Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Buck Wild

'On this lonely road, trying to make it home,
Doing it by my lonesome— pissed off, who wants some,
I see them long hard times to come.'

Gangstagrass, Justified Theme

Stocks were a bit wobbly today in anticipation of Trumpolini's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear treaty.

Gold and silver finished largely unchanged despite a slightly higher dollar.

We will be getting more economic data this week that *might* shed some light on the inflation situation.

We are beginning to see the primary elections to select candidates for the elections this November.

Have a pleasant evening.

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - What Time's the Next Swan?

"I'm particularly interested in black swan events: unprecedented surprises that destroy the conventional wisdom about how the world works."

Paolo Bacigalupi


"The essence of God is existence, and He defines Himself as: 'I am Who am.' The essence of the devil is the lie, and he defines himself as: 'I am who am not.' Satan has very little trouble with those who do not believe in him; they are already on his side.”

Fulton Sheen


"Satan’s monomaniac concern with himself and his supposed rights and wrongs is a necessity of the Satanic predicament. Certainly, he has no choice. He has chosen to have no choice. He has wished to ‘be himself,’ and to be in himself and for himself, and his wish has been granted. 

To admire Satan, then, is to give one’s vote not only for a world of misery, but also for a world of lies and propaganda, of wishful thinking, of incessant autobiography.  Yet the choice is possible."

C. S. Lewis

Stocks were higher, rallying from the opening hours.

The rally faded a bit in the afternoon, with stocks giving back from the highs but still managing to add another gain in May.

Gold and silver were largely unchanged and the Dollar was a bit higher.

Tomorrow Trumpolini is promising to have a decision on the nuclear treaty in Iran around 2 pm.

Later this week we will be getting a look at the state of inflation in the US.

Have a pleasant evening.

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - The Merry Month of May - Hobson's Choice

"Narcissists gravitate towards professions where they can control people and elicit adulation. They are more likely to work in politics, finance or medicine than in shoemaking...They are aware of what they are doing to others - but they do not care.”

Sam Vaknin, Malignant Self Love


"Lack of accountability is a pet peeve for sure, and also a common problem with narcissists.  Although there are many disturbing factors in the personality of a narcissist, this one is tough to deal with in any relationship.  It’s hard to understand.  What is so difficult about owning up to mistakes when we’re wrong?"

Karyl McBriade, Narcissists Are Not Accountable


"The narcissist looks down on everyone and exploits people all of his life. For many narcissists life is all about money and power. Getting more and giving less is his motto."

Linda Martinez-Lewi, Narcissist’s Outrageous Self Entitlement

The Non-Farm Payrolls report showed a moderate number of jobs added with a continuing weakness in wage growwth.

Stocks were hestitant at first, and then the traders saw that a rally into the weekend would be largely unopposed.

And so equities were able to finish the week largely unchanged.

Near the end of the day one of Obama's trade secretaries was talking on Bloomberg about trade deals like the TPP, and their inevitability and goodness.

And I watched a new performance by Hillary in which she explains why her staunch commitment to capitalism cost her the election, and how she was failed by the voters.

This helped me to remember why, despite what a terrible President that Trumpolini may be, and he is, that I am still glad that Hillary and her Merry Corporate Pranksters are not in office. 

It is not much of an election when your 'choice' is between two different flavors of narcissist from competing crime families.  Especially when both are seeking to sustain a self-destructive, kleptocratic system while doing whatever is required to circumvent and distract from meaningful reform. 

The choice for a lesser of two evils is still evil.  And how much less one is than another is too often just a matter of perspective.

Remember to care for His simplest creatures, and those who are most in need of His mercy.

Have a pleasant weekend.

Stocks and Precious Metals Charts - Non-Farm Payrolls Tomorrow - Shopping

Stocks took a big dip lower today, but managed to recover quite a bit of that this afternoon.

There may have been some relief from the lack of screaming headlines from the first day of the US-China trade talks.

Gold and silver gained a bit as the US Dollar gave up some of that short term overbought condition as Noted yesterday.

Tomorrow will be the Non-Farm Payrolls report. The economic calendar with the specific forecasts is included below.

Costco is now delivering groceries for free in my area. I gave it a spin and it worked out remarkably well. All the items were placed on my porch, but in true Costco tradition they were not in a bag or a box. This is going to be handy going forward when I need heavy or very bulky items that I do not feel like dragging from the store to the car, like the 40 lb bag of Audubon bird seed or the six carton pack of organic chicken bullion that I use to moisten the Health Extensions Little Bites Dolly food.  Or the massive cube of paper towels, or the clumsy case of bottled water.

They have opened a new Whole Foods near here in the past month or so.  I have never been to one of these before.  I must say they have an interesting collection of modernistic urban rangers shopping there, at least during the week when I go. What do they call Yuppies these days? I just don't know. Their prices are on the whole ridiculous and the quality does not justify it.

I typically hit the local Shoprite which is fairly day-to-day pedestrian, and a lot of specialty shops for things like meat and prepared foods. And Costco of course for bulk items and Aldi's for low cost value and some specialized German products. But if I am a more upscale, exotic mood I can go to Wegman's and get the same higher quality and selection at much more realistic prices than WF, if I am so inclined, at least on the items I would buy.  Whole Foods selections of sushi and Asian items are rather thin.

For non-food items, non-guy stuff, I buy online from places like Amazon. The queen and I decided long ago that it would be good for our marriage if I never went into Kohls or Bed Bath & Beyond or Marshalls with her. She was a professional, a connoisseur of the selection process (and returning things from a floating inventory of purchases). I would generally hang out in a nearby Lowe's or Home Depot until she called.

I do miss cruising stores with the queen. She knew more about shopping and prices than most Wall St analysts, which is probably why I know so little. She liked to keep me in my place as designated driver and sherpa. We always had fun doing the simplest things.  We had  a collection of favorite stores and little restaurants.

We respected our boundaries. and appreciated our individual areas of expertise.  We always seemed so different but yet so complementary.  My weaknesses were her strengths, and vice versa although she rarely admitted any weaknesses except mice, spiders, yard work, machinery, organized sports, and tools.

And maybe that kind of mutual respect and caring is one element for a long life of happiness and contentment.

Have a pleasant evening.