Free money for all! Call Dial-a-Pork in D.C. and get yours today! “From a Foreign country, you say? Screw these Americans – sure we got money for you, too! ‘Mericans don’t matter!” Year End Number Flashes As we’re about to put another year in the can, some truly astounding reality-check numbers to roll with. Which … Read More
Is there a “Surplus Season?” We did a column on surplus stores in early January this year. Must be something about short days that gets the “project juices” boiling. Some of the best hours of father-son time with Pappy and me involved a surplus store just north of 4th South and Michigan Street in Seattle’s … Read More
More Evidence 2021 A Bummer I made a personal “investment policy decision” last week: I’ve decided not to play the market until after the presidential inauguration January 20, 2021. There’s simply too much that can go wrong – too many hidden variable to mess with. Plus a ton of contrary and conflicting views. Before we roll … Read More
Hyper’s Cyber Scam? DBSYDN. Our early morning guidance for the week. (Don’t Buy Shit You Don’t Need!) Take for example this morning: Got up super-early because we didn’t over-eat because we didn’t do our turkey this weekend. Simply too much going on around here. But there – 5:22 AM today – I spied something I … Read More
Unemployment Filings Jump Hot off the screen snagger: “The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 743,460 in the week ending November 14, an increase of 18,344 (or 2.5 percent) from the previous week. The seasonal factors had expected a decrease of 13,302 (or -1.8 percent) from the previous week. There … Read More
Vax #2 Hype & A ’62 Flashback! Seat belts on for market hype deluxe? Moderna says its vaccine is 94.5% effective at preventing Covid-19. Remember in last week’s round of virus hope that the RNA answer had to be kept super cold? Well, this one seems a little more practical as Early Data Suggests Moderna’s … Read More
Brace For it… We are not fearful of “the Future.” But, numerous “things come due” next week. The list is impressive and it’s our focus this morning. Because in order to profit in markets, it’s useful to have some idea of “what’s out there.” Guess the future right and picking winning stocks is a whole … Read More
President Biden by Nightfall? Multiple data points are considered today by any American investor this morning that will shape our future. An “Unfortunate Series of Dominoes” to play off the Lemony Snicket phrase. Beginning from then, we can outline the nightmare like this: Joe Biden has jumped to 253 Electoral votes overnight. Donald Trump is … Read More
Depends on Your Zoom Level In the study of qi (qigong), the adept is advised to look for the mysteries on at least three levels: The transient mysteries, the great mysteries, and the Grand mysteries. (Some qigong practitioners prefer subtle wonder, mysterious wonder, and incredible wonder as classifications. Qigong teachings date back thousands of years, emanating the mountain … Read More
10 Things Better Than the Debate OK…I watched it. What a freakin waste of time. OMG! What would have been better? Going to bed 90-minutes earlier. That would have had health benefits. Listening to some smooth jazz and meditating. Although, I would have been asleep in 5… Praying. But that would still land me sleeping … Read More
Another Market Inflection Point? Several readers have asked about where the market could be headed. The simple answer is? “It’s almost anywhere…” You need to survey the currents and counters swirling about: This morning Jerome Powell (jefe d’ Fed ) speaks. Markets generally “play nicey-nice” while official-speak is being dispensed. The other Fed reveals this … Read More
Students of economic depressions may be pretty clear on where America “went wrong.” Well, at least they should be clear in about five-years or so…the point of today’s outlook: The American economic system? Strong as ever. But its fatal weakness? Economic contraction. We living in a system that has been optimized as a growth model. … Read More
Covered my first “real” election in Seattle back in 1970. Wes Uhlman was elected mayor that year. Stayed up – did the “victory party rounds’ jammed an old Sony TC-110 cassette recorder mic in everyone’s face. Winners said the same this as today – ditto for losers. Well, except maybe the losers then were a … Read More