickson said Wednesday at a news conference held at his Coffee Road urgent care .
Kern County Public Health Services Spokeswoman Michelle Corson and an epidemiologist contacted by The Californian said they didn ’ t agree with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and immediately start reopening society .
“ This is a many-headed hydra .
It ’ s really unfortunate to boil this all down to it ’ s just flu , ” said Andrew Noymer , associate professor of public health at UC Irvine .
“ There ’ s no flu season that looks anything like New York does right now.
” Accelerated urgent care has done 5,213 COVID-19 tests at its five Bakersfield locations , Erickson said — which is more than half the 9,197 tests done so far in Kern County .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Erickson .
If that percentage of positive cases were assumed to represent the entire population of Kern County , which is roughly 900,000 , it would mean about 58,000 people in Kern have had the virus , far more than the nearly 700 official confirmed , Erickson said .
That many cases would “ indicate there is a widespread ( COVID-19 ) infection , similar to flu , ” Erickson said .
And if we don ’ t shutdown the country for flu , should we keep doing it for coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at trends and saying we ’ re not seeing what they ’ ve been talking about for the past six to eight weeks , ” said Massihi , referring to predictions that up to 100,000 Americans could die of the virus and hospitals would become swamped with patients .
“ We ’ ve crippled the economy .
There ’ s a lot of domestic issues going on .
Is social isolation warranted for the healthy ?
” Using the same calculation , Erickson estimates 12 percent of the population statewide , or some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
With about 1,400 deaths so far in California , that puts the statewide death rate at about .03 percent , he said .

Two Bakersfield doctors cite their testing data to urge reopening
BY STACEY SHEPARD sshepard@bakersfield.com
Apr 23, 2020
Before COVID-19 was even detected in the United States, Dan Erickson, a former emergency room physician who now co-owns Accelerated Urgent Care in Bakersfield, bought as many tests for the virus as he could. He knew it would be here eventually and wanted to be ready to test those who needed and wanted it.
Now, after testing thousands of people, he and his business partner, physician Artin Massihi, say they have enough data to draw some conclusions about COVID-19.
Their message: COVID-19 is more ubiquitous and less deadly than we think. It’s similar to influenza and we should therefore reopen society and stop treating the situation like the lethal menace it was initially thought to be.
“Two months ago we didn’t know this so I’m bringing it to light now,” Erickson said Wednesday at a news conference held at his Coffee Road urgent care.
Kern County Public Health Services Spokeswoman Michelle Corson and an epidemiologist contacted by The Californian said they didn’t agree with the doctors’ recommendation to end social distancing and immediately start reopening society.
“This is a many-headed hydra. It’s really unfortunate to boil this all down to it’s just flu,” said Andrew Noymer, associate professor of public health at UC Irvine. “There’s no flu season that looks anything like New York does right now.”
‘Similar to flu’
Accelerated urgent care has done 5,213 COVID-19 tests at its five Bakersfield locations, Erickson said — which is more than half the 9,197 tests done so far in Kern County. Of those, 340 were positive, according to Erickson.
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If that percentage of positive cases were assumed to represent the entire population of Kern County, which is roughly 900,000, it would mean about 58,000 people in Kern have had the virus, far more than the nearly 700 official confirmed, Erickson said.
That many cases would “indicate there is a widespread (COVID-19) infection, similar to flu,” Erickson said.
And if we don’t shutdown the country for flu, should we keep doing it for coronavirus?
“It’s about looking at trends and saying we’re not seeing what they’ve been talking about for the past six to eight weeks,” said Massihi, referring to predictions that up to 100,000 Americans could die of the virus and hospitals would become swamped with patients. “We’ve crippled the economy. There’s a lot of domestic issues going on. Is social isolation warranted for the healthy?”
Using the same calculation, Erickson estimates 12 percent of the population statewide, or some 4.7 million Californians, have already had COVID-19. With about 1,400 deaths so far in California, that puts the statewide death rate at about .03 percent, he said.
CONTINUED AT:
www.bakersfield.com/news/two-bakersfield-doctors-cite-their-testing-data-to-urge-reopening/article_eb1959e0-84fa-11ea-9a07-2f2bea880bf9.html
Part 2:
h/t DS


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--JOURNALISISMS: An object lesson in journalism from Google News’ headlines.

One says “ here ’ s what he says.
” OK The next says “ Here ’ s what he @ @ @ @ @ network that brought you this guy completely screws it up .
On purpose .
Asking @ @ @ @ @ suggesting ” something .
“ SEEMS THAT ‘ GRAPPLING ’ IS THE NEW # METOO @ @ @ @ @ is out !
’ The media has definitely received the memo on how to spin @ @ @ @ @ .
TO BE FAIR , THEY MAKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WORSE : How The Media @ @ @ @ @ .

One says “here’s what he says.” OK
The next says “Here’s what he asked.” OK
Then the network that brought you this guy completely screws it up.
On purpose.
Asking a question is not “suggesting” something.
“SEEMS THAT ‘GRAPPLING’ IS THE NEW #METOO BUZZWORD:” ‘Script is out!’ The media has definitely received the memo on how to spin assault allegations against Joe Biden.
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TO BE FAIR, THEY MAKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WORSE: How The Media Made The Crisis Even Worse.
h/t CG


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--Fundamentally Speaking: Estimating The Earnings Crash

In early March , before the impact of the COVID-19 was fully understood , I penned an article suggesting that both corporate profits and S & P 500 earnings were suggesting the “ bear market wasn ’ t over.
” To wit : At that time , the impending recession , and consumption freeze , was only starting and we had no data to suggest just how bad it was going to get .
Since then , we have had epic declines in manufacturing , surging unemployment , and plunging retail sales .
To wit : But it isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also exports which account for about 40 % of corporate profits overall , which are seen sliding dramatically in March .
This all suggests dramatically lower corporate profits and earnings per share for the S & P 500 index .
In “ Reward Doesn ’ t Justify The Risk , ” I noted that while estimates have indeed been lowered by Standard & Poors ( latest update was April 19th ) , the earnings revisions are a long way from reflecting what earnings will look like over the next couple of quarters .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally caught up with our original estimate from February for the second and third quarters .
However , as I stated at that time , “ my estimates are likely overly optimistic ” as the virus was still a relatively unknown and unaccounted for threat .
More importantly , the chart below shows the comparison of the original , and latest estimates for April .
In our first analysis , earnings were expected to decline from Q4-2019 levels of $ 139.47 to $ 136.18 and $ 131.09 , respectively in Q1 and Q2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of -2.3 % in Q1 and a total decline of -6 % in Q2 .
Those numbers have now been revised for a decline of -4.4 % in Q1 , and a total decline of 10.2 % in Q2 .
So , with the entire U.S. economy shut down , 15-20 % unemployment , and -20 % GDP , earnings are only expected to decline by 10 % ?
History suggests this is not likely to be the case .
First , let ’ s review GAAP Earnings ( actual real earnings ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since “ stocks are not the economy , ” there is a higher correlation between economic growth and corporate earnings .
This is because , without economic growth , consumers don ’ t have paychecks with which to consume , which is where corporate earnings are derived from .
Assuming a 15 % decline in GDP ( some estimates run as high as 30 % ) , the suggestion of only a 10 % decline in earnings seems laughable .
The chart below looks at S & P ’ s estimates ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , versus the S & P 500 , and expectations for a “ V-sharped ” market recovery .
In 2008 , during the “ Financial crisis , ” which did NOT shut down the economy , the annual change in earnings fell by 89 % .
Even during the Brexit/Manufacturing recession of 2015-2016 , earnings fell by 15 % .
Again I ask you , “ Does it seem realistic that with a decline in economic growth not seen since the “ Depression , ” earnings would only decline by 10 % ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ market currently , this is what you are “ buying into.
” I quoted Charlie in this past weekend ’ s newsletter as it is the basis of our views on capital preservation and risk management .
Currently , the “ race to chase the bottom ” has gotten investors to once again vastly overpay for assets which portends poor future returns .
More importantly , they have jumped into “ buying risk , ” at a point where that “ risk , ” or rather the opportunity to lose capital , can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think I am overly bearish on my estimates , I assure you I am not .
If any of these numbers come to fruition , which there is more than a decent probability they will , then investors are currently paying higher valuations now than they were at the peak of the market in February .
Using BofA ’ s valuation table of 20 different metrics , it is hard to suggest that buying stocks today will have a positive outcome over the next few years , much less the next few months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ bullish ” or “ bearish , ” this is just math .
“ The smoothed CAPE multiple at 25.9x in April — expanding from 24.9x in March !
— which compares with 24.0x in January 2008 , the first month of the Great Recession twelve years ago .
We had a 26.0x multiple on our hands , as an example , back at the end of 2015 .
You see , that is a multiple you can pay if you are assured that the economy will be expanding , as it did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 % pace .
But that is not the case today .
And you can ’ t simply say ignore 2020 earnings so conveniently when the hole future profits trajectory has been semi-permanently impaired .
We are into an epic 40 % down quarter on GDP and with no visibility , which is why a growing list of firms are pulling their guidance .
The CAPE multiple peaked in January at 31.0x , shrunk to 24.9x in March , and is back to 25.9x .
Let me just say , for the record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bear market end with a smoothed P/E multiple as rich as 24.9x — the highest trough multiple was 21.2x back in that 2000-2003 tech wreck bear market .
The average trough in the 8-recessionary bear markets back to 1960 is 12.8x and the median is 13.5x.
” – David Rosenberg Throughout history , earnings are very predictable .
Using the analysis above , we can “ guesstimate ” the decline in earnings , as well as the potential decline in stock prices to align valuations .
The chart below is the long-term log @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trend .
In early March , as the viral impact was just setting in , we made an early assumption of the impact on earnings .
Needless to say , we were overly optimistic .
To wit : Again , I am not “ overly dramatic ” or “ super bearish.
” I am also not saying the index is going to 1800 .
What I am saying is there is a good bit of data to support the thesis that a much larger earnings decline is in process , and markets will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line with earnings .
That is just how markets work both with , and without , the Fed .
However , given the horrific data we now have coming in , we already know our previous estimates of $ 100/share were too high .
A more realistic , and still overly optimistic of a 50-60 % decline in earnings , makes current valuations even more difficult to support .
( Using the chart and table below , you can pick your price and valuation level . )
Whether its corporate profits , earnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you analyze the data , it suggests the outlook for stocks going into the summer is not favorable .
While it certainly seems to be a simple formula that as long as the Fed remains active in supporting asset prices , the deviation between fundamentals and fantasy doesn ’ t matter .
It has been a hard point to argue as of late..
However , what has started , and has yet to complete , is the historical “ mean reversion ” process which has always followed bull markets .
This should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asset prices eventually reflect the underlying reality of corporate profitability and earnings .

by Lance Roberts
In early March, before the impact of the COVID-19 was fully understood, I penned an article suggesting that both corporate profits and S&P 500 earnings were suggesting the “bear market wasn’t over.” To wit:
“Profit margins are probably the most mean-reverting series in finance, and if profit margins do not mean-revert, then something has gone badly wrong with capitalism. If high profits do not attract competition, there is something wrong with the system, and it is not functioning properly.” – Jeremy Grantham
At that time, the impending recession, and consumption freeze, was only starting and we had no data to suggest just how bad it was going to get. Since then, we have had epic declines in manufacturing, surging unemployment, and plunging retail sales. To wit:
“From the decline of 8.7% in retail sales, 40% of PCE, we can extrapolate the decline into expectations for PCE growth. Again, since PCE comprises almost 70% of the economy, this is why expectations are for a drop of 10%, or more, in GDP in the second quarter.”
But it isn’t just retail sales. It is also exports which account for about 40% of corporate profits overall, which are seen sliding dramatically in March.
This all suggests dramatically lower corporate profits and earnings per share for the S&P 500 index.
Earnings Estimates Still Too High
In “Reward Doesn’t Justify The Risk,” I noted that while estimates have indeed been lowered by Standard & Poors (latest update was April 19th), the earnings revisions are a long way from reflecting what earnings will look like over the next couple of quarters.
“To analyze the reality of current expectations, we need to review the history of the estimates for the S&P 500 from when 2021 estimates were first published by Standard & Poors in April 2019. The chart shows the progression in estimates April to September 2019, and March and April of 2020. (The dotted blue line is my original, unrevised estimate of the impact to earnings in February of this year.)”
(NOTE: Chart has been updated to include the last update to estimates.)
Importantly, note that Standard & Poors finally caught up with our original estimate from February for the second and third quarters. However, as I stated at that time, “my estimates are likely overly optimistic” as the virus was still a relatively unknown and unaccounted for threat.
More importantly, the chart below shows the comparison of the original, and latest estimates for April. In our first analysis, earnings were expected to decline from Q4-2019 levels of $139.47 to $136.18 and $131.09, respectively in Q1 and Q2 of 2020. That is a decline of -2.3% in Q1 and a total decline of -6% in Q2.
Those numbers have now been revised for a decline of -4.4% in Q1, and a total decline of 10.2% in Q2.
So, with the entire U.S. economy shut down, 15-20% unemployment, and -20% GDP, earnings are only expected to decline by 10%?
History suggests this is not likely to be the case.
First, let’s review GAAP Earnings (actual real earnings) as compared to GDP. Not surprisingly, since “stocks are not the economy,” there is a higher correlation between economic growth and corporate earnings. This is because, without economic growth, consumers don’t have paychecks with which to consume, which is where corporate earnings are derived from.
Assuming a 15% decline in GDP (some estimates run as high as 30%), the suggestion of only a 10% decline in earnings seems laughable. The chart below looks at S&P’s estimates (as reported) going back to 2008, versus the S&P 500, and expectations for a “V-sharped” market recovery.
In 2008, during the “Financial crisis,” which did NOT shut down the economy, the annual change in earnings fell by 89%. Even during the Brexit/Manufacturing recession of 2015-2016, earnings fell by 15%.
Again I ask you, “Does it seem realistic that with a decline in economic growth not seen since the “Depression,” earnings would only decline by 10%?”
But if you are chasing the market currently, this is what you are “buying into.”
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Valuations Are An Issue
“I would say basically we’re like the captain of a ship when the worst typhoon that’s ever happened comes. We just want to get through the typhoon, and we’d rather come out of it with a whole lot of liquidity. We’re not playing, ‘Oh goody, goody, everything’s going to hell, let’s plunge 100% of the reserves [into buying businesses].’ Nobody in America’s ever seen anything else like this. This thing is different. Everybody talks as if they know what’s going to happen, and nobody knows what’s going to happen.” – Charlie Munger.
I quoted Charlie in this past weekend’s newsletter as it is the basis of our views on capital preservation and risk management.
“While it may seem silly, we believe the process of investing is not about ‘guessing,’ but rather ‘knowing,’ what you are buying.”
Currently, the “race to chase the bottom” has gotten investors to once again vastly overpay for assets which portends poor future returns. More importantly, they have jumped into “buying risk,” at a point where that “risk,” or rather the opportunity to lose capital, can not be calculated.
But if you think I am overly bearish on my estimates, I assure you I am not.
“Credit Suisse, JPMorgan and Goldman all point out the schizophrenia in being bullish in a time when corporate profits are set for the biggest – and longest – drop since the Great Depression, late last week two more banks joined the bandwagon with Citi warning that ‘equities fall the same as EPS in a recession… and reflect that equity markets are currently not reflecting the expected decline of 50% in global EPS in 2020.” – Zerohedge
If any of these numbers come to fruition, which there is more than a decent probability they will, then investors are currently paying higher valuations now than they were at the peak of the market in February.
“Bank of America’s Savita Subramanian has also done the math and concludes that as ‘stocks have rallied, bottom-up consensus estimates for 2020 have fallen’, which in turn has pushed the S&P 500’s forward P/E ratio from March’s low of 13.0x to 19.5x, higher than mid-Feb’s peak P/E of 18.9x.” – Zerohedge
Using BofA’s valuation table of 20 different metrics, it is hard to suggest that buying stocks today will have a positive outcome over the next few years, much less the next few months.
Importantly, this isn’t “bullish” or “bearish,” this is just math.
The Bear Market Isn’t Over
“The smoothed CAPE multiple at 25.9x in April — expanding from 24.9x in March! — which compares with 24.0x in January 2008, the first month of the Great Recession twelve years ago. We had a 26.0x multiple on our hands, as an example, back at the end of 2015. You see, that is a multiple you can pay if you are assured that the economy will be expanding, as it did then and the next year at a 2% pace. But that is not the case today. And you can’t simply say ignore 2020 earnings so conveniently when the hole future profits trajectory has been semi-permanently impaired. We are into an epic 40% down quarter on GDP and with no visibility, which is why a growing list of firms are pulling their guidance. The CAPE multiple peaked in January at 31.0x, shrunk to 24.9x in March, and is back to 25.9x. Let me just say, for the record, that we have never seen a bear market end with a smoothed P/E multiple as rich as 24.9x — the highest trough multiple was 21.2x back in that 2000-2003 tech wreck bear market. The average trough in the 8-recessionary bear markets back to 1960 is 12.8x and the median is 13.5x.” – David Rosenberg
Throughout history, earnings are very predictable. Using the analysis above, we can “guesstimate” the decline in earnings, as well as the potential decline in stock prices to align valuations. The chart below is the long-term log trend of earnings versus its exponential growth trend.
In early March, as the viral impact was just setting in, we made an early assumption of the impact on earnings. Needless to say, we were overly optimistic. To wit:
“Using that historical context, we can project a recession will reduce earnings to roughly 100/share. The resulting decline asset prices to revert valuations to a level of 18x (still high) trailing earnings would suggest a level of $1800 for the S&P 500 index.”
Again, I am not “overly dramatic” or “super bearish.” I am also not saying the index is going to 1800.
What I am saying is there is a good bit of data to support the thesis that a much larger earnings decline is in process, and markets will have to adjust to bring valuations in line with earnings.
That is just how markets work both with, and without, the Fed.
However, given the horrific data we now have coming in, we already know our previous estimates of $100/share were too high. A more realistic, and still overly optimistic of a 50-60% decline in earnings, makes current valuations even more difficult to support. (Using the chart and table below, you can pick your price and valuation level.)
Whether its corporate profits, earnings, or GDP, no matter how you analyze the data, it suggests the outlook for stocks going into the summer is not favorable.
While it certainly seems to be a simple formula that as long as the Fed remains active in supporting asset prices, the deviation between fundamentals and fantasy doesn’t matter. It has been a hard point to argue as of late..
However, what has started, and has yet to complete, is the historical “mean reversion” process which has always followed bull markets. This should not be a surprise to anyone, as asset prices eventually reflect the underlying reality of corporate profitability and earnings.
Recessions reverse excesses.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--VIX Open Interest Still Lagging Price Rebound

The SP500 has already gained back half of the Covid Crash .
But thus far the total open interest in VIX futures is still at a very low level , indicating that traders are not yet interested in speculating there .
VIX futures did not even begin trading until 2004 , and during the first few years there was not much interest in these new trading instruments .
That began to change beginning in 2012 , when open interest finally climbed up above 200,000 contracts .
So that is where I begin our look at this week ’ s chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data compared to the SP500 .
The first interesting point about these open interest data is that they tend to move up and down with stock prices .
So a high reading for VIX open interest can be an interesting marker of a price top .
The problem there is in identifying what “ high ” means for these data .
Low readings are a bit easier to spot during the time period shown in this chart .
And the second interesting point concerns the current reading , which still remains low compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That is curious , since prices have already rebounded partway .
We have seen this type of disparity before .
At the price lows in January 2016 , February 2018 , and Dec. 2018 , we saw the total open interest in VIX futures remain low for a long time after prices had bottomed .
The message was that speculators had been frightened away and were staying away , even though prices were rebounding .
And in each of those cases , that persistent fear served to allow the uptrend to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price bottom .
This next chart looks at related data , showing the raw net position of the “ non-commercial ” ( large speculator ) traders of VIX futures .
By “ net position ” , what I mean is that it measures the number of short positions they hold minus the number of long positions .
It too tends to move up and down in sympathy with stock prices .
And the thresholds for “ high ” and “ low ” readings are a little bit easier to discern in the chart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an all-time high net short position back in November 2019 , when the VIX was still hanging around near 12 .
That high in the net short position did not mark the top for that up move in prices , which is curious but not without precedent .
We saw a similar early top in this indicator ahead of the January 2018 top ( when XIV went bust ) .
So it can happen that way .
As with the total open interest data , the current low reading for the non-commercials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices have a long way to move higher before we have another situation with excessive trader speculation .
In other words , the new uptrend should live on .

by Tom McClellan
The SP500 has already gained back half of the Covid Crash. But thus far the total open interest in VIX futures is still at a very low level, indicating that traders are not yet interested in speculating there.
VIX futures did not even begin trading until 2004, and during the first few years there was not much interest in these new trading instruments. That began to change beginning in 2012, when open interest finally climbed up above 200,000 contracts. So that is where I begin our look at this week’s chart, showing the VIX futures open interest data compared to the SP500.
The first interesting point about these open interest data is that they tend to move up and down with stock prices. So a high reading for VIX open interest can be an interesting marker of a price top. The problem there is in identifying what “high” means for these data.
Low readings are a bit easier to spot during the time period shown in this chart. And the second interesting point concerns the current reading, which still remains low compared to the past few years’ history. That is curious, since prices have already rebounded partway.
We have seen this type of disparity before. At the price lows in January 2016, February 2018, and Dec. 2018, we saw the total open interest in VIX futures remain low for a long time after prices had bottomed. The message was that speculators had been frightened away and were staying away, even though prices were rebounding. And in each of those cases, that persistent fear served to allow the uptrend to continue for a long time after the oversold price bottom.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
This next chart looks at related data, showing the raw net position of the “non-commercial” (large speculator) traders of VIX futures. By “net position”, what I mean is that it measures the number of short positions they hold minus the number of long positions.
It too tends to move up and down in sympathy with stock prices. And the thresholds for “high” and “low” readings are a little bit easier to discern in the chart of this indicator. They had moved to an all-time high net short position back in November 2019, when the VIX was still hanging around near 12.
That high in the net short position did not mark the top for that up move in prices, which is curious but not without precedent. We saw a similar early top in this indicator ahead of the January 2018 top (when XIV went bust). So it can happen that way.
As with the total open interest data, the current low reading for the non-commercials’ net short position says that stock prices have a long way to move higher before we have another situation with excessive trader speculation. In other words, the new uptrend should live on.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--RUSH: There are actual constitutional rights that are being denied and trampled on.

RUSH : To the phones , we go back to Rhonda , South Bend , Indiana .
Welcome .
Great to have you here .
CALLER : Hi , Rush .
I feel like I ’ m living in the Twilight Zone .
I can not tell you how concerned I am about the effects of this weaponization of fear .
I just never thought I would live to see the day when our constitutional rights would be suspended , I mean , in the snap of a finger .
You have said in the past — and I thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the economy v. lives .
It is lives v. lives .
It ’ s not either/or .
It ’ s both/and , and I want to know what is going to happen when we have a president in office who does not value the Constitution .
CALLER : Think of an Elizabeth Warren , for instance , in office — or , God forbid , down the road , AOC .
What kind of a crisis would that be ?
RUSH : Well , okay .
Okay .
I had seen what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking generically and not about — RUSH : Well , look .
There are all kinds of things to be alarmed about .
The governor of Connecticut is now bragging that they got drones that can take your temperature .
RUSH : They can fly drones over you and take your body temperature .
We have government authorities — state , local , whatever — very , very upset that people are attending church by driving to the church parking lot .
“ This may constitute illegal assembly in violation of the social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are actual constitutional rights that are being denied and trampled on under the guise that it ’ s “ necessary to save lives , ” which is the magic bullet every time some autocratic , power-hungry politician attempts to deny people their liberties .
“ It ’ s about saving lives !
” It ’ s like the governor of New Jersey ( summarized ) : “ I wasn ’ t even thinking about the Constitution when I proposed my policies here .
”

via rushlimbaugh
RUSH: To the phones, we go back to Rhonda, South Bend, Indiana. Welcome. Great to have you here.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. I feel like I’m living in the Twilight Zone. I cannot tell you how concerned I am about the effects of this weaponization of fear. I just never thought I would live to see the day when our constitutional rights would be suspended, I mean, in the snap of a finger.
You have said in the past — and I thought this was so true — this is not the economy v. lives. It is lives v. lives. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and, and I want to know what is going to happen when we have a president in office who does not value the Constitution.
RUSH: Well… (sigh) We hope that doesn’t happen.
CALLER: Think of an Elizabeth Warren, for instance, in office — or, God forbid, down the road, AOC. What kind of a crisis would that be?
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
RUSH: Well, okay. Okay. I had seen what you… Yeah. I thought you were speaking generically and not about —
CALLER: No. No.
RUSH: Well, look. There are all kinds of things to be alarmed about. The governor of Connecticut is now bragging that they got drones that can take your temperature.
CALLER: (groans)
RUSH: They can fly drones over you and take your body temperature. We have government authorities — state, local, whatever — very, very upset that people are attending church by driving to the church parking lot. “This may constitute illegal assembly in violation of the social distancing guidelines!”
I mean, there are actual constitutional rights that are being denied and trampled on under the guise that it’s “necessary to save lives,” which is the magic bullet every time some autocratic, power-hungry politician attempts to deny people their liberties. “It’s about saving lives!” It’s like the governor of New Jersey (summarized): “I wasn’t even thinking about the Constitution when I proposed my policies here.”


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, do you realize how vapid that is? The illness is not death. There’s a 98

RUSH : I have a piece here by Heather Mac Donald .
She ’ s a brilliant author .
She ’ s an expert on American policing and law enforcement , has written several books about it .
She has a piece today — actually , it was yesterday , but I guess posted last night — at the American Greatness website : “ The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders.
” The subheadline is gon na dovetail with what so many of you who have called today have said .
“ The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on saving ‘ just one life ’ from the coronavirus to the exclusion of all other considerations likely will prove a catastrophic failure of policymaking .
The devastation to individuals ’ ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.
” You know , yesterday I was here telling you about how this is breaking my heart , that I look at these shut-down businesses and I see your faces .
I said , “ To me , it ’ s personal .
I have almost a familial-like bond .
I see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives that are being destroyed , livelihoods.
” This sentence of hers captures my sentiment exactly : “ The devastation to [ people ’ s ] ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.
” It ’ s like there ’ s this giant disconnect .
We have 26 million people who ’ ve been thrown out of work in two months .
We have destroyed two million more jobs — in two months — than we have created since 2008 , since the 2008 Great Recession .
And I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any similar reaction to mine about this .
And then I ask myself , “ How many people commenting on this — how many people at the task force , how many people anywhere commenting — are still getting paid , and are therefore unaffected by this ?
” I ’ ll bet you it ’ s quite a lot of them are still being paid , or have enough of a cushion because they ’ ve earned a lot of money in their lives .
And even if they ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face any financial pressure .
Because , folks , there does seem to be this huge disconnect , and there doesn ’ t seem to be… When we talk about closing down to the middle of May or the end of May , the middle of June , there doesn ’ t seem to have been any calculation at all on the impact that will make on people .
Other than !
Other than !
( sniveling ) “ We are going to see to it that they don ’ t get sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as though not contracting this virus is the most important thing anybody could do .
They have created that impression .
They have successfully utilized fear .
And , by the way , by “ they , ” I mean the media , people in politics .
But it ’ s this disconnect that bothers me .
If I saw some concern… ( interruption ) No , I see it from the president .
I know he gets it .
But I get the impression that he ’ s kind of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
There just doesn ’ t seem to be any concern , and not even an attempt to fake it !
Some of these people announcing this , some of these governors now , “ Oh , we ’ re gon na shut down until the middle of June .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re gon na be opening before the middle of June.
” Really ?
You have nothing to say to the people whose lives are affected by this other than to really rip into them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work sooner , and try to portray them as the problem in the country ?
These protesters that want to go to back to work , who want to reopen their businesses ?
Somehow , they have become the problem and we ’ ve got ta find out who ’ s responsible for these protesters , and guess who it is ?
It ’ s me and Fox News .
Yep , we ’ re responsible for this .
The people protesting and wanting their livelihoods back are not the problem .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people that want to go back to work in those businesses are not the problem — and when to represent a threat .
And yet that ’ s how they are being approached .
“ If you leave your house , if you go to the park , if you go to the beach — if you stand closer than six feet to somebody — you are the problem.
” Sorry , folks , it doesn ’ t compute with me — and at some point , this is gon na boil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take it .
At some point , they ’ re not gon na just sit there and take this .
Now , the Democrats are trying to mitigate this by finding ways to pay a lot of people with government welfare-type payments more money than they were making working .
The Democrats think they ’ ve got a golden opportunity here to rebuild the welfare state .
Their belief is… They have so little faith in people anyway .
They believe the vast majority of people can be bought into permanent welfare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Give ’ em $ 50,000/ $ 52,000 a year , and people will happily sit home and not work , ” and so that ’ s what the Democrat Party political objective is .
It ’ s to come up with enough money — anywhere , somehow , somewhere — to essentially pay people to happy stay home instead of working .
That ’ s how they seek to take advantage of this .
I ’ m telling you that repulses me to no end .
To , A , look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B , there are a lot of people who would rather do nothing and be paid for it than to go out , take risks , and work ?
And to have them taken advantage of and to have that group of people become the foundational building block of a political party ?
Well , I have news for you .
That happened long time ago .
That is the foundational building block of the Democrat Party , the welfare state , the need for a permanent underclass .
So the Democrat Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because they think it ’ s only gon na hurt Republicans .
It ’ s only gon na hurt Republican politicians .
It ’ s only gon na hurt President Trump , ’ cause it ’ s gon na destroy the economy — and the people in power always get the blame when there ’ s an economic collapse or economic problem at all .
I ’ m gon na tell you this .
It ’ s not gon na be long before 26 million people are gon na get tired of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They don ’ t need ventilators .
They need income .
No , it ’ s not that they ’ re not concerned about their fellow man .
It ’ s that they don ’ t see the proportionate response .
Let me share with you some of these questions that Heather Mac Donald has in her piece .
Again , the headline : “ The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders , ” and the subhead : “ The focus on saving ‘ just one life ’ from the coronavirus to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will prove a catastrophic failure of policymaking .
The devastation to [ people ’ s ] ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.
” Now , these questions that she poses here are questions not a single reporter will ever ask any governor .
No governor who is running a state lockdown and is promising to extend the state lockdown would ever answer these questions .
No governor can .
“ How many coronavirus deaths do you expect to avert by ” extending your shutdown extension ?
What are you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are trying to keep alive ?
“ How many coronavirus deaths do you expect to avert by the shutdown extension ?
” How many people do you expect to save by shutting down your state ?
“ What will your state ’ s economy look like after another month of ” this ?
The answer to that is ( paraphrased ) : “ We don ’ t care !
We ’ re gon na get a bailout or we ’ re gon na file for bankruptcy .
We don ’ t care.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have lost their jobs in your state after your extensions ?
They won ’ t answer that question .
It ’ s not… It obviously isn ’ t a concern .
That ’ s another thing .
It ’ s not a concern to very many people that 26 million people have lost their jobs .
The idea that we can ’ t do two things at once — that we can not have an open , functioning economy — while fighting off a virus ?
When did this happen ?
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Not for a pandemic .
Not for a virus .
When did it come to pass that the United States can ’ t continue to go to work while fighting a virus ?
Governor , how many businesses in your state will have shut down for good after all of your shutdowns and extensions ?
Governor , “ [ h ] ow many of your state ’ s young residents , seeking employment for the first time [ in their lives ] , will be unable to find it ?
“ Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were representative of government decision-making during the coronavirus crisis : opaque , lacking in criteria for measuring success and failure , ” and that ’ s a big point : They still won ’ t tell us what shutting down for another month is gon na achieve .
Flattening the curve ?
What does that achieve ?
Why are we doing this ?
Can you tell us when you ’ ll decide whether all of this has succeeded or not ?
They won ’ t .
Governor , how are you attempting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
You ’ ve got one particular health problem : Coronavirus .
You ’ ve got other problems out there that also alter the way people live .
So how are you measuring the benefits of social distancing and all that when there are many other things to deal with at the same time ?
Governor Cuomo , “ announced on April 15 that New York ’ s economy would now be shut down through May 15 , instead of reopening on April 29… ” It was April 29 , but he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ How did he arrive at May 15 ?
” What became magic about May 15 ?
I guarantee you that when we get to May 5 , he ’ s gon na extend it another two weeks because Governor Cuomo thinks you can deal with two-week increments .
But if you were told he ’ s gon na extend the lockdown ’ til August , that you would revolt .
Cuomo said his “ operating principle ” ( as “ I ’ m governor and you ’ re not ” ) is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and “ The illness is death.
” ) RUSH : Grab audio sound bite number 24 .
We actually have the “ I ’ m governor and you ’ re not ” Andrew Cuomo quote .
This is yesterday from the “ I ’ m governor ; you ’ re not ” press conference .
And the infobabe said , “ Protesters outside right now honking their horns , they ’ re raising signs .
These are regular people .
They ’ re not getting a paycheck .
Some of them are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re saying they don ’ t have time to wait for all this testing .
They need to get back to work .
They have to feed their families .
Their savings are running out .
They don ’ t have another week , Governor .
They ’ re not getting answers .
So their point is , this cure can not be worse than the illness itself .
What ’ s your response to that ?
” CUOMO : The illness is death .
What is worse than death ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than the illness .
The illness is death .
How can the cure be worse than the illness if the illness is potential death ?
RUSH : Ladies and gentlemen , do you realize how vapid that is ?
The illness is not death .
There ’ s a 98 % recovery rate .
That number is out , it hasn ’ t been refuted .
They don ’ t talk about it ’ cause it would raise too many questions .
The illness isn ’ t death .
He said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worse than the illness .
Destroying the U.S. economy , Governor , is worse than the illness .
“ No , it ’ s not .
The illness is death.
” Well , it ’ s not .
“ How can the cure be worse than the illness if the illness is - ” and then he modifies it , a potential death ?
( interruption ) No .
I think he really believes this .
This is what ’ s dangerous about it .
Look .
We ’ re dealing with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an order of fries short of a Happy Meal , folks .
We ’ re dealing with people whose elevators never make it anywhere near the top floor .
This is an example .
Here ’ s Dave in Sarasota , Florida .
Save , glad you waited .
You ’ re up next .
Hello .
CALLER : Hey , Rush .
First-time caller .
Thanks for having me .
You ’ re like a beacon of hope in an ever growing sea of despair that we feel right now .
CALLER @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I just love listening to you because I feel exactly like you do .
I ’ m absolutely — you know , the country is going insane .
I mean , you know , we have 30 to 60,000 flu deaths per year , and that ’ s with a vaccine , mind you .
So why don ’ t we just close the country down like we ’ re currently doing now , we could probably cut that down to probably 1,500 a year , you know , and just live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ RUSH : I think we ’ ve got the answer to this .
They say it ’ s not the flu .
You can ’ t compare it to the flu .
And we say , why not ?
Well , because the flu has vaccines .
The American people have psychologically accepted 30 to 60,000 people .
Well , what about the 800,000 hospitalizations with the flu ?
The American people have accepted it .
CALLER : Yeah , we ’ ve accepted all that , exactly , exactly .
RUSH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but but but .
CALLER : Yeah .
I mean , the problem is in this country is growing , growing , growing .
What we do is we cater to the one-fifth of 1 % in this country .
That ’ s what we do .
RUSH : Yeah , all of that , but but but but but but but .
And now I ’ m out of time .
The difference is we ’ re being treated like nobody survives this virus .
If you get it , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have conveyed .

via rushlimbaugh
RUSH: I have a piece here by Heather Mac Donald. She’s a brilliant author. She’s an expert on American policing and law enforcement, has written several books about it. She has a piece today — actually, it was yesterday, but I guess posted last night — at the American Greatness website: “The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders.”
The subheadline is gonna dovetail with what so many of you who have called today have said. “The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders.” The subhead is: “The focus on saving ‘just one life’ from the coronavirus to the exclusion of all other considerations likely will prove a catastrophic failure of policymaking. The devastation to individuals’ ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.”
You know, yesterday I was here telling you about how this is breaking my heart, that I look at these shut-down businesses and I see your faces. I said, “To me, it’s personal. I have almost a familial-like bond. I see so many faces of people’s lives that are being destroyed, livelihoods.” This sentence of hers captures my sentiment exactly: “The devastation to [people’s] ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.”
It’s like there’s this giant disconnect. We have 26 million people who’ve been thrown out of work in two months. We have destroyed two million more jobs — in two months — than we have created since 2008, since the 2008 Great Recession. And I have yet to see anybody in government express any similar reaction to mine about this.
And then I ask myself, “How many people commenting on this — how many people at the task force, how many people anywhere commenting — are still getting paid, and are therefore unaffected by this?” I’ll bet you it’s quite a lot of them are still being paid, or have enough of a cushion because they’ve earned a lot of money in their lives.
And even if they’re not being paid, they don’t face any financial pressure. Because, folks, there does seem to be this huge disconnect, and there doesn’t seem to be… When we talk about closing down to the middle of May or the end of May, the middle of June, there doesn’t seem to have been any calculation at all on the impact that will make on people.
Other than! Other than! (sniveling) “We are going to see to it that they don’t get sick,” as though not getting sick, as though not contracting this virus is the most important thing anybody could do. They have created that impression. They have successfully utilized fear. And, by the way, by “they,” I mean the media, people in politics. But it’s this disconnect that bothers me.
If I saw some concern… (interruption) No, I see it from the president. I know he gets it. But I get the impression that he’s kind of a lone wolf in this task force about this. There just doesn’t seem to be any concern, and not even an attempt to fake it! Some of these people announcing this, some of these governors now, “Oh, we’re gonna shut down until the middle of June.
“I don’t think we’re gonna be opening before the middle of June.” Really? You have nothing to say to the people whose lives are affected by this other than to really rip into them if they want to get back to work sooner, and try to portray them as the problem in the country? These protesters that want to go to back to work, who want to reopen their businesses?
Somehow, they have become the problem and we’ve gotta find out who’s responsible for these protesters, and guess who it is? It’s me and Fox News. Yep, we’re responsible for this. The people protesting and wanting their livelihoods back are not the problem. The people that want their businesses reopened, the people that want to go back to work in those businesses are not the problem — and when to represent a threat.
And yet that’s how they are being approached. “If you leave your house, if you go to the park, if you go to the beach — if you stand closer than six feet to somebody — you are the problem.” Sorry, folks, it doesn’t compute with me — and at some point, this is gonna boil over, because people are not going to take it. At some point, they’re not gonna just sit there and take this.
Now, the Democrats are trying to mitigate this by finding ways to pay a lot of people with government welfare-type payments more money than they were making working. The Democrats think they’ve got a golden opportunity here to rebuild the welfare state. Their belief is… They have so little faith in people anyway.
They believe the vast majority of people can be bought into permanent welfare if you just pay ’em enough. “Give ’em $50,000/$52,000 a year, and people will happily sit home and not work,” and so that’s what the Democrat Party political objective is. It’s to come up with enough money — anywhere, somehow, somewhere — to essentially pay people to happy stay home instead of working.
That’s how they seek to take advantage of this. I’m telling you that repulses me to no end. To, A, look at people that way, because, B, there are a lot of people who would rather do nothing and be paid for it than to go out, take risks, and work? And to have them taken advantage of and to have that group of people become the foundational building block of a political party?
Well, I have news for you. That happened long time ago. That is the foundational building block of the Democrat Party, the welfare state, the need for a permanent underclass. So the Democrat Party is perfectly fine with the status quo, because they think it’s only gonna hurt Republicans. It’s only gonna hurt Republican politicians.
It’s only gonna hurt President Trump, ’cause it’s gonna destroy the economy — and the people in power always get the blame when there’s an economic collapse or economic problem at all. I’m gonna tell you this. It’s not gonna be long before 26 million people are gonna get tired of hearing about how many ventilators we got.
They don’t need ventilators. They need income. No, it’s not that they’re not concerned about their fellow man. It’s that they don’t see the proportionate response. Let me share with you some of these questions that Heather Mac Donald has in her piece. Again, the headline: “The Deadly Costs of Extended Shutdown Orders,” and the subhead:
“The focus on saving ‘just one life’ from the coronavirus to the exclusion of [everything else] will prove a catastrophic failure of policymaking. The devastation to [people’s] ability to flourish or even survive may soon become irreversible.” Now, these questions that she poses here are questions not a single reporter will ever ask any governor.
No governor who is running a state lockdown and is promising to extend the state lockdown would ever answer these questions. No governor can. “How many coronavirus deaths do you expect to avert by” extending your shutdown extension? What are you trying to do here? How many people are trying to keep alive? “How many coronavirus deaths do you expect to avert by the shutdown extension?”
How many people do you expect to save by shutting down your state? “What will your state’s economy look like after another month of” this? The answer to that is (paraphrased): “We don’t care! We’re gonna get a bailout or we’re gonna file for bankruptcy. We don’t care.” Governor, how many workers would have lost their jobs in your state after your extensions? They won’t answer that question.
It’s not… It obviously isn’t a concern. That’s another thing. It’s not a concern to very many people that 26 million people have lost their jobs. The idea that we can’t do two things at once — that we cannot have an open, functioning economy — while fighting off a virus? When did this happen? We’ve never shut down like this before. Not for a pandemic. Not for a virus.
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When did it come to pass that the United States can’t continue to go to work while fighting a virus? Governor, how many businesses in your state will have shut down for good after all of your shutdowns and extensions? Governor, “[h]ow many of your state’s young residents, seeking employment for the first time [in their lives], will be unable to find it?
“Instead, the announcements of the prolonged shutdown were representative of government decision-making during the coronavirus crisis: opaque, lacking in criteria for measuring success and failure,” and that’s a big point: They still won’t tell us what shutting down for another month is gonna achieve. Flattening the curve?
What does that achieve?
What’s the objective?
Why are we doing this?
Can you tell us when you’ll decide whether all of this has succeeded or not? They won’t. Governor, how are you attempting to measure the benefits of all this mitigation? You’ve got one particular health problem: Coronavirus. You’ve got other problems out there that also alter the way people live. So how are you measuring the benefits of social distancing and all that when there are many other things to deal with at the same time?
Governor Cuomo, “announced on April 15 that New York’s economy would now be shut down through May 15, instead of reopening on April 29…” It was April 29, but he said we need to add two weeks. “How did he arrive at May 15?” What became magic about May 15? I guarantee you that when we get to May 5, he’s gonna extend it another two weeks because Governor Cuomo thinks you can deal with two-week increments.
But if you were told he’s gonna extend the lockdown ’til August, that you would revolt. Cuomo said his “operating principle” (as “I’m governor and you’re not”) is to “do no harm,” (and “The illness is death.”)
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: Grab audio sound bite number 24. We actually have the “I’m governor and you’re not” Andrew Cuomo quote. This is yesterday from the “I’m governor; you’re not” press conference. And the infobabe said, “Protesters outside right now honking their horns, they’re raising signs. These are regular people. They’re not getting a paycheck. Some of them are not getting their unemployment money. And they’re saying they don’t have time to wait for all this testing. They need to get back to work. They have to feed their families. Their savings are running out. They don’t have another week, Governor. They’re not getting answers. So their point is, this cure cannot be worse than the illness itself. What’s your response to that?”
CUOMO: The illness is death. What is worse than death? You said they said the cure is worse than the illness. The illness is death. How can the cure be worse than the illness if the illness is potential death?
RUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, do you realize how vapid that is? The illness is not death. There’s a 98% recovery rate. That number is out, it hasn’t been refuted. They don’t talk about it ’cause it would raise too many questions. The illness isn’t death. He said it twice. You said the cure is worse than the illness. Destroying the U.S. economy, Governor, is worse than the illness. “No, it’s not. The illness is death.” Well, it’s not.
“How can the cure be worse than the illness if the illness is -” and then he modifies it, a potential death? (interruption) No. I think he really believes this. This is what’s dangerous about it. Look. We’re dealing with a lot of people in this who are an order of fries short of a Happy Meal, folks. We’re dealing with people whose elevators never make it anywhere near the top floor. This is an example.
Here’s Dave in Sarasota, Florida. Save, glad you waited. You’re up next. Hello.
CALLER: Hey, Rush. First-time caller. Thanks for having me. You’re like a beacon of hope in an ever growing sea of despair that we feel right now.
RUSH: Thank you, sir. I hope that’s true, hope it’s true.
CALLER: Oh, gosh. I mean, I just love listening to you because I feel exactly like you do. I’m absolutely — you know, the country is going insane. I mean, you know, we have 30 to 60,000 flu deaths per year, and that’s with a vaccine, mind you. So why don’t we just close the country down like we’re currently doing now, we could probably cut that down to probably 1,500 a year, you know, and just live like we are right now with —
RUSH: I think we’ve got the answer to this. They say it’s not the flu. You can’t compare it to the flu. And we say, why not? Well, because the flu has vaccines. The American people have psychologically accepted 30 to 60,000 people. Well, what about the 800,000 hospitalizations with the flu? The American people have accepted it.
CALLER: Yeah, we’ve accepted all that, exactly, exactly.
RUSH: Well, but but but but but but but but.
CALLER: Yeah. I mean, the problem is in this country is growing, growing, growing. What we do is we cater to the one-fifth of 1% in this country. That’s what we do.
RUSH: Yeah, all of that, but but but but but but but. And now I’m out of time. The difference is we’re being treated like nobody survives this virus. If you get it, you’re dead. That’s what they have conveyed.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--The Unfortunate Things We May Have Learned About the People in Our Circle During Lockdown

Most of us in the United States have been under some form of lockdown or restriction for more than a month now .
It has been a stressful time for many due to fear , health concerns , and financial worries .
One of the biggest surprises for a lot of us has been the way other people behave when they ’ re under pressure .
I ’ m not just talking about the folks you see panicking on YouTube videos or the ones you see saying nasty things on Twitter .
I ’ m talking about the people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : our family , our friends , our loved ones – the folks who make up our inner circle .
Who stole the wonderful , rational human beings we used to know ?
You may all be locking down together , squashing you all into a smaller space than you ’ re used to , and spending more time together than normal , perhaps suddenly putting multiple generations together .
Or you may live nearby with the plan to later stay together .
It may just be the members of your family who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours a day , seven days a week .
Either way , this has probably been an interesting look at your group dynamic .
And for some of us , it may not have all been pretty .
It ’ s been a crash course in human behavior .
Now , this may not apply to you at all .
Your lockdown experience may have been like walking back in time with the golden sunlight painting everything .
Your children may have been perfect angels , content to do their schoolwork at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthy breakfast about which they did not complain , and then going outdoors in the afternoon to frolic at a safe social distance in the backyard .
You may be spending non-stressed time with your partner and remembering exactly why you got together in the first place .
You may have 3 generations , joyfully cohabitating under one roof .
You may be serving farm-fresh meals and wiping heinies with the toilet paper you collected over the past year and stored in perfect conditions in all that free space you have .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having the fun socially distanced block parties and swapping homemade bread for fresh eggs , a neighborhood where everyone looks after everyone else .
Or you may be like the rest of the world , wondering , “ How could I have raised/married/been friends with/moved near someone so stupid/naive/ill-tempered/batcrap crazy ?
” This whole thing is far from over but I think many of us are already seeing the truth of what Selco wrote about how you don ’ t really know someone until all hell breaks loose .
Most of the things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annoying inconveniences because things , while difficult , aren ’ t that bad .
We ’ re not literally fighting to the death for survival on a daily basis .
Personal interactions are shockingly important and this is something many of us had underestimated up until now .
A lot of us thought that once things began to go sideways , our friends , neighbors , and coworkers would all get on board with the plan .
They ’ d finally see that we are not , in fact , crazy and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes a lot of sense .
They ’ d congratulate us on our wisdom , they ’ d be grateful to be spending this time with us , and finally , at last , they ’ d understand that prepping is smart .
• Partners trying to reign in our spending • Loved ones who don ’ t understand why you ’ re still buying toilet paper every time you see it • Teenagers trying to maintain their social lives • Those same teenagers saying that you ’ re “ hoarding food ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tik Tok • Family members still , right in the middle of this whole darn thing , saying smugly , “ You ’ re overreacting.
” • Those in your circle who stubbornly refuse to take any precautions whatsoever , even though they ’ re elderly people with asthma and diabetes , because “ it ’ s all a hoax ” that you fell for • The folks who aren ’ t nearly as patient and loving with your children now that they have to live with them • Loved ones who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the things that were “ normal ” to them are no longer an option .
At a time when you thought that everyone would finally see the wisdom of your ways , they don ’ t .
Now , when your years of prepping are finally paying off , people are still not interested .
How can this be ?
These dynamics are very important and can make or break your group .
Some issues the people in your group my have had Here ’ s a quick reminder : the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love them .
No matter how annoying , frustrating , or upsetting they may be right now , these are people you care about .
If everything has run like clockwork , you may not even need to read this article .
But if you ’ ve been surprised by the folks with whom you ’ re taking shelter , hopefully , the following suggestions will be of some help .
It ’ s important to think of the reasons that your family members may be acting in manners that are unbecoming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to how to best deal with them .
One of the most common reasons you ’ ll see people acting out is because everything in their world has changed .
A few months ago , they were making all sorts of plans for the year ahead , only to have everything yanked away from them without warning .
What they ’ re feeling ( and you may be feeling it too ) is grief .
A person who is grieving may not be the most rational soul around .
They may be angry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may feel completely helpless .
Change is difficult to deal with for most people , so try to be extra patient with them .
They are no longer in control .
If there ’ s one thing that is absolutely true across the board , it ’ s that there are many things right now we can not control .
We ’ ve got new executive orders and bills cropping up on a daily basis .
We have restrictions on how much toilet paper we can buy .
There ’ s a limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick up on one shopping trip and only a certain number of people can be in the store at once .
Workplaces are closed , leaving people without a way to make money .
Unemployment is taking for-freaking-ever to come in for some folks , and they don ’ t have a dime to their names .
For these people , it ’ s important to give them tasks that allow them some control .
More people are dealing with mental illness .
Currently , a lot of people are dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s situational , and for others , it ’ s the worsening of a chronic condition .
This is a very real problem .
Prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications have increased by 34 % between Feb. 16 – March 15 .
Suicide hotlines are reporting an increase in calls .
And these are just the people who are asking for help .
There are many more people struggling who are not getting help .
Watch for signs like a change in sleep pattern , sudden anger , extreme sadness , panic attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ substances like drugs , alcohol , and tobacco , and unusual behavior .
Depression and anxiety are very real issues and not a sign of weakness .
These mental illnesses can be deadly if left to fester .
If you feel that a family member may be suffering from depression or anxiety , the CDC has advice and a list of resources that may be helpful .
Some folks just plain don ’ t understand what ’ s going on .
They ’ re not trying to deliberately sabotage you , but remember @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course – on the job training – in a topic you ’ ve been willingly learning about for years .
There ’ s no way a person is going to go from their cushy 9-5 lifestyle , someone who has never known anything but abundance , and suddenly understand the importance of things like pantry inventory , rationing , and being ready to board up the windows .
Think back to when you started prepping .
A lot of us started due to a natural disaster or a job loss and both of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the one we ’ re facing now – one with job loss , financial insecurity , and a disrupted supply chain .
These folks right now are jumping into the deep end and they ’ re convinced that soon , everything will be getting “ back to normal.
” So try to have a little bit of patience with them .
They ’ re not trying to sabotage you when they say , “ I think we have enough canned goods ” or “ Wait…did you just say you set a tripwire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” They legitimately don ’ t understand the situation , and it ’ s up to you to educate them as gently as possible while still keeping them from eating all the treats in the pantry because “ you can just buy more next week.
” Some people just aren ’ t helpful in a crisis .
There are simply some people who are not useful in times of trouble .
Maybe they don ’ t want to help or maybe they ’ re incapable of helping .
I ’ ve known more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuses to deal with difficult things .
They just want to procrastinate until the crisis is over or pretend that it ’ s not happening .
If you ’ re a person who lives a prepared lifestyle , these folks can be some of the most difficult to deal with because it ’ s harder to understand their mentality .
You don ’ t have to like it but you do have to accept that this is the way they are .
Only in movies does the person who generally wrings her hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suddenly get the courage to deal with the situation .
If your group includes people in these categories , it ’ s best to find tasks they can perform that don ’ t require a great deal of stress or judgment .
Keep them busy with the things they ’ re more comfortable with and put them where they ’ ll do the least harm .
Maybe the person is a good cook .
Give them some guidelines for cooking from the pantry and let them make the meals .
Perhaps they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great way to keep them occupied and productive at the same time .
This person might also be good with the children .
Find the spot for them where they ’ ll do the least harm to your overall plan .
As Terry Trahan wrote , sometimes you just have to take out the trash and keep even the less glamorous tasks going .
Not all of these suggestions are “ nice.
” Some of the ideas for dealing with family members could cause real problems within your group or within your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to decide whether or not the situation warrants more extreme measures .
It ’ s something nobody can decide for you .
Base your decisions on the seriousness of the situation and try to be respectful of the wishes of others as much as possible .
You ’ re part of a family , not part of a SWAT team or a military unit .
Remember – you ’ re dealing with the people you love here .
Temper your responses accordingly and try to understand where they ’ re coming from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the easiest course of action , it ’ s often better to walk away from an argument than to keep it going .
You can ’ t force your spouse to admit you were right and he or she was wrong if they ’ re not ready to accept that yet .
“ Pulling rank ” on family members is more likely to cause trouble than cooperation .
Personal satisfaction is not a worthwhile reason to get into a fight .
Do your part to keep things peaceful .
On the other hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight .
In issues of OPSEC , your family comes first and you can not have family members out running their mouths or giving away your supplies without a conversation about it first .
The same is true for matters of security .
Basically , if it ’ s a matter of life and death , it ’ s worth having an argument .
Otherwise , it ’ s not .
You may have to keep secrets .
Regarding OPSEC , you may have to become more comfortable with keeping secrets from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spouse thinks you ’ ve spent enough but you ’ re certain you need more of a certain item , sometimes it might be better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission .
I ’ m not saying to outright lie and every situation is different .
This is something that could potentially cause real problems in a relationship , so you need to think it through before making your decision to do that .
On the other hand , if you have teens who want to be generous and share your supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they don ’ t know exactly how many supplies you have .
They don ’ t necessarily need access to the pantry or storage area .
You can disguise a lot of foods by putting them inside plain cardboard boxes and setting up a little code so you ’ ll know where to find what you need .
Remember , people can ’ t tell others things they don ’ t know .
Sometimes you have to let people learn the hard way .
If you have a family member who simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer , they may need to learn a lesson the hard way .
Obviously , this should not be a lesson that affects other members of the group .
As a parent , I ’ ve always been a fan of cause-and-effect discipline .
If you don ’ t study for your test , you fail and that is the punishment .
If you don ’ t get up and get to school on time , you ’ re tardy and the school will give you detention .
If you don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get to take the field trip with the rest of the class to attend the science fair .
This works in preparedness scenarios too .
Say for example you ’ ve doled out the snack food to make it last for as many weeks as possible but you have one person who simply won ’ t stop helping himself , divide the snack food into quantities , and put everyone ’ s name on their containers .
Obviously , it ’ s not going to take long before the snack-eater is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s imperative that the other members of the family don ’ t share if you want the person to learn their lesson .
This can apply with all sorts of different things – if the person isn ’ t pulling his or her weight , he or she should not reap the benefits of everyone else ’ s work .
You may want to make some changes in the future .
While I ’ d suggest not making any major decisions when you ’ re ticked off or under stress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now may cause you to reconsider your plans for future events .
Obviously you can ’ t kick your immediate family members to the curb with a bag of beans and rice , but folks who are a bit more distant ?
Cousins , friends from work , that sibling you still fight with constantly 35 years later ?
Sheltering together may not be your wisest or most peaceful choice .
Use the things you ’ re learning now to make future events run more smoothly .
There may be some changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little more peacefully the next time around .
This could also mean setting expectations more clearly ahead of time or even deciding that you ’ re not meant to be an apocalypse team .
Have you run into any complications with your group ?
Tomorrow , we ’ ll talk about dealing with people outside of your inner circle .
What about you – did the response of anyone within your group come as a surprise to you ?
Share your thoughts in the comments .
Daisy Luther writes about current events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the pursuit of liberty on her website , The Organic Prepper .
She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site , PreppersDailyNews.com .
Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company .
You can find her on Facebook , Pinterest , and Twitter .

by Daisy Luther
Most of us in the United States have been under some form of lockdown or restriction for more than a month now. It has been a stressful time for many due to fear, health concerns, and financial worries.
One of the biggest surprises for a lot of us has been the way other people behave when they’re under pressure. I’m not just talking about the folks you see panicking on YouTube videos or the ones you see saying nasty things on Twitter. I’m talking about the people with whom we interact on a regular basis: our family, our friends, our loved ones – the folks who make up our inner circle.
Who stole the wonderful, rational human beings we used to know?
You may all be locking down together, squashing you all into a smaller space than you’re used to, and spending more time together than normal, perhaps suddenly putting multiple generations together. Or you may live nearby with the plan to later stay together. It may just be the members of your family who normally live together, but not 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Either way, this has probably been an interesting look at your group dynamic. And for some of us, it may not have all been pretty.
It’s been a crash course in human behavior.
Now, this may not apply to you at all. Your lockdown experience may have been like walking back in time with the golden sunlight painting everything. Your children may have been perfect angels, content to do their schoolwork at the kitchen table in the morning after a healthy breakfast about which they did not complain, and then going outdoors in the afternoon to frolic at a safe social distance in the backyard.
You may be spending non-stressed time with your partner and remembering exactly why you got together in the first place. You may have 3 generations, joyfully cohabitating under one roof. You may be serving farm-fresh meals and wiping heinies with the toilet paper you collected over the past year and stored in perfect conditions in all that free space you have. You could live in one of those neighborhoods having the fun socially distanced block parties and swapping homemade bread for fresh eggs, a neighborhood where everyone looks after everyone else.
Or you may be like the rest of the world, wondering, “How could I have raised/married/been friends with/moved near someone so stupid/naive/ill-tempered/batcrap crazy?”
This whole thing is far from over but I think many of us are already seeing the truth of what Selco wrote about how you don’t really know someone until all hell breaks loose.
Most of the things we’ve run into have been annoying inconveniences because things, while difficult, aren’t that bad. We’re not literally fighting to the death for survival on a daily basis. Personal interactions are shockingly important and this is something many of us had underestimated up until now.
Behavior within the group
A lot of us thought that once things began to go sideways, our friends, neighbors, and coworkers would all get on board with the plan. They’d finally see that we are not, in fact, crazy and that what we’ve been doing actually makes a lot of sense. They’d congratulate us on our wisdom, they’d be grateful to be spending this time with us, and finally, at last, they’d understand that prepping is smart.
Instead, we’ve experienced things like:
Partners trying to reign in our spending
Loved ones who don’t understand why you’re still buying toilet paper every time you see it
Teenagers trying to maintain their social lives
Those same teenagers saying that you’re “hoarding food” because they saw someone talking about it on Tik Tok
Family members still, right in the middle of this whole darn thing, saying smugly, “You’re overreacting.”
Those in your circle who stubbornly refuse to take any precautions whatsoever, even though they’re elderly people with asthma and diabetes, because “it’s all a hoax” that you fell for
The folks who aren’t nearly as patient and loving with your children now that they have to live with them
Loved ones who are suffering from mental distress now that all the things that were “normal” to them are no longer an option.
At a time when you thought that everyone would finally see the wisdom of your ways, they don’t. Now, when your years of prepping are finally paying off, people are still not interested. How can this be?
These dynamics are very important and can make or break your group.
Some issues the people in your group my have had
Here’s a quick reminder: the people in your group are there because you love them. No matter how annoying, frustrating, or upsetting they may be right now, these are people you care about.
If everything has run like clockwork, you may not even need to read this article. But if you’ve been surprised by the folks with whom you’re taking shelter, hopefully, the following suggestions will be of some help.
It’s important to think of the reasons that your family members may be acting in manners that are unbecoming. This can give you some clues as to how to best deal with them.
Everything has changed.
One of the most common reasons you’ll see people acting out is because everything in their world has changed. A few months ago, they were making all sorts of plans for the year ahead, only to have everything yanked away from them without warning. What they’re feeling (and you may be feeling it too) is grief. A person who is grieving may not be the most rational soul around. They may be angry, they may be sad, they may feel completely helpless. Change is difficult to deal with for most people, so try to be extra patient with them.
They are no longer in control.
If there’s one thing that is absolutely true across the board, it’s that there are many things right now we cannot control. We’ve got new executive orders and bills cropping up on a daily basis. We have restrictions on how much toilet paper we can buy. There’s a limit to the packages of meat you can pick up on one shopping trip and only a certain number of people can be in the store at once. Workplaces are closed, leaving people without a way to make money. Unemployment is taking for-freaking-ever to come in for some folks, and they don’t have a dime to their names. For these people, it’s important to give them tasks that allow them some control.
More people are dealing with mental illness.
Currently, a lot of people are dealing with the symptoms of mental illness. For some it’s situational, and for others, it’s the worsening of a chronic condition. This is a very real problem. Prescriptions for anti-anxiety medications have increased by 34% between Feb. 16 – March 15. Suicide hotlines are reporting an increase in calls. And these are just the people who are asking for help. There are many more people struggling who are not getting help. Watch for signs like a change in sleep pattern, sudden anger, extreme sadness, panic attacks, an increase in the use of substances like drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, and unusual behavior.
Depression and anxiety are very real issues and not a sign of weakness. These mental illnesses can be deadly if left to fester. If you feel that a family member may be suffering from depression or anxiety, the CDC has advice and a list of resources that may be helpful.
People who don’t understand
Some folks just plain don’t understand what’s going on. They’re not trying to deliberately sabotage you, but remember – they’re getting a crash course – on the job training – in a topic you’ve been willingly learning about for years. There’s no way a person is going to go from their cushy 9-5 lifestyle, someone who has never known anything but abundance, and suddenly understand the importance of things like pantry inventory, rationing, and being ready to board up the windows.
Think back to when you started prepping. A lot of us started due to a natural disaster or a job loss and both of those are far “softer” events than the one we’re facing now – one with job loss, financial insecurity, and a disrupted supply chain. These folks right now are jumping into the deep end and they’re convinced that soon, everything will be getting “back to normal.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
So try to have a little bit of patience with them. They’re not trying to sabotage you when they say, “I think we have enough canned goods” or “Wait…did you just say you set a tripwire by the backdoor? A TRIPWIRE?” They legitimately don’t understand the situation, and it’s up to you to educate them as gently as possible while still keeping them from eating all the treats in the pantry because “you can just buy more next week.”
Some people just aren’t helpful in a crisis.
There are simply some people who are not useful in times of trouble. Maybe they don’t want to help or maybe they’re incapable of helping. I’ve known more than one person in my life who refuses to deal with difficult things. They just want to procrastinate until the crisis is over or pretend that it’s not happening.
If you’re a person who lives a prepared lifestyle, these folks can be some of the most difficult to deal with because it’s harder to understand their mentality. You don’t have to like it but you do have to accept that this is the way they are. Only in movies does the person who generally wrings her hands in despair pick up a tool and suddenly get the courage to deal with the situation.
If your group includes people in these categories, it’s best to find tasks they can perform that don’t require a great deal of stress or judgment. Keep them busy with the things they’re more comfortable with and put them where they’ll do the least harm. Maybe the person is a good cook. Give them some guidelines for cooking from the pantry and let them make the meals. Perhaps they are soothed by gardening. It’s a great way to keep them occupied and productive at the same time. This person might also be good with the children. Find the spot for them where they’ll do the least harm to your overall plan. As Terry Trahan wrote, sometimes you just have to take out the trash and keep even the less glamorous tasks going.
Not all of these suggestions are “nice.”
Some of the ideas for dealing with family members could cause real problems within your group or within your relationship. It’s up to you to decide whether or not the situation warrants more extreme measures. It’s something nobody can decide for you. Base your decisions on the seriousness of the situation and try to be respectful of the wishes of others as much as possible. You’re part of a family, not part of a SWAT team or a military unit.
Remember – you’re dealing with the people you love here. Temper your responses accordingly and try to understand where they’re coming from.
Don’t fight if it isn’t worthwhile.
Although it isn’t always the easiest course of action, it’s often better to walk away from an argument than to keep it going. You can’t force your spouse to admit you were right and he or she was wrong if they’re not ready to accept that yet. “Pulling rank” on family members is more likely to cause trouble than cooperation. Personal satisfaction is not a worthwhile reason to get into a fight. Do your part to keep things peaceful.
On the other hand, some things actually are worth the fight. In issues of OPSEC, your family comes first and you cannot have family members out running their mouths or giving away your supplies without a conversation about it first. The same is true for matters of security. Basically, if it’s a matter of life and death, it’s worth having an argument. Otherwise, it’s not.
You may have to keep secrets.
Regarding OPSEC, you may have to become more comfortable with keeping secrets from the members of your group. If your spouse thinks you’ve spent enough but you’re certain you need more of a certain item, sometimes it might be better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission. I’m not saying to outright lie and every situation is different. This is something that could potentially cause real problems in a relationship, so you need to think it through before making your decision to do that.
On the other hand, if you have teens who want to be generous and share your supplies with everybody, it might be better if they don’t know exactly how many supplies you have. They don’t necessarily need access to the pantry or storage area. You can disguise a lot of foods by putting them inside plain cardboard boxes and setting up a little code so you’ll know where to find what you need.
Remember, people can’t tell others things they don’t know.
Sometimes you have to let people learn the hard way.
If you have a family member who simply won’t take no for an answer, they may need to learn a lesson the hard way. Obviously, this should not be a lesson that affects other members of the group.
As a parent, I’ve always been a fan of cause-and-effect discipline. If you don’t study for your test, you fail and that is the punishment. If you don’t get up and get to school on time, you’re tardy and the school will give you detention. If you don’t finish your science project, you won’t get to take the field trip with the rest of the class to attend the science fair.
This works in preparedness scenarios too.
Say for example you’ve doled out the snack food to make it last for as many weeks as possible but you have one person who simply won’t stop helping himself, divide the snack food into quantities, and put everyone’s name on their containers. Obviously, it’s not going to take long before the snack-eater is going to run out of their snacks. It’s imperative that the other members of the family don’t share if you want the person to learn their lesson.
This can apply with all sorts of different things – if the person isn’t pulling his or her weight, he or she should not reap the benefits of everyone else’s work.
You may want to make some changes in the future.
While I’d suggest not making any major decisions when you’re ticked off or under stress, the things you’re experiencing right now may cause you to reconsider your plans for future events. Obviously you can’t kick your immediate family members to the curb with a bag of beans and rice, but folks who are a bit more distant? Cousins, friends from work, that sibling you still fight with constantly 35 years later? Sheltering together may not be your wisest or most peaceful choice.
Use the things you’re learning now to make future events run more smoothly. There may be some changes you can make to help things go a little more peacefully the next time around. This could also mean setting expectations more clearly ahead of time or even deciding that you’re not meant to be an apocalypse team.
Have you run into any complications with your group?
Tomorrow, we’ll talk about dealing with people outside of your inner circle.
What about you – did the response of anyone within your group come as a surprise to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.
About Daisy
Daisy Luther writes about current events, preparedness, frugality, voluntaryism, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, The Organic Prepper. She is widely republished across alternative media and she curates all the most important news links on her aggregate site, PreppersDailyNews.com. Daisy is the best-selling author of 4 books and runs a small digital publishing company. You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--Democrats deliver the “Art of the Lie” very well done exposing the truth, w/scenes, Video

The Art of the Lie A Knock-out Punch to the “ Democrat ’ s Racism Lies ” Those are Just @ @ @ @ @ , ✔CNN “ Racist Debate ” , ✔Don Lemon & Juan Williams , ✔Democrat Candidates @ @ @ @ @ to show all those liars !
!

The Art of the Lie
A Knock-out Punch to the “Democrat’s Racism Lies” Those are Just Political BS — DISCREDITED ✔Charlottesville, ✔CNN “Racist Debate”, ✔Don Lemon & Juan Williams, ✔Democrat Candidates
The screen wasnt big enough to show all those liars!!
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
h/t savcash


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--Hospitals Are Empty & Going Broke As Normal Healthcare has been Suspended

The lockdown was justified under the theory that Hospitals did not have the capacity to take care of the millions of people who would be struck down by the rapid coronavirus .
All of that justification to lock down the nation never materialized .
The ramifications have now turned to a denial of healthcare for the regular population and now doctors and medical staff are facing being laid off because normal health services are shut down .
I personally could not even see a dentist because they were told to shut down by the American Dental Association .
Ironically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankrupt .
We were told that we had to flatten the curve because there were not enough bed spaces .
Then they did the subtle switch and the lockdown was justified until COVID-19 was eradicated .
The interesting thing is how many institutions are sending us various materials because mainstream media will not cover it when it goes against their position of maintaining this lockdown .
They are endangering our lives for political nonsense by refusing to report the truth .
Here is a letter from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preventing healthcare for normal people be terminated .
Where the justification was to protect public health , this lockdown is now threatening public health and the leftist media refuses to report the truth .

by Martin Armstrong
The lockdown was justified under the theory that Hospitals did not have the capacity to take care of the millions of people who would be struck down by the rapid coronavirus. All of that justification to lock down the nation never materialized. The ramifications have now turned to a denial of healthcare for the regular population and now doctors and medical staff are facing being laid off because normal health services are shut down. I personally could not even see a dentist because they were told to shut down by the American Dental Association.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Ironically, now hospitals are in danger of going bankrupt. We were told that we had to flatten the curve because there were not enough bed spaces. Then they did the subtle switch and the lockdown was justified until COVID-19 was eradicated. The interesting thing is how many institutions are sending us various materials because mainstream media will not cover it when it goes against their position of maintaining this lockdown. They are endangering our lives for political nonsense by refusing to report the truth.
Here is a letter from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association to Governor Northam asking that these emergency orders preventing healthcare for normal people be terminated. Where the justification was to protect public health, this lockdown is now threatening public health and the leftist media refuses to report the truth. DOWNLOAD LETTER: Letter-to-Governor-Northam-Regarding-EO-Extension-4.18.20


investmentwatchblog--2020-04-25--France Demanding to Trace Everything People Do – 21st Century Tyranny

Apple has been fighting off governments who are trying to eliminate all privacy by demanding the company provide back doors @ @ @ @ @ Now France is demanding that Apple allow its forthcoming coronavirus contact-tracing app to operate in @ @ @ @ @ iPhones without building in any privacy measures , as reported by BBC .
This further @ @ @ @ @ exactly what Socrates has forecast for these last two final waves in the ECM — @ @ @ @ @ likely eventually suspend democracy and thereby elections on the next contrived crisis .
All of @ @ @ @ @ has killed 50 % less than the annual flu .
This is the Sixth Wave @ @ @ @ @ .
We are in store for the collapse of governmental structures .
This is why @ @ @ @ @ and have used every possible excuse to remove all hard won human rights .

by Martin Armstrong
Apple has been fighting off governments who are trying to eliminate all privacy by demanding the company provide back doors to allegedly combat terrorism. Now France is demanding that Apple allow its forthcoming coronavirus contact-tracing app to operate in the background of all its iPhones without building in any privacy measures, as reported by BBC. This further demonstrates that government is doing exactly what Socrates has forecast for these last two final waves in the ECM — authoritarian regimes that will most likely eventually suspend democracy and thereby elections on the next contrived crisis. All of this for a virus that has killed 50% less than the annual flu.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
This is the Sixth Wave from the beginning of capitalism. We are in store for the collapse of governmental structures. This is why they are becoming so aggressive and have used every possible excuse to remove all hard won human rights.