Has China Tech Broken Encryption?

Welcome to This Week’s Leyendecker View

I put my heart and my soul into my work
and have lost my mind in the process.
– Vincent Van Gogh

THOUGHTS FROM DOUG

The best time to start a new business is during a recession. Rent, labor, services and more are cheaper during tough times. 2023 will be a year of start-ups.

In the 1960s and 1970s, liberals wanted to “stick it to the man.” Today, liberals seem to be “the man.” 

What’s up with this surge in physical attacks on our power grid?

Doesn’t it feel odd that the Fed seems focused on ensuring unemployment gets worse?

Brazil just re-elected a president who spent time in jail after his first term in office. Here’s what Brazilian citizens feel is important for this new president to address. Notice what’s last on their priority list.

Mexico is likely to be a beneficiary of the US retreat from China, so why would so many Mexicans be so anxious to leave their country? Is the US trading one bad apple for another?

Here’s a list of which country’s citizens are trying to enter the US at our Southern border.

Climate change is the greatest news invention in the history of humanity. What’s more newsworthy than the end of the world…that’s always just around the corner.

How would a company that makes weapons for war be ESG scored?

I’m not sure what on the internet is and is not real. Consequently, I’m not sure if any of the following news stories are telling the truth or not.

THE ECONOMIC VIEW

US economy keeps adding jobs
The Fed won’t be happy.

Economic indexes are falling.
Manufacturing index falling fast
Non-residential construction declines
Housing starts and new permits keep falling
While multi-family hit 50-year high

Fed President suggests 5.4%
Is where rates will end up.
Fed is serious about taming inflation

THE INFLATION BOGEYMAN

Beer sales are falling
‘Cause a beer is now too expensive

US inflation will be lower in 2023
Suggests Janet Yellen.
Yet it’s growing globally

US inflation hasn’t turned the corner
Says an IMF official.

THE LABOR VIEW

Those non-compete agreements
May be banned by the FTC

Video game testers form a union
Within Microsoft.

Getting promoted during a recession.
Here’s how you do it

Companies are hiking up pay
Will prices have to follow?

MEANWHILE IN EUROPE

Winter heat wave
Eases Europe’s energy woes.

France wants to up retirement age
Unions say no way.

ECB interest rate raises
Put Italy in a squeeze

PLAYING WITH FIRE

Ukraine to get major arms upgrade
From Germany and the US
And from France, too

Putin doubles down on the war
When will the Russians take him out?
The Ukrainians refuse to stand down

Putin and Xi sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S-I-N-G.

GLOBAL

Singapore GDP at 3.8%
Not great, but better than everyone else.

India wants to build its defense industry
Rather than rely on imports.

Japan wants to depopulate Tokyo
They’ll pay people to go rural.
“Buy” a rural farm for nothing

THE FINANCE WORLD

The junk loan market
Is about to get ugly

2022’s stock market high
Was the very first day of the year

Ultra wealthy avoiding the stock market.
Saving cash for the crash

The best and worst performing stock sectors
From Visual Capitalist.

THE CRYPTO MEME

“We kind of lost track.”
SBF’s defense of the FTX implosion.
The FTX noose is tightening

“…it’s mostly scams and memes…”
Says former FTX crypto exec.

Crypto should be regulated like gambling
Says this EU regulator.
Lender could be going bankrupt
And then there’s more fraud

Another crypto lender implodes

REAL ESTATE

Green office buildings
Are about to cause a real estate problem

Beleaguered office market
Now has to deal with a recession

Apartment rent growth is slowing
But it’s still growing.

TECHNOLOGY

As the tech wreck grows
One company rises up big

Has China tech broken encryption?
If so, what data or system is safe?

Apple introduces AI-voiced audio books
No humans needed.
And AI has started writing books

AI text is poisoning the internet
Time to return to the analog world?
Maybe get rid of your smart phone

THE NEXT NORMAL

Neither 18 nor 21 may be adulthood
If so, what are the consequences?

Gen Z is a huge mess
Can they recover?

Who in the US drinks alcohol?
Gallup tells us.

THE WAR ON CARBON

EU carbon tax plan
Has plenty of global opposition

Geothermal could be best clean energy
O&G companies can make it happen.

Offshore wind is in trouble
As costs are soaring.

A stealth way to remove carbon
Is getting investor attention.

THE EV DREAM

EVs are a luxury good
Government subsidies help.

EV factory building boom
Will enough people buy EVs?

Toyota CEO
Says all-in EVs not the future

THE NEW ENERGY TRANSITION

Germany takes in first LNG cargo
At a facility they built in record time.
Germany to double gas fired power

Russia doesn’t need the EU.
China is going to take Russia’s gas

Could fracking happen in Germany?
The Finance Minister says “yes”

THE CHINA SYNDROME

Covid runs wild in China
EU wants travelers to show negative tests
China calls it political
China needs to stimulate its economy
Support coming for real estate sector

US signs deal with Taiwan
To sell them anti-tank tech.

Japan to spend billions on US Tomahawks
Go long on defense stocks.
Has a sleeping tiger been awakened?

THE WASHING-TONE

US expands Title 42
Is productive immigration policy coming?
US to expel more illegal migrants

Social Security payment income cap
Should it be eliminated?

New US defense budget
Has ways to arm Taiwan

MAKING A BETTER YOU

How to become wise
Bring it on!

Keeping your brain young.
Here are 8 things to do

How to do a to-do list right
So you accomplish more.

HOW ABOUT A BREAK

Everyone is above average, right?
Well, maybe not.

2023’s best places to travel
Get your next trip planned.

The coolest archeology finds of 2022
Real live Indiana Jones stuff.

SONG OF THE WEEK

“Mr. Worldwide”
By hip hop’s hot 70+ year olds
Lyrics are poetry, you know.

CASTING AROUND THE PODS

What does science say?
The politicized world of science from Jordan Peterson.

VIDEOS OF THE WEEK

Top movies for 2023
Will be in your face soon.

The Chinese painting copiers
Quite the story.

Why do we dance?
For collective effervescence.

FROM THE HEADHUNTER’S KITCHEN

Jo Mama’s world famous spaghetti
Moving on from the holidays.

10 food trends for 2023
Non-alcoholic drinking is set to grow.

Canned beans make good food
Good comfort food.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

The Weird Year in Charts
December 30, 2022

Hope You’re Having a Wonderful Holiday Season!
December 23, 2022