Thomas Frank: From Russia With Absurdity - How the Clintons Put the Democratic Party in the Grave

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - It's All Right

"They claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective, toward which all their deceit is directed, is to capture political power so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection."

Henry A. Wallace, April 1944

We had about 15" of heavy, packy snow yesterday, in a remarkably short period of time, maybe five hours . It was a bit much given the very windy nor'easter from last week.  Many people around here were just getting their power restored.

So between cleaning up even more fallen branches, chainsawing a small tree or two, and a very snow laden driveway, I am feeling pretty well knackered, and too beat to write much.

But it's all right.  A soothing tea and an ice pack for my knee is quite enough for me.

 Counting blessing and tender mercies.

Non-Farm Payrolls tomorrow.

Have a pleasant evening.

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - The Sky Is Crying

Stock futures were getting pounded overnight in the aftermath of Gary Cohn's resignation over trade tariffs.

They managed a jagged 'rally' from the overnight lows through most of the day, managing to finish a little green or nearly unchanged.

What a marvel.

Gold and silver were weaker off of a slightly stronger dollar. I suspect they were also just being pushed around on light volumes.

There will be a Non-Farm Payrolls report on Friday. This week's ADP jobs data was stronger than expected, giving the impression that the NFP report will also be good.

We are getting quite a bit of snow from this winter storm. . It is rather heavy because of the temperature, and working hard towards an objective of a foot or more. 

It is bending all the smaller trees over, and straining the larger branches. I made sure the generator was ready in case we lose power.

Most everything around here is closed.  It is rather difficult to get around now, and we are safely hunkered down, eating home made soup and drinking cider.

Dolly is snuggled under her blanket with my son, and is scowling at any suggestion that she go outside.

Counting blessings and tender mercies.

Have a pleasant evening.

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Storm Warnings

"If you don't think that the endgame to all of this [Russiagate] lunacy is a world where every America-critical movement from Black Lives Matter to Our Revolution to the Green Party is ultimately swept up in the collusion narrative along with Donald Trump and his alt-right minions, you haven't been paying attention.

That's because #Russiagate, from the start, was framed as an indictment not just of one potentially traitorous Trump, but all alternative politics in general. The story has evolved to seem less like a single focused investigation and more like the broad institutional response to a spate of shocking election results, targeting the beliefs of discontented Americans across the political spectrum...

It's been impossible not to notice how effective the Russiagate affair has already been as a hammer against all other political outsiders, even those with opposite values to Trump. In fact, unless you're a Hillary Clinton Democrat, you've probably been portrayed as having somehow been in on it, at one time or another."

Matt Taibbi, The New Blacklist

Stocks turned in the typical ranging day, finishing up a little to the positive side.  The action was not constructive. 

The notion of a trade war has them spooked, and they are fluctuating with every nuance to the tariff issue coming out of Washington DC.  Caution is advised.

Leo Gerard, the United Steelworkers President, had an interview with the spokesmodels of financial tv this afternoon. They were rolling out the meme that the US is not competitive in world steel because of the inferior condition of our steel mills. 

And he just hammered them into the ground with facts versus memes, both on the competitive condition of US steel production and the dumping of steel by some of the Asian producers. And it was satisfying to see that sort of argument shut down.

The corporate Democrats are acting badly as usual, almost like it is their job to blow elections and alienate their progressive base for the sake of corporate money. Well, they may pick up some seats, only because the GOP is even more tone deaf to the broader public.

Gold and silver had a nice rally off a weaker dollar. I don't think it was a flight to safety since silver actually outpaced gold. But both metals were just winding up for a rally after the short term trading action pushed them lower.

Non-Farm Payrolls report on Friday.

The various states among the northeastern US governments are declaring states of emergency for a nor'easter heading this way tonight. the winds will not be as bad as the last storm, but this one is bringing a foot of heavy wet snow. I hear the stores were the usual nuthouses today with the pre-storm bread and milk crowd.

Let's see if the storm affects the trading in NYC tomorrow. I doubt it unless there are major power outages across the area.  I have my own generator at the ready.  lol.

Have a pleasant evening.