Looks like the market will open to the downside this morning – about 50 points worth on the Dow and even more – percentage-wise – on the NASDAQ. There are plenty of explanations for why this might happen, not the least of which is people selling a bit now to pay some of the taxes … Read More
Health and Environment: This is a terrible morning. Not because I have another week to go before my endodontic/walletectomy consultant can fix my bothersome tooth. And, no, not because is snowed on a good part of the Northeast delivering the White Christmas. (Tho’ a nice touch…) What makes it terrible is that it’s a short enough … Read More
Environment/Health: We don’t have a lot to say this morning, other than have a great Christmas. If you are looking for good reads, we have a number of suggestions. These will ease the passing of time… (Continues below) For openers, our friend Chris Tyreman has finally given-in and set up a page of his … Read More
There is something special about this time of the year, alright. But has little to do with wrappings and trees. I refer to the project each of us own, that is, to work on our “inner realms” while we work out way through life on this plane. This morning, a short but quite remarkable sequence … Read More
We have been speaking for perhaps a month about the Santa Rally. Since the markets will be closed Monday (and there will be a blissfully short report up then), it is only appropriate that the Santanista guerillas be run out of town today. Unfortunately, they took Bitcoin hostage and have killed it. When I looked, … Read More
Woo-Woo? We commence “down time” with an interesting discussion about Nikola Tesla. Was he a great inventor? Yes. But, is he also being deified by the simple-mind social mobs of the Internet? Yes, I’m afraid so. In this, however, lies a tale of mental acuity that we can all learn from. Or, not. (Continues Below) … Read More
This is a very special day: Lover or Farmer Day. If you are a Lover, then it is the longest night of the year and you’re happy. But, if you’re a Farmer, it’s the shortest day of the year – hence you have less light to get things down and you’re not-so-happy. Aside from Season … Read More
Environment/ Woo-Woo: I don’t get much time off, despite being nominally retired. Keeping up on markets, news, and doing original research into topics that really fascinate me leave little time for sleep, and none (to speak of) for outright lazing-about. Thought you might be interested in where certain projects are…and perhaps they will stir further adventures … Read More
There’s something stirring inside me – and no, not eggnog or sourdough pancakes. It’s another book…and a follow-on to The Millennia’s Missing Manual: What School Didn’t Teach and What Old People Didn’t Explain. Although this book is extremely useful, even when coupled with another great book on “matrix thinking” skills, And Suddenly the Inventor Appeared: … Read More
First thing out of the hopper today is the Housing Start report from the Census Bureau: “Building Permits Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,298,000. Housing Starts Privately-owned housing starts in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,297,000. This is 3.3 … Read More
Survival: Sitting at the dinner table for a Christmas dinner can be one of the most socially-awkward times of the year. All depends on how Ure relations are with the other people at the table. Since Elaine and I are “dispersed parents” we don’t have but ourselves to entertain over Christmas, though we may jump … Read More
We awaken today on an odd planet where financial history is neither read nor understood. A planet where people will buy into a manic episode of Bubble Finance without being to even produce the supposed inventor of the scheme. In short, it’s like having a global Ponzi bubble without the convenience of someone to go … Read More
Communications: We have been bemoaning the over-abundance, over use, over-price, over-tech, over-indulgence, and over-rudeness of cell phones for a good, long time. Finally, although they get things generally wrong, California may be about to get something right. Start with the Forbes article here: “California’s Latest Precautionary Move Against “Cell Phone Radiation”. (Continues below) The story is potentially … Read More