Mexico Invades U.S. – CPI Data – Woo-Woo “Day of 12”

For those who argued our long-stated position – that the U.S. was in a LIC (Low-Intensity-Conflict) with Mexico – and losing since the early 2000s, the proof is here, whether you like it or not. Mexican President Celebrates ’40 Million’ Mexicans in the U.S. Of course, most people don’t want to deal with this Reality.  … Read More

Spiraling Economics of Industrial Systems

Where to make the Ure family’s last stand?  Or, what’s the future of Big Cities….really? These get to be very important things for a head of household to consider.  Families being teams, there’s no time like the present to “step out of time” and look a ways down the railroad tracks toward what’s ahead. Many … Read More

Tax Leakage & NFIB Jitters

I’ve been doing a lot of work on Ure’s personal taxes this week.  It’s the time of year when a collection of red folders come out and various tax forms go into the folder after being entered in the “tax working directories” with backups, data dumps, and the odd spreadsheet. The best single tool anyone can … Read More

Brazilution, Biden Staging, Markets Waiting

The confusion between “urgent” and “important” is common to both professional time management training and the field of journalism. Although, in fairness, journalists are way off the pace, much of the time.  That’s because news is managed almost everywhere in the world.  Except here, in the U.S. where it’s not on the King’s Land, and … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Chair Repair & The R.A.S. Project

I spend a ton of time in my office chair.  Every day of the week, I’m out here in my “office” from, at latest, 5 AM until I knock-off, which is at earliest, 3 PM.  That’s when markets close here.  Now, to be sure, I try to get up and walk around for a few … Read More

Caution Flag Showing for Market Bears

Wow – some rally Friday, huh? Gobs of jobs. But real?  That’s what we tackle in our ChartPack today because antics of the swamp aside, there is nothing more important than hanging on to the money you have so you can get things of value. Which – rather remarkably – used to be a simple … Read More

The “Big Slide” – Jobs – D.C. Dicklock

It’s a nice Friday.  My new CPAP machine is working great, thanks.  With a good night’s sleep, along with a forecast high of 74F today, what could possibly go wrong? As it turns out: plenty. Long-term?  Dismal Being a self-centered, greedy, semi-retired scrooge, let me huff on the whiteboard marker and begin with the market outlook … Read More

GOPeed in D.C. Loserville – Jobs Falter (along with Markets)

Not a fan of Joe Biden and his woke/left lying alliance of blustering bureaucratic blunderers.  BUT he managed to get one thing right, so credit where due: Biden: GOP speaker drama ’embarrassing,’ ‘not a good look’ | AP News “Bad Look” is Right I don’t like to use (highly-accurate, descriptive) words like “shitshow” at breakfast.  So, … Read More

Evolution from Investment to Gambling

Once upon a time, “Value Investing” meant something.  Back in a time when companies had “positive book values.”  In other words, when the plant, equipment, and other valuables were sold (like patents and branding) there would be something left over.  This positive number was then compared with the most recent market price to establish a … Read More

NewWreck ’23? – Orthodox Wars, Lies and Coverups

The Hysteria Outbreak before today’s open was pre-dickable, if you will. The odds of a nuclear “event” was real this weekend, and we might imagine some form of “relief rally” could be justified.  But on reading how the Bond Market just experienced its Worst Year EVER (For Battered Bonds, Threats of Further Losses Linger – … Read More

Holiday Monday: Ever read 5 U.S. Code § 6103?

Which says, in too many words: “(3) Instead of a holiday that is designated under subsection (a) to occur on a Monday, for an employee at a duty post outside the United States whose basic workweek is other than Monday through Friday, and for whom Monday is a regularly scheduled workday, the legal public holiday … Read More

Welcome to 2023 – Personal Notes

A lot going on this week and so no “ShopTalk Sunday” until next week. With the papal passing, we were dealing with our own loss locally.  Our beloved Zeus the Cat passed quietly last night after a long illness.  He was 96 in people years.  A good run for a feral cat lucky enough to find … Read More

’23 and Thee

The human genome is in the driver’s seat and that’s not something to look forward to in the coming year.  2023 has a ton of very dangerous trends converging in H1 (Q1 + Q2) and the odds of continuing to sink into a Second Depression are high. A look ahead including a longer-range planning view … Read More