The idea is brilliant, increase the standard deduction, and get rid of all the itemized deductions. I recall a conversation I had with a friend about how much I paid in taxes, I wasn’t smart enough to figure out all the deductions, so I was foolish to have paid more. If everyone had the same deduction, and I paid more in taxes, it would mean that I had more to spend. End of conversation.

Of course it will never happen. The hundreds of pages of tax code hide a Thousand sacred cows. Cows that will never be allowed to go to slaughter.

Following the money, the only thing that causes more discussion on taxes is opinions on benefits. Yes, every deduction is a special interest benefit. I do not believe that we will have comprehensive tax reform. The darkest of money in the deepest of pockets will assure failure. So I disagree with Wall Street expectation of a tax bill. Maybe I will be wrong?

A middle class tax cut is also smart. They will by more things, and create more jobs. The rich have already made a killing in the market, and are getting richer. They do not need a tax cut.

A business tax cut is also smart. If we were to make flat screen TV’s in this country we would have more jobs and fewer people in poverty. Quite possibly if we were to produce everything we need here, we would be less interested in military intervention elsewhere. The latter is just my theory. The party line is more jobs, less crime. Probably not that far from the truth.

The above is President Trump’s vision as I see it. The New York Times says it is a tax increase on the middle class to benefit the rich. That may be true after the professional politicians work their magic on the bill.

On final thing the president and others forget. As Warren Buffett says, increase the capital gains tax. Then work the tables and balance the budget. It can’t be that hard.

Late last week when I thought of this story, a Bitcoin was worth about $8000. A number that was similar to the cash burn of  Tesla every minute. It’s estimated that at the current rate of cash burn, Tesla will run out of money in August. Of course Tesla plans to have their new production line that produces the Model 3 running full production by then. If (small word with big meaning) the new production line runs at full capacity it would easily make those kinds of numbers in profits.

At the beginning of this year a Bitcoin was worth about a Thousand dollars. It’s been theorized that the Royal Saudi Shakedown has caused the dramatic run-up in the value of the crypto currency this year. Billions? What Billions?

I just thought it was interesting that Tesla was going through a Bitcoin a minute. In my mind an interesting measure of potential values. This past weekend of course changed that. Every single Bitcoin was now worth an additional $1000! So in a relative way the cash burn of Tesla has dramatically dropped. Success is assured.

Alternatively of course I could argue that the “Trump Bump” has lifted stocks worldwide. So why then wouldn’t the Trump Bump have also lifted Bitcoin? Cheers to continuing success.

A hundred years ago there was a genre of music known as “Sweet Music”. Sweet Music was preceded by Ragtime, and followed with Swing. Influenced by Jazz these were distinctly American forms of music. The most notable thing about Sweet Music was it was the first recorded music. It is because of this revolutionary technology that I define Sweet Music as sweet. As technology has progressed in the last hundred years our lives have changed. Those more versed in musical history may correct me, but this is the way I understand the beginnings of recorded music. Recorded music, just one element of the roaring 20’s.

As I manipulate photons for better living, electrons sing in my ears. My life is a simple one. Because I discovered Sweet Music infused with modern synthetics, music has made my ears rejoice, and my soul happy. No longer do we non musical types have to journey to enjoy music. Pandora and ear buds. What a boon to mankind.

Not to get off topic, but back to the topic of this blog. Sweet Music is apolitical. Politics doesn’t belong in music. Unless of course you live in North Korea. Sure there is patriotic music, and protest music. However a soon as music goes political, it looses it emotion. That is why we listen to music. For the emotions.

Now for the punch line. You Can’t Always Get What You Want. A song played at Trump rallies and events. You get what you need.

Because I am so tired of our media bias, I have taken up watching RT for news. It has been very interesting. They play both sides of the isle with clear eyed analysis. Honestly, as far as I am concerned it is a welcome alternative.

For me North Korea is a fascinating place, I find horror in its beauty. The recent video of the defector crossing the line is a perfect example. The landscaping of the North compares favorably with the best of the presidents many golf courses. Then the quick reacting guards of the North promptly aerated the desperate defector.

He made it, but just barely. Turned out he was malnourished, sickly and infested with worms. The pretty, is it truly just a facade? So I was intrigued, well even entranced when RT had a documentary on life inside North Korea. It is only logical that RT would have better access than any American news organization.

It was quickly apparent that the only footage that was allowed was footage that followed in the footsteps of the Dear Leader little Kim. Following in his footsteps, everything was beautiful. Pretty rooms, pretty flowers, pretty people. Yes the buildings in the life of little Kim are beautiful, and the people around him are attentive and respectful. It is true every building he has visited has a room to commemorate the visit. Every footstep of the Dear Leader had been carefully recorded. Every article that he touched becomes enshrined in glass and celebrated with holy reverence. The documentarians carefully followed in the documented footsteps of the Dear Leader, it seems to be what people there do.

I sincerely doubt that the Dear Leader has trod the entirety of his state, we can only guess what life is like in the places where little Kim has not left his esteemed footprints. Reality of that life is unrecorded. Do we think that it is filled with the “Happiest People on Earth”? Yes, that is the facade portrayed. The title of the RT documentary was indeed “The Happiest People on Earth”, and the people shown were indeed happy. They were especially happy that their dear leader would soon be able to put his finger on a button and bring nuclear annihilation to their great enemy America.

Since the recent shouting match between rocket man and our leader, lithtle Kim has not exploded any bombs, or launched any missiles. Time will tell.

Of course the defector may have been a simple horticulturalist. Motivated by a simple desire to bring horticultural beauty to the South.

President Trump was introduced as “Leader of the world” at the APEC economic summit in Vietnam. President Trump is quite popular overseas. A fact that even my myopic local news admitted this morning. American presidents have been previously addressed as “Leader of the free world”, however to be called “Leader of the world” is quite an achievement. It’s also quite the concession from the Communists.

So is it simple flattery? Or an expression of sincere respect. Naturally I believe that we have entered into a new era. An era of mutual respect and admiration among nations. Less than a year in and we have one small step for President Trump, and one large leap for mankind. Really.

When I was young I had two heroes. The first was Jackie Stuart, the race car driver. The second was Neil Armstrong the astronaut. It was rare for a race car driver to survive the sixties. Amazingly Jackie Stuart is still on TV, driving Jaguars, and being paid by Heineken to preach sobriety.  Such an amazing hero! Yes, I still wink at the moon.

Today I have two heroes, President Trump and Elon Musk. Both have their many detractors. Both want to change the world for the better. Both have had amazing success, and both have miles to go before they sleep.

To think, I actually shook the hand of one of my heroes.

Let’s celebrate this Halloween with the horror of the Orange Man. Capable of sending hundreds of thousands from their homes and into the streets distraught with fear of the future and the righteous concern for the well being of all the children of the land.

I have always wondered why anyone would want to be president. Sure you would get the use of a nice plane, live in a nice house and get to eat good food. Additionally you would get to meet lots of interesting people. However the downside is half the people in the country would hate you, and conversely, they would ask some really tough unanswerable questions. So how come the Orange Man, who had really some nice planes, a bunch of really nice houses, and I would presume, some really good food want to what essentially would be to go slumming? Additionally the Orange Man was already regularly seen with some really interesting people. He had all that, and nobody really hated him, or asked really tough questions. He had it made, in the shade.

So why on earth would the Orange Man possibly want to have half the country hate him? So the other half would love him? Nope, he said that he wanted to fix things. He figured himself a fixer. In some strange way I could relate to that. Strangely the Orange Man exceeded all expectations, fully two thirds of the country hate him, while only one third of the country sees him as a revolutionary super hero.  Congratulations are in order.

Of course such horrific success is not the result of the efforts of a single man. The sun kissed success of the Orange Man is the fruit of organized teamwork by many participants and organizations. His orange essence has bottled and boxed in by the Plastic Media. Their artisanally crafted faux news has made the horror of the Orange Man so appealing for so many. Additionally the many Wealthy Toddlers of the NFL enforce stereotypical perceptions by squeezing the perceived pulp of morality out of the Orange Man. Finally the Self Congratulatory Perverts of Hollywood lust after every drop of the essence of the subtlety crafted  horrors so creatively ascribed to the Orange Man. Such teamwork is united by the extortionary language motivated by the unquenchable thirst of indescribable wealth and the demonic desire for the infliction of pain upon any who could possibly interfere with their self-righteous acquisitions. To be able to gin up the disdain, or even hatred of two thirds of the populace? Absolutely ghoulish success!

So I raise my glass of Orange Juice to toast the Great Orange Man on this All Hallows Eve! Even when I think he’s wrong, he’s right. Such a ghoulish success. Cheers to all!