News

Between multiple forward-looking predictions, we now have (we think) enough data about the future to make some educated guesses. We will begin with some of the biblical references and concepts, move into how “personal contact with Future looks” and then use a couple of emails from colleagues to illustrate how possible futures “wander by” our … Read More

No change in Retail Sales this month overall.  But been a hard time down at the car store… “Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for June 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $704.3 billion, virtually unchanged (±0.5 percent)* from the previous month, … Read More

We have mentioned the “Ides of July” to you several times in the past month and this morning “We are there.”  Indeed, the world has changed with the attempt on Donald Trump’s life over the weekend. While we could “go deep” on the all too obvious failure of the Secret Service to pre-emptively terminate the … Read More

Our ShopTalk column today will be somewhat muted, following the attempt on former president Donald Trump’s life in Pennsylvania Saturday.  There are three – serious – non-shop discussions to have, first. 1. G.A. Stewart’s Nostradamus work nailed it. Not only did Stu post “Scary Close” (for this high-intensity, here comes the crap) period just a … Read More

Until the bad news about this fall begins to dawn on the (stupid) public, this market might move higher still.  In fact, as we reported Wednesday, another 10-14 percent is not off the table. This being the weekend, we focus only on a few headlines and the ChartPack., But today, even after the hiccup Thursday, … Read More

Let’s see how that charitable Mainstream Media is treating Flow Joe (who’s going to go) this fine summers morning: Biden news conference carries high stakes as campaign teeters (cnbc.com) Biden introduces Ukraine’s Zelensky as ‘President Putin’ in latest brutal gaffe (nypost.com) Highlights from President Biden’s solo news conference | AP News Not nearly as much … Read More

When the markets hit their latest (*Absurd) high at the close Wednesday, I put a little dough from the “hamburger fund” on the short side expecting a lower open. Two-and-a-half hours to the open, the wager looked to pay off with a 0.4 percent gain for less than an hour of (open) market exposure. The … Read More

My latest book, published on Kindle and titled “The 100-Year Toaster” argues the world doesn’t have a population crisis.  We have a quality crisis.  Wrapped up in the book is an explanation of how shoddy goods are bad for the planet but great for the corporations who run the place. Yes, population concerns may be … Read More

Prepping: At its peak, an estimated 2-million people in Texas lost power as Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, then Wet Spot Beryl wandered through.  Plenty or injuries and up to 9 dead (reports vary). The only major disruption we noticed was (an hour or two after losing power), we flipped over to the genset, threw the … Read More

Storm, War, Election, Earthquake, Paris attack, or whatever… Before the column this morning, we need to “take the pants down of the web” a bit.  In deference to the extended post of G.A. Stewart’s The Age of Desolation website. But before you click to read THE MONEY CHANGERS AND THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT –  … Read More

OK, this is going to sound weird.  Really, really odd. Has time been moving very slowly today? I mean like doesn’t seem like time is “passing right?” There are two reasons why I ask. First is my personal experience today.  Got up, did the ShopTalk Sunday column, then hauled around an extension ladder and got up … Read More

There I was on the Fourth. A moment in the recliner. Vibrator setting one, clicker in hand, and wondering about Tree Houses – which would logically follow from my deck plans… Phone rings.  It’s my buddy Mike who lives on a little patch of dirt (>80 acres) in the East Bay.  Out toward where it’s … Read More

My, oh my. We’re in the new forecast for the middle of hurricane Beryl set to drench Texas Monday. Which means I have a lot to do this weekend. With 7-inches of rain coming in a 24-hour window… Other than that (nuclear war fears, election candidate uncertainties – and before we even get to earthquake … Read More