Monday, June 30, 2014
The Market On Monday
Good morning. It is 69 degrees and cloudy here in the Upper Hudson Valley. It sure feels like rain. I hope you had a good weekend. We are about to head into July with the first of the month tomorrow. I can't say it enough but time certainly flies. Well it's the beginning of a new week, one wonders what humanity can do to itself over the next 5 days that will no doubt be surprising on some level. Hopefully there will be a lot more on the positive side than negative.
At 8:10 a.m. ET futures are ever so slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
I must admit that I found the social experiment perpetrated by Facebook to be somewhat disconcerting. Right now I am ready to exit the social networking platform. Regardless, my interest in it has dwindled significantly. Facebook has shown me that I prefer human contact in the face to face way where many words can be exchanged rather than the Facebook way with a one sentence reaction or a 'like'. Today is of course the technical end of the second quarter and so expect July's corporate reprots to reflect whether or not the country is sliding back into recession, which I doubt, or growing its economy.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
At 8:10 a.m. ET futures are ever so slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
I must admit that I found the social experiment perpetrated by Facebook to be somewhat disconcerting. Right now I am ready to exit the social networking platform. Regardless, my interest in it has dwindled significantly. Facebook has shown me that I prefer human contact in the face to face way where many words can be exchanged rather than the Facebook way with a one sentence reaction or a 'like'. Today is of course the technical end of the second quarter and so expect July's corporate reprots to reflect whether or not the country is sliding back into recession, which I doubt, or growing its economy.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
Facebook is in hot water after people learned the company conducted a 'mood' experiment on users without their knowledge or explicit consent.
Asian markets ended mixed.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Rally
Bloomberg: S&P 500 Heads for Longest Rally Since 1998 on Economy, Global Stimulus
Volatility is evaporating amid stock gains. The S&P 500 has failed to post a gain or loss exceeding 1 percent for 50 straight days, the longest stretch since 1995.
Global Warming - Conservative Lenar Witney Explains 'Global Warming Is A Hoax'
She's running for Congress out of New Orleans and this is one of her promotional campaign videos. Lots of interesting quotes in this one including global warming is a hoax used to expand the power of the presidency. The GOP needs to retool, America needs a smarter and useful GOP.
The Weekly Bonkers
AlterNet: 6 Totally Bonkers Right-Wing Utterances This Week—World Cup Evil Obama Plot - It's "a sign of the nation's moral decay."
1. Ann Coulter: Soccer represents everything that is wrong with the world and now America.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Not Cool
AlterNet: 6 Unbelievably Insensitive Things Said to Rape Victims - This is what rape culture looks like.
3. It Wasn't Rape Because He Didn't Orgasm
The Market On Friday
Good morning. It is 63 degrees and sunny here in Upstate NY. The logos are indicating a hot and sunny weekend. Sounds like Summer to me. I am carefully following the NY Knicks as Phil Jackson goes about the business of rebuilding the team. Last night they selected some picks in the second round of the draft and in a few weeks we get to see them in action as Summer league play begins in July.
At 7:30 a.m ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
The gist I am getting from the sentiment expressed in the article is that the market is more or less in a holding pattern with no compelling reason to jump in or to jump out. I believe the market will trade relatively close to it's present lofty range until the second quarter ends and those corporate reports start piling up in July. Enjoy the weekend.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 7:30 a.m ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
The gist I am getting from the sentiment expressed in the article is that the market is more or less in a holding pattern with no compelling reason to jump in or to jump out. I believe the market will trade relatively close to it's present lofty range until the second quarter ends and those corporate reports start piling up in July. Enjoy the weekend.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
The University of Michigan will report its consumer sentiment index at 9:55 a.m. ET.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
The Market On Thursday
Good morning. It is 68 degrees and rainy but presently not raining here in the Upper Hudson Valley. There is a 90% chance of rain today according to the basic report. I see where the Knicks, my favorite sports team, traded away Chandler and Felton. I'm not sorry to see Felton go but I am sorry to see Chandler go. All in all it's a good move for the Knicks as Phil Jackson goes about the business of putting his stamp on the team and I do like Calderon. It will be interesting to see what happens by October when the season resumes.
At 8:20 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open lower.
In attempting to look at the big picture, we have the DOW perched on the brink of its all time record high and we have June winding down. The end of June represents the end of the second quarter and then we have the onslaught of second quarter corporate reports. I suspect the DOW stays within its present range until those reports indicate the condition of the corporate world. At that point the DOW crosses the 17K finish line or we go in reverse. This is simply my opinion.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:20 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open lower.
In attempting to look at the big picture, we have the DOW perched on the brink of its all time record high and we have June winding down. The end of June represents the end of the second quarter and then we have the onslaught of second quarter corporate reports. I suspect the DOW stays within its present range until those reports indicate the condition of the corporate world. At that point the DOW crosses the 17K finish line or we go in reverse. This is simply my opinion.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
The U.S. government will post weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET. At the same time, it will also issue data on personal spending and income.
...Asian markets mostly ended with gains. (on Thursday)
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Global Warming - Recent Denial Run
As I search for articles on global warming I have noticed that the easily available volume of articles denying global warming at this time are greater in number than the articles articulating global warming in some way. There is a tremendous amount of push back going on out there. The article that I have posted here is from Breitbart which should not come as a big surprise, Brietbart was of course a major conservative figure. Some of the strongest denying voices remain the same - FOX, Forbes, and the usual conservative based suspects.
Breitbart: Global Warming 'Fabricated' by NASA and NOAA
Breitbart: Global Warming 'Fabricated' by NASA and NOAA
The Market On Wednesday
Good morning. It is 70 degrees and at the moment somewhat sunny and hazy here in Upstate NY. People are expecting rain today. I am doing better and better each day as I move away from kidney stone week which began one week ago today. One week ago I literally thought my number had come up that is what kidney stone pain feels can make you think. Today I already did some yoga, feel fine, and I'm looking forward to breakfast and my morning work. What is the lesson here - something about how everything is constantly changing. Regardless, I am very happy to be here for now.
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly lower.
I just read the damning news released just a few minutes ago that has the US GDP shrinking in the first quarter by a revised -2.9%. That is roughly double the first projection. Personally I do not think we are slipping back into a technical recession which is two quarters in a row of negative GDP non growth. This is just the way our economy works, it grows and recedes. That is not going to change in the foreseeable future.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly lower.
I just read the damning news released just a few minutes ago that has the US GDP shrinking in the first quarter by a revised -2.9%. That is roughly double the first projection. Personally I do not think we are slipping back into a technical recession which is two quarters in a row of negative GDP non growth. This is just the way our economy works, it grows and recedes. That is not going to change in the foreseeable future.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
...revised first quarter GDP numbers at 8:30 a.m.
...concerns about continued turmoil in Iraq damaged investor confidence.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Too Hot For The Outdoors
I was surprised to see this article in Reuters because their editor is known to take climate change lightly. Something is different.
Reuters: With heat and humidity, areas will be 'unsuited for outdoor activity'
Reuters: With heat and humidity, areas will be 'unsuited for outdoor activity'
"It will be functionally impossible to be outside, including for things like construction work and farming, as well as recreation," said climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer of Princeton University.
The Market On Tuesday
Good morning. It is 69 degrees and hazy but sunny here in Upstate NY. We are in a real gorgeous temperature sweet spot. I'm much recovered from my kidney stone episode that began 7 days ago. I was thinking about how we face these challenging moments when in an instant one's life starts moving quickly to being upside down. Not all bad news comes that way some comes gradually, but often we face the surprise change - the accident, the sudden onset of some type of pain. I used to think that car accidents were strictly a malady of modern times but it's in keeping with the suddenness that we often experience a disaster. Pain is a challenge, it wants to pull you out of your stability an into a free fall mentally.
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
Investors will be parsing lots of economic reports today including ones on housing and my favorite - consumer confidence. The fighting and deterioration of Iraq continues to weigh in on the minds of the corporate world which as we know is completely reliant on oil for energy. We might add that this is one of the fundamental reasons why a reduction in the use of oil is virtually impossible as oil is built into the infrastructure of our global economy especially in the production and manufacturing corporate end. How does that magically change? It can only happen in a piece by piece one at a time way. This is why I have lost my optimism about a change in the global warming course that the world is on.
CNN: Stocks: Six things to know before the open
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
Investors will be parsing lots of economic reports today including ones on housing and my favorite - consumer confidence. The fighting and deterioration of Iraq continues to weigh in on the minds of the corporate world which as we know is completely reliant on oil for energy. We might add that this is one of the fundamental reasons why a reduction in the use of oil is virtually impossible as oil is built into the infrastructure of our global economy especially in the production and manufacturing corporate end. How does that magically change? It can only happen in a piece by piece one at a time way. This is why I have lost my optimism about a change in the global warming course that the world is on.
CNN: Stocks: Six things to know before the open
The S&P/Case-Shiller index measuring the value of residential real estate in 20 U.S. cities comes out at 9 a.m. ET. The U.S. government will post May data on new home sales at 10 a.m. and the Conference Board will release its monthly consumer confidence index, also at 10 a.m.
Monday, June 23, 2014
The Drought
California will have no other choice than to use processed Ocean water and reuse waste-water.
Public CEO: What Drought? California Has Plenty of Water - Looking to a Future Where We Drink More Wastewater and Ocean Water—Treated, Of Course
Public CEO: What Drought? California Has Plenty of Water - Looking to a Future Where We Drink More Wastewater and Ocean Water—Treated, Of Course
The Market On Monday
Good morning. It is 65 degrees, clear, and pleasing here in Upstate NY. We have been in a golden segment of temperature and weather conditions since the first day of Summer. I am back so to speak after having spent several days since last Wednesday morning working through a kidney stone. I'm going to take it all lightly today and then return to modest action on Tuesday that is provided everything goes okay. We see that Iraq is steadily falling to ISIS and that the headlines indicate more mass murders and extremely foul play by ISIS in their quest. Iraq as a defined country has essentially been in a state of shambles or near a state of shambles ever since the British carved the country out of the Middle East. History does not bode well in that area of the world for a stable political entity. Whatever the hell the neocons and Cheney Bush were thinking was about as off kilter as it could be.
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is slightly lower. The market is poised to open in a flat area.
Investors are looking over all the usual suspects and how those suspects fall in the context of world events. Home sales in May and the rising price of oil which is connected to the latest Iraq mess are on the table. Speaking of oil it is worth mentioning that the price of it is expected to significantly rise. Just saying, that might not happen, on the other hand it just might.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:40 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is slightly lower. The market is poised to open in a flat area.
Investors are looking over all the usual suspects and how those suspects fall in the context of world events. Home sales in May and the rising price of oil which is connected to the latest Iraq mess are on the table. Speaking of oil it is worth mentioning that the price of it is expected to significantly rise. Just saying, that might not happen, on the other hand it just might.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
Investors are awaiting U.S. existing home sales figures to be posted at 10 a.m. ET. The monthly data will give an indication of how the real estate market fared in May.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Reasons
I put together this small compendium of quotes in order to demonstrate how the conservative response to and reasoning against important social change has essentially remained the same over the issues of slavery in the 19th Century, women's suffrage in the early 20th Century, and gay marriage as it is occurring now. It was reading about Rick Santorum equating gay marriage to economic collapse just last week that got me intrigued here. Obviously this is a tiny collection and the range over which the idea could be examined is enormous.
It's always been there, it's the way they are:
It will ruin the economy or Armageddon:
It's always been there, it's the way they are:
Slavery - "Defenders of slavery argued that slavery had existed throughout history and was the natural state of mankind. The Greeks had slaves, the Romans had slaves, and the English had slavery until very recently." source
Woman's right to vote - "Women were emotional creatures, and incapable of making a sound political decision." "It is dangerous to change a system that works." source
Gay Marriage - "Marriage has always been a covenant between a man and a woman which is by its nature ordered toward the procreation and education of children and the unity and wellbeing of the spouses." source
It will ruin the economy or Armageddon:
Slavery - "Defenders of slavery argued that the sudden end to the slave economy would have had a profound and killing economic impact in the South where reliance on slave labor was the foundation of their economy. The cotton economy would collapse. The tobacco crop would dry in the fields. Rice would cease being profitable. Defenders of slavery argued that if all the slaves were freed, there would be widespread unemployment and chaos. This would lead to uprisings, bloodshed, and anarchy." source
Woman's right to vote - "If women became involved in politics, they would stop marrying, having children, and the human race would die out" source
Gay Marriage - "It’s also about a unity of men and women, for the purposes of having and raising children, and giving the child their birthright, which is to be raised by their natural mother and natural father. When we have less of that in America — then society struggles and suffers. Economically, it suffers; socially, it suffers; morally, it suffers — and children are harmed." Rick Santorum 6-20-14 source
Saturday, June 21, 2014
'Nebraska'
trailer - 5 stars ***** This movie is phenomenal, it's right up there as one of all time great American movies. I could probably write endless paragraphs about why it's so good, but I will mention only one aspect. The great American poet Gary Snyder writes about the trickster. Without going into detail, the trickster part of the American psyche is on full display here in about as understanding, compassionate, and thorough a way as I have ever seen or read or heard. It doesn't hurt that the music score is equally as strong either and that the acting is seemless.
Matching Ability To Career
Reuters: Louisiana's Edwards, after eight years in prison, leads poll in House bid
...served eight years in prison for racketeering...
...86-year-old Democrat, who was released from prison in 2011...
Ebola
Al Jazeera: West Africa Ebola crisis 'out of control'
Doctors without Borders say the outbreak is likely to spread if world leaders do not step up assistance.
WHO: Ebola virus disease
WHO: Ebola virus disease
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus.
Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.
Kidney Stone
Wednesday morning I was going about my usual routines when suddenly I was hit with a back pain so severe that I literally began moaning. This is unusual for me as I generally handle pain okay. Having done quite a bit of physical labor my entire life I assumed I had hurt my back moving a pile of bricks around the previous day.
I'll skip to 8:00 Wednesday evening where the pain had become so severe that I thought I must be dying. I'm serious here. At the hospital E.R. a CAT scan revealed a kidney stone was moving through my ureter on a long and very painful journey through my urinary track. I was actually given morphine twice within an hour to cut the pain and it didn't even affect the pain I experienced. I was discharged from the hospital on Thursday at noon with prescriptions for narcotic pain relievers and a drug that helps the urinary track relax. This drug is also giving to older men with enlarged prostates. I had virtually no interest in food except for a few grapes and I was implored to drink lots and lots of water which I did do, going off to the loo every 40 minutes or so right through the night.
I'll skip to Friday night when I finally passed a small stone like a little pebble. One has to literally strain their urine for stone particles that the urologist will in turn examine and then make suggestions about how to change one's diet to prevent another episode. So at the moment I feel like I've been through the ringer as it were and have nothing planned today except relaxing.
At the hospital a nurse relayed the story to me about women who have had both given birth and kidney stones. Every one said they would prefer to experience the pain of giving birth to a baby than the pain of going through a kidney stone.
I'll skip to 8:00 Wednesday evening where the pain had become so severe that I thought I must be dying. I'm serious here. At the hospital E.R. a CAT scan revealed a kidney stone was moving through my ureter on a long and very painful journey through my urinary track. I was actually given morphine twice within an hour to cut the pain and it didn't even affect the pain I experienced. I was discharged from the hospital on Thursday at noon with prescriptions for narcotic pain relievers and a drug that helps the urinary track relax. This drug is also giving to older men with enlarged prostates. I had virtually no interest in food except for a few grapes and I was implored to drink lots and lots of water which I did do, going off to the loo every 40 minutes or so right through the night.
I'll skip to Friday night when I finally passed a small stone like a little pebble. One has to literally strain their urine for stone particles that the urologist will in turn examine and then make suggestions about how to change one's diet to prevent another episode. So at the moment I feel like I've been through the ringer as it were and have nothing planned today except relaxing.
At the hospital a nurse relayed the story to me about women who have had both given birth and kidney stones. Every one said they would prefer to experience the pain of giving birth to a baby than the pain of going through a kidney stone.
The Drought
I could have missed it, but I'm not reading anything that suggests this drought is going to somehow improve. I think this is heading towards a very telling year for California.
LA Times: As California drought gets worse, water use dips modestly
LA Times: As California drought gets worse, water use dips modestly
Friday, June 20, 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The Market On Wednesday
Time constraints prevented me from writing my daily market report. Have a great day.
Reuters: Wall Street opens flat ahead of Fed meeting
Reuters: Wall Street opens flat ahead of Fed meeting
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Florida
AlterNet: 10 Reasons You Should Not Move to Florida—From Floridians Who Know! The state is sinking in more ways than one.
1. “Ground zero” for health care fraud.
2. Most identity theft in the nation.
The Market On Tuesday
Good morning. It is 70 degrees and hazy but sunny here in Upstate NY. We really had an exceptionally nice day on Monday, pleasantly warm, no humidity, sunny - maybe we'll get a repeat today. I see where the media is traipsing out all of the usual demented suspects in the mess that we call the Iraq War. Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, they are all making TV appearances and damned if they are not offering nothing but criticism and advice. Well, they can essentially all go to hell ASAP. I've seen and heard enough of their nonsense for multiple lifetimes. I think America understands this point.
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly higher.
The calamity in Iraq or rather the calamity that is Iraq has caught everyone's attention including investors. There is of course a fear of the disruption of the flow of oil. That's always good for a boost in oil prices. Meanwhile investors will be parsing data on housing today and as always, may calmer minds prevail.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open slightly higher.
The calamity in Iraq or rather the calamity that is Iraq has caught everyone's attention including investors. There is of course a fear of the disruption of the flow of oil. That's always good for a boost in oil prices. Meanwhile investors will be parsing data on housing today and as always, may calmer minds prevail.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
...a recent spike in oil prices was driven by "fear of disruption of supply, rather than actual disruption of supply.
Monday, June 16, 2014
The Market On Monday
Good morning. It is 65 degrees and sunny here in Upstate NY. The weather logos are indicating more sunny days than rainy ones for the week. I still feel pretty soggy from last week. As a fan of basketball I am very much enjoying seeing San Antonio win the finals championship series over Miami. This was a case where strong fundamental basketball and a squad of confident players beat a team consisting of super star athletic talent, in short - fundamentals versus extraordinary athleticism. It is proven over and over again, basketball is a team sport.
At 8:35 a.m. futures are modestly lower and the price of oil per barrel is higher. The market is poised to open lower.
Investors are somewhat rattled by the deterioration and warring going on in Iraq. Thank the neocons, GW Bush, and Cheney for that one, as the Bush administration used the foresight of a flea when invading Iraq back in 2003. Mission accomplished indeed. The latest war in Iraq is affecting the price of oil. One would expect to see this reflected at the pump eventually.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
At 8:35 a.m. futures are modestly lower and the price of oil per barrel is higher. The market is poised to open lower.
Investors are somewhat rattled by the deterioration and warring going on in Iraq. Thank the neocons, GW Bush, and Cheney for that one, as the Bush administration used the foresight of a flea when invading Iraq back in 2003. Mission accomplished indeed. The latest war in Iraq is affecting the price of oil. One would expect to see this reflected at the pump eventually.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
...oil prices were on the rise as militants extended their control in Iraq.
The Federal Reserve will discuss monetary policy on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Christie Watch
Is this newsworthy? Christie disagrees with an utter moron and it makes the news? Considering 1 in 4 Americans is unaware of the fact that the Earth circles the Sun, if Christie points this out he still makes headlines.
LA Times: Chris Christie disagrees with Rick Perry comparing gays, alcoholics
LA Times: Chris Christie disagrees with Rick Perry comparing gays, alcoholics
Pushing Poverty
AlterNet: The 3 Biggest Right-Wing Lies About Poverty - Rather than confront poverty, Republicans are taking a different tack: Peddling lies
Lie #1: Economic growth reduces poverty.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Lounging
I shit you not, this is the latest in men's swimwear. It's called the 'String Latéral Flash Noir'.
Christie Watch
Asbury Park Press: The lesson for Chris Christie in Eric Cantor’s defeat
In New Jersey, there are those who feel that Christie spends more time promoting a possible run for the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2016 than on New Jersey problems. His critics say he spends way too much time on the road as part of his role of chairman of the Republican Governors Association.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Christie Watch
This should dispel any doubts whatsoever about Christie's Presidential aspirations. He is running in 2016, and what is Jimmy Fallon thinking...
MSNBC: Christie makes first post-Bridgegate ‘Tonight Show’ appearance
MSNBC: Christie makes first post-Bridgegate ‘Tonight Show’ appearance
Global Warming - Climatologist Michael Mann
Bill Moyers: Six Things Michael Mann Wants You to Know About the Science of Global Warming
4. If Anything, Global Warming is Probably Worse Than Scientists Say
The Market On Friday
Good morning. It is 66 degrees and raining here in Upstate NY. The forecast appears to be changing from yesterday's with more sun than rain over the next week. We certainly have earned it. It looks like Iraq is falling apart at the seems. What a misguided mess the neocons and Bush Cheney made in that god forsaken place. Is anyone surprised here? Can you imagine where the US would be if McCain were president now, war upon war upon war.
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.
In my opinion it is the rising price of oil and the Bank of England's announcement of an interest rate hike that are capturing the morning's attention. We certainly could see another day of gains keeping in mind that the market's opening direction and closing direction have consistently been utterly unpredictable in recent times.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are slightly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.
In my opinion it is the rising price of oil and the Bank of England's announcement of an interest rate hike that are capturing the morning's attention. We certainly could see another day of gains keeping in mind that the market's opening direction and closing direction have consistently been utterly unpredictable in recent times.
CNN: Stocks: 6 things to know before the open
Crude oil prices continue to trade at nine-month highs, pushing higher by roughly 1% to above $107 per barrel, as commodity traders worry about increasing instability in Iraq.
...the Bank of England said overnight that U.K. interest rates could rise sooner than markets expect.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Global Warming - The Indian Ocean
The Hindu: Extreme events in Indian Ocean region
Thanks to global warming, we can expect more frequent torrential rains and floods in east coast of Africa and cold dry conditions and drought in Indonesia.
The Market On Thursday
Good morning. It is 60 degrees and rainy here in Upstate NY. It's really something, when I look at the forecast it predicts rain on most of the days in the upcoming week. This is climate change. If you watched the news yesterday you saw how Cantor's defeat was the main topic all day long. I have to reiterate, Cantor was horrible, downright sadistic in the worst sense of sadism. His replacement could truly be worse, but at this point those policy positions (and that is putting it politely as it's more like outright stupidity) are utterly out of the main stream. I listened to Obama's talk on American shootings and I thought he articulated the tragedy of it very well along with the inability of Congress to do anything to improve the situation. The NRA is too powerful and can sway elections, and the politicians are spineless up against it. So, let's place the blame where it belongs - the NRA and our spineless government. Seriously, you can't even get background checks put into place - disgraceful.
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil is significantly higher per barrel. The market is poised to open flat to slightly higher.
It is the violence in Iraq, AKA the tragedy of Bush, Cheney, and the neocons, that is pulling on the price of oil. Some investors are expecting the price to rise as high as $150 per barrel. Do you think that's going to raise the price of gas...
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil is significantly higher per barrel. The market is poised to open flat to slightly higher.
It is the violence in Iraq, AKA the tragedy of Bush, Cheney, and the neocons, that is pulling on the price of oil. Some investors are expecting the price to rise as high as $150 per barrel. Do you think that's going to raise the price of gas...
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
Commodity experts are worrying about how developments in Iraq could affect the oil market.
At 8:30 a.m. ET, the U.S. Department of Labor will release its weekly report on initial unemployment claims...data on import and export prices from May...the U.S. Census Bureau will release May's retail sales numbers.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Market On Wednesday
Good morning. It is 61 degrees and raining here in Upstate NY. The rain continues in what appears to be the rainiest Spring ever in these parts. Rainforest it is, okay it beats an endless drought. We see that the Tea Party has beaten Eric Cantor. I wish I could find that dramatic or interesting but it isn't. We replace one knuckle-dragger with another more seriously impeded knuckle-dragger. The halls of Congress have never been so pointlessly graced or would that be disgraced.
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are moderately lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
If I didn't know better I would say we are into a mini-correction. Investors need to get to the beginning of July for a new round of corporate reports, this time for the second quarter. Personally it strikes me that the pointed news right now is not the stock market, it's about all the shootings that are going on. It's all over the US and the trend feels like it's increasing. This is very ugly, society needs an intervention.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are moderately lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open lower.
If I didn't know better I would say we are into a mini-correction. Investors need to get to the beginning of July for a new round of corporate reports, this time for the second quarter. Personally it strikes me that the pointed news right now is not the stock market, it's about all the shootings that are going on. It's all over the US and the trend feels like it's increasing. This is very ugly, society needs an intervention.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET, a report on U.S. state GDP growth will come out, revealing the health of the 50 states.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
The Market On Tuesday
Good morning. It is 65 degrees and overcast here in Upstate NY. The dampness and cloudiness continues with the weather logos predicting rain virtually every single day in the next week excluding Sunday. Climate change is turning this area into a rain forest.
At 8:25 a.m. ET futures are lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
The DOW continues to impress with record highs seemingly being set on a daily basis. The article seems to suggest a softness or even a complacency today whatever the hell that means, but we might interpret it to saying there is no real strong compelling factors at this instant. Hey, Apple stock is now below $100 a share...
CNN: Stocks: 3 things to know before the open
At 8:25 a.m. ET futures are lower and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open in the flat area.
The DOW continues to impress with record highs seemingly being set on a daily basis. The article seems to suggest a softness or even a complacency today whatever the hell that means, but we might interpret it to saying there is no real strong compelling factors at this instant. Hey, Apple stock is now below $100 a share...
CNN: Stocks: 3 things to know before the open
The S&P500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average both closed at new record highs Monday, in what was the ninth record close for the DOW this year. But the gains were slim and market volatility, as measured by the VIX index, is at its lowest level in well over seven years.
Monday, June 09, 2014
Artificial Intelligence Milestone
PC World: An AI milestone: Chatbot passes Turing Test by posing as 13-year-old boy
The Turing Test is an experiment that focuses on whether people can tell whether they are communicating with a person or a machine. If the machine is able to fool people into thinking it’s human during a series of text conversations, it’s considered to have passed the test.
Christie Watch
NJ.com: Chris Christie's record on civil liberties blasted in ACLU report card
The report, which grades Christie in 12 categories, slams the Republican governor for his record on same-sex marriage, government transparency, the war on drugs and judicial independence.
It also accuses Christie — a potential 2016 presidential candidate — of frequently making sweeping statements in support of civil liberties but rarely following through.
The Market On Monday
Good morning. It is 64 degrees and rainy here in Upstate NY. The weather logos indicate rain all week long, and we are beginning to think we are turning into a rain forest up here. I hope you had a good weekend. We see that the weekend brought it's usual spate of mass shootings and misery. What can we say, what emotion or hope that has been expressed for as long as I can remember can be repeated to somehow or other attempt to placate the situation. May we should be realistic, the mass random shootings will continue and we hope we are not in the vicinity of them when they do occur.
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.
The market continues to roll fed by cheap money and reasonable economic data that supports growth. Today Apple will split its stock 7 for every 1. The idea being to bring down the $600+ price per share to under $100 per share and entice more people to buy into the company.
CNN: Stocks: 3 things to know before the open
At 8:30 a.m. ET futures are flat and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open slightly higher.
The market continues to roll fed by cheap money and reasonable economic data that supports growth. Today Apple will split its stock 7 for every 1. The idea being to bring down the $600+ price per share to under $100 per share and entice more people to buy into the company.
CNN: Stocks: 3 things to know before the open
The level of fear and volatility in the markets has fallen sharply, helped by the continued flow of cheap central bank money and steady economic data.
Sunday, June 08, 2014
Christie Watch
KPBS: Move Over, Bridgegate: Chris Christie’s Next Campaign Roadblock
New Jersey has recovered less than half of the jobs it lost in the recession. A report by the Star-Ledger found the state is tied for 48th in private-sector job creation since 2010. Wall Street ratings agencies have slashed the state's credit rating six times.
Saturday, June 07, 2014
Exploring Titan
NASA.gov: Titan Aerial Daughtercraft
Image - An artist's conception shows Saturn in the sky above a hydrocarbon lake on Titan.
Image - An artist's conception shows Saturn in the sky above a hydrocarbon lake on Titan.
Friday, June 06, 2014
Advice From Rick Hanson
Much of life is about two great needs: intimacy and autonomy, connecting and distancing, dependence and independence. You step in and then you step back. Often, these two needs are set at odds with each other, as if you have to choose between them: If I give to you, will there be anything left for me? If I take for myself, will anyone love me?
But in fact, intimacy and autonomy support each other. Connections with others build up resources inside you that enable you to live as an independent person. Knowing in your bones that you have the right to get your own needs met in a relationship makes it safer to get closer.
So this week's practice is about recognizing the intertwining of intimacy and autonomy, seeing that: kindness to you is kindness to me; kindness to me is kindness to you. We may know this intellectually, but registering this emotionally in little ways in everyday life is really powerful. It makes you feel calmer and happier, more connected to others and more at home in yourself. source
The Market On Friday
Good morning. It is 59 degrees and overcast here in Upstate NY. The weather logo is predicting Sun for the weekend. One of the articles is indicating that Americans believe the recovery from the Great Recession will take years, that seems real. Can we put the entire notion of a trickle down economy to rest for good now. Wall Street has made the elite incredibly wealthy in the past few years and that has not translated to improvement on Main Street in the littlest bit. People are stretched, jobs are tight, medical coverage is more expensive with higher co-pays, and there are many pockets in the country that are in very rough shape.
At 8:00 a.m. ET futures are modestly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.
At 8:30 a.m. ET the government will release the important jobs report for the month of May. One suspects that the numbers will have some weight on how the market opens this morning. As usual expect the report to be applauded by the administration and ridiculed by the GOP. As the GOP Congress has done virtually nothing to help job creation and has mostly done things to inhibit job creation, who cares what they say.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
At 8:00 a.m. ET futures are modestly higher and the price of oil per barrel is up. The market is poised to open higher.
At 8:30 a.m. ET the government will release the important jobs report for the month of May. One suspects that the numbers will have some weight on how the market opens this morning. As usual expect the report to be applauded by the administration and ridiculed by the GOP. As the GOP Congress has done virtually nothing to help job creation and has mostly done things to inhibit job creation, who cares what they say.
CNN: Stocks: 4 things to know before the open
As long as at least 113,000 jobs were created, the U.S. will have now finally recovered all the jobs lost in the financial crisis. Still, most Americans think the economy won't fully recover for years.
Thursday, June 05, 2014
Christie Watch
Hmm, do ya think that parenthood group has some political ties...
NJ.com: Gov. Chris Christie receives Father of the Year award from national parenthood group
NJ.com: Gov. Chris Christie receives Father of the Year award from national parenthood group
The Market On Thursday
Good morning. It is 62 degrees, overcast, and rainy here in Upstate NY. Rain through the day is a strong possibility. I am following the Bergdahl case. Of interest is how the right initially wanted him back and now that he's back, he a traitor and it was a bad move. I don't think I've ever seen a right wing about face talking point come through so obviously and ridiculously. But the American public is relatively dumb and these sorts of improprieties go through the system without any problem.
At 8:25 a.m. ET futures are moderately higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open higher.
In my opinion it is the action of the European Central Bank that is the eye catching info this morning. Investors are pleased to see a cut in interest rates by the ECB. This means cheaper money used for refinancing higher interest rate debt for large corporations and a host of other goodies. One might expect to see equities remain fluffy as this refinancing makes ledger books look fantastic.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
At 8:25 a.m. ET futures are moderately higher and the price of oil per barrel is down. The market is poised to open higher.
In my opinion it is the action of the European Central Bank that is the eye catching info this morning. Investors are pleased to see a cut in interest rates by the ECB. This means cheaper money used for refinancing higher interest rate debt for large corporations and a host of other goodies. One might expect to see equities remain fluffy as this refinancing makes ledger books look fantastic.
CNN: Stocks: 5 things to know before the open
The ECB is widely expected to cut interest rates at 7:45 a.m. ET in an effort to help the European recovery.CNN: ECB cuts rates to head off deflation risk
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