Usability Note: If you see a strange symbol at the start of this morning’s post, I’ve installed a “voting system” to let you voice easy Likes or Dislikes of our reports. If it gets too negative, we will abandon it (UrbanSurvival is a digital dictatorship). But feedback is useful. Who’s at the Wheel? Commies first: … Read more
Comes now the time of year when “Winter Readiness” is on the agenda. Along with some of the best “working weather” of the year, most places. “What’s Working Weather?” This is an old home-building and firehouse term. Because firefighters, many times, have real hands-on hobbies and side hustles. Like building some of the best new construction … Read more
My consigliere and I are both very worried about the future. So before we get into the blood and guts of current markets and “news” a few items that are beginning to pop up for next year. First, there are independent reports that in September 2022 there will be a major earthquake in Japan. Something well … Read more
Kinda hard to get out of bed today. Calm before the storm (in a sec.). For this morning, markets are back on track for a rally resumption. One we fear could be curtailed if/when consumer prices come in higher than expected when released tomorrow morning. Then Wednesday, brace yourself for retail sales figures. Even though … Read more
USER HINT: Right click with your mouse and – if you have Windows 10, select “Read Aloud” so you can watch the sun come up while drinking your coffee and having today’s column read to you. (I have taken to this tool many times to help proof read this column. Hasn’t helped, but I can … Read more
Much somber discussion and recall this weekend. But around here, something more. The realization that despite billions, if not trillions spent on the National Security State, America is just loaded with weak underbellies waiting for someone to attack. Perhaps related to the calendar, we’ll cover our new “Exceptional Fear Indicator” based on market action in … Read more
With the holiday weekend ahead – and a break in summer weather across the South from hurricane Ida, due to come ashore within the day – time to line up projects and tools for the big important projects this Fall. With this in mind, a quick overview of the first of our Four Shop Operations … Read more
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
We do, I assure you, live in a confused and ‘foxed-uniformed vertically‘ world. Hyper-complexity promised to solve all our problems. But, sitting in the Outback of East Texas, “confusionality” is abundantly clear. For example, when you decide to build more damns for hydro power and exporting of water to SoCal, what happens? Fish runs shrink … Read more
Welcome to the day denial wears off. Don’t know if you remember last Friday’s column: “Prepping for Lockdown 2.0 – Markets in Denial?” With 90-minutes to the open, Dow futures were down 450 points. Yeah, I know – we were way early on the variant impacts, but that’s how you stay alive today. As we … Read more
Ahead of this morning’s Housing report (which we will post about 8:15 Central time) I found myself pondering the lack of useful headlines and wondering more about Future. Not that headlines aren’t revealing a few things: Yes, it was hot in the Pacific Northwest yesterday and it will be hot – maybe hotter – today. ‘Crazy hot’: … Read more
Seattle, Portland, and the backside of the Cascade range are all looking at busting records today. We’ve penciled in “Sweattle” and “Portnix” as new city names better suited. Mainly Arizona but with a contender in New Mexico, massively huge fires are still running away. Among Arizona fires, the Telegraph fire is 180,756 Acres, while the … Read more
Ham Radio’s annual Field Day will wrap up today. Rather than doing a “project in the shop” this weekend, there are some very important planning and prepping things to talk about. Radio communication skills is one. The other is reducing the risk of fire during hot weather. If the Web Goes Down… As mentioned, I was … Read more