The Preview of the Week seems like a good starting point (as always) on Monday.
See, there’s a trick to living (relatively) stress-free: Make a list of all the crap you need/should get done. then just work through it in an orderly basis.
I’ll get to my list for the week in a minute (no one cares, except me and Elaine). The “Big Picture” stuff will help clarify the list-ordering anyway.
- Today: Markets are in the red, gold and silver were showing signs of life, and energy-wasting coins were trading $104,400. So the set-up for today is – remembering this is “jobs week” the Fed boss will be speaking, and Wednesday is a BSD (bank settlement day)…
- May’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI and ISM Manufacturing data will give us some darts in the direction of manufacturing health amid ongoing tariff debates. (We will look for “trade drift” from the Drifter-in-Chief as the day wears on.
- Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell comments could sway markets if he hints at future interest rate decisions or addresses inflation concerns. We think inflation is still running high enough that no Fed rate decrease seems likely on the 18th, but it will be wrapped in candy so as not to spark questions of the dominant (crazy) paradigm.
- The aftermath of Russia’s large-scale drone and missile attack on Kharkiv and Ukraine’s escalation strikes on Russian air bases shortens the fuse on WW III . Today, it’s “Cue the Actors!” as Russia, Ukraine meet in Istanbul for second round of direct peace talks. Your odds of winning the PowerBall are probably higher. Don’t know as you’ve noticed, but peace is a poor investment.
Is this fun or what? Let’s do Tuesday, right?
- Tomorrow expect to be JOLTed. The Labor Department’s Job Openings, Layoffs, Terminations, and Separations report is the lead-off to this being Jobs Week. Light on the hiring side and a bump in layoffs might a cooling economy, Plan on hype out of the “Peace Talks” in Istanbul. But, we’re thinking timing would be right for Russia to stage a high-profile walk-out.
- Corporate earnings begin to dribble from outfits like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and CrowdStrike Holdings. Disappointment in Techs could resolve the laggard status of techs which haven’t been nipping at the punch bowl as much as “safe” investments in things like the Death Industries.
- If you’re addicted to Cyclops 85 (your big screen), understand that we are making it a point to miss the premiere of new HBO Max shows like BBQ Brawl Season 6. Speaking of which $105 Million Reparations Package for Tulsa Race Massacre Unveiled by Mayor. Side bets on whether unequal spending on racial grounds is OK?
Wednesday is Bank Settlement Day. To put this into perspective, the market is about here heading into the opening:
As we have said many times, it doesn’t look like anything other than a “normal” Wave 2 bounce after a major 1 down. But, we could move sideways for a while – August maybe? – before the bottom really falls out.
- At pre-open pricing today, our Aggregate Index was showing 49,989.57. Two weeks ago, BSD closed at 49,721.79. And two weeks before that? 50,233.30. And two weeks before even that?We were hanging 47,590.55. Not saying we HAVE done the peak of Wave 2 and all hell to the downside is likely. But, we can’t rule it out – depending on news flows and “peace talks” this week.
- ADP and ISM Services will roll Wednesday. Pat attention particularly in the services sector. Strong data could bolster confidence that the consumer is still alive. Flip side? Weak figures will reignite recession fears.
- Think we will make it to the Wednesday close without the Drifter-in-Chief doesn’t some unp[predictable shit? Yeah, well, good luck on that. “Steady on the helm” is a bizarre and foreign concept, anymore. We do have to offer the NY Times kudos for the headline “As Courts Call Tariffs Into Question, Trump Again Turns to His Favorite Tool.” (Being tacky, we’d ask for a Melania quote on topic, but that would be wholly inappropriate…) Here all this time, I thought “ShopTalk Sunday” was tacky with all our talk about being tool sluts...ahem…
Thursday will be “mop-up” day for economic writers. The Powell speaking deal today, the JOLTS report, and Mr. Waffle will all be on the table for the week. Our only advice to “normies”?
-
On the cultural front, spoilers for The Bold and the Beautiful hint at major revelations and revenge plots, which could spark social media buzz among soap opera fans. As if the financial world isn’t soapy enough?
Friday the Jobs Report drops. Meh.
Ure’s Hot Pick
My money is on an “out of the blue” big earthquake, this week or next. Because of the Severe geomagnetic storm hits Earth, brings auroras and possible tech disruptions.
Two Pet Theories around here:
- The first is that Einstein’s E=MC2 formula seems likely to be “bi-directional.” In other words, just like, oh, your car battery is an example of electro chemical bidirectionality, so too, it seems rational to expect that outbursts from the Sun can “condense energy into matter” on Earth. In other words, the same formula that accounts for how nuclear weapons work, could also explain why condensation from a zillions of suns in the universe keep creating more matter. PROBLEM? When the Sun does an Energy Dump on Earth, new matter is condensed and that leads to Earthquakes. So we will pay special attention to Earthquake Tireds report toward the end of the week (condensation takes time) and a major quake toward the weekend or the week after seems like a reasonable (though highly-speculative) bet.
- Second theory is too much energy from the Sun, or disruption of the magnetosphere makes people (generally) bat-shit crazy. Today’s evidence pile? US: 8 injured in ‘targeted act of violence’ against protest calling for return of Israeli captiives. And let’s not overlook Suspect in custody after 11 stabbed at Oregon homeless services provider. (Though people in Oregon are borderline, anyway…)
Mentionable
Not sure where to slide a few pieces around the puzzle board today.
For example, while Trump, Xi to talk this week about trade, key advisor says, we don’t know which day.
And the global return (swinging of the pendulum to midpoint) continues as Poland election: Conservative historian Nawrocki wins presidential vote. Which would be like a Newt Gingrich win here…
And historical revision is still alive and well as FDA chief wary of federal recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines. Wait, didn’t the FDA tell us we all had to run out and roll up our sleeves? My memory must be going…
Around the Ranch: Antenna Follies
I got one of the new (but not scalar) ham radio antennas up Sunday. This one runs north-south and it’s an off-center-fed dipole (OCFD). Works just great.
Most hams don’t understand that when operating on harmonic frequencies, the dipole antenna radiates off its ends.
Interestingly, we ended up using the air-powered antenna launcher after having issues landing the drones in some of the thicker brush on the property.
This morning (kid with a new Christmas present, right?) got up and hit the 80-meter band and just dead as a doornail. I remembered the geo storm Sunday, but bands haven’t been this crappy in a good long while.
Which is why I’m thinking “big earthquake(s) ahead.” May be delusion on my part, but seen it happen often enough that it’s also a pattern now.
Tomorrow, or the next day, my next load of solar panels will be showing up. Anxious to get them in. That will give us almost 8 kW of source (we’re a little over 5 kW now). And just in time for the high temps of summer…
Have to weld up an 8-foot extension of the mounting rack because the new panels are bigger/wider than the old ones – but that’s OK. Gives me a chance to take a few pictures for STS…
OK, busy one…
Write when you get rich (or the bands come back to normal so I can test/compare the new antenna)…
George@Ure.net ac7x
While still time – thought I would say “Thank You” G .
Cant say enough and prolly long overdue, but thanks again for all youse do here at Urban..I do appreciate it – and yes I rather enjoy the community – good peeps..well most of em..but I digress again – thanks Dude.
Duck !
CM fins?
-L I’ll B, MR Avenguards..
The “endless distractions” project has just been injected with a another booster, hot dam !
In very short order things will be cooking; israHELL/Iran, Ukey/Russian, Chynah/Tawain. Who will be first ? I dont F-ing care, as long as someone blinks..
“The Vision”
– “it” showed a big angry BEAR with 3 Missiles in his mouth. Trying to figure out(guessing) who they are for.
– What 3 countries are on the Bears’ priority target list ? hmmmm
once a again the “ring master” has been exposed….as a pompous, lying fool…”step right up and see the show..
–
” dedicated to zio whores, the rupert murdochs’ -https://youtu.be/k5kHDL_3Us4?si=QssYwlLOSGKBzPUA
Rick Ackerman: The internet has evolved into the perfect medium for spreading crime into every household and every age group, and now Bitcoin is fast becoming the perfect medium for pushing a more violent kind of crime out into the streets.
It’s impossible to know whether Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, is feeling remorseful over the current blizzard of headlines concerning the New York crypto investor held captive, tortured, peed on, beaten and threatened with death by two or more young men sadistically determined to pry a bitcoin account password out of him.
And anyone can do it! If not in a dark alley, then online in the virtual company of complicit friends. That is the power of social media, and even now, the New York abduction will already have energized the imaginations of enough copycats to unleash a crime wave such as none of us, not even the most inspired MAGA do-gooder, could have imagined just six months ago. Before long, a cottage industry will spring up on the dark web to provide the purloined names and local addresses of millions of Bitcoin and Ethereum hoarders. What’s surely coming as a result will make us nostalgic for a bygone era of pickpockets, three-card Monte grifters and charming bank robbers like Willie Sutton.
https://www.howestreet.com/2025/06/watch-this-latest-bitcoin-crime-start-a-wave/
There are drugs in Colombia that will access that information more efficiently and with less violence, though they’re generally not exported to the USA.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BJxqp5lmHUc
Rule#2.
No flashy flashy.
He’s a potential target. Doesn’t follow Rule #2.
re: Monday is Laundry Day
feat: unmentionables
BCP,
The Bear is doubtless observant of the wonders of SpaceX launch services from Cape Canaveral and Vandenburg Space Force Base. Their boosts into the heavens of Polish-Finn observing satellites provide eagle-eye views to discerning private customers. Here is a link from a May press release by ICEYE about Germany’s Rheinmetall. It offers a lay of the land concerning an expanded German-Finn-Ukrainian cooperation from the crowsnest atop the ICEYE satellite constellation.
https://www.iceye.com/newsroom/press-releases/rheinmetall-and-iceye-plan-to-establish-a-joint-venture
Let’s turn our antennae towards Texas where DJ George is readying launch of the High Noon Show. Today’s theme is German Metal. Be sure to bring soap suitable for adult content cleansing! Get ready and set your sights on Rammstein from the lands of east Germany –
“Deutschland”.
Folks,
Apparently Rammstein’s lead singer enjoyed pre-fame employment as a basket weaver in former East Germany. As chance would have it, today past UK PM Sunak publicly posted on “X” about his delightful weekend ramble along Yorkshire trails. The lovely pictured jaunt included the couple’s lab retriever, Nova, as the trio traversed along an Anglo-Saxon lyke wake steeped in history. Their adorable family dog, Nova, accompanied them with needs of the journey bourne in backpacks rather than a wicker basket of tradition. Travel commenced at the charming Norse-monikered village of Muker which hosted partial filming of the 1982 Agatha Christie mystery, “Evil Under the Sun”.
A mile before reaching destination at the Viking-named village of Keld is the ruin of Crackpot Hall. Construction at the site dated to the time of a successful battle commander under King Henry VIII. Later the edifice headquartered a lead mining company whose product was perhaps injurious without proper handling. Two local historians wrote a 1930’s story of a wild young girl named Alice who lived with her family at the hall. Apparently the entymology of “crackpot” at this locale is understood to reference “a deep hole or chasm that is a haunt of crows”.
re: the four dharmas
feat: a Rishi (‘revered sage, seer’)
Folks,
A former PM’s weekend ramble therefore paused at one of four waterfalls,
Kisdon Force (‘Little Hill Waterfall’). A selfie marked the occasion. Left for another time perhaps is the millennial-aged 12 mile path walk to the nearest sacred ground of the Church of St. Andrew. Building began in the 12th century allegedly over a previous Saxon place of worship. Disciple St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and Russia. His martyrdom is recorded being in 60 ad at Patras, Achaea (Greece) and interred less some relics after 330 ad at Constantinople in the Church of the Holy Apostles. The current place of worship now occupying that Istanbul site is the Fatih (“Conquerer’s”) Mosque.
One Greek legend has Patras founded by a King of the Achaeans, Patraeus (“of a rock”) in the 5th century bc. Another has Patraeus as a chimera centaur and a ninth generation descendent of Prometheus. The struggle of Prometheus trapped between a rock and an eagle allegedly took place around Mount Elbrus east of the Black Sea in Russia. The mountain appears described in Iranian legend as a center of the world and gateway to the afterlife.
From a former Roman road in remote eastern Britannia to the top of Europe’s highest mountain, this ramble is complete.
Maybe President Trump is tired of getting no help from the scrotum court on all the lawfare. Blondi ain’t helping, neither is cash or danni boi, they don’t go after dirty cops.
“But, we’re thinking timing would be right for Russia to stage a high-profile walk-out.”
Seems to me to be the highest probability bet of the week after what took place in Russia over the weekend. This 20 minute video gives an excellent perspective into the mind and actions of Putin from someone very close to the situation and away from the ivory towers. Worth a watch if you have the time.
https://youtu.be/gzLhESkA5S0?feature=shared
“Cue the Actors!”
.gov wants us to feel like good Americans when we get an odd-hour knock and that Casualty Assistance Officer presents news of the ultimate contribution.
“Trump, Xi”
Anyone notice U.S. planning committees busy planning on where to build all the new factories?
People need that feeling of contributing when they see the new price.
Memorial Day sales on goods imported from the bad people. That’s how it works.
Crystal balls update –
The Internet indicates placing the crystal balls into the Northwest corner of the bedroom, which I did sometime Saturday. Typically I have vivid dreams but did not dream last night or the night before. Shields up! Maybe there is something to it?
For numerous reasons I won’t bore you with (for now, anyway) I am sick and at a zero personal energy level. I just have no energy at all.
Therefore, I call upon all those so inclined to self-identify as ham radio HF guys for listing reference (by yourselves) as interested in attempting to stay in touch after the great balloon goes up via the “Alas. Babylon Net.”
3.999 LSB by night, 7.295 USB by day.
I suggest minimal info, NO callsigns, just UrbSurv screen ID. I was gonna collect and tabulate and organize and release — but I just can’t.
I am Wlliam of the Radio Ranch KW1B
My rig is pretty basic: 100 watts PEP to basic
dipoles. AM/SSB. I have a quite decent signal on
80 and 40. (I don’t mind listing my call or phone, 910 215 0943. I know none of you will abuse either one.)
You’re all on your own to get this done or not.
(which was always true, anyway….)
Mike, K4QET, AM SSB CW 160-10 800 WATTS. NW Virginia OCFD/multi band vertical
I think you did say listen at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour?
It would be very difficult to make this kind of contact AA (after apocalypse) as we would have had no practice on what is possible, times, frequencies.
But, better than nothing.
Sorry you are sick! Take lots of Vitamin C with some Lysine. Not my idea, Linus Pauling’s!
73 get well soon
I hope some of us make it.. all the studies say we won’t that only a handful will survive.. and those that do will wish they hadn’t… there a guy I use to visit with..he use to post here.. geryl I think Patrick ..
he had a place in Africa that he was getting ready for people to settle there..the thing I was curious about was the distance.. how do you get to it..people bought places thousand miles away.. when the balloon goes up.. your not getting to it.. A couple hundred miles from me..there was a communications bunker..two sides one to withstand nuclear blast the other for when it wasnt..A full medical center surgical operating rooms dentist clinic big enough to house a small city..fully stocked..truck after truck delivered supplies before 2012.. it is impressive a friend owns the farm next to it.. I was amazed ..but its in the middle of nowhere.. I laughed and said your set..you just have to figure out how to get in it.. Then 5g..the place was decommissioned.. theyso!d it fully stocked for a million dollars..my friend tried to get the community to buy it..they didn’t some company on the east coast bought it..
I remember being sent to the tunnels in the early seventies.. my boss told the story of a friend of a congressman that was in new York when the threat came he was racing across town.. and wouldn’t have made it if the threat was real.. it was a flock of geese and a shorted circuit board on a sub.. where your at..is where you’ll be..
That’s why I believe I was put through stressful situations.. they were learning modules to show me what we take for granted..the simplest things give us a quality of life..
https://youtu.be/l1BNFmgaCco?si=35AS7vKpjH8t-tp-
Earth shakes …
“… there’s a tendency to over-think and under-do …”
Mixed signals IMO. Sometimes my helper will stage a coup, wanting to do something out of my planned order, or just accomplish end in a different manor. I always hear him out. He may think of something which hadn’t occurred to me at all. Usually not. Why? BTW we get to the “do”ing I’ve pondered the how to at length and staged the toys in advance. So, while some items were subject to “overthink” most of the time it was just enough thinking.
We built some treated 4×4 planters in a prominent location on the lakeside recently. When it came down to fitting complex angles I patiently explained which was the money side (so had to fit correctly from the lakeview) he got it. No protractors, just a lot of cutting with _no_ recutting. Thought just long enough then launched into doing. The original timbers are now under my lower woodpile (piled with wood for a chill morning or next fall). Sadly, the originals were no longer under warranty.
The earth builds pressure and … must vent. Sort of like some people here. This past weekend an odd atmospheric loop brought down smoke from Saskatchewan. We were all smoke-eaters for a day+.
https://apnews.com/article/fire-canada-us-smoke-air-quality-firefighters-b1a37dac81acd22d549a9c8e331e0291
I’m pretty sure that same Canadian Express would send ash from Mt. Spurr (possibly ruining all the global warming grift for a generation).
https://avo.alaska.edu/
Will she blow? Can Etna reduce magma pressure from the other side of our blue ball? These things are beyond me. That said, they pop off on occasion.
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/home.html
War (hold the side of nuclear please), earthshakes, cosmic waves?
They, thankfully, are all above my paygrade.
Write when you rumble.
Egor
ps – list making done. Now what to do? Watch the Great Blue Heron fishing from my pier? Yep, it’s a plan man
What do we call a name like great “blue heron”, when there aint a blue feather on those (ADMIN REDACT)s. More like the great Gray Heron near as I can tell.
Dem Burds are also some of the laziest, thievinest Burds I ever had the displeasure of seeing in a back yard pond, same goes for the Dems. Heres hoping I never c a dem in my back yard, like a Coon in the Garbage can – it never ends well.
* How about that Jap bond mkt ? coming to a market near You soonly ?
Bird is the word -https://youtu.be/9Gc4QTqslN4?si=wWCRnevSC22Wbclz
I’ve seen grey herons. They call them ‘night fishers’ here in the islands. But I have also seen great Blue Herons in Wisconsin, fishing the pristine rivers.
M=E/C squared is why the Expanding Earth Theory works.
Thanks again for all you do.
Stand by for heavy weather.
Just spray or green water… ?
All done planting the vegetable garden for the year.., may do a late Summer planting for a few things – but- basically done. Looks pretty good. When I get back I will start ordering a whole new round of vegetable seeds for next years crop. [ Annual rotation.]
– When you get back ? Going somewhere? Yep – I’m out of here for a few days., new game – out of state – has the potential of being a tough one. Hope so.
Keep a candle in the window – I’ll report back when I get home.
Wish me luck !
On behalf of all, please win and take it all effing home. (If not, though is there even a chance?) we are all hioping for another lecture from the D’Lynn school of poker!!!
What a great way of life in Five Eyes South. Pushing 50 bands.
“Millions of Australian workers will automatically receive a pay rise when minimum and award wages increase from July 1. The Fair Work Commission has announced an increase of 3.5 per cent
The decision means that the national minimum wage will be $24.95 an hour, or about $948 a week, based on a 38-hour week. That’s up from $24.10 an hour, which is $915.90 per week.”
(“Your odds of winning the PowerBall are probably higher. Don’t know as you’ve noticed, but peace is a poor investment.”)
you Know..there’s a greater chance of having the space x rocket falling out of the sky at the same time a tornado and earthquake hits at the exact same time lol.. I had a friend that was working on a computer program years ago to evaluate random information to be used in the mars rover..I suggested why not do the lottory..he wrote one up.. t would pick ten sets..I would buy the first five..it was at a half billion dollars and the sixth set was the winner..I got suckered into buying all ten every week until I asked him to check regions..lol lol lol just like banking routing numbers.. its not random..there’s a cycle to it..the super computer knows before the numbers are drawn.. just like the one arm bandits.. there’s a setting inside that tells the machine what percentage is to be a winner..I was going to buy one for the pickup..A nurse I worked with got a half mil when a half mil was A lot of cash her house paid off her school loans paid off a juicy govt. retirement ..( that she cashed out of ) plus a big paying job.. ( nurses making ten bucks an hour then ..it was a good wage ) in three years she lost it all.. I joked I was going to buy one and mount it in the back of the beast..then a friend said..so what if they find out that your doing that .. so no one arm bandit allowed..it would have been easy ..why not let her dump her paycheck into my machine lol..she ended up homeless for years..lost her car to a car title loan ..lost her house by borrowing cash..
her paychecks gone it was all gone..
the house wins.. my childhood best friend got rich with video lottery.. paid more for the ceiling light in his front door than I made in three years..
his grandmother was the only grandmother I knew.. when a garage cost me 1500.00 he was saying oh I spent 250,000.00 .. for his garage..I laughed and said I think you have hand prints on your shoulder because you just got taken advantage of..you lose your virginity on that deal lol.. nope I went to see it..he had a 250 grand garage..he said he had to spend it to keep it.. six stalls three furnaces a full theatre on the second floor it was huge..then you had the house..all from the lottery.. we both use to stock shelves at a grocery store..him full time me part time..
“So we will pay special attention to Earthquake Tireds report toward the end of the week (condensation takes time) and a major quake toward the weekend or the week alter seems like a reasonable (though highly-speculative) bet.”
ANKARA: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Marmaris area of southwestern Turkiye early on Tuesday, killing one teenager and injuring dozens of people, the interior minister said.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2603155/middle-east
During Sunday’s sun eruption and geomagnetic storm, the aurora was very active. This image was captured by Austin Moloughney from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada under the Lethbridge Trestle.
“Space Trestle”
https://www.solarham.com/pictures/aurora/jun1_2025/Austin_Moloughney_Alberta.jpg
Too bad this is not a video. I have seen aurora like this growing up in Wisconsin. The aurora radiates outward from the center point, giving the illusion you are falling into a black hole in space. As a youngster, I lost my balance looking up at this and had to lay on the ground to observe it… all the while imagining falling thru space.