Another day in the “Domain-Steered Life” – which we will get into in the “Around the Ranch” section, later. For now, let’s chew on the real business of Monday: Understanding what it means to be jolted, eyeing the markets which – at least for the open – promise to look for a bottom.

April 18 is Good Friday and this means 14-business (market) days to run.  This will be important to followers of The Economic Fractalist’s work – which is kindly shares now and then in our Comments section.

We are in a time when the word “Jolt” is in full deployment: Earthquakes, financial reports, and even worries about the future of Middle East peace.  Why, everywhere we look, something is up for “jolting.”

Gold’s Jolts Inflation Fears

Overnight, the “yeller dog” was barking at the $3,160 level.  Silver was turned back from $35, but we think (never a recommendation – that’s on you) it could go higher.  Readers with long memories will recall that last time I sp0ke publicly about how we deploy “family loot” was when we were out in Burbank in 2004. At which time we were fairly clear that buying “green monsters” at $6.94-$7.05 an ounce seemed a pretty good idea.  That was then, however. This is now.

As things turned out, The Minneapolis Fed inflation calculator (embedded mid-page here) says pure on inflation, silver ought to have been priced last year at $11.74.  Next month, or May, we will be amused to see how much they peddle as “inflation” in 2024.  (*Your checking account will give you one answer, doubtless they will come to some other factor.)

Still, we look at wealth accumulation as the process of buying moderately priced assets and waiting for Inflation to work its magic.  Sure, it’s the slow road to financial independence, but when coupled with a “least-cost lifestyle”, comfort is found in the delta. (IoW the spread between income and out-go.)

Turn at the Close?

Hard to say.  Normally our Peoplenomics ChartPack work is clear.  But, as of this morning, the look-ahead view in our Aggregate Index is dangerously close to breaking below key support. Look for yourself:

See it? Way over on the right? (Peoplenomics charts are bigger)

You should be able to make out that we ought to “kiss the trend” in here.  And the idea becomes even more clear when we inspect our Ebbinghaus-Ure Correlation model.  Where we see a non-zero chance that the market has come down enough for the nominal top to have marked a 1-down incept point which means we are in position today to put in a meaningful bottom. From which a launch higher – to Easter??? – could be hypothecated.

Anyone worthy of a consigliere ought to see the meaning of the two black trading box outlines above.  On the left we have the (possible, not certain – yet) Wave 1 down.  Which rallied to the top of 2 (forming the double-top configuration).  Big three down (whee!), we likely finished the 4-down and are working in a 5 down now.

The Graceful part of this is that if we close at Futures pricing (or lower) today, then the odds of a turn may momentarily draw our interest in the “play money” account.  Which has been “plus or minus a single engine aircraft” in value recently.  *(Non-IFR, not a retractable.) Still, a bottle of vodka from the package store and an hour or two in the recording studio here…cheaper than a trip to Vegas. What can I say?

More JOLTS (in the form of Job Openings, Layoffs, Terminations, and Separations) tomorrow at 10 AM.  A final washout tomorrow and then “good news” and we could begin the climb to a major Wave 2 Up into Easter.  We shall see if “it is Risen” about there.

Just remember that the whole of declines so far from the February 19th high in our Aggregate (52,757.43) down to the “futures-indicated action” today (46,621.80) has constituted a Larger 1 Down of 11.63 percent.  Remember, this is only the small 1 down.  When we expand the potential future, we can look forward to a fall reading (or sooner) of perhaps 35,870 for a total decline of around 32 percent.

Then we get a Big Rally.  Where we will  be busier than a squirrel playing with his nuts.  Because that 32 percent decline leads to a rally ( for the 2026-2027 War withe China).  And that means a Second Depression low perhaps in the  6,277 Aggregate range.

No, we don’t like mentioning “the Unthinkable” this time of day, but IF this is anywhere near what’s coming the reason for our flight from big cities (on targeting maps) will be clear.  But, could also be ravings of an economic fool, so take that into consideration as well.  This is all exotic financial modeling – not for the home players, necessarily – and you do have time to plan.

Where it gets more challenging is if we get a super rally into Easter?  God help us all.  Short-term it could be grand but Life hits the rocks, shortly thereafter. That’s when we jump into the “Who will trade paper with numbers on it for actual calorie-rich food?” territory.

But wave counts change all the time. Just a rally beginning this week could be problematic is the take-out for breakfast.  Nothing frivolous here…but we never fear “frivols”.

Jolts – 2

Myanmar is a mess.  More than half a century of news reporting teaches that with a death toll over 1,600 now, an eventual toll perhaps double that could be in the works.

Wouldn’t you know it? Here comes the Bitcoin monetization of the quake, Want to Help Myanmar, Thailand’s Earthquake Crisis Using Crypto? Here’s How…

Meanwhile, BTC was running $83,825 earlier.

Our AI stacks were offering pure pessimism for survivors.

“The Myanmar civil war, intensifying since the military coup of February 1, 2021, has evolved into a complex, nationwide conflict between the ruling military junta (Tatmadaw) and a broad coalition of pro-democracy forces, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), and newly formed militias known as the People’s Defense Forces (PDFs). The coup ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD), sparking mass protests that were met with brutal crackdowns. In response, many young activists and ethnic groups took up arms, transforming the political crisis into a decentralized insurgency. What began as a protest movement has morphed into an all-out civil war, with intense fighting across much of the country, especially in the ethnic minority regions such as Chin, Kachin, Kayah, and Shan states.

The war has fractured the country both geographically and politically, with no clear front lines. The National Unity Government (NUG), a parallel government formed by ousted lawmakers and activists, claims to represent the legitimate government of Myanmar and has garnered some international recognition. Meanwhile, the Tatmadaw retains control of key cities but has struggled to contain widespread resistance. Ethnic armed groups, some of which have decades of experience in guerrilla warfare, have capitalized on the chaos to press for autonomy or independence. The ongoing conflict has displaced millions, deepened a humanitarian crisis, and severely restricted access for international aid, especially in light of recent natural disasters like the March 2025 earthquake. With neither side capable of achieving a decisive victory, Myanmar remains locked in a grinding and multifaceted war.”

Key takeaway?  If you’re going to have an earthquake, try to plan it for a non-war period.

Domain Checks:  Lines of Scrimmage

Biting the hand that feeds you isn’t a smart move. Here’s current proof of the axiom: Comedian Amber Ruffin, who said Trump admin is ‘kind of a bunch of murderers’, gets bad news.

There goes the Printing Press, huh? Biotech stocks tumble on reports FDA’s top vaccine regulator to leave | Reuters  Which,we figure is why all the control-paradigm media hated the idea of an RFK Jr in the chair.

Speaking of Domain steering: The media tools keep getting tweaked by the BBO (big bad orange): A third term for Trump? He says he’s considering ways to make it happen.  This is a fun story to watch democrats lie their way out of.  See, the last president to serve more than 2-terms was a what? (Democrat!!!)

“Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) served four termse — but the way he got there is a fascinating story of political power, crisis, and shifting norms.

Before FDR, it was traditional (though not law) for U.S. presidents to serve only two terms, following the precedent set by George Washington. But when FDR ran for a third term in 1940, the world was on the brink of World War II, and the Great Depression had only recently begun to ease. He argued that the times were too turbulent to change leadership, and the American public agreed — he was re-elected. By 1944, with WWII in full swing, Roosevelt sought a fourth term, again citing the need for continuity in wartime. He won once more, although he was in declining health and would die just a few months into his fourth term in April 1945.

There was no constitutional limit on presidential terms at the time — it wasn’t until 1951, after Roosevelt’s unprecedented tenure, that the 22nd Amendment was ratified. This amendment legally limited presidents to two terms in office (or 10 years if they came into office via succession mid-term). So while FDR didn’t serve five terms, his four-term presidency changed the rules for all who followed.”

Legally, there are several ways for Trump to roll on this:  With a real (not RINO) Congress, the 22nd Amendment could be tossed.  But, that would take some time.  Or, the process by which the 22nd Amendment was adopted could be attacked.  Here’s why:

“In the mid-1970s, concerns emerged regarding the proper ratification of certain U.S. constitutional amendments, particularly the Sixteenth Amendment, which authorizes Congress to levy an income tax without apportioning it among the states. Critics questioned the legitimacy of its ratification process, alleging discrepancies in the documents submitted by various states. These concerns were notably articulated by individuals such as James Walter Scott, who, in the 1975 case United States v. Scott, argued that the amendment was improperly ratified. Despite these claims, Scott was convicted of willful failure to file federal income tax returns, and the conviction was upheld by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. ?
Wikipedia

Further scrutiny was brought forth by William J. Benson, who in 1984 published “The Law that Never Was,” asserting that the Sixteenth Amendment was not properly ratified due to variations in wording, punctuation, and capitalization among the states’ ratification documents. Benson’s research suggested that such discrepancies rendered the amendment invalid. However, these claims have been consistently rejected by the courts. For instance, in United States v. Thomas (1994), the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the argument, stating that the Secretary of State’s certification of the amendment’s ratification is conclusive upon the courts. As a result, the Sixteenth Amendment remains a valid component of the U.S. Constitution, and challenges to its legitimacy have been uniformly unsuccessful in the judicial system.”

Our back of the envelope on this is that Trump (or an agency like FBI (finding a new memo in review of archives, or some maneuver like that) or Justice (though P. Bondi has her hands full with insurrectionists trying to rule from the bench), leading us to wonder if such Trump-talk isn’t entirely distraction.

Around the Ranch: Domain Steering Impacts

Last free day for my ebook “PLAYBOOK: The War We Didn’t Win.”  After which, you can find it on Amazon for Kindle.

Let me “power point you” on my recent research.

1. The most dangerous weapon unleashed in WW II was not the atomic bomb.  It was the Wunderwaffen’s adventures into new physics – Die Glocke – that introduced the world to “domains” of thinking.
2. Emanating from both the Manhattan Project and inside Goebbel’s propaganda ministry, considering “domains of thought” led to a post-war explosion of advertising world-wide

There are ongoing “turf wars” between factions vying for Domain Dominance.  Most of the daily news we are subjected to (at least things not an Act of God) are about these skirmishes.  Domain steering is how (stupid, non-domain-aware) sheeple are steered into any direction domain warriors (Trump, Soros, etc) choose to engage.  My AI Collaboration lays it out this way:

“Both Joseph Goebbels and Madison Avenue (a metonym for the American advertising industry) contributed profoundly to the concept of domain steering — the systematic shaping of public perception, belief, and behavior — albeit in starkly different historical and ethical contexts. Their respective innovations laid the groundwork for modern psychological operations (psyops), propaganda campaigns, and mass marketing strategies that guide the thoughts and decisions of global populations.

Joseph Goebbels: Propaganda as Total War
As Adolf Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Goebbels was a master of psychological manipulation. He weaponized media — film, radio, posters, newspapers — to steer the German public into alignment with Nazi ideology. Goebbels understood that control of narrative equals control of reality. Through repetition, emotional appeal, scapegoating, and spectacle, he engineered consent, justified aggression, and dehumanized targeted groups. His techniques included:

• The Big Lie principle — repeat a massive falsehood until it becomes truth.
• Simplification of complex issues into black-and-white narratives.
• Emotional arousal using fear, pride, and hatred to override reason.
• Saturation media strategy to eliminate dissenting viewpoints.

Goebbels didn’t just report events; he curated reality, thus steering the national consciousness into a narrow domain where only Nazi-approved perceptions were valid. This domain steering created a closed-loop echo chamber — an early prototype of what we now see in algorithmic filter bubbles.

Madison Avenue: The Engineering of Desire
Madison Avenue, particularly during the post-WWII consumer boom, refined domain steering for commercial rather than ideological purposes. Armed with Freud’s psychoanalytic theories (via Edward Bernays, Freud’s nephew), advertisers moved from informing to manipulating. The goal was no longer to sell products, but to sell identities and lifestyles — turning citizens into consumers. Tactics included:

• Subliminal messaging and subconscious emotional appeals.
• Creating artificial needs and fears (e.g., “bad breath = social failure”).
• Branding as tribal identity, linking products with personal meaning.
• Media omnipresence, ensuring people lived within consumer-driven narratives.

Where Goebbels used fear and nationalism, Madison Avenue used envy, aspiration, and belonging. Both, however, narrowed the range of accepted thought and behavior, guiding entire populations into predictable, managed responses — be it political loyalty or brand loyalty.

Together, they form the dark and light sides of domain steering. Goebbels represents state control of perception through ideological coercion; Madison Avenue represents corporate control through soft psychological nudges. The legacy of both lives on in today’s digital platforms, where algorithmic steering combines propaganda and advertising to shape global behavior at scale.

And that, dear Reader, gets us to another Monday wrap.

As consumerism is now hitting limits to growth, domain theory has expanded.  I have two papers on point (if you’re slow follwing the breadcrums):  A Steering Hypothesis – Hidden Guild and while you’re at it try Domains Are Your Eyewear – Hidden Guild.

Under Domain theory, Trumps tariffs are good on the one hand (control of the runaway National Debt). But bad on the other; causing eventual change in economic regimen domestically.  In similar fashion, DEI and the sexual morays monetizations were used to stimulate  pseudo-growth (SynGrow) by political ideologues lacking innovative industrial capacity. Domain Theory analyzes both – and lots of other examples – to conclude relative position in conflicts.

If this is too hard for you – and you don’t know the difference between the Ruy López and Scicilian Defense – perhaps leaving chessboard analysis to others is a good idea.

But do try to resist the heavily programmed urge to commit anti-Tesla acts. Any time you feel “compelled” into a social action, inspect your headspace closely.  You’ll likely find strings being jerked.

Write when the dust settles,

[email protected]