12-DECEMBER 29-2022

Good morning.
With the federal government’s massive omnibus spending package, it’s clear that deficit spending out of Washington will continue.  That will provide some inflationary fodder, even as the Fed looks to wring it out of the economy.
However, at the state level, there’s a rosier picture.  Mississippi could become the 10th state in the country to eliminate its personal income tax.  And another 7 states have had members of the local legislature submit proposals to phase out or eliminate these taxes.
If so, that could have a notable impact on personal income.  And it could also halt the migration to places such as Nevada, Texas, and Florida – 3 of the 9 states that currently don’t tax income.  Traders may not see an immediate benefit, but for those looking to move somewhere tax friendly, the list may get larger.

Now here’s the rest of the news:

Russia Announces New Oil Sale Restrictions
Russia announced on Tuesday it would ban oil sales to countries that abide by a price cap imposed this month by the West, giving its long-awaited response to the most dramatic step taken so far to limit Moscow’s ability to raise funds for its war in Ukraine… [Read Here]

The Fed’s Inflation Fight Just Turned Into A Disaster
The $1.7 trillion bill will fund government operations for the remainder of fiscal 2023.  It includes some $800 billion in domestic spending, a 9.3% increase over fiscal 2022.  It also includes $858 billion in military spending, a 10% increase over… [Read Here]

December 29, 2021

Good morning.
Wall Street is nothing but forward-looking.  So it should be clear from the massive drops this year in the likes of favorite pandemic plays like Zoom Communications (ZM) and Teladoc Health (TDOC), that things have been over for some time.  It’s also no surprise that those two stocks, big holdings in Ark Investments, have hit the hypergrowth-focused fund this year and led to massive underperformance.
Based on how these companies are performing, it’s clear that investors have moved on, even as the headline news touts the latest Omicron variant and a record number of cases.  But in this case, we’ll side with the stock market.  Why?  It’s showing the latest numbers, and the news headlines, for all the fear, have stopped reporting on Covid deaths.
Traders should leave the pandemic plays behind, if they haven’t yet, and remember the old adage about the news dating back to the print media era: “If it bleeds, it leads.”

Now here’s the rest of the news:

Why Energy Prices Could Trigger A Domino Collapse In 2022
Energy prices exploded in 2021, and 2022 may bring a repeat unless the Biden administration changes its anti-fossil fuel agenda.  Because of the toxic environment, the U.S. will be undersupplied in the new year and the economy risks… [Read Here]

December 29, 2020

Good morning.
Besides taking a loss on your portfolio to reduce your total taxes, there are a few more things to do before the end of 2020 that can help lower your tax burden.  For example, the IRS is allowing a cash donation of $300 that can be deducted for those who use standard deductions this year.  This is an “above the line” deduction that lowers your gross and taxable income.
With many Americans unable to make ends meet, much less profitably play the stock market during this pandemic, now’s the time to make the season bright for a charity in need — while lowering your total tax burden at the same time.  That’s a win-win this holiday season, and a way to take a little bit of capital off the table with stocks at all-time highs.

Now here’s the rest of the news:

December 29, 2019

Thank You!
And, according to legendary pastor, leadership and management expert John C Maxwell, gratitude, by its very nature, automatically works to eliminate three mental characteristics that most undermine individual success in an interactive world:

• • • Isolation
    • Egotism
    • Arrogance

Maxwell also talks about how gratitude can enrich your life:

• Grateful people linger over life’s blessings
• Grateful people live in the moment
• Grateful people leave fear behind
• Grateful people live on purpose
• Grateful people love those beside them

So, how do you put gratitude into practice?  Great question.  In a New York Times article, Arthur C Brooks, author of Gross National Happiness, suggests practicing three gratitude strategies to tap into its powerful benefits:

• Interior gratitude:  Keep a daily or weekly list of the things you are grateful for.  For example, each day you might write down 1 – 3 people or things you are grateful for.
• Exterior gratitude:  Write thank-you notes and share your gratitude with others.  These can be hand-written notes, phone calls, emails, or text messages.
• “Be grateful for useless things”:  Mindfully express thanks for the everyday stuff that we too often take for granted, like running water, air conditioning, washing machines, etc.

With gratitude comes miracles … miracles + gratitude!  Darren’s thoughts on: “How Miracles Happen”

Oprah Winfrey, a leader in the consciousness of gratitude, may have said best, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never; ever have enough.”

To You,  🙂

December 29, 2018

My apologies…

That’s it!

This is my personal BLOG that I have …

• not written in …
• not added to …
• or thought about for ages.

That is all about to change.  Big plans for 2019!

We are going to have fun … fun … fun, and more fun.  Why?

Because we can…

My name is Robert Edward Walker, and this is My BLOG … Rob’s Personal Blog.

See you all tomorrow!