My regular quarterly column will be published by Inside Business this weekend.  In it, I remind readers how much the stock market hates surprises, including presidential elections.  Being “the brightest kid in the class,” the stock market concluded months ago that Clinton would win. The point in my column is that I expect a dramatic fall … Continue reading More Scary Than Halloween ?

Cartoonists don’t get the respect they deserve.  They illustrate reality in more stark terms.  They beg questions to ask.  They generate thinking and discussion.  Consider this one: Is the cartoonist saying — the country is unaware that we are about to fall into a recession.Is the cartoonist saying — recessions are not uniformly bad, only … Continue reading Paging Alfred E. Neuman

Today’s “Jobs Report” was just hot enough to know the economy is still growing and just cold enough to keep the Fed from raising interest rates in November.  It was perfect! Against expectations of 175 thousand new jobs created last month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated only 156 thousand jobs were created.  That is … Continue reading Goldilocks Jobs Report

When we returned to Virginia Beach, we were looking for a church home and visited several.  During one visit, we stood up in the middle of the church service and simply walked out.  The pastor started telling church members how to vote.  While I defend his right of free speech, my value system does not … Continue reading 24/7 Pollution

The huge investment bank of Goldman Sachs is the most respected bank on Wall Street, by Goldman Sachs anyway.  Regardless, I do respect the soothsayers in their research department.  Here are some of their latest forecasts: 1.  GDP growth in the U.S. will increase from 1.5% this year to 2.0% next year.2.  Japan’s will increase … Continue reading With All Due Respect