Tuesday, September 19, 2017

The Great Unwinding

Moral: Wherein we look at the Fed's departure. Hah.

Long ago, we asked Ben to unwind. The first request was 2009. Then, 2012 seemed like a good time.

Then, we had the taper tantrum. Poor Ben, had to leave it to Janet. Who has only did little changes, so far.

BTW, 'Great Unwinding' is a headline in the WSJ for today (09/19/2017).

So, we are at some point in time that was anticipated long ago. Much ado about nothing?

Remarks:  Modified: 09/19/2017

09/19/2017 --

Monday, July 31, 2017

Billow and/or bubble

Moral: Wherein we look at the billowing markets.

Billow? As in, clouds fluffing and puffing up. BTW, has the Fed gone to the Tetons, yet, where the clouds will wafer up from Colorado's myriad of smoking joints?

The Dow is close to 22K. And, that is not seen as a bubble?

Hey, let's get it back to 12K.

At least, the 4T balance sheet gets news. Yes, it's to be trimmed, This time, there was no taper tantrum. Not as yet, anyway.

Meanwhile, savers, in come cases, are getting a penny on the dollar. Isn't that nice?

Remarks: Modified: 07/31/2017

07/31/2017 --

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Trickle

Moral: Wherein we wonder how much a little trickle can sustain, say of some little plant in the desert of little moisture.

Much analysis is pending.

Well, we got another $0.25. I know. Just think what one gets $100 for a year. Gosh, back in the 50s, that might have bought a candy bar or two. So, we're talking a little snack for one day of the year.

On the other hand, the Fed is to reduce their huge balance sheet which is a good decision.

Remarks: Modified: 06/27/2017

06/27/2017 --

Monday, May 1, 2017

EconoSpeak

Moral: Wherein we let others talk a little.

What to say about Janet and friends that has not already been said?

Well, let's look elsewhere. This comment to a post was very much apropos to the point: Is Authoritarian Nationalism Mostly A Rural Phenomenon? Yes, what science do we find with economics? Ah, the FED and its pretense?

I'm not a bumpkin, but I was recently in DC. Oh Lord, it is not the intelligent little place that it was 40 years ago. What the heck happened? Yet,  there are little islands of rationality such as those being managed by old civil servants who remember when there was some notion of class and responsibility.

Now, it's money, money, money (thanks, ABBA).

I'm thinking that we need some type of agrarian resurgence. See this on Quora: Is there an alternative to consumerism to keep economy going?

Remarks: Modified: 04/30/2017

04/30/2017 --

Friday, March 31, 2017

Genie out of the bottle

Moral: Wherein we look at recent findings.

Today, the news is that Russian paid trolls.Is anyone surprised? We ought not have let loose the Internet as we did. So, now, it's a mess. It was a mess the whole time after the commercial thrust got going.

So, we cannot cry about spilled milk (or is it spoilt?). Well, actually, it's both.

I have harped on this a long time. In fact, from a mobile sense, I am 1G/2G. From a computational sense, I do a lot of local processing. I rent a VM for my website. Cloud? It's a muddy mess. I do use it for storage. Carefully.

When I see Silly Valley's results over the past couple of decades, I grieve. I'm old. But, the youngsters are going to have to clean up the messes. Oh sure, jobs.

You know, the whole bit is screwy. Those who can play with data that they get from people's on-line activity. What? I almost barfed when I heard of that choice. It's like the mailman reading your mail. What idiot argued otherwise?

And so, here we are. I'll have to get back to writing posts, such as these: We let the genie out of the bottle and Genies and bottles. Of course, Truth Engineering will have to get back into play.

Remarks: Modified: 03/31/2017

03/31/2017 --

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Little drips

Moral: Wherein we notice little stirrings.

Back in Ben's time, right after the downturn, he talked green shoots. The Fed had taken water from savers, and the elderly, in order to bring along those profligate ones who caused the downturn. Get 'em back on their feet, so to speak. So, like spring grass, Ben was watching to see if his watering was helping.

Well, back then, we though that he had used up his bullets (arrows?). But, then, Ben, being clever, showed us. And, we now have a Fed with a huge balance sheet.

Oh well. So, we got an increase, lately. Piddly thing. At the same time, the ca-pital-sino is going bonkers. Why not? It's been fed our water for years now. The party, there, continues.

For years now, interest disclosures on Schedule B have been laughable. Well, I have not capitulated, nor will I. But, we'll see the time come when the discussion will be rational, once again.

In the meantime, remember this concept: magical multiplier. Too, know that those who run the games take largely (partly by moving value out from being accessible).

Remarks: Modified: 03/19/2017

03/19/2017 --

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Rumblings

Moral: Wherein we prick up our ears.

It has been the same thing since the temper tantrum. Talk a little, listen to the darling addicts, and then keep with the largess. At the same time, mouth soothing words to the little pikes who have been feeding at the trough while Main Street, and normal people, are flayed.

But, now, hints of change? Ah, don't tease us, Janet. You know that this is years old, now.

Remarks: Modified: 02/23/2017

02/23/2017 --