It appears that, vaccines nonwithstanding, COVID-19 will be endemic for a long time. Enforcing masking and social distancing/lockdowns are not sustainable in American society. We need engineering fixes that don’t depend on each person’s sense of civic responsibility. Kevin Drum points to two engineering fixes that would dramatically reduce infection rates: better ventilation and installation […]
by Joseph Joyce The Rising Dollar The foreign currency value of the dollar has been rising. The nominal broad dollar index of the Federal Reserve shows the dollar has increased by about 9% since its low point a year ago while other indexes register larger gains. What does this mean for the U.S. and other economies? The appreciation […]
American Impotence “The evenly-divided Senate approved the legislation – formally known as the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – on Wednesday in an 88-11 vote, garnering strong support from both Democrats and Republicans. The House of Representatives passed it by 363-70 last week.” Do Americans really think politicians who eagerly approved a $777 billion military-industrial […]
New home sales get walloped New single family home sales got walloped in April, declining -16.6% for the month compared with March, and down -26.9% from one year ago. Measured from their most recent peak last December, they are off -29.6%, and measured from their pandemic peak of August 2020, they are down a whopping […]
I started writing this a while back. Never put it up, was too busy doing other things like writing about healthcare and trying to finish a long post on pharmaceutical pricing replete with how the PBMs function and the kickbacks, discounts, chargebacks or rebates, cash discounts, free goods contingent on a purchase agreement, upfront payments, […]
Inflation reversals as unique markers of Boom and Bust cycles vs. Fed interventions As I’ve already mentioned a couple of times, I am seeing posts from the usual DOOOMERS warning that a recession is imminent, if we’re not already in one. Typically – again, as per usual – they cite data that they never bothered […]
Both Vox and Crooks and Liars had an article up on this issue. As did SCOTUS Blog. Not an attorney; but, I can tell you all the fun we had with a liar for an attorney, who took $10,000, lied to the court, had exparte conversation in judge’s chambers, was responsible for the death of […]
“Few crimes are more harshly forbidden in the Old Testament than sacrifice to the god Moloch (for which see Leviticus 18.21, 20.1-5). The sacrifice referred to was of living children consumed in the fires of offering to Moloch. Ever since then, worship of Moloch has been the sign of a deeply degraded culture. Ancient Romans […]
14 students, one teacher killed in Texas elementary school shooting This is like a plague which keeps growing in intensity. “The suspected shooter, who might have had a pistol and a rifle, was fatally wounded in the law enforcement response. The attack was at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, about 83 miles west of San […]
Planters have been running all out over the last few weeks as the envelope to get spring planted before summer heat and drought sets in even further. We will start with what the market was expecting yesterday and the results of the USDA Planted Progress Report as of yesterday. Discussed at length on yesterday’s Go […]