National Play with New Toy’s Day

Boxing Day, says Wikipedia:

“Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated on the day following Christmas Day in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth nations. Boxing Day occurs on 26 December, although the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place either on that day or a day later.

In the liturgical calendar of Western Christianity, Boxing Day is the second day of Christmastide, and also St. Stephen’s Day. In some European countries, notably Germany, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, 26 December is celebrated as a Second Christmas Day.”

As a practical matter in the U.S. there will be no mail delivery today (no bills? Hah!) and the banks will be closed, just as the Stock Markets are down for the day and so forth.

A few of the markets in Asia were open, but mentioning the Nikkei was down 31 points is so far down into the noise level as to be ridiculous.

Holiday Continues

While you may get mail and UPS deliveries tomorrow, a lot of state and county governments around the country are taking Tuesday the 27^th off as well. Example: Oklahoma state offices. Lots of state colleges and universities, too.

Gee, don’t we pay enough taxes or…. (Or do they need a holiday to recover from the holiday or…)

Passings:

Rock star George Michaels.

53, heart failure by some reports.

Israel’s Anger

“Israel accuses Obama administration of helping craft, push UN censure.”

That’s likely to change with the incoming Trump administration, but the horse is already out of the barn so far as the UN goes – for now.

Fake News to Internet Licensing?

Reading how “Fake news story sets off Israel-Pakistan Twitter feud…” we have to wonder if sooner than later we will come to Internet Use Licensing.

In our study of economic rhymes, and since it is now in our work equivalent to the week of June 13, 1929, we will likely not see a licensing push for a couple of more years.  It was 1934 when the FCC’s Communications Act was enacted.

However, in the past when the public has had (more or less) free access to “wide open” communications, government has stepped in to throttle back the First Amendment a bit when comes to electronics not printer’s ink.

Whether the electronic media have the horsepower to defend electro-turf we’ll have to wait and see.  But the “fake news” meme making the rounds is only a first round in the battle.

Futuring:

If we are in the second week of June 1929 analog we note that on June 13 of ’29, “Soviet troops crossed the Chinese border in retaliation for raids on Soviet consulates.”

While the Russians say there is no sign of terrorism for that plane that splashed into the Black Sea over Christmas, returning from Syria with the recovery of the fuselage, we wonder if there might not be retributions offered.

Also possibly ahead when the congressoids gather on their hill, something big for farmers?

We should see a major nod because The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929 was signed into law by president Hoover in this period  back in ’29.

We shall see…

Well, quiet morning, maybe back to bed for a while.

Happy return lines and return tomorrow…and don’t forget tonight I’ll be on Coast-to-Coast AM with George Noory…

Santa out.