Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Stirring the Politics in California

This is rich and can not get much worse in BS spewing forth by political interests. Fox News Host Claps Back at Conservatives’ Controversial Claims About Cause of California Fires, Parade As conspiracy theories about the origins of the Los Angeles fires continue to spread, Fox News host  Jessica Tarlov slammed her colleagues on The Five over their claims that […]

First Look at Several Early Reporting Local Housing Markets in December

1st Look at Local Housing Markets in December – by Bill McBride Calculated Risk Newsletter NOTE: The tables for active listings, new listings and closed sales all include a comparison to December 2019 for each local market (some 2019 data is not available). This is the first look at several early reporting local markets in […]

Twenty-six percent of Labor in the lowest 10% of wage earners had access to employer healthcare plans 

Compare the above numeric in the title to the 96% of employees in the highest 10% of wage earners. having access to employer sponsored healthcare. In 2022, seventy percent of private sector workers had access to medical care benefits. Less than half of them obtained coverage that way (a take-up rate of just 66%). As […]

U.S. International Investment Position, 3rd Quarter 2024

One take on the BEA report that I read was as follows: “The US economy has had the strongest recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic of any major developed economy. Annual inflation is approaching the Federal Reserve’s target without a recession, non-managerial real wages have exceeded pre-pandemic trends, consumer spending is continuing to exceed expectations, investment […]

Avoiding DOJ Referral Evoking the George Costanza Defense

When is enough, enough??? Clarence Thomas self-indulgence in gift giving is ignored claiming ignorance of such practices. A while back, a long while . . . I was given an invitation to the Chicago Bears holiday get together (called a dinner and a party) by Gale Sayers. The only problem with this being, I was […]

This is In the Blowing Yourself Up Mistake -Category

This is kind of interesting. A colossal mistake misleading the public. Not so great as to cause harm to anyone. Great enough to be annoying as everyone starts to go through the process of, “what do I have that is made of black plastic?” Pitches them and them finds out that they were ok due […]

Senatorial Buffoonery

I am puzzled by what the Senate allows and what they do not allow. Maybe, I should clarify the later so it is understood what I am going to discuss. There is another Kennedy in the Senate who hails from a different Kennedy family. This is other than the more famous Kennedys who played significant […]

Social Media Posts from President Elect Donald Trump through the Lens of professional wrestling

The best way to interpret social media posts from President-elect Donald Trump is through the lens of professional wrestling. Prof. Heather uses such to make a point. It is not reality as much as showmanship. Whatever happened to Junkyard Dog, the Hart Foundation, etc,? I ran into the Hart Foundation in the Detroit Airport. It […]