Paradise Lost Financial
By aColorfulCaucasian
Paradise Lost FinancialMay 31, 2021
Episode 13: Pain Now or Pain Later
Episode 13 of the Paradise Lost Financial podcast Pain Now or Pain Later
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/paradiselostfinancial
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/YQwRGjO64Io
Articles & References from this episode:
Mention of Inflation up 800% on Corporate Earnings Calls: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/warren-buffett-is-right-inflation-is-running-rampant-105340040.html
Bailing out Airlines (again) with Taxpayer Money:
Article Title: After Mismanaging Their Companies With Stock Buybacks And Lucrative CEO Pay Packages, Airlines Demand Another $25 Billion From Taxpayers
Link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/10/12/after-mismanaging-their-companies-with-stock-buybacks-and-lucrative-ceo-pay-packages-airlines-demand-another-25-billion-from-taxpayers/?sh=7902f89a2358
$36 Billion Wasted on Unemployment since CARES Act (as of January.. higher now): https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/05/scammers-have-taken-36-billion-in-fraudulent-unemployment-payments-.html
70% of Unemployment Claims were Fraudulent in April: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/04/26/unemployment-insurance-fraud-is-the-latest-epidemic
Unintended Consequences
Link to Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krK9gxQnA-8
Reviewing new taxes being proposed, and potential economic/social consequences of these policies.
Consider supporting the Paradise Lost Financial channel: https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial?fan_landing=true
Articles & References Mentioned in the Video:
Elizabeth Warren fuels class warfare with new wealth redistribution ideas: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/elizabeth-warren-fuels-class-warfare-with-new-wealth-redistribution-ideas/ar-BB1eMxfb?li=BBnb7Kz
Warren Buffett and Bill Gates agree that the rich should pay higher taxes https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/25/warren-buffett-and-bill-gates-the-rich-should-pay-higher-taxes.html
The Income Tax in 1913: A Way to ‘Soak the Rich’: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/the-income-tax-in-1913-a-way-to-soak-the-rich
Five staffers let go over marijuana use, White House says: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/five-staffers-fired-over-marijuana-use-white-house-says-n1261578
Top 10% of Earners Pay Over 70% of Income Taxes: https://www.ntu.org/foundation/tax-page/who-pays-income-taxes
Millions of illegal immigrants set to get $4.38 billion in Biden COVID cash: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/millions-of-illegal-immigrants-set-to-get-4-38-billion-in-biden-covid-cash/ar-BB1ePU08?li=BBnbcA1&srcref=rss
A By-the-Mile Tax on Driving Gains Steam as a Way to Fund U.S. Roads: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/millions-of-illegal-immigrants-set-to-get-4-38-billion-in-biden-covid-cash/ar-BB1ePU08?li=BBnbcA1&srcref=rss
Source for the Dollar Value Illustration: https://howmuch.net/articles/rise-and-fall-dollar
By HowMuch.net, a financial literacy website
An Economic Time Bomb
Here's the link to the Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2mFygMq-YA
Please consider supporting the Paradise Lost Financial channel: https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial?fan_landing=true
Articles/References Mentioned during the Video:
Wall Street Journal article on "What's New in the Third Covid 19 Stimulus Bill": https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-new-in-the-third-covid-19-stimulus-bill-11615285802
US National Debt Tops $28 Trillion for the 1st Time [$224,000 per taxpayer and $85,000 per citizen (even newborn American infants)]: https://bnonews.com/index.php/2021/03/u-s-national-debt-tops-28-trillion-for-the-1st-time/
US DebtClock: https://usdebtclock.org/
Episode 12: Our Economy is a Dead Man Walking
We are witnessing a fundamental structural change of how the financial & savings system works... my advice would be for Americans to get prepared.
Please consider becoming a patron for as little as $5 per month for additional research & content, or if you want to support the channel consider a one-time donation through Anchor. Thanks for your support, it keeps me going!
Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial?fan_landing=true
Additional Links & Resources:
Bureau of Economic Analysis News Release on Rise in Personal Income: https://www.scribd.com/document/477497451/State-of-Personal-Income-2nd-Q-2020#from_embed
CBS News Article on Unemployment Benefits paying more than people's jobs: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/low-wage-workers-unemployment-cares-act-earn-more-income/
DISCLAIMER: nothing on this channel should be construed as financial advice. I am not a financial advisor and you should always do your own research
Episode 11: WallStreetBets vs. Robinhood et al.
WallStreetBets driving up prices of Gamestop, AMC, BlackBerry, Nokia, and more, intentionally targeting some of these stocks due to outspoken short-selling firms.
Robinhood (and some other brokerages) have come under fire for restricting trades (or outright closing some of their user's positions, allegedly) and potentially even conspiring with hedge funds such as Citadel to allow for damage control at the expense of the retail trader.
We're beginning to see class action lawsuits against Robinhood, members of Congress demanding a DOJ investigation, and billionaires stating that this situation is "dangerous for the markets".
Many Robinhood traders & the WallStreetBets folks are saying they will close out their Robinhood accounts and #DeleteRobinhood is now trending.
*Note that I should have said 76% of users say they will stop using Robinhood (I mistakenly said 76 people... sorry I'm tired lol) and it looks like hedge funds have lost roughly $5 billion, not $70 billion (I was thinking of Twitter & Facebook losing $70 billion in market cap after they shut down conservative accounts... separate topic) - that's still $5 million millions, so $5B is nothing to sneeze at!
DISCLAIMER: As always, nothing on the podcast or channel should be construed as financial advise, always do your own research and never invest unless you can afford to lose it all.
Episode 10: Late Cycle Bull Market - Buyer Beware
Consider becoming a patron for $5 per month to support the channel and access additional research, infographics and other content: https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial
Articles on Actionable Intelligence:
Mind Blowing Valuations - Tesla, AirBnB, DoorDash (12/20/2020)
https://actionableintelligencealert.com/mind-blowing-valuations-tesla-airbnb-doordash/
Commodities & Market Rotation into Value (12/29/2020)
https://actionableintelligencealert.com/commodities-market-rotation-into-value/
DISCLAIMER: None of this content should be construed as financial advice, I'm not a financial advisor of any sort and you should always do your own due diligence. Never invest if you cannot financially afford to lose your investment.
Episode 9: Fraudulent Companies & Their Executives
More links & details to follow - here are the links in the meantime:
Hindenberg Research Report: Nikola: How to Parlay An Ocean of Lies Into a Partnership With the Largest Auto OEM in America (GM): https://hindenburgresearch.com/nikola/
Potential class action lawsuit against Nikola that is in the works: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/law-offices-frank-r-cruz-184100187.html
Nikola One in Motion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAToxJ9CGb8
Investopedia - "Short Selling": https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortselling.asp
Episode 8: Market Insanity
We are witnessing the biggest "reshuffling" of the DOW in almost 10 years:
Being Added:
⦁ Salesforce (software/tech)
⦁ Amgen (biotech)
⦁ Honeywell (conglomerate that makes all sorts of products, you've probably seen them in retail stores like Target, WalMart, BestBuy)
Being removed from the DOW:
⦁ Pfizer (pharmaceuticals)
⦁ Raytheon (military/industrial - US defense contractor)
⦁ Exxon (oil & energy)
This is likely an indication that US commodity companies are in decline, software & healthcare continue to gain some steam, at least in the eyes of investors
Also interesting to note that the DOW has trailed the other major indexes (S & P 500 and NASDAQ), but this "reshuffling" might allow it to catch up if these trends are to continue
Apple Market Cap $2 Trillion: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/19/technology/apple-2-trillion.html
Back in September, Apple's market cap was $1 trillion (has now doubled in size)
Stock market reaching all time highs (S & P 500 & NASDAQ): https://www.marketwatch.com/story/stock-index-futures-mostly-higher-dow-on-track-to-erase-2020-loss-2020-08-28
July's "official" unemployment data says unemployment rate is at 10.2%
https://www.statista.com/statistics/273909/seasonally-adjusted-monthly-unemployment-rate-in-the-us/
Episode 7: Voodoo Economics
Voodoo Economics - definition:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/voodooeconomics.asp
*Creation of the Federal Reserve
Great book that covers the "Federal" Reserve: Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin
*The Working Group on Financial Markets AKA the "Plunge Protection Team"
Created by Executive Order 12631 in 1988 by Reagan
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/plunge-protection-team.asp
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1086
https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12631.html
*Exchange Stabilization Fund
"Emergency Reserve Fund of the US Treasury Department"
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/exchangestabilizationfund.asp
https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/exchange-stabilization-fund
*High Frequency Algorthimic Trading
Uses computer program with a defined set of rules or triggers to buy & sell securities at an extremely fast pace
In theory, can produce profits at speed & frequency that are impossible for human traders/investors
Defined set of instructions based on timing, price, quantity, any mathematical model.
Can even "scan" headlines for certain words and be triggered based on what's being reported on a given day or time
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/091615/world-high-frequency-algorithmic-trading.asp
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/active-trading/101014/basics-algorithmic-trading-concepts-and-examples.asp
*Flash Crash
There have been a couple of these in history, but the main one I'm familiar with was the "Crash of 2:45" which happened on May 6th in 2010 - TRILLION dollar stock market crash (before recovering ALMOST entirely before the closing bell that day)
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/flash-crash.asp
*Trading Desk at the Federal Reserve (for "short-term objectives for open market operations")
https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/bst_openmarketops.htm
Side note on gold stocks & Warren Buffet re-allocating his portfolio to include 20.9 million shares of Barrick Gold, while reducing his positions in banking & financial stocks:
(He has mocked gold as an investment for years... as a reminder, I do not believe in gold or precious metals as an investment, but as a tool for wealth/purchasing power preservation as the USD becomes more debased)
Barrick's shares rose 7.4% after hours (that's pretty significant)
Articles: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/buffetts-berkshire-buys-gold-miner-barrick-slashes-wells-fargo-and-jpmorgan-stakes-amid-coronavirus-2020-08-14
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-14/buffett-s-gold-averse-berkshire-jumps-into-a-big-bullion-miner
Episode 6: Precious Metals & Wealth Preservation
Introduction to Counterparty Risk (Investopedia): https://www.investopedia.com/articles/optioninvestor/11/understanding-counterparty-risk.asp
10 Questions to Ask Before Investing in Precious Metals: https://sprott.com/investment-strategies/physical-bullion-trusts/10-questions-to-ask-before-investing-in-precious-metals/#
Episode 5: Stocks & Securities as Investments
[Links to follow]
Episode 4: The Economics of Socialist Policies
Crony Capitalism defined: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/crony-capitalism
What is a "Champagne Socialist"? : https://www.thefreedictionary.com/champagne+socialists
Bernie Sanders 3 homes and millionaire status while demonizing millionaires (he is now shifting to "billionaires" to try to keep the heat off of his own financial status): https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/05/24/bernie-sanders-millionaires-226982
Nancy Pelosi net worth: https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-politicians/democrats/nancy-pelosi-net-worth/
Paul Pelosi - 5 Facts (by Heavy.com): https://heavy.com/news/2018/12/nancy-pelosi-husband-paul/
Nancy Pelosi's husband received PPP loans from Small Business Administration:
https://nypost.com/2020/07/06/nancy-pelosis-husband-among-lawmaker-linked-loan-recipients/
Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law as senior advisor in White House Cabinet:
https://www.citizensforethics.org/nepotism-conflicts-interest-jared-kushner-ivanka-trump/
Jared Kushner direct ties to venture capital firm(s):
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/15/jared-kushner-decides-not-to-divest-from-real-estate-tech-startup-he-co-founded.html
"Crossing the Rubicon" - historical context for Ancient Rome and the setup for Rome's Civil War, as compared to the US today: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar.htm
Preview: Upcoming Episodes
Stay tuned for the next full-length Paradise Lost Financial podcast episode, and more to come resuming next week. Thanks for all the support!
Episode 3: Global Debt Trap
Watch the US National Debt go up in real time (with other mind-boggling economic figures): https://www.usdebtclock.org/
Compare the national debt of the 30 biggest debtor nations on the planet: https://usdebtclock.org/world-debt-clock.html
[More Links to follow]
Please consider becoming a patron to access more in-depth analyses & material focused on financial tools, macroeconomics and financial strength for the individual:
https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial
Intro song by my childhood friend whose music project is titled "Maine Experiment": https://soundcloud.com/maineexperiment
Episode 2: Financial Engineering
Paradise Lose Financial Podcast - Episode 2: Financial Engineering
[Links to follow]
How both public and privately-held entities use non-GAAP financial measures to justify wasteful or unprofitable practices.
Inflation is much worse than is officially reported:
BLS Inflation at -0.1%:
Official CPI calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics says it stands at -0.1% as of May 2020: https://www.bls.gov/cpi/
ShadowStats Economic Measures
John Williams' ShadowStats alternate calculation based off the way inflation was measured in the 80's puts inflation at closer to 8% currently: http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data/inflation-charts
The Chapwood Inflation Index
Calculates inflation in the 50 largest cities in the US, in which cities such as San Jose have inflation measuring at 13% - remember this is per year so over time this trend significantly stunts your purchasing power: https://chapwoodindex.com/
Non-GAAP Measures
Financial figures that are unaudited and do not comply with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles): https://www.lutz.us/non-gaap-measures/
EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, & Amortization
Measures such as EBITDA are more "flexible" than GAAP measures such as Net Income. Companies that switch to using EBITDA as a financial measure when they have not done so previously should present a potential red flag for investors and the public: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/ebitda.asp
Real vs. Nominal GDP and how GDP uses a "GDP Deflator" instead of CPI to account for inflation
https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/ap-macroeconomics/economic-iondicators-and-the-business-cycle/real-vs-nominal-gdp/a/lesson-summary-real-vs-nominal-gdp
Inflation as Calculated by TPTB for GDP:
GDP (Gross Domestic Product):
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp
GDP Deflator:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdppricedeflator.asp
Intro song by my childhood friend whose music project is titled "Maine Experiment": https://soundcloud.com/maineexperiment
Please consider becoming a patron to access more in-depth analyses & material focused on financial tools, macroeconomics and financial strength for the individual:
https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial
Episode 1: Phantom Finance
Paradise Lose Financial Podcast - Episode 1: Phantom Finance
Pilot Episode
US National Debt stands at over $26 Trillion, that's over $79,000 per citizen and over $209,000 per taxpayer! https://usdebtclock.org/
On the Paradise Lost Financial Podcast we will demystify economics, public policy and personal finance with the goal of empowering listeners and promoting liberty, freedom of choice and quality of life.
Please consider becoming a Patron for as little as $5 per month to contribute to future content and access additional material not available to non-Patrons: https://www.patreon.com/paradiselostfinancial
Check out the channel on Youtube (currently working on the upload but the plan is for future episodes to be hosted there): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnd6YphmVMqTsL5Q-upyeRg/
Credit - Clip in the intro is from the track titled "Rush Hour" by Mac Miller