News

We never offer investment advice around here.  Just an odd way of looking at finances wrought by cobbling an F/U lifestyle of a complexified minimalist. The notion of minimalism is fine.  But, in a technological age, anyone trying to relive Thoreau’s Walden is crazy.  Even though we have been premature dropouts from high-pressure city life, we … Read More

Ure’s Manifesto time. Since little is going on in the financial world (yes, market may decline, but this ain’t advice), we think it’s time to briefly consider how WWM (Wrong-Way Media) has botched its attempted dump of their “Insurrection” narrative on the public. Since our Reality is data-based, a 3-year clip of Google Trends highlights how … Read More

Before our dig-in, a couple of random health notes.  73 is about a week away and most people guess me a decade (or more) younger.  How? Up and at ’em early this morning.  (Like 3 AM early.)  Been using the “speed crown” a bit and the increase in both personal focus and energy is remarkable.  … Read More

After putting on a good show part of Friday, markets weakened at the close.  And with the opening of the Beijing Olympics, we’re only 13-days from the wrap-up of events there. Already, though, bullets are flying in Ukraine.  Not a lot of ’em, but enough to tell markets “This problem may not be going away.” … Read More

UrbanSurvival readers tend to have IQ’s well over 110.  If you’re reading us on a regular basis, congrats!  You’re probably too smart to be sucked into herd-think. Lately, our attention has been sliced & diced (“But wait, there’s More!”) by events that all (on close inspection) have a common theme. Money! Our guiding principle during the … Read More

While 115,000 (and likely more) Russian troops are pressing in on Ukraine, we are more concerned in the very short-term about Narrative Collapse. You won’t see this in the MSM *(because 5 companies own 90 percent of media and they’re all hip-deep in the Big Swindle) – the Narrative Collapse has them scared shitless because … Read More

We need to focus on Luck, once in a while.  Any discussion of Personal Finance that doesn’t include heavy weighting to Luck is absent a solid foundation.  Should be obvious to anyone who understands statistics and the long, deep schism between Religious and Reductionism. More importantly is the matter of how event in physics are … Read More

We are blessed that we have not had to issue the dreaded “Assume the crash position found on the card in the seat pocket in front of you…” advise, yet.  But it’s getting closer. A few short headlines before an incredibly serious column today: Russia sends written response to U.S. as Ukraine negotiations continue. Odds … Read More

Early stock futures had the markets set to give-back half the Friday Bear slaughter.  We’ll be hoping for more, having thrown in with the negative Nelly’s late last week. We will keep this morning’s column short.  Since the major focus around here is still spring cleaning of the office.  And getting ready for taxes which … Read More

Two items to go over today.  One is the visiting firefighter learns cutting and welding.  The other is a longish discussion of tool use. To hell with Covid.  I have a bigger problem: Messy Bench Disease. MBD. One of the continuing problems around the ranch – and my office – is that I have a … Read More

As uncomfortable as 2021 was, 2022 is still setting up to be even worse.  This as shortages, a trucker’s convoy over Covid, and changes in seasonal weather appear. On top of Russia proximity to Ukraine and Taiwan jitters over what follows the Games. In the meantime, markets seem to have genuinely lost even the last … Read More

Super short column today because we may be down to “short strokes” in terms of “How does all this work out?” Data First: Inflation Shows Labor’s out with Employment Costs – which are one of the price drivers when you go shopping: “Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month … Read More

There is a near-genius level post in the comments section from overnight which has an odd “echo of future” if you read it just so. Fellow noticed the story about a week back that mentions a small flotilla of Russian landing craft had put out to sea;  Russia’s Landing Ships Are Headed To The Mediterranean … Read More