The weather this time of year is only partly conducive to shop work.  It’s cold.  So, in addition to being uncomfortable to use metal-handled tools (wood and plastic handles are OK) there are some machines that just won’t work right. Take the 3D printers, for example. I ran out a pretty good-sized print this week. With … Read More

We could title this morning’s remarks something generic. Oh, like “How the World really works.” We might do that because how many people would either read (or absorb) a report titled… “Transactionally-linked, Dynamical Business Model Behavior Using Anomalous Technologies Under Semi-Hierarchical Social Constraints.” Yeah, it’s a mouthful and a mind full. Yet, strangely – and … Read More

We are just over two weeks out from having a new President.  But, it’s looking more and more like another Trump Casino as the crucial vote on Mike Johnson comes up today.  A preview in Could Trump face another early setback in House speaker’s race? Sets the tone.  Or you could roll with Mike Johnson’s … Read More

First thing out of the hopper – for these last two working days of the week – is that markets are set to bounce. But we’re not out of the woods, yet. Earlier, the Dow futures were pointing up 200 points and the Techs up 170, S&P up 35, But in our Aggregate view of … Read More

Just in:   Space Weather Message Code: ALTK08 Serial Number: 49 Issue Time: 2025 Jan 01 1747 UTC ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 8, 9- Threshold Reached: 2025 Jan 01 1741 UTC Synoptic Period: 1500-1800 UTC Active Warning: Yes NOAA Scale: G4 – Severe NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation Potential Impacts: … Read More

Well, that sure didn’t take long. You need the PDF to see the pictures clearly in… A Strange New Years Tale Enjoy and comments are always welcome. g

This being a holiday, we will be focused mainly on the ChartPack. But we do have a few goodies…  This is the day of remembering what we’re doing and what Life is all about. While it may sound a bit like Chairman Mao’s criticism-self-criticism, the modern student of management science will find many templates in … Read More

Simple enough: “NEW YORK, DECEMBER 31, 2024: S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) today released the October 2024 results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices. The leading measure of U.S. home prices recorded a 3.6% annual gain in October 2024, a slight deceleration from the previous annual gains in 2024. YEAR-OVER-YEAR The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller … Read More

Are your balls getting ready to drop?  My, all this time I thought that was earlier in life. But sneaking up on 76, things in the world do look a little bit, uh, different. Take the National Debt.  When Elaine was born in 1943, the National Debt was $142.6 billion.  By the time I came along … Read More

The Early Futures today were looking grim.  No surprise to that. The weekend news flow was dominated by: The death of former President Jimmy Carter: Former US President Jimmy Carter dead at the age of 100. A special note here: We have long-held that public figures (HWood types) should STFU and not engage is shallow, … Read More

I am, as you might have guessed, not your typical “cranky old man in the woods.”  Most old men in the woods don’t have a bunny for a honey, go shooting on their range regularly, surround themselves with wireless PTZ solar webcams, play at high speed Morse on the ham radio, or cobble up new … Read More

The long – and larger – cycles in economics is our focus today.  Sure, a few stories off the wires with our (occasionally) acerbic remark. But with the buzz of the presents wearing off, and perhaps still smarting a bit from our discussion of the economy’s “elevator to nowhere” problem (mythical growth versus inflation adjusted … Read More

Not quite the final column of the year, but 2024 is quickly heading down the drain.  A few economic highlights remain. Like the International Trade figures (hang on a sec.).  Then next week before the balls drop (ahem…) there’s the Dallas Fed numbers mid-morning Monday.  BYOND (bring your own NoDoz). You’ll need to save your strength for … Read More