Two snips of Jobs Data ahead of the “Offishall” numbers tomorrow.
ADP Job creation report? Still strong-ish but pay’s going up.
ROSELAND, N.J. – June 1, 2023 – Private sector employment increased by 278,000 jobs in May and annual pay was up 6.5 percent year-over-year, according to the May ADP® National Employment Report.
To us, though, the key takeaway was found in the Job Pay data. Which (see below) shows you can get almost twice the pay bump by changing jobs rather than staying put at the same employer:
Then we have the Job Cuts report out of Challenger that just dropped. And it’s ugly:
“U.S.-based employers announced 80,089 cuts in May, a 20% increase from the 66,995 cuts announced one month prior. It is 287% higher than the 20,712 cuts announced in the same month in 2022, according to a report released Thursday from global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
So far this year, companies have announced plans to cut 417,500 jobs, a 315% increase from the 100,694 cuts announced in the same period last year. It is the highest January-May total since 2020, when 1,414,828 cuts were recorded. With the exception of 2020, it is the highest total in the first five months of the year since 2009, when 822,282 cuts were tracked through May.
A thoughtful reader offered some (typically) brilliant insights into how all this jobs reporting will impact. This followed his reading of the JOLTS report Wednesday.
“To me., that signals The Fed will absolutely raise the interest rate in a few weeks – which will in-turn impact the stock market, banking sector, mortgage lenders and banks.
To many people, that expected the bond market to make a great showing these past couple of weeks – I believe the A.I. craze and monetary inflow has really hampered any bond movement. So, the bond market may be a place to keep an eye on as we get closer to The Fed meeting next month – that is when we “should” see a move.”
Yep. Two weeks from yesterday – June 13-14. Fed shoe will drop a quarter higher. Maybe more.
(Notice how I don’t have to do much thinking on mornings like this? Just watch the numbers and listen to the smartest of UrbanSurvival readers. Works for me!)
Pack of Fools
Milquetoast is in! Pence reportedly will launch presidential bid on June 7 (ocregister.com).
And there’s a bit of “media gush” on for Casey DeSantis: Ron And Casey DeSantis Debut Stump Speech In Iowa—Here’s Their Pitch (forbes.com).
Chris Christie? Former N.J. Gov. Chris Christie to announce his 2024 presidential bid Tuesday.
So far, Tim Scott sounds good to us: attacking racism in media (Sen. Tim Scott blasts Joy Behar over claim he ‘doesn’t get’ racism: ‘Dumbest, most offensive thing’ | Fox News) and on the irresponsible budget deal (Tim Scott comes out against McCarthy-Biden debt deal for giving president ‘open checkbook’ | Fox News).
But as other media have been saying, this shapes us as a “Trump versus everyone else” rerun of 2020. Great. Just peachy.
“Say the secret woid and annutha republican will fall out of dah ceiling…”
Any day now.
Redline Coming Late July
Biden needs a Bigger War to save his sorry administration’s ass. And the Neocons (turned NeoLibs) are ready to deliver.
We have a 50-50 bet on for the end of July window (from the 27th) when Joe Biden’s warmongers will urge Ukraine to escalate into Russia. And that’s where “golden mushrooms” come from (in theater, to begin). Last week’s article in The Atlantic was pretty clear on the migration path: The Russian Red Line Washington Won’t Cross—Yet. Will Biden cave? Or are we watching a spin of the old teevee show “The Price is Right”?
The major play now is the upcoming decision-fork over Ukraine in NATO. France and Germany Are Split Over Ukraine’s Appeal to Join NATO. Thing is, if (and the logical flow here is important) Ukraine is attacking Russia – and NATO wraps in Ukraine, then Russia would be “at war with NATO” based on battlespace reality.
Ramp up the rhetoric – have a vote and seal the “all for one and one for all” between Ukraine and NATO which will leave Russia lonmging for the former Soviet buffer states.
W3 will begin with Russia fearing Western genocide. This will light off a preemptive move on their part, we figure.
You know us, though: Always the Optimists, this will be a dandy short side bias to the markets which should be “all greens” for immoral (“your money doesn’t know where it came from”) traders.
Like us.
News Floaters
Let’s flush some out, shall we?
Austin’s Gritty Limits? After a diplomatic bitch-slap: U.S. criticizes China for refusing to talk after military jet encounter. Meh. When you own the playing field (and your opponent’s supply chains and fentanyl sources) who cares what the U.S. says?
Hate Orange Man is coming around again. Like the song “Hey Jude” which top-40 stations played to death in the 70s, here comes another Trump will go to jail precursor: Investigators get hold of Trump’s recording on having access to secret document. This time, though, about half the GOP will side with the dems to bolster their WH ambitions.
Does anyone care? What’s Next After House Passes Debt Ceiling Deal | NTD. This is an easy answer: We make up more money, bureaucrats continue on in power-sharing with corporations, we get taxed to death, plus – oh yeah – we’re still “going Venezuela.” Same shit, different day (SSDD). And not one of the fools on the hill has read the whole budget before voting on it.
Little coverage in the U.S. of this one: Amazon’s Ring camera used to spy on customers | Tech News | Metro.
Time to open your System Information app, again: Supply Chain Risk from Gigabyte App Center Backdoor – Eclypsium. Can we interest you in a solid Trash-80 with floppy drive?
ATR: The Return of Phrenology
A story of Science Over Time for the younger amongst us. Since many people live so “fast” that they miss important contexts and ways of “seeing the data” explored in yesteryear.
Just such a tale emerges from the pages of Nature this week. Genuine grist for the “armchair medicologists” of the world. (Which happens to include us.)
Geometric constraints on human brain function | Nature
Back – in ancient times when young people often lived in homes with odd assortments of dispersed knowledge in “zero-power memory units” (*called Books) – one would occasionally see a late 1800s pen and ink drawing of a criminal’s head.
Depending on the specifics of the practitioner and their analytical skills, you might have an out-sized lobe tending toward murderous, or a lesser lobe’s development might initiate a person onto a path of thievery.
All deliciously flushed out in Wikipedia under the heading “Phrenology.”
“Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.[1][2] It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules.[3] It was said that the brain was composed of different muscles, so those that were used more often were bigger, resulting in the different skull shapes. This led to the reasoning behind why everyone had bumps on the skull in different locations. The brain “muscles” not being used as frequently remained small and were therefore not present on the exterior of the skull. Although both of those ideas have a basis in reality, phrenology generalized beyond empirical knowledge in a way that departed from science.[1][4] The central phrenological notion that measuring the contour of the skull can predict personality traits is discredited by empirical research.[5] Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796,[6] the discipline was influential in the 19th century, especially from about 1810 until 1840. The principal British centre for phrenology was Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was established in 1820.”
Which gets me to a personal sidebar of some note.
Since one of my progenitors is the late, late, late Dr. Andrew N. Ure, I’ve taken no small amount of interest in Scottish Science developments in the vicinity of 1818. Because of the late Ure involved:
“On 4 November 1818 Ure assisted the professor of anatomy, James Jeffray,[4] in experiments he had been carrying out on the body of a murderer named Matthew Clydesdale, after the man’s execution by hanging.[5][6] Jeffray claimed that, by stimulating the phrenic nerve, life could possibly be restored in cases of suffocation, drowning, or hanging.[6]”
Convulsing a dead murderer with (what amounts to) a crude A.E.D. the Ure family of the period received mixed reviews for our broad-spectrum thinking on many topics. On the not-so-appreciative side The Real Electric Frankenstein Experiments of the 1800s – Atlas Obscura. Meanwhile in economics we’ve done OK: Dr. Andrew Ure: Pioneer Free Trader – Foundation for Economic Education (fee.org).
The thinking point here? Other than Ures tend to be “wild men, adventurers, and someone unbounded (undisciplined?) in their thinking…
The “Return of Phrenology” – though cloaked in modern correctness now – is suggesting that something magical – extensible and impressive – was happening with early 18th century thinking in Scotland. What, though?
We’ll have to dig into Scottish history a fair way to infer causes: Was there a dietary fad? Particular food/vitamin regimen? Sociopolitical wave of some kind of thinking (*or approach or templating of extensibility)?
Andrew Ure’s “shocking experiments” were revisited (along with Galvani’s work) and re-imagined as the portable defibrillator.
Now, with an august article in Nature, we see the larger issue of “constrained thinking” back in the scientific limelight.
Perhaps humans are much more notoriously ADHD than previously expressed. But study of 1769-1825 Scotland scientists seems to call us. Supported by the earlier work of this fellow Scot James Watt:
“Watt’s critical insight, arrived at in May 1765 as he crossed Glasgow Green park,[23] was to cause the steam to condense in a separate chamber apart from the piston, and to maintain the temperature of the cylinder at the same temperature as the injected steam by surrounding it with a “steam jacket”.[22] Thus, very little energy was absorbed by the cylinder on each cycle, making more available to perform useful work. Watt had a working model later that same year.”
1776 the steam engine got real for dewatering coal mines.
OK – game’s on. Why so much novel thinking in Scotland in this 50-ish year window? And why has it taken 200-years to be “back in the zone” again?
Again, Wikipedia is a useful source: List of Scottish inventions and discoveries is a great starting point. Notice how there was clustering? Causes by what?
Write when you figure out “Why?”
George@Ure.net
Dude G,
Did you hear that ? Sounded like a very distinct echo, from somewhere very dusty, hot and dry..from the future I suppose..downpresser man?
-https://youtu.be/KBa4DvSkjJs
Lebanon is where you dont want to bee, a Being of Human design in near future.
Israhell and Hezbollah-Iran going to square off up there in da north.
IOW Russia v US over Syria skies.
– Man-o-Manischewitz guess we are going to find out why NATO countries trying to dump the very fussy f-16’s on ukraine ( all those billions in defense spending flushed) – will be way over-matched versus Russian avionics.
Obviously once nato countries dump their f16’s, they will need to purchase new modern POS like f35’s..bwhahahahah Yeah yeah we need new ones for Ure protection from our/wefERSs malfeasance and ineptitude.
So forecast for ME June-July – Hot with “energetics” and freshly melted rocks. Forecast SPY June- July ..”modest upward movement”
As alwayz, will be – DBA
Place Ure bets on when da weeping and da wailing begins, again.
-https://youtu.be/E0hSmgpFFL0
* Burn those dead bodies like the VIKINGS do – releases residual nrg attached to youse. Da whole of it ALL. Odin does not appreciate half assed efforts..
WOO WOO ALERT!
Wow, George, just one hour before reading your column today my mind wandered to…James Watt! No particular reason: people/things just pop into my head while I’m at my desk “working” (ahem) so I look it up on Wikipedia to satisfy my brain craving and then get back to “work” (ahem). I had just read that very paragraph on “Watt’s critical insight…”! Amazing coinkydink!
North
“Ukraine is attacking Russia”
Imagine Mexican cartels pinging drones off the White house dome.
“Amazon’s Ring camera…”
Fear Tik-Tok. Tik-Tok is bad.
The cartels don’t want DC. But if Texas separates from the USA in five years the cartels will control Texas, helped by the big Texas banks.
Put in place by the newly franchised illegals voting for whomever promises the “most free sh*t!”
“Mexican TV Spots Cartel Wielding Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher In Border Town Near Texas
Milenio’s Azucena Uresti identified the rocket launcher as a Raytheon-made FGM-148 Javelin. She noted the rocket launcher on the black market fetches anywhere from $20,000 to $60,000. ”
FROM HERE
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/mexican-tv-spots-cartel-wielding-anti-tank-rocket-launcher-border-town-across-texas
dang I was just going to say that Steve lol..you beat me to it..
I read one news article last week that nato and the usa was going to send men into ukraine this week to..
There’s an od book around, “The America of George Ade.” Foreword by one Jean Parker Shepherd, K2ORS.
It’s a collection of short-short stories; and one is about “The Learned Phrenologist,” which has a very interesting but unvoiced, specifically, moral. It’s a good book with much to say about the human condition.. A keeper. It’s been on my shelf for several decades.
https://www.amazon.com/America-George-Ade-Stories-Inscribed/dp/B00CPTKU36/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18RXZ584YN32Y&keywords=America+of+George+Ade&qid=1685628076&s=books&sprefix=america+of+george+ade%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1
Erratum: ” od book ” should ave been ” old book”
Also, for them’s as may have interest:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ade
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Shepherd
73
This authors books can be downloaded/ read for free on “Project Gutenberg” website. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/search/?query=george+ade&submit_search=Search
Garlic scapes now in season. Great in stir fry.
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/garlic-scapes-bacon-stir-fry
Going to try pickling this year.
https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Pickled-Garlic-Scapes-9641687
Only one inch rain here this May.
‘all sun and no rain makes a desert’
Wonder where we are in the wet Sahara cycle,
https://curiosmos.com/the-sahara-cycles-between-dry-and-wet-climate-every-20000-years/
Yes there’s a reason all countries are pivoting to Africa. You see the design pattern here. China gets world reserve currency status. China rises for the next decade but also gets to enjoy some of the more esoteric features of being a world reserve currency, such as the Triffin Dilemna.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triffin_dilemma
Then there will be the dismantling of China’s infrastructure and factory machinery [made in USA during the last World reserve currency cycle] as they are reassembled in Africa seeking the cheapest labor pool with which to make widgets.
This will all take place over the next 50-100 years as China enjoys the benefits of this gift.
If you are Buffet, this whole schematic is very predictable in the long run over the Kontradieff cycles. Park your money in the target asset classes and sectors while its quiet and the assets are priced at dirt levels. Sit on your portfolio for 10-15-20 years and watch the money grow.
rinse repeat.
Also helps that Sub Sahara Africa is turning back into the worlds bread basket. Its been a few 10’s of thousands of years since that has happened.
https://www.sciencealert.com/green-sahara-early-holocene-agriculture-wild-cereals-cultivation
2016:
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/sahara-snow/index.html
2022:
https://theconversation.com/snowfall-in-the-sahara-desert-an-unusual-weather-phenomenon-176037
Unusual, but, has been reported occurring over the past 6 years? Sure. No patterns emerging, nothing to see here. LOL
Also See:
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/video/watch-snow-confirmed-in-sa-31-may-2023-video/
Meanwhile, start up some pop corn sit back relax and enjoy the Kabuki theater as it all unfolds.
Not Advice do your own homework. Got Blockchain?
I had been having good thoughts about Tim Scott….however. Our SD senators, John Thune and Mike Rounds just endorsed him. They are both referred to in these parts as bought and paid for politicians. What I do know is that neither, ever, had a single kind word to say about Trump. Both voted in favor of the last gigantic budget bill (expansion of sd air base was in it, who cares about what it does to the country). Thune is the minority whip, is high up in republican structure and I would say is is a machine politician. Lets pay really good attention to what is up with Tim Scott before feeling good about him.
I started paying attention to Scott when Trump “welcomed him with open arms” to the GOP line-up for President.., and then Larry Ellison endorsed Scott a few days later.
Scott could, absolutely, play the race-card just by showing up.
It will be interesting to watch.
I have to admit that I was just a little surprised that the new Debt Deal passed the House so easily. There must be some great bribes and graft in that bill.
.
I have a list.., a list of rules., trading rules – The Dirty Dozen – and I can not break them., or the world as we know it will come to an end., or I will run out of bourbon – not too sure which is worse.
I did pretty well last year trading – so at the beginning of this year I changed one of my ‘Rules’. I can not use more then 10% of my Lunch Money Funds on any one trade. I have stuck by that rule for many years – and it has helped significantly in limiting over-all losses. This year I changed it to 25% of my available trading funds. And it has paid off very nicely., so far. I know that sooner, or later I will get slapped by the big boys, but with my stops in-place, it won’t hurt “too much”.
So far this year I have nearly double where I was last year at this time. Which is making me a little nervous. Greed-Guilt ?? So.., for the time being, I am going back to my standard risk-rule of 10%.
.
I believe we are going to see a ‘Slap-Back’ from this Debt Ceiling Bill. I am not positive on which sector it will come from., but I am pretty sure a blow-back is coming. It does not seem logical that they can throw trillions of dollars around like this and not piss someone off. I do wonder what Powell and the other Fed Presidents think of this ? With all the Federal Reserve’s monetary efforts, nothing has paid off. Inflation is still over 5%., unemployment is not climbing, and consumer spending is still, surprisingly, robust., and that is the exact opposite of what The Fed has been working for.
The new debt bill does not cut any spending until after the 2024 elections. Get it?
It actually increases spending in some areas over the previous budget.
The new debt bill does nothing for “spending.” It is a shiny new credit card. The government gets to use it to cover their float from here to September.
In September, the House begins acquiring the ability to tell da Prez what he can, and can not charge on that credit card. They don’t have full control of the card until 2025, but they can start putting on the brakes in 90 days, or thereabouts…
Summer time is almost here, and the need for good reads becomes apriorty.. History of the USA in 1960’s – aka The JFK Assassination/Mass Ritual.
Tactics, weapons used, ammo used and personnel involved from cia/fbi/local LE/Chicago MOB..Even one of the shooters is interviewed & pictured, with weapon on exact location of shots fired, Freshyfresh in May 2023 .
For eye opening reading pleasure – dont be “warhammered” into thinking magic bullets and lone gunman were responsible for the disgusting murder of a fellow Man/Father/Husband and President –
Same EXACT people&guvmints that DID 9/11 – enjoy
https://www.theinteldrop.org/2023/05/31/primary-target-jfk-part-ii/
remember being informed here about 82nd airborne alwaysz being involved in the esoteric scheisse? which unit were shooterz recruited from? same one that is stationed in poland for the start of ww3 .winkwink
“They” really do love Us..
The local screens are showing the Jerusalem Pride Fest over there in Israel.
No boycotts just beautiful cross dressers peacefully cross dressing and acceptors accepting while supporters support. Unlike Russians.
Thousands expected at Jerusalem’s Pride parade despite threats of violence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyiwkG4rBdM
A mild rant
I have never had a 9-to-5 job. No W2 forms have ever crossed my desk. [ With the exception of the time I spent in the Army.] For decades I worked for cash, or Krugerrands., with the occasional Maple Leafs. I did quite well, retirement has been ‘comfortable’. [ since neither one of us desire status items ].., so I find it a little amusing,
[ and work to keep my mouth shut,] when people proclaim – “He’s never had a REAL job !” So what ? Do you really need to be a welder for thirty years to understand international trade, or deficit spending? No, you don’t. What you need is a slightly higher I.Q. then most, the desire and willingness to read and learn., and the ability to watch your six at all times. And a little sprinkle of Spock-Logic doesn’t hurt any.
And that to me is where the vast majority of the current leaders fail., and fail miserably. Their I.Q. is sub-par., except when it comes to campaigning., they have no real desire to learn., anything.., Logic? They can’t even spell it. They have no ethics and very little morals. ‘This-for-That’ is all they really care about. Not their duty., their oath., nor the public they are suppose to represent and defend.
– They simply just don’t care. We The People., mean nothing – except for their reelection. And that reflects directly right back to us, to “We The People”.., because ‘we’ keep making the same mistake, over and over, in electing them.
– And nothing will really change until the super majority of ‘We’ realize that ‘mistake’ and start using our votes more wisely. .., and from what I can see – that is not going to happen any time soon. The Dumbing Down of America has worked – very well.
– We are stuck., in a very bad repeat cycle., and I, for one, do not know how to pull the plug.
PRIDEMONTH, prefex, pri-,,, suffex -th
PRI-DEMON-TH
The only jobs numbers that matter is the purchasing power of the median wage of USA workers. (And the median social security check.) The rest is just eyewash to feed the algorithms. And to keep the rest of you tsk tsking with a feeling of importance.
A recent survey showed Americans considered $80k to be the minimum household income to maintain a normal lifestyle. The median annual household income in the USA is $72k. That gap has been widening every year.
Any mention of anything about political candidates for the 2024 election is just a stupid waste attention and brainpower.
That election is 16 months away for those of you with the inability to calculate. But it sure give a lot of “pundits” stuff to write about like it (and they) is/are important.
Good estimates are that 35 million Americans are either dead or disabled from the vaxx and more coming. The labor number to watch is Texas, i.e. 100,000 miles of power lines, enough qualified workers to maintain only 50,000 miles. Apply this to any critical infrastructure and you will get the drift. And consider the medical/“health system” to be one of these infrastructures. 49% of all USA children and adolescents have a chronic illness requiring medical treatment. 80% of all pharmaceuticals available in the USA ARE MADE IN CHINA, or contain ingredients made in China.
We have a friend in Portland with a chronic condition. Every three months he flies to Ecuador to get medical tests he would have to wait months to get in the USA, for 15% of the USA costs. He then buys 3 months of medication (over the counter, no prescription required) $3k instead of $12.5k, saving him $9,000 per trip.
amen xpat..
our annual income is 40 ish.. now I’m not complaining we are better off than many I know in the same bracket.. I eat well am warm in winter cool in summer..I even do good enough to give others a hand up that truly needs one..
but in the store yesterday I was thinking about buying a candy bar and a cup of coffee…the cost of both would have been 8-ish dollars.. I had three.. this morning car insurance and home insurance came out.. I was almost 500 overdrawn I made it good before it became an issue..but it took every dime I had set aside for emergency expenses.
the draw strings are being pulled shut.. a week yet till payday it is what it is..adapt and overcome.. a candybar and cup of coffee will have to wait.. gas in the tank the same thing..
now think about that for a moment..im doing better than most in my pay bracket.. multiply that by fifty million and where does that go..jobs will be lost..the velocity of cash will slow down as plastic is used up..
many are looking in their wallets to see if they can muster out enough for anything that is out of normal necessity
Coffee and soft drinks just cost too much in public places. I order water most of the time when I am out. I find myself eating more TV dinners than I ever have before. The food is decent, and the cost is reasonable. $1.75 for a Jimmy Dean breakfast burrito versus $15.00 + tip for a breakfast plate.
Keeping an energy / protein bar bought at the grocery store with you can help fend off the impulse fast food purchases.
The Memorial weekend web sales were good. I picked up some clothing & some items I had been looking for the right price on. I do a lot of looking and reading up on reviews before I commit money.
While my cash flow is good right now, I am continuing to whittle away at recurring expenses. At some point, I am going to have to make changes in insurance. I am seeing the handwriting; the presidential election year slowdown is going to be early and deep.
insurance is what kills us.. twenty years ago.. the budgeted money for food was 150.00 a month per person.. today it is 450.00 and will be going up in the new budget.. to five hundred fifty.. cost of mileage.. went from a quarter a mile to almost thirty five cents per mile.. I do good with what we have.. now that I don’t have to pay for the healthcare insuance .. that was two grand a month just for one person.. and nothing paid until the ten grand and copays.. at the nearby store they said it is even going up from there..
without that home and car insurance is around twelve hundred dollars a month.. I had seven hundred in checking when they took out the insurance beginning of the month expenses.. so I was 495.00 short in the bank.. I knew it would be touch and go.. but was hoping that recent changes in insurance had lowered it a bit..
taxes for home is three hundred a month.. average.. since they doubled the home insurance.. low income rent is up to a thousand a month LOW INCOME…
Back when Speedway was not owned by 7-11 and POS computers didn’t do inventory control, I had a kid who was first assistant and purchaser for one. They had four double-decker Bunn-O-Matics (one each for regular, dark roast, Colombian, and decaf) which they kept running 24/7. The store typically sold a ton of coffee between 5-9am, and a decent trickle from about 10pm to 3am, but virtually none at other times. When asked, she told me: “If I sell one cup from those four pots combined, the store has made a profit.”
It was at this time that I opened an account at Massimo Zanetti and began buying my “Chock Full o’ Nuts” and “Kawai” wholesale, by the case.
BTW, I’m about to journey off to my local greasy spoon, for a brunch of bacon & eggs and pancakes & sausage, for $6.46. I’ll drink a toast to y’all with me second cup o’ Java…
We had places like that, Ray. They closed. Now we have $15 a plate corporate greasy spoon simulations. I used to live in the country; now it’s more like simulated rural living.
“We had places like that, Ray. They closed. Now we have $15 a plate corporate greasy spoon simulations.”
We had a bunch of short-order diners (and a couple bars) where you could get more food than a normal person could eat, for just a few bucks. We also had a bunch of corporate fakers. When COVID hit, we lost one local diner, and we lost every chain “diner” except IHOP (and they took a horrible beating). After 10pm they’re the only actual restaurant within 35, maybe 40 miles, so the late night “cops & drunks” saved them. ‘Couple of the mom & pops are up close to $11 for that meal (w/coffee) but I stick with one of the others and don’t patronize them.
We don’t have a Kroger or a Pep Boys, or several other regional/nationwide chains because they came in here, then lost their asses because they couldn’t compete with the locals. We’ve a Wal-Mart and a Meijer, and Advance Auto, Auto Zone, O’Reilly, and Tractor Supply, and that’s about it for chains. I’m pretty sure the auto parts chains would be gone if folks hadn’t died or retired to Florida and local parts stores were still around. COL is low here. That also means it is difficult to break into the market. You can’t be selling $5/doz eggs when they’re $1.49 at Meijer or Wal-Mart, and you can’t promise your hires $18/hr to start — the math just doesn’t work…
“A recent survey showed Americans considered $80k to be the minimum household income to maintain a normal lifestyle. The median annual household income in the USA is $72k. That gap has been widening every year.”
…All depends on where you live. $72k around here would qualify you for a newish 3-4k ft³ 2-story with finished attic and basement, on a couple acres (~$1800/mo plus escrow, m/l); $120k would qualify for a 4-5k ft³ house on a full-blown estate. These numbers are a year stale, and [are] probably somewhat higher now, but $50k is a good living wage here, even today, and I know people who’re doing it without assistance on $30k. Bear in-mind, that kind of income will probably not get you much more than a parking space in our large coastal cities, but I wouldn’t live in any of our large coastal cities if I were as wealthy as Musk.
Those figures only work if you keep Ure job and the income to be able to pay the note(s). Large houses are debt boat anchors looking for an opportunity to drag you under. Keep the living space small and paid for in cash.
Location, location location! just ask markymark in SF bout location, if he hasnt drowned in peeple-pewps already.
Just got quote from builder for a pottery shed – detached.
21×30, slanted metal roof, lots of glass (modern), bathroom w/shower.
Moving large shed, includes pond (4 turtles&frogs), moving mature plantings, install outdoor walkway, running new waste line to septic tank buried in front yard. All permits and what not included..throwing in a new slider off existing Kitchen, as seal was cracked during reinstall old slider during Kitchen reno several years back and new screen door for front door.
*MidAtlantic/NE – South Eastern Pennsyltucky – Chester County.
$250-300K..will be much closer to $300k than $250k.
This above mentioned builder did my 1st basement 20 years ago. Did a bathroom reno for my daughter and my current basement 4-5 years ago.
Single family home in BCN’s School district – detached Start in mid 400’s – if you can find one for Sale, it will be competitive bidding process..if you can find one available in that range..
wow.. I wish that was true here.. what hits us the hardest is insurance and taxes.. home taxes is actually more than what my house payment is or close to it..
a one bedroom low income rent at my friends apartment building is a grand a month .. that is is you qualify for the low income rate.. otherwise it is twelve hundred a month.. and you pay all expenses..
Are you taking homestead, mortgage, blind or disabled, and over 65 credits (and maybe others)? My “tax assessment” is many thousands, however, after the above adjustments (and a couple others), my actual tax bill ends up around ~$230/year.
Your township or county assessor or recorder will NOT make these “adjustments” to your property taxes unless you specifically tell them to, and in many cases will NOT even tell you they exist, so you have to find them on your own and apply them to your property. The person behind the counter will likely not tell you whether a credit exists, but he or she WILL tell you whether a credit or exemption is applicable to your property, if you ask, and will then supply the form required to exempt your property or person from liability for paying this tax, or a portion thereof.
In most cases you have to read your State, County, Township, and local City, Town, or Village tax regs (not the full code or charter, only that section which pertains to Real taxes) to find credits and exemptions (sorry ’bout that — it WILL require some effort on your part). Found savings usually range in the 70-80 percent range, but I’ve seen them as high as about 97%. YOU get to decide whether shaving that much off your property tax burden is worth the effort. You may also have to make other, minor adjustments. ALSO, laws and ordinances change. Other credits and exemptions may come into being. You will not be notified, so a periodic recheck is prudent…
The laws compel you to pay your taxes.
The laws do NOT compel you to pay more than you are required to pay.
However, in most jurisdictions, if you overpay property taxes, after a period of time (usually 1-2 years) the taxing authority gets to keep your mistake.
George lives in a park.
HE calls it a “tree farm” — I’m guessing George studied the real estate tax code and “adjusted” his property (or the local assessor’s thinking) until it qualified as a “farm,” thus snagging a much lower tax (rate or base, or possibly both) and lowering his tax liability tremendously.
Don’t be afraid to THINK outside the box…
“Pack of Fools
Milquetoast is in! Pence reportedly will launch presidential bid on June 7”
OMG. Not another politician to run… Can’t we entice anyone other than some polished politician that’s become a multi millionaire off of the feed troughs of the district what we need is someone that actually has some dirt under their fingernails from working that has some experience of living a real laborers life.
someone with morals and etical growth to run that would actually represent the people of this country.. we are never given a choice of anyone that really thinks of the people or anyone that has the living experience of a laborer. what we end up with is a justice system blind to the activities of those in power and agencies sworn to stand up for the people to busy hiding the corruption of the politically powerful.
it’s always some shitty lineup of polished politicians that’s given to us to vote for.
some whom has shown such a low level of moral decay that its shocking to even accept..
one look at how society has gone down the tubes tells it all this past couple of years.
our politicians seem to be the lineup of the worst this country has to offer never the best..
The Treasury Department scheduled a T-bill auction for June 5, but it would be postponed if the US fails to resolve the debt ceiling crisis by then.
For now, Treasury plans to sell $65 billion in 3-month bills and $58 billion in 6-month bills on Monday and settle them on June 8.
But their sale will not take place if Congress doesn’t approve the debt ceiling bill by then, as the Treasury would not be able to issue such securities under the current debt limit.
Normally, the Treasury Department discloses on Thursdays the amount of three- and six-month bills to be sold on the following Monday. However, this week it indicated that such an auction was “tentative,” and “conditional on enactment of the debt limit suspension.”
I’ll just leave this here …
https://youtu.be/eLfP1ZYjk3Q
It won’t take an EMP or blast from our Sun to take our grid down to stone-cold dead levels for months or years. It’s already been demonstrated how to do it in California. David Tice was interviewed by Shawn Ryan and has a few things to say about the Metcalf, CA incident. China has had us by the short hairs for a long time.
Short clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP0rbDvhYNI
Full interview here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cibrirsq5Gc
I think we’re still waiting for our transformers to come in after an idiot in a truck took out our power station by downing one of its circuit branches. We’ve been told the transformer is not made in America. Ever since then we’ve had a portable transformer unit in place to power our little town.
LOL all those Traffic Cams Crosswalk and Intersection Cams, all run by AI, all there for your safety in case you are j walking or running a red light and needing a ticket. [Everything’s a business model]. [(C) Mr. Ure]
Funny how they cant cough up a couple IOT cameras and AI monitoring for these power stations……………..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2ayWcJfxo
Bill: I wasn’t kidding when I stated that 100% of those transformers are made by ABB, in China. For transformer facilities, Westinghouse acquired GE, ABB acquired Westinghouse, opened the Chinese fab, then Siemens sold out to ABB.
ASEA Brown Boveri, a Swedish/Swiss company with a Chinese fab, is the ONLY game on the entire planet.
What could possibly go wrong…?
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steevo: Around here, ALL substations (and pipeline substations, and cell towers) have 2-layer security fencing and 24/7/365 sat-based real-time A/V monitoring. They are more-secure than our level-1 and level-2 prisons.
But are their control boxes, cables and other critical elements in a clear line of sight that would make them vulnerable to a large rifle shot? Security areas need to be expanded to at least 1000 meters and any probable vantage points for anything this critical to our infrastructure. Makes me wonder if those areas aren’t already owned by Chines interests?
We Are So Screwed (WASS).
If I recall right, back in 1990, it was like 2 years to order, build and deliver a big ass transformer to our 650 mega watt coal burner,,, seems like a long time, Brewer and Shipley come to mind
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grZlj35AvNk
At the power plant output, there are 4 out going transformers per unit, one is a spare, they rotate for maintenence, only 3 are needed,,, you know, that 3 phase stuff.
The big one reQuired special heavy load equipment. to move it from our R.R.track on site to it’s position next to the building.
Planning and scheduling are reQuired tools for success,
that is one of Mr Ure’s tools for getting the job done.
We are compromised by our so called leaders, they are our prison guards, pretending to be our friend
an organized group of evil doers with 50 cal armor piercing rounds could take down the better part of the USA grids,,, 3 grids,,, inter connected by AC-DC-AC for phase alignment, East, West, and Texas.
I look forward to the day when energy collectors are common in every home and every vehicle and the power grid system is obsolete.
Battery free electric cars, have been kept from US by the evil selfish permanent money families
@Darrell
“If I recall right, back in 1990, it was like 2 years to order, build and deliver a big ass transformer to our 650 mega watt coal burner”
‘Sounds about right. At that time ABB was still running out of the Westinghouse fab in Muncie, so lead times weren’t bad. (Believe it or not, two years isn’t bad). It took about 10 months to actually build the “massive” ones, but each was different, so required application-specific tooling and set-up before they could start a build.
I believe GE closed the Schenectady works in about 1980, but they had two Schenectady plants running for years after that. (To be fair, one of them might’ve been a light bulb fab.) Siemens had fabs in Germany.
Now, delivery times are stupid. I believe lead time on the big’uns is about seven years. Speaking of, your bigass transformer didn’t roll in on one of those underslung 48-wheel railroad flatcars, did it?
If you actually geek out on this stuff, you can search the history of the massive power transformer and you’ll learn lotsa really interesting, totally useless history and stuff. Then, you’ll realize how utterly fux0red we are, if we ever get into a shooting war with China.
@Bill
“But are their control boxes, cables and other critical elements in a clear line of sight that would make them vulnerable to a large rifle shot?”
Cables are (obviously) in the open, but WRT the rest of the pile? Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t even slow down when I drive past one and I sure as hell don’t take pix. I have no desire to escalate my DHS file up the “suspicious” ladder. I DO know LEO response time to an electrical substation is about 3 minutes, even out in the country in the middle of nowhere (response is about 7-9 minutes for an active shooter or rape in-progress). I’m sure response times are considerably longer in the West and Southwest, where y’all have counties as big as some Eastern States, but you also have many fewer people and substations. I can tell you the sat comms link is in the middle of the transformer grid, and probably a difficult shot, unless you’re using a drone-mounted .338 (or similar) with an AP round. A foreign asset might take out the substation, but they’d never get away with it…
I’m still trying to figure out what the deal was, along Indiana Rt-26. I commented a couple years ago that somebody was putting in new power lines, on new poles/towers, but they were also digging a covered trench about a dozen feet wide and 20′ deep, under and between the poles, and then covering it — IOW they appeared to be building a many miles long tunnel. This makes no sense. I’ve seen it elsewhere, where there are large substations, but first noticed it along IN-26 because that’s my favored route across central Indiana, from, like Dayton to Chicago, if I don’t have to go to Indy, because it’s good pavement, very lightly traveled, and unpatrolled, so the “implied speed limit” is often faster than the posted limit in West Texas. ;-)
Oh, believe me, that posted speed limit around here is just a suggestion. Doesn’t matter if I go the speed limit some jerk in a shiny new pick-um-truck is gonna eat my tail up anyway so cruising between 65 and 70 and watching the fuel mileage climb on my old ’05 F350 diesel is what I’m gonna do. Screw the bearded hellians (most of ’em are guys) driving the trucks they haven’t paid for yet like they stole ’em. Just got it out of the shop and spent enough to buy a half way decent F150 so the only abuse it sees is after I go through the front gate of the ranch.
Jamie Foxx Left ‘Paralyzed and Blind’ From ‘Blood Clot in His Brain’ After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine, He did not want the shot, but the movie was filming and he was pressured into getting it. [According to his publicist.]
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Biden trips and falls at Air Force graduation ceremonies.
.
N Korea’s Kim Jong Un is now over 300 pounds and has a “severe” sleeping disorder. According to S Korea’s defense minister.
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A man was challenged to eat only MacDonalds for 100 days – he did. Says he feels great and lost 58 pounds.
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Anything else you need to know ?
.
Oh.., Bitcoin is below $27,000.., Gold still has not made it’s move and the Dollar took a small hit today but, is still above 103.50.
“N Korea’s Kim Jong Un is now over 300 pounds and has a “severe” sleeping disorder. According to S Korea’s defense minister.”
AGAIN!??
The rotund little guy had dropped a CWT and was down around 240 when he and Trump had their “summit.” He was practically svelte-looking.
Possibly even worse than President Kammy, the thing we should want least in the entire world is for Un to kick it, and leave the reins of power unchecked in his sister’s hands…
Pride cometh before the fall,
for all those satanic baby fuckers
Joe fell AGAIN,,,
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/breaking-joe-biden-takes-massive-fall-air-force/
remember when Trump walked down that wet slippery ramp in leather soled shoes? and did NOT fall.
we are afraid to impeach joe, cause the queen protects the king, and NO BOBY wants the Camelhoe to become first hoe.
Now that is an insurance policy.
LOOB:
https://bidenlaptopmedia.com/
Have fun…
Obama was seen whispering in Joe’s ear hole,
“Joe, there better not be a photo of my wife’s dick on your son’s laptop”
It won’t let me in.. says the connection is secure then just does the circle.. every once in a while a box saying are you human.. LOL… I am guessing it is my antivirus.. even with sites that knows me it has a tough time letting them open up.. its a thing to keep spam out.. not sure what it is that does that..
Linkage time…
CEO of Carbon Credit Certifier Resigns After the Scam Is Revealed: Tens of Millions in Green Offsets Totally Worthless
https://www.westernjournal.com/ceo-carbon-credit-certifier-resigns-scam-revealed-tens-millions-green-offsets-totally-worthless/
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Former Trump White House Aide Publishes Hunter Biden Laptop Photos: Now They’re on a Website Anyone Can Access
https://www.westernjournal.com/former-trump-white-house-aide-publishes-hunter-biden-laptop-photos-now-website-anyone-can-access/
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New Montana law bans firearm sales tracking by financial institutions
https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/new-montana-law-bans-firearm-sales-tracking-financial-institutions
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Corporations and the globalist regime merge under dark new initiative called “PGLE”…
https://www.revolver.news/2023/06/corporations-and-the-globalist-regime-merge-under-dark-new-initiative-called-pgle/
Partnership for Global LGBTIQ+ Equality (PGLE)
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‘RIP Fox News’: Harris Faulkner Says Things Are Going to Have to Change at Network
https://www.westernjournal.com/rip-fox-news-harris-faulkner-says-things-going-change-network/
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Most important story in America: climate zealots try to confiscate South Dakota family farm…
https://www.revolver.news/2023/06/most-important-story-in-america-climate-zealots-try-to-confiscate-south-dakota-family-farm/
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Mexican TV reports those high-powered weapons systems we shipped to Ukraine have been purchased by drug cartels…
https://www.revolver.news/2023/06/mexican-tv-reports-those-high-powered-weapons-systems-shipped-shipped-to-ukraine-have-been-purchased-by-drug-cartels-nobody-could-have-predicted-it/
Counties switching to hand counting ballots as election integrity advocate provides model
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/elections/counties-switching-hand-counting-ballots-election-integrity-advocate
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George Soros’s Son is a Frequent Visitor at Biden White House
https://headlineusa.com/george-soross-son-is-a-frequent-visitor-at-biden-white-house/
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Victory! Soros Rag Furious Revolver News’ Reporting “Neutralized” Dark Pentagon Initiative to Purge Conservatives
https://www.revolver.news/2023/05/victory-soros-rag-furious-revolver-news-reporting-neutralized-dark-pentagon-initiative-to-purge-conservatives/
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The View’ Audience ‘Gleeful’ at Idea of Trump Jailed, Until Whoopi Reminds Them of Cold, Hard Fact
https://www.westernjournal.com/view-audience-gleeful-idea-trump-jailed-whoopi-reminds-cold-hard-fact/
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Pennsylvania middle school teacher’s assistant charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with boy, photos shared to ‘unknown number’ of students
https://www.theblaze.com/news/pennsylvania-teacher-assistant-sex-crime-student
Instead of sitting on it, she should’ve offered to cut it off.
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‘The Little Mermaid’ allegedly getting negative scores amid ‘unusual voting activity.’ So IMDb breaks out a little ratings magic.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/the-little-mermaid-allegedly-getting-negative-scores-amid-unusual-voting-activity-so-imdb-breaks-out-a-little-ratings-magic
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Skynet: Air Force AI-Trained Drone Attacks Its Operator Instead of Enemy Targets
https://www.westernjournal.com/us-air-force-trained-drone-ai-kill-targets-attacked-operator-instead/
Wherethehell is Linda Hamilton when we need her…?
“‘The Little Mermaid’ allegedly getting negative scores amid ‘unusual voting activity.’ So IMDb breaks out a little ratings magic.”
I am actually excited and can’t wait to see the movie I love disney family movies and lately they have been knocking it out of the park…. and who could possibly play the character better than Halley Bailey..she fits the part perfectly.. So why in the world would anyone complain about it..
“Again, Wikipedia is a useful source: List of Scottish inventions and discoveries is a great starting point. Notice how there was clustering? Causes by what?”
Well George its obvious. James Burke has your answer. Brilliant BBC Series.
https://archive.org/details/bbc-connections-1978
Got Blockchain?