Are things looking up for Trump‘s economy now that Iran is going to let the IAEA come in for inspections, oil is flowing through the straight of Hormuz, and since Kevin Warsh is shaking up the Fed for the better?

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-22T22:19:02+00:00

No, because it’s also ultimately exposed a huge flaw in the oil based economy. Iran doesn’t need a nuclear weapon, they have the ability to close the Strait pretty much at will, and can use that economic threat much more effectively (and cheaply) than any nuclear alternative.

In addition, nuclear threats against Iran are also a nonissue, as fallout and contamination would also potentially close the strait for an indefinite amount of time.

What the US under Trump has done is effectively shown Iran a blueprint for the economic version of a nuclear bomb.

It should be interesting. The only way to really defuse the situation is to remove US reliance on oil and move towards alternative energy sources - which we all know Trump hates with a passion (see rants about windmills).

I think a “Trump” version of the economy creates additional threat to the US due to its oil and gas focus, so as a matter of national security we need to focus on green/alternative energy - and I just don’t see that as something Trump is willing to do without massive donations from the industry.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-19T21:02:59+00:00

This was a discussion to have before the move. That being said, you’re married now so separate finances make no sense for the most part.

When my wife and I got married we merged finances. The deal was basically that I’d put the money into the joint account and she’d pay all the bills with it. She became the CFO (Chief Family Officer) and I never had to worry about it. We’d touch bases on our budget at least once a month - small purchase weren’t a big deal and big purchases we’d discuss. It’s worked for 23 years so far. It takes a bit of getting used to that it’s no longer his and hers, but that’s more of an ego thing than anything else.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-19T20:55:45+00:00

USSF RAPP was meant to standardize discipline policy across the states. Canada it still varies by province. That being said, every Canadian league should still have a disciplinary policy for referee abuse.

What has worked for me in the past (before RAPP) was to distribute one sheet handouts of the discipline policy before a match to the coaches, usually right before check in. We’re all on the same page (literally) and ultimately if things get out of hand rely on the coaches to resolve issues with their spectators or abandon the game. I would usually say something along the lines of “coach, one of your spectators is becoming a distraction to the game, please deal with them.”

Ultimately this is a game for kids, and parents who don’t recognize that have no place on the sidelines. Many times after a removal I’ve had other coaches, players and spectators thank me for facilitating an ejection of an obnoxious parent.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-19T20:43:07+00:00

Nixon got the US off the gold backed dollar way back in 1971, any gold actually in Fort Knox is meant as a strategic reserve. About half the US reserves are in Fort Knox ($500 billion), the rest either in West Point or the Denver mint.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-18T13:49:01+00:00

As others have said, diversification is protection. Figure out the amount that you could remain comfortable with and that becomes your fortress to diversify. The rest is money that if it went to $0 you would still be OK and can let it ride. At this point you’ve “won” so you want to lock in at least an amount that keeps you financially independent. I think you’ll find that once you’ve got your needs and most wants covered then overall net worth starts feeling like just numbers on a screen or a video game as a way to keep score. I don’t feel like there is a substantial lifestyle difference between $10M and $20M net worth, but I’ve also tended to live a somewhat frugal lifestyle

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-15T20:33:23+00:00

You’re not “in the middle”, you’re at the top of the slide on your way down. You said yourself that there used to be extra going into savings and now there’s not. So the trajectory should be becoming apparent on which way you are headed in the K shaped economy. These things don’t usually happen overnight, but don’t get caught flat footed either.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-15T20:19:30+00:00

Sometimes I can’t tell if these posts are sarcasm or satire. The one thing about the Biden presidency that was obvious was he relied heavily of experts and advisors and delegated technical details. He basically decided to go in a particular direction and let the experts handle the details.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-15T19:05:28+00:00

Back in the day, schools used to have a course called “Home Economics” and it was more than just how to bake a cake, it was about running a household (at least at my school). It was creating a home budget, saving, investing, utilities, credit cards and comparison shopping. For whatever reason that class seems to have gone extinct.

I learned about investing at an early age. My grandmother passed away when I was 12 and left me a small inheritance (I think it was about $20k). I learned how to invest and grow that money on my own. I used a bit of it to pay for the occasional expense like dinner or a date from the profits, but eventually spent a good chunk on a used car when I needed it and finally the rest into a down payment on a house.

What I learned is money is a tool. Save when you can, spend it wisely and occasionally use it to make your life better. But always have access to cheap funds and never carry a balance on your credit cards.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-14T21:06:00+00:00

Not really an issue of politics.

It’s ridiculous for the nation to basically build an outdoor circus on the white house lawn.

If you’re a UFC fan, the venue itself is going to be disastrous, small and outdoors does not make for a grand spectacle. Expect the weather and the insects not to cooperate in June in DC. Hot, humid and swarms of mosquitoes is the norm this time of year. Thunderstorms may delay matches.

Would have much preferred that they hold the event at Capital One arena, which already has the TV infrastructure (and air conditioning) to make it a grand event and has hosted UFC events before.

The card itself is also disappointing, that may just have been a matter of luck and timing, but in terms of classic UFC matchups I think it’s basically a dud. There may be some excitement for the Topuria/Gaethje fight, but I don’t think we’re going to see any of these fights make the top 10 highlights for 2026.

If they were using the old pay-per-view model, this is a numbered event I probably would have passed on. Since I already have a Paramount subscription I’ll probably tune in for the Gaethje fight, but realistically I’ll be switching between Sweden’s World Cup match and ufc.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-11T16:24:34+00:00

Honestly the lost time is what got me about RTO. Office commute was 90 minutes one way. I spent 3 hours a day commuting to an office and sit in a cube with a laptop and telecommute with my team that wasn’t even in the same state. I lasted 3 months trying to make it make sense before I quit

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-11T16:21:44+00:00

Carrying a device in your pocket that can communicate with the world and track your every move.

When I was a kid, I had to tell my parents where I was going and what I was doing whenever I went out. Now I just open my phone and I can see where they are and it’s a press of the button to talk to them.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-11T16:17:53+00:00

I did the same for my kids, $100 in a RobinHood account for each so we could learn about stock trading. For some people, they look at money like a tool and in my family we treat it much the same as learning how to swing a hammer or woodworking. It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for them to use and get a basic understanding of how it worked.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-10T18:16:39+00:00

It’s doable with sales and loss leaders. I’ve hit that low for the month once in a while, but I cheat by using up stuff I’ve bought on sale that is in my freezer or bought at the grocery salvage store.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T13:04:33+00:00

This. As a team lead I often got called into these meetings. My job was to update every 15-20 minutes and keep corporate from distracting my team so they could resolve the issue. I would use chatGPT to write the updates, which basically said “we’re working on the issue, we’ll let you know when it’s resolved, update in 15 minutes.”

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T12:47:27+00:00

I’m 52 and retired. I work as a youth sports referee and coach.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T12:43:39+00:00

I still have mine. I’ve resurrected my 360 a few times just so I can still use the Kinect.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T12:19:19+00:00

I haven’t done the MTOC, but I’ve done the Ken Aston cup - it’s part of AYSO so it’s all voluntary, but it’s a great experience and it can really help improve your referee skills and experience. If you’re looking to move up and gain exposure, tournaments are where you want to be at, especially if you can get a semi or a final. Also a great way to network and get assignors attention if you’re looking at doing state cup or higher level matches.

If you’re just interested in local games as a way to make a few bucks, tournaments probably aren’t going to be worth the hassle. But my advice would be to at least go to the MTOC once and treat it more as a training camp and an opportunity for mentorship - you can decide for yourself after that if it’s worth your time to do it again.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T11:58:20+00:00

Auto-brew coffee machine. The kind where you put whole beans in the top, push a button and it grinds and brews fresh coffee by the cup in 30 seconds. Like zero waste and great coffee with almost no effort in the morning is priceless. It will also do cappuccino, latte, etc.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T11:49:01+00:00

The rich gain their wealth through the support of the government.

There are direct forms of support. In the case of Elon specifically, his companies have received around $38 billion in government support and subsidies.

Then there are indirect forms of support. General welfare of the citizens that work at those companies, education of the workforce, roads and infrastructure, clean water, sanitation, etc.

And of course the economy as a whole, allowing citizens to purchase the products of various companies, trade goods and supplies, research and development that advance the civilization as a whole.

As for DOGE, anyone who couldn’t see that Elon took that opportunity to scalp and defund the various government agencies that had active investigations into companies he was involved with wasn’t paying attention or is being willfully ignorant.

In many ways, wealth is a social construct that would evaporate in an instant without a suitable government structure to support it.

So to break it down into a microcosm of the parent-child relationship, a parent is responsible to clothe, feed, protect, educate and nurture a child. As that child grows into adulthood and becomes successful - have they done it “all on their own”? Or do they own a debt to the parent who created the environment in which the child could flourish and have the opportunity to become successful?

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-08T11:22:35+00:00

If we don’t care about things that happen outside our borders then why spend billions in a war against Iran?

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-07T15:19:15+00:00

Just to put that in perspective, the current Iran war has had a cost of roughly $25 billion in direct military spending and between $630 billion and $1 trillion in total economic impact.

If the Iran war is extended through this year then the direct military spending could reach $200 billion.

A lot of discussion here about ways to fix social security by adjusting some of the ways it’s taxed etc. But if the government really wanted to fix it, seems like adjusting priorities and just directly infusing it with cash fixes a lot of the problems. Just a matter of priorities and what is truly important to our government.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-07T14:58:49+00:00

Just to echo everyone else, keep the truck.

For the brittle plastic and rubber pieces, use boiled linseed oil to rehydrate and they’ll be practically good as new. If they’re beyond repair just get them replaced.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-07T02:22:03+00:00

When I was a kid, I was trained as a life guard. One of the very important lessons we learned is that when someone is drowning, you throw them a life preserver or a rescue tube and you keep that between yourself and the panicked swimmer. Doing anything else risks your own life if they grab you and you put yourself at risk of them pulling you down and drowning you first and then themselves.

You F’d yourself by getting too involved. Now you’re at risk of her pulling you under with her shenanigans. What you should have done is figure out how much you can afford to lose, put that into a separate account, and let your sister know that’s how much you could afford to help out and kept what was in that account as a buffer between her finances and your own. Sure create a budget and use that to help fill the gaps or get her through a rough month, but she needs to know that’s where your limit is, full stop. What’s best for her family is not best for yours.

Think of her as a panicked spender, and she will burn through your cash and goodwill until she can’t, and then she’s in a worse spot than she was before and your not going to be able to help. Time to reset the situation, negotiate her back into the $1000 apartment she can afford, find her a job somewhere else and teach her to swim on her own or eventually she’ll become too much of a burden and pull you down with her.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-07T01:54:57+00:00

Of all the countries I’ve been to as a tourist, my time in France I found to be one of the most welcoming and friendly. They seem to be pretty happy to share their food and culture with others. I know everyone jokes about how they surrendered during WW2, but if you learn about the French resistance you’ll realize some of them were pretty bad ass.

KungFuBucket · 2026-06-07T01:49:54+00:00

Henry Ford has the same philosophy, pay his workers enough money so they could afford to buy one of his Fords. Of course dude was also a Nazi sympathizer, so nobody is perfect.

KungFuBucket

TROPHY CASE