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Published Monday - Friday about 8 AM Central Time ....some typos are fixed by 8:30 daily
Friday February
12, 2010 07:55 CST New? Visit our
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This site is supported by subscriptions: For additional content, please subscribe to Peoplenomics. . Content mirrored at: www.independencejournal.com, Kindle (.MOBI) version here
Friday-is-for-Fun Update (click here to go right to grim) "Survival" Breakfast in the Snow So, what's the point of prepping if you can't cobble up a quick snowy morning cookout? The stove is one of the 'rocket' type.
Cheat Points: Eggs weren't powdered, used scrap wood from the shop rather than mess about in the snow...but you get the idea...tinder really was split with my knife, however. Photos by Panama Bates...and Elaine's not too fond of eggs...and no, those are auto-darkening glasses, not shades... --- Reader Feedback: "so Urban Survival is penned by The Big Lebowski?" [Hmmm... So does that make Elaine like...oh... "Bunny Lebowski?] --- "Wow George, you don't look anything like you did on history channel! You look like a hippy now Nice stove..." [As a cost control measure I do self-administered hair cuttings late spring through late fall. A Wahl hair-cutting rig is under $30 at Wal-Mart. Long hair is warmer in winter (along with the beard) and softens the blows when piece of trees come off when working in the woods.
UrbanSurvival Home Economics Tip: Haircuts are like beer - you can only rent them.] --- Nice thing about having a short last name? Writing it in the snow, without having to cause bladder damage... LOL. Now, back to the Second Depression in progress...
Splitsville, Downers, and WTFIF Anyone who has been watching the evolution turning devolution of the EU has been able to see this coming for years - ever since the prescient Jim Sinclair ( www.jsmineset.com ) observed that in truth the EU was nothing more than a collection of bankrupt countries several years back.
Sinclair's classic line today: "Greece is the Lehman Brothers of the euro."
While some countries (Germany, for example, still the world's #2 trade exporter behind China now and hanging onto their country's gold reserves) maintain some degree of prosperity (granted Germany seems to be stalling now, also), others like the UK (led by Gordo the Gold seller Brown, who's pulling tearful interviews of late - are simply paying the price for incompetent leadership whose only vision is the word "free lunch"), word this morning that Germany is nixing the "Greece Deal" is hardly any surprise.
Merkel is now up to three gold stars, in my book: Kept on exporting, kept their gold (no tungsten questions yet, please), and now she's proving she didn't flunk basic economics about printing up paper and touting it as "money".
Long term, there's no question that the globalist cabal will see the EU collapse under its own substantial bureaucratic complexity, but that won't stop EU lackeys from trying to promote global taxes on banking and what-have-you in order to set themselves above all other common folks. --- Elitism is a disease and this one is PIIGS flu (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Greece) and if it's confined to the Eurozone until the July-September period and then goes 'global financial pandemic' don't look surprised.
Although it's been a fun little adventure to watch, as the EU runs aground on the rocks of financial despair, while the US dollar may benefit - a strong dollar will push down Dow stocks and gold to perhaps the $800 range - the bad news is that most investors won't be able to anticipate and see far enough ahead to book profits along the way.
Too bad...but I guess that's what makes average investors average and why we keep electing free-lunchers everywhere. --- Although this site does not offer financial advice - and only chronicles the arrival of common sense as the masses wake up to financial charlatans and scammers of the 30% variety, I don't see any reason why short term we see a real dive today in stocks and then another Miracle Monday (except this one will come Tuesday due to the President's Day holiday) as another Greece Rescue Plan gets cobbled up in 'emergency talks' this weekend and into Monday just in time to save option expiration next week from paying of hugely on put options for this cycle.
Depending on how low the markets get today, I may be tempted to wade back in to some very short term (couple of days worth) of options just at the money on lows today...
A number of people think I'm nuts when I do things like that but the way I figure it, that's when there's no time premium to speak of in option pricing and a news event like another 'European Miracle Plan" could land a few more dollars in my miniscule trading account.
WTFIF: What the (blank) It's Friday. I haven't had a losing trade so far this year, so why not put on a really ballsy trade using House money?
Retail Fiction, Redux If you read the report on retail sales this morning, it might seem like we're in some kind of economic recovery. But pay attention to the little bit of the Census news release that I've highlighted for you...
So when you see this fancy graph, like this in the release:
Draw a line across somewhere between 3% and 6% (I use 6.5% which I'll get to in a minute) because that's the pernicious impact of monetary inflation which is apparently not backed out of the feel-good report which is "not [adjusted for] for price changes' on the face of it...
Pop open the latest Federal Reserve money stock report (H.6) and you see that M-1 money stocks are up 6.5% in the past year ($1.6765 trillion vs. $1.5738 trillion Jan '10 vs. '09) but for God's sake, don't put that into the press release because that would mean that unit sales for the past year are flat or worse negative...
Surely, good times are just ahead, brothers & sisters, Hallelujah. Where's my crack pipe?
Hip, Deep
While today's report may not be exactly 'hip, deep" or humorous, it is at least 3" deeper than yesterday's report. See the Thursday OMG It's Snowing! picture here for comparison with this morning's piles of whiteness.
Pay particular attention to the pine tree behind the snowlar system which has put on another layer. To help scale things, that my 10-panel snowlar array is 28-feet 7-inches long...the little bits of dirt and grass evident in the first pic are gone from today's.
For now, it's over and into the record books per the National Weather Service:
Up the road from us, the official weather station at Tyler Texas had 5" while the Dallas Morning News reports 11 inches in other parts of the state. --- Linguistically, the East Coast mess this week and this one are Storm #2 of three for this winter...so should be one more along in a week or four. Gotta tell Cliff he should rename the Terra/Weather section of the predictive linguistics "The Olde Codger's Almanac..." Don't mind me while I burn IPCC climate reports to keep warm today....
Budgets Freeze, Too Some people in NJ are upset with the governor freezing the state budget. ---- Think a state budget freeze is something, how about this little science snip about how "Scientists freeze water with heat".
Gun Grab? A lot of concern among responsible firearms users who have been flooding our news tip mailbox with reports about how the Obama administration is reversing an earlier decision and promoting a treaty which would regulate arms trade. The fear is that (as in all gun legislation I'm aware of) what happens is the (pick as many as you want here) a) criminals b) terrorists, c)tin-horn dictators, d) state-supported 'freedom movements won't stop trading in arms but centralist power-grabbing governments will disarm people who would otherwise be able to draw lines in the sand, dirt, (or snow) to hold government to its proper Constitutional role.
Say, does actually believing that 'powers not specifically delegated to the federal government are reserved for the States" make one a terrorist nowadays? Just checking...
Speaking of that 10th Amendment... A report on the Tenth Amendment Center's web site notes that 14 states have now told the feds that in keeping with their reserved rights, medical marijuana is OK. And more are likely... --- Not looking for change locally since jailing people is a big industry here, however. So big in fact that a year ago certain prison operators imported low cost workers from African nations & Mexico on visas despite the high unemployment rates in the USA. And what's worse, no one seems to care. But let's keep this a low-blood-pressure day, shall we?
The Fallen I've seen a lot of different crime stories around, but the one about "Russia nabs meteorite smuggling ring" assures me that the world is running out of things to monetize. Universes throws rocks at us and we sell 'em as souvenirs...go figure.
They're not souvenirs. They're hints. Universe would probably also throw tomatoes, but they aren't plentiful in space...
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Coping: Life in the News Rhyming Department When you work in a newsroom long enough (13-years in a big city is enough for anyone, no matter how good their liver when they start) you start to see the 'news flow' just like serious investors see 'money flow'.
So with the report that former president Bill Clinton was hospitalized in NYC and had a couple of heart stents put in (doing fine now) the 'old newsman' in me picks up the archetype "presidential health" and wonders if this might be a precursor event since many times news items cluster at the archetype level.
How can this kind of thing work out?
Well, take the report that China is 31-flavors of pissed about plans of president Obama to meet with the Dalai Lama next Thursday at the White House.
The tactical problem for the White House is this: China can pretty much do a financial snuff film any old time by dumping US bonds and the Treasury's sure to have passed word of that to the WH. But, the Obama folks have made much of their pro-Tibet stance.
How to resolve? This is one of those cases where the 'presidential health' newsroom archetype could be employed as an instrument of deft policy.
What could be one of the few ways out of a delicate policy vice like this than Obama coming down with a serious cold and being restricted in his activities by his doctors?
That way, Obama has no blame, the Dalai Lama doesn't lose face, the Chinese are appeased, and another use of 'newsroom archetyping' would be borne out.
So if the "Old Newsman" still had his White House press pass, he'd be looking for sniffles Tuesday afternoon/Wednesday morning next week....
We'll just watch and see, but a blameless solution which wouldn't endanger the financial markets certain seems like a practical policy option.
Speaking of Trend-Seeking
Well, a crisis for everyone since the whole fabric of our economy has been woven around 'constant growth' and the "Gordon Model". I call it simply how "greater fool" theory works, but then again, I'm not rich enough to be considered rich. Happy Vacation! And other Calendar Notes Well-sourced www.debka.com is on vacation next week. Hmmm...timing, timing, timing... --- Winter Olympics are getting underway in Vancouver BC. 30 athgeletes have been barred on doping so far.
While officials won't name names, we figure it would be more of a deterrent if they would come out and name names. Either to put more of a stigma on whoever's cheating or so's we'd know who to roast a bowl with... --- Valentine's Day (history) is Sunday...don't you love it? (sorry, couldn't resist...) --- As usual, Saturday and Sunday content is for subscribers to Peoplenomics.com only, however, I'm planning a short column here on the free side for Monday. Figure if I sleep in, it'll become a hard habit to break. --- Send your comments to george@ure.net Shop Till Your Drop Department: Peoplenomics This Week Life After Trading? A good friend of mine was recently let go at a major trading operation in Chicago where he was supervising a group of bond traders. I had a chance to pick his brain a bit about what's "out there" and, since he's got an excellent handle on generational turnings (after Strauss & Howe) what he sees on the road ahead is useful. Following the interview, be sure and flip over to this week's ChartPack where the 'end of the world' is slowly resolving into view... More For Subscribers To Subscribe, CLICK HERE Cookie Video The folks at Maxa Research have put together a short video (sound track by guess who?) that shows the Maxa Cookie Manager. You can see it here.
I don't usually get all whipped up about software, but this is one of those dandy tools that just simply works great. First thing I put on my new computer when I got it was Avira Anti-virus and Maxa Cookie Manager (MCM). Either follow the on-screen download instructions of simply click:
Once you try it out, to upgrade to the fully functioning version, just click the upgrade button (!) on the upper right hand side for the $35 unlock to get it to remove even those nasty and highly intrusive 'non-browser specific' cookies. Bonus: You computer may run faster.
Not for Mac's: MCM does support the Safari Browser, but that does not mean it is compatible with Mac OS. Maxa-Tools only support the Windows world....so far. Give them time...
"Live on $10,000" A Year Having a hard time making ends meet? (Like who isn't, right?) A good starting point to better match up income with outgo is our $10 e-book "How to Live on #10,000 a Year...or less!"
It's an automatic download. It's written in an information dense style: The whole thing runs about 65 pages, but it gives you a vision of how to not only live on the cheap, but also how to migrate up the economic foodchain if you have a little hustle left. A bonus section called "How to Build Anything" should instill confidence if you've never taken on a home improvement/home creation project before, too..... Click here for the index and details.
MyGroPonics My commodity broker JB Slear and I have written a simple book to get you started on high density hydroponics. It's an example of how someone with a little creativity, access to a few 'dollar stores' and willing to try out some new farming techniques can grow an amazing amount of produce sin a very small space - like even an apartment balcony (if it gets some sunlight). Sound interesting? It's just $10 bucks here...
Pass It On A different take on things - that's what you'll find here most mornings. If you know of anyone who might also like our content, simply click here and send a link to them. Or, if you hated what you read, send the link to all your 'worst enemies'. Like they say in Burbank, "Ain't no such thing as bad press..." ---- Last week's report is here. For back issues of this site, click here.
Thursday February 11, 2010 Setting Up to Go Down In case yesterday's headline ( "Rally: But then What?" ) wasn't a clear enough expectation for the action in the ally behind Main Street called Wall Street - where the Dow popped up 30-points at mid-session and allowed me to book a few cents on the long side of a small option play - the really glorious part of what (to me, Robin Landry, and others) looks like a big Elliott Wave 2 bounce, should come sometime around a week from tomorrow or Tuesday of the following week. say the 22nd or 23rd. That's when I figure the real excitement could begin.
The reason for this anticipation and why I will likely re-enter short positions mid next week (besides this coming Monday being President's Day so many folks including most of Wall Street will get a four-day workweek): Next week is options expiration.
Let's look back for a moment to last month's options expiration: That was January 14th for index options and the 15th for stocks. Using Yahoo's ever-so-useful historical prices, we see the Dow on the Dow closed at 10,710.55 on the 14th.
Since the Dow has fallen nearly 700-points since then, about (it's early...) 6½% so a market timer playing the 'double Dows' might be looking at a 13% (pre-commish) gain. Which, since Wall Street doesn't like to pay off big winners in their casino, up or down, I'm expecting the rally to head for Landry's 10,300 kind of range and since there's only a few days left until options by the time you back out President's Day, that's how things ought to work out.
Of course - as usual - this is not investment advice. It's just one nutjob in the East Texas Outback eyeing the world's biggest floating crap(s) game and trying to catch those moments when even a small bet can gain decent returns. The idea I've been honing is perhaps best stated as the "How can I make the biggest return being in the market the shortest length of time and having my 2.1¢ at risk as little as possible?" --- A bunch of numbers today retail sales and the weekly new jobless numbers may appear to push things this way or that, but the longer I play markets, the more I'm convinced it's more that the market (being 'efficient' and all) doesn't like paying off winners so it acts in ways that seem to pay off the smallest possible number of same. But there are more realistic reasons whyt a continuation of upside action seems at least possible through early next week: --- After a fair bit of blustering about "stunning the West", near I can figure, Iran's 'biggie' has been clashing with demonstrators in the streets of Tehran, claiming to have moved up to 20% uranium enrichment, and suspending Google gmail accounts in country. No, suspending Google gmail is not exactly going to topple the West...so a relief rally may be aided by that.
The European PIGS countries which are in dire economic straits, that's Portugal, Italy, Sprained, and Greased, I noticed are soft-pedaling disaster as the Greek PM says the country needs "psychological and political support. May I suggest taking some of these here red pills and another helping of high-bidder democracy? Greek unemployment is up again. But claims are a deal has been reached to save Greece from financial ruin.
What they need is a ban of 'free lunch' politics. Then again, so do we, so that idea ain't gonna fly with the current crop of incumbent neerdowells in any of the aforementioned countries, who are caught out in butt-covering mode and looking to sell 'more government' as a solution. If you hand me the ViceGrips, I'll just pinch myself about here...no, not there....here. Ouch --- Another plug for the rally as the latest job numbers came out better than expected for the week:
Ya'll run up the indexes so I can short 'em, please? --- Since we're getting a few skiff of snow down here in East Texas this morning, I have to take that as a wink from Universe that the real reason for optimism in the markets which could pop us up a couple of hundred points to my next idealized short entry is the fact that Washington has been mostly closed by record snowfall this week and the country is still running fine.
Lesson here, maybe? How do we get it to snow 6-months out of the year in Washington and cut our national tax rate in half? Just thinking out loud...
Chicago meantime has shattered its old one-day snowfall total with 12.6 inches at O'Hare but no, I don't expect the seven surviving humans who still have jobs at the commodities exchanges to be impacted.
Weather or Climate? While the northern hemisphere is in winter, down Rio way there's a heat wave going on that has killed 32 so far, but whether this is just a weather excursion or will be touted as more evidence of global warming depends, as much as anything, what the group-think is like in your immediate circle of friends.
I've managed to remain skeptical of pretty much everything by taking steps to make sure I have no friends. Keeps life simple and independent-thinking is at least possible when I put my mind to it.
Noteworthy is that a group of "Scientists call for reforms to UN climate body" to reestablish its credibility. --- To make sure that my thinking remains balanced, whenever I go to our DVD library to pull a movie, I keep climate balance in mind, so for example if I watch "Day After Tomorrow" we'll try to remember something in a warmer climate like "Tequila Sunrise" just to keep things balanced up. No, most people don't plan their television watching to this degree, but since I don't have many friends, it leaves plenty of time to think about such matters.
Just out looking at our solar panels this morning and sure enough, a light coating of snow on them. Which means that for the next day or two, UrbanSurvival will not be its usual sun-powered self.
No, those little flecks of white in the picture are not leftover 'orbs' - we call that snow. Kind of a rarity here in East Texas, but I'm sure with global warming, we'll be seeing a lot more of it, LOL. Now, if I could only figure out how to take the day off and have someone pay me for it...but speaking of work:
Numbers Can Lie Department While there's some further reason for optimism (fine by me since I'm about to go short again, so rally on as far as I'm concerned...) the headline "Obama Report: 95,000 Jobs to Come Each Month" sounds like only half the story.
When the "good times are just ahead" rhyming off Depression One clears away, the rest of the story still to be reported is "Here's How Many Jobs Went AWAY Each Month". --- Not that I'm a glass half empty guy: To the contrary, when a glass starts looking that empty I usually pour a couple more ounces...
Had a letter from a farmer last month - who included the key to his tractor as a memento:
No, the tractor was not included, but you get the point, I hope: When I get a letter from this reader saying "I've recovered from bankruptcy - and I need that tractor key again..." then I'll believe we're out of the Second Depression.
Till then? Consider me the local economic curmudgeon of Depression Two.
The farmer's key is now on my wall next to my $300,105,000,000,000.00 in currency issued by the "Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe".
It's a stern reminder reserve banks and government policy: It's never what it says but always what it does to the people that matters.
SWIFT Thinkers Members of the European Parliament have blocxked an agreement to allow the US to access financial data.
Ostensibly, this was so the US could fighting terrorism by going after its funding roots. Ah, but much more to it since there's that little matter of US citizens stashing dough offshore in Europe, Channel Islands, and elsewhere to avoid Uncle's tax system and well, you know, terrorism or tax avoidance, either one is dangerous to the Financial Masters of the Universe...
Not So Swift Thinkers Gordo (the Gold Seller) Brown thinks a global bank tax is near. Proof positive again to me that Gordo and the rest of the PTB are trying to make it appear as those they are doing something good.
Anyone who would sell 60% of his country's gold reserves around $275 an ounce has to be a financial dope. Why anyone would listen to his poppycock now stuns me. Let alone how he got into office, but that's what happens when you're a tool who sells cheap gold to the PTB, huh? --- But, the truth of globalism is a lot simpler than just putting a tax on banks which will then (invariably) be passed on depositors. And the banks are frauds that don't return purchasing power nowadays anyway....
The fact is that globalism -- through its reduction in tariffs -- has caused individual countries to lose tariff incomes (which BTW is why America didn't have an 'income tax' for more than 100 years).
The result: Putting income taxes on people and ensuring that when you go to work, someone in India or a lesser developed country can bid on doing your job. In other words, with perfect globalism, your income is being systematically brought down to the lowest global bidders who in turn, effectively pay a commission to global corporatists for arranging to steal your job. The globalists mark up the least cost bidder's work, call it profit, and maintain control....is that a sweet screwing, or what?
Which is why you can seldom find companies that have customer service in the USA anymore, or IT departments, or...well you know the bloodied list.
Take the unemployment in the UK and bring back offshored jobs and guess what? Prosperity would return. Same thing in America. But thanks to a gazillion dollars in high-priced lawyering, this is now all set in treaties and 'agreements' so it has to collapse in on itself, which is how depressions happen - when houses of cards blow over.
But no, the globalists preach daily at the Church of the Almighty Dollar's Profit Pulpit against 'trade barriers' because it's how they make their spreads. But, I repeat myself - besides you already knew that, right?
so?Pad Good story in the UK Register about how much profit is built into the new iPad product - worth reading if (like me) you're wondering "What's the big deal about this thing"? Best quote in the article goes to MSFT's Boss Bill for this: "Bill Gates dissed the iPad to the Bnet blog yesterday. "It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, ‘Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it," he said. Uh huh. --- Still, I like some Apple products - iPod was a stroke of genius, for example. But 'social media' and the current scramble over readers? Laughable. --- Million Dollar Ideas (send 1% of gross revenue please): Where's the ultra high resolution Bluetooth videoglasses, that's what I want to know. Be a kick-butt, easily retrofitted HUD for pilots in small planes, useful for cops, doctors....I can't think of all the applications, but clearly that's where the future's going.
Hey! How long before a HUD is built into a contact lens? (put me on the patent) ... That's what I'd call a breakthrough for nano-tech, know what I mean? --- Speaking of tech, MySpace chief executive resigns.
Remember where you read it first: Social media is CB radio for keyboards. Just about as useful, too.
Pressure Relief Valve You see where the "Fed in talks with Money market Funds to help Drain $1-Trillion" of debt out of the system and push it over into your money market accounts as backing?
Terra Shakes I suppose I could mention the Chicago shake of Wednesday, but like I said, linguistically the worse-than-Haiti stuff comes after July 7th in modelspace. New predictive linguistics run still on for around March 21 release.
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Coping: With Dividing and Conquering I hope this week's discussion about how there are intergenerational frictions being developed and exploited, so as to prevent a general uprising of Americans against a crooked and corrupt financial elite has been instructive.
the intergenerational stresses are being fanned in advertising and lots of other subtle ways. And in response to an X'er's gripe about the Boomers, this week, I thought this was pretty much on point:
And then there are boomers like us, who have retreated from the fast lane realizing that while there are all sorts of risk associated with voluntarily reducing our lifestyles, the reductions in stress and blood pressure are worth it, not to mention making room for others to come in and move up the food chain.
Try to remember next time you get mad at someone of a different generation that if you look at things really close, you're likely to find some power-grabber off in the background who's trying to work an angle to keep "we the people" from being united so we don't take stands.
State Workers Overpaid? Some say nope...as in this fellow:
Answer: The PTB. After all, the less workers in state and federal government, the less regulation and the more what? LOL, such a dance, is it not? Consider this next story as part & parcel... Too Funny - or Too True? Raw Story's headline that the "Justice Department seeking lawyers with 'mental retardation' as political correctness continues viral.
Gee, that oughta be easy.
Ongoing: Censoring the 'Net Worth reading: "Censoring the Internet Moves to silence dissent". --- Which is why I appreciate your passing a link to this site along to others. We're already blocked by a huge number of 'corporate productivity suites'. Why am I not surprised? --- Government of Oz tasting the bitter blowback of 'net control.
Sorry, Charlie I forgot to mention - until Bernard Grover in our Indonesia bureau sent me a note, to mark the passing of Charlie Wilson who led efforts in Congress to fund Operation Cyclone and was chronicled in the movie "Charlie Wilson's War" with Tom Hanks:
Amen.
Wednesday February 10, 2010 Rally: But then What? Yesterday's pre-open call ["'Bout Time to Rally'] turned out much as I expected, but the one financial stock I'm long didn't get cheap enough for me to unload it, so hopefully when the market spins up this morning I'll be click out. But if it doesn't, I may exit that [admittedly small] long position by mid-afternoon because there is a growing sense that something may be motivating all this February 11th talk coming out of Iran.
Still, the short-term is that "Greece leads markets higher amid EU rescue hopes" and coupled with a higher price for gold, the markets early on looked to have a short-term upward bias to them.
From a strategic planning perspective, though, many things are going up in the air tomorrow and for the next week (or longer) in the financial markets.
One big problem is that "China PLA officers urge economic punishment against U.S." China, having bought a fair bit of our US Treasuries to keep themselves trading with us (so they can grow their own middle class) is looking at the US budget, our prospects for having to print up money (thereby diluting their bond positions) and figuring out "Hey! This sucks!"
Once upon a time, this could have been a "Who cares?" but since China is now the world's biggest exporter, and since we have a jobless "recovery" going on, yes it's a big deal. We can only buy so many of our bonds through Wall Street offshore proxies for so long before someone figures out we're in a gigantic Ponzi scheme selling.....ourselves. --- All of which circles around to what Iran may (or may not) do to 'deliver some kind of 'stunning punch' to the West tomorrow. Lots of possibilities and some ways to protect yourself:
Now sure what kind of 'punch' is in the cards, but fading today's continuation rally if it comes, makes sense to cowardly old me trying to hang on to the few bucks we have.
Number of the Day Balance of Trade figures:
By the way, click over to investmenttools.com and scroll down to the Baltic Dry index - Recent (BDI) and take a look at where things are going lately.
AQ Terror Crash Remember that Ethiopian airliner that crashed a while back? Well-connected Debka is reporting the "Ethiopian Airline crash off Beirut was an act of Al Qaeda terror..." Came just a month (to the day) after the underwear bomber....
Snow Time Senator Jim DeMint didn't really twitter 'D.C. snow will continue 'until Al Gore cries uncle' did he? --- Here at the ranch, we're expecting a bit of snow tonight - but less than an inch - so sayeth the weather service. Usually, the flake in Texas cluster around Austin, if'n you follow, with occasional bursts of hot air from the county courthouse.
Nothing like the Winter Storm Warning up for the Baltimore/Washington area that offers 6-12 inches accumulation through the day and into tonight.
Brain Versus Heart This is interesting: Low intelligence is apparently a risk factor in whether people have heart troubles.
Which leaves me pondering whether there's a relationship between smoking and IQ, too...
Hooters 4 Sale? Great James Covert piece in the NY Post today about the Hooters burger chain possibly being for sale. --- In a massive display of self-control I am refraining from any comical quips that come to mind lest my inbox be flamed by PC-crazed mirthless drones. Hell, I won't even haul out my sage list of business quips like "Here's how to make money going bust" or dominating the restau-raunch market, or....yeah, better stop while I'm ahead.
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Coping: The Case for Upside Down Money A reader of my notes on the intergenerational tensions (among a whole list of other tensions causing strains in USApop) sends this:
Oh, no problem going there since the only way out of economic depression may b e the mass destruction of people, means of production, and a whole lot of other uglies. But mind you, I'm not 'professing' anything other than that there's an economic longwave 'bad ending' along in here somewhere and until conventional economics starts to incorporate the natural cyclical work as part of their groupthink, we're lost.
Example: When the purchasing power of dollars goes down the current way this appears is higher prices.
If economics was an honest profession, the prices of goods and services would go down and instead what we'd do is openly water4 down our money. Got a 1913 dollar? OK, here's your nickel. Now go make ends meet.
But you see how that screws up the game for the banksters? The truth desperately hidden is that inflation erodes money so by pushing prices up they pretend to hide that.
Unfortunately, for most sheep it works. But think about this one: If all prices were permanently frozen and when you went to work you negotiated the decline in the number of dollars you were paid do you see how we'd have a different outcome?
Picture yourself going to a bank with a $20 bill. The bank in my "fixed cost of goods" plan would have to commit to giving you back at least your original $20 plus something for the use of it. That way, if you put a dinner at the Outback into the bank, 20-years later you'd still get a prime rib dinner at the Outback out.
However, if you put a $12.95 steak dinner 'in the bank' in 1990, you'd find today the steak dinner would cost you $21.12 (through 2009 plus something for this year).
Under the "George Plan for Honest Money" the bank you put $12.95 into in 1990 would have to give you $12.95 back today and the price of the same steak dinner would be fixed.
Under the present collusion between hackademics and banksters, the bank gives you back only $18.50 or so in purchasing power. And where does the difference end up? A question you might want to ask of the privately owned 12 regional Feral Reserve Banks.
The trick - which didn't even come out into the open in the hearings in the wake of the First Depression because the deck was stacked by the Banksters - is that nowhere is it written that prices have to go up. It's all an artifact of what? Purchasing power of money coming down.
That's why the generations that got us into the current mess can't ever get us out. It's also how the public is blinded, beaten, and robbed of long-term prosperity by the PowersThatBe. I kid you not.
If you put money in a bank there should be huge mandatory disclosures that are updated annually that read:
Is that why Americans are so interested in 'getting ahead'? Because savings is for dopes? Except, of course in deflations (like now) when cash actually gains in purchasing power?
You can make money 'honest' one of two ways: convertibility to a non-diluting standard (like gold) or by freezing prices. Either way, it cuts out the opportunity for crooks which is why it will never happen in our lifetimes.
Why 'savings' is taught in schools is all part of the Big Lie perpetuating itself. Because there are two variables in play now (dilute money, raise prices) instead of a single variable (fixed prices or fixed money) the PTB get to play three card Monte and guess who the losers are?
Where's the FTC that should be championing fair play in finance? Co-opted like so much else in the District of Corruption by the free flow of cash & influence?
Revolutionary's Notebook Which gets me to this: I had considered myself decently read in US history until I got an email this morning from a reader who (beside's liking yesterday's write-up on the intergenerational pressures building along with everything else) sent me a tip to look up the "battle of Athens, TN".
A good summary is here. Even more here and naturally, a Wikipedia entry.
Good bit of history to read and, contrary to what the current paradigm defenders might proffer, There doesn't have to be a lot of bloodshed - or any at all - at crucial inflection points in history. Just a lot of change.
But, it would be a mistake for the PTB to underestimate the rage of the generations younger than Boomers. here's a typical email I got from yesterday's discussion of the inter-generational friction that goes widely unpublished:
WW II was broadly accepted - if I read history right - as a 'just' war. The Nazi death camps were evidence enough of the 'rightness' of the cause, although as I've written elsewhere, the "Road to Total War" is a must read.
While the Battle of Athens, TN circa 1946 may be only a footnote in history, it's maybe a 'best case' for what linguistics paint in our future.
Unfortunately, the "revolution" talk going about the 'net is not about an air of corruption in a couple of counties. It's about a whole country that's now sticking everyone for the bill racked up for thousands of 'free lunches' handed out by the political hacks who make a career out of greed while masquerading under the false flag of leadership.
Where's the modern analog to the American Whig party? The Peace & Prosperity? Economic protectionism and national modernization? Crushed by the crooked duopoly that maintains power by wrecking the future. But, I suppose I don't need to go off down that road today. There's work to be done.
Still, Globalism and its companion, One World government have a lot to be held to account for. Destruction of the American Dream being #1 on my list.
The one thing I can peaceably change is my vote: not voting to anyone who's an incumbent, over 50, or wears a label belonging to either of the two parties that got us into this mess. Oh, and voting with my wallet, every time I spend.
My Friendly Critic My friend Howard www.mindonmoney.wordpress.com Hill left me a strident voicemail Tuesday. The core idea was that if I'm going to mention how both parties have dipped into Social Security's (misnamed) Trust, try to remember that Clinton borrowed just a tiny amount and it was GWB who borrowed like crazy from it.
So noted. But I maintain both sides helped pick the lock which secured public trust.
Tuesday February 9, 2010 'Bout Time to Rally Contrary to what some people think, I am not a pessimist when it comes to financial markets. I'm an agnostic. I don't care if a market is head for the moon, or directly to hell, if you have some clear vision into how the wave counts are working out - and you've done some study on how to invest using levered products like double-return tracking funds or options, there's always a way to make money.
Problem is, of course, that you've got to have the wave counts right, or you get tossed out on your ear broke. So, after doing a fine series of short-side option trades from January 12th till the end of last week, I decided to put on a short rally-covering position which I expect I'll be clicking out of today or tomorrow.
When I looked early this morning, the price of gold was up over $150 and that could mean a 100-150-pooint day for the Dow. And, should that happen on schedule - heading for what I'm guessing will be a high around 10,250-10,350 before turning down again, I may be able to tack another 10% onto my tiny portfolio. --- The reason I plan to take profits today (or tomorrow) if everything goes well? Subscribers to the December Shape of Things to Come report from www.halfpasthuman.com have been keeping an eye on February 11th ever since the report was issued because the banksters/PowersThatBe are schedule to bump into troubles later this week:
OK, now we fast-forward for those skeptical of predicting the future using pretty cool software and go to present headlines that happen to hit around Feb. 11th:
And this comes on what date? February 11th. Why are we not surprised?
A couple of possible 'punches' come to mind here:
I think you can see why the PTB will do whatever they can to run up the market for a couple of days going into Feb. 11th, non? --- Granted, this kind of thinking may seem a bit far -fetched, but I pays my money and takes my chances. In the pre-open the financial stock I went long on (at its low Monday) is already up 1.4%. So, yeah, maybe my trading target will be 'hit'. --- The more gullible (who don't think through how much the PTB would have to pay put-holders if the Dow really doesn't rally into next week's options expiration at least some distance - may be satisfied that the Wholesale Inventories number out at 10 AM Eastern this morning, or tomorrow's Balance of Trade numbers of Oil inventories will have something to do with the upward thrust I'm expecting. But "Heaven's no!"
having given you a few hints, I'll just go back to quietly minding my trades. I learned long ago, never to pay my unrealized capital gains until realized, LOL.
Bombs In Play? The headline that "Israel urges "crippling" sanctions now against Iran" has us wondering if they maybe know something about this Feb. 11th talk? --- Still, I remember who invented algebra - a nearly crippling stunner at times itself.
Let It Snow, Redux Washington is about to get another 20-inches. --- We'll have none of those distasteful jokes about how many inches (and for how long) the rest of the country has taken from Washington, please. This is a G -rated website.
(G as in greed?)
Global What? Meantime the additional snow is causing some timing issues for a NOAA climate change announcement.
Not Photoshopped That picture of GWB on a billboard reading "Miss Me Yet?" is not a Photoshop bit off the net. Real deal is alongside I-35 up in Minnesota.
Social Security Busted? Don't get me started on how the busting of Social Security could lead to revolution in America (that's in today's Coping section if you're interested). Still the stories are out there asking "Will Baby Boomers Bust Social Security"?
What??? With all the fine IOU's the past half dozen administrations wrote up while the Fed was blowing off purchasing power of dollars? What Who'd have thunk? --- OK, besides UrbanSurvival readers who've had the low-down on buying dirt to raise food, getting debt free, not trusting 401(k)'s (Did I warn you, or what?) and so forth for 13-years now...
See: "Government requests information on using annuities in 401(k)'s" - which the way I figure would create a new class of bond patsies. But then I'm a grouch and skeptic at this hour. I'm just plain unsociable the rest of the time.
Foreign Affairs Prime minister 'halo hair' Yulia Tymoshenko is refusing to concede defeat in Ukraine elections. Is her 'do' done? Great exercise in archetyping, huh?
European Super-Government Why do I get the feeling that people in Europe have sipped a little too much fluoride? I mean think about it: first they had nice little national governments. Then the globalistas got into the mix and sold them the EU...and now the Euro MP's are backing a new European Commission. --- And no doubt from that level will come more globalist agendized stooges to push global taxes in the globalist push to 'own earth'.
The longer the leash, the less controlled the dogs says common sense...but where's the accountability. Are Euro memories as short as ours when it comes to elites and the blameshifters?
I can just hear the excuses now. "Oh that law was drafted by the European commissioners. No wonder our forefathers got off the continent.
Conspiracy Theorists "Blair slams 'conspiracy theorists' for their decision to commit British t5roops to the Iraq War. --- Look here Tony: Uranium enrichment takes tons of electric power. Iraq couldn't keep the power on 8-hours a day. That wasn't the kind of power they would need for enrichment was it?
So if all the M.I. number bureaus down the street couldn't figure it out, wasn't anyone advising your team smart enough to see through the WMD BS?
If a behavior seems strange but a theory ties all the weirdness together, maybe it's a fact not a conspiracy.
Take quantum physics conspiracy as another example....
--- snip and save section ---
Coping: The Revolution That's Now In Progress Maybe I missed something which caused 'all this' to happen. Sure, it has been there in the predictive linguistics out of www.halfpasthuman.com (next run due around March 21) with its warnings of a country of years back that the 'revolution meme' would be running 'hot' (linguistically speaking) in this timeframe. But, even with the rickety time machine, there are events forming up that make me sit back in wonder: Is this what "revolution" looks like?
What's interesting to me - and maybe it's a symptom of increasing pressure of the socioeconomic/political/psychological sort - is America is developing a 'hair trigger' mentality.
It first popped conscious for me Sunday when a reader of the latest Peoplenomics report confused "George-reporter" with "George's view".
In my interview with Jim Goulding, he gave an interesting analysis of the conflict between generations; e.g. the Boomers, the 40-somethings (Gen-X'ers) and the young up and coming "Millennials" (Mills). To which a reader sent in:
Until that email, the 'revolutionary' discussion had been - at least in my mind, a small place at that - to be confined to socioeconomic and possibly political outcomes. But THIS was a whole LOT BIGGER.
But Wait! There's more. A reader this morning sent it an email that got into how there's a repolarization around racial lines going on as well and she noted a couple of examples from television and (as she read them) presidential books.
She then got around to the topic of her email "The Revolution may already be here:"
Other examples of the "Revolution in Progress" started to pop out of the headlines when looked at in this particular way. For example, you saw where the (female) politic chief of King, North Carolina is in hot water because during a state of emergency due to snow, residents were barred from buying alcohol and firearms.
Now, it's not like she personally declared 'martial law' - it's just that when a state of emergency happens in many burgs, the ban on alcohol and firearms kicks in. Stimulus-response. Except, that America has been hypersensitized because of recent (historically speaking) events like the KatRita 'canes that brought jackbooted thugs into our living rooms seizing Constitutionally protected rights and people have made it clear aren't going to stand for that.
(Why someone would go out in near-blizzard conditions to buy a gun is beyond me, but I suppose that's why I don't living in NC... on the other hand, running out of rum for hot buttered rums that does make sense.)
I guess the key thing that's dawning under what's left of my hair is that 'the revolution' meme is not a one-dimensional political upheaval. It has other dimensions as well:
Which unfortunately doesn't even begin to cover all of the social pressures that are moving America into Re-Revolutionary times. I bet there's a secret government study group that has figured this out as well and which whispers in the ear of people in Washington: "Ya'll better keep BIG distractions like wars in the sandbox going, or this whole thing's gonna blow..."
Seems to me, it may anyway. At least that's where the linguistics have been pointing and while those who see the future (like Cliff and others - e.g. Gerald Celente) have tried to keep discussion of the 'revolution' in a positive light (e.g. 'revolution in spirit', 'revolution in technology', and 'intellectual revolution') there's a far more sinister set of forces developing that is pushing multiple towards the barricades and confrontation with authority on multiple fronts:
Like the Peoplenomics reader who got pissed that I interviewed someone who 'put it out there', try not to confused George the Messenger with the news he's delivering. It isn't pretty.
America's being divided by supremacists of all stripe: Supremacy of Federalism, Supremacy of Nanny State, Supremacy of Police/Anti-terrorism, Supremacy of Financial exploitation, Supremacy of intergenerational cost-shifting, Supremacy of the Boomers holding onto power, Supremacy of Bling and Street/Turf Power, and the list just goes on and on. Did I mention the republicrats/democons - supremacists of their own FU'd paradigm who kill third party efforts to get fundamental 'change' on the docket?
So if you want to figure something big, try to figure out how to reverse the tide now flowing in human affairs.
If we (as a nation) don't wrap our arms around this problem set/meta set associated with "the R word" then we about lock in another word and it feeds into concepts that leaves a couple of billion dead littering modelspace over the next few years: terra change and devolution.
Like Report from Iron Mountain said: If America doesn't have an external enemy, we have a bigger problem... --- We're maybe going to have some snow out here at the ranch later on this week. One to three inches I hear.
Got to run out today and buy much rum so as not to be impacted by States of Emergency I didn't see coming. --- Not like I'm the sole bearer of bad news on this stuff. Go read over the Paul Farrell story "How to invest for a global-debt-bomb explosion Prepare for an apocalyptic anarchy ending Wall Street's toxic capitalism."
Monday February 8, 2010 Secret Meetings of Banksters If you're thinking "Gee, what were all those central banksters doing meeting in Australia this weekend to talk about?" You're not alone. --- My personal 'best guess' is that it's because (as I explained in the ChartPack with Peoplenomics this weekend for subscribers) "How the World Ends" is now clearly in sight for the global financial system. It's not just in sight but it's actually now just a simple charting exercise...really!
If you take the recent Peoplenomics report on 'social engineering' and marry it up with the ChartPack this weekend, you'll understand why this week's version of the Aggregate Index (at the bottom of this page) now includes the note "Next 'terrorism' insertion point". Just guessing: 5-10 weeks out.
Without a late spring to summerish terrorism event, a huge number of people will wake up to Depression 2.0 and that will really cause problems. And like I've said before, look for whatever it is to include some big web use component to drive seizure of freedom on the internet, to boot. --- All of which is not to suggest that banksters would ever back such a thing directly. We'll be left with no fingerprints, just more suspicions.
Meantime, a number of people have suggested that this is a dandy time to watch/listen to "The Whitehouse Coup (1933)" just in case you're thinking history doesn't rhyme.
As one of the YouTube posted wrote "a couix was thwarted,BULLSHIT. Resist oligarchy now. "We The People" are null and void unless we rise up" the mood in America is changing as is the patience of the people. --- Note: Try not to confuse my reporting on social change as endorsing anything other than lawful actions like voting and peaceful assembly. Since this site is focused on how we're replaying the Great Depression of the 1930's with the one that is being extended (and as been since 2000) in an effort to paper over generational change and fiat currency debasement, we do need to watch social markers developing and key among these is the rhyming between the social events of the 1930's and contemporary events.
Where the 1930's was seen of things like "Communists Led the First National Demonstration During the Great Depression" we see a rhyme (half a verse off) with the Tea Partying this time around. Paradoxical stuff, but follow along here...this isn't always going to make perfect sense since this Depression is different than the first one...
Hijacking Tea? Interesting article over at InfoWars.com about how the "Subverted Tea Party Movement told to embrace Republican Platform." Not that it comes as a huge surprise, since GOP operative-types took out some 'tea party' web named even before the Bushistas were bounced from office. Good theater to watch people think a multi-party system is possible. Which, wink, wink, nudge, nudge, the ruling duopoly could never allow. --- Then the GOP seems to be taking up a "No experience is no problem" kind of mindset. Repubcrats and Democons, 'change' slogans is all that ever seems to get delivered. --- You saw the recent Time article on the secessionist movemrent up in Vermont?
Washington Closed Say, here's a novel idea...seeing as the federal government operations in Washington are mostly closed down today for weather I have to be the bad guy and ask "Is this a paid day off"? Just a lot of taxpayers are likely curious.
Might this be another one of those reasons that working for government is so much more popular than working for yourself or working in private industry? Need I mention the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employee Retirement System?
As a small time consultant, writer, and goatherd, I'd sure like to get a benefit package like that...ain't anyone heard about 'equal protection statues' besides us civvies? --- Speaking of weather, they could be writing "To Live and Slide in LA" as heavy mudslides are reported up in the foothills to the Angeles National Forest due to rains.
Iran's Percentage Game Word that Iran is planning to enrich uranium to 20% purity could be taken as good news - or bad: They are going for higher purity levels for a research reactor, and a weapon would require 90% purity. --- The country is also holding a domestic laser exhibit - all kinds of interesting nuclear-related things one can do with lasers, so one more "Hmmm..."
Sarah Palin's already beating the war drums out on the campaign trail.
Connecticut Explosion Five dead and many injured in a natural gas explosion at a power plant under construction in Connecticut Sunday.
Sun Cycle 24 Starting? Although it may have been delayed a bit, the Sun is showing some interesting activity now as SpaceWeather has a biggy developing out of sunspot 1045...
Gotta move up putting those Schottky diodes on my solar panels, I guess...might need 'em in a couple of years as surge protectors.
--- snip and save section ---
Coping: Monday & Work While probably 99% of American males were glued to their teevee sets for Super Bowl, I spent Sunday on the back of the snorting orange monster called Kubota (made in Georgia, btw) whipping a sense of orderliness out of about 5-acres which later on this year will be goat pasture. this morning I'm pretty much sore all over and discovering muscles I didn't know I had. But about 3-acres is done for the year and ready for fencing which only leaves about another two week's worth of tractoring - maybe three - to get the land whipped into the kind of shape I want it.
Fair bit of art to tractoring rough land. First thing you do is poush over scrub trees and grind them up with the brush-hog a flail mower that runs on a power-take-off shaft from the tractor and beats everything to snot making a tremendous racket the whole time and jarring you silly. The next step is to pull the Muscatine grape vines out of the large oak trees. The grape vines, many as big around as your wrist can be 60-80 feet long and yes, when they come down on your head, they hurt, LOL. All that's left is running over them to turn 'em into mulch and then to push up the logging leftovers that haven't decomposed yet.
Point is that while I was doing this, I was reminded that there are some jobs which people do that are extremely rewarding. For example, framing a house has always been high on my 'personal rewards' list. Something about capturing or taming formerly disorganized space that's just darn rewarding.
Writing (and broadcasting) has always appealed to me, too. Something about being able to wr4ite (or speak) something that will get people to thinking rather than just sitting around swallowing crap hook, line & sinker.
Working on electronics has its own special rewards, too. Chasing electrons around through the bowels of a radio, for example, trying to find where they're not corralled and doing what I want 'em to. And finally, getting them to come out of a speaker or an antenna output, depending on whether they're receiver electrons or transmitter electrons. --- The reason for mentioning this - and on a Monday, at that - is to remind myself, my kids, and maybe you that if you're doing something that you really enjoy, it's not really work. It's activity and sometimes the right activity can verge on being fun.
I realize not everyone can be having fun all the time but there's a joy that comes from a good landing, well-stitched artery, perfectly prepared meal, properly operating software, timely mail delivery, and nicely designed and framed house that is its own reward.
I figure the safest time to be out working in the woods of East Texas is when Super Bowl is on; fighting a cold north wind, trying not to snag a hydraulic line on brush being pushed, not to snap a stump with the mower blade, and at the end of it having a nice piece of land looking cared for.
Best of all: No hangover and I get to do more of it over the next several weeks and maybe some of the novelty/joy will wear thin. I'll try to shoot a few before & afters for you. Main difference between Super Bowl Sunday and After Bowl Monday, near as I can figure, is most places don't supply beer & grazing materials on the job site.
Gone Sailing Meantime, as a 10-year liveaboard sailor, I'd be negligent not to mention that the America's Cup trials are getting underway today. Good story on the NY Times website about the monohull versus multihull debate.
Since you may have never got deeply into nautical design, allow me to bring you up to speed a bit. There are several different approaches to 'hull' shape - the part of the boat that goes in the water.
A traditional hull is a long banana-ish kind of affair that moves through the water in a very predictable way. The basic formula is 1.34 times the square root of the waterline length gives you the basic 'hull speed' which can be diddled with this way and that. But it's why little boats can't keep up with bigger boats of the same hull type. A 36 foot traditional monohull will do 8.04 knots (6 * 1.34) as a basic displacement hull, while a 9 foot boat will do 3.02 knots.
The diddling is incredible, though. How the bow enters the waves, reduction in wetted area (wetted area equals friction) and even how well the boat is "faired" around protrusions like through-hull fittings for engine cooling or how much disturbance the rudder makes - all that figures into ultimate speed for a given set of conditions.
The 1.34 monohull speed is just a basic rule of thumb and there are calculators alike this one where you can find conversions for multi-hulls, although truth be told, if you're going exotic, I'd recommend you look at hydrofoils, but that's a whole other discussion. I'm sure if my friend Cliff were up at this hour, he'd say something like "What about skimming & planing hulls like the Sharpie and the Geary designed Flatties?"
Example of a flattie may be seen here of you can go buy one used for $500 bucks if you're in Oregon. The discussion of "sharpies' could last longer than a day at work and there's a fair write up on Wikipedia about them. Cliff really likes the Phil Bolger sharpies, although if you like sailing straight up and down, you would be much better off with a multiple hull since the sharpies are tender - nauticalese for tippy to a point (about 30º of tippy since you asked).
Which gets us around to the whole question about the America's Cup racing: Should the sport continue to be confined to monohulls, or should the sport be changed up to include multihulls and exotics like hydrofoils?
Hard call: traditionalists on one side, speed demons on the other.
Either way, as the old sailing joke goes: 'If you want to get a really good approximation of sailboat racing, go stand in a cold shower and tear up $100-dollar bills." Been there, done that. If you ever get there yourself, a little more Buffett and remember the old saying "Gentlemen never go to weather..."
Press on General Aviation I've been getting a fair number of emails and notes from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association urging me to contribute to their fund to fight new restrictions and user fees in Washington, although no sign of user gees for general aviation/sport pilots in the current budget. Still with the budget process just starting it may come up...so goes the fund raising material. --- My own feelings? If a plane is using ATC [air traffic control] it oughta pay its fair share, TCA's [terminal control areas] excepted so sport & private pilots can still fly on the cheap. But pressurized pistons and corpjets using IFR [instrument flight rules] airspace (Class A airspace is all that at and over 18,000 feet)?
"If they fly Class A...let 'em pay..." or how about "17-9, free is fine..."? Although I appreciate how it takes a checkbook to be heard in Washington. ---- How comes FAA pilot's licenses STILL don't have pictures on them?????
Lifestyles/Deathstyles: Killer Boredom New research says you really can be bored to death. Funny this would come up.
While I was resting up after having my Sunday brain bouncing I was looking at airplanes again and thinking to myself.. I've got to come up with a new hobby and/or huge personal project.
I'm convinced that people are by nature inquisitive, learning, wandering, adaptive critters and that when they stop wandering, inquiring, adapting, and learning news tuff they wither up and die.
This being Monday is a fine time to ask "What turns my crank? What's my BIG GOAL that I'm working toward? What's the big mountain I'm climbing?"
If you don't have one, go find one...'cuz is you don't, you may be sliding toward the Big Exit faster than you have to....seem the movie "The Bucket List" is very much on point.
Reader's Writes: Here's one:
Answers are simple: 1. Sleep in more.
2. Not getting gun shy - just
'normal folks' (if I can stretch that far enough to include
you ) are getting more radical. Remember, when the web
bots started talking about how regular folks will be using terms
like 'revolution' (3-4 year ago) that was revolutionspeak.
Today it's ho-hum. No put away that Molotov cocktail and get'cher ass off to work. Don't you have a hobby to fund, or sumpthin? Leftovers and replay of game highlights to look forward to tonight?
Before the chart, a little background: Once upon a time, a long while ago, I observed during my quest for 'truth' in economics, that the PowersThatBe, the talking heads on the teeve, and the other information sources that actively engage in the programming of humans not to think, had conveniently swept several trillions of dollars that disappeared in the Internet Bubble's bursting (since spring 2000) under the rug. Surely, it wasn't unnoticed by the thousands of people who called brokers and said "Where is my money?" "Gone, but hang in there as you're a long term investor!" was about all they heard back.
So one of our charts for Peoplenomics subscribers oughta be widely circulated - it shows that if you line up the peak of the Dow in January 2000 with the peak in early September of 1929, we're on a very very close replay track. Much closer than even the chart shows if you were to back out inflation, and put in the effects of 1929 deflation, but that'd be real work, and I'm sort of lazy if the truth be told.
No, it's not a perfect replay of 1929, but history doesn't repeat exactly, it only rhymes. So think of this as the rhymes and the crimes chart:
"George, that's only a coincidence!" your monkey-mind will protest.
Why sure it is...you bet. A 9½ year long coincidence...yessir....just a coincidence, I'm sure...
Write when you get rich,
George Ure, The People's Economist
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Under
non-el Nino years, or when I'm just thinking about Life, I like
to think of UrbanSurvival as "hip, deep, and humorous". 
Right:
Looking out my office window around sunrise....
) but
the potential for a darkening social mood among young people
is a real possibility. 
