Rally Hopes Fade, Fall Debacle Looms

We might have made a little lunch money this week.  The reason is the market declines from Friday the 13th have been amazing. I mean besides Damning pic of a weak leader: Devine (nypost.com). The real driver is taper talk at the Fed.  Seems the party-punch spikers have figured out that sobriety has to come along some … Read More

Book Update: The 100-Year Toaster

My book Packing to Die: Suitcase Between Your Ears is now available on Amazon for Kindle.  Feel free to buy several thousand copies. In a few days, the paperback version should be ready, as well.  Amazon’s had a “hitch in their print-along” this week. Not my error! I hear a number of other authors have … Read More

Nine Critical Failures in Afghanistan, Plus a Data Point

Going short the market near the close Monday didn’t take a genius. The speech in the movie Patton delivered brilliantly by George C. Scott sums up the feelings around here: “Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. That’s why Americans have never lost and will never … Read More

Color Me Skeptical

But do notice that after touting “speak to the National at 3:45 PM” the Slow Joe ran the clock out on the stock market.  Which closes at 4:00 PM. Ure – appalled by such transparent scamming – might have gone short. If Biden had good news maybe his time-keeping would be more accurate. More in … Read More

Scapegoat Monday at the Failure Circle

Failure is an orphan, after all.  Says so right on its birth certificate. Success, of course is on the other side:  Always at least two smiling parents.  Oftentimes, though, half a dozen – even more. I would like to be upbeat, but reality stomped out that mood within 3-minutes of touching the keys.  This is scapegoat … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Elliott Waves and Deck Building

Housekeeping and Shortwave Radio Note first: That killer quake in Haiti this weekend, 7.2 and at least a couple of dozen dead, resulted in the American Radio Relay League sending out an advisory to ham radio operators to give some elbow room to the emergency nets: “IARU, Region 2 has requested that the following frequencies be … Read More

Calm Before the….

SitRep and the Charts today since the week was consumed with “book work.” My latest book should be out Monday or Tuesday on Amazon.  Both as a $4.99 Kindle ebook and as a paperback, as well. This brings another Peoplenomics book into focus.  I have continued to collect data for additions to “The 100-Year Toaster:  … Read More

Import Prices Rocket

Import prices are going which way, do you think? “Come on you dog-faced pony soldier…”  Get this one right and the Slow Joe economics plan might actually make sense.  No?  Not enough drugs in the world to straighten that mess out?   OK, the answer is: “Prices for U.S. imports increased 0.3 percent in July, after … Read More

The Meandering Mania, Babel Shakes

Two data points to consider as we sneak up on the weekend. The usual unemployment filings – improved: Highlights are the non-seasonally adjusted (no BS actual) numbers. Screaming And the Producer Prices: Bad:  Over 12% Annualized Rate: “The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 1.0 percent in July, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of … Read More

CPI – Plus We Finish the Book

Packing to Die: Suitcase between Your Ears should be on Amazon in a couple of weeks.  This morning the final chapters for subscribers.  Plus we’ll have those “hot off the boat” CPI numbers. On a more worrying front, one of our lawyerly readers has dug out documentation on how CDC has actual contingency  plans to … Read More

Tuesday “Insanity is Contagious” Check

After doing what, 9,000 posts (plus or minus) it’s always the writing challenge to come up with new – and useful – ways to frame the daily data drone. So, this morning, how’s about we approach things as though the world is crazy and insanity is contagious.  Which, oh, bye-the-bye, it is… Optimism Being Cured Thanks … Read More

Monday Markets and Mob Rule

I do a reasonable amount of reading.  Yet, I cannot remember a single definitive economics course, or book, explaining market dynamics under Mob Rule. Similarly, I can’t find many treatises on Mob Rule and Justice, either.  Well, except for maybe The Myth of Mob Rule: Violent Crime and Democratic Politics. Lisa L. Miller. New York: … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Owning Your Space

A short column today since I was too busy to write it earlier in the week.  Which runs head-on into the 6:30 AM Lawnmower Gran Prix which goes flag-down Sunday mornings… I did want to chat with you about getting control of workspaces because as an older dolt, organizing too many projects is a continuous … Read More