Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is one of the most dominant and profitable tech companies in the world, with a market cap of over $2 trillion and a diversified portfolio of products and services. The company has been riding high on the wave of digital transformation, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and gaming, among other growth drivers. But after a stellar performance in 2023, with the stock up more than 20% year-to-date, some investors may wonder if MSFT still has room to run or if it is time to take some profits off the table. In this article, we will examine the pros and cons of buying MSFT in 2023, and whether it is worth adding to your portfolio at current levels.
The Bull Case for MSFT
One of the main reasons to be bullish on MSFT is its strong position in the cloud computing market, which is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% from 2020 to 2027, according to Grand View Research. Microsoft's Azure cloud platform is the second-largest player in the industry, behind Amazon's AWS, with a market share of 20% in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to Canalys. Azure's revenue grew by 50% year-over-year in the second quarter of fiscal 2023, driven by increased demand for cloud services amid the pandemic and remote work trends. Azure also benefits from its synergies with Microsoft's other cloud offerings, such as Office 365, Dynamics 365, and Teams, which provide a comprehensive suite of productivity and collaboration tools for businesses and consumers. Microsoft's cloud business accounted for 39% of its total revenue in fiscal 2022 and is expected to continue to be a major growth engine for the company in the coming years.
Another reason to be optimistic about MSFT is its leadership in AI, which is one of the most disruptive and innovative technologies of our time. Microsoft has been investing heavily in AI research and development, as well as acquiring AI startups such as OpenAI, Nuance Communications, and Semantic Machines. Microsoft's AI capabilities are integrated into its products and services across various domains, such as search, speech, vision, natural language processing, gaming, healthcare, and education. For example, Microsoft's Bing search engine and Edge web browser use generative AI technology from OpenAI to provide more relevant and personalized results for users. Microsoft also plans to launch Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI-powered assistant that can help users create and edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations more efficiently and effectively. Microsoft's AI initiatives could give it a competitive edge over its rivals and create new revenue streams for the company in the future.
A third reason to be positive about MSFT is its strong position in the gaming market, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.9% from 2020 to 2027, according to Research and Markets. Microsoft's Xbox console is one of the most popular gaming devices in the world, with over 100 million units sold since its launch in 2001. The latest generation of Xbox Series X and S consoles were released in November 2020 and have been selling well despite supply constraints due to chip shortages. Microsoft also has a thriving gaming software business, with popular franchises such as Halo, Minecraft, Forza, and Gears of War. Moreover, Microsoft has been expanding its gaming ecosystem with its Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which offers access to over 100 games for a monthly fee. The service has over 18 million subscribers as of January 2023 and is expected to grow further as Microsoft adds more titles and features to it. Microsoft also acquired ZeniMax Media in March 2021 for $7.5 billion, which added eight-game studios and popular franchises such as Elder Scrolls and Fallout to its portfolio. Microsoft's gaming business accounted for 9% of its total revenue in fiscal 2022 and could become a significant contributor to its growth in the future.
The Bear Case for MSFT
Despite the bullish outlook for MSFT, there are some potential risks and challenges that investors should consider before buying the stock. One concern is the increasing competition in the cloud computing market, with Amazon, Google, and Alibaba all vying for market share. While Azure has been growing rapidly, it still lags behind AWS in terms of market share and revenue. Microsoft will need to continue to invest in innovation and differentiation to maintain its position and fend off the competition.
Another risk is the potential for regulatory scrutiny and antitrust investigations, as Microsoft's dominant position in some markets could attract attention from regulators. For example, Microsoft has faced antitrust investigations in the past for its Windows operating system and Internet Explorer browser. More recently, the company has come under fire for its acquisition of Nuance Communications, which provides speech recognition technology used in healthcare. Regulators may scrutinize the deal for potential anticompetitive effects and demand concessions or remedies.
A third risk is the possibility of macroeconomic headwinds, such as inflation, interest rate hikes, or a global economic downturn, which could affect Microsoft's revenue and profitability. While the company has a diverse business model and is less exposed to cyclical industries than some of its peers, it is not immune to macroeconomic factors. Investors should monitor the economic environment and potential risks to MSFT's business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, MSFT appears to be a strong company with a promising outlook, thanks to its leadership in cloud computing, AI, and gaming. However, there are also potential risks and challenges that investors should consider before buying the stock, such as increasing competition, regulatory scrutiny, and macroeconomic factors. Ultimately, the decision to buy MSFT in 2023 depends on an investor's risk tolerance, investment goals, and valuation analysis. It may be worth considering MSFT as a long-term investment with a diversified portfolio approach.

Strengths:
Strong financial performance with consistent growth in net revenue and pre-provision profit over the past three years.
Solid capital position with strong CET1, Tier 1, and total capital ratios.
Large market capitalization and strong brand recognition.
Diversified business model across various lines of business, including investment banking, commercial banking, and asset management.
Weaknesses:
Reliance on the US market, which may limit growth opportunities in international markets.
High overhead ratio, indicating that a significant portion of revenue is being consumed by expenses.
Declining ROTCE over the past three years, which may indicate a decrease in profitability.
Opportunities:
Expansion into new markets or lines of business, such as expanding internationally or developing new financial products.
Potential for growth in digital banking and financial technology.
Potential for increased demand for investment banking services as the global economy recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Threats:
Intense competition in the financial services industry, which may limit growth opportunities and profitability.
Regulatory risks, such as increased regulations or fines.
Economic uncertainty and potential downturns, which could impact loan performance and financial performance overall.

After a user posted a few weeks ago asking about making career changes, I was reminded of a post I wrote about 18 months ago that addressed some of the pitfalls around making life decisions - so I'm resurrecting it here to see if anyone else resonates with this question.
This is the context from which the question was drawn:
Before Christopher Columbus approached the Spanish monarchy to fund his expedition West in 1492, his petition to the Portuguese was rejected. However, had Portugal agreed to his proposal, Columbus might not have found the New World.
If the Portuguese had sponsored the expedition, then Columbus would in all likelihood have initiated his voyage from the Westernmost possession of Portugal, the Azores. On a map, that would have made the greatest sense, as these islands were further West than any others claimed by European powers.
However, because he was sailing under the aegis of the Spanish, he began his trip from the Canary Islands: East of the Azores, but - more importantly - significantly further South. This put Columbus into the then-unknown "horse latitudes": the zone where prevailing winds transitioned from West to East. The Azores, on the other hand, are nearly 10º further North in latitude, where the ships would have battled the Westerly trade winds during the better part of the voyage.
As a result of starting in this relative "dead zone", Columbus was able to sail further than his provisions would have allowed otherwise, and as a result reached the Bahamas - something that would likely have been impossible had he not departed from the Canaries instead of the Azores.
Sheer luck, no? Yet, according to the knowledge of the day, it would have been impossible to know that what appeared to be the most advantageous starting point would have doomed the enterprise to failure.
How many times in your life have you made a decision, mapped out a plan, made a choice (or had one made for you) that looked rational and "right", but - through no fault of your own - didn't "work"? Whether it just never took off, or blew up spectacularly in your face; have you ever had even your worst critic admit that you did everything right, but you ran into sheer bad luck?
Perhaps you trained to work in an economic sector that, by the time you were ready to enter it, took an unexpected downturn, leaving fewer jobs than expected. Maybe you accepted a higher paid position at a new company, only to have it go out of business not long after - for reasons you couldn't have foreseen or had knowledge of. Or you started a new enterprise (moving to a new area, choosing where to go to school, buying a house, going into business for yourself), only to have unexpected illness or a natural disaster blow your plans apart.
Alternatively, before you knew that you were autistic, did you ever take on something that, on the face of things, should have worked; but ultimately failed because of seemingly inexplicable bad reactions from those you needed to interface with - be they employers, coworkers, clients or members of the public?
Did you find that, no matter what you did, or how hard you tried, thanks to communication issues (due to autism you were unaware of) you just "rubbed people the wrong way" - and they either disengaged from or even outright opposed you as a result?
These aren't "bad" decisions, they were just the "wrong" ones. Such projects didn't fail because you weren't good enough or didn't work hard enough, they just didn't "work" - and sometimes no amount of research (short of having a crystal ball) would have indicated the pitfalls of your most consequential choices in advance.
Yet, when we experience failure, we are often judged by others - who may know nothing of the particulars - as having made "bad" decisions. According to their thinking: no one who isn't a criminal, a drug addict or a sexual incontinent would have ended up in your position - not, at any rate, from where you started - so you must be deficient in character in some way. As though in our "winner take all" society there aren't perfectly blameless "losers" whose best efforts fall short - or who just have bad luck.
Those who are more charitable will suggest that there are lessons to be learned from failure, and that we can use the wisdom gained to avoid it in the future. Well, yes: in most cases. But when it is merely a matter of something realistically unforeseen that derails us, I'm not sure that it's possible to plan for these contingencies.
As I've said on several occasions when describing the failure of my first foray into self-employment: "Who puts a major earthquake into their business plan, anyway?"
So: anyone here have their own "Spain versus Portugal" moments - or, for that matter, their own "Sliding Doors" moments? A time when - as you realise in retrospect - the choice you made was doomed to failure?
Have you ever started out doing everything "right", just for circumstances to make it all go wrong?

Relationship Backstory: We have been together for 10 years. We don’t have children and we own a house together. My family is estranged/dead so I don’t have any familial support, but I’m quite close with his family. We had our ups and downs, but the first 7 years were pretty good. By year 7, I bought the wedding dress of my dreams and planned to propose to him. And then his physical health started drastically declining.
Personal Backstory: I’m only including this because it’s relative to the reader to fully understand my perspective of things. My father and mother were both addicts to various things, my mother was abusive, and my father tried to murder me. I’ve been married before (young and trying to escape my mother), but that man unfortunately turned to drug dealing and abuse as well. I’ve heartbreakingly joked that maybe I just bring the worst out in people. You know what they say - when everyone around you is an asshole, you’re the asshole? Yeah it’s that feeling. I went through many years of therapy and medications, and my current partner had been super supportive when I had my own mental breakdown at one point, and I’m happy to say that I am now much improved and loving life.
Current Story: 3 years ago, my partner started acting strange. It was a very stressful time for society because that was the beginning of the pandemic, but as we were both introverted homebodies, the pandemic didn’t impact our social life that much. I had already been working remote, and his office job finally transitioned to remote much to his delight. We had separate offices to keep the boundaries, and everything seemed good.
But then he would start sleeping A LOT. A lot a lot. During the day, during the night, while working, passing out while going out with friends (beginning of the pandemic when no one knew what was going on). I coaxed him to get sleep testing to rule out things like narcolepsy and apnea, but nothing was conclusive. In this time period, he started drastically losing weight, became distant and angry with everyone, and for the first time in our relationship, was actually quite cruel with me. He refused to visit any other doctor, and instead started dosing himself with kratom tea to “calm his anxiety”.
9 months after his mysterious health issues began, he started having delusions, visual and auditory hallucinations, and manic episodes. I was horrified, and took him to a psychiatrist, who diagnosed him with bipolar disorder and put him on Divalproex for it. I was unconvinced it was bipolar disorder, but hey I’m not the doctor. And the doctor also okayed the continued usage of kratom tea. 2 months after that, he disappeared in the middle of the night. I tracked him down to the local hospital where he ended up staying for one week due to 3 day long psychotic break. They found absolutely nothing wrong with him, and sent him home. 4 days later, it happened again. I was at my wit’s end here.
Eventually, the psychotic breaks calmed down, but then he started having nocturnal seizures. They would last literally all night long, and I honestly couldn’t figure out if they were sleepwalking, seizures, or just nocturnal psychotic breaks. Sleep specialists, his PCP, and his psych (who took him off the Divalproex) were most unhelpful. One day I finally snapped (from my own stress and lack of sleep) and dragged to another doctor who prescribed him Klonopin for the anxiety, which also magically stopped the nocturnal issues. We were referred to another psychiatrist, who thinks that my partner has been suffering from nocturnal temporal lobe epilepsy this entire time - since the Klonopin had stopped whatever was going on at night. I was again unconvinced this was this issue. Just - everything felt so wrong in my gut. But it’s ok because the Klonopin seemed to be helping, and he even got a medical marijuana card.
Now, it had been a tumultuous 3 years for me. I lost my grandmother (may she rest in peace) and my abusive mother to COVID-19, my senior kitty had also passed on, I had horribly broken my foot which took forever to heal, and had also been diagnosed with a physical health issue of my own, we were bleeding money from the economic downturn and all the added bills, plus his mysterious health issues and -
And through all of it - he just did not care. At all. He did not care that all that was happening to him. He did not care that my family and my cat died and that I was injured and in pain, and I had to deal with all that alone. I meant it when I said he was distant. We may have officially been in a relationship, but the past 3 years, I’ve been completely alone and yet still trying to care for him. He had even lost his remote job due to his health, and I ended up going through my connections to get him hired in another cushy remote position that doesn’t even mind if he needs to suddenly take the day off because of health.
And then I found the drugs hidden in his nightstand. I looked a ton of them up, and I still can’t even figure out what some of them are, but a lot of them were various opioids, benzos, and muscle relaxants. I confronted him about it, he came clean to me that he’s been dosing and overdosing himself with these things for the past few years.
Everything he and I had gone through, he had caused himself. And he lied to and gaslighted me the entire time.
I tore the house apart and found, hopefully, his entire stash. There were thousands of pills, like he was hoarding or heck even drug dealing for all I know. I called his family, and his mother is the one who - after this entire time - confided in me that my partner has had substance abuse issues in the past, before we had met.
Y’all I swore I would never be the type of person who would leave because my partner is going through serious shit. That’s why I tried to stay by him for these past 3 years. Even my first reaction - upon finding all these pills - was oh gosh we need to get him in rehab and therapy. He did the normal reaction.. begged me to stay and that he’ll do whatever I ask of him and all that jazz. I didn’t want to give up on him just yet, but I needed some sort of boundary to keep my sanity, so I asked him for separate bedrooms in the time being while we sorted out his future.
Finally, it came to a breaking point during a car ride home from his parents. He has a performance car and loves risky speeding and weaving and racing in traffic. I absolutely hate it for the obvious reasons, but also especially since I’ve been in a car crash before that nearly killed me. I’ve begged him before to slow down, at least when I’m in the car. He doesn’t care and just tells me that he “likes to drive this way”.
After spending the last 3 years with him, after supporting him so much and then finding out all this shit, I realized that this simple car ride just summed up what our relationship was going to be like for the rest of our lives. He was never going to prioritize me - not for my safety or sanity or out of any love for me. If he couldn’t choose me over his car, he was never going to be able to choose me over drugs. It makes sense now why, weeks later, there’s just been excuses upon excuses with his insurance and struggle to find a rehab center and a therapist who would take him.
I need to bow out. I no longer have the fortitude for this. And unfortunately - in this economy, with no one left in my life to help me - I am stuck.
tldr: My partner has mysterious health issues for 3 years, becomes a bag useless of dicks, turns out he's abusing drugs, and now I want out but can't because this economy sucks.
Thank you for reading my vent.

The world is on the brink of a financial disaster, and experts warn that heroic moves are not the answer. The liquidity, growth, inflation, and credit cycles are all converging, and the consequences could be dire. The time for caution is long gone, and panic is setting in as the global financial system faces its biggest challenge yet.
The private sector liquidity cycle is deflationary, and emergency lending programs from the Federal Reserve are not creating the type of liquidity needed to boost bank deposits and asset values. Instead, they signal a deep and severe downturn for the financial markets and the real economy.
The looming credit crunch in the small banking sector is set to have a catastrophic ripple effect throughout the economy, impacting businesses, individuals, and families alike. Even commercial real estate, particularly office spaces, is expected to take a severe hit in the coming years.
The Federal Reserve's role in managing inflation, interest rates, and the stability of the Treasury market is now more critical than ever. The depth and length of the upcoming recession will depend on the Fed's reaction, which could potentially result in a moderate to severe recession.
Inflation is at a staggering 6%, and the Fed's response may not be quick enough to mitigate the recession's effects. The super core measure that the Fed follows closely has not declined as much as they would like, indicating that inflation will play a significant role in the coming economic downturn. The potential for a catastrophic hyperinflation event cannot be ignored.
The bond market has already pulled rate cut expectations into 2023, and the Fed's reactive nature means it may wait for conditions to worsen before taking action. The stability of the Treasury market is implicitly part of the Fed's financial stability mandate, but with dysfunction in the market looming, it's unclear whether the Fed can keep the financial system afloat.
The coming recession is set to be the worst in recent history, with several indicators pointing towards this eventuality. Bear markets tend to bottom out around or shortly after the inflection point in the liquidity cycle, but with the global financial system teetering on the edge, there may be no bottom in sight.
Investors and policymakers must be prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead. The complexities of the financial markets, the liquidity cycle, the business cycle, and the market cycle are all interconnected, and understanding these dynamics is essential for survival.
In conclusion, the current state of financial markets is dire, and the looming downturn is set to be catastrophic. The time for caution is over, and the world must brace itself for the worst. The global financial system is facing its biggest challenge yet, and the outcome is far from certain.

Interestingly, the Bible clearly says God’s New Earth (Jerusalem) will be ruled by children. Greta Thunberg represents this new generation, striving to promote and sustain life on our planet. Here, I share my notes on her most recent (February 2023) work The Climate Book, with the hope in my heart that her voice will be carried far. *[My own Christian perspective is weaved into her scientific outlook.]
To begin, Carbon Dioxide (C02) is a basic building block of life, some of which has been stored underground from plants from long ago. Over 2 million years ago, too much C02 caused a mass extinction. Afterwards, trees were virtually gone. It took millions of years for Earth's biosphere and life to recover.
People have been farming for over 10,000 years, depleting the nutrients of the land. Between 1945 and 2000, the number of people tripled. Since the 1990s, we have dumped more climate changing toxins into our environment than throughout all of human history. We consume more, due to this “great acceleration.” In the 20th century, people accelerated their use of fossils fuels.
The science is solid. The great acceleration occurred with the industrial revolution. We have filled our oceans with plastics, and are destabilizing our own ecosystem. This is like sawing off the branch we are sitting on!
Nature cycles carbon, but global warming can be exacerbated by the release of carbon from the soil due to warming. We have knocked the natural balance off, due to our use of stored fuels and our own carbon emissions. Since the industrial revolution, our economy is reliant upon fossil fuels and non-sustainable practices.
We must rebalance our planet by controlling our own behaviors and emissions. If we continue with current practices, we will warm our planet by 4 degrees by the end of this century.
What will this be like? Extreme heat waves will occur yearly, along with drought and famine. Sea ice will disappear, revealing more of the ocean.
Climate change directly causes the death of coral reefs, and if they collapse they will also take with them millions of ocean species. We may be causing the 6th extinction. Coral reefs become bleached due to warmer waters as their colorful algae is expelled, threatening over 30% of ocean species. Right now, three billion people rely upon our oceans for food. We need to farm our oceans sustainably (such as for seaweed). Fishermen are currently exploiting 90% of available fisheries. One billion people depend on fish for omega-3 fatty acids and more.
Why don’t more people care? Many do not perceive a threat because it is slow and complicated. We have exploited and distanced ourselves from Nature. Even our religions have promoted the false notion that this world is to be devalued, and we are separated from our Creator. Many feel a void, with no God within. Many try to fill this emptiness with ceaseless products. Our entire worldview and our daily habits must change.
Today 20% of California’s power use goes toward providing water. We can take better measures, like drawing from ocean water.
Factory and human waste is polluting our waters. Riots have broken out, such as in India, over access to water. Who is taking this seriously? The public? The government? It seems almost no one.
Our government could pass new laws, but they do not. People are also self-interested, and rarely act for the social good if it takes from them in any way. This age is characterized by selfishness and greed, as even the Bible warns in Revelation. Tragically and shockingly, the fossil fuel industry is receiving 11 million in subsidies each minute.
The Industrial revolution, rise of science and decrease in religious morality have all compelled these trends forward. We need a new ethic prioritizing life. Religious leaders must support life, not the Death Culture which exalts the self (no matter the consequences).
We are literally obsessed with culture wars that distract us from our common interests in protecting our planet and making future generations possible.
What stands in the way of a sustainable future for human life? Should consumers even have a choice to purchase destructive products, like plastic containers for single-uses? Should meat even be available? If we really took this seriously, what measures would we take, and what laws would our government pass?
One problem is how some lives are valued more than others, and a select few are exploiting and making life impossible for many. Those in power do not tend to question their privilege!
GLORIFICATION OF THE SELF We have convinced ourselves that we deserve our carbon-rich lifestyles. If we remain hedonistic and not prudent, the poorest and most vulnerable to climate change will suffer the most.
And, Christ will judge us based on how the least among us is treated. Do we contemplate this with each plastic bottle we toss out, or plane trip we take? Isn’t living sustainably Christian behavior, reflecting the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and our living God?
Our future grandchildren will pay and suffer for our convenience now. But, we glorify the self. We glorify the pleasure of the individual and freedom to drive our species over a cliff. Many arguments from the ‘other side’ boil down to a call for the freedom to die.
CORRUPT LEADERSHIP Our leaders are taking us over a cliff. George W. Bush pulled out of the Kyoto protocol, given it was not ratified prior to his taking power. He chose to serve corporate interests (even over human life). Bush declared that the American way of life is not negotiable (1992). Since he spoke these words over 30 years ago, our emissions have increased by 60%, creating an existential crisis.
Given such attitudes and priorities, we have a limited carbon budget to spend in the next few years if we wish to avoid the most dire consequences of global warming. We need to raise the cost of carbon, forcing consumers to pay more for products that are heavy in carbon pollution. We also need to change our diets. We must get our priorities straight.
In 2009, corrupt lobbying destroyed an act that would have helped. But the fossil fuel industry, driven by greed, spends billions on disinformation and distraction. They poison public debate with dirty money. Leaders set non-binding targets, then fail to reach the goals. Their true priorities are economic growth and profit. It seems to the public that actions are being taken, but they are not taking serious measures at all.
The richest ten percent contribute 50% of our total C02 emissions. We need to restructure our economy to be sustainable. The idea of infinite growth is not possible on our finite planet.
We are all in the same crisis, but not the same boat. The only hope is in speaking truth to power and adjusting our behaviors accordingly.
CURRENT SITUATION There is about 1 carbon molecule for every 2,000 other molecules in our atmosphere, so carbon is difficult to locate for removal. To stop putting carbon into our air is much cheaper and better than paying for carbon removal later, which would cost trillions upon trillions. Why should we allow companies to continue business as usual, passing cost and problems to future generations?
Climate change is responsible for over 2 trillion in economic costs. Economic damage from climate change will cost over 3x the amount the pandemic cost. For example, insurance rates will rise and the real estate market will suffer due to not being able to sell in coastal and impacted areas.
Worldwide, waste is increasing at an alarming rate and 20% of methane emissions are due to our waste. We need to engage in more intelligent practices. For example, we can compost (which reduces waste in landfills that leads to methane emissions). Composting will also nourish our gardens.
Methane removal, through oxidation, is needed. Half of our methane is produced from human behaviors like cattle agriculture.
C02 is forever, while methane is temporary. Methane is 20-30x more potent in warming our atmosphere than C02, but it dissipates over 40 years while C02 will remain thousands upon thousands of years. C02 is also cumulative.
Given this, we must stop our emissions of greenhouse gases immediately. If we reach zero emissions, it will drastically reduce global warming. Carbon dioxide is at its highest in 2 billion years, due to our behaviors. We are experimenting with our own lives and planet!
Toxins accumulate in sea creatures, damaging the whole ecosystem. C02 enters the blood of fish, affecting acidification. Acidity has already risen 30%, producing hazards for marine life, like for coral reefs and in decreasing calcification in the shells of sea life. Shopping bags can strangle sea animals and their stomachs are found full of microplastics.
The Amazon forest works as a giant air conditioner, cooling our planet. It absorbs C02. But temperatures in the Amazon are increasing and it is getting more dry due to the expansion of farming and deforestation.
Aerosols like smoke and other tiny particles in our air affect our global temperature. Some cool our atmosphere by reflecting the sun, even dropping temperatures by 0.5 percent. Without aerosols, our atmosphere would be hotter. But air pollution is also hazardous, coming from our cars and factories, for example.
Clouds reflect sunlight back into space, but can also insulate heat like a blanket. Reduced clouds over our oceans force the ocean to absorb the sunlight, thus contributing to global warming.
Melting ice caps no longer reflect the sun, leading even to more warming. Our glaciers are melting. The Himalayas provide drinking water to billions, yet will melt by 1/3. We have enough ice to raise our ocean levels the equivalent of a 20 story building. We have already lost the equivalent of Mt. Everest in ice sheets. This melting will lead to coastal devastation for those living near our oceans. Our oceans will rise by a meter by 2100.
Oceans absorb about 90% of the excess heat produced by global warming. While oceans absorb about ¼ of C02, warming produces less absorption. We must enhance our oceans ability to absorb C02. Even a 1.5 degree increase in temperature is a great risk to our future survival. Our weather has extremes, like the freezing waters and the heatwave that killed many in 2021.
Human made climate change has devastating consequences. For example, Hurricane Harvey cost billions and the severity was 15% greater due to human made climate change. Sadly, 20 million people were displaced by flooding in 2020.
Distressingly, we have all witnessed that even minor disruptions in our supply chain are devastating. Thus, climate change must be averted at all costs.
Our temperature has already warmed by 1%, which all reputable science agrees upon. This is already causing damage right now. Heat waves and air pollution lead to heart related and respiratory deaths, not just heat strokes. Millions die per year due to air pollution. The warming climate also triggers diseases like Maleria and will kill millions. These diseases are being seen in areas not seen before.
The increase of C02 in our atmosphere is even making our crops less nutritious. Specifically, soils lack zinc and protein. Zinc deficiency then leads to a reduced immune system. Millions more will have an iron and folate deficiency due to current C02 levels. Iron deficiency leads to premature births.
GOING FORWARD So then, what is our best path forward for survival? We have to stick to a carbon budget per year to reach our goal of only increasing the temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius. The carbon budget, to stay within the agreements of the Paris accord, will be used up in a few years. But noone seems to be sounding any alarms. Is this because our media is controlled by the elite?
Politicians still respond to mammon ($) with no concern, really, for life. Congressman Manchin singlehandedly rewrote climate legislation in 2021, even with all aware that he has millions invested in fossil fuels, like the influential Koch brothers.
Exxon Mobil has been well aware of the consequences of their actions for decades, yet put forth false discussions into the public sphere. They purposefully stalled for time, which we do not have.
The King of Saudi Arabia has unbelievable wealth and power, but when we move to solar and wind energy power will not be so concentrated. This may lead to a more hopeful and democratic future that serves the actual interests of the people. We need to turn to our Sun. We need to now rely upon energy from heaven, not from hell. It is not that we do not have the money to change. It is that those benefiting from our current Death Economy do not have the will to change.
Many will promote carbon capture technologies, but the reality is hidden. There are only about 20 carbon capture facilities operating right now, some shown to produce more carbon than they capture. We can use fossil fuels only until around 2050, unless technology like carbon capture is seriously invested in (and not just used as a talking point). Many CEOs deflect attention from change right now, promising (like snake oil salesmen) to develop sustainable technology in the future. (Interestingly, blue hydrogen can be made from carbon capture.)
Solving our crisis calls for us putting less demand upon our energy system, such as in consuming less. We need to return to more of a natural, Earth based way of life. Do we all really need to extend our days, with artificial light, past the natural hours of sunlight? Must we eat meat? Wherever there is a roof, there is a potential for a solar panel. Wind parks can also be built in offshore locations, where they are less disruptive.
Green hydrogen is a fuel that leaves only water behind and is usually produced by methane. But it costs more to produce than it makes. Thus, green hydrogen requires an abundance of cheap energy.
Hydropower facilities use water flow to produce energy, while nuclear power splits elements for energy, and produces around 10% of the world’s energy. But, a nuclear power factory that just opened in 2022 took 16 years to open. And, nuclear power can have disastrous consequences and can be the target of terrorism.
Biomass energy creates energy by burning wood or other biological matter. But, it can take hundreds of years for forests to regrow. Thus, we need to slow down this process and aim to stop burning things on Earth for energy.
Geothermal heat takes energy from the Earth's heat, producing around 17% of greenhouse gases. But it is limited in that there are limited planetary hot spots. In air capture measures, carbon is pumped underground, like in BECS. BECS pumps carbon underground and provides electricity from the burning of plant matter, which is cost effective compared to other measures. Enhanced weathering is also a promising technique, such as exposing crushed rocks and minerals to the carbon in the air to facilitate natural processes.
Finally, some promote geoengineering, which is the manipulation of our atmosphere, such as reducing the warming effects of our sun. Some support spraying sun-blocking aerosols or coating ice to protect it. This is actually risky to our ecosystems. Solar engineering is too dangerous, given once the process is started it must continue indefinitely (and political regimes can change). If suddenly stopped, warming will occur to an even greater degree than if no measures were ever taken.
REAL SOLUTIONS Elites consume and produce more than most. Our problems are that of inequality as much as pollution. If the top 10% (financially) only produced the carbon footprint of the bottom 90% of global emitters, 1/3 of carbon would be reduced. Thus, carbon budgets will affect the filthy rich the most. The most wealthy are contributing a shockingly disproportionate amount of pollution. The average person produces 6.5 tons of emissions per year, with the wealthy producing 75 tons.
Rich countries know they are liable for their pollution. They, of course, do not want to focus discussions on responsibility. The global economy could shrink by 18% due to the climate crisis.
We need to reduce emissions, restoring soils and forests. We need to protect our soil from tilling, pesticides and depleted nutrients. We have found that enriching soil with nitrogen has polluted our water. We need new practices. How can we sustainably grow food? How can we facilitate new ideas?
PLANT-BASED DIET We know that as affluence increases, so does meat consumption. But more efficient use of water and land, such as in transitioning to plant-based diets and farms, is our only viable path forward. This would support health of our land, souls and bodies!
Plant-based foods have the lowest impact, while meats can impact our environment over 20x more. Every 50 calories that go into meat (feed) produces 1 calorie as human food. 4x the size of Brazil in land is used for grazing cattle, the greatest use of land (even above forests). And, 20% of gas emissions are due to how we use land, mainly for agriculture. Our current food production also causes 30% of greenhouse gases. We need to shift to a plant-based diet. We can feed our communities using 76% less land. One burger, which gives 10 grams of protein, uses resources like land and water that would provide many more nutritious calories if the same land was instead devoted to vegetable and fruit gardens.
Turning away from meat would not only help us feed more people, it would also help reduce diseases in our bodies and help reduce carbon pollution. Specifically, 350 million tons per year in emissions would be reduced if we shunned meat. Becoming vegetarian is the single most impactful action you can take to help.
We are eating more calories, when we need to consume less. Specifically, we need to reduce pork and beef calories by 80% in wealthy countries. Currently, 1/3 of all food produced is not consumed. We must make smarter use of our land and reduce our food consumption and waste. Humans have directly reduced biodiversity in shaping the land for our purposes, such as in agricultural practices. We farm around 30% of land now. It would take far less land to farm if we stopped using land for food for cows and other “products” for the meat industry.
Given all of this, how can it be that $500 billion in government subsidies go into agriculture that is not sustainable? We need a political and spiritual revolution. We need significant behavioral and technological changes immediately. For example, if we lowered the speed limit, we would save over 5 tons of carbon emissions annually (just in Germany). We also need cities that are efficiently constructed, and need to reduce unnecessary travel. We can use online meetings rather than physically traveling to meetings.
We can also encourage college students to prepare solutions for our problems, instead of preparing for the job market! This kind of free thought would be supported by a Universal Basic Income.
Even in 2021, 95% of transport relies upon oil (including cars, planes and ships). We need to curb the sale of SUVs, which produce great emissions. Why are they so popular? We need to encourage lighter vehicles, banning SUV advertising. We need to wake up!
Renewable energy is now the cheapest form of energy. Renewable energy makes more sense, yet those who have vested interests in fossil fuels do not want change and actively work against change. Still today, 1.446 billion vehicles run on petrol. EVs are a good step, but we really need electric public transit.
We need to outlaw all petrol engine vehicles starting 2025, and more. By 2035, there will be 2 billion private vehicles. We need free public transportation, like trains, trams, busses and ferries.
We also really need to buy less. We can reuse and repair our items and vehicles, rather than buying new things. Americans spend $5,400 per year on impulse purchases, and studies show that more ‘stuff’ does not equate with greater levels of happiness. We can share and borrow items, as a true community. This is also Christian behavior.
We can wear second-hand clothing. The clothing industry fills landfills! Electric bikes are also good alternatives to our current ways. We can buy only energy efficient appliances and can avoid over packaged foods, meat and dairy.
We need to transform our food system and plant green gardens everywhere possible. We need home garden and trees and biodiversity in cemeteries, parks and public areas as well as home backyards.
Biodiversity protects us by removing C02 from the air and purifying our waters. It helps mitigate disease and even protects our health. We need to support biodiverse land because it absorbs more C02. This is a real action we can take.
We also need to let forests grow and stop cutting young trees for wood. Before the Industrial revolution, people burned mostly wood for energy. Industrialization did relieve the deforestation occurring at the beginning of the 19th century by turning to fossil fuel energy instead of wood burning. After the development of coal burning machines, pollution killed more people than we realize. We do have to stop burning fossil fuel.
Today the ability of a forest to store carbon depends on many factors. First, we need to replace trees at the rate carbon would have been captured if wood was not harvested. If a tree is not cut, how much carbon would it capture over its lifetime?
We need to reduce wood harvesting. Specifically, we can harvest from constructed tree farms, but also allow other trees to grow old, to support biodiversity. We need no till farming, a plant based diet, biodiverse forests and more. We need drastic carbon emission cuts now.
We have already reduced the populations of birds, reptiles and insects by 2/3 since the 1970s. Sadly, 60% of all songbirds have disappeared in the last decades.
We are killing our ecosystem. Pollinators (like bees) are dying, thus leading to our deaths due to not being able to eat vegetables (which increases heart disease due to poor diet and high meat consumption).
But, are people even able to respond to new information? Are we able to act on new data? We will see.
Buying less means we do not have to earn as much. Our world will be better and we will feel better. We need to take the status away from consuming products. There are websites devoted to revealing the true carbon footprint of popular products, like: www.ethicalconsumer.com
Profits motivate corporations to distract the public from the truth. We are not told how unhealthy certain common things are, even in the long term. It is not in their interest (they mistakenly think) to be honest and change to a more sustainable economy. Of course, God sees all.
Politicians are short sighted and are not addressing the crisis at all. We need “honesty, integrity and courage” (Greta Thunberg). But, many are still driven by mammon (money) to the point of our death. Many politicians are corrupt, with our blood on their hands. They have the blood of all future children who will never breathe in God's air of life, given lobbying, on their hands. How is lobbying legal? Our government does not work for the people, but for power and mammon. The rich are served and our Death Culture continues, while we continue to consume dead flesh.
Our politicians must lead us in a new direction, no matter if it is aligned with popular public opinion. Politicians need to communicate our true situation and our media needs to direct us to a more healthy future.
“The time for little steps in the right direction is over. We are in a crisis” – Greta.
Promises to become climate neutral by 2050 puts everyone back to sleep. If they really cared, drastic changes would be made right now instead of distracting our focus, according to Greta Thunberg.
“It matters what we say, but it matters even more what we do” - Greta.
We cannot act only nationally, given we are on one planet and are all affected. For example, the pandemic could not be kept to one nation. We must address our crisis as a world, not as isolated nations.
Geopolitical tensions stand in the way of true international negotiations. Nations are driven by a will to power. We need a new base ethic of valuing life and caring about each other (across nations and groups).
We need to work together to address the planetary crisis. Instead, each nation is actually preparing for conflict, based on the finances devoted to building military forces. Our money shows our true priorities.
Greta Thunberg says we need to just simply “tell it like it is.” We need to stand on our moral ground and be open to innovative ideas and solutions. She suggests many ideas for change.
First, we must start treating this climate crisis like a crisis. We must get our priorities straight. We must also admit our economic systems have failed. We need to face reality to be able to create a better world.
The best way to absorb more carbon is to leave forests alone. “A living tree must be valued more than a dead one,” explains Greta Thunberg. Scientists recommend we protect at least 30% of nature. Currently, only 3% of the Earth’s surface is unharmed.
We must spread the facts; 5.9 trillion dollars are spent annually in subsidies for fossil fuels, which is insanity. Do not fly; avoid air travel. The tourist economy is responsible for 8% of our yearly emissions. Instead of subsidies for air travel, we need to pay subsidies to encourage train travel. We can invest in wind and solar power, and scientific advances like farm-free food grown in a laboratory.
Science can shed light on how to nourish our soil and stop depleting it. Thus, we can go forward with science and morality as our guiding forces. The ‘is’ and the ‘ought’ will be complementary.
We need to educate ourselves and become climate activists. We can institute justice through protests and civil disobedience. We need to fight for democracy in non-violent ways. We need new laws to protect us.
Be disruptive. Look for common ground, using love and not hate to shed light into the darkness. Avoid culture wars that only distract us from survival with endless debates. Very simply, we must also buy less and use less. We can also stop purchasing single-use plastics, like bottles for water.
Plastics that are disposable have been available for 20 years, and thus have accumulated in our oceans. Companies that used to offer glass bottles and also clean them have now moved to disposable products and thus have passed on costs to us.
Coca-cola actively acts against legislation that would have them offer reusable bottles again, as they did before single-use plastics. Companies blame consumers for bad habits yet shoot down laws against single-use plastics. The UK is the second highest trash producer, after the US. Most plastic is counted as recycled but is not. It litters deserts and waters, affecting our climate. Transit companies disguise the true origin of waste as it is relentlessly burned in the cover of darkness.
Countries like the UK, US, Japan and Germany export waste to places like Southeast Asia, where it is often burned at night. People now suffer respiratory illness due to these common practices. Plastic produces greenhouse gases, as it is derived from oil.
And, even today, we do not have accurate data on carbon emissions. The Washington Post found that our current path to climate solutions is not even credible nor viable, given the reported numbers are so distorted. Countries report only a fraction of their true emissions, like Sweden, who reported 50 million tons of greenhouse gases when in fact they emit closer to 150 million tons per year. So, even now, only 1/3 of emissions were even included in reports in Sweden. This is seen internationally as well. We need a proper road map, based on data and our moral ground, that we actually follow!
But “Who do you vote for when the politics needed are nowhere to be found?” poignantly asks Greta Thunberg. Even in progressive countries like Sweden, only 10% of ‘recycled’ products are actually recycled. Much is burned, causing further pollution.
So, recycling is a huge greenwashed myth. Most plastic will never be recycled. It is all made so cheaply that it is made to be disposed of. So, plastic litters landfills and our waters, especially in poorer areas. Micro plastics are now everywhere, even inside us. 8 million tons per year of plastic waste is dumped into our oceans.
We can reduce packaging, to start. We need a major system change. Greenpeace is calling for a 50% reduction in plastics in coming years, given our situation.
Specifically, we already also have 40 years of carbon built up in our atmosphere and our C02 emissions are on track to rise 16% in the coming years.
We are set to increase our global temperature, yet the media is not covering this crisis. We cannot negotiate, for we value life itself while those in power prioritize profit; “They speak to flowers in the language of US dollars” says Greta Thunberg.
We need regular press briefings on our climate crisis and many discussions on how to solve our problems. For example, we can institute a #UBI as part of the transition in our economy and as jobs related to fossil fuels diminish.
Communist China is using over 70% of our carbon budget, and still will in 2030. This, while developing countries are affected the greatest by climate issues. How can developing countries move forward in a sustainable way? Capitalism also contributes to our crisis by encouraging increasing GDPs, despite the true costs to our planet. This economic system demands growth. Yet, high income nations do not need more growth. We need a new economic system based on our ecosystem. No current systems lead to life.
We need to educate ourselves. We need both individual and systemic, market change immediately. We must restructure our economy around renewable energy, less meat consumption and less SUVs, for example, to ensure our future. In fact, 80% of energy used in 2019 was still derived from fossil fuels.
Frequent flying and eating meat are some of the most destructive activities an individual can do in terms of the climate crisis. Some have made an oath to never fly and to become vegetarian, given our situation.
We need to phase out private jets, mega yachts and other egregious displays of wealth and status. We can make these displays shameful and not glorify them. We can take public transport and move away from fossil fuel based engines. For example, in Vienna, 60% of people live in community housing.
Should we shame those who live an unsustainable lifestyle? Should we offer softer signals that change is needed, like having our family over for a vegetarian dinner?
We can encourage others to live with less of an environmental impact. As one neighbor gets solar panels, so do others. We can share plant-based recipes. We can participate in social actions and protests.
Government also (on the macro level beyond the individual) needs to lead and set examples for a new way of living, following through with laws. We need to meet the basic survival needs of all humans on our planet with current resources.
The richest 20% need to reduce their consumption to 1/10th of 2015 levels, making room for others basic needs. Christ stood up for the needy and the powerless. But are we too unloving and selfish to survive as a species? What will happen to our souls, as we turn our backs to the most vulnerable?
Psychology has been used to advertise toward people’s deepest desires to inspire their purchases. Ads create (or play upon) a deep need, promising to fill the inner void. Products promise to make us feel better and to lead to our acceptance by our social groups. But, without God, people remain empty inside while landfills overflow.
For example, 73% of textiles (clothing) produced ends up in landfills. Can we start identifying with God, and not by our outer appearance and the latest fashion?
We need to phase out excess for a few, while expanding access to basic resources to all, like healthcare and housing. This is in line with instituting a Universal Basic Income (#UBI) for all, to help people of all identities survive the upcoming transitions on earth.
Our excesses are a clue into inner poverty. Many do not have solid community ties, even if they have material wealth. We are actually happier when we are connected to others, giving and sharing. Our efforts to help others and transition from our selfish society will lead to deep joy, not poverty. We will be blessed as we use our voices and hands to carry forth God’s will.
As a start, we can choose (given our morals) to buy only 3 new pieces of clothing per year, take less trips, rid ourselves of personal vehicles and eat a plant-based diet. What else can we do?
We need the Holy Spirit to guide our souls and hands as we create a new day! We can change if we hold hope, as the eloquent theologian Jurgen Moltmann has shared. We can shift from unhealthy social norms, and these healthy changes will allow all of us to thrive.
We need relationships based on love and reciprocity instead of greed and a will to power. We need less selfishness and more sacrifice for others whom we share with because we actually care. We need to restructure our world based on love, as Christ taught.
When we take action for a sustainable society, we will find new meaning in our daily actions. Our community bonds can grow stronger as we change. And, as sociologist Emile Durkheim found, strong community bonds lead to less suicides. We have the opportunity to promote life and even joy in coming together to change our world for the better!
We do not wish to conserve the world, but create a new one. We need more community control over resources and a guaranteed income for all, regardless of group affiliation. We need energy efficient public housing and to restructure the economy to a more just system. We need to align our economy with our ecosystem as well as our morality. As the brilliant Martin Buber wrote, we need to develop I-thou relationships, based on a recognition of others and not an exploitation of them. Equity and sustainably go hand in hand; there can be no sustainably without equity. Instead of asking who owns land, we need to ask who is responsible for the land. We need a politics of love.
CONCLUSIONS: CARETAKING IS A GREEN JOB! We need to transition to a care-taking society, where all are cared for and treated with love. We need to dismantle the call to endless growth and greed.
“We need to redefine hope and progress, so that these words do not translate to destruction” – Greta.
We need to prioritize people over profits. Green jobs, like caretaking, can be recognized as we turn away from jobs based on over-consumption of unneeded products. Carework is climate work! We need to not only repair our relationship with our planet, but also with each other. We can become a global family.
Solutions involve community actions in helping each other, just as Christ called for. Also, our youth must be a global force of change. We must learn from our mistakes and challenge the status quo and those with interests in the current Death Culture.
Truth, justice and morality are on the side of creating a sustainable future, explains Greta Thunberg. In our Postmodern age, where some claim all views are valid, what is Truth? Both sides of an issue are not equally valid. Survival is not a story with two sides.
We need to end our Death Culture by following the path of love (set by Christ) and carrying out God’s will, for God is Truth. When we recognize this, we will move from the Postmodern Era to the Pre-Utopian Era, as we prepare the ground for God’s New Earth.
Takethejump.org

Asking for a crossword I’m making, wondering if it’s well known enough to use for a clue.
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Consider me as your virtual mentor. I have been working for almost 20 years in both local and multinational companies. Became an expat before I was 30 and now working for a multinational fmcg as a senior leader. I did not graduate from the big 4, no latin honors but I am an outlier from the same batch of graduates financial wise.
This is intended for the young, starting out, and has no direction with their careers. If you're from IT, this doesnt apply to you, you have a world diff from the rest.
In this post, lets talk about the economy and how it affects your ability to get a job.
What happens inside a company:
When an economy is down that means the projection of company sales are likely to get hit negatively. Only a few industries can take advantage of an economic downturn, most companies will retract and consider the year with lower projections than previously anticipated. This means less sales of goods or services, lesser new jobs, and tighter competition in available positions both internally and other companies.
Roles will be suspended to wait things out or will be combined to existing roles to share the load and make it more efficient. Promotions may be cut or completely put on hold to save from the cost. Other perks may be removed and bonuses may be reduced. Worst case scenario, your company may cut jobs.
You as a job seeker:
You will have more competition looking for the same job in the small job market with not much to offer. This means, you may take almost a year and a large amount of luck to land a job.
If youre a fresh graduate, this will be a tough job hunting market. You will have not much leverage and if you get an offer, you may want to take it ASAP else your window of opportunity may pass you.
If youre an experienced hire, likely you will be in for a ride. Its either your role is in high demand and youre given a premium but expect additional workload. Or you may see that all your applications are left untouched, you either were too late to apply or your profile is overshadowed by far better candidates looking for the same role.
You as an employee:
Your bonus may be impacted, the good times may not roll this year. You can expect more pressure also coming from management and expect changes to come along with additional work. Be happy if youre given a special project, that means you are on the safe side, if you are slowly seeing some work taken from you, you or your role may be in line to be cut next.
At this time, make sure you further build your capability and upgrade your skill to be more competitive.
What condition are we in today:
Its a bad economy for everyone, no one is spared and all companies are tightening their belts. You may want to play it safe and stay in your job but in times of turmoil, opportunity is also just around the corner. While others are playing it safe, you may play your cards right and land a higher paying job that demands your capability. Keep your resume and linkedin updated and ready for any potential opportunity.
All the best. See you in the next series.
Disclaimer: this is based on my limited knowledge of the PH market with the companies I worked for and people I met along the way. Take this with a grain of salt

🌍 The global economy is no stranger to shocks and surprises, and Japan's economy could be the next one to cause turbulence in the financial markets. A combination of factors, including a surge in Covid-19 cases, a recent natural disaster, and ongoing concerns about the country's debt, could trigger an economic shock that reverberates throughout the world.
💸 Japan's economy is the third-largest in the world, making up over 6% of global GDP. Any significant disruption in the country's economic activity could have serious implications for global trade and finance. Additionally, Japan is home to some of the largest companies in the world, including Toyota, Sony, and Honda. Any downturn in the Japanese economy could impact the performance of these global giants.
📈 The Japanese government has attempted to address some of the economic challenges by implementing stimulus measures, such as cash handouts and infrastructure spending. However, these efforts may not be enough to prevent an economic shock. The country is facing significant demographic challenges, including an aging population and a shrinking workforce, which could limit its ability to sustain long-term economic growth.
💰 Investors should take note of the potential risks associated with a Japan economic shock and consider how it could impact their investment portfolios. In uncertain times, it's essential to diversify and consider safe-haven assets like gold. History has shown that gold has tended to perform well during times of economic uncertainty and market volatility.
💡 While no one can predict the future with certainty, it's crucial to stay informed about economic developments and how they could impact your investments. By staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, investors can make informed decisions that help them weather any potential storms in the financial markets.
🌟 In conclusion, the possibility of a Japan economic shock cannot be ignored, and investors should be prepared for the potential impact it could have on global markets. By diversifying their portfolios and considering safe-haven assets like gold, investors can protect their wealth and position themselves to take advantage of opportunities that may arise.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and a like!
For more information, see this link:
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Renowned economist Peter Schiff has once again issued a warning about the state of the US economy, predicting that the country is on the brink of the "biggest economic disaster" in its history.
Schiff, who is the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital and a frequent critic of US monetary policy, recently spoke out about his concerns regarding the US dollar and its future value. He warned that the Federal Reserve's policies of printing trillions of dollars and keeping interest rates artificially low will ultimately lead to a devaluation of the currency and hyperinflation.
"The US dollar is going to be destroyed. This is going to be the biggest economic disaster in American history," Schiff said during an interview on Fox Business. "The Fed is going to keep printing money until the dollar collapses. We're going to have massive inflation, and all Americans are going to be impoverished."
Schiff's warnings come amid a period of economic uncertainty in the US, with rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages affecting businesses and consumers alike. Many experts have attributed these issues to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted global trade and led to supply chain bottlenecks.
However, Schiff believes that these problems are symptoms of a deeper issue, namely the Federal Reserve's policies of keeping interest rates at historic lows and pumping trillions of dollars into the economy through quantitative easing. He argues that these policies are unsustainable and will ultimately lead to a collapse of the US dollar and a severe economic downturn.
"The Fed is creating an illusion of prosperity by inflating asset prices and creating bubbles in stocks, real estate, and cryptocurrencies," Schiff said. "But this is not real wealth. It's just paper profits that will disappear when the bubble bursts."
Schiff's warnings are not new, and he has been a vocal critic of US monetary policy for many years. However, with the US economy facing a range of challenges, including high inflation and supply chain disruptions, his predictions are gaining more attention among investors and policymakers.
While many experts disagree with Schiff's assessment of the US economy and the future of the US dollar, his warnings serve as a reminder of the potential risks associated with the Federal Reserve's policies. As the US economy continues to grapple with the challenges posed by the pandemic and other factors, it remains to be seen what the future holds for the US dollar and the broader economy.

This sub really supported me after my failures in the ED/EA round and helped me fine-tune the kinks in my application. Looks like things finally worked out in the end! Also, scroll down for resources and a final reflection.
Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: Pakistani
• Residence: Indonesia
• Income Bracket: No financial aid
• Type of School: Private
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): None

Intended Major(s): Electrical engineering
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 4.04 on a 4.3 scale (1 B in honors math 9th grade, 1 B in IB English 11th grade)
• Rank (or percentile): N/A (school doesn't rank)
• # of Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc.: Full Ib Diploma,
• Senior Year Course Load: Full IBDP

Standardized Testing
List the highest scores earned and all scores that were reported.

• SAT: 1540 (780 M, 760 R&W)
• ACT: N/A
• AP/IB: 43/45 IB predicted (7 in HL Physics, Chemistry, SL Indonesian and Econ. 6 in HL Math Analysis and English LL)
• Other: N/A

Extracurriculars/Activities
List all extracurricular involvements, including leadership roles, time commitments, major achievements, etc.

1. Algae air purifier: Researched algae microbiology to improve JKT air quality. Created economical (<40$) Algae Air Purifier w/ HEPA filter. 28pg paper. Patent pending. Reduces carbon dioxide in a small room by 40%. Sponsored by a Fortune 500 company. Distributed to 10 lower-income households.
2. Quantum Mechanics Research: Under the supervision of 2 Oxford professors, wrote a 30-pg research paper on the applications of quantum mechanics in modern society. Deep-dived into category theory, linear algebra, quantum computing and more. Submitted to T20 journals and conferences.
3. Founder & President of Tech & Engineering Society. Helping peers explore STEM fields, namely data science & machine learning. Wrote research papers on nanotech & pollution. Hosted expert (FAANG) & T20 alumni interviews.
4. Lead Intern & Tour Guide. Indonesian electrical museum. G20 (that one yes) delegates came to the museum, and I toured them around. Translated 150+ exhibits in the museum. Held renewable energy competition with 200+ participants.
5. Intern. Interned at Nokia and a Pakistan cables company. Research 5G at Nokia, and worked in the lab at the cables company.
6. Data Science Cricket Research. Principal component analysis model for cricket league, 85% accuracy. A large cricket team in one of the biggest leagues in the world utilized my 30-page paper in the development of their team. Submitted to Journal of Sports Analytics.
7. FoundePresident. 5000+ followers, 100k impression Instagram account. brings unreported Asian issues to light. News organizations use our stories and repost them.
8. President. President of a service club that raised 1.5k+ for cancer research. Wrote and published storybooks. Held awareness webinars. // President. President of another service club that uses technology and engineering to improve the lives of our partner communities. Past projects include water filtration systems, solar panels, hydroponics, and more. Completely replaced water systems in 2 villages and implemented aquaponics in a new partner community.
9. Elected to class council 9th grade, chosen by school admin to be on the service board since 10th grade. 1 of 9 students. Bunch of responsibilities that I am too lazy to type out.
10. Created chemistry blog/khan academy imitation. 5000+ visitors, aimed to help people ace chem class from 10th grade to the ib diploma.

Awards/Honors
List all awards and honors submitted on your application

1. CREST Gold Award (awarded by the British Science Association for the Algae Air Purifier.)
2. Gold Medal—British Physics Olympiad
3. Global Top 150: American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Physics Bowl. School Top Scorer.
4. Distinction–University of Waterloo Fermat, Hypatia, Galois competition. Bronze Medal—SASMO. Bronze medal—TIMO.
5. School Award for Outstanding Service

Letters of Recommendation

• LOR - Math Teacher. not bad. 8/10
• LOR - English Teacher. Fire, 9/10.
• LOR - Physics. Fire, 10/10
• LOR - Counselor. 7/10, decent.
• Additional LORS... Oxford professor would say 8/10. Carnegie Mellon Ph.D. Student, 8/10. Museum supervisor, 9/10.

Interviews
Cornell: Lasted about 30 mins. Just decent, doesn't matter for admissions. No rating.
Penn: Around an hour, great interview, 8/10
Duke: Only around 30 minutes, he only asked me about myself and things I wanted to elaborate on my application. Still really cool, around 8/10.
Dartmouth: Amazing amazing interview, it was soooo good. 10/10, in my opinion.
Essays

• I feel like all my supplements were around 8-9/10. Idk tho lol.
• Common App Personal Statement — It was good. 8-9/10.

Acceptances:

• UIUC [Electrical Engineering]
• UC Santa Cruz [Elec Eng with $50k total scholarship]
• UC Davis [Elec Eng]
• University of Toronto (2 stupid majors, still waiting on my computer engineering results)
• Carnegie Mellon [Electrical & Computer Engineering!!!!!]
• UC Berkeley [Engineering Math & Stats]
• Dartmouth College!!!! [whatever major I want LOL]

Rejections:

• Cornell Engineering ED
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UPenn
• Northwestern
• Duke

Waitlisted:

• UCLA
• UC Irvine
• University of Michigan

​
Final Thoughts & Advice:
Well, clearly, this whole application process is so random. I didn't get admitted into any UCs except Santa Cruz, Davis, and Berkeley, so who knows what's going on there. Getting WL at Irvine was also strange, but oh well. Ensure you apply to enough schools, but ensure your essays are in tip-top shape—they must be genuine!!
I'd like to mention that using Chat GPT for general research on schools is an underrated tactic. It genuinely helped me figure out the vibe and idea behind all of these schools and saved me countless hours of research. Definitely use it, but don't abuse it (Chat-GPT essays are GARBAGE).
There are a couple of things I wish I had done differently during this application season and in high school in general.

1. GPA: Your GPA is vital to you getting through their initial filters, and if you look at almost any college's common data set, they value GPA to the max. On a 4.3 scale, my GPA was actually below average for many of these schools, and this was due to 2 Bs in Math and English. An engineering major having a B in math isn't exactly a good look, so it is imperative that you are acing the classes your major is directly related to.
2. EC List: I believe your EC list is as important as your essays. Framing a good EC list is terrifying, to be honest, and in my ED/EA round, my ECs came out as pompous and over the top. Reframing everything for the RD applications helped me come across as more genuine and a real human. Don't fluff up your hours!!! Nobody can work 18 hours a day, and AOs will be extremely suspicious seeing so many hours but a disproportionate amount of impact.
3. Essays: Be genuine. Don't try to act like you're writing a paper for your final English exam. This isn't going to be graded on a scale of 0-100 for formality and grammar, but the AOs will be grading your personality, who you are, and how you'll fit into their next class. If your essays aren't realistic, truthful, and clear on why you want to go to that school, you won't have much success.

As for where I'll commit, I have no clue yet. Check back in a month, and I'll have updated this post. Feel free to drop your thoughts; deciding between CMU, Berkeley, and Dartmouth is not something I am looking forward to.
Useful Resources:
Boutta drop all my bookmarks!!
How to make all your essays Ivy Caliber
Sparky Prep's Essay Guide
College Essay Guy
College Essays Guide
"Why This College" essays
Comprehensive Masterdoc on College Admissions
College Application Guide By Random Human (greatest thing I've ever read)
Senior Year Application Timeline
College Admissions Resources Masterdoc
How to write good letters of rec
Hacking the college essay
A2C Wiki for essays
Crash course to living away from home
Packing list for college

Stonks. Options. Crypto. [Official Trade Ideas Mega Thread]

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Disclaimer: The content in this sub/thread is for information and illustrative purposes only and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation of any particular security or course of action. Opinions expressed herein are the opinions of the poster and are subject to change without notice. Reasonable people may disagree about the opinions expressed herein. In the event any of the assumptions used herein do not prove to be true, results are likely to vary substantially. All investments entail risks. There is no guarantee that investment strategies will achieve the desired results under all market conditions and each investor should evaluate their ability to invest for a long term especially during periods of a market downturn. Good Luck to All!

Read the full article in Technology, published on The Digital Insider at https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-to-earn-extra-income-in-the-economic-downturn/

Read the full article in Technology, published on The Digital Insider at https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-to-earn-extra-income-in-the-economic-downturn/

Product-led growth (PLG) allows organizations to endure development challenges and emerge as leaders in their respective industries.
The looming fear of higher-than-expected inflation and the global economic downturn has made the global markets tighter. The recent turmoil in public and private markets proved enterprises could only thrive with capital-efficient and sustainable growth.
Today product-led growth and innovation are critical elements of a successful growth strategy, irrespective of external economic dynamics.
By positioning the customer at the center of the strategy, companies deliver new and improved experiences. They encourage innovation to attract and retain customers, drive engagement, and achieve sustainable revenue growth.
Source: https://us.sganalytics.com/blog/product-led-growth-is-driving-sustainable-revenue-growth/

As someone who has worked in both the private sector and Civil Service (CS), I've noticed a recurring theme among CS colleagues and peers - they paint the private sector as a risky place where you could lose your job at any moment. But is that really the case? And why does this myth persist?
Let's start with the facts. Yes, it's true that the private sector may be more volatile in terms of job security, especially in industries that are heavily influenced by market trends or economic downturns. However, it's also true that there are plenty of private sector companies and organizations that offer competitive benefits and job stability, matching or even surpassing those of the CS.
For example, many private companies offer flexible working hours, remote work options, generous retirement plans, and even unlimited vacation time. In fact, some studies show that private sector employees may have higher job satisfaction and better work-life balance than their CS counterparts.
So why does the myth of private sector job insecurity persist? I believe it's partly due to a bias among CS employees who have spent their entire careers in a structured, hierarchical environment where promotions and pay raises are often tied to seniority rather than merit. This can create a sense of complacency and fear of change, which leads to a reluctance to explore career options outside of the CS bubble.
Of course, everyone's experience is different, and there may be valid reasons why someone prefers the stability and structure of the CS. However, it's important to recognize that the private sector can offer equally attractive career opportunities and benefits, and shouldn't be dismissed as a risky or unstable option.
As someone who is considering a return to the private sector after working in the CS, I'm curious to hear from others who may have experienced similar conversations or misconceptions. Have you encountered colleagues or friends who perpetuate the job security myth? What has been your experience in both the private sector and the CS, in terms of benefits, work culture, and job security? Let's have an open and honest discussion about the realities of both worlds, and move beyond outdated stereotypes.

The greatest tragedy of war is that for some people the war never ends.

• Nebojsa Knezevic, head of psychiatry for Pallas Medical Institute, 2142

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Prev/First
Silijima hopped into the truck, next to Sargen. The massive Gojid's head nearly reached the roof of the vehicle forcing him to crouch ever so slightly. He was an even more imposing figure up close, his muscles bulging and his scars held taut against his skin. He seemed preoccupied, as if her presence made him uncomfortable when they were close. His claws gripped the steering wheel, lightly scraping the carbon material. He seemed to be in his late thirties to early forties, and a distinguished Gojid at that save for the eye and the prosthetic arm. Most would consider him quite handsome if it wasn't for the damage he had received, and even then she was sure some women would find a prosthetic like that doubly enticing.
Senek sat in the back, leaning his head back and yawning. He seemed exhausted, most likely from being on duty for the last good knows how many weeks. He kept an eye on Sargen, but it wasn't a distrustful one, more like he was concerned for Sargen's wellbeing. It was hilarious to Silijima, to think that Sargen warranted concern, but she didn't know him or his past so she wouldn't judge; sometimes the strongest people held the greatest burdens.
"So, where to next? Do we have any other stops to make?" Silijima asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"No, not unless you want to stop," replied Sargen.
Behind them, Senek grumbled. "We need to head back to the Collective and finish for the day; I'm fucking exhausted."
Sargen started the truck and turned around. "Then go home, Senek; you've done your work for the day. I'll show Silijima a bit of the station before I deliver the goods and introduce Silijima to the captains."
Senek didn't seem convinced. "They won't be happy that Sujek and I bailed halfway through the delivery."
Sargen snorted. "Ayaz and Igor won't give a damn as long as the delivery gets delivered. Take a tram and go home and see your mate and kids; you looked harrowed."
Silijima was inclined to agree. Before today, she didn't know if it was possible for a reptile to have bags under its eyes, but Senek surely did. He looked like shit, although Silijima would never voice that out loud.
Senek hissed but didn't argue, opening the door and leaving the back of the truck with a grunt. Silijima saw him walk down the street towards a tram stop in the distance, where one was unloading all sorts of people heading to shop at Zapadnyy tsentral'nyy rynok, as well as those ready finished with their shopping trips. Eventually, Senek disappeared into the crowd of humans, arxur, and the occasional venlil, harchin and gojid.
"So," Sargen started with an apprehensive sigh, "My name's Sargen, as you've probably been told. I'm sure Senek and Sujek have already told you all about me."
Silijima chuckled nervously. "Not much, actually. I've been wondering where you got that arm from; it seems very high tech. I've only seen prosthetics like that on high ranking military personnel in the federation."
The question only seemed to make Sargen even more tense. "I lost my real arm in battle. They replaced it with this." He flexed the arm, the prosthetic was agile and precise in its movements. "It's near identical to the real thing utility-wise, although the look of it took some time to get used to."
Silijima nodded absentmindedly, admiring both the arm and his physical build. Sargen must've been through hell and back to be so torn up.
"Are you ex-military? You have the hardware to be."
Sargen frowned lightly. "You could say that. But that's enough about me." Then Sargen put a soft smile on his face, a fake one, as if he was trying to hide his true feelings. "I was told you served in the navy; what was that like?"
Silijima didn't push for more information. "I was a Master Technical Coordinator for the Unwavering Credence. I kept the Guns and the hull functioning along with crews of grunt welders, and I pieced the ship back together after battles.
Sargen whistled, impressed by her rank. "You were pretty high up on the totem pole on that ship. Why'd you leave?"
Silijima scoffed. "The lies, the brutality, and the stress. I came to Skhamar looking for answers after losing faith in the state I defended for over a decade. Now that I know the truth, I realize that I hated every second of it, although I do miss it in a way. Once you get out, well, nothing seems right. For the first few months, I couldn't stand being off duty. I still miss that safety of knowing I was on a military vessel; at least we could defend ourselves. Back on Nishtal, I felt so… exposed, since I wasn't allowed to carry a firearm on my person anymore."
Sargen chuckled. "I know how you feel. I couldn't sleep right after I… left: I kept expecting an attack at all hours. Sometimes I'd wake up in a panic, clutching my ion pistol and ready to kill, only to realize it was just the sound of some puny asteroid bouncing off the outer shell of the station or a ship taking off."
Silijima snorted. "I remember nearly having a heart attack from the fireworks they set off for unification day. My parents didn't understand, or maybe they couldn't, but I don't celebrate that day anymore. It sounds too similar to Arxur hybrid charges slamming against the hull of a ship."
Silijima chuckled at first, but the laughter quickly died as reality set in. Her service in the navy had messed her up in more ways than one, but she couldn't imagine not living that life; she wouldn't know what to do with herself otherwise. She hated it, but she was better for it.
"So… What is there to do on this station? I'm pretty new to all of this freedom. What is there to do?"
"That's the good thing about this job; you get a good week or so in between missions to relax," Sargen smiled bitterly, but it was still a happy smile, "Me and the rest of the crew have so much to show you."
Silijima's heart skipped a beat at his statement. "Senek didn't seem too excited to show me anything."
"Senek's just tired; in fact he's always tired. He worked two missions in a row, same as Sujek, and they're probably going to push for another one," Sargen stated, "although I bet both Ayaz and Igor will send them both home and tell them to spend some time just relaxing for once since those two practically kill themselves working." He chuckled before continuing, "But as for things to do, well, there's a lot: Theaters, Restaurants, Museums, a full-sized futbol stadium, and even a few more exotic things the humans brought over. Humans are kind of the cultural heart of the entire Commonwealth; The big Arxur houses might be the dominant economic forces besides the coalitions, but the Humans really brought a heart and soul to what would otherwise be a pretty dull and barren place."
Silijima thought about that for a moment. She had seen sporting events before; Nishtal had plenty of ballastier stadiums to choose from, where Krakotl would work as a flock to move a floating ball from one end to the other. There were also games of airborne agility and such, so she wasn't too interested in sports.
But the idea of a theater intrigued her. Nishtal didn't have many theaters: the Krakotl didn't like being cooped up in a dark place for too long, since their instincts were to nest under the open sky instead of burrow underground. Mix that with a lack of any big theater culture and you git a species that vastly preferred doing over watching. Sports and music were far more popular with the Krakotl, their ability to fly and vast vocal ranges helping them flourish in alternative mediums of entertainment.
"How are the theaters here? I've never really gone to one before."
Sargen eyed her with disbelief. "Neither did I before I came here. They're pretty great, with lots of cheap snacks and reclining seats. There aren't any 'new' movies yet since there's no real movie industry here on Skhamar yet, but they play a lot of older human movies. A few months ago I went with Timothy, Sarah, and their daughter Maggie to go see The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. The art style was pretty mind-blowing, to say the least."
"The art style?"
"Animation. It's considered a proper medium of theater in human culture. There are a plethora of what humans call 'the animated classics': movies that have achieved universal human acclaim due to their outstanding quality. If I'm not mistaken, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is one of them."
Human art seemed so fascinating to her; the Federation was so cut and dry with what they considered art that anything that pushed the envelope was ridiculed and even reviled, often only gaining traction in underground groups that appreciated the bizarre and the condemned. To hear of artistic styles having entire mediums dedicated to them was astounding to her.
"That sounds incredible! What other movies have you seen?"
"Well, I've been itching to see Star Wars, but it's a long trilogy that's best watched at home. There's also a relatively new western by comparison called The Cursed that's being shown this week, so we can go see that. I've heard nothing but good things about it."
Silijima didn't know what a 'western' was, but if it was anything like how Sargen describes their animated movies, she was sure a human western couldn't be bad.
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Silijima casually read the synopsis for the movie they would be watching on her holophone.
The year is 1886: Aging civil war veteran turned outlaw Thomas 'Death-Singer' Lawrence ekes out a humble living amongst the Ojibwa Indians of what is now modern-day Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, hoping to live out his final years of his life with his beloved wife, son and adopted tribe in peace. But when a bitter ex-Confederate, Klan member, and son of a wealthy plantation owner Shaw Cunningham and his gang of killers massacre the tribe for supporting the Union during the war, his entire world is torn from him. Now, all that's left after the carnage is himself and a teenager named Nanabush, the fatherless black sheep of the tribe.
Now, with nothing but vengeance burning in his heart, Thomas once again takes up the mantle of 'Death-Singer', and along with his newly adopted ward Nanabush, he travels south to reform his old gang of thieves and outlaws, 'The Cursed', in a last-ditch effort to gain the ultimate revenge and both kill Shaw Cunningham and ruin his family fortune. The curse must be passed on, and there couldn't be a more worthy recipient…
Now that sounded interesting. Silijima didn't understand much of the context, but a revenge plot wasn't a common theme in Federation media, or federation art at all for that matter, so it seemed like a great place to start. Besides, it wasn't like it was real, so if it was overly violent then she could just finish the movie and never watch it again.
But first, there were snacks to buy. Silijima didn't know why Sargen insisted on buying snacks, but he stated that they 'improved the movie experience', or whatever that meant. Either way, he practically dragged Silijima up to a counter operated by a bored human, preparing to order a whole slew of snacks for the both of them.
"I'll get two medium boxes of Çäkçäk style popcorn, a large bag of Korivka, and two large bottles of… Give me a moment." Sargen turned to her. "What do you want to drink?"
Silinima browsed the menu nervously, not knowing what to choose. "Uhhh, I guess I'll try some Baikal? Is it good?"
Sargen shrugged. "It's pretty good, a bit different than most colas." Then he turned back to the snack vendor. "And two large bottles of Baikal."
The bored human sighed, obviously just ready for his shift to end, and prepared the food for the two of them. Sargen prepared his credit chip and handed it to the worker when he returned, paying for everything.
"You don't have to, Sargen, I can pay for myself."
Sargen chuckled. "Maybe, but I'm the one who's taking you out. Just let me take care of it."
The human returned with the popcorn, which was two buckets of strange yellow… things that had a slight glowing orange sheen, along with a large bag of candies and two massive bottles of soda, which were also huge. Sargen somehow deftly balanced all the snacks in their arms as they made their way to the movie room they were assigned to without even a grunt and gave her a soft grin. Despite his obvious optimism, he seemed tense, as if she reminded him of something.
Sargen hurried down the hall, his large stride making it difficult for Silijima to keep up with him, but she managed. He avoided her gaze, his eyes focusing on absolutely anything else. There it was again, the strange behavior. It was as if she was some kind of phantom to him, but he couldn't point out her existence without seeming crazy.
They made their way into a door on the side that led down a dark hall with dim lights lining the floor. It opened up to a massive screen showing adverts for products before the movie began.
"Where would you like to sit? I'm partial to the back; you get better seats and a better view."
Silijima shrugged her feathered shoulders. "Wherever you think is best; I have no clue."
Sargen chuckled, but led her up toe stairs to the upper row of seats. They made it there, sitting down near the center, and Sargen handed Silijima her popcorn and baikal. Silijime pecked at the popcorn hesitantly, but found that she loved it! The sweet, nutty and floral flavors of the coating reminded her of the Vagra nectar from Nishtal when peddlers would sell organic jars of it during the summer months, and it paired wonderfully with the salty-sweet crunch of the 'corn' itself. The baikal was another thing entirely; the sweet-spicy and pine flavors of the cola tasted like nothing she had ever experienced like fruit and spices boiled in bitter tree sap and carbonated, but palatable. By the time the movie had started, a third of her popcorn was gone, causing Sargen to chuckle.
The lights dimmed, causing Silijima to panic for a bit, but Sargen's hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, calming her. He was there, and he was big; nothing could hurt such a giant, right?
Then, the movie began to play. The sound of some kind of delicate stringed instrument being strummed softly alongside the croaking and chirping of amphibians and insects on a warm summer night. The sounds of the wildlife stopped suddenly for a moment, as did the instrument when a small gang of about a dozen humans riding strange, four-legged creatures reminiscent of suleans without horns advanced towards a gathering of flickering lights in the distance; probably a village. Their gallops were thunderous and destructive, nothing like the sound of a stampede. It was the sound of unwavering strength.
The men wore sackcloth hoods with holes cut out for their eyes and ropes around their necks. In their hands were primitive revolving handguns. They wore a myriad of different clothes; some wore gray army uniforms, while others wore khakis, union shirts and suspenders. They laughed and bickered as they spurred their steeds onward, obviously ready to commit some unspeakable atrocity…
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Silijima has two panic attacks during the movie. Sargen was there, able to quell them by offering his support. He seemed to know what it was like to have one because he reached out and held her when she began to hyperventilate and raise her hackles. He didn't speak, but he made himself known. He was there, and that was enough.
At least the movie ended with a triumph: Thomas Lawrence got his revenge, even if he died in the end. His adopted ward, Nanabush, took up the mantle of Death-Singer, using it to defend the weak. It was a tightly wrapped story that should've been happy, but the memories of war still scarred Silijima; the sounds of the gunshots reminded her of the blasts of flechette cannons, and the blood on Lawrence's knife…
She still felt the phantom pain in her wing and body from being run through by an Arxur skimming blade. She had survived, of course, but the near-death experience had permanently changed her. She couldn't stand being around knives too long unless she was actually on the battlefield, and even then it caused her distress. Luckily, she never needed to be around too many sharp objects, being an engineer, but she had her… moments. She was able to quell her attacks, her panic and anxiety being quelled by the far more substantial fear of what she would be subjected to if her true state of mind were to be found out.
If the Federation found out you acted out of the norm, they'd spend weeks forcing you through the most agonizing 'therapies' before stuffing you full of pills and sending you home, never to be the same person again. She had seen the effects of these treatments; her former colleagues practically turned into zombies, their brains melted from the drugs. They lived off of government stipends, unable to truly contribute to the workforce, but the Federation seemed to consider this an acceptable tradeoff, the politicians being praised for lowering the rate of self-termination by any means necessary. In reality, it just created a state-funded drug epidemic.
Part of Silijima did want answers, but she realized her true motive for coming to Skhamar was to escape; she was so scared of staying home on Nishtal because every little thing could set her off. And if she were to have a serious enough outburst…
No, she wouldn't become what many of her former prey-in-arms had; a babbling mess of drugs and trauma. She was strong; she could do this. She wouldn't let her trauma overcome her.
"Are you okay, Silijima?" Sargent asked her, shaking her shoulder lightly. They were in the truck, riding to the Corsair collective where Ayaz and Igor had docked their cruiser. He seemed far more tired than before like she was exhausting to be around. She didn't doubt it; having predator disease was already exhausting enough for Silijima alone.
"I shouldn't have recommended that movie, it was too violent. Maybe something animated would've been better," said Sargent. "I was hoping that your experiences as a navy engineer would've been less traumatic than the average foot soldier, and I was wrong."
Silijima turned to him, emboldened. "It wasn't your fault, Sagren; I agreed to watch it. Besides, it might've opened up a few wounds, but it was still an excellent movie. And the popcorn and baikal were wonderful as well. And besides, it was a good movie, triggers notwithstanding."
Sargen smiled a little, although he was still feeling guilty. "I'm glad you liked it. But we should get to the collective; Ayaz and Igor will be happy to become acquainted with you."
Silijima nodded before turning back to the window, watching as the city raced by. The spires of the station-city rose hundreds of stories into the air, hover-tram systems connecting entire levels of platforms that connected to the taller towers. It made sense that the station would focus on the height of buildings; the width was a rare commodity on space stations due to the cost of adding extra floor-level infrastructure, so extremely tall spires interconnected by platforms and hover-tram systems that stretched for kilometers made sense. Everything was brightly lit: massive glowing LED signs depicting everything from clinics and dispensaries to shops and eateries were plastered across the buildings, along with almost lifelike and three-dimensional digital billboards depicting a wide array of advertisements and entertainment. It was the very definition of an urban jungle, sprawl and all, with tens of millions of individuals living their daily lives unimpeded.
"The station's pretty cool, huh? It's technically one of the larger cities in the galaxy, with a population of around twenty-five million inhabitants of all races."
That number was impressive for a city, but not for a nation. "But how many planets does Skhamar control? Fifty-five million is nothing compared to the five hundred billion sentients in the Federation alone."
Sargen nodded. "Yeah, that's true. Antheia and Calaïs are pretty sparsely populated at the moment, maybe a few million each, and the planet of Skhamar itself has about ten million. That means this place doesn't really have the manpower to keep up with the Federation or the Dominion in terms of fleet size. We still beat them in engagements though."
Silijima didn't believe that. "But how? The Federation outnumbers you guys a hundred to one!"
Sargen snorted, eyes focused on the road as he pulled into the parking lot of a ginormous building. "If there's one thing that I learned after only two years of living on Skhamar is that the Federation's school of naval doctrine is laughably bad. They solely rely on the force of numbers and firepower to overwhelm their enemies before they can strike back. This would normally work on smaller fleet engagements against lesser foes, but the humans don't play fair. They hide in gas clouds, and in asteroid fields. They launch silent torpedoes, drone strikes, and shells filled with toxic gas before initiating boarding actions to cause widespread panic in enemy fleets. Skhamar's newly minted traditions of piracy have led to a whole new level of Naval military thinking, one where the entire sector is an ever-changing battlefield and anything's fair game."
"But wouldn't they get discovered? How hasn't the Federation just listed down Skhamar's tactics for admirals to memorize and quantify in fleet engagements?"
"You're demanding too much from a Federation full of scared herbivores, and you're forgetting who runs that Federation. The Kolshians and the Farsul vehemently believe that thinking like a predator makes you a predator and that anything that resembles predatory behavior should be scrubbed away. To them, the 'herd' is the entire reason for their existence, and to stray from that is to become food." Sargen shook his head, obviously bemused by their rigid mindset. "In reality, predators have been chipping away at herds for thousands of years. To think that any herd is impervious is just stupid."
Silijima knew the former, and she had suspected the latter for a long time. "But herds need to adapt to survive, right? I bet you that was the reasoning behind the gene-modding and culture erasure at the hands of the Kolshians and the Farsul."
Sargen rolled his eyes like he had heard it all before. "It shocks me that you weren't thrown into an institution, with how perceptive you are. I'm telling you, the Kolshians and the Farsul couldn't care less about the other species in the Federation. All they care about is controlling and leading that herd they've stitched together with lies. To them, adaptability is only good when it benefits their narratives and power structures."
It made a sickening sort of sense, and it was completely believable now that the treachery of the Kolshians and the Farsul had come to light. The Kolshians and the Farsul being afraid of any change that challenged their ideals was a cancer on the Federation, and one that Silijima was sure would eat away at it until it was nothing more than a corpse. "I'm glad I left, you know, not being afraid of being locked up for having predator disease. I just hope that isn't a thing here."
"It isn't, believe me, or I would've been incarcerated a long time ago." Sargen replied, "Now let's go; I think we've wasted enough of Ayaz and Igor's time."
With that, Sargen stepped out of the truck, slamming the door and taking a deep breath of the blatantly recycled air. Silijima followed, leaving the truck and stepping out into a small, empty parking lot, which seemed strange for such a large and important building. The building itself was less of a spire and more short and squat but also very wide, with glass walls similar to those of the urban business centers on Nishtal. There was an entrance of glass doors in the front of the building, along with a massive sigil above them made out of what seemed to be platinum. There was a sword with wings skillfully engraved on it, along with the words Qui militat præter me, frater meus erit surrounding the edges. Her translator struggled to translate it due to the age of the language and her translator's lack of exposure to the esoteric language, but it came out as something similar to He who fights beside me shall be my brother. An interesting term, but certainly more unique than the Federation Navy's slogan, Defend the Herd.
Sargen grabbed her feathered shoulder and steered her away from the truck just as something hovered down and clamped its magnetic claws onto it. A massive, black-colored hover-drone the size of an eighteen-wheeler buzzed as it deftly floated around the two of them, one giant crimson eye with an LED dot acting as an almost animated pupil darting between the two of them. Then it lifted away, making beeping noises as it carried the truck in tow towards a large tower several hundred stories tall in the distance made from a monotonous gray material. "What in sweet Ina's name?" Silijima said under her breath, causing Sargen to chuckle.
"Moth Drones; they’re very useful things. There's not enough space on the station to have traditional parking lots, so Sarn Robotics found a pretty neat solution: massive drones come and pick up vehicles and transport them to large parking towers like the one it's flying to right now. Then, when we come back, I can just call back for my car, maybe wait a minute or so, and have my car returned to me. It's pretty awesome, and something you wouldn't find in a million years in the Federation."
That was true; the citizens would be spooked by so many flying objects. She could just imagine the number of stampedes such a creation would cause.
"Wait, what about the food and ammo?" She asked, curious as to why he'd leave it there."
"Oh, don't worry about that: that tower specifically has an automated storage system. All of our goods will be sent to our ship in the next few hours sorted, packed up, and sealed up in space-grade storage containers"
"Huh, that's pretty incredible," she replied.
"Yeah, it is. Like them or not, these predators seem to think of everything. I guess their minds just work differently; nothing wrong with that."
They walked through the doors as they conversed, and a massive lobby greeted them. Over two dozen secretaries of multiple races greeted countless individuals, many of them armed. Most of them were humans and Arxur, although she spotted a few Harchens and Gojids in the mix. The sound of phones ringing and computer keyboards being typed on resonated through the building with an echo. The entire lobby was beautifully decorated, with corners filled with fine gold-trimmed mahogany furniture and intricately woven carpets covering the marble floor. Sargen guided her up to the lobby and towards a young human woman with blonde hair. He greeted her with a smile, causing her to smile back. The snarl made Silijima's blood rush, but it was far less noticeable now, more like the feeling of adrenaline than pure fear.
"Hey, Csilla, how are you?"
The woman, apparently named Csilla, seemed to brighten up in Sargen's presence. "Oh, you know, just swamped as usual. Igor is waiting for you at dock thirteen, just take the tram down." Then her eyes swiveled in there sockets towards Silijima, causing her to flinch slightly. "And who is this? I didn't know a Krakotl was joining your crew."
"I'm Silijima," Silijima croaked, "I'm the new Engineer."
"Aww, isn't she just precious? It's been a pleasure to see you both, but I have to get back to work; we've got too many customers even with two dozen secretaries."
And with that, they were off. Sargen led her up multiple flights of stairs, passing different office levels before reaching floor seven, which was the connection to the Dok-stantsiya Vest-Enda. There were at least two dozen fully sized trams on multiple levels, with signs detailing over a hundred docks available to travel to. It was truly ginormous, more insane than any public transit system she had seen all packed into one place, but also a testament to the engineering of the station.
They boarded a packed train filled mainly with humans, although there were Arxur, Gojids and Harchen there sprinkled throughout. They rode for a few minutes, before reaching an open-space area sealed with active magnetic field shielding, keeping gravity and a working atmosphere within its borders while simultaneously allowing ships to pass through. There were hundreds of ships, both big and small, docked within the Corsair Coalition's docks, and some of them were exceptionally huge. They ranged from gigantic, rust-red lengths of bulbous metal covered in cannons to sleek, flat warships packed with rocket pods and covered with graffiti of snarling, gaping maws and bloodied talons. Eventually, they reached a point where their tram stopped, and they descended. Just a few dozen meters away was a younger human, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties, an old human woman who couldn't have been younger than seventy, and an Arxur practically made out of cybernetics, his body glowing with energy. The latter seemed to be organizing and directing a small number of droids, which were loading sealed containers into the fuselage of the large, rust-red battle cruiser with the word Iconoclast printed in bold letters on the side. The man saw us and approached, a wide smile on his face.
He was huge for a human, about six and a half feet, and had a long, bushy beard with a handlebar mustache, a short military buzz cut with a bit of hair left a little taller near the middle like a short mohawk, and a pair of black camo pants and a white t-shirt that showed the outline of his muscles underneath. He was practically a bear of a human, with arms the size of bridge cables and a neck thicker than your average gas pipe.
Despite all of that, he was obviously friendly, a wide snarl on his face. "Sargen! Dobriy den, how are you?" Even through the translator, his accent was thick and exotic.
Sargen scratched his head with his claws, obviously a little nervous. "I'm doing great, Igor, listen, this is-"
"Ah, yes, Silijima! Senek called me on his way home to explain their situation. It is a pleasure to meet you, my dear!"
Igor took her wing and shook it vigorously, having to bend down to do so. Having and snarling predator lean down on her in such a way, regardless of their intentions, sent shivers down her spine, but she kept it together. She would not break down in front of her new boss.
"T-the pleasure is all mine, Sir."
Igor didn't seem to notice how intimidating he was, but luckily a distraction appeared. Tarlim arrived just in time, carrying several crates of birch water and plums on his shoulders like they were nothing. The old woman seemed to spot him, because she hobbled over to help, only for Tarlim to prevent her from doing so. "No, Babushka, I can handle it."
"Nonsense," she said sternly, her accent even thicker than Igor's, "I can carry some, boy; your Babushka is not helpless."
Tarlim simply ignored her, carrying the crates over to the droids, with both Tarlim and the Arxur snickering at Babushka's pestering.
"Tarlim, what do you bring? Did I order something and forget again?"
Tarlim chuckled merely at that. "No, Babushka, Sujek ordered some Birch Water and Plums for you."
Babushka softened up at that, placing a hand over her heart like the delivery of birch water was an emotional matter. "Oh Tarlim, I thank you." She hobbled over and practically buried herself in his fur, hugging him as hard as an old woman could.
"Thank Sujek, I'm just the delivery boy."
Babushka snorted. "Hah, I know better. You probably dared him to do something for it."
Tarlim blushed at that. "Well maybe, but he demanded the plums as extra, so make sure you give him a big hug and plenty of food as well."
Babushka seemed to brighten up at that. "Come in, Tarlim; we are having a feast, to celebrate a great victory! No meat in the borscht, just for you!"
"Tarlim seemed very apprehensive towards the idea of eating anything that was even near the meat, but apparently he couldn't resist the old woman. "For you, Babushka, anything for you."
Igor snickered. "They are like a circus, no? Come, we are having a feast, and you shall partake."
Silijima wanted to leave, as the whole situation had escalated very quickly, but Sargen placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is no denying an invitation to a feast; it is a grave insult to do so."
Silijima just sighed and prepared herself for the horrors that awaited her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's finally here; THE NEXT CHAPTER OF INTERLOPER! Somebody pop open a bottle of champaign.
I want to thank u/Acceptable_Egg5560 for the support and u/Bushbacon69 for the wonderful fanart.
If you want an AI generated picture, just let me know. That's become my new method of conveying what I'm creating to the world since I can't draw for shit.
The Next chapters for Chains made from Hope and The Apostate should be out this week, along with a new short called The Life Shaper.

Good Friday morning traders and investors of the stocks sub! Welcome to the final trading day of this week, month and quarter. Here are your pre-market movers & news on this Friday, March the 31st, 2023-

S&P 500 futures tick higher as traders get set to wrap up the first quarter: Live updates

S&P 500 futures rose slightly Friday as traders awaited a key inflation print and got ready to wrap up the first quarter of 2023.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were marginally higher. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 69 points, or 0.2%.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect that the core PCE, which excludes energy and food costs, gained 0.4% in February from the prior month and added 4.7% on an annualized basis.
Investors will be looking for signs that inflation is cooling, which could lead to the Fed wrapping up its rate-hiking campaign soon.
Personal income data and consumer spending will also be issued Friday morning. The final March reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index is due at 10 a.m. ET.
Friday also marks the last day of the first quarter. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are up 5.5% and 14.8%, respectively, for the quarter through Thursday’s close. The Dow, however, has lost nearly 1%.
For the month, however, the three major averages are up. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 2% and 4.9%, respectively, in March. The Dow, meanwhile, is up 0.6% through Thursday’s close.
The recent rally is “helping to confirm the market’s perception that the problems that brought the market to a crisis of confidence could very well be contained,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist for LPL Financial.
“The semiconductors, [which] have come to be viewed as an important bellwether for global growth, delivered a strong performance,” Krosby continued.
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has been on fire this year, surging more than 28%. This month alone, it’s up more than 9%.
However, Krosby noted that the markets are not yet completely in the clear from an economic downturn.
“Economic concerns enveloping recession fears haven’t vanished as the yield curve still represents a counter to the market’s climb higher,” Krosby added.

STOCK FUTURES CURRENTLY:

(CLICK HERE FOR STOCK FUTURES CHARTS!)

YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP!)

TODAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S MARKET MAP!)

YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S!)

NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

THIS MORNING'S PRE-MARKET EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES BEFORE THE OPEN TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

THIS AFTERNOON'S AFTER-HOURS EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES AFTER THE CLOSE TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #2!

YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS!)

TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #2!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #3!)

THIS MORNING'S STOCK NEWS MOVERS:

(source: cnbc.com)

Bed Bath & Beyond – Bed Bath & Beyond shares dipped 2% before the bell, building on a more than 26% loss from Thursday’s session. The declines came after the company once again warned that it may need to file for bankruptcy protection if its proposed $300 million stock offering fails.

STOCK SYMBOL: BBBY

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Nikola – The electric truck maker fell 5% after it announced plans to raise $100 million through a secondary stock offering, or a private sale of stock if needed.

STOCK SYMBOL: NKLA

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Virgin Orbit — Virgin Orbit shed nearly 43% after announcing that it would halt operations “for the foreseeable future” as it fails to secure funding. Virgin Orbit also said it will eliminate about 90% of its workforce.

STOCK SYMBOL: VORB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

BlackBerry — Shares fell about 2% after the software company posted fourth-quarter revenue that fell slightly short of consensus estimates. The company’s top line came in at $151 million, while analysts polled by StreetAccount had forecast revenue of $154 million.

STOCK SYMBOL: BB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Generac Holdings — The power systems provider fell 3.7% following a downgrade to underperform from neutral by Bank of America. The firm said Generac’s guidance for the 2023 fiscal year seems out of reach with its residential segment pressured.

STOCK SYMBOL: GNRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Regional bank stocks — Some regional bank stocks that have been volatile in recent weeks rose Friday. Shares of First Republic gained 1.7%, while Zions Bancorporation, PacWest and KeyCorp added about 0.6% each. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF inched 0.4% higher. UBS noted that bank borrowings from the Fed declined last week, a sign that liquidity issues may be under control following a difficult month for the broader sector.

STOCK SYMBOL: FRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

FULL DISCLOSURE:

bigbear0083 has no positions in any stocks mentioned. Reddit, moderators, and the author do not advise making investment decisions based on discussion in these posts. Analysis is not subject to validation and users take action at their own risk.

DISCUSS!

What's on everyone's radar for today's trading day ahead here at stocks?

I hope you all have an excellent final trading day of this week ahead on this Friday, March 31st, 2023! :)

Good Friday morning traders and investors of the StockMarketChat sub! Welcome to the final trading day of this week, month and quarter. Here are your pre-market movers & news on this Friday, March the 31st, 2023-

(CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SOURCE!)

S&P 500 futures tick higher as traders get set to wrap up the first quarter: Live updates

S&P 500 futures rose slightly Friday as traders awaited a key inflation print and got ready to wrap up the first quarter of 2023.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were marginally higher. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 69 points, or 0.2%.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect that the core PCE, which excludes energy and food costs, gained 0.4% in February from the prior month and added 4.7% on an annualized basis.
Investors will be looking for signs that inflation is cooling, which could lead to the Fed wrapping up its rate-hiking campaign soon.
Personal income data and consumer spending will also be issued Friday morning. The final March reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index is due at 10 a.m. ET.
Friday also marks the last day of the first quarter. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are up 5.5% and 14.8%, respectively, for the quarter through Thursday’s close. The Dow, however, has lost nearly 1%.
For the month, however, the three major averages are up. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 2% and 4.9%, respectively, in March. The Dow, meanwhile, is up 0.6% through Thursday’s close.
The recent rally is “helping to confirm the market’s perception that the problems that brought the market to a crisis of confidence could very well be contained,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist for LPL Financial.
“The semiconductors, [which] have come to be viewed as an important bellwether for global growth, delivered a strong performance,” Krosby continued.
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has been on fire this year, surging more than 28%. This month alone, it’s up more than 9%.
However, Krosby noted that the markets are not yet completely in the clear from an economic downturn.
“Economic concerns enveloping recession fears haven’t vanished as the yield curve still represents a counter to the market’s climb higher,” Krosby added.

STOCK FUTURES CURRENTLY:

(CLICK HERE FOR STOCK FUTURES CHARTS!)

YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP!)

TODAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S MARKET MAP!)

YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S!)

NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

THIS MORNING'S PRE-MARKET EARNINGS CALENDAR:

($UXIN $SSKN $ADN $ALIM $CRKN $HCDI $CWCO $BPTH $CMCT $FATH $ALAR $SSIC $IMAB $CMMB)

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES BEFORE THE OPEN TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

THIS AFTERNOON'S AFTER-HOURS EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES AFTER THE CLOSE TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #2!

YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS!)

TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #2!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #3!)

THIS MORNING'S MOST ACTIVE TRENDING TICKERS ON STOCKTWITS:

• DWAC
• ASTS
• RUM
• UHG
• LVS
• YLCO
• APLM
• EC
• VIPS
• UNG

THIS MORNING'S STOCK NEWS MOVERS:

(source: cnbc.com)

Bed Bath & Beyond – Bed Bath & Beyond shares dipped 2% before the bell, building on a more than 26% loss from Thursday’s session. The declines came after the company once again warned that it may need to file for bankruptcy protection if its proposed $300 million stock offering fails.

STOCK SYMBOL: BBBY

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Nikola – The electric truck maker fell 5% after it announced plans to raise $100 million through a secondary stock offering, or a private sale of stock if needed.

STOCK SYMBOL: NKLA

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Virgin Orbit — Virgin Orbit shed nearly 43% after announcing that it would halt operations “for the foreseeable future” as it fails to secure funding. Virgin Orbit also said it will eliminate about 90% of its workforce.

STOCK SYMBOL: VORB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Digital World Acquisition — The SPAC linked to former President Donald Trump surged as much as 19% in premarket trading on Friday. The lift comes after a New York grand jury formally indicted Trump on charges related to “hush money” payments made before his 2016 campaign for president.

STOCK SYMBOL: DWAC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

BlackBerry — Shares fell about 2% after the software company posted fourth-quarter revenue that fell slightly short of consensus estimates. The company’s top line came in at $151 million, while analysts polled by StreetAccount had forecast revenue of $154 million.

STOCK SYMBOL: BB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Generac Holdings — The power systems provider fell 3.7% following a downgrade to underperform from neutral by Bank of America. The firm said Generac’s guidance for the 2023 fiscal year seems out of reach with its residential segment pressured.

STOCK SYMBOL: GNRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Regional bank stocks — Some regional bank stocks that have been volatile in recent weeks rose Friday. Shares of First Republic gained 1.7%, while Zions Bancorporation, PacWest and KeyCorp added about 0.6% each. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF inched 0.4% higher. UBS noted that bank borrowings from the Fed declined last week, a sign that liquidity issues may be under control following a difficult month for the broader sector.

STOCK SYMBOL: FRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

FULL DISCLOSURE:

bigbear0083 has no positions in any stocks mentioned. Reddit, moderators, and the author do not advise making investment decisions based on discussion in these posts. Analysis is not subject to validation and users take action at their own risk. bigbear0083 is an admin at the financial forums StonkForums.com where this content was originally posted.

Join the Official Reddit Stock Market Chat Room** HERE!**

DISCUSS!

What's on everyone's radar for today's trading day ahead here at StockMarketChat?

I hope you all have an excellent final trading day of this week ahead on this Friday, March 31st, 2023! :)

Good Friday morning traders and investors of the WallStreetStockMarket sub! Welcome to the final trading day of this week, month and quarter. Here are your pre-market movers & news on this Friday, March the 31st, 2023-

(CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SOURCE!)

S&P 500 futures tick higher as traders get set to wrap up the first quarter: Live updates

S&P 500 futures rose slightly Friday as traders awaited a key inflation print and got ready to wrap up the first quarter of 2023.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were marginally higher. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 69 points, or 0.2%.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect that the core PCE, which excludes energy and food costs, gained 0.4% in February from the prior month and added 4.7% on an annualized basis.
Investors will be looking for signs that inflation is cooling, which could lead to the Fed wrapping up its rate-hiking campaign soon.
Personal income data and consumer spending will also be issued Friday morning. The final March reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index is due at 10 a.m. ET.
Friday also marks the last day of the first quarter. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are up 5.5% and 14.8%, respectively, for the quarter through Thursday’s close. The Dow, however, has lost nearly 1%.
For the month, however, the three major averages are up. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 2% and 4.9%, respectively, in March. The Dow, meanwhile, is up 0.6% through Thursday’s close.
The recent rally is “helping to confirm the market’s perception that the problems that brought the market to a crisis of confidence could very well be contained,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist for LPL Financial.
“The semiconductors, [which] have come to be viewed as an important bellwether for global growth, delivered a strong performance,” Krosby continued.
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has been on fire this year, surging more than 28%. This month alone, it’s up more than 9%.
However, Krosby noted that the markets are not yet completely in the clear from an economic downturn.
“Economic concerns enveloping recession fears haven’t vanished as the yield curve still represents a counter to the market’s climb higher,” Krosby added.

STOCK FUTURES CURRENTLY:

(CLICK HERE FOR STOCK FUTURES CHARTS!)

YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S MARKET MAP!)

TODAY'S MARKET MAP:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S MARKET MAP!)

YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S S&P SECTORS:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S S&P SECTORS CHART!)

TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S ECONOMIC CALENDAR!)

NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S UPCOMING IPO'S!)

NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR NEXT WEEK'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

THIS MORNING'S PRE-MARKET EARNINGS CALENDAR:

($UXIN $SSKN $ADN $ALIM $CRKN $HCDI $CWCO $BPTH $CMCT $FATH $ALAR $SSIC $IMAB $CMMB)

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES BEFORE THE OPEN TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS MORNING'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

THIS AFTERNOON'S AFTER-HOURS EARNINGS CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS CALENDAR!)

EARNINGS RELEASES AFTER THE CLOSE TODAY:

(CLICK HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S EARNINGS RELEASES!)

YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S ANALYST UPGRADES/DOWNGRADES LINK #2!

YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS:

(CLICK HERE FOR YESTERDAY'S INSIDER TRADING FILINGS!)

TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR:

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #1!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #2!)

(CLICK HERE FOR TODAY'S DIVIDEND CALENDAR LINK #3!)

THIS MORNING'S MOST ACTIVE TRENDING TICKERS ON STOCKTWITS:

• DWAC
• ASTS
• RUM
• UHG
• LVS
• YLCO
• APLM
• EC
• VIPS
• UNG

THIS MORNING'S STOCK NEWS MOVERS:

(source: cnbc.com)

Bed Bath & Beyond – Bed Bath & Beyond shares dipped 2% before the bell, building on a more than 26% loss from Thursday’s session. The declines came after the company once again warned that it may need to file for bankruptcy protection if its proposed $300 million stock offering fails.

STOCK SYMBOL: BBBY

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Nikola – The electric truck maker fell 5% after it announced plans to raise $100 million through a secondary stock offering, or a private sale of stock if needed.

STOCK SYMBOL: NKLA

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Virgin Orbit — Virgin Orbit shed nearly 43% after announcing that it would halt operations “for the foreseeable future” as it fails to secure funding. Virgin Orbit also said it will eliminate about 90% of its workforce.

STOCK SYMBOL: VORB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Digital World Acquisition — The SPAC linked to former President Donald Trump surged as much as 19% in premarket trading on Friday. The lift comes after a New York grand jury formally indicted Trump on charges related to “hush money” payments made before his 2016 campaign for president.

STOCK SYMBOL: DWAC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

BlackBerry — Shares fell about 2% after the software company posted fourth-quarter revenue that fell slightly short of consensus estimates. The company’s top line came in at $151 million, while analysts polled by StreetAccount had forecast revenue of $154 million.

STOCK SYMBOL: BB

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Generac Holdings — The power systems provider fell 3.7% following a downgrade to underperform from neutral by Bank of America. The firm said Generac’s guidance for the 2023 fiscal year seems out of reach with its residential segment pressured.

STOCK SYMBOL: GNRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

Regional bank stocks — Some regional bank stocks that have been volatile in recent weeks rose Friday. Shares of First Republic gained 1.7%, while Zions Bancorporation, PacWest and KeyCorp added about 0.6% each. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF inched 0.4% higher. UBS noted that bank borrowings from the Fed declined last week, a sign that liquidity issues may be under control following a difficult month for the broader sector.

STOCK SYMBOL: FRC

• CLICK HERE FOR CHART!

(CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STOCK QUOTE!)

FULL DISCLOSURE:

bigbear0083 has no positions in any stocks mentioned. Reddit, moderators, and the author do not advise making investment decisions based on discussion in these posts. Analysis is not subject to validation and users take action at their own risk. bigbear0083 is an admin at the financial forums StonkForums.com where this content was originally posted.

Join the Official Reddit Stock Market Chat Room** HERE!**

DISCUSS!

What's on everyone's radar for today's trading day ahead here at WallStreetStockMarket?

I hope you all have an excellent final trading day of this week ahead on this Friday, March 31st, 2023! :)

Good Friday morning traders and investors of the StockMarketForums sub! Welcome to the final trading day of this week, month and quarter. Here are your pre-market movers & news on this Friday, March the 31st, 2023-

(CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL SOURCE!)

S&P 500 futures tick higher as traders get set to wrap up the first quarter: Live updates

S&P 500 futures rose slightly Friday as traders awaited a key inflation print and got ready to wrap up the first quarter of 2023.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, and Nasdaq-100 futures were marginally higher. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 69 points, or 0.2%.
The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect that the core PCE, which excludes energy and food costs, gained 0.4% in February from the prior month and added 4.7% on an annualized basis.
Investors will be looking for signs that inflation is cooling, which could lead to the Fed wrapping up its rate-hiking campaign soon.
Personal income data and consumer spending will also be issued Friday morning. The final March reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index is due at 10 a.m. ET.
Friday also marks the last day of the first quarter. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are up 5.5% and 14.8%, respectively, for the quarter through Thursday’s close. The Dow, however, has lost nearly 1%.
For the month, however, the three major averages are up. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have gained 2% and 4.9%, respectively, in March. The Dow, meanwhile, is up 0.6% through Thursday’s close.
The recent rally is “helping to confirm the market’s perception that the problems that brought the market to a crisis of confidence could very well be contained,” said Quincy Krosby, chief global strategist for LPL Financial.
“The semiconductors, [which] have come to be viewed as an important bellwether for global growth, delivered a strong performance,” Krosby continued.
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) has been on fire this year, surging more than 28%. This month alone, it’s up more than 9%.
However, Krosby noted that the markets are not yet completely in the clear from an economic downturn.
“Economic concerns enveloping recession fears haven’t vanished as the yield curve still represents a counter to the market’s climb higher,” Krosby added.

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THIS MORNING'S PRE-MARKET EARNINGS CALENDAR:

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THIS MORNING'S MOST ACTIVE TRENDING TICKERS ON STOCKTWITS:

• DWAC
• ASTS
• RUM
• UHG
• LVS
• YLCO
• APLM
• EC
• VIPS
• UNG

THIS MORNING'S STOCK NEWS MOVERS:

(source: cnbc.com)

Bed Bath & Beyond – Bed Bath & Beyond shares dipped 2% before the bell, building on a more than 26% loss from Thursday’s session. The declines came after the company once again warned that it may need to file for bankruptcy protection if its proposed $300 million stock offering fails.

STOCK SYMBOL: BBBY

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Nikola – The electric truck maker fell 5% after it announced plans to raise $100 million through a secondary stock offering, or a private sale of stock if needed.

STOCK SYMBOL: NKLA

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Virgin Orbit — Virgin Orbit shed nearly 43% after announcing that it would halt operations “for the foreseeable future” as it fails to secure funding. Virgin Orbit also said it will eliminate about 90% of its workforce.

STOCK SYMBOL: VORB

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Digital World Acquisition — The SPAC linked to former President Donald Trump surged as much as 19% in premarket trading on Friday. The lift comes after a New York grand jury formally indicted Trump on charges related to “hush money” payments made before his 2016 campaign for president.

STOCK SYMBOL: DWAC

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BlackBerry — Shares fell about 2% after the software company posted fourth-quarter revenue that fell slightly short of consensus estimates. The company’s top line came in at $151 million, while analysts polled by StreetAccount had forecast revenue of $154 million.

STOCK SYMBOL: BB

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Generac Holdings — The power systems provider fell 3.7% following a downgrade to underperform from neutral by Bank of America. The firm said Generac’s guidance for the 2023 fiscal year seems out of reach with its residential segment pressured.

STOCK SYMBOL: GNRC

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Regional bank stocks — Some regional bank stocks that have been volatile in recent weeks rose Friday. Shares of First Republic gained 1.7%, while Zions Bancorporation, PacWest and KeyCorp added about 0.6% each. The SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF inched 0.4% higher. UBS noted that bank borrowings from the Fed declined last week, a sign that liquidity issues may be under control following a difficult month for the broader sector.

STOCK SYMBOL: FRC

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