Markets and Cold: Search for Hidden Variables

We can begin with markets, which put on a rousing show yesterday as the Federal Reserve decided to “talk nice” and hold off on raising rates. This was taken as constructive by most.  Except for one thing:  If the Trump Bump was continuing, there would be no doubt about it..markets would be zooming ahead. They’re … Read More

Power in the Second Depression (Ch. 3)

Lifestyles and Load Sheets is  our next topic as we roll through a complete (in advance) book that should help you plan for a “better Depression” if there can be such a thing… Next to food and water, nothing is more important to human existence that some form of energy which can then be transformed … Read More

Prepping: How We Beat “The Coffee Racket”

Why the very thought of Starbuck’s former CEO Howard Schultz running – as an independent (sick of both parties) – speaks volumes about here in the “Land of Losing It.” We’ll skip the politics. part.  What concerns me is that as of 2018, Schultz had a net worth of $3-billion 300-million bucks.  Sprinkle of gold … Read More

Housing Data Softens in November

Just out from Case-Shiller, S&P/CoreLogic: YEAR-OVER-YEAR The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 5.2% annual gain in November, down from 5.3% in the previous month. The 10City Composite annual increase came in at 4.3%, down from 4.7% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite … Read More

Wait! What About the Climate Hype?

Writing UrbanSurvival means never having to say you’re sorry.  At least, not too often. That’s a point I take some pride in because if there’s one thing 50 years of chasing down news (*among other exploits) has taught me, it’s to take the longer view and do so in a measured way. To review:  When … Read More

Data Intensive Week – Maybe….

This week would normally be full of reports from various federal agencies.  But, with the shutdown “just over” we don’t know what the lag times will be in getting out delayed data. Some of scheduled economic news – like the Chicago Fed outlook, which we’ll get to in a second –  hasn’t been impacted by … Read More

Prepping: Ham Radio Weekend (2 of 2)

In the Saturday report we got into the basics of restoring an old transmitter.  Like restoring an old car, what could be so hard, right? Well…Let’s sit back and take a look at the radio chassis after taking off the front panel: This is after taking the sheet metal off from around the “tuning knob” … Read More

Power in the Greater Depression (Ch. 2)

Scoring Power Sources is our topic heading into my “Useful Book of Emergency Power” for subscribers. The whole matter of picking your power sources is vastly more complicated than people give it credit for being. This morning, after the headlines and charts, we’ll scale a number of sources against a wide range of threats that … Read More

Prepping: Ham Radio Weekend! (1 of 2)

My late friend and colleague, Don Stoner (W6TNS, sk) had a marvelous saying about ham radio.  “Ham Radio is the King of Hobbies….” There was a good deal of truth to that.  Few realize, for example,  that King Hussein of Jordan was a very active ham and if you snoop around YouTube, you can find … Read More

Jack Ma’s Ugly Future: Now Arriving

My consigliere doesn’t let me miss much. “Did you see the report on what Jack Ma said at Davos?  You need to read it – whole thing – because its about where the world is going and it’s the same view we’ve been talking about for years…” It sure as hell is:  “Tech revolution may … Read More

Oilzuela & SoU – Bipolar America

We’re going to “chunk” two stories and then add some comments about bipolar behavior, so here’s the first data segment: Socialism is an easy thing to defeat.  All you need to do is let it run its course.  Just like you would with the flu or any other disease. But, socialism thrives on opposition.  And … Read More

Power in the Greater Depression (Ch 1.)

Since UrbanSurvival and Peoplenomics have been solar-powered since 2008 (a fact I mention only once in a while) we do know more than a thing, or two, about robust home power stystems. Toss in living almost 11-years on a 40-foot boat – which had its own, special kinds of power issues inlcuding a wind generator … Read More

Making: Project Chunking, Stick-Welding

Def. “Tool Slut” A person of any age or gender who can’t resist having just the right precision tool for every task, regardless of how obscure.  As in this example: I don’t know about you, but seems to me that it’s the time of the year when we can begin to eye Big Projects we … Read More