Dow 20,000

[Blazerman]

i am in no way wanting to get into a political debate, but you sure have to love the reaction to Trump's election on the Markets.

Who knows how long it will last but nice to see the run.

 

[Mitch f]

It's Russia's fault?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Tell them "thanks" for me please.

[Al Agnew]

I think a lot of people think we've found ourselves in some kind of weird alternate universe.  Nothing the supposed experts said and believed about the campaign or some of the things that have happened since has come true.

[Mitch f]

Well the markets are fickle, and could change quickly. Apparently there is a sense that things are going to get better...whether it happens or not, who knows. But I've never seen a more divisive time in my lifetime. And it appears there are no signs of the division letting up. I guess politics is like Newtons law, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. One side perceives the other side has gotten way too radical and starts a grass roots movement to counteract the threat. Then the other side comes back harder. 

I believe the demon is the news media. Cherry picking words and half truths and taking things out of context, to make their next headline. Like the "Situation Room"....even if there's not a situation, they will create one. The news media thrives on Jerry Springer type tactics. Only focus on the one loud mouth in the entire situation, instead of focusing on the real story. Then you throw in folks with no job who are being paid $15 an hour to protest by a rich guy. They get all the attention with the media, and stories get quickly distorted. Then, we are led to believe that these protesters represent a large majority of the public. Well, we found out what the American people really think on Nov 8th. It's time to live with the results. If the results are not to anyone's liking (and I'm not meaning any one person in particular), then next time they can vote in who they want. But this process does work, and it's fair. Like Mr. Spok says "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one"

[Old plug]

5 hours ago, Mitch f said:

Well the markets are fickle, and could change quickly. Apparently there is a sense that things are going to get better...whether it happens or not, who knows. But I've never seen a more divisive time in my lifetime. And it appears there are no signs of the division letting up. I guess politics is like Newtons law, for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. One side perceives the other side has gotten way too radical and starts a grass roots movement to counteract the threat. Then the other side comes back harder. 

I believe the demon is the news media. Cherry picking words and half truths and taking things out of context, to make their next headline. Like the "Situation Room"....even if there's not a situation, they will create one. The news media thrives on Jerry Springer type tactics. Only focus on the one loud mouth in the entire situation, instead of focusing on the real story. Then you throw in folks with no job who are being paid $15 an hour to protest by a rich guy. They get all the attention with the media, and stories get quickly distorted. Then, we are led to believe that these protesters represent a large majority of the public. Well, we found out what the American people really think on Nov 8th. It's time to live with the results. If the results are not to anyone's liking (and I'm not meaning any one person in particular), then next time they can vote in who they want. But this process does work, and it's fair. Like Mr. Spok says "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one"

I do not trust any of the new media. I check everything happening. As or right now there are parables in hostory that I will not repeat. 

[Jerry Rapp]

5 hours ago, Old plug said:

I do not trust any of the new media. I check everything happening. As or right now there are parables in hostory that I will not repeat. 

there is a lot of truth in this response.

[Al Agnew]

I get severely depressed if I let myself think too long on the state of this country.  The incredible divisiveness in itself is bad enough, but what really bothers me about it is that so many people think that those on the other side of the ideological spectrum are not only wrong, but have nefarious agendas and are out to destroy the country or our way of life.  In other words, they are not the opposition, they are the enemy.  Most of us, whether we have liberal ideas or conservative ones (and all the really smart people that I know and like have both, depending upon the issue--they are not blind partisans and ideologues), want basically the same things.  We want a strong, secure country, we want our families to be safe, we want a level of prosperity, we want clean air and water.  Where people differ is not in what they want but in how they think it can be accomplished best.  

Nearly as bad as assigning nefarious agendas to those you disagree with is considering them to be stupid or delusional.  Conservatives are neanderthals, liberals are snowflakes.  Social media perpetuates these attitudes as much as anything...get on Facebook, which I usually avoid, and the pages are full of it.

Folks, we are all Americans, and we have to live with each other.  It's a whole lot easier to live with each other when you treat each other with respect.

Another thing that depresses me is that we no longer trust ANY institution.  We don't trust government, we don't trust the media, we don't trust science, we don't even trust religious institutions.  Perhaps there are good reasons for this lack of trust--perhaps it is the institutions that have earned the mistrust.  But when everybody is getting their "truth" only from their own echo chambers, the level of willful ignorance becomes astounding.

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Al Agnew said:

Another thing that depresses me is that we no longer trust ANY institution.  We don't trust government, we don't trust the media, we don't trust science, we don't even trust religious institutions.  Perhaps there are good reasons for this lack of trust--perhaps it is the institutions that have earned the mistrust.  But when everybody is getting their "truth" only from their own echo chambers, the level of willful ignorance becomes astounding.

Somewhere around the age of 35 I began to realize that almost everything that had been forced into my brain my whole life was complete and total BS.   A rethinking of every aspect of life began about that time and I'm still not fully straightened out. 

At this rate I may be reasonably sharp right before it's my time to take the dirt nap.  We are progressively dumbed down and our brains manipulated from the moment we get off the tit.   

[Old plug]

It is really a sad state of affairs when people blindly follow ideologies. This is the kind of thing that the news media spawns with there OPINIONS and not just news. I seen a example just a day or so ago. One network reported Trumps wife was not going to move to the White House. That was all they reported. But it appears she wants her son to finish school where he is currently enrolled and will be moving in after the school term end.  One report makes her look like a snob and the other makes her look like a good mother. Hate that sort of stuff. I am not in Trumps or Hillarys camp. I did not vote in the presidential part of my ballot. Was nobody worth my vote running for president. If you go back in history and read how nations and democracies are lost I think you will see how bad of shape we are in. Really with some of the appointments and statement were getting from the president-elect I have to wonder what direction we are going. looks a bit like Germany in the early 30s. But I will wait and see before Condemn him. There are points he makes I support.