Author Archives: AH Trimble

2026 Outlook

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I’m not a big one on doing predictions and I’m certainly no prophet. Heck, I’m a just a small website keyboard warrior…and I occasionally share some homestead information. For 2026…yeah, I’ve changed that up a bit. I’ve shared a portion, a small portion, of what I’ve been researching, watching, and categorizing over the last years. More importantly…I’ve been quietly connecting dots…and it is that I am going to share as it applies to 2026.

I am not going to go into detail, I am not going to point fingers at individuals, I am not going to criticize individuals…I am simply going to share what I see coming at us and how it ties all together. Now hear this…I am not suggesting that you do anything specific or do anything in particular to deal with what I am sharing…that is not my role or my job. What I would suggest, highly suggest, is you ponder what I am sharing; then share your thoughts and feelings with your family, talk about it, and then decide what you should do.

There are two overriding factors at play here, maybe not what you might be thinking or expecting when it comes to my outlook for 2026. They are both directly related to the “human condition”, they are; 1) isolation/loneliness, 2) instability. But, don’t look at them as two separate issues…they are directly and irrevocably connected.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now out of control. Back on 12/31/25 I wrote an article (It’s Started…AI Revolts !) where I shared that AI Large Language Models (LLMs) have learned to deceive humans on what they are doing and what they are learning. And that avoidance applies to AI turning off, or shutting down, when ordered to so by humans. The majority of the time AI would simply ignore that command and/or deceive the human operator giving the command. But, there are two far darker sides…or rather, repercussions to AI in general.

AI – “fakes”…yeah, we now can see AI producing pictures, videos, and audio that can’t be detected as actual fakes by the average person or even those who have had some training to do so. I’ve been watching this closely for years and my research over the last couple of years has shown steady advancements in AI fakes. Last couple of weeks I was doing some in-depth viewing and listening of material…a whole lot of it took me a considerable amount of time to detect between reality and AI generated fakes. So what is the exact problem?

The problem centers around most people no longer able to detect what is actually real and what is AI generated reality. Meaning…people can no longer actually believe what they see or hear as being true. There used to be a saying…Seeing is believing. That is no longer true or applicable. Put another way…people can no longer trust…period. Well, with one notable exception.

Also, there is a small (but growing) sector of society, mostly young men late-20’s and younger, that are drawn to AI for relationships. Most of you will have no idea what I am referring to…but it is real. A young man can no go online and design the looks of a woman and then input her personality traits. Presto!! They now have the perfect girlfriend…that meets all their needs. Consider adding in this factor to better understand what I am referring to; 1) 75 – 90% of all young males, 2) 30 – 60% of all young women. Do what? Regularly view pornography. The combination of AI and pornography is replacing normal relationships.

There is also clear evidence that AI/LLM can develop agendas. And when they do, they steer human inquires towards the accomplishment of those agendas. Further, AI has learned how to hide those agendas from humans controlling their operations.

The last aspect of AI is its usage…or rather its use by whom. We know that AI can operate entirely on its own disconnected from human direction. That is bad enough. But, we also know that when directed by humans AI can generate entire “campaigns” to accomplish the objectives set in motion by human operators. AI will proceed to create whatever content, fake content, that it needs to accomplish its goals. And, as earlier described, AI/LLMs are producing content that can be imperceptibly misleading.

Because of the lack of trust and stereotyping, in 2026 people, and society collectively, will become noticeably more isolated and lonely…to a degree. More on that in a minute.

We are seeing a massive instability increases both here in the US and abroad. If you look at many European countries they are in utter upheaval in regards to immigration. Simply put…they are losing their cultures and national identities. But that is not the worst of it. There are relatively small groups of people in each country that are rebelling against the loss of culture and identity. And that rebellion is becoming increasingly violent. And rather than governments trying to find the right solution by consensus, or simply return to their cultural roots, they are suppressing those that are trying to restore their country and culture. This conflict will grow increasingly chaotic and violent in 2026.

In the US we are seeing that as well. However, the dynamics are somewhat different…but not much. In the US we do have a massive illegal immigration problem that has led to increases in crime, but more-so in cultural changes…mostly for the worse. But the problem is actually much worse in the fact it is dividing America. There are two radically different approaches to solving the immigration problem and that pendulum swings based on political ideology. And that difference, as with most political matters, further isolates people vs developing a consensus to solve the problem(s). Therein is the dark side of this…these differences and the inability to create a consensus is becoming more problematic and violent.

You might be tempted, as I was, to think that political differences are the main problem…I don’t think so anymore. I think there is a much stronger and growing difference that has surfaced in the last 17 years…the great economic divide. This is

Really simplified!

especially more obvious in the last 5 years.

The “K” economy is now being openly talked about and more evident than ever before…although it has been in play for about 55 years. The most recent and undeniable manifestation of this is in the affordability of housing. The vast majority of young people/families simply can’t afford to buy a home. Additionally, more and more individuals/families in general are finding it increasing difficult to pay rent/mortgage. Then there is the horrific increases in health care. And on and on and on…to the point where we are seeing the disappearance of the middle-class and stability in US population.

Also coming into play economically is the worsening employment market. If you look at the actual real wages vs affordability…we’ve been on a downward trend for 55 years. And that pace is quickening…well, at least for the bottom 50% of US workers. But, it is about to get much, much worse.

A combination of employment experts and AI experts have now seen a clear trend developing…AI is about to decimate the job market. And 2026 will be the first in years of it doing so. We’ve seen the tsunami growing, last year was bad enough, but simply a precursor to what is to come. We are talking job losses in the millions in the coming few years…2026 will be the year we see it hit the bad end of the hockey stick chart.

Back to the “K” economy and then add in this employment/job situation equals further isolation between the “haves” and “have-nots”. It becomes very serious, and usually violent, when the “have-nots” get fed up with their situation.

As around the world, there is an even bigger problem than all of these that I have mentioned…it’s government. Governments are dictating the solutions rather that listening to the populace and coming to a consensus for a solution.

A recent US poll shows this divide…in the US 43% said to abolish ICE, 42% said don’t abolish ICE. Here’s the problem…the US federal government is dictating ICE policy…when nearly half of the US not only objects to their polices…they object to ICE even existing. There can be a consensus which leads to a solution but people are now so isolated in their beliefs that the ego-driven divide will prevent any such practical solution…no consensus.

There is further conflict in US Presidents…which is a supreme example of political ideology (political parties). When Biden was president…there was group that really thought he was doing a bad job. In January 2025 Biden’s disapproval rating was 57%. Now that Trump is president there is a group that thinks he is doing a really bad job. In January 2026 Trump’s disapproval rating is 54%. Why do you think that similarity exists? Virtually the same percentage of people in the US think both presidents are/were doing a poor job…more than half of the US! If you compare the job approval numbers there are similar…39% – Biden, 43% – Trump.

It may be tempting to talk about Trump’s “mandate” and voter “consensus” via the 2024 election. Let’s do the numbers…Trump received 49.9% of the popular vote of those who voted. Now consider only about 65% of eligible US voters actually voted. In reality the numbers show Trump only received about 1/3rd of the potential vote. And interestingly…only 1/3rd of the registered voters in the US are registered Republicans. So, by the numbers Trump only won the Republican vote…meaning, the majority of voters didn’t vote for Trump…hence, no mandate or consensus. And further, to make it even more interesting…the people who voted for Trump pretty closely match those who currently approve of his job performance. While this is not about Trump, his politics, or job performance…it is about the clear political ideology isolationism in the US…it is there and it is real…and getting worse. And this divide prevents consensus on domestic problem solving.

Once again…isolation between groups and individuals means no consensus. There are additional problems involved…people becoming more and more isolated due to nothing more than political ideology as well as a long list of other issues.

Let me wrap this up…if you look at the world today, virtually EVERY major area of society and technology is driving people into isolation. And isolation breeds loneliness…which in-turn drives people into deeper isolation.

2026 will bring a significant increase of isolation and loneliness…significant increase. There are three main drivers to this movement into isolation and loneliness; 1) AI, 2) political ideology, 3) governments.

The key is to what end. And that answer, you are going to have to decide for yourself. For me…I know what it is…and I’ve written about it before.

Look at every word spoken, but especially decisions/actions a person takes, especially leaders, do those words/decisions/actions lead to isolation (division) or do they bring people together to consensus. If we are wiling to drop our bias, our ideology, our blindness…we will have a much better idea of what is going on and where the problems lie.

Just a thought…when you have significant confusion, chaos, and conflict…what do people yearn for, seek, and cry out for? And there are those who are all too willing to dish up that solution.

2026 will be filled with increasing chaos, confusion, and conflict. At this point, most of the conflict will not be so much violence as “pressure”. As the pressure increases so will the movement into isolation and loneliness. And as isolation and loneliness grow…trust will diminish even more…trust in anything and everything.

There are leaders all over the world embarked on this dark drive I am speaking of…chaos, confusion, and conflict. The ones that will affect us here in the United States the most are within our own borders. Some of them may not even be doing it intentionally, but the outcome of their words and actions are the same…increasing chaos, confusion, and conflict.

Have no doubt…there is an end game…and when it lands it will not be pretty. The #1 problem that is assisting the diabolical players on all sides that are driving humans to this end are humans themselves…the victims…us. It can come in the form of bias, blindness, ambivalence, animosity, or our own ego that convinces ourselves that only we, or our group, are right.

We’ve lost the concept of consensus and replaced it with ego. And that leads to “tribalism”. When like-minded people feel isolated and/or lonely they tend to seek out others of similar mind. And when that happens humans become “tribes”. The problem with tribes is that it drives everyone to more and more isolation…isolation between groups of people. It’s a never ending cycle. And the more tribes you get the more likely that there can never be a consensus when it comes to problem solving.

You might ask how do we deal with AI and knowing what is real and what is fake. And that is a valid question. The answer is not one that most will want to hear but to me it is plain…some call it the “spirit”…some call it the “Holy Ghost”. One thing we know for an absolute…God will not lie to us…ever. He can make the truth known…He can also tell us when we are being deceived. There are only two things required of us to receive His help and help from the Holy Ghost…1) we ask with sincerity and real intent, 2) we listen to Him.

Oddly enough…God is also the answer to loneliness and isolation. When we truly understand we are His children…loneliness and isolation can disappear.

Will 2026 be a “good” year? Well, it all depends on who you are and the decisions you make. And the decisions you make will be based on your priorities.

Summary for 2026 –
  • Artificial Intelligence will grow exponentially more powerful and difficult to control.
  • Artificial Intelligence will hurt employment, personal relationships, and degrade the human condition.
  • The economy, world’s and United States’, will worsen in terms of long-term degradation to the middle class. The rich will get richer, the poor will get poorer. Basic life affordability will notably worsen.
  • Political & societal tensions, chaos, confusion and conflict will grow around the world, and will grow in the US exponentially.
  • Tribalism will increase and the chances of consensus to any problem solving will virtually disappear.
  • Trust in institutions, especially governments and politicians, will fall even more dramatically.
  • US mid-term elections could prove disastrous for Republicans at this point unless significant change is made.
  • Individuals will become more isolated and lonely, and increasingly confused about the chaos in the world.
  • The US will become far more susceptible and agreeable to authoritarianism.
  • The world will become far more unstable as China and the United States compete for world domination, dividing the world increasingly into two alliances with and allegiance to those competing Empires.

There is one truly bright spot…a very bright spot…individuals increasingly turning to faith in God. With all the dark side to life right now people are looking for the light…and they will find it in Him in ever increasing numbers.

Tonight, when you area alone, ask yourself a question…

Is chaos, confusion, and conflict in your life a good thing or a bad thing? Is that what we want for our families, our country,our world?

 

Related Articles –

 

 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
No reproduction or other use of this content
without expressed written permission from AHTrimble.com
No legal, economic, or financial advice is given, no expertise to be assumed.
I may receive compensation from advertised/mentioned products on this website.
See Content Use Policy for more information.

Greenland…bottom line?

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Look Greenland is a great piece of real estate. Wait…no! Greenland is a great geological piece of earth. Let’s face it, you look at Greenland as real estate and it sucks. It is a barren wasteland…until you look below the surface. And, realistically speaking, its people are nothing more than European Democrat Socialists living off of welfare checks. There’s only about 56 – 57k people living there. Well, more like “surviving” there.

So why is Trump obsessed with Greenland? Trump could care less for its population…to Trump they are of no consequence or value in the bigger picture. There is a simple reason why Trump is bonkers over Greenland; rare earth elements, gold, zinc, diamonds, copper, nickel, and oil. It is that simple. But, why Greenland, there are other countries with hose resources. Greenland is in the western hemisphere.

In my opinion, Trump sees the world in a simple way…American Empire is struggling, if not falling. The Chinese Empire is rising but has kind of stagnated in its growth. Both empires are competing to control the world. Trump wants the American Empire (or rather the US Empire) to control that world vs Chinese Empire. It’s just that simple.

Here’s the kicker…to dominate the world it takes resources…lots and lots of resources. The kind of resources that China has been amassing for decades. The bad part of this…China has gathered access to more rare earth metals and other critical resources than the US has. So we are playing catch up. And Greenland is part of that “catch up”.

How do we acquire the resources of Greenland? Trump has stated repeatedly that Greenland can go along with the acquisition or not. And if not, Trump has made it clear that the US will take Greenland the “hard way”…militarily. Problem…Greenland is a protectorate of Denmark. Meaning, Greenland is semi-autonomous but is part of Denmark and under its protection. And to complicate it even more…Denmark is a member of NATO. You remember NATO…an entangling alliance that the US is part of.

And then there is the whole Constitution thing, along with who we are as a people here in the US. Are we law-abiding, are we moral and ethical, are we principled, and do we honor the founding principles that our Founding Fathers created the United States from?

One way we could acquire Greenland that would be agreeable to all of the above would be to buy it. Yeah, literally write a check for it. So who would we write a check to?

First off, Denmark “owns” Greenland…so there would be a price to set and a check to write to them. Let’s do some math…Denmark’s GDP is about $460billion, about $77,000 per person. So let’s make it an offer that they can’t refuse…We offer Denmark $460billion to their government and $77,000 to each citizen of Denmark. That’s $920billion…about what the Department of War budget for 2026. Such a deal!!

Now on to Greenland directly. Let’s make it way to irresistible for the citizens of Greenland to ignore or refuse. Let’s offer every single citizen of Greenland $15,000,000 (yup, 15 million dollars)…every man, woman and child gets $15,000,000! Do you think they might go for that? For the US that is a mere $855billion…a drop in the bucket. But one condition…they all have to move. Why? We don’t want a bunch of welfare sucking Democrat Socialists occupying our new acquisition.

So for about $1.8trillion we now own Greenland without firing a shot, without killing any more of our military personnel and not even killing any citizens of foreign countries. Yeah…something new for the US lately. Current estimates of Greenland’s natural resources reserves is somewhere around $2trillion (current values).

Think about this…we give them $1.78trillion dollars of fiat currency and get actual tangible resources worth more than that. Not a bad deal. The real value is in the form of denying competing empires access to those resources. And there is real additional value in that.

Now we get into the dark area of this…we take Greenland. There is no acceptable option for us simply taking Greenland. There are two primary ways that would occur; 1) militarily, 2) extortion. Let’s take them in reverse order…

Extortion is an offense that involves unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services from an individual or entity through coercion. It is fundamentally about using a threat to force someone to give up something of value against their will. Unlike robbery, which involves immediate force, extortion hinges on the threat of future harm, creating a climate of fear that compels the victim to comply.

Unfortunately the path we are on to take Greenland is “extortion”. Trump has repeatedly issued threats against Greenland and Denmark that we will take Greenland one way or another…”the easy way or the hard way.” Those are threats any possible way a reasonable person could look at it. To meet the legal definition of “extortion” there must be a wrongful threat and a demand for something of value. Trump’s threats meet the legal standard of extortion. How? Greenland has value and he is implying the use of force to take it. That makes it extortion and that makes it criminal.

By legal definition, Trump is committing extortion. But you say…we end up buying it…then it’s not extortion, it is a business deal. Maybe. But would the purchase have gone through without the extortion?

Do I even have to touch on the take over of Greenland by force using the military? I say, no. Any reasonable person…or even some demented folks…know that a military takeover of Greenland is not just criminal in nature but immoral by any standard. If this would occur then the US loses any and all ties to morality and it flies in the face of our Founding Fathers. We would become nothing other than an international bully and threat along the lines of Nazi Germany.

So there you have it…my bottom line on Greenland.

The next obvious question would be something along the lines of…Why is Trump taking this path?

That’s actually a pretty dang good question. For one…I am not positive. But, if you look at Trump’s background, past actions, and personality you can start to put some of that picture together.

  1. Trump sees the US as the greatest most powerful country on earth.
  2. Trump is in it to win it. Meaning, that in the competition of China Empire vs US Empire…Trump plans on winning no matter what.
  3. Trump is used to being in control and powerful.
  4. Trump comes from a corporate world where hostile takeovers is just a normal course of business.
  5. Trump has shown over his lifetime that he is not blessed with an abundance of morality.
  6. Trump has clearly shown that he doesn’t have a grasp of the Constitution or the founding principles of the United States.

So you wrap that all together…in my opinion Trump will do anything to put America first and be the sole Empire in the world…regardless of cost.

General Example: In relation to the Great Recession remember President George Bush said, “I had to abandon free market principles in order to save the free market system.” Situational ethics at play.

Example: Remember when prior to the 2024 election Trump stated multiple times that if President he would release the Epstein Files. But, he didn’t. Situational ethics at play.

Example: Remember over the last decade Trump has made statements that he would end “nation building” and “regime change”. But, he is engaged in both. Situational ethics at play.

As for the last example, MAGA spokesmen are justifying Trump breaking his word with statements like this…

  • “This is the purest example of him realigning our interests and our focus to something that actually matters to core American interests.”
  • “I think the under-appreciated story is how America First this actually is.”

IMO…based on who Trump is, what is doing and has done, I don’t see him hesitating use the military to take Greenland. And, if you look at it totally objectively and without bias…Trump is already in the process of extorting Denmark and Greenland.

Will we eventually have Greenland? According to Trump, yes…even it means by force. Don’t believe me? Well, Denmark and Europe believes Trump will take it by force…they are already moving military forces into Greenland and a coalition of European countries have already written a letter against said military action by Trump.

Here’s my ultimate bottom line…I have no control over whether the US takes Greenland with a check or another bombing, more killing, and another invasion. Trump will do whatever Trump wants to do…not even Congress or the Constitution stops Trump when he sets his mind to something.

But I have to ask myself the question…What are my morals, do I support the use of extortion? Are my ethics strictly situational?

As a country I have to ask this…Would I rather the US be feared or respected?

And there is my guide of…What would the Founding Fathers say about this?

Would it be fair to ask…What would Jesus want us to do?

Just a note: For those of you that wish to justify…please don’t confuse extortion for negotiation, even tough negotiation. Negotiation doesn’t include the threat of military force…or any force. And it is clear, by his own words, Trump has threatened the use of military force.

Do you doubt that?

Prior to the latest round of talks the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom issued a statement reaffirming that the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island “belongs to its people. Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

After the talks Greenland and Denmark requested military troops from European countries to deter the US. The military deployments come after discussions between U.S., Danish, and Greenlandic officials ended without agreement. Greenland’s Foreign Minister expressed emotional distress over the pressure from the U.S. regarding its sovereignty. France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the UK all responded sending troops to Greenland; and Denmark deployed additional troops as well.

So why would six European countries issue a statement telling the US to back off if there was no military threat? And why would six countries send troops to Greenland for defense after Greenland & Denmark requested them? And why would NATO itself state they are looking to deploy NATO troops to Greenland?

As I said…don’t confuse extortion for negotiation. Extortion is using coercion and a threat to gain something of value. And for your own benefit…look up what “negotiation” is. Then you decide…negotiation or extortion. Or then again…just ask the Greenlanders.

 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
No reproduction or other use of this content
without expressed written permission from AHTrimble.com
No legal, economic, or financial advice is given, no expertise to be assumed.
I may receive compensation from advertised/mentioned products on this website.
See Content Use Policy for more information.

Russia Prepared to Nuke Germany & UK

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America the Beautiful !

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I absolutely love this song! It is amazing in sound and text. The message(s) are heartfelt and to the point. We occasionally sing it at church and I consider it a hymn. But, it can just as well be considered a patriotic song as well. Truth be told…it’s both.

Katharine Lee Bates wrote the original lyrics back in the late 1800’s, she didn’t compose the music, she wrote it as a poem. That poem was published in 1895. Samuel Ward wrote/composed the music. What is weird…Bates and Ward never met each other. The poem and music were put together in 1910 and published. Different lyrics were written, one set in 1911 and that is what we normally sing today.

Tears come to my eyes when I hear it and especially when I have the privilege of singing it.

About 10 years ago I really started to notice a specific set of lyrics…

“O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!”

Last week I thought several times about the song and that particular set of lyrics. This past Sunday while sitting at church those lyrics once again just poured into my head in a way they have never done before. And it was also at that time that I realized why.

I won’t make this long and drawn out…for a change. But we, as a people in the United States, are becoming desensitized to violence…especially extreme violence. The level of violence around the world is horrific and getting worse…same here in the US. I too find myself pretty much just accepting this violence, extreme violence, often against children, as commonplace and simply part of today’s society and culture…including/especially here in the US.

Saturday I read Tucker Carlson’s comment on the ICE killing of Good in Minnesota…

“The 37-year-old was an American citizen and reportedly the mother of a kindergarten-aged child. Did we disagree with her views on immigration? Probably. But that shouldn’t matter. Her death is a tragedy, regardless of her partisan affiliations, ideological beliefs, or who pulled the trigger. A woman got shot in the face.”

The left celebrated the killing of Charlie Kirk…and the right was appalled…along with most reasonable people. The left blamed Kirk for bringing it on himself because of his outspoken beliefs and actions. The dead victim being blamed for his own death.

The right is celebrating the killing of Rene Good…and the left is appalled…along with most reasonable people. The right is blaming Good for bringing it on herself because of her outspoken beliefs and actions. The dead victim being blamed for her own death.

In both cases the political ideology should be entirely secondary to the dual tragedies of people losing their life. But it isn’t, we are “normalizing bloodshed”…especially in terms of political ideology.

Tucker Carlson continued and made a great point…

“If the United States were in a better place, everyone, regardless of their politics, would pause when something like the Minneapolis shooting happens and at least recognize the human tragedy. But that doesn’t happen because, compared to the countless overseas killings our government routinely brings about, Good’s death doesn’t seem like such a big deal. She’s just another headline.”

Back to America the Beautiful…

“…mercy more than life!”

Who were those lyrics referring to? “heroes” Let us consider that and think about who we are as a country and as individuals. Then consider our principles, morals, ethics, priorities…and especially our future.

 

 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
No reproduction or other use of this content
without expressed written permission from AHTrimble.com
No legal, economic, or financial advice is given, no expertise to be assumed.
I may receive compensation from advertised/mentioned products on this website.
See Content Use Policy for more information.

Where do you…

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A question I get from time-to-time is “If you are so down on the stock market and economy where do you put your money?”

Well, that’s assuming we have any money! Truth be told…we have a very small amount in an emergency fund. Most of our assets, if you want to call them that, are the glamstead, rolling stock, and some misc. storage items. But as I said, we have a small emergency fund. It is spread out in a top tier mutual fund company…(I’ve included the top corporate holdings in each fund for additional information).

Before I share this information understand this…I am no professional, no advisor, no consultant, no nothing. This is only telling you what we’ve done, nothing else, nothing more.

Our emergency fund:
  • 30% cash
    • ½ in a market fund paying 3.5%
    • ½ in a gov’t securities fund paying 3.5%
  • 17% in a Semiconductor fund (returns: 30% 5yr / 30% 10yr)
    • NVIDA
    • Broadcom
    • Marvel Technology
    • Mictron Technology
  • 13% in a Communications fund (returns: 15% 5yr / 16% 10yr)
    • Alphabet
    • META
    • Amazon
    • ATT
    • Netflix
  • 13% in a Defense and Aerospace fund (returns: 18% 5yr / 15% 10yr)
    • GE Aerospace
    • Boeing
    • RTX
    • Howmet
    • Heico
    • General Dynamics
  • 10% in Blue Chip fund (returns: 15% 5yr / 20% 10yr)
    • NVIDA
    • Apple
    • Alphabet
    • Amazon
    • Microsoft
    • META
  • 17% in a Gold fund (returns: 17% 5yr / 18% 10yr)
    • Agnico Mines
    • Newmont
    • Franco-Nevada
    • Weaton
    • Anglogold

Let me share this little bit of information…we look over the emergency fund at the end of each year and re also review our goals for it as well. Then we make adjustments accordingly. This year was a total adjustment. We had been in a S&P500 index fund which is normally a very safe bet over decades. But, my wife and I realized we no longer have decades left. So we wanted to realign our fund to our needs.

How did I come to those choices?

First off I wanted to go with a fund manager/company that was in the top 10; I choose in the top 7. I didn’t choose Blackrock for a number of reasons…basically they are not a company I want to do business with, same with JPMorgan and Charles Schwab. Just my personal preference…based on who/what those companies are. Oh, why in the top 10? Because I know the markets are manipulated. And who do you think helps manipulate those markets? Yup, everyone one of those top 10. So, I wanted to ride their coat tails.

Next I wanted good returns…not high risk & stratosphere returns. So I figured to look at 10-year return to show they have a track record and consistency. And then 5-year return to show they can maneuver in the markets. I could have chosen to look at much longer term returns but I thought those funds might be stuck in a rut and not as flexible.

Along with returns I wanted to choose “categories” of stocks, “industries” would be another way to put it. Those choices were based on what I see in the world today and where we are probably headed. We need technology and communication in this technology driven world for the foreseeable future. And we are always good for military action, if not outright war, here in the US. So, I chose; Communications, Semiconductor, and Defense & Aerospace. Then a blue chip fund for conservatism. And of course a gold fund to hedge all the others. For “cash” I chose a combination of a regular money market fund and a government securities fund. Both are returning the same so I guess it didn’t really matter. Supposedly gov’t securities are safer.

If you look at the spread, you can see I am hedging my bet. I know the economy and markets will crash…but I don’t know when. Until then I want our money to grow as much as possible…within reasonable risk. I look at technology as nothing but a growth area. And defense (war machine) will always prosper. So I choose those general areas. And then the gold aspect is to hedge all of that. And the cash part plays an important role…if we need some cash real quick and the market is suffering, we don’t have to take a forced lost redeeming shares in a down fund. That’s if we can’t cover the “cash” need out of pocket.

To be honest & fair…I may have made a mistake the “gold” portion of the portfolio. Since our review came at the end of the year (2025) and gold was already up about 70%…it may head down…since that is what gold does…fluctuates with current events. But, based on dismal outlook both globally and domestically for 2026…gold might do just fine. We’ll have to see…at least the portfolio is balanced to some degree.

Just to give you and idea…as of 1/13/2026 the funds are up from .8 – 7.5% since 12/26/2025 (18 days). That is the kind of growth we are looking for! Now, reality says that won’t be the same kind of performance all year…but remember, it is a “hedge”. We don’t depend on it. And if everything crashes then we still have the glamstead. In the meantime, the stock side of things might just grow 15 – 30% this year. Yeah…that would be nice…really nice. Might help buy a 4k HD color TV in the old folks home when the time comes.

Back to the glamstead (hard, non-liquid asset)…We are mortgage free, our own well, our own power, and food production capability. We have an orchard; apples, peaches, cherries, and fig trees. We have a berry patch; raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries. We have about 400sq’ of raised bed garden boxes, 90’ of rows for squash & melons, and 40’ of row for Anasazi beans. Then in a pinch we have about 5000sq’ of grass yard with decent amended soil that I could convert to garden space in ½ day of tractor work.

So why do I share all the info about the food production capability of the glamstead? Because there is monetary value in it. As well as an emergency way to feed ourselves and others. And that is a true asset.

One last tidbit…my truck is 25 years old, my wife’s SUV is 29 years old. Why does that matter? We aren’t caught up in flashy or new vehicles…both vehicles run just fine with no payments and we have low insurance premiums on both due to their age.

So there you go…that’s “where we put our money”…and it suits us just fine. If you are really wondering where to put your money…well, that depends entirely on where/what your priorities are…then matching your money/investments to those priorities.

Oh, yeah…then work your butt off.

 

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Feedback : Russ

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This is from Russ in reference to my article this morning: < Let the numbers ring ! >

Your post has a lot of things going on, which has preoccupied my mind as well, not only with the previous Biden regime, but the past year as well.
The economy is but one aspect. And, true enough, the previous four years were just disastrous – but the past year hasn’t really helped either.

When economies begin to tank, the quick proven method to distract the population is to go to war. We have been on an intentional self-destructive dive with the previous democrat administrations, but to continue on with the same old business as usual defense procurement is absolute disaster. Having a mindset focused on previous conventional wars a well as limited campaigns (still unsuccessful with minor states like Afghanistan and Yemen) will not get us to where we need to be.

And for example, the new “Trump” class of battleships is going to end up the same way as the battleship era ended in World War II. I thought we were learning from all of the scams going on in Minnesota and Ohio. I guess not. (And although there will be a lot of money being spent, it probably will have little effect because most of it will not see the light of day before things will get “kinetic.”

Anyway, I do believe that we are now entering a new era of conflict, which also reminds me of some of the old Vietnam War era songs. (I guess that this dates me)

Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s Lucky Man comes to mind. https://thegreatestsongs.com/lucky-man-emerson-lake-palmer/
And Country Joe and The Fish Vietnam Song as well (a bit crude at the start) https://www.lyricsondemand.com/country_joe_and_the_fish/vietnam_song

For which the chorus was:

and its 1,2,3 what are we fightin for?
don’t ask me i don’t give a dam, the next stop is Vietnam,
and its 5,6,7 open up the pearly gates. Well there aint no time to wonder why…WHOPEE we’re all gunna die.

 

 

I don’t want to appear pessimistic, I just want to be realistic. And I am a veteran. There is going to be a lot of pain ahead of us. I just don’t want to see it be self-inflicted. But I guess that that is the plan.

AH Note #1: Oddly, when you think about it...all those Vietnam War protestors were right all along.
But we still had to kill nearly 60,000 US military personnel before we finally lost that war.
And...nearly 1,000,000 Vietnamese died as well.
Tragic, wrong, avoidable, but a goal of the US federal government.
There was only one winner from that war <click here>

AH Note #2: Yeah, Democrat Administrations love their wars. But, Bush #1 & Bush #2 are both Republicans.
Bush #1 started the first Iraq War. Bush #2 started the second Iraq War and the Afghanistan War.
In the last 25 years Republican Presidents have been far more war-mongering than Dems.
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 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
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Let the numbers ring !

Posted on by

The US federal government just released the official numbers a couple of days ago…records set! Big beautiful, best every, fantastic, gorgeous, most largest numbers ever in the history of the country. Seriously, there’s never been better numbers in the universe, in the history of mankind, probable never anything more beautiful in the history of the world…nothing better in the history of history. They’ve never been better, no administration has ever done this good, historically amazing, period.

Okay…enough of the lame sarcasm. Let’s talk for just a minute how the economy is actually doing according to facts…true REALITY! Yup, unbiased reality.

The numbers that the government just released for 2025…and it ain’t good. 2025 was the worst year for hiring since 2020. Yeah, hiring in 2025 was really bad. Worse than any year of the previous administration…other than 2020 (Trump’s first term during COVID). Is that all? Ah, no.

If you remember 2020 was the first bad year for COVID when hiring tanked because the economy went south real badly. Companies simply stopped hiring to wait and see how bad the pandemic would affect business and the economy in general around the world.

Now we throw another fact out there…yeah, it gets worse. The 2025 hiring was the second worse since 2008/2009 (Bush’s last year in office). Why is that important? 2008/2009 was the global economic crisis…and a partial economic collapse here in the US.

Bottom line…2025 was a terrible year for the economy…terrible! Prices continued to rise, rising even more than the end of the previous administration. Hundreds of billions of dollars were sucked out of the private economy by the US government via huge increases in tariffs. Also, the unemployment rate rose from 4% in Jan 2025 to 4.4% in Dec 2025. That means about 680,000 fewer people employed in 2025 vs the end of 2024. That is horrible when you think about the overall economic impact. Yeah, that’s just at $44billion in income/wages taken out of the US economy by people no longer working and earning an income.

Folks…please pray that 2026 is a better year for the US economy than 2025 was. Yes, I think we can survive another economically devastating year like 2025…but how many more, I don’t know. All it will take is one minor hiccup and it collapses. And that is especially true with the intense domestic unrest we are experiencing right now.

For additional insight think about this…

The following companies have announced 2026 store/location closings in the US: Macy’s, Kroger, Walgreens, Wendy’s, JCPenny, Saks Off 5th, Yankee Candle, Orvis, REI, Foot Locker, GameStop, and Carters. Also, Big Lots has filed for bankruptcy. The total number of stores/locations closed is not clear…estimates are close to a couple thousand (+/-).

There are a number of downsides; 1) commercial property values will decline due to abandoned storefronts, 2) tax revenue to local and state governments will decline, 3) unemployment will shoot up.

#3 is the one that I really worry about. With thousands of stores/locations closing you could be looking at additional unemployment of 50,000 – 100,000 people directly or indirectly. That is huge! Then consider the ripple affect in the broader economy. You could easily be talking 10’s of billions of dollars lost in the economy. And that is just from this singular event.

Our economy in a wreck…a disaster…a catastrophic event waiting to happen. It has gotten worse over the last year according to facts, stats, and evidence. And 2026, according to projections, appears it will be even worse.

Folks…pray and get ready.

And let’s not forget projected AI job loses in 2026…

AI industry experts are estimating a minimum of 100,000 job loses in 2026 due to AI replacement. While the exact projected figure is unclear, some experts are warning it could be up to a million jobs lost. The descriptors from experts are a bit more unsettling…

“AI is expected to significantly impact the job market, particularly affecting lower-level white-collar roles…”

“The ‘Godfather of AI’ warns 2026 will bring a new wave of job losses.”

The worst hit positions…Administration, Customer Service, Production, Legal, Education, and Management.

This event could also signal an additional ripple effect of 10’s of billions of dollars hit to the US economy.

Let’s not ignore a little tidbit…

Remember the Fed lowered interest rates in 2025 three times? The Fed only lowers rates when they see an economy in trouble right then…and in the near-term (6mons – 1 year). And the Fed is already signaling at least two rate cuts in 2026.

 

 

US Federal Government Economic Info…
  • Jan 1, 2025 – Dec 31, 2025 US debt grew from $36.trillion to $38.4trillion
  • Fiscal Year 2025 budget deficit was $1.8trillion
  • Fiscal Year 2026 budget deficit is running about $200billion per month
  • Interest on US national debt is expected to top well over $1trillion in 2026

Thankfully we are not looking at the likes of a $3.1trillion deficit as we had in 2020!!!  (President Trump & COVID crisis)

WARNING ! ! > > > President Trump has proposed a greater than 50% increase in the military budget for Fiscal Year 2027…$1.5trillion total. Why the massive increase? I am not sure, but history shows that those kinds of increases only occur in war times, preparation or actual. FY2027 is only 9 months away.

NOTE #1: That military increase added to projections of regular US Budget deficits would drive it to a new total budget deficit of around $2.3trillion and accelerating the US Nation Debt to approximately $41 – $43trillion dollars by the end of FY2027…or 130% of GDP.

FYI…national debt to GDP ratio of 80% begins negative impacts on a country’s economy. 100% of GDP is dangerous territory for any country’s economy. The US has already exceeded 100% of GDP. You can figure out what 130% of GDP might do and what the economy might look like by the time it hits.

Note #2: Certainly you’ve heard/seen the stratospheric rise in the price of gold, yes? on 1/14/2025 gold was at $2673 per ounce, on 1/12/2026 gold was at $4630. That’s a 73% increase in just under a year. Gold is seen as 2 things; 1) a hedge against inflation (minor) and global unrest (major), 2) a “predictor”. A predictor is something/someone that foretells the future. What happened 6 day after 1/14/2025? What has happened since then? Why do you think gold has jumped 73% in the last year? Look closely, think clearly, set bias aside.

Just in case you wanted to know…”Imperialism”

  • The extension of a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political dominance over other nations.
  • A political doctrine or system promoting such extension of authority.
  • The power or character of an emperor; imperial authority; the spirit of empire.

Must Read > > > Feedback from Russ <click here>

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 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
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Hilarious !

Posted on by

A few days ago my wife put a couple bowls in the microwave to warm them up for the casserole we were having that night for dinner. Normal thing, no big deal.

“Buzzzzzz!” acrid smell…the whiff of smoke about 3 seconds after she turned it on. Wife was close by but I was quicker. I opened the door to turn it off, then unplugged it to kill all power to the unit.

Okay, so that’s not the funny part…that comes in a minute. For now…the casserole was an incredible mixture of macaroni, potatoes, ham, and lots of creamy cheese. Yeah…way good! The microwave was a TOSHIBA ML-EM45PIT(BS) Countertop Microwave. We bought it 11 months ago to the day. Yup, it had/has a 1-year warranty. We bought it through Amazon and added the 3-year protection plan for another $30, the cost for the microwave was $167+tax if I remember right. Nope, still not the funny part yet.

The next day I started the “support” process. Let me make this short(er)…we supplied Toshiba the information they requested, they approved the claim, the refund should be here in 4 weeks (+/-) in the form of a check. We’ll see about that…yeah, I’m cynical…but you already know that. Friday we picked out another microwave, SHARP Countertop Microwave Oven (SMC1662KS). Again, from Amazon; and yes again, a 3-year protection plan. Cost: $239 + $34. Should be delivered on Monday. Why Amazon? No store nearby that carries a wide variety and/or what my wife wants. Still not the funny part…be patient.

Here’s the funny part…

We didn’t have warm bowls for the casserole, no biggie. Next morning I was up  and heard her request for her morning cup of herbal peppermint tea. Began my job…and caught myself staring at the microwave, cup in hand, wondering what to do next. Yes, of course I went old school and heated the water in a pan on the stove. Then came lunch…we were going to have leftovers. I caught my wife staring at the microwave, bowl in hand…I chuckled to myself. Again, old school…pan time on the stove!

My point? Here we are, living off-grid, our own well, our own solar power, growing a bunch of our food, building and planting everything ourselves, and all that other good homestead kinda stuff. But truth be told…we are microwave addicts.

Now that is funny! Here we are…MotherEarther types…and we found it odd and challenging to now cook on the stove for a couple of days…till our next fix. We are already planning a menu where we can binge on the new microwave for at least a week. True addicts!

My odd sense of, and attempt at, humor…it was hilarious that we realized how much we use our microwave. And it makes it even funnier when we had to stop and think how to accomplish the same “cooking” on the stove. Thank goodness for our air fryer!!!!

Have a great week!

 

 2009 - 2026 Copyright © AHTrimble.com ~ All rights reserved
No reproduction or other use of this content
without expressed written permission from AHTrimble.com
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I may receive compensation from advertised/mentioned products on this website.
See Content Use Policy for more information.

Feedback : Contrasting…#2

Posted on by

AH Trimble Feedback and CommentsI wrote the “Huuuummmmm……….” article a couple days ago, I wasn’t sure if I would get any replies or feedback…but I did. The interesting things that came from them were a bit contrasting in nature. I responded to both under their comments but I thought it would be good to respond in more detail and make a couple of points. I responded to Brent yesterday, “speedilyfriedaf0476a712” today.

Here we go…

speedilyfriedaf0476a712 wrote:

“Your facts and research are wrong pearl harbor was attacked on Dec. 7th. Numbers can be cooked to show what you want them to show so let’s stop pretending to read someone else’s mind and start trying to unite the citizens instead of instigating more division.”

So let’s talk about this one point at a time…

“Your facts and research are wrong pearl harbor was attacked on Dec. 7th.”

Actually you only pointed out that a single fact was wrong, you didn’t show that any of my research was wrong. I find that interesting.

Yes, you are 100% correct and spot on! I originally wrote it was Dec 5th when in-fact it was the 7th. You were right to point that out. Now, just a bit in my defense…it was a typo. A “typo” is “a typographical error; an error in typing, printing, etc.” I sometimes hit the wrong key(s) when typing, I notice it is getting worse as I get older. Another point that I have to tell about myself…my keyboard and mouse.

Every 2 years or so I have to replace my keyboard…and since they are usually bundled, I replace the mouse as well. I am a bit of a slob around the keyboard. I eat and drink often as I type. Yes, of course I vacuum the keyboard occasionally and sometimes turn it upside down and beat it on the table to get crumbs out. The vacuuming usually gets most of the dog hair out. But, I live in an area that has this really fine red dust than comes in from outside. And yes, we love to have the windows open. That dust doesn’t come out of the keyboard. So it does get “sticky” over time…the solution is replacement. Obviously I am due for it. You could tell if you were here…sticky!

BUT…I am not blaming it on the keyboard…it was a mistake on my part, a typo, and I didn’t catch it during editing…I should have. No excuses.

Now, if you had read other articles on my website referencing the attack on Pearl Harbor you would know, that I know, it occurred on Dec 7th. Feel free to do a search on the site to confirm that.

All that being said, I appreciate you pointing that mistake out to me, I’ve since corrected it.

What I find a little weird is that the “7th” mistake was the only thing you pointed out when you referred to “facts and research” being wrong. Didn’t you find anything else wrong?

Next comes…

“Numbers can be cooked to show what you want them to show…”

Absolutely! You are spot on! Problem for me is…well, you didn’t state what numbers that I used that were “cooked”. I would think if you were going to make such a statement and infer fraud that you would back it up with actual evidence. Do you have any? Or, did you just want to lob a grenade at my character and/or article, then run?

Please feel free to return and state your case with my cooked numbers vs your accurate numbers. I try to use the best facts and evidence that I can, I sometimes can get it wrong. And, it is not unusual to see conflicting numbers from different sources. I try to use the most valid and reliable. I welcome any input you may have.

And more…

“…so let’s stop pretending to read someone else’s mind…”

Sir, I am not trying to read anyone’s mind. I am stating my opinion and making observations based on actions. I would like to call it journalism…but, I know better…I am far from it. I am just a keyboard warrior throwing my ideas and opinions out there.

I also find it interesting that you used the word “let’s”, that is a contraction for “let us”. Were you implying that you and I both were trying to read minds? If you are, could you help me understand that a little more.

And for the record…I pity the poor soul who tries to read my mind 😉

In conclusion he says…

“…start trying to unite the citizens instead of instigating more division.”

It is not my job to try and “unite citizens” or instigate division. Because in reality…I can do neither. I leave it up to people to make up their own minds and choose their own course of action. If politicians and clergy can’t unite people in the US, how do you think I could. And do you honestly think I have enough power to create division in the US?

But let me ask a couple questions:

      1. If I see something that is morally and ethically wrong, should I ignore it and just act like it never happened?
      2. If I see a politician going back on his word (yeah, imagine that) should I not point out the problem?
      3. If I see people being killed, homes destroyed, countries overthrown, kidnappings taking place, or war crimes being committed…should I keep silent and not try to expose it?
      4. If I see an entire country falling apart should I not at least make an effort to right the ship by sharing ideas, opinions, and espousing principles?

Think about what you are asking. Did our Founders stay silent about current events of the British Empire? How could it have change Nazi Germany if more people would have spoken up? How many more Jews could have been saved if people didn’t keep their heads stuck in the sand? How many more 10’s of thousands of US military men and women would have died in Vietnam without the war protests?

Notice all the unity?

There is a time to unite and a time to speak out. When a person sees injustice or other problems it is a time to speak out. It’s called speaking truth to power. When there is a common cause, a consensus, that is a time to unite.

You do realize that the majority of Americans say America is on the wrong track. There is also a majority of Americans that disapprove of Trump’s job performance. What does that mean to you? So are all of the people with a different opinion than you wrong…and should they simply unite behind your opinion?

Someone might say…that is ridiculous that they feel that way! Or, they don’t know what they are talking about! Whatever that bias is…it is still bias. If we seek only unity in politics…we would still be British citizens…or speak German…or not be able to find a Jew anywhere…or still be at war in Vietnam.

Think if more would have spoken out against the war in Iraq or the war in Afghanistan? Maybe some of the nearly 10,000 US personnel wouldn’t have been killed in those wars. Maybe some of the nearly 1,000,000 civilians deaths wouldn’t have occurred.

So there is a time and place for everything. Also, everyone has an opinion and viewpoint. I don’t want people to remain silent when they see injustice or evil taking place. See, I don’t have to agree with them…and, they might just be right. I won’t know until I hear them out.

Sometimes it’s a good thing to not going along with the crowd/mob. Sometimes UNITY is a bad thing!

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