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

The bifurcation of the new vs. existing home markets continues

 – by New Deal democrat The Bonddad Blog The bifurcation of the new vs. existing home markets continued in March, per the report on existing home sales and prices yesterday. Remember that, unlike existing homeowners, house builders can vary square footage, amenities, lot sizes, and offer price and/or mortgage incentives to counteract the effect of […]

More than a million people in America’s prisons and jails have behavioral health conditions

Debra A. Pinals The Pew Charitable Trusts It has been a while since I talked about prisons. I have been in each level, up to a level 4 as a visitor. Spend hours talking to a prisoner. Eight hours out and 16 locked down at that level. They remain in their seats and you go […]

Initial jobless claim Zzzzzzzzzz . . . .

 – by New Deal democrat The Bonddad Blog For the last 8 months, initial and continuing claims have been remarkably consistent. Initial claims have varied between 194,000 and 228,000, and continuing claims have with the exception of three weeks right at the new year varied between 1.787 million and 1.829 million. That rangebound trend continued […]

Where the 2024 Presidential Election Voting Integrity Will Be Fought

Atlanta USPS Regional Processing and Distribution Centers crashes on launch by Steve Hutkins Save the Post Office This is a long post. It is the only way Steve can get it across the issues created by Louis Dejoy’s incompetence. Look out 2024 Presidential Election, we will have a battle on our hands. Think of SCOTUS. […]

Switzerland significantly exceeded winter gas savings target  

SWI swissinfo.ch Switzerland exceeded its voluntary gas savings target this winter. Compared to average consumption between 2017 and 2022, the target was to reduce gas consumption by 15%. However, according to provisional government figures, it was 23% less. ______________________________________________ Keystone-SDA The target was 3,997 gigawatt hours (GWh) of gas savings, regardless of the weather, over […]

Dwayne Johnson regrets endorsing Joe Biden in 2020, says cancel culture ‘really bugs’ him: 

‘Tears me up’ Wesley Stenzel Kareem Abdul-Jabbar It was either talk about the dumb-ass state of Arizona where I now live. Or Kareem talking about why Dwayne he is not endorsing Joe Biden again. SUMMARY: Dwayne Johnson endorsed Joe Biden during his 2020 election campaign — but now he says he regrets that decision, and won’t be making political […]

Ancient lone elm the Last Ent is ‘guardian’ to new trees

BBC and unknown author msn.com/BBC This kind of kool and interesting. An ancient lone wych elm whose remote Highland location has protected it from Dutch elm disease has been joined by dozens of seedlings for the first time in hundreds of years. The elm – dubbed the Last Ent of Glen Affric – was Scotland’s Tree […]

Industrial production for March is positive, but the overall trend remains flat

 – by New Deal democrat The Bonddad Blog Industrial production, one of the premier series the NBER has historically used to declare recessions vs. expansions, has faded in importance since China was admitted to regular trading status in 1999. As you can see in the first graph below, both total and manufacturing production peaked in […]