You ever see one of those movies where a really hopped-up car (usually with either a supercharger of nitrous injection system) is “lit up” with the wheel cranked over…and then goes around in tire-smoking circles? That’s about as good a mental picture as it gets to explain what’s going on with the U.S. economy right … Read More

Food:  We have arrived at the most calorie-laden of yearly events, at last.  So this morning I wanted to share some things that will make you drool and wonder why is it Elaine still weighs what see did in high school. We can divide this into four parts:  Breakfasts, Lunches, Cocktails, and Dinners.  Sized for … Read More

We were almost astounded to see the Fed actually raise rates at their Wednesday session. But what was even more remarkable was the trading on Wall Street in the aftermath. The two key takeaways:  the Dow still gained 34-points and it’s set to open (again) on the upside by another 30 according to the futures. (Continues below) … Read More

Survival/Prep:  I had a toothache this week so one of the first items on my “survival/prepping” list is a good supply of whole cloves, clove oil – anything clovey.  Bet you weren’t expecting that, were you?  A trip to the dentist yesterday (and an emergency walletectomy is being scheduled with a colleague), some antibiotics and pain … Read More

In higher education circles it would be called an SER (self-evaluation report) and people would read it knowingly. This morning we review how well our market model has done this year (amazingly well, BTW) and we consider a bit of what’s ahead for 2017.  But, not before some talk of the new CPI data (which … Read More

As we outline (eventually getting to the point in Coping this morning), ultrasociality seems to be the new ruling paradigm.  Thanks to one of our brilliant readers, who used the phrase “like Microsoft software – there’s a million ways to do something,” Ultrasociality may be a great key for understanding the world in a new way.  (Suggested reading: Ultrasociety: How 10,000 … Read More

Communications:  We begin this morning with an interesting phenomena up on the “gurney” here at  Cleat Through Labs. We look at the problems around us and wonder how much of it is being whipped up by electronic versions of mob rule? Let’s back up for a second and understand how it happens.  Maybe the best … Read More

Environment/Health:  Here’s a health tip that we picked up from Zeus the Cat that I’d completely forgotten about.  Yet, it is potentially one of the easiest health pick-me-ups you can find.  The effects aren’t huge – at first – but it’s one of those slow poisoning deals that may constitute an unseen attack on the middle class. So … Read More

Big Trouble in River City.  And in Texas,. California, Washington, and wherever else you want to look. Although, if you live in the Northeast, here’s a peachy example of how media-egocentric the Northeast is:  CNN blares “California wildfires now larger than New York City and Boston Combined.”  See how this works?  The media is NE-centric … Read More

This morning we take a jaunt into the very heart of economic thought.  We’ll be looking at the component-level as to what “makes up” price discovery. What we come to is the idea that we have emphasized the wrong thing. E.G. the existing paradigm has promoted high unit-volumes of goods.  But, QUALITY has been abandoned … Read More

Before we get into the fresh press release from the Labor Department, a word or two about bubbles.  Bubble?  What bubble?  Oh…this bubble: Bitcoin hits $17,000 as bubble fears mount. They never end well.  Read that again: never. I mention this because we are witnessing the parabolic rise of Bitcoin.  Don’t get me wrong, it has been … Read More

Finance:  I laughed when I went back and read Thursday’s UrbanSurvival column.  Reason?  I’d forgot to mention that FOMO is ‘netese for Fear Of Missing Out.  Not that anyone flagged me on it; most of our readers have well-above room temperature I.Q.s. Following up on the Coping article from Thursday – about G2’s pal who lives in her … Read More

I love it  Bitcoin was all the way up to $15,361 when I looked.  And, since I sold my short position in the market, I’ve been more than pleased to watch Bitcoin because it’s a sort of “coincident indicator” of the National Delusion we’re all presently living under. Seriously?  A year ago Bitcoin was what?  … Read More