The Real Big Stories of the Day (Besides Job Cuts Drop)

No, it is not Dr. Ben Carson saying Trump supporters have their minds  made up so stop trying to change them. Nor is it that Hillary is coming down to the wire in trying to evade charges over illegal personal mail server use involving national security. We also found it interesting that while Al Jazeera … Read More

Coping: The Raspberry Pi Revolution

OK:  I’m hooked.  I am totally onboard with the Raspberry Pi revolution and I have one mighty-damn-fine project under my belt. Raspberry Pi’s and robotics are going to take over the world.  And over the past couple of weeks I have been quietly making arrangements for them to take over the passenger’s view of instruments … Read More

Regional Entrainment in Global Markets?

This is a really odd report this morning on several fronts. First is we went looking for entrainment in global markets.  And then (257,000 data points later and an equal number of calculations later (and not counting 17,200 data points in two intense charts) we come to a surprising observation. But we’ll get to Mr. … Read More

Housing Remains Firm

Just out from Case-Shiller/S&P/CoreLogic and whoever else: “New York, March 29, 2016 – S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for January 2016 show that home prices continued their rise across the country over the last 12 … Read More

Coping: With Backing-up Your Home WiFi Router

Survival Electricity Discussion this morning. Maybe it is because we have more than one wireless network here at the ranch (3 actually) and maybe it is because we like our off-site streaming video options, and maybe it is because I like to have a belt, pair of suspenders, a tight pair of pants, and walk … Read More

An After-Easter Rally & a Data Scramble for Breakfast

Futures are up about 30 points (or were when I looked) which supports the old theory that a lot of people take money off the table when there is a three-day weekend in play.  Another theory – along the same lines – is that markets rally ahead of the holiday.  As usual, the “old theory” … Read More

Coping: With a Report from Dream Land

Another “one of those dreams” that come along every so often. If you’re a long-term reader, you’ll remember that one of the “gifts” I seem to have is an ability to have incredibly interesting dreams – and recall them.  Dreams that often foreshadow future events. Here’s what I can remember about the one that I … Read More

2DH: Environmental Aspects of the 2nd Depression

We continue this weekend with our ultra long-range planning (The Second Depression Handbook -2DH) for the next Big Leg Down which will likely mark the Second Depression.  This is when pension plans will blow up, when people will lose their so-called “entitlements” and when the rich will be leaving quickly for other parts of the … Read More

GDP Still Weak (Why no Fed increase?)

Just Out:  GDP Data: Real gross domestic product — the value of the goods and services produced by the nation’s economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production, adjusted for price changes — increased at an annual rate of 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to the … Read More

Orders: Not So Durable & Not So Good –2.8%

This is not a good one just out from Census: New Orders      New orders for manufactured durable goods in February decreased $6.6 billion or 2.8 percent to $229.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today.  This decrease, down three of the last four months, followed a 4.2 percent January increase.  Excluding transportation, new orders … Read More

Coping: Markets Closed Tomorrow–Easter Etc.

Been meaning to mention this to the Religion Marketing Dept.  It’s time to remarket and change up a bit on Good Friday.  You see every Friday is good.  So how about we change this name of this one to Great Friday?

Of course, Palm Sunday might be due for an overhaul, too.  Not a lot of Palms north of the Mason-Dixon, so perhaps something more inclusive.  Bay Laurel Sunday which I think would grow everywhere…..

Back to point: Since tomorrow is a semi-Holiday, we will make an effort to be cogent and to the point his morning (for a change).

First up, I got the kick of email yesterday that makes all our hard work on the Peoplenomics side of the house totally worthwhile:

George

I am up 26.96% this year, thanks to Mr. George Ure.  THANK YOU George,  I am humbled by your superior knowledge !!

Curtis B

That makes me feel totally pleased.  Making money around here is a group effort and the more brains we can harness to pull in the same direction, the better.

Yes, occasionally, we will screw up, but our Big Picture view of investing seems to be working fairly well.  Not only for us, but others, as well.

The (ongoing) Adventures of G II

My son (the one who is getting married, though we don’t know when precisely) continues to make a name for himself in something than  the AIDS/HIV research he’s doing up at the University of Washington.

He’s an article which describes on of his recent skydiving activities which marries two hobbies together:  skydiving and electronics.  “Extreme range-testing goTenna, a half-mile off the ground.”

I’ve been  coaching him to look for other airborne “product testing” ideas. 

Elaine came up with a good one:  Remember the old TV ad where there was a suitcase thrown in a cage with a gorilla, which then beats the hell of things? 

“Why not have him drop something from, oh, 1,000 feet up, or so?”

Fine idea.  Or, something like the airborne electric shaver…”a close shave at any altitude…”  Oh, the mind reels.

ANOTHER Marriage Looms

Congratulations are in order for my brother-in-law Panama Bates.  He and the future Mrs. Bates (Donella) will be tying the knot a week from today up in Dallas.

This is turning into quite the spring for marriage announcements around us.  Something in the water?

The lucky couple has been house-shopping lately, but honestly, there isn’t much in the way of “real-deal” homes in this part of East Texas. 

On the other hand, we are thinking more and more about Killeen, Texas.  You can get 50% MORE home for the same price down there.  And since Bates is a retired SF lifer, he would have access to the BX and such which would keep the cost of living down.

But they’re having fun shopping, but I know what I would do.

Bates, meantime, has agreed to return for paid house-sitting gigs.  We never leave this joint unattended.  Just a personal security bug on our part.  I think paranoia meds might help.

The Economy Ahead

Speaking of major life changes, we have put our old Beechcrate up for sale on Trade-A-Plane.  You can see the online ad here.

Don’t get me wrong:  Secretly, I hope is doesn’t sell for a while – we’d like to do our July Seattle trip in the plane.  But driving works, if it comes to that.

Flying is not particularly difficult to learn (otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it) and we have enjoyed what are now three or four transcons not to mention umpteen closer runs that we don’t even keep track of.  Like up to Branson, MO and so forth.

I’ve priced the plane realistically:  It’s not a sleek go-fast plane, but if you don’t mind the ground going by at about 130-135 miles an hour it’s a great way to travel.  Lyft and Uber have mostly eliminated the car problems.

Might be worth thinking about if you have a younger family since the outlook for airline pilots is pretty good.   As you can read about over here, the first year after getting your commercial and ATP rating (and instrument, of course) can  be lean:  $25,000 to $50,000 – the latter if you are willing to consider moving and hook up with a regional carrier.  On the other hand, 10-years in the left seat of a big jet will be close to the $300,000 per year mark.

One of the real pluses of flying?  Most all the pilots and wives you meet are not dumb.  You can’t be dumb and fly

No, you don’t need to be Superman, but something of a head for numbers will help.  So will good eyesight and getting into the game young.

Read More

The Junior Economist Merit Badge

This morning we have two major items on the plate.  First up is a look at our Trading Model and an armload of charts so you can see where we are in the great unfolding of events.  The second part of this morning’s report is a steely-eyed look at a bunch of data and what … Read More

Rounding Up Reality

In order to make sense of the economy, we need to lay out some corner posts and then corral our thoughts inside them.   Most mornings, you can easily enough pick out four corner posts of the day by simply skimming the headlines. For today’s Reality Corral, we have selected the following: “IHS becomes latest company … Read More

Toggle Dark Mode