It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood
No It's Not
Fred Rogers had a way with words. Ordained a Presbyterian minister, born in Latrobe Pennsylvania, he spent most of his lifetime in Pittsburgh at WQED and lived happily with his wife in Squirrel Hill. His neighborhood was pristine and accepting and that reflected upon who he was as a person. That was all shattered in October 2018 when 11 people were shot dead at The Tree of Life synagogue near to where he lived. Fred died of stomach cancer in 2003 so he missed many negatives that arose thereafter.
His “neighborhood” was immortalized in his song. It would be very nice if it existed today, wouldn’t it?
“It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
It's a neighborly day in this beautywood,
A neighborly day for a beauty,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So let's make the most of this beautiful day,
Since we're together, we might as well say,
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please,
Please won't you be my neighbor?”
Saturday Night Live, in Lorne Michael’s own way, had a different take with what he and Eddie Murphy assembled in Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood. The lyrics were a bit terse yet similar in nature, the meaning came from what transpired in the segments where the Mr. Robinson satire was nothing like Mr. Rogers.
“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?”
Starting in 1981, being reprised in 2019, Mr. Robinson told a different story where the “neighborhood” is more reflective of what we see in today’s world. Rather than dissect the obvious with words, the next couple YouTube videos tell the real story better than I can.
Face it folks, times have changed from San Francisco to New York, from the heart of the Middle East to Central Europe; what have we done to this world? More so let’s ask why? What changed? It’s really a simple answer, we just did.
The number of children born out of wedlock has increased. Kids being raised without a “father” figure is hitting new highs. Religion, regardless of which religion is chosen, the ethics and morality, doesn’t exist. We have trouble my friend and this seems to be the direction this and prior administrations seek. It’s easier to change society when it trends to the negative side. 2024 is going to be an important societal turning point so make your voice known and heard.
So there’s been a few “changes” since I posted over the weekend then again, the only changes relate to price and preserving profits. The long January Natural Gas and April Gold positions were stopped out. The sell stop on the Yen was lowered to 151.25 and a few more April Russell contracts were sold. I’m up 1 1/2% on my TLT purchase but my eyes are open to a double bottom based upon Australia raising its rates by 1/4 point. I did pick up some April VIX 20 calls but still waiting for April WTI 85 Crude calls to give me an entry. Nothing new on Orange Juice but it’s a fickle market. Trailing stop is in but has not been challenged. That’s enough for now, right? I’m just watching and I’m a very patient longer term investor using macroeconomic and geopolitical events; you should be too.
I just got the ultra-premium, dust covered version of my first book back this morning. Finished off the glossary yesterday so now it’s time to do the index. If anyone tells you writing a book is easy call me. It’s not at all especially if you want people to learn. The Kindle version is available to purchase at Amazon. Those with memberships can read and pay for it “page-by-page” but again, I’m a rookie at this, you know more than me.
Bono and U2 did its a “Beautiful Day” years ago. I wonder if he’s changed his mind a bit. Who knows but for certain it isn’t, at least from what I perceive. I’m older and I’m wiser, everyone learns from experience. How about you? Do you still perceive things through “rose colored glasses” like Gatsby or are you a realist like me? Things are not good worldwide my friend and the United States is leaderless. Big elections tonight and more so next year. If we were in Chicago I’d profess vote early and often but that’s been done so just determine the course we’ll take and just vote.