Some things are just predictable.
Take the overnight economic developments:
- Japan was down 0.27%.
- The Hang Seng was down 0.72%
- Germany and France with down a bit.
- But the UK rallies.
Amidst this, U.S. futures were flat and, as we explained in a special report for our Peoplenomics.com subscribers Monday, there was some art involved in getting out of a long position near the top of Monday’s trading range.
What could calm markets and get people to piling dough back into the markets?
Hmmm….cue the SecState!
“Tillerson on Syria: Military Posture Towards Assad Has Not Changed; Trump Not Seeking Regime Change…”
G-7 says no to additional Russia sanctions, too.
Apparently, I’m a dim-witted sloth because I don’t see how lobbing about 60 cruise missiles it, oh, you know, an act of international friendship?
Meantime Tillerson has poured cold water on reports out of Chosun news agency in South Korea about a Chinese build-up:
“Tillerson: China Agrees Action Against North Korea Must Be Taken” and the story continues claiming “Rumors of Chinese Military Buildup at North Korea Border False.”
Meantime, the NK’s are still taunting with stories like “North Korea state media warns of nuclear strike if provoked as US warships approach.”
Will that be enough to convince investors to roll back into markets?
Part will depend on data over the next few days.
Troubleshiba
Electronics giant Toshiba has filed unaudited papers casting doubt on its future.
So, is U.S. Business Still Strong?
This morning we have our first little slice: The National Federation of Independent Business Optimism index. That index, out today, said in part that the recent confidence surge has continued:
“The Index slipped 0.6 points in March to 104.7, still a very strong reading. Actual earnings, capital expenditure plans, and job-creation plans posted gains in March. Sales expectations, which have been flying high for months, dropped by 8 points, a sign that the Optimism Index could be moderating after a strong run.”
If this keeps up, I may have to get back on the long side of the market. But when I look at the data over here, I notice that only 46% believe the economy will improve, so caution is still warranted.
‘Bama Politicos
WTF is going on there? “3 of Alabama’s most powerful Republicans forced from office in 9 months.”
Washington Madness
Not much better in the District of Confusion where a government shutdown is just a couple of weeks off (29th).
“Congress Sinks Into Partisan Morass as Shutdown Threat Looms” is very much on point.
Tax cuts are stuck in slow-motion, too.
And our confidence in Paul Ryan taking a quickie “leadership” course are about bupkis.
Breakfast of Bio Worries
The ProMed daily alert system for health professional tells of anthrax cattle deaths in France which should pop in the MSM one of these days:
“Summary:
Report type: immediate notification
Date of start of the event: 1 Apr 2017
Date of confirmation of the event: 6 Apr 2017
Report date: 7 Apr 2017
Reason for notification: recurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: 1 Nov 2016
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: _Bacillus anthracis_
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory (advanced), Necropsy
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.”
How long for the MSM to grok?
Weather Warning
Yikes! Hardly any sleep last night due to the thunderstorms rolling through East Texas on up toward the ArkLaTex and points Northeast.
More electrical than windy by the look of it. Despite the terrible night, we only had 1.6 inches in the gauge as of 7:30 AM local from 7 PM last night. T’ain’t hardly nothing, but the vertical lifting and red spots on the radar are worth keeping an eye on.
That and the animals two-by-two.
Lifestyles: Kidult Toys
Loved the story in the U.K. Telegraph about the rise of Kidult toys.
Legos, model railroading, and more.
No doubt less spendy that plane, boats, and motorhomes.
Around the ranch, though, Elaine and I figure we’re each other’s kidults.
Pass the Thermos. More bean…
George,
the article about Kidult toys rings true, but it really isn’t anything NEW. Remember back in the 70’s when slot-car tracks were all the rage when vast racing salons [or saloons, depending upon your state] popped up in malls all across the country? They were intended for -and packed with- hyperactive teens but were quickly overrun by men whose competitive edge and dreams of Indy took over their common sense as they spent hundreds of dollars on those tiny cars that whipped around the course so fast they were harder to follow than a green golf ball. Serious competitions [complete with high-dollar wagering] were held that offered up not only substantial purses but also the usual tall, gawdy trophies.
I never got into slot cars, instead preferring to conquer nature via the ancient art of kite flying. There was some degree of pleasure going mano-a-mano with Mariah and keeping a flimsy paper-and-stick sculpture 500′ in the air. Serious competitions there also, with tournaments involving “professionals” who were as proud of their kites as they were of their families. Or, at least their dog.
Oddly, I hadn’t flown a kite in decades until just last Sunday when the weather was perfect and a new Nylon number arrived from China [appropriately, where ELSE?]. It is a fierce-looking winged Dragon with a 6′ wingspan [actually quite SMALL compared to some of the newer designs] and stuffed with foam to render a 3-D effect from the ground. Stunning from the earth, it launched easier than I remember the old ones where I endless ran “Into The Wind” [coincidentally the name of a really cool company over in Colorado that specializes in all things that can be tethered to a line]. Had a great time and for awhile my 64 year old scarred psyche felt 12 again without ever breaking a sweat! An element of danger even exists as one crash too many can destroy your baby with a single downdraft. Passing cars slowed to gawk at my efforts and one actually honked approval. That felt GOOD!
Since I live in an aeronautical city [Wichita KS long the “Air Capitol City Of The World”] flying model aircraft has always been big around these parts – far more so than kites. Another hobby where a normally-sensible man can blow thousands of dollars on miniature jet planes it is still popular on on Sunday afternoons when I can hear them buzzing from a nearby public park like so many tiny chainsaws hacking away at the atmosphere.
The rage today though, is DRONES. Talk about sophisticated, this new generation of adult toys promises to grow into an even bigger industry – well, you KNOW how popular they are when the FAA decides to start regulating them! I bought a tiny little model with parts so small I nearly needed my magnifying glass to fit them – small enough to buzz around my office and activate the predatory nature in my cats. But, I crashed more than I flew!
So, for me… it’ll still be the Kite route with only a slender thread connecting me to the heavens via a Kidult toy that goes back millennia.
Not such a bad way to commune with nature, either!
I like your story it kind of reminds me of Lancaster’s Farm over there in the Virginia where he had Lancaster’s trains toy trains, he had a whole building set up for that, thanks for jogging old memories
Did you take videos of it. I’m sure a lot of us would like to see
Sean Spicer slipped and admitted to the globalist agenda of taking out Syria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9vnE4JWvrU
It feels like somethings changed. The point of change you were talking about. You mentioned when you start to feel better. I know the moment I get sick. I feel something different.
I was infected by slot cars in the mid-60’s and over the years, whenever there was a local raceway, I pulled out the boxes containing my treasures, and put them back in service. When I moved to North Carolina in the 90’s I discovered that many folks that made a living in NASCAR, were also infected. I raced with Tony Stewert, Kenny Wallace, Ron Hornady, and lots of crew people.
I moved to Evansville, IN in a few years later, and the nearest raceway was 125 miles away, so I opened one, and the racers came out of the woodwork. Most hadn’t raced in 15 years, but the passion was still there. I made up some tee shirts that said “Just Toys Til The Green Flag Drops.
I could never afford the time or money to be in full size racing, but slot cars was a good substitute.
Fake gas attacks, Fake news using a play right outta trumps play book ol’e putin is. Fake cyber attacks created by the cia, certainly other countries do the same. In the end we don’t really know who does what. Reminds of 2 siblings fighting. ” Little johnny why did you poop in your sisters bed, I didn’t , she did it back in forth they go”.
We can tell because see little johnny he ate spinich last night and his sister didn’t. The poop is green.
I moved my beer30 up 2 hrs today, just felt like the thing to do.
While in Walmart, I noticed “Rube Goldberg” branded toys. As my favorite childhood toy game was Mousetrap, in adulthood I attend the Rube Goldberg competitions regularly. Too bad these new toys werent around when I was a kid.
There is a super-sized version of Rube: It’s called American politics.
Remember the models [Revell, I think] that were working examples of Goldberg’s crazy contraptions? I built several and they were great little desk top distractions so I never figured out if they were marketed for kids like me or stressed-out corporate types!