bostonangler

The problem with consumer confidence is most consumers have little money management skills. So the economy may look like it is booming, but the reality is.... At sometime everyone has to pay the piper.... JHMO B/A The Associated Press recently reported that in December 2017 alone, based upon augmented consumer confidence, consumer borrowing increased by $18.4 billion, says Chuck Tatelbaum a director with the Tripp Scott law firm in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and Tallahassee, FL. Of this amount, $5.1 billion was an increase in credit card debt and $13.3 billion for student and motor vehicle loans. This follows an increase of $31 billion of consumer debt, most of the credit card nature, in November 2017. "Increase in consumer debt could have a disastrous effect," says Tatelbaum What is so frightening about these statistics is that with the impending interest rate increases to be promulgated by the Federal Reserve in 2018, consumers will be required to pay a collective $250 million per year in additional interest on their consumer debt for these two months alone, even if the Federal Reserve only increases the Federal Reserve Rate by one half of one percent (a higher increase throughout 2018 is predicted). Lured by low credit card and consumer loan interest rates, this increase in consumer debt could have a disastrous effect when satisfaction of the debt is prolonged due to interest rate increases, and create a disastrous explosion of consumer debt defaults. Bon-Ton Stores is Latest in Cascade of Retail Closings With Sunday’s Chapter 11 filing for Bon-Ton Stores, the unfortunately anticipated cascade of retail closings and reorganizations is beginning to escalate. Bon-Ton, like so many other retailers that incurred substantial amounts of seemingly low-interest debt either by way of a leveraged buyout or otherwise, has now found that when the maladies of brick and mortar retailing mixed with a large debt service, an explosive concoction is created. The Bon-Ton Chapter 11 filing, while not unexpected, places at risk not only the vendors to the retailer, but also the landlords for the 42 stores that will be closed as well as the employees who, in today shrinking retail environment, may have no ready venue of replacement employment. The same is true for many struggling retailers, large and small. With the announced closings of 180 Toys R Usstores and the uncertainty of its Chapter 11 prognosis plus the announced closing of a substantial number of Sam’s Club stores, the announced closing of Sears and Kmart locations, and the anticipated closings by other multiple sized retailers of their brick and mortar retail outlets, as well as given the anticipated increase in interest by the Federal Reserve Board, shopping Center and mall owners may face a crisis with shrinking lease revenue, an increased proportion of common area charges, lower occupancy and traffic and a demand by lenders for additional collateral. All but the largest of mall operators will be susceptible to a possible catastrophe during 2018. Although the new jobs reports coupled with the shrinking overall unemployment appears to create a positive continuing rebound for the economy, the shrinking opportunities for already poorly paid retail workers may dramatically change the employment outlook and statistics in coming months. With the slowness in payment to vendors by retailers, many vendors are tightening terms of repayment in the upcoming months which will place additional stress on retailer when the shelves are becoming bare due to the lack of inventory availability. Consumers are (and should be) wary of purchasing gift cards from distressed retailers, which will only exacerbate the lack of confidence by consumers in dealing with brick and mortar retailers.

Ahhh, Gates played "Let's Make a Deal" Now we will see who else plays America's favorite TV game show... That's how the justice system works... Dang, this is like watching The Mob go down... B/A MAGA Make America Groan Again.

I don't think these guys can resolve what's for lunch... B/A

I think we all knew rates would continue to go up... How this affects the economy over the next couple of years will be interesting. People have been programmed to think low interest rates are their ticket to homes. cars. etc.. Higher rates are going to shock buyers when they realize how much less they can buy... I have read some economic stories where the thinking is if the 10 year hit 3% things could changed in the markets rather quickly. B/A

Who are the real "Dreamers"?... B/A

Of course they did.... Did any of you actually think they would cross the bridge? Maybe the bridge is too high and they are afraid of heights, or the bridge crosses a river and they can't swim. B/A

I go with number 2... These guys are hacks.... JMHO B/A

As The Washington Post's new report on Jared Kushner notes, it's not unusual for foreign governments to seek ways to leverage White House staff. So the fact that at least four countries tried to do it with President Trump's son-in-law isn't a complete shock. What's more troublesome for Kushner and the White House, though, is how much easier he might have made it. The centerpiece of The Post's new report is those officials from four countries — the United Arab Emirates, China, Israel and Mexico — having discussed ways to manipulate Kushner. Their discussions were shared with the White House after national security adviser H.R. McMaster in spring 2017 requested all such intelligence involving White House staff. Unsurprisingly, their efforts focused on Kushner's complicated business dealings and financial difficulties of his family's business. But beyond that head-turning revelations are a couple sections worth emphasizing. The first is about Kushner's failures to run foreign contacts through official channels. We knew that the senior White House adviser had updated the foreign contacts on his security clearance form — known as an SF-86 — multiple times after initially failing to disclose them, and that this could be problematic. The new report says he also failed to coordinate foreign contacts through the National Security Council, which is in charge of foreign policy matters, and that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has been asking about the protocols Kushner used in setting up these phone calls. That's an especially juicy subplot, given it suggests Kushner was holding calls with foreign leaders effectively off-the-grid. You may recall that the Russian ambassador to the United States once told his superiors in Moscow that Kushner had sought a secret communications channel with the Kremlin. But here's perhaps the most interesting paragraph in the whole story: Why on earth would foreign officials insist upon working only through Kushner? Perhaps it was a totally noncontroversial and understandable reason — such as that he was focused on their particular area of concern or that he had built relationships with them. It's also quite possible it was because he was the president's son-in-law, in addition to his senior adviser, and they felt he had more power. Another, less-innocent possibility is that it was because they felt he was someone they could leverage — either via his inexperience or his financial situation. Those finances have been a focus of the Mueller investigation, including a meeting during the transition period with a Kremlin-allied Russian banker. The Kushner family bought 666 Fifth Ave. in Manhattan back in 2007 for $1.8 billion, and $1.2 billion in debt is due in less than a year. It has sought investors for a redevelopment plan but have failed to find any thus far. What we know right now is that something has prevented Kushner from obtaining a permanent security clearance for more than a year, and on Tuesday we learned he and others with interim clearances would no longer be able to view top-secret materials. That's a big setback for Kushner, who has been able to read the highly sensitive President's Daily Briefing (PDB) and was reluctant to give up his access. The picture of precisely what was holding up that process is still murky. But with efforts like this lurking behind the scenes and Kushner not being especially forthcoming about his foreign contacts, it's not difficult to see why he couldn't get over the hump. Increasingly, the question would seem to be why he was even granted access this whole time if such consequential issues hadn't been resolved — and suspicions like McMaster's had been raised. This administration is like watching the Mafia... Now old Jared has risked top secret national security so he can finance his failing business. B/A MAGA Make America Groan Again

It is a defeat for all of us.... That sick bastard needs to go... JMHO B/A

I hope you didn't mean bluff..... B/A

Holy Itsha what a load of rapca..... B/A

Great story, and to think back then he was a democrat... Too funny... B/A

Caz which news outlet is??? B/A

And financial.... come on boys you can do this!!! B/A

Yes I'm sure most of you would run up and hug the unshaven, homeless guy telling you to love everyone.... I think most of the hypocrites out there would be very surprised to see how Jesus feels about what has become of the church... It's judgement, it's segregation, it's lack of tolerance. Yup I think some folks would be shocked and yet thankful that He would still be wise enough to forgive their unworthy behavior... JMHO B/A

If Christ Came Today, Would We Treat Him Differently? This question comes from John the son of a Presbyterian minister in Kansas. He asks, "If Jesus came back today, could we expect a different fate than the one he faced in the first century?" The question demands two views, one of which is rather brief. If Jesus returned as popular theology dictates (second coming, rapture, eschatology, etc.), and if he fulfills all of Hal Lindsey's expectations and interpretations, then yes, we can expect a different end to the story. On the other hand, the last time the Messiah showed up on earth the "church" of the day had also pre-determined what "he" would do including expelling Roman soldiers, establishing a new Israelite kingdom on earth, and elevating the current religion and religious leaders to new heights both politically and in wealth/power. Of course Jesus spent much of his time teaching just how wrong the "church" of the day was and how corrupt and narrow-minded the religious leaders and their followers were, choosing to teach instead about love and acceptance and about freedom for the oppressed (generally defined as those persons the "church" of the day found objectionable). But how would Jesus be accepted today? To begin with, if Jesus came back today as he did in Bethlehem, we could likely expect him to be born in the inner city with no heat, no running water, and so on. He would attend the local church his parents chose, but when he became an adult he would leave the ghetto to search for his own. The "church" of our day would see this man as a homeless wanderer and might even put him up in a mission once in awhile. When he would "clean up" and find access to a Sunday School class or even a pulpit, he would overturn current expectations of the coming messiah, probably teach about loving and accepting the unlovable (homeless, hookers, homosexuals, AIDS victims, ghetto children, etc.), and likely blast the church for making their sanctuaries unavailable to those who need them most. Those who would follow this homeless tramp would be an unsavory bunch in our eyes. Besides attracting known prostitutes, addicts, pushers, and pimps, he would consort with gamblers, alcoholics, con men and women, illegal aliens, crooked lawyers and crooks both, and we'd find him frequenting such places as bars, clubs, and probably even sleazy strip joints. And when this following showed up at church for worship I don't have to wonder much at what the reaction would be. The church would get uncomfortable. The local government would be in a dither. What to do about this man who was consorting with known felons and other undesirables? How could empowerment of these "sinful" people be tolerated? Those in power would watch and listen carefully as he taught and as he traveled, hoping to catch him doing something illegal. But of course, they would find nothing. Except . . . in our culture we have a device, a ploy, a place for such people. The device is the court; the ploy committal papers; the place mental institutions. If the powerful religious leaders and politicos couldn't find a crime to charge Jesus with, the next legal option would be institutionalization. Papers would be drawn up demonstrating Jesus as potentially harmful to himself or to others, he would be picked up (as opposed to arrested), sedated, evaluated for 72 hours, and then permanently committed for his own (our) safety. So, would Jesus be treated any differently today than 2,000 years ago? I doubt it. The church is in the same place as it was then (generally exclusive, judgmental, and intolerant), the government is easily as corrupt, and the people of the land are just as shepherdless and lost as always. Jesus would love the unlovable, touch the untouchable, and condemn the church for not taking care of his "children" all of his children. And the people would rise up in indignation and put an end to his mischief. But would that it would not be so.

SEATTLE, Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SinglePoint Inc. (SING) is pleased to announce the company has signed an LOI to acquire a stake in California cannabis cultivation MTH Development Group (“MTH”) further establishing its California footprint. MTH currently operates 4.7 acres of land zoned for cannabis cultivation. SinglePoint has invested in the company in return for an equity stake. Currently the company leases its properties to licensed cultivators and operates one of the largest cultivations in Adelanto, California. With its hands-off approach SinglePoint is staying true to that strategy by investing MTH. SinglePoint will continue its hands-off approach by acquiring companies and providing technology solutions to the industry. This will be the first acquisition of its kind for SinglePoint in which the company will own equity in licensed cannabis cultivation land. The company is in negotiations to do similar investments in other states. MTH is currently home to companies like HD Biotech and Quality Resources. HD Biotech harvests roughly 400 pounds per month of flower and 150 pounds of trim used for cannabis oil manufacturing. Currently HD Biotech has received its cultivation, manufacturing and expects its distribution license shortly. Holding all three licenses would provide the ability to vertically control all their products from seed to sale, thus reducing costs significantly. “We are excited for this opportunity. Having been to the operation and seeing their proprietary cultivation procedures we feel this is a great investment for SinglePoint. Part of this investment is to also test our new technologies with their tenants to improve as well as validate our systems. Their feedback will help us build the right solution and navigate the California market regulations”, states Wil Ralston President SinglePoint. This acquisition will further SinglePoints’ footprint in the cannabis market which recently achieved another huge milestone with the acceptance of Cronos listing on NASDAQ. SinglePoint management believes this shows the strength of growth in the industry and the opportunities that are available

Finalize... there's a word I think they have trouble translating!!! B/A

I think democrats got complacent over that last couple of elections and have realized they need to get motivated. And I think right now Republicans are falling into the same mode of complacency. What will be interesting is if those lazy millennials will get off their video games long enough to vote and which way they go. That is what will drive the direction of the next election. JMHO B/A

Free pancakes at IHOP today!!! B/A

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/02/26/trump-said-he-would-charge-a-gunman-heres-what-hes-actually-done-in-the-face-of-danger/?utm_term=.c0554db11fe6 I don't think he would run into a convenience store for a slurpy... JMHO B/A

That's real nice...... NOW SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!! B/A

I remember how unions lifted American workers out of the slavery of corporate greed... Now Americans are so dumb they work for peanuts... Even Volkswagen's big new plant in Tennessee gives their workers so much less then their German counterparts. The workers voted against unions and now get $12 to $18 per hour. Not to mention Volkswagen got huge tax breaks for their cheap labor... This anti-union, anti-solidarity mindset of workers has led to a shrinking middleclass and a lot more Wal-Mart shoppers.... B/A

AUSTIN — Early voting for the March primary is more than half over, and Democrats have outpaced Republicans at the polls on each day. Through Sunday in the 15 Texas counties with the most registered voters, 135,070 people had voted in the Republican primary and 151,236 in the Democratic. Compared to the first six days of early voting in 2014, Democratic turnout increased 69 percent, while Republicans saw a 20 percent increase. The Democrats even surpassed their early voting totals from the 2016 primary — a presidential election year Sen. Ted Cruz told a group of Republican voters this month that the left would “crawl over broken glass in November to vote ... We could get obliterated at the polls,” and other Republicans appear to be taking the Democratic surge seriously. Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign sent supporters an email Monday asking for donations to help him get out the vote, warning that the early voting numbers “should shock every conservative to their core. “I’ll be blunt: Democrat voter turnout is surging statewide during Early Voting,” reads the email, using bold and italicized red print. The email states that the last time Democratic primary voters came out so strongly was in the 1990s, during a gubernatorial election cycle, and that Democrats are flipping seats in special elections across the country in Republican strongholds. “We’ve seen a surge of liberal enthusiasm in deep red states like Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma,” the email says. “We had always hoped the liberal wave would never hit Texas, but these Early Voting returns aren’t encouraging so far.” Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston, said it’s interesting that Democrats are turning out at a rate more frequently seen in presidential election years. After looking at the relationship between primary and general election voters, he concluded that more votes in Democratic primaries correlate with more Democratic votes in general elections. But he said Republicans usually turn out in higher numbers to vote in the general election no matter how they voted in the primary. “Usually Republicans tend to run up the numbers in the general and are beating their opponents by big margins, so the relationship is not positive, but it is for Democrats,” Rottinghaus said. “Because the [Democrats’] enthusiasm is so high, you’re likely to see more support for Democrats in November and that’s likely to cut into the margins that they’ll lose to Republicans. Tariq Thowfeek, Texas Democratic Party communications director, said the increase in voter turnout since the last midterm election shows that Texas Democrats are “marching, organizing and most importantly, they are voting.” "Texans are fed up with Trump Republicans targeting our families, destroying our economic futures, and sabotaging our healthcare,” Thowfeek said in a written statement. “This year, we have a historical amount of candidates running in the Democratic primary. All of them believe this great state of Texas is worth fighting for." James Dickey, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, urged Republicans to go to the polls during early voting. “We look forward to seeing the results of the primary election on March 6th, and to keeping Texas red in 2018,” he said in a prepared statement Harold Clarke, a political science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, said that midterm elections are viewed as referendums on national politics, but that there’s no way to predict how what’s happening in Washington will affect races in the U.S. or in Texas. “With the presence of Trump and the incredibly bitter politics in Washington, we just don’t know how that’s going to play out, but it could be influential in races across the country,” he said. “A strong dose of caution is in order right now.” Early voting runs through Friday Time to liberate The Lone Star State... Giddy Up! B/A