Posts Made By: Rod Kaufman

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Why do I need to address them?  Do I give 2 shits what they say?  Since I don't, why do you assume that they speak for me or anyone else that I support?

Why don't you address every leftist asshole on the planet?  I'm not a republican, I'm an independent  conservative?

You?  You're a leftist Democrat who is a member who worships his very leadership so when You decide to speak for them or address everything they have said that would be your prerogative.

Don't assume I'm a person who bows down at the alter of a political party the way you bow down to the Democrat party as you defend everything they do.

I didn't say I supported anything and everything some so-called (by you) unnamed "leftist leadership" has to say or do.

You however, selectively target anything and everyone that you perceive to be "leftist" and you do so consistently so the only one that really gives, in your words, "2 shits" about what someone says is you and that makes you a hypocrite...

"A number of Republicans are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of tariff deals from President Trump two weeks away from a July 8 deadline that could lead to the reinstating of heavy tariffs on imports from around the world."

“I think they’re working very hard on them — I know that for a fact,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). “I think the approach that was taken in the first place creates a lot of complications because it does produce this enormous workload and need for negotiation with an enormous number of countries.”

"Asked whether she is concerned the administration’s negotiators are stretched thin, Collins was blunt. “Yes,” she said. “Very.”


"The short time period and the lack of deals so far are raising nerves on Capitol Hill."

“Members want the president to make quick trade deals because we need clarity and certainty from a business perspective,” said one senior Senate GOP aide."


“There’s definitely a lot of uncertainty,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said. “Everybody, and I know the administration’s working toward this, would like to see … more numerous solid wins.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5361346-trump-trade-deals-uncertainty-tariffs/

"A Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aide known as “Big Balls” resigned from his role on Monday following the exit of White House adviser Elon Musk."

"A White House official with knowledge of the matter confirmed that Edward Coristine, who codes under the “Big Balls” alias, departed, in a statement to The Hill."

"Coristine, a 19-year-old high school graduate, was privy to high-level meetings involving DOGE, the Treasury Department, Commerce Department and military operations throughout his tenure at the newly formed digital agency."


"Earlier this month, Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) joked about where the computer programmer would go amid a public fallout between President Trump and Musk."

“Now that the national divorce is happening … who’s going to get ‘Big Balls’?” Moskowitz asked during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing."


https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5367819-doge-aide-big-balls-resigns/

I just know the real pressing question has been, "where's Rod"?! 

Well, out observing, of course!...

Here's the rundown from the LAAS site last night (6-27), with my 16" f4.5 astrosystems dob:

1. Conditions: (As compared to Chuchupate) Clear, warmer during the day, colder at night (lower 40s or upper 30s), no wind, clouds or haze. I had the entire large and level rectangular dob pad to myself with one other guy who apparently lives on site in his camper doing imaging on the other side of the site, so, for all practical purposes, I had the site to myself. They added a large two piece two tier movable table to set your accessories on which made it convenient for me. They also added gravel on the road around the site so you don't drive through moon dust.

2. Darkness: The site, overall, was darker than Chuchupate, particularly to the large expanse of sky to the northwest. The above imager told me he has seen it at bortle 3 in that region of the sky and from what I saw last night, I believe him. I could see both the Milky Way in Cygnus and M31 far lower in elevation due to darker conditions than we saw at Chuchupate. SQMs: 21.25 overhead and 21.31 to the northwest.

3. Seeing/Transparency: Good/Excellent.

Observations:

1. Since the major groupings of galaxies in Canes Venatici, Coma Berenices and Bootes were descending to the northwest, I hit them first, followed by those in Draco. In regards to Draco, I observed everyone of those in the Observer's Guide, approximately 35 in total.

Specific to Canes Venatici, I hit the major ones, including those we observed on Wed. It is in this constellation that I had another of what I consider to be a "memorable moment". I had the best view of the whale and the pup I've ever seen, with the pup appearing of similar brightness to the whale with the latter seeming like somebody snuck in a NV device and lit it up for me! It was THAT bright...

Specific to Bootes, I hit the 5416 Group West and the 5492 Group East galaxy clusters and while they might be described as a train or trail of galaxies, it looked more like a goddamn parade! The Guide generally doesn't go deeper than about magnitude 15 but I'm sure I was going deeper than that! 

All observations of galaxies were with the 10mm Ethos and GSO corrector. I lost track of how many I observed but it wasn't until about 1:00am that I finally turned my attention to the summer constellations.

With the 10mm Ethos in place and the Lumcon 0111, One view, in particular, of the lagoon appeared similar to the images you see in hydrogen alpha of certain objects. THAT was another memorable moment for me.

I viewed M57 with the 4mm Angel Eyes (astrotech) 82 and I could see the central star blinking in and out with the seeing. Had the seeing been excellent, I'm sure it could have been steadily seen.

My last observation of the evening was of the cocoon in Cygnus with the H Beta filter. I tried several focal lengths and the best view thus far was provided by the 17.2mm Baader morpheus followed by the 10mm Ethos with lesser views in the 30mm Svbony-Vixen clone plossl and the 26mm meade Kowa plossl. I still, however, want to try a 20mm focal length just to satisfy my curiosity.

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Inquiring minds want to know.  

Is it still coming because it appears that under Trump the S& is now at record levels.

Hmm..... weird....  

Obviously the "inquiring mind" of the Trump "JD" Putin-commie team isn't one of them:

"The Dow...which has tumbled 39% this year...still has about 1,200 points, or 2.7%, left to gain before it hits its all-time high."

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/27/investing/stock-market-record-dow-sandp

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Tumbled 39%??? You must be the dumbest man in America to make that claim, which is simply put a gigantic LIE.

Why do you lie like that?

Why did you write this bit of ignorance and stupidity:  The Dow...which has tumbled 39% this year.

Can you explain your lie there?  That is a ridiculous lie.

37,645 was the LOWEST that DJIA has been this year, which occurred on April 8, and since Donald Trump entered office on Jan 20, the DJIA was at 43,487.

So the if as you lie about, the DJIA was at 42544 on Jan 1, 2026, then it did NOT tumble 39% this year.

It wasn't even close to that?  Why do you post that kind of lie when you are obviously a complete math illiterate?

By Jan 10, 2025 the DJIA hit 41,938 on Jan 10th under Joe Biden, so then let's talk about the numbers.

When Joe Biden was President the Dow hit a record high of 45014, but a couple of months later in Joe Biden's term, on Jan 10 it had dropped by 3,076 points, which was nearly 7% in 2 months.  

Now then, when Trump was inaugurated, the Dow was at 43,487 so it rose back up by 3%.

Now then since the 1st of January the DJIA was at 42544.  The lowest it has been since the first of the year is 37,645.

If one has a basic understanding of math, which you don't, then the difference is 4,899.

Well now, what percentage of 42,544 is that 4,899?  It is 11.5%.  

So that means there was an 11.5% drop in the DJIA since Trump took over the Presidency. 

Why did you lie and say that the DJIA dropped 39%?  That is complete lie, and now you can't deny that.

That 39% lie is about 3 1/2 TIMES what it really fell.

Do you just pull lies out of your ass and then put them forward as truth? 

Let's now consider what your posting stated.

You lied about the stock market.  You were totally wrong, and your lie was a total whopper of a lie.

Did you care to explain?  

"The Dow rose 432 points, or 1%. It had been up as much as 580 points earlier in the day. The blue-chip index, dragged down by UnitedHealth, which has tumbled 39% this year, plus Apple, Merck and Nike, still has about 1,200 points, or 2.7%, left to gain before it hits its all-time high."
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/27/investing/stock-market-record-dow-sandp

Can you even read?....

Originally Posted by James Lacey

Yes, the market is, for the most part, merely back to where it was before Trump declared "liberation day." The market declined drastically at the beginning of Trump's trade wars, and the bond market was in grave danger. The dire predictions that were made at that time assumed that Trump would not back down from his tariffs. Thankfully, though, Trump backed down, earning his "TACO" moniker, and now the stock market has largely grown accustomed to Trump's trade war rhetoric. Honestly, it's not that the predictions were wrong; it's that Trump's threats often reverse themselves and mostly seem like nothing more than noise now.

"Market sentiment has been boosted recently by a calmer geopolitical environment following a cease-fire between Israel and Iran, hopes that the U.S. will reach trade agreements that result in lower tariffs, and optimism that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in the coming months."

https://www.investopedia.com/dow-jones-today-06302025-11763396

In other words, the belief in TACO Trump and his diminishing tariffs will enable the economy/market to regrow what it had lost because of him is prompting the response that we have. Whether or not Trump screws it up again remains to be seen...

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Can you even write you fucking moron?  I read what you wrote and you wrote "The DOW tumbled 39% since the start of the year".  

Don't blame me, because you are an inept buffoon with a pea sized brain. 

I doubt any of us here believe you had any investments in the Dow anyway so whether it lost nearly 6% at its worst or 39% in its individual stocks, like united health care, it really doesn't make a difference to you except that you're falling hook line and sinker for the right wing media spin that it's somehow evidence of Trump's policies being effective when, in reality, it was his policies that caused the overall declines and his backtracking away from them that produced the recovery. 

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

I guess since you have egg all over your face because you can't read your own writings, and then falsely accuse others of not being able to read, its best to ignore the fact that you weren't smart enough to understand that you were full of shit. 

Then again, when you read headlines only and just regurgitate what they said rather than taking the time to recognize that you're a brain dead fool, that's what happens.  

I suppose you're right, Rich. Afterall, what's 1200 points just to get back to where we were in the Dow anyway? Just spitting distance, huh? Well, when you don't have any investments in the market, what's the diff?...:'

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

Here's a clue for the resident communist.  The tariff threats because it made many nations reduce their tariffs massively, so his play was an excellent one.

Vietnam for example, placed 90% tariffs on our goods prior to Trump threatening or actually installing tariffs on goods from other nations.

And your Austin Goolsby, the Chairman of the Kansas City Fed changed his tune on tariffs after seeing the results.

BTW Einstein, what happened to Your absurd predictions that we would be in a recession now??  

I guess that is simply another instance where You are wrong.  Gosh it sure happens a great deal of the time with you lately doesn't it?    

A significant driver of a higher stock market returns are lower interest rates. Here's what Fed chair Powell just said about Trump's tariffs:

"Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the central bank would likely have already cut interest rates this year if not for the shock generated by President Trump’s tariffs."

"When asked Tuesday if Trump’s tariffs held up the Fed’s plan to cut interest rates, Powell agreed."

“I think that’s right,” he said at a central banking conference in Portugal. “We went on hold when we saw the size of the tariffs … All inflation forecasts for the United States went up materially as a consequence of the tariffs.”

https://thehill.com/business/5378903-fed-chair-powell-tariffs-rate-cuts/


Rich Davis or Jerome Powell, whom to believe?....