2016, Week One

Not quite the first week of 2016 and already we've had some amazing stuff happening.  Let's start off with the something most of us have been enjoying, record low prices at the gas pump.  A combination of a high mileage vehicles, record low temperatures in the easter US and a glut of surplus oil in the supply systems has kept prices low with no end in sight.

Unfortunately, as our economy is based around higher prices for oil, the low price of gas has meant chaos for the stock market.   Compound this with the worries over China's stock market and you get the Dow tumbling nearly 400 points (WSJ).

The one sector of the market that is enjoying a huge bump is the gun manufacturers thanks to the President.  Records gun sales have factories struggling to keep up with the demand.  After shedding a tear the other day and sending federal agents to deal with Oregon ranchers, Mr. Obama is keeping things interesting on the domestic front.

Of course the week began with news that North Korea may have tested a hydrogen bomb (to which the White House Press Secretary assures us did not happen).  North Korea, unlike Russia and China, is more unpredictable than in the past.  Kim Jong-un has executed much of his staff so what type of advice his new staff gives remains to be seen.

While reading the stories about North Korea, I came across some reader comments that if true, should be of even more concern than North Korea.  Supposedly, according to readers posting on different websites, China may have developed a sophisticated under tunnel system to protect their nuclear missiles.  If the reports are true, the US may not be able to target these missiles.  China has the technical expertise, manpower and finances to build such an infrastructure.  So the alarming conclusion is if they did build, it wasn't built just for show.

Whilst the major stuff plays out away from much of the public's view, women in Germany and Sweden are being attacks and/or sexually assaulted by immigrants.  Of course these headlines are coming at bad time for the pro-immigration advocates as details are showing a very aggressive stance by Muslim immigrants in Germany and Sweden against western women who they seem as unclean.  The Muslim immigrants in Germany and Sweden (and perhaps other countries, these are the only ones though that they media has reported) feel they can abuse women who are wearing hajibs and dress moderately.

I feel that this is all being put out by the media to cause us to panic and take us off our guard.  Create enough paranoia and eventually something blowing up.  I'm just not certain if all of this is coordinated or just a bunch of unrelated incidents happening simultaneously.

And let me finish with an honorable mention by she-who-would-be-President, Hillary Clinton.  She has managed to run an unsparing campaign thus far and seems more and more like an animatronic puppet that have to wheel out for each appearance.  Her campaign foolishly trotted out Bill Clinton only to restart the old fires over his past affairs.  If that wasn't bad enough, headlines were flying around this week that she may be indicted over the classified emails in as little as 60 days.  No wonder Joe Biden was quoted as saying he regrets everyday not running for President.