A Friendly Reminder From Tuna Melt

“I don't vote. Two reasons. First of all it's meaningless; this country was bought and sold a long time ago. The shit they shovel around every 4 years doesn't mean a fucking thing. Secondly, I believe if you vote, you have no right to complain. People like to twist that around – they say, 'If you don't vote, you have no right to complain', but where's the logic in that? If you vote and you elect dishonest, incompetent people into office who screw everything up, you are responsible for what they have done. You caused the problem; you voted them in; you have no right to complain. I, on the other hand, who did not vote, who in fact did not even leave the house on election day, am in no way responsible for what these people have done and have every right to complain about the mess you created that I had nothing to do with.”
--George Carlin

Trade

From India, a point about Obama versus McCain that has been absent from the discussion in America.

"McCain has voted 88% of the time against bills creating trade barriers, and 90% of the time against export subsidies for US producers. Few other senators have such a splendid record."

Of all the horrible government interventions that turned the 1929 panic into The Great Depression, perhaps the worst was the near shut-down of global trade as every nation tried to subsidize their own exports and tariff the smoot out of their imports.

More Unsolicited Investment Advise From A Poor Bloke

I don't know why I keep making market predictions. To be clear, I have no investment income to speak of, no investment record other than simple stocks (of which I own none right now) and mutual funds, and my 401K looks as bad as everyone else's right now.

That said, I'm now prepped to tell you about "the next big thing." Were you too young to get in on junk bonds in the 80s? Miss the tech boom? Buy a house after the price explosion was already on?

Here's where to go next.

Put options on U.S. Treasuries.

"What?"

Here's a primer.

When the dollar starts to dive, all the trillions of dollars that moved out of the stock market and into US Treasuries will reverse course. Make your arrangements early and get rich, yo.

To extend the disclaimer that began this post, unless I sell the novel for 6 figures, I won't be taking my own advice on this one. For regular Schmoes (not Joes, mind you -- I ain't no plumber), this sort of shit just isn't practical. You could lose your shirt.

Why Does Tuna Melt Expect Inflation?

Go here.

From the leader of "White Aryan Resistance" who prefers Obama to McCain.
"See, I’m a leftist. I’m not a rightist. I hate the transnational corporations far more than any black person."

Other surprising views from avowed racists in this Esquire article.