Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - End of the First Quarter

And Jesus said to him the third time,  `Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me?'   Peter being distressed replied,  `Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.'  And Jesus said to him, `Feed my sheep.'

'Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself, and walked where you liked.  But when you are old, you will stretch out your your hands, and another will gird you, and shall carry you where you would not like to go.'

Today was the end of the first quarter for 2017. And the paint is now dry on the tape.

The economic news, of at least the 'hard numbers' kind is not particularly good, as noted on the economic calendar included below.

Next week we will be enjoying another Non-Farm Payrolls Report.

You might be surprised to hear that corporate profits are up 10%, and the wealthy are enjoying very fat returns on their paper assets.

The common person, not so much.

The news on the tests was not very good, and so we will be going back for another round of treatments for a new tumor in the brain. Well, at least this explains why the queen's memory and awareness have been so dodgy for the past six weeks. And she has been having light seizures and fatigue, so it has been a bit of a task to keep an eye on her and still carry on the household duties. It was becoming fairly apparent that something was very wrong. Please remember her in your prayers as the next few months will be difficult.

Let us see how things develop for the metals next week. April looks to be a more lively month for gold and perhaps for silver, judging by the first clearing reports for both included below.

The 'defense' by the gold bears which is so obviously being waged around the 1250 level is more related to the neckline of a developing inverse head and shoulders bottom pattern as noted on the chart. I have been watching this for some time.

Some think the key battle if gold moves higher will be around the prior 'Trump election night high' for gold. I think it will be a little north of there, but that may be more of a quibble. It looks like we might be seeing a much larger pattern on the gold charts that could prove to be interesting.

It was nice that silver held its level. It is operating on a longer term cup and handle which is fairly evident on the weekly chart. Silver could really get some legs if it starts breaking out.

Please remember all of God's creatures, including the birds and the animals, as well as the poor in both material things and of the spirit. Both have a hard life.

Above all never feel so powerless and afraid that you miss an opportunity to take part in the sacrament of the present moment. His angels and tender mercies are there, often unnoticed if we are distracted by our fears and desires. One could wish nothing more than to be a part of this celebration of true life.

Have a pleasant weekend.

Civilisation - Kenneth Clark

“I believe order is better than chaos, creation better than destruction. I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta. On the whole I think that knowledge is preferable to ignorance, and I am sure that human sympathy is more valuable than ideology. I believe that in spite of the recent triumphs of science, men haven't changed much in the last two thousand years; and in consequence we must try to learn from history. History is ourselves.

I believe in courtesy, the ritual by which we avoid hurting other people's feelings, by satisfying our own egos. And I think we should remember that we are all part of a great whole, which for convenience we call nature. All living things are our brothers and sisters."

Kenneth Clark, Civilisation


"At the root of America's economic crisis lies a moral crisis: the decline of civic virtue among America's political and economic elite. A society of markets, laws, and elections is not enough if the rich and powerful fail to behave with respect, honesty, and compassion toward the rest of society and toward the world."

Jeffrey Sachs

Civilisation: A Personal View by Kenneth Clark was a television documentary series outlining the history of Western art, architecture and philosophy since the Dark Ages. The series was produced by the BBC and initially aired in 1969 on BBC2.







The summation of the series.

Stocks and Precious Metals - Just Charts

“What we would like to do is change the world— make it a little simpler for people to feed, clothe, and shelter themselves as God intended them to do. And, by fighting for better conditions, by crying out unceasingly for the rights of the workers, the poor, of the destitute— the rights of the worthy and the unworthy poor, in other words— we can, to a certain extent, change the world; we can work for the oasis, the little cell of joy and peace in a harried world.

We can throw our pebble in the pond and be confident that its ever widening circle will reach around the world. We repeat, there is nothing we can do but love, and, dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, to love our enemy as our friend.”

Dorothy Day

FDR's Letter to the Democratic Convention Delegates in 1940

Franklin D. Roosevelt Letter to the Democratic Convention
July 18, 1940

Members of the Convention:

In the century in which we live, the Democratic Party has received the support of the electorate only when the party, with absolute clarity, has been the champion of progressive and liberal policies and principles of government.

The party has failed consistently when through political trading and chicanery it has fallen into the control of those interests, personal and financial, which think in terms of dollars instead of in terms of human values.

The Republican Party has made its nominations this year at the dictation of those who, we all know, always place money ahead of human progress.

The Democratic Convention, as appears clear from the events of today, is divided on this fundamental issue. Until the Democratic Party through this convention makes overwhelmingly clear its stand in favor of social progress and liberalism, and shakes off all the shackles of control fastened upon it by the forces of conservatism, reaction, and appeasement, it will not continue its march of victory.

It is without question that certain political influences pledged to reaction in domestic affairs and to appeasement in foreign affairs have been busily engaged behind the scenes in the promotion of discord since this Convention convened.

Under these circumstances, I cannot, in all honor, and will not, merely for political expediency, go along with the cheap bargaining and political maneuvering which have brought about party dissension in this convention.

It is best not to straddle ideals.

In these days of danger when democracy must be more than vigilant, there can be no connivance with the kind of politics which has internally weakened nations abroad before the enemy has struck from without.

It is best for America to have the fight out here and now.

I wish to give the Democratic Party the opportunity to make its historic decision clearly and without equivocation. The party must go wholly one way or wholly the other. It cannot face in both directions at the same time.

By declining the honor of the nomination for the presidency, I can restore that opportunity to the convention. I so do.