Optimism Good – CPI Not So Much

Dueling Data Again Making Sense out of this ‘flipped out’ world is our fascination around here.  Because at every turn, there are red flags the Bull market ignores. After new economic data, the Dow futures were down half a percent, but with online fever going around, NASDAQ futures were up 8-10ths of a percent. The … Read More

A “Missable” Monday – Wonderful Woo-Woo

Stimulus – The “Reality Gap” We’ve been warning you for months not to expect a second economic stimulus until after the election.  Although the market is on pins and needles – waiting for a rally on any hint of breakthrough – we’re as sorely cynical as ever. CNBC’s been running with U.S. stock futures little … Read More

BBQ Review, Tree-Shooting, and the $50 Saw Project

Yes, Better BBQ! I promised a while back that I would write a review as soon as we got the new infrared BBQ rolling and I got some steaks under my belt.  (By the look of it, there’s a lot more than one there, already!) As you can see, the Master Chef snapped this after … Read More

“Can I Beat the Algo’s?”

Can we simple humans out trade the machines (made in our own image), anymore?  It’s far from a theoretical question in markets like these. By many measures (rational ones, like price to book and prices to dividends) markets are at “lifetime extremes.”  But, you wouldn’t know it.  Sadly, as we’ll see in charts this morning, … Read More

Elections on the Titanic

Are You Pulling My Lever? Mostly useless crap in the headlines today.  We will be interested to listen to Rush Limbaugh’s show today because word is president Trump will be doing a Town Hall. Trump was on Hannity Thursday.  As usual, the press doesn’t go over his content, or bother reporting his views.  Like “Pence … Read More

90 Wasted Minutes; Expiring Money is Coming

10 Things Better Than the Debate OK…I watched it.  What a freakin waste of time.  OMG!  What would have been better? Going to bed 90-minutes earlier.  That would have had health benefits. Listening to some smooth jazz and meditating.  Although, I would have been asleep in 5… Praying.  But that would still land me sleeping … Read More

Domain Warfare

We look ahead at what could be in store for America into 2021. We obviously have a classic loss of government control over social behavior.  And maybe that’s one reason why wars are so popular over history.  Nothing like a “war to keep the peeps in line, eh?” Moreover, with a hotly contested election coming, … Read More

Paradox: Turnaround Tuesday or Blowing Higher?

Another Market Inflection Point? Several readers have asked about where the market could be headed.  The simple answer is?  “It’s almost anywhere…” You need to survey the currents and counters swirling about: This morning Jerome Powell (jefe d’ Fed ) speaks.  Markets generally “play nicey-nice” while official-speak is being dispensed. The other Fed reveals this … Read More

American Psyche Break – Markets Missing Facts

A Key Insight Into Trump I finally get it!  I understand Donald Trump.  But don’t get your hopes up.  It’s probably too late to matter. My insight comes from 70+ years of personal experience.  Constantly working on myself to improve.  It’s because of this, all the pieces finally “clicked into place” today as reports of Trump’s … Read More

The Reaction Speed Diet

Want to live 30% longer?  Stick around. There is a trick hidden in plain sight which I haven’t see discussed anywhere else. With markets in their pre-election confusion now – likely to last until inauguration – we focus on physical optimizing one’s wetware platform today. Gone are the days of “optimizing for weight” for us.  … Read More

Trump, Covid, Complexity, Aging: Bait & Switch BS

Sorry for the long headline, but this is may turn into something of a long rap before we get to the latest job figures just out.  Let’s see how well the “Prince of Shorter Columns” can do on his verbal diet today, shall we? Trump Has Covid About here, I need to remind all my … Read More

Retrace Delights, Job Number Ponders

Retracements are one of the most interesting features of stock market performance.  You will see a big decline (like from Sept. 2) when people come to their senses.  Then you get often-times manic, insane rallies – like the one we have been in this week. It’s the stuff of Elliott Wave 2 bounces  – sometimes.  … Read More