The main economic data this morning is the Challenger Gray and Christmas job cuts report – so let’s get that out of the way: VCHICAGO, May 5, 2016 – The pace of downsizing increased in April, as US-based employers announced workforce reductions totaling 65,141 during the month, according to the latest report released Thursday from … Read More

We were certainly (ahem…) flush with comments when we discussed the idea of shutting the bathroom door in order to keep good Chi (or qi) out of the bedrooms where people sleep. Where things took an interesting turns was when – thanks to comments – I got to looking at a possible relationship between chi … Read More

This morning we pick up on where we visited in the UrbanSurvival column Tuesday:  The looming collapse of multiple pension systems. Oh, sure, we can make a case that banks are never too big to fail.  But what happens if the next round of economic collapse brings us head to head with deciding how to … Read More

And why would you want to do that? Well, because I have the week all planned out for us, of course! (Aren’t you on the distro list?) Here’s how it should play out: The market this morning will fall flat on its nose. Why lookie here! Dow futures down 109! Reasons are all over the … Read More

Off on a different track this morning. In fact one of the oddest things I have run across since I ran into the “earthing” results. You might remember our discussion about sleeping on a special “grounded half-sheet.” This morning, we get into another one of those little “subtle energy” discussions which has been a remarkable … Read More

I happened to be listening to one of my all-time favorite econ books Sunday and I was reminded of something we try to forget on Mondays. Namely that in hunter/gatherer societies, people only works (on a community average) about 1,000 hours per year. Of course, it depends on what your definition of “work” is, too. … Read More

I apologize, once again, for the short column that we put up  Friday morning. 2.5 hours on an operating table is, well, a bit less than inspiring – and because the eye patch was still on from the removal of my failed implant (after 25 years, just to be fair) it was Elaine doing the … Read More

Maybe it was something in the drugs the anesthesiologist was pushing Thursday, but an incredible moment of economic insight slapped me up-side the head on Friday while the market was tanking.What if economic growth is all simulated and nothing is as it seems. We get into that in today’s report, along with a few headlines … Read More

We have a number of things to cover this morning, so an unusual “Saturday Special.” ITEM ONE: Peoplenomics will likely be posted on Sunday. It’s only partly due to surgery. Turns out I’ve come up with a whole new paradigm for investing through all this disruption this week. And it’s taking a while to get … Read More

Although the Dow fell 200 and change THE DOW FELL 200 AND change Thursday, my concern now is that we are not yet to the break-point of this decline.  The reason may be understood two different ways: ONE, would be a discussion of how things look from the Elliott Waver perspective, while the other is … Read More

Well, that wasn’t much fun.  The eye surgery Thursday was something of a train wreck.   When I went into the operating room, the main idea was that they would put me under, I would have the old eye implant repositioned, and they would put a stitch in – and that would be that. Well, … Read More

If my brain is still functioning (a matter of some dispute, I’ll admit) we should have Facebook earnings out after the close today.  Not always, but often enough, when a company announces a new way to raise revenue a week or three before earnings, there is a reason.  Might be an unspoken message like “If … Read More

Apologies that we won’t be putting up the usual post-Fed decision and what our outlook is until tomorrow (at the earliest) and Monday (I hope at the latest) but my eyes are about to “go done” for some offline maintenance today.  A little background, if you’re following the home game of “Trials of George” – … Read More