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What's up?


A common and often rhetorical question posed by Americans to fellow Americans during the course of a day.  But my intent to pose it was to list out a few things that are well - Up.  While I am at it I might list a few that are well - Down.

So here we go up and down the well..

Up

1.  Porn Use - Turns out Americans, Germans and Indians are the most prolific users of pron sites.  Yes good old johnson is UP the most in these three countries courtesy of high speed streaming of porn content. I say the overall effect may be beneficial to society if the cumulative user base can get off by watching things in 2D and not exercise their muscles without permission in 3D.  Better for society if they stay close to their valuables and locked in.

2.  Virgin.  Well not that kind but Virgin Galactic.  With their latest effort, after 14 years of trying to foray into space tourism, the company founded by a Sir from England finally broke the atmospheric barrier at 51.4 miles above the earth when it took a vehicle built on earth to the edge.  Spaceship 2 as it was called flew at close to Mach 3 and took two pilots out into the vacuum of space.  This marks a seminal moment to start defining the blueprints for commercial flights.

3.  VIX.  Not the ointment for cold although it might be this winter.  But the volatility index used to show the swings in capital markets in the US is working its way UP.  What with the Trump debacles, Brexit looming, Saudis misbehaving and Chinese getting an ulcer the world seems to not look in ship shape.

4.  US Interest rates. The Federal Reserve is raising rates.  US has been in lower longer mode for 10 years and finally the cost of borrowed capital has started to rise.

Down

1.  Bitcoin.  The newest made up currency is not doing well.  It is running downhill like diarrhea.  Apparently the believers are having a hard time convincing the others to own and use it when it seems the stores for the coin get hacked every other day.

2.  Markets - There seems to be general malaise in the equities market nowadays - apparently the rising interest rates cause disruptions to stock markets and they move the opposite way.  So people are panicking when they see their 401k nests shrinking.




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