In the complex and ever-evolving world of finance, it is crucial to stay informed and ready to adapt to the latest market conditions. My weekly blog posts aim to bring you insights and perspectives on these changes, particularly the financial challenges that we are currently navigating. By doing so, I hope to equip you with the knowledge and understanding you need to make informed decisions about your investments.

In recent times, we have witnessed significant changes in the investment markets, including rising inflation rates. Such changes can seem daunting, and understandably so.

By writing about these issues, my goal is to shed light on these complex phenomena and make them more understandable. We don't just observe the financial landscape; we actively engage with it, constantly seeking ways to optimize our efforts in the face of adversity. I believe that with the right information and guidance, we can navigate these challenges together and continue to thrive.

How Is It Going?

Breitbart Economics Editor John Carney said in a Friday interview on Fox Business Network that President Joe Biden's assertions about the success of "Bidenomics" are falling on deaf ears for Americans whose actual incomes have been pummeled by inflation.

An AP poll last month found that 76 percent of Americans view Biden’s economy as “poor,” and it is easy to understand why, Carney explained.

The impact of inflation on people's household budgets is one of the things, he continued, that you can't fool people about. "Everyone can see that even if their wage has increased, their bills are increasing even more quickly. And by "real wages are falling," we mean exactly that. Because of the recent decline in inflation, they have decreased significantly. Real earnings have been down for a record number of months, but they aren't falling as quickly as they once did. If you go all the way back to the beginning of the Biden administration, you'll discover that people have seen themselves becoming poorer and poorer every month.

People must borrow in order to keep up, which is bad given that the Fed is hiking interest rates at the same time to combat inflation. So, in addition to borrowing more, consumers are now paying more interest on their loan, which raises the cost even further, he said.

"The Fed has really made it clear that they are going to defeat inflation even at the cost of having a recession," Carney continued. Therefore, I believe that Biden may be out of luck because the next election year, 2024, may see a recession. I still think that's extremely plausible. I don't believe the recession has been avoided. - Breitbart

It’s A Small World

"It's a Small World" is a water-based boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks around the world, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. The ride was first introduced at the 1964 New York World's Fair before it was moved to Disneyland in 19661.

The ride is known for its representation of global unity, featuring over 300 audio-animatronic dolls in traditional costumes from cultures around the world. These dolls frolic and sing the attraction's title song, "It's A Small World," which has a theme of global peace. The song, by the Sherman Brothers, is said to be the most publicly performed song of all time. The ride has been updated in recent years to include depictions of Disney characters alongside the original characters.

The original concept for the ride, called "Children of the World," was designed by Mary Blair, who had been an art director on several Disney animated features. The scenes and characters were designed by animator Marc Davis, and the costumes for the dolls were designed by his wife, Alice Davis. The animated dolls were designed and sculpted by Blaine Gibson, with Walt Disney personally involved in the design of the dolls' faces.

Interestingly, the working title of the ride was "Children of the World," and its initial soundtrack was intended to feature the national anthems of every country represented in the ride, all playing at once. But this produced a discordant cacophony. Walt Disney asked his staff songwriters, the Sherman Brothers, to create a single song that could be easily translated into many languages and be played as a round. The resulting song, "It's a Small World (After All)," was written in the wake of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and carries a message of peace and brotherhood. The attraction was renamed "It's a Small World" after this song.

Things Change . . .

The Walt Disney Co. is estimated to have lost a stunning $890 million on its last eight studio releases, including The Little Mermaid and Elemental, according to a box office analyst.

With the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny on Friday, Disney may have another catastrophe on its hands. Since its Cannes Film Festival debut, the franchise's fifth entry has drawn negative reviews.

"That can't continue indefinitely. Folks, it's just easy math," remarked Valliant Renegade in the video. We are there, I said. The Walt Disney Company is simply making all the wrong choices, both creatively and in terms of the channels of distribution. With CEO Bob Iger attempting to cut $5.5 billion in spending, including firing 7,000 workers globally, Disney is in an unheard-of financial crisis.

The layoffs follow a terrible 2022 in which Disney stock fell 44 percent, making it the company's worst year in over five decades. Following his final quarterly report in November, the former CEO Bob Chapek was unexpectedly let go. - Breitbart

Why Is This Important To Know?

Many invest with BlackRock and Vanguard. If you have assets with these firms, you need to know and be comfortable with the firms they own. Disney is just the tip of the iceberg. This link takes you to a chart from Yahoo Finance which shows these two firms own 14.61% of Disney.

I could write forever about what BlackRock is doing, and have a page on the site which has been available for some time. Take a few minutes to click the link and carefully read the post.