The Rise of “Non-Productive” Work

Ever see the “cutsie” office sign?  “The harder I work, the behinder I get…”?  This morning we look at an increasing intractable problem:  How far can this trend of lessening human productivity go before the whole global economic system blows up? In a sense, Karl Marx was onto something when he claimed that everyone (proletariat … Read More

Coast-To-Coast AM Show Notes

Glimpse into dying link: Glimpses of afterlife? ‘Near-death’ experiences aren’t hallucinations, scientists conclude – Brain Tomorrow Three visuals to help visualizing a few econ points. First is a long-term, 10+ year chart.  One trace shows 1920-1933 while the other is from the 2009 Housing Bubble low to close of trading Tuesday 4/22/22.  This is an … Read More

C.P.I – Sentiment – The Prepper’s Dilemma

After a modest beat-down Monday, largely driven, we expect by the Russian Default, there is fresh economic data that’s likely to influence the outcome of today’s trading. Russia’s Monday default is being labeled a “selective default” but we have to wonder if this isn’t something like “partly pregnant.”  Seems to us simple folk here in … Read More

ABM: The Monday Size-Up

ABM = A Boring Monday.  But it’s a four-day workweek for some… This is one of those mornings when the active thinker, cursed with the inquisitive mind, hates writing.  There’s just not much going on.  Yet. The “Schedule” is the news. The Bigger War Game The Ukraine war has been reduced to body count claims … Read More

An Absolute Must Read

You may not be a frequent visitor to BrainTomorrow.com. But their article today lays out exactly the kind of topology of dying that I covered in my book “Packing to Die: Suitcase between your ears…”  that I’ll be on George Noory’s Coast-to-Coast-AM talking about Tuesday night/Wednesday morning (depending on your time zone). The article is must-read. … Read More

Shoptalk Sunday: Tractoring, Writing, Twilight Zone

Reader note: 7:12 AM. Bit later than usual with our Sunday Epistle.  But there have been some strangish things afoot here… Texas Twilight Zone Yessir, fine Saturday in the outback, until we got to the power outage part at about 4:20 PM lasy night.  Right in the middle of cocktails (champaign or rum) and the … Read More

Before You Write a Thing…

How to become a High Output Production Writer (part 1). While Wednesday Peoplenomics reports are almost entirely income, expense, and getting-ahead oriented, several readers have asked for a “short course on writing.”  We get to be “of a certain age” and the impulse to share with future generations is a natural instinct among “elders.” We … Read More

Philosophical Friday: Markets, Covid Crazy, Google Leads

“The time has come”, the Walrus said, “To talk of many things: Of shoes – and ships – and sealing wax – Of cabbages – and kings- And why the sea is boiling hot – And whether pigs have wings.” From an earlier Jabber-Writer. Today, in lieu of news, some useful thinking points. Understand, many people … Read More

American Penny-dreadfuls, Life in Wave 3 Down?

“What, oh pray tell Mr. Ure, are the meds you’re on this morning with such consummate blather?” Not necessary.  Headlines are providing the insights.  You see, we are watching a whole slew of “penny dreadful novellas” play out in real-time. We’ll get to the list, but first – for the Great Unwashed (the undipped sheep) the Wiki … Read More

Let’s Hear It For Non-Monetary Investments!

“There’s more to Life than Money,” goes an old saying.  Yet, perhaps because of the oddness of the times, we don’t pay a heck of a lot of attention to the non-monetary side of life.  It’s like we denominate everything first in dollars, then in meanings like contribution to Life.. It’s a fixation that has … Read More

Sneaking Up On Logic, Lone Data Point, Gold Back?

We need to begin by trying to understand what happened in Monday trading. Mostly nothing. In fact, as Robin Handler over at the Options Signal Service noted: “Here we are at the 4th of April. I didn’t see anything unusual. Surprise the world did not react to Russia bringing back the Gold standard. Let’s see … Read More

Markets: Critical Day – A Client Memo

We are waking up to what COULD – before the day is out – Turn into a real bellwether trading day. The reason is simple:  With the close of last week’s action, we were AT our 85-Day Moving Average in our Aggregate Index work, but there have been other indicators, as well. I mentioned a … Read More

Shoptalk Sunday: Sheet Goods, Pop Rivets, Cleco’s

This was a really busy week, around the old “trailer in the Outback.”  So, before we get into the nibbins of actually making, a quick photo tour of what we were up to this week. For one, we managed to get the leftovers (tin scrap) turned into a reasonable raised bed garden.  Going from this: … Read More