Friday The Rabbi Slept Late

It's A Must Read For All

If I could, I would write an autobiography but I cherish my true anonymity more than not. For years I lived in a “gated community” because of the work I’d done, culprits I caught and manipulations uncovered. I’m free today of wondering “who is watching me” and that’s a good thing, besides I’m not allowed to talk about anything. Too bad as the story would make for one hell of a book.

It’s Friday and I’m looking forward to Mother’s Day. I trust you are as well and you’re looking forward to this Sunday’s post. It’s going to cost you to read it as I’ll take time to discuss what I own in mt managed Roth IRA accounts, what I’m looking to buy and sell, what I’m watching indicator wise and more. It’s worth it so tune in. More so, with my “better half’s” kids I’m looking forward to an old fashioned cookout. My mother is no longer with us but she taught me well. I hope yours is still around and you can take advantage of her experience. Listen to what she says. I found that “Mom” knows best.

Tonight, I’ll finally have the time to dig into one of my favorite older mystery novels, “Friday the Rabbi Slept Late”, a 1964 masterpiece by Harry Kemelman. He wrote a lot of these books, in a series of about ten, but the first one in any collection is usually the best. I’ll let you know when I’m done. In any case, here’s a brief summary of the story.

The fictional hero of the book, David Small, is the most unconventional leader of the Conservative Jewish congregation located in the “fictional” suburban Massachusetts town of Barnard's Crossing. As the protagonist, Rabbi Small has wisdom, an unerring sense of Jewish tradition. This, at times puts him at odds with the Jewish community especially when he believes that they are seriously deviating from Judaism. The good qualities of a true detective, sharpened by his “Talmudic” training, enables him to see all sides of the problem.

Small's logic, learned from the Talmud, plays an important part in the plot. Usually he is drawn into the events when they involve a member of his congregation or Barnard's Crossing's Jewish community. Small has several troubles with his congregation and he is constantly at odds with its powerful members, usually the then Temple President.

In this first book, the body of a young woman is found on the grounds of the Temple. The woman had been strangled and evidence points to Rabbi Small, her purse is found in his car, which had been left in the Temple parking lot the night before. I’m not one to ruin the plot line for others but there’s a reason I’m revisiting this book now.

Keep Your Friends Close & Your Enemies Closer

I’m a political person at heart. More often than not, unless my understandings relate to investment or trading decisions I’m making, I hold them close to my vest. Today I just let it roll and the true, more so Libertarian nature of my psyche comes forward.

The expression “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” originates from the business world. Experts are unsure of the exact origin of the phrase. It’s thought that it comes from the 1970s era of business where companies created hostile takeovers of each other and their management structures.

Some experts believe that the first record of the saying comes from Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather Part II.” In this movie, Michael Corleone discusses his father’s knowledge imparted directly to him. He says, “my father taught me many things here. He taught me in this room. He taught me: keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

At this time, as the Middle East turns, our current administration needs to determine whether Israel is a “friend” or an “enemy”. Either way, they cannot be both. Joe Biden is attempting to do just that, one day loudly preaching the negatives of “antisemitism” to a Jewish crowd of Holocaust attendees only to deny Israel, our alleged friend bullets and bombs necessary to bolster their military efforts in Gaza.

You have to ask yourself, which one is it? Does the ‘real’ United States support efforts to eradicate basic ‘terrorism’ around the globe or does appealing to one a party’s base preclude a goal thought once to be universal? It is this fierce dichotomy that unnerves me. It forces me to read “Friday The Rabbi Slept Late” again. Rabbi Small, a studier of the ‘Talmud’, and teacher of its beliefs, would arrive at the same conclusion. He would not be able to formulate an answer, nor can I. It would be impossible for him to speak succinctly from different parts of his faith but that’s exactly what’s perceived from the “big guy’s” lips and more so our military’s actions.

I’m not satisfied that the choice we have been given in this upcoming election is fair. I believe most voters feel the same type of hesitation, essentially being forced to choose between the lesser of two evils. Putting that all aside, this action is not the first where the current administration is “preaching to its own choir”. The ‘abortion’ issue is also “on the table” and the candidate, currently in charge of our country, is caught right in the middle once again. Allegedly “Christian” attempts by the “powers that be” lean a little more towards “getting out the vote” and not towards any religious belief. It’s just another incidence of what I detest in Washington. We are not just stupid constituents. We, as a whole, are educated voters and see right through this malaise. The ‘majority’ of voters sees through these politics that involves everything we deem to be precious. From these topics to the abuse of the legal process it’s hard to determine whether our elected officials are more worried about their own futures versus those they represent. If you question their ‘judgment and action’, just ask Texas Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar, an affirmed pro lifer how he feels being indicted by the powers that be.

The Whole World Is Watching

I go back in time further than most. I remember when the Constitution stood proudly protecting our ‘freedom of speech’ where all dissenter voices could be heard far above crowds seeking to disrupt the ‘social order’. I have to ask, as did Rabbi Small, exactly what is the goal here?

Protestors voicing their dismay regarding the Vietnam war had reason. People drafted were losing their lives in a war no one wanted to win let alone fight. That is not at all similar to what I’ve witnessed over recent years. From Antifa to Black Lives Matter, I have looked deeply into their beliefs and causes only to find mutinous insurgents who seek to alter the perception of others with protest succumbing to violence. It’s healthy to be able to voice your opinion, the 1st Amendment guarantees that right. It’s never a good thing to “usurp” the rights of others, or to essentially terrorize those whose basic opinion differs from your own.

Yes, the ‘whole world is watching” and its eyes are directly on what we consider to be a “great society”. Unfortunately, what I perceive is chaotic at best in many ways, just as Rabbi Small saw in his make believe Massachusetts town. This isn’t ‘make believe’ any more. It’s time we took back control of the values that created this great country and let the voice of reason prevail. It’s time to support our friends, not their enemies.

Whittling Down My Pile Of Cash

I do not “trade” as often as I did in the past. The reflexes are simply not there nor is my interest but from time-to-time I’m pretty active. Having just executed a bunch of solid money making trades I found myself sitting on a pile of cash, not quite as much as Warren Buffett but for me, 15% to 20% of the overall portfolio in cash is a lot. Time to open up my crystal ball and take action, eh? Yup, that’s what I did and I’ll talk more about it this Sunday after the ‘family’ barbecue.

Briefly, I’m a buyer of Boeing. Trust me, so is Buffett. On the ‘commodity’ futures and the options side of the market I’m putting time to work in my favor. There isn’t a day that goes by where opposite opinions about the true direction of interest rates doesn’t take center stage. Whereas uncertainty rules across the world marketplace in mine it’s more etched in stone than not. Rates, worldwide have to come down. In Japan they’re going to go higher.

With this in mind I’ve acquired a plethora of long term call options in all of the ‘basic’ metals, gold, silver and due to inventory constraints copper. They’re all bumping their heads against the glass ceiling of prior made highs since my entry a couple days ago. I am also a buyer of a series, short and long term options in corn. I own a lot of ‘actual’ gold bullion but it seems to me that the central banks have their eyes on buying more. If you have the time check out Colin Lloyd and his many posts on the subject. Few are more adept as accurately depicting today’s macroeconomic values. I follow what Colin is saying, and the words of many in his group, and you should too.

That’s it for me today and thanks for letting me voice my “frustrations and concerns”. It’s always good to “get it off your chest” especially when the ‘whole world’s watching’.

Originally written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets in 1960, it was first made popular by The Bobby Fuller Four in 1966 before the Clash brought it back to life in 1988. It’s a great song with lyrics that transcend time. In today’s world one first needs to decide what side of the law you are on before determining whether it’s fair or not. That does not make much sense to me as essentially it gives rise to more than one set of ‘laws’. Which one is followed depends more on the administration that’s in control versus a more normal assessment that the law is universally upheld. The Constitution suggests a level playing field for all exists but that’s not at all apparent in today’s soceity.