Postcards from La-La Land

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest A few weeks ago, I saw a post on Facebook from Jamie Erickson's page "The Unlikely Homeschooler." It starts off with how she tried to read J.D. Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye, but quit after a single … Continue reading Postcards from La-La Land →

The “girlboss” hits middle age, doesn’t like what she sees (plus a fantastic new podcast)

Photo by Viridiana Ortiz Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.Robert Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land There are, broadly speaking, two kinds of unhappy people in the world: (1) people who fully understand what aspect of their life is making them unhappy, they genuinely want to … Continue reading The “girlboss” hits middle age, doesn’t like what she sees (plus a fantastic new podcast) →

How the Russian oil ban charade is contributing to inflation

Much ado has been made about the European Union enacting a partial (90%) ban on Russian oil. I have written in the past about how sanctions have quite failed to cripple the Russian economy, but have contributed significantly to debilitating inflation and supply chain issues in the west. (I am certainly not opposed to sanctions, … Continue reading How the Russian oil ban charade is contributing to inflation →

The mystery of the anti-Semitic flyers

Yesterday, my husband sent me a horrifying local news article about how cars at two high-end shopping centers in Estero, Florida, were plastered with anti-Semitic flyers. The city of Estero is a short drive from our house, and we frequently visit one of the shopping centers mentioned in the article. In fact, we went to … Continue reading The mystery of the anti-Semitic flyers →

Electric utilities will be an even bigger mess than usual out west this summer

I realize my blog posts are getting rather... dark... lately. I wish I could talk myself into a contrarian worldview on the economy, because I love bargain-hunting during financial pukes. I just don't see the path there right now. And I am not sure how many investors are willing to get into the business of … Continue reading Electric utilities will be an even bigger mess than usual out west this summer →

Understanding the market for oil

Here is a chart from geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan providing a useful overview of the global market for oil and its physical and political vulnerabilities. It's somewhat dated, but still good. Analysts at JP Morgan say they expect the average price of gas nationally to hit $6 by the end of summer. This week it … Continue reading Understanding the market for oil →

Walmart’s earnings – a lesson on the difference between profits and profit margins

Here's a lesson in why people like Elizabeth Warren and Robert Reich are cranks on inflation and the profitability of corporations. So Walmart's stock is tanking today. Last I checked, it was down 9%. If these greedy corporations have been so proficient at gouging their customers, why aren't investors scrambling to own shares? What an … Continue reading Walmart’s earnings – a lesson on the difference between profits and profit margins →

It’s all going on credit cards

I have seen a lot of people online puzzling about retail sales. Despite inflation being at a 40-year high, consumer spending does seem to be holding up. How can that be? Also, with so many economists and business leaders suggesting that we are headed into a recession, why aren't people cutting back on spending? One … Continue reading It’s all going on credit cards →

How long will chaos in the financial markets last?

Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy.Warren Buffett Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.also Warren Buffett If you listen to Biden, his Treasury Secretary, the Labor Secretary, and the chairman of the Federal Reserve, the economy is strong and there's nothing to worry … Continue reading How long will chaos in the financial markets last? →

Biden announces plan to decimate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

As with the mind-blowingly reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan, I am struggling to understand what the Biden administration's endgame with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is. The SPR is the United States Department of Energy's emergency stockpile of oil, which is stored in underground tanks in Louisiana and Texas. The SPR dates back to 1975, when … Continue reading Biden announces plan to decimate the Strategic Petroleum Reserve →