The Synthetic Matrix?
Courtesy of The Nattering Naybob
The Matrix
[Matrix poster art courtesy of Robert Bruno.]
The Matrix is a 1999 American-Australian neo-noir science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowski Brothers. It depicts a dystopian future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality called "the Matrix", created by sentient machines to subdue the human population, while their bodies' heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source. A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
GDP Redux
On April 5th, we posted Dollar Hell? (or Road to Perdition?) and used April 2nd Atlanta Fed Now GDP at +0.7%. Rechecking later that very day.. cut to +0.4%
Above note, checking on Friday 8th, another cut down to +0.1% Do I hear negative by next week? Confirmation of our Aug – Oct GDP call for weak Q4 and negative Q1. At +0.1% it might as well be.
The SME
A well intended friend and I often differ on certain subject matter. He once commented, "the Dollar is a VERY complex instrument…There's a reason I stay away from currencies – for me, there's a limit to how many things I can pay attention to and understand well enough to make good decisions.. there's just no room in my limited and aging databanks."
As with most things in life, that is a choice which is founded in your self knowledge and heeding the golden rule. Bandwidth can get narrower as we get older, especially if you are lucky enough to be like Abe and make it to 94. What was the subject at hand?
Back on the right track… given the above noted limitations, that's why I try to stick to the things I somewhat know; banking, monetary policy and the "dollar". I leave the options, futures portfolio hedging, straddles, collars, spreads and capital preservation to my friend. Why? Because that subject matter is in his wheelhouse and thus, he is the SME (subject matter expert) in that field. Long ago in a defensive posture, my friend recommended "go to cash", we concurred and still do, because he is the SME and "Doctor" as it were.
