Tuesday Afternoon

California Dreamin

There were a small number of songs from the 1960s that seemed to have a deeper spiritual meaning.  For a brief moment (before my time), we were listening to something profound.  Then the Beatles and the hippies came in and ruined everything.  There is something very geeky and cool about young men in suits with hair just slightly too long who might be singing on the Ed Sullivan Show.

The House of the Rising Sun

The Sound of Silence

A Whiter Shade of Pale

Nights in White Satin

The Precariat

The precariat is a term coined to describe the segment of the population that lives without security or predictability. These days it often refers to the former American middle class that’s currently experiencing reduced circumstances. There’s always been a precariat, but it usually includes a minor subset of the population that no one really likes or cares about. Indentured Irish servants, black slaves, Jewish and Italian sweatshop workers, Mexican field hands, Puerto Rican cleaning ladies… It’s a long list. People are up in arms now because the “wrong people” have fallen in to the precariat that didn’t used to “belong” there. There’s been a sudden realization that sometimes the structure of the economy itself institutionalizes their personal decline.
https://granolashotgun.com/2017/08/04/the-precariat-shoppe/

Rumors of Japan's Imminent Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

Salads are making you fat

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4901224/Why-healthy-salad-making-FAT-expert-reveals.html
According to Susie [Burrell] - whose ebook on salads is available to download here - just because you're ordering a salad, it doesn't mean it's healthy.

Scarsdale Diet

I love the Military Diet, which has about 10 different names.  But it is only 3 days long.  I found another diet which is very similar and is 7 days long.  It is the Scarsdale Diet, which was popular in the 1970s before the horrible Atkins diet came in and took over like a bully.

Here is the menu plan for the first day of the diet.

Breakfast in Scarsdale diet menu is the same everyday.

Breakfast

• 1/2 grapefruit – the best fruit for breakfast!
  However if you don’t have a grapefruit at hand, you can substitute it for other fruit in season.
• One slice of protein bread, toasted, no spread added.
• Coffee or tea (no sugar, cream or milk, no honey).

---

Day 1

Lunch:

• Assorted cold cuts
• Tomatoes – sliced, broiled, or stewed
• Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water

Dinner:

• Fish or shellfish, any kind
• Combination salad, any greens and vegetables as you wish
• One slice protein bread – toasted
• Grapefruit – if not available, use fruit in season
• Coffee/Tea/Diet Soda/Water

Source: http://www.weight-loss-advisor.com/scarsdale-free-diet-plan/

Kyle Bass predicts that China will crash by June 2018

RP: And what about a time horizon? I know it's difficult. I don't want to pin you down.

KB: Well, no, it actually requires you to pin me down because our investors pin us down.

RP: OK, so when the f***'s this going to happen?

KB: So my best guess is between November and call it June. November 2017, June 2018.”

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-09-17/kyle-bass-chinas-40-trillion-banking-system-has-largest-imbalances-ive-ever-seen

So the system is set to crash, with records in the stock market and real estate bubbles.  But it could exist in this position for years.  There must be some kind of needle to pop the bubble.  Or a trigger to start the avalanche, or a catalyst to start the chemical reaction, to use different metaphors.  I like the word "catalyst".

In 2008, it was the collapse of Bear Stearns as well as the subprime mortgages.  This time it could be the collapse of China, which will suck up money and cause global trade to collapse.

Kyle Bass has been wrong before, on Japan.  But I think Japan is a special situation with factors there that don't apply elsewhere.  So look to China to collapse, which will start the next global economic crisis next summer or fall.  

Ludwig Van

Wow, incredible performance of a very complicated piece.

The Drinking Man's Diet

How many diets have their own theme song?

The AHA diet

Another variation on the military diet, which has nothing to do with the American Hospital Association.  Also known as the Mayo Clinic diet (which has nothing to do with the Mayo Clinic).

The Three-day AHA diet consists of highly specific instructions for breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. Few substitutions are allowed. 
On the first day of the diet, you are instructed to eat half of a grapefruit for breakfast accompanied by a slice of toast spread with peanut butter, another slice of toast with 1/2 cup tuna fish for lunch and 3 ounces of lean beef, chicken, fish or pork paired with green beans, carrots, an apple and 1 cup of vanilla ice cream. 
Breakfast on Day 2 consists of an egg, toast and a banana, while lunch is five saltine crackers with 1 cup of cottage cheese or tuna fish. Dinner is two hot dogs along with carrots, broccoli or cabbage, a banana and ice cream. 
On the final day of the diet, you'll eat saltine crackers with cheddar cheese and an apple for breakfast, a hard-boiled egg and toast for lunch and 1 cup each of tuna fish, cauliflower, carrots and melon for dinner along with more vanilla ice cream.

The Three-day AHA instructions direct you to drink water, diet soda, unsweetened tea and black coffee daily but strictly specify that you are not allowed to use seasonings other than salt, pepper, lemon juice and mustard or eat any snacks in between meals. Proponents of the diet claim that changing any of the menu foods or amounts will prevent you from losing the optimal amount of weight. They contend that the diet works because the specific food combinations stimulate an increase in your rate of metabolism. Followers of the diet are encouraged to eat normally for four days after completing the plan's three days, after which they can resume the diet again.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/520049-the-unofficial-mayo-clinic-grapefruit-diet-plan/

The Birmingham Cardiac diet

This is another variation of the military diet.  And of course, it has nothing to do with the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital.

How It Works The Birmingham Cardiac Diet consists of three days of specific plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you strictly adhere to the menu instructions, you will consume an average of 800 to 1,000 calories per day. No food substitutions or alterations in the portion sizes are allowed. You're permitted to use any cooking method you prefer to prepare your meat and vegetables, though you cannot use any spices, herbs, condiments or oils other than salt, pepper, nonstick cooking spray, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning and mustard. No exercise instructions are included.

What You'll Eat
 Day 1 starts with a breakfast of grapefruit, toast spread with peanut butter and coffee or tea with a noncaloric sweetener, if desired. Lunch is toast topped with tuna fish, followed by a dinner of lean meat, green beans, carrots, an apple and ice cream.

Day 2 features a breakfast of toast, an egg and a banana, while lunch is cottage cheese and five crackers. Dinner consists of two hot dogs, carrots, another banana, broccoli or cabbage and more ice cream.

On day 3, you'll eat crackers, cheese and an apple at breakfast, an egg and toast for lunch and tuna, carrots, cauliflower, melon and ice cream at dinner.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/497221-birmingham-cardiac-diet/

The Kaiser 3 day diet

This is another variation of the military diet.  And of course, it has nothing to do with Kaiser Permanente.

The Kaiser 3 day diet provides the following meal plan:

Day 1
 * Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 slice toast
 * Lunch: 1/2 cup tuna, 1 slice toast, coffee/tea
 * Dinner: 3 oz meat, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup beets, 1 small apple, 1 cup vanilla ice cream

 Day 2
 * Breakfast: 1/2 banana, 1 egg, 1 slice toast
 * Lunch: 1 cup cottage cheese, 5 saltine crackers
 * Dinner: 2 hot dogs, 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

 Day 3
 * Breakfast: 1 hardboiled egg, 1 slice toast
 * Lunch: 1 oz cheddar cheese, 5 saltine crackers, 1 small apple
 * Dinner: 1 cup tuna, 1 cup beets, 1 cup cauliflower, 1/2 cantaloupe, 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

In order for you to succeed on the Kaiser 3 day diet, you must follow the plan to the letter. The Kaiser 3 day diet does not allow substitutions or changes.
http://www.diet-and-health.net/Diet/kaiser3daydiet.html

The Military Diet is dangerous

This is hilarious:  http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/30/health/3-day-military-diet-revealed/index.html

Where did it come from?
Why would such a fad diet be associated with the military? "We did not develop this. We do not use it. It has absolutely no resemblance to the real military diet." An Internet search shows that this very diet -- down to the hot dogs and ice cream -- is also known as the American Heart Association diet, the Cleveland Clinic diet, the Mayo Clinic diet, the Kaiser diet and the Birmingham Hospital diet. What do they have to say? "The Birmingham Hospital Diet did not originate with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and we do not support or recommend it," university public relations manager Bob Shepard said. "This diet has absolutely no connection to UAB Hospital other than the often repeated but false Internet rumors." Oh? "It is unfortunate our name has been associated with this diet," the Cleveland Clinic said in a statement. "We have never endorsed this meal plan, and it does not meet the standards for what we would consider a healthy diet for heart health or overall well-being." And? "The American Heart Association is not -- and never has been -- associated with this diet." "This didn't come from us, despite the use of the word Kaiser. Kaiser Permanente supports a balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains." "None of these diets, including the three-day diet, was developed at or ever associated with Mayo Clinic," said Dr. Donald Hensrud, director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program and medical editor of the real Mayo Clinic Diet. "It is likely the originators tried to capitalize on Mayo Clinic's brand recognition as a way of promoting these diets." 

Should I try it?
When it comes to the three-day military diet, she [dietician Lisa Drayer] concluded: "I can't imagine any doctor or expert endorsing the military diet as healthy or beneficial in any way."

So there you have it, folks.  Nobody knows where this diet comes from and no one endorses it.  It is not politically correct.  It is bad for you.  CNN says so.

Unless ... you want to be a rebel.

$20 Trillion in Debt!

Finally, $20 trillion in debt!

The actual number is $20.162 trillion.  The US first surpassed the $19 trillion mark on 1/28/16, so this took about 19 months.  Many moons ago, I predicted that this would be a "junior day of reckoning", and I predicted that the $20 trillion mark would be breached on 12/31/2015.  So this took almost 2 years longer that I had expected.

I predict that it will take about one year, until about 9/30/2018, to get to $21 trillion.

Why are we celebrating debt?  Because it also represents wealth to the holders of it.  And this debt is created out of thin air and never has to be paid back and it can be increased to infinity!  (What could go wrong with this plan?)

This is a huge psychological barrier that we have crossed.  I don't think anyone, not even Paul Ryan, is now expecting it to be paid back.

How long did it get from $10 billion to $20 billion?  It first crossed $10 trillion on 9/30/2008, in the middle of the financial crisis.  So, 9 years.  When will we get to $40 trillion?  If the trend continues, about 9/30/2026.

Did Trump just switch parties?

So yesterday, Trump made a deal with Chucky Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, to fund hurricane relief, and extend the debt ceiling and fund the government for 3 months.  He also said today (9/7/17) that he wanted to get rid of the debt ceiling all together.

I'm in shock. Trump, who seemed to be a fiscal conservative and hasn't increased the national debt at all since he came into office, is now transmogrifying into a big spending Democrat.  He doesn't have a single conservative aide left except for Stephen Miller.

As of today, the national debt sits at $19.844 trillion, about where it was on January 1.  I think it will increase by about $800 billion by December 8.

The Whopper Diet

About a year ago, I was trying to come up with a diet you could follow at fast food restaurants, and this is in the same vein.  I stumbled across this by luck.  I have a theory that a diet from Burger King may work.  Intrigued?  Read on.

Burger King is different from other fast food restaurants, and not necessarily in a good way.  Their service sucks.  No matter how few customers there are, plan on waiting in line at least 10 minutes.  Their fries are disgusting.  They are thick-cut and soggy and cold.  Every time.  If you want good fries go to WingStop.  McDonald's is a distant second, then everyone else, with BK fries at the bottom.  But this is a good thing, because you need to avoid french fries on this diet and you won't be tempted.  And don't get their disgusting salads either. 

The thing to order is the Whopper, maybe a double or even a triple.  The Whopper is different from every other burger out there.  First, it is made from real beef, unlike the meatloaf you would be getting at McDonald's.  Yes it is frozen, unlike Wendy's, but who really cares.  And it is grilled in their grilling machine, which gives it a distinctive flavor.  Second, and even more important, is the way it is prepared.  There is no cheese on it.  There is no ketchup on it, or if there is, it isn't noticeable. But there is so much mayonnaise and sauce that it is wet and dripping.  You need extra napkins and you can't eat it in a car.  And there is too much bread, so throw away the bottom slice which is soggy.

So here is how the diet works.  The only thing you will eat on this diet is Whoppers but no more than 3 per day. Throw away half the bread.  No fries, no soft drink. Skip breakfast, skip dinner.  There is something uniquely satisfying about the Whopper that fills you up, but doesn't leave you craving more.  It isn't totally ketogenic because you will eat some bread and tomatoes and lettuce.   But that is how I think it works.  Of course it is loaded with protein and fat, but that is how keto diets work.  Your body attacks the fat and it keeps going and burns body fat as well.

I will try this some more and post my results, starting now.