This, boys and girls, lads and lassies, is what you call a “Dregs of Summer” column. Market news is thin, polarization among the people is high, and the summer is approaching Hell’s HVAC settings.
What’s a “Face Rally?”
Monday. That’s the template. Monday’s close was 51,839.26, down 307.16; 52,411.90 was the intraday high. The face-plant-close, down 307 for the day, was especially interesting. With no obvious news — except odds on next week’s Fed meeting — we think. And eye beer. After all, it’s hot out.
Conclusion? We sense that “painted markets” are in play.
For small traders, every twitch and jigger can kill. Higher up — at the intergenerational 300-families level — time is managed differently. Months, not days. That’s the essence of power: toss an ingredient into the stew, then watch it simmer while everyone else argues over the bubbles.
The market Monday displayed “good face” trading. But by the close, it had turned ugly. We still have that chance of a blow-off top into Labor Day, however the fall looks like just that: a major fall.
Watching the Waveforms
People who have relied on oscilloscopes for much of their lives have an easier time of it than non-electronics-oriented people.
After some years, a good tech’s visual cortex begins to recognize recurrent themes in waveforms just before the smoke lets loose. Crypto knights are screaming that rising above $66,000 means the return to green is a “safe” bet. (They drop the word bet as their belief system demands.)
Now I want you to look at that vertical dashed line. Then look not at the asset numbers, just the waveform of our Aggregate Index. In your mind’s eye, place it so the right side of the chart below sits just to the left of the dashed line above.
It’s a very simple example of how my friend, The Economic Fractalist works on cracking markets. You can learn more by reading his site over here: The Economic Fractalist | Non-Stochastic Saturation Macroeconomics.
Flag and Pennant School
To make this clear, I’m going to zoom even closer-in on the Aggregate and draw the possible pennant for you.
I hate waveforms like this. The top pink is the “trend channel top” the market has drawn itself. The green sloping top of the “flag” is the line above which a further rally may appear. The straight red line is when you load the loved ones in a lifeboat and pray.
The tiny yellow “x” is where the early futures point.
The Key Learning Point
Here’s our “listen up” part:
Flags and pennants are the market’s little “catch-your-breath” patterns. They usually show up after a sharp move — the flagpole — when price pauses, chops sideways or slightly against the prior move, and lets the latecomers decide whether they still want in. A flag usually looks like a small tilted channel, often slanting opposite the prior move. A pennant is tighter and more triangular, with price compressing into a small wedge. In both cases, the theory is the same: after a fast run, the market consolidates before trying to continue in the original direction.
You can see how BTC resolved with a final burst higher in October 2025. Then it was over. Equity markets may yet bring a final manic blow-off on “false peace” or “breakthrough.” We get to wait.
The key is that the pattern is supposed to be a continuation formation, not a stand-alone prophecy. A bullish flag after a strong rally means buyers are resting, not necessarily quitting. A bearish flag after a hard decline means sellers may be reloading. Traders generally look for declining volume during the pause and then a pickup in volume when price breaks out of the flag or pennant. The breakout direction matters; until price actually breaks, the pattern is only a candidate, not a verdict.
The failure mode is worth respecting. In noisy modern markets, every pause gets labeled a flag by someone with a chart and a need to talk. A real flag or pennant should be brief relative to the preceding move, proportionate in size, and clean enough that the eye does not have to invent it. If the consolidation drags on too long, widens, or breaks the wrong way, the market is no longer “resting” — it is repricing. Good traders use flags and pennants as context, not religion: they mark the likely continuation path, then let price confirmation, volume, and risk control decide whether the pattern deserves money.
And that’s how the market “puts on a good face” while underneath, the 300 family wealth is heading for safer ground. Feel better now?
News Compressor: ON
The main thing that changed overnight is continued escalation in the US-Iran conflict alongside domestic US political and weather developments.
US forces conducted their 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets, following an Iranian attack that killed two US service members (ages 19 and 25, from Texas and Hawaii) in Jordan, with one initially missing. Casualty figures from Iranian strikes since early July have risen, with the Pentagon accused of withholding details on dozens of injuries. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained limited (around 4 vessels on recent days), though some transits continue amid risks; oil briefly topped $90–$91 before easing.
Underreported: Incremental US military injury tallies and withheld details (65%).
Domestically, President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods (autos, alcohol, dairy) over alleged trade discrimination.
Tropical Storm Bertha strengthened in the northeastern Gulf, bringing flash flood and storm surge risks to the northern Gulf Coast (Florida Panhandle to Louisiana). No major new US domestic mass-casualty disasters reported in the mandatory sweep, though ongoing wildfire and flood recovery contexts persist from prior periods.
News Forecast
12–96 Hour Outlook
- Tropical Storm Bertha impacts (next 24–72 hours): Heavy rainfall (2–4+ inches, isolated higher), tropical storm conditions, and surge along Gulf Coast from FL/AL to LA. Slow movement increases flood risk; monitor NHC for track shifts toward TX. Matters for East Texas preparedness.
- US-Iran strikes/diplomacy (ongoing/12–96 hours): Potential further exchanges or pauses as delegations eye Qatar talks; Houthis announce Saudi blockade, widening energy risks. US consequences include casualties, oil volatility, and supply chain effects.
- Tariff effects (immediate–96 hours): Canadian retaliation risks and higher costs for affected goods; markets watching for escalation. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney continued negotiations. Importers need the covered tariff lines and implementation date, not the political headline. Exemptions, postponement or a negotiated package remain possible. Confidence that businesses face near-term pricing uncertainty: 87%.
- Markets/earnings (24–72 hours): Futures modestly higher amid earnings; oil volatility persists. Geopolitics and Fed signals key.
- Ukraine/Russia (ongoing): Large Russian strikes reported; drone activity. Limited direct US impact but energy/food ripple effects.
- UK politics (immediate): Andy Burnham as new PM; stability and tax signals.
Odds of a Fed rate hike now up to 16.6 percent. Worry only today, but may grow and get contagious late week.
Around the Ranch: Mail Crap Dance
We – the voters in America who are nominally in charge of our own government – have a big decision to make. Do we reward falling performance?
Since last week, I have been telling you the daily adventures of Elaine’s gift – an Army green IBM Selectric II – like the one she ran in the military as an MCST specialist. Read this bottom to top and you’ll see why we don’t think USPS deserves a raise:
I kept this short for you – it was actually mailed in Colorado on July 7th. I just checked a few minutes ago, and in the last hour, we can see how USPS is rewriting computer history to cover-up its misrouting errors.
Two days to get 20 miles? Can’t rush things, naturally.
Now, I’m not saying that postal workers, en masse, shouldn’t get a raise. But we all need to keep our wits about us when talking money.
The Modern Money Game – A Short Course
Here’s how we think of raises.
- Begin with the wage you made one year ago.
- Adjust it up or down, depending on the whole Consumer Price Index, year-on-year.
This is NOT a raise. It’s recognition that our money is crooked and depreciates all the time. It’s the government con to make it all look like growth.
It is not.
I don’t mind workers being kept at current cost realities. What I do mind is “performance bonuses”. USPS disclosed at least $2.49 million in executive bonuses and related payments during calendar years 2023 and 2024. The actual organization-wide incentive-pay total was higher but is not separately disclosed.
For literal calendar 2024–2025, the CY2025 statutory executive table has not yet been published as of July 2026.
Like our missing Selectric – which seems to joy-ride out of the Dallas area – maybe USPS could stamp out inefficiency and consultants. Let carriers run the show. Think Employee-Owned.
Works for Publix – which has 250,000 workers in its ESOP. Or just let Amazon buy it since they keep it alive, anyway.
That’s Our BFdJ (Brain Fart du Jour)
Miss it?
The data screams Amazon should set eBay up as a merchant through an affiliate program (or just buy eBay outright). Because (magically) Amazon packages get here in a day or two. I hear they don’t take crap when stuff runs late.
eBay via USPS? That’s more like going to Vegas, or Kansas City…
Write when you get rich,
George@Ure.net
the cartoons you drew at the top are cute . like the big chopping axe on the nasdaq on top of the 5000 point handle . anyway whatever . but isnt the 21st july a significant day for one of the sage gurus ?
The problem isn’t the local desk clerk — most of them work hard and deal with the public all day….Although..they aren’t the ones that receives the bonuses…. The real issue is that the postal system has been struggling financially for years. Government wages, benefits, and healthcare costs are extremely high, so the USPS leaned heavily into automation to cut labor expenses…A sorting machine can easily cut five or six bodies.
Because of that, once your package enters the automated sorting system, it’s rarely touched by human hands again. It goes straight into the mechanical “vortex,” and whatever happens in there is up to the machines. the system is built for volume, not accuracy.
The core problem isn’t the clerks — it’s the structure.. The USPS isn’t broken because of the people at the counter — it’s broken because the entire system has been running on patches for decades and rather than fix the problem they had they did exactly what many employers do..cut hours and staffing..cut benefits….
Its a BIRD !
Its a Plane !
It sure as shit aint Captain tRUMP..
Reality for US forces stationed on the Sand in ME – https://www.theinteldrop.org/2026/07/20/american-bases-pummeled-by-iran-dozens-dead-but-not-reported-vid/
“Welcome Ye Goats and Dogs, to Cyprus”
Post more reliable websites, tbs, while indeed there are probably more casualties than the public is aware of, beware of your sources:
https://dfrlab.org/2025/11/28/suspicious-websites-amplify-narratives-from-sanctioned-russian-entities-targeting-georgia/The Intel Drop
‘The English-language outlet The Intel Drop published twenty-one articles related to Georgia between January and October 2025, with the last published on October 26. Much of the article content originates from sanctioned Russian propaganda outlets.’
In modern Orthodox Christian eschatology, the “Greek E65 prophecy” links the completion of a major Greek infrastructure project to apocalyptic timelines and geopolitical shifts.
Some Orthodox prophecies (such as those attributed to Saints Paisios and Cosmas of Aetolia) foretell that the completion of the E65 serves as a harbinger for an impending global conflict and the fall of the Turkish state.
The highway will be opening July 23, 2026.
Two of the final signs of WW3 after the completion of the highway are the fall of Erogan in Turkey and Israel striking Iran’s nuclear program.
“On that Friday morning when the first penetrating bomb falls on a nuclear
facility in Iran, everything will begin to move at dizzying speeds”
For context, the highway is historically important to Greek Orthodox because it’s the path through the mountains that would be used to reclaim Constantinople and more specifically (for them) the Hagia Sophia.
feeling blessed,
https://orthodoxtimes.com/the-prophecies-of-saint-kosmas-the-aetolian/
“Time will come when people will talk from a distant place to another, as if they were in adjoining rooms, for example from the City (Constantinople) to Russia.” He could not describe telephone in a better way.
“People will stay poor because they will not have love for the trees.” The ecological problem, brought up in an era, when they could not even imagine what that might be.’
There is nothing in his prophecies about E65, nuclear war or Erdogan:
https://pemptousia.com/2016/09/prophesies-by-st-kosmas-aitolos/
The highway from Greece to Turkey already opened in 2009:
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20100909-driving-greeces-modern-ancient-highway-the-egna
Nostradamus Quatrain I-52
The two wicked ones conjoined in Scorpio,
The great seignior murdered in his hall:
Plague to the Church by the King newly joined,
Europe low and Septentrionale [Russian].
“The great seignior murdered in his hall” does indicate that Erdogan will be murdered in Turkey and in his grand palace.
Nostradamus and The Third Age of Mars, The Prophecies of World War III, G. A. Stewart, 2019, Pages 445/690/794
Quatrain I-52 is integral to the timeframe in understanding when Russia will invade Europe. The key is in the compound Nostradamus word Septentrionale” and the identity of “The Great Seignior”.
I have gone through great lengths starting at the beginning of this chapter to show readers that “Septentrionale” is an allusion to the constellation of the Great Bear, and therefore Russia.
Therefore, “Europe low and Septentrionale [Russian]” means that Russian forces will occupy parts of lower Europe.
“The Great Seignior” was once known as the “Sultan of Turkey”. This Quatrain predicts an invasion of Turkey by Russia and possibly during the timeframe when the Sun transits Scorpio, from October 23rd until November 21st.
I think lower Europe will be invaded around the time of Turkey’s defeat and the death of Erdogan, which will conclude Phase I and lead to The False Peace.
https://theageofdesolation.com/nostradamus/2026/04/13/g-a-stewarts-timeline-part-viii/
That’s interesting because according to the Greeks
– a pro-American (military) leader will replace Erogan in Turkey.
– the US declares support for an independent Kurdish state
– major famine in Greece (for three months?)
– unusual earthquakes in Turkey and Greece (…and America?)
– Either Greece or Turkey will extend the territorial waters in the Aegean from 6 to 12 miles causing the flare up
– NATO troops will use the E65 (which extends up to Sweden) to pass through Greece
– Germany will back Turkey
– Turkey will seize Greek islands and Cyrus, however they’ll be turned back over to Turkey after this ends
– Turkey will close the Bosphorus so Russian ships can’t pass through to reach their bases in the Middle East, triggers Russia to invade Turkey which then disintegrates
– Constantinople is ceded back to Greece
The Russians invading Turkey uninvited???? Turkey is the only military I would fear fighting on the planet. Much respect for the honey badgers (tenacity).
Beautiful country, the bizarres are amazing and, noting to my liaison how the Turkish sailors were all bent over sweeping the ships decks with brooms that had the handles cut down to ~18”. Why was this? I asked. My liaison replied “ we cut the handles down so that the sailors will be closer to the deck when they are sweeping”. Why is that ? I asked. Reply” because they can’t see all the dirt if they aren’t directly over the top and looking down at what they are cleaning , they will miss dirt if they are directly standing straight looking down at the deck they can’t possibly see all the dirt. “ true story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6lc%C3%BCk_Naval_Base
Not advice I use a Dyson lol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_campaign
I’m sure Sir Winston has something to note along those lines as well.
Well NOT all of us get Amazon in 2 days, For me Amazon with or without prime takes 4 or MORE days I actually get faster service from Walmart third party and sometimes Ebay is as fast as Amazon. As far as carriers go UPS is a failure in my area they only deliver to me on Tuesdays and Thursdays so you can have a PKG sitting at there place for 5 days before you get it, Fed-x is the only reliable carrier in my area they deliver 5 days a week and I rarely ever have a problem from them. They open and close my gate where UPS throws my pkg over the gate and won’t come down my driveway, They are worthless, USPS is better once it gets to my local distribution center but before then? well that is a toss up! LOL Once again I’ll say nothing in this new modern era is safe, sane or reliable, EXCEPT for that you CAN bank on it being NOT! LOL
If a person don’t like the way the military has been operating , they could their ties to it if they have a civilian job conected to the military.Just my opinion.
And here we have home gamers, something Steevo hasnt seen since Davinci sold his gold to buy Bitcoin.
Moon boy Carl is selling his prized autos to buy more Bitcoin……
https://youtu.be/aSlymErGonE?is=0XYLwKAJT5cCOsmM
My only regret with Davinci is not seeing his tweet to buy Bitcoin for $1….. now Davinci is telling you to buy just ~ 872 Satoshis (.00000872_BTC) for $1…..
https://youtu.be/D8uFteVj5WI?is=nTk68ITcmN4D8CuT
https://marketrealist.com/who-is-davinci-jeremie-who-advocated-for-bitcoin-in-2013/
Not advice my goggles are getting warm.
Point being of the previous post I sent here home gamers is that you can see how $1 fiat back in 2013 bought one bitcoin. Today the same $1 fiat buys you 872 / 10,000,000 of a bitcoin.
Call that progress? Bringing new meaning to being a whole coiner, we won’t be seeing these levels again until the 95% pullback from $700K-$800K in the next 12-24 months IMHO.
Not advice get your own tea leaves.
Trump and Turkey….disagreements but on whole some semblance sanity. Gaza…seems overkill but religious right in isreal it is judicial. Same Syria… buffer zones much like Russia and Ukraine. Result in Russia is UAVs deep into country. Result in Israel is more Syria strikes… not less. No control by Iran. Just support. So Trump supports Israel and Iran supports Syria…no standdown. In end Oil embargo from Gulf goes on. No UN intervention as no one wants to concede anything.
End USPS. Trump did say the Fentanyl is being mailed in so complete open awareness. 3rd party data collectors like $AMZN can handle letters and packages. Only people who have something to hide will object.
Why does Universes’ responses always seem to be out of sorts..backwards/reversed/and or inverted ? or is ME and my perceptions?
Same principals applies it seems with “spooky actions at a distance” , not always but enough to take notice. There has got be a Mathematical solution to this problem. Its like “wishing” for a lonely and longing Suicide Blonde to walk into my life, and I find a Suicide Reddish Brown at a Halloween party…married that one.
Me thinks the Math Heads (Writers) at The Simpsons are onto the It, just needs some fleshing out…
The OG writing team for The Simpsons are all Harvard educated/read Math majors, with advanced degrees. Advanced degrees all came from UCia Berkley.
These guys claim they just run the Math clacs on the most outrageous theme of the Show, and run it down to its most far-out outcome.
After several hundred episodes of doing this, they are bound to nail 2 or more Predictions – seems its all in the Maths G-Pops.
So back to this reverse polarity thingy in the realms. Is this just Universe letting us know it is aware of Us looking at it, and kinda waving back ?
Oh well – the great Edgar Cayce once warned of the need for the People to Go Back to the way of the Indigenous/Natives during these times of Disclosure and breaking apart of the Lands.
I got sync winked last week with Robin Wall Kimmerer – BRAIDING SWEETGRASS book. Its a difficult read…as its hard to see thru tears streaming down face, gotta stop to dry em : D
? Didnt the Chief get to sleep” with all the Sqaws
Native American style flute music – not brown chix brown cows.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yxps5oF-NiM?feature=share
Well., crap
Looks like I will have to dip into the poker stash to buy a new car for “The Mrs”. It’s been over 72 hours and she can’t drive my Studebaker Pick-up [ she’s an itty-bitty – can’t depressed the long-throw clutch safely.]
What a waste of some hard-earned money. Of course, it wasn’t all ‘that’ hard.
Been looking around – not too impressed – seems they are more interested in selling all the electronics then the vehicle.
What would you buy if you were in the market for a new vehicle? Something small. No EV.
“Israel believes Iran moved nuclear material to notorious ‘Pickaxe Mountain'”
And the rhyme is…. an oldie but a goodie:
“A slide showed Mr Bush in the Oval office, leaning to look under a piece of furniture. “Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be here somewhere,” he told the audience, drawing applause.
Another slide showed him peering into another part of the office, “Nope, no weapons over there,” he said, laughing. “Maybe under here,” he said, as a third slide was shown.”
HOT times in the Middle East with Trump’s NEW decision due TODAY on how much he is going to RAMP UP the War WE started (and per Tump have now won that War about 40 times already!)?
Putin’s 3 day Special Military Operation is looking like a good Foreshadowing for Trump’s 5 day WAR!
SPF 5000 anyone?
the USPS misdirection of parcels seems to be the packages only,,,, as my mailed to me, bills seem to always get here on time.
Selectomatic?
getting interesting with the postal service involvement in election ballots, making the cheaters put trackable barcoding on out going and incoming ballot envolopes sent by mail,,, cleanup in asile 666 of voter rolls
1 day ago · The Iran-backed Houthi militia, which controls parts of Yemen, has in the past blockaded the Red Sea by threatening a choke point crucial to Saudi oil exports and global shipping.
Houthi has announced a new blockade of the choke point in the Red Sea – against Saudi Arabia.
This greatly expands the active military strike region. And if successful, threatens all shipping for the Suez Canal. And that is a lot of shipping.
Trump stated this morning that “We’ll take care of that.”
Why isn’t Saudi Arabia “taking care of that” ???!!!
The stock market didn’t even react – in fact, it is up across the board., all on A.I. news. Bonds however just hit a two month high.., and oil futures are pretty much where they were earlier this morning.
Guess I am missing something here. If the Houthi start a terror campaign in the Red Sea and start blasting shipping, prices across the board, for nearly everything are gonna spike. Adding more than just ‘fear’ to the inflation possibilities.
“Stay Frosty !”
Just over one-third of working adults age 58 to 60 have more credit card debt then they do retirement savings.
Just how do you spell economic disaster ?
are ya sure it is only 6600? not a hole lot more?
“Last week I learned that a serious software error in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System led to the registration of roughly 6,600 people who indicated that they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024, almost three years prior to my taking office,” she wrote.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/07/new-jersey-dem-governor-makes-damning-admission-serious/
and how about the other 49 states? which ones have ERIC? ERIC has a dirty hand.
sure is getting interesting,,, like watching a strip tease, a little off here and a little off there,,, oh look at that,,
Amazon is a shipping logistics company. The world’s busiest single-track mountain pass railroad is the Tehachapi pass, that connects the southern central valley of Calif. (Bakersfield) with the high desert mainlines of BNSF and UP (at Mojave) with Los Angeles ports, and the transcon main headed east. I watch container trains there where half the freight containers are ‘Amazon’ containers… dedicated shipping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVfFVNmE0LE
Yeah, I know it looks like double track, but those are long passing sidings. There are many single track tunnels and narrow single track sections to make it a dispatcher’s nightmare to handle dense two-directional traffic,
about 1100 trains per month.
everything is a joke . screwed . tariffs. new round coming friday . so what happened to the Supremes ruling them illegal and ordering money repaid . no wonder its all broke . pentagon broke . ahh they will just rant and rave and something sneaky again . imagine trying to get a tariff refund from USA when the money is already evaporated . maybe sheetcoin it ? going up up up in a puff of smoke ! good song for the latest circus act
Wilson: or, those unsupportive of our kids in the field, could remain silent and mind their own bidness. or, you can just keep doing the other thing. Egor
word-slinger : we watch waves and refracting waves (ex : after shocks still following the great pandemic).
they are _very_ long waves.
yes, they are.
carry on, E