As we are still catching up with (the damn) time change, a collection of observations about people is about you’ll get out of me. Until we get into the market data shortly which this morning is scheduled to include the Consumer Price Index.
Consumer Prices are an odd thing. If you are a monetarist, all things are driven by the amount of money sloshing around the system. The goods in our highly commoditized world don’t change that much in supply or demand. Hence, when prices change, we look to the central bankers as prime suspects.
When prices go up in the Spring, it usually means that the banksters figure enough people have paid down enough debt that it’s time to run it up again. Consumer spending on credit cards give a pretty good view of how the country is doing psychologically.
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If people are spending more on cards (called revolving credit) than they are on non-revolving debts (things like mobile homes, college loans and the like) then it’s a fair bet things are really humming.
In the last Federal Reserve note on point, credit card type use was up 6.8 percent against education and mobile home type loans which were up 5.6%.
It’s not a perfect short-hand, but it’s worth remembering.
Spring is when people go nutty, as if we didn’t notice.
Not only is there a grand conspiracy theory – yet to be written – about how Daily Time is to cover up Spring Fever – which we used to get in the old days, but there’s also an element of breaking down American values in there.
I’ll leave it to the conspiracy theorists to figure the details.
Testosterone runs high in Dallas.
Elaine happened to notice a trailer hitch while we were driving south on I-35E Sunday about noonish.
There, hung from the trailer hitch was what looked an…er…animal sack. It had what she swears were a couple of hardball-size baseballs in it.
But, you see, hung from a sack they looked like…well, it was a Ram truck…what can I say.
Who’d have though such a thing would catch a woman’s eye?
I’m planning to cobble up something like that for the tractor now. Light tan ultra-suede, maybe 8-inches deep with a couple of baseballs…
I’m sure in some states (California comes to mind) the mere display of such a fine sense of humor would land one in their political reeducation centers (California calls ’em “schools” and the real hardcore needing re-education end up in Berkeley, near as we can judge…).
I’m working on a product development project that is going along well.
So if I seem a bit distracted, there’s a damn fine reason for it. This new product is one of those “million sellers” but first I have to get the PPA (*provisional patent application) written up and filed.
When that’s done, and we’re ready to sell first units, I’ll let you know.
On the other hand, the idea is so damn good I’m thinking about proposing to Amazon or maybe one of the shopping networks.
We’re talking REAL mass appeal product. The kind that might even get me into the lap of luxury long dreamed-of…sleeping until I damn-well feel like getting up.
Not that I begrudge our morning’s together. But unless you tell all of China to start reading Urban, there may be more money in actually patenting and producing something of value.
A sharp wit doesn’t fill the bank fast enough.
With Peoplenomics tomorrow morning already mostly written, there are two other projects on the agenda here today.
Last frost is past (in theory) so it’s time to get the seedlings started in the greenhouse.
That means the real work on the garden will follow shortly, although I can’t say enough about the $20-buck weed burner from Harbor Fright. (sic)
Toss a 20-pound propane bottle on the hand truck, securing with a bunch of rope, and aim me at anything green. It’s like the fireman’s boy is a pyro when it comes to burning out the crap from last season and keeping the fence lines cleaned up a bit.
The other project here will be installing a replacement data hub for the solar power system.
Outback Power (great support, too) suggested I make one ginormous battery bank instead of two independent ones. So that (with some 2/0 cables) will happen after breakfast.
With any luck, set-up will go smoothly and we can start selling back some of the power we consumed this winter.
With the existing malfunction, we’re only able to sell 6-10ths of a kilowatt. Should be closer to 2 to 2.5 kw going out – and that’s with the office fired up.
Picked up a USB keyboard and the Office for Word app from the Kindle Store for the Fire 10 HD.
Amazon keeps moving in the direction of voice controlled computing and that has generated yet-another patentable idea I need to toss in the hopper.
Not sure why I feel like writing on the Kindle, but seems worth experimenting with. Belt and suspenders people can’t have too many backups.
Last, but I suppose first, will be a run down to Crocket Texas to pick up the new higher speed satellite modem.
Our local reseller (an electric company) sells a 25 MB download unlimited data deal now for $100 per months and that’s not a bad deal at all.
We will keep the DSL lines, though, since satellites and thunderstorm weather don’t place nicely. Rains send speeds down the tube. Something to remember if you ever decided to “go rural.”
Before you make an offer on property, make sure to check for Wi-Fi providers because that’s a deal point into the future.
On to the business part of the column and then Ure’s off to nail many items on the to-do list…
And, of course, Thursday is our Ides of March party…
Write when you get rich,
George@ure.net
Here in west-central Kentucky you see them a lot, mostly on pickups that are driven by what appears to be refugees from the “hollers”. Did see one where someone castrated the dangling bits, wonder if the owner noticed.
Also a note on the topic last week on shoes not shined, people not caring for their appearance. When I was young the prevailing thought was that hard work and doing the right things would improve your standard of living. Now though, many people have given up hope of that, and that working hard, improving your appearance etc doesn’t make a difference in outcomes – you’re going to get scr**ed anyway so why bother. Now pessimism prevails.
James Johnson, ex-nuke
Yeah.. LOL on the shoes not shined.. I seen a guy just yesterday.. bib overhauls.. pig slime on his shoes not shined cause it is all melting and grease on his arms from working dirty greasy ball cap.. driving a big green thing ( big debate.. which is better big green or big orange.. big debate the mount Everest of debates around here.One I won’t get involved in.) that he paid cash for, where what it cost would put the cost of a couple of Jags to shame.A similar comparison on prices is one between the cost of a volkswagon bug to the cost of a rolls.
WHEN I was growing up, how you dressed and looked didn’t matter, it was how you acted and behaved and how you demonstrated your character. People seemed to have ‘character vision’, they would interact with each other and assess the relationship from interactions, not just words, most definitely NOT looks. Things seemed simpler, we could go around rag tagged if we really were and we were still treated as a creature of value. Those are my fondest memories BEFORE the big push for looks. Poor, which we were, but I didn’t know it, didn’t feel it, and didn’t feel deprived. It still meant clean, and we could cultivate our inner sides and that would reflect on our outer sides. Just wanted to share that memory.
Memories,
I would whole heartedly agree with Your ,,,
WHEN I was growing up, how you dressed and looked, comment,
Character vision was really where it was at, always rubbed shoulders with one and all,
One of the finest learning experiences, of My life.
And if it turned out through many trials and tribulations, they weren’t cool, well
Time to move on down the line
RE: Fire tablet
I bought a used Fire8HD for dirt cheap. One of the apps I installed has a premium version that gives me a phone number for $5 month and thus allows limited calling and texting. I gave up my landline phones in January and am cellular only. The Fire8 setup is the same price as the Ooma VOIP I had been using so I see the Fire as my backup landline since it is wifi through my AT&T internet service.
I shall look into that idea of yours except I think the roll it up and carry it keyboard may be more versatile. With it, you can access any wifi spot or go exclusively battery for writing at the lake or whatever.
Definitely agree on checking all the internet options when you move to a rural environment. Last house I bought Time Warner said they covered but failed to mention, until all was said and done, that it would cost about $40k to provide service.
Ended up going with a combination of Exede satellite for most things and Verizon for things like work and gaming.
They’re called “Truck Nuts” (or Truck Nutz) and have been around since the last century (90’s).
As I recall they showed up about the same time people started having their neutered dog’s flat sacks fill with size appropriate medical grade silicone spheres.
There are a lot of very insecure men out there.
They’re made by a company called “Your Nutz.”
I’ve seen them on trucks, everywhere from the U.P. to Texas and from 200 miles inland on the East, to the Rockies, and in Arizona. They were more popular 10 years ago, especially amongst the redneck crowd. Your Nutz has car nuts, truck nuts, bike nuts, keychain nuts, and now wall nuts (for the ultimate man-cave, I guess…)
Their product line may be found at Amazon, here: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Your+Nutz
I’ve seen more than one cast in steel and chrome plated dangling from the back of a pickup. Someone is selling these ready-made. There goes your idea, George. :-)
beginning to think the donald might not make it 3 more yrs.