Catch up post – ZERO Trick or Treaters this year for Halloween
Posted By RichC on November 3, 2018
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Wages and prices rise as the economy improves. #inflation
Posted By RichC on November 2, 2018
As the positive economy in the U.S. continues to grow America out of the "great recession" and rebound off the slow growth Obama years, we are seeing signs of inflation, 
hopefully just the right amount. Wages are rising and businesses sense they have pricing power and can raise prices (their cost are up too). Consumers are seeing their new tax savings, improved paychecks and employment confidence nibbled away after years of mostly flat inflation.
The Federal Reserve has also acted proactively and is on a path to normalizing interest rates after years of cheap money policies. Will they stay ahead of inflation … or act too aggressively and send our economy back into a recession? It is a delicate balancing act.
The WSJ detailed a few of them in a recent article:
That Big Mac and Coke Now Comes With a Side Order of Inflation
Airlines and food makers among industries passing along higher costs, raising inflation fearsU.S. companies are raising prices on everything from plane tickets to paint, passing on to customers higher costs for fuel, metal and food after years of low inflation.
Clorox Co. said it raised prices in the latest quarter on such products as cat litter, and Coca-Cola Co. reported higher prices for the quarter. Other goods makers, as well as airlines, also have announced price increases over the past week.
The higher prices have effectively ended a long period of low inflation that led the Federal Reserve to keep short-term interest rates near zero for years.
“We think 2019 will be more inflationary than we have seen historically since the recession,” Kellogg Co. Chief Executive Steve Cahillane said in an interview Wednesday.
It is a tricky moment for the U.S. economy. Unemployment is at the lowest point in decades, and economic growth is strong. Inflation is near the Fed’s 2% target, but price rises could pick up if pressure from labor shortages and tariffs intensify in a still-robust economy. Alternatively, other factors could offset such pressures, including the stronger U.S. dollar, which makes imports cheaper.
At some point, higher prices could damp the economy’s growth. Investors worry that a pickup in inflation will prompt the Fed to raise interest rates more quickly to prevent the economy from overheating.
What are alloys? (see MetalSupermarkets.com)
Posted By RichC on November 1, 2018
Great tips and information are sent regularly by email from a handy Metal Supermarket franchise location. It has saved me a time or two with small projects where a particular piece of metal is needed. Check them out.
An alloy is a combination of a metal with at least one other metal or nonmetal. The combination must be part of a solid solution, a compound, or a mixture with another metal or nonmetal in order for it to be considered an alloy. The most common way to combine metals into an alloy is by melting them, mixing them together, and then allowing them to solidify and cool back to room temperature.
Why Are Alloys Used?
Metal alloys are used because they typically have enhanced mechanical or chemical properties. Alloying elements can be added to a metal to increase a number of properties including hardness, strength, corrosion resistance, machinability, and much more.
What Are Common Alloys?
Alloys are so abundant throughout the metalworking industry that there are too many to list. In fact, it is far less likely to work with a non-alloy, or “pure metal.” Even low carbon mild steel – perhaps the most frequently used material in metal fabrication – is an alloy of iron and carbon. An example of a steel alloy would be AISI 1018. Cast iron is another alloy of iron and carbon, with even higher amounts of carbon than mild steel.
Aluminum is often alloyed with other elements as well, giving it the attributes required for the desired application. For example, aluminum 6061 and 2024 have high additions of manganese or copper, respectively.
Fighting back my desire to participate in the Apple upgrade cycle
Posted By RichC on October 31, 2018
It is a favorite time of year for those who enjoy seeing the new product coming online from Apple. iPhones in September,new iPads and Apple Air notebooks this week and even a new Apple Mac Mini (used an older Mini for my desktop next to a Windows machine for years).
This year it seems even more pressing since I’m struggling with either overheating or a bad power supply on my 6 year old iMac … and am very tempted to update (had a painful crash earlier this year). BUT really just getting my iMac back working correctly will suit my needs. So instead of something new, I’ll be trying to fix something a little older (the iMac) and have ordered both a new power supply and some thermal grease/paste to reseat the processors. It will not be an easy fix.
Markets for the most part bounced back on Tuesday
Posted By RichC on October 30, 2018
October is indeed a "scary" month for investors who are still hoping the bull market is not over … and perhaps just slowing? Earning for the most part are still good, interest rates aren’t "scary" high and the economy seems to be chugging along. Most who want work are finding jobs and employers are complaining that they can’t find enough skilled or loyal employees willing to stick with them and show up when scheduled.
Unfortunately even though most stocks bounced back today, the bad news from General Electric $GE didn’t end. Today they fell short in there quarterly with declining profits and sales. The "once iconic" American conglomerate is looking at ever option to stop the bleeding in order to save the company. They have so much talent and potential but can’t seem to get out of their own hole. The morning call saw them deliver the news investor did not want to hear, GE will slash their dividend to 1 cent. Punishment came swift as investors sold their shares; it closed down 8.78% to $10.18 per share.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 431.72 points, or 1.8%, to 24874.64. The S&P 500 added 1.6%, a day after teetering on the brink of correction territory. The index has tumbled 8.5% from its recent peak. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.6%.
All 11 sectors in the S&P 500 marched higher, led by gains in communications and energy shares. Those groups climbed 2.5% and 2.3%, respectively. The real-estate sector added 1.7%
On this day in 1974, Foreman and Ali fought in Kinshasa, Zaire
Posted By RichC on October 30, 2018
The fight was known as "The Rumble in the Jungle" and was perhaps the most iconic boxing event ever. The underdog and mouthy, rope-a-dope dancing Muhammad Ali put the undefeated world heavyweight champion George Foreman down in eight rounds. What an event and one not forgotten by the 60,000 in attendance or by the 50 million viewers who watched pay-per-view on television around the world.
Music Monday: Getting in the mood for a Fleetwood Mac concert
Posted By RichC on October 29, 2018
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A couple last minute condo update improvements
Posted By RichC on October 28, 2018
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Enjoyed a great week in Florida with Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn
Posted By RichC on October 27, 2018
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Today was a reminder of Octobers past if you are an investor
Posted By RichC on October 26, 2018
For those who watch the stock market, today was another one of those October trading days that can give one the willies. It was a reminder of the dreaded Octobers of the past and added to the steepest indices 
October decline since the 2007-2008 crisis. Still, the economy is sound, company earnings are good (tech stocks might be overvalued?), unemployment low and consumer confidence still in good shape. From my perspective, the U.S. is in far better shape financially than in the past … or than other country. Sure … our deficit and debt remains ridiculously high and there is tension between political parties due to the upcoming mid-term election … and over immigration (the Wall on our southern border), healthcare, taxes, tariffs and trade with China … but these are not new or unknown. Earnings for most U.S. corporations are good, Americans are employed if they want a job and tensions with North Korea and Iran have moderated. Economically … we are in pretty good shape for the time being.
BUT … the divisive sentiment within our citizenry has festered into a political fight between those who oppose President Trump and those who support and voted for his agenda. 
The strongest opposition to Trump desires a more progressive or even socialist America. Those who support the president, the ones furthest to the right, are boldly nationalistic to the protectionist extreme. 
Unfortunately these opposing views seem to play themselves out in more than in just political debate or at the ballot box. Protests and verbal spats from these loudest extremes have lead to violence — from Antifa on the extreme left, to Cesar Sayoc on the extreme right (arrested today for sending mail bombs to leading Democrats). Some on the left are blaming the president’s tone and words for stoking aggression in our country, while others on the right see those with the loudest mouthpieces (celebrities, liberal politicians and the mainstream media) continuing to fire up anger and create deep fissures between Americans.
Wouldn’t it be nice to return peaceful protests and to civility in debate again? I personally think that those in academia, Hollywood and the mainstream media have shown their true color and are not arbiters of the truth and neither teach or report the news of the day fairly … and have no problem criticizing President Trump for his inflammatory tweets and tone at rallies. All could do more to tone down the rhetoric, but just because each speaks in opinionated tone, they are not responsible for those who actually do carry out violence.
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.