Stiks – Downhill to Port

Nearing the destination Stiks south of New Caledonia Iridium’s in: “Slip sliding along on the money course now, just waiting on the wind shift to the east. Tasks today includfe making lunch and dinner from dwindloing fresh goods. The rice and beans are joined by thye millet and quinoa and whatever goes along with them, which … Read More

Federal Paid Vacations End

As taxpayers, we’re not very pleased that returning Federal workers will get all their lost pay from the shutdown, soon. No, we don’t wish anyone ill, but we also think that the FedGov will have, in effect, given a six-week paid vacation on top of the already “nice” federal packages. Once again, it’s an example … Read More

Stiks at Sea

Latest – just before 5 AM Central – from our sailing reader Stiks and crew just south of New Caledonia: “Wind now 20-22 and the ladies had an 11.1 top speed with one reef in. Swell is 2M and 10 seconds. The boat is loving it. Dinner was fancy ramen from whole foods. Evening watch … Read More

Stiks Under Sail

From our reader Stiks down near new Caledonia, this just in: “Just when the Garmin decides to find its brain the wind comes back sweet and from exactly the wind bearing you want to go. Pick a side, hopeful of a favorable angle on the other tack when the predicted wind shift happens. The reward … Read More

New Caledonia Update

Just in from Stiks with dawn… Crazy last night. Garmin chart plotter went bonkers leaving us wondering what went wrong. Sort of lost in space in the moonless darkness with the little boat icon wandering all over. Goy out a paper chart and plotted the gps position and course and kept going. Seems there was … Read More

Tariff Dream or Debt Scheme? Markets, Inflation & What’s Next

TL;DR: Something here just doesn’t add up. Tariff dividend?  BBC flounders rom the top. And with cold temps? Personal appearance changes. That’s Monday for you: tight, bright, and right. Developer Economics Twenty years ago, if you had asked me to explain the difference between being a sci-fi writer and covering finance/economics?  Would have been a … Read More

ShopTalk Sunday: Adventures in the Time Shop

TL;DR: Physics is bound to catch up – one of these days.  But they should have been able before me to find the Two Times of physics.  (Long – bring extra coffee and a sleeping bag…) Yeah. The Time Machine Project…about that… Every shop has its ghosts. Mine just happen to hum between ten and … Read More

A Report from Stiks

Our long-time reader Stiks, who’s on a sailboat in mid Pacific sent up a position update: “George…we are currently long term floating in a gigantic high pressure zone with almost zero wind and have been pretty much stuck and drifting around for three days. Lots of cool lightning, some heavy squalls to fill the tanks, … Read More

Year-End Slide

Please, tell me from the headline you can figure out what this morning’s column is about? We could have made up a clever acronym like Y.E.S., but the more you know, the more it’s no, Y.E,S. Dip-Flippers and democrat grifters; financial bumps, not wholly Trumps…and yes, my Longfellows, we do know it. All comes down … Read More

Dow Theory’s Revenge, Book Release Day

TL;DR:  Transports are breaking Dow Theory confirmation even as headlines cheerlead, meaning the market’s “nothing to see here” story is wobbling under the surface. Kazakhstan’s rare-earth pivot toward the Abraham Accords shows the mineral chessboard shifting under China’s feet while we pour coffee and keep an eye on the oxygen gauge. Dow Theory’s Revenge One … Read More

MMWO? (Mid-Morning Wash-Out)

“It was nothing helmsman – steady as she goes.  We can’t wake the Capt’n till morning…” On the Wire “U.S.-based employers announced 153,074 job cuts in October, up 175% from the 55,597 cuts announced in October 2024. It is up 183% from the 54,064 job cuts announced one month prior, according to a report released … Read More