Hi John, It is Sunday noon-ish here and soon to be everywhere. Now is the time for my random thought processing while my wife is practicing on the piano for the children’s concert that she is accompanying this afternoon.
On reading your …
<<I wonder, how much could we stretch it …>>
I have often wondered the same thought. Besides the correct answer, that we will stretch it until it breaks, I have several more thoughts …
(1) Do not attempt to upgrade anything that does not need upgrading, especially BIOS and such hidden in the dark recesses of one’s newly perfectly working PC. I have gained a full appreciation of the MS Windows ME Restore Previous State function.
In fact, once the PC is in perfect working order, try to breathe more gently and certainly try to use it as little as possible.
(2) I just found support in this week’s Barrons for continuing to allocate budget for weekly head, body and feet massage/acupressure (USD 100 per session in HK, USD 25 in Beijing), in addition to my laugh-a-day therapy. Some New Ec innovations must be cherished and maintained.
interactive.wsj.com
QUOTE
Hands-On Therapy
New medical research shows how massage therapy can be both preventative and a cure for all manner of diseases
By LESLEY ALDERMAN
One of the brattier-sounding perks of the dot.com era was the company masseuse who wandered from desk to desk rubbing the necks and shoulders of stressed-out staffers. Often lumped with such risible signs of excess as lax dress codes, on-site coffee bars and pets in the office, massage was viewed more as recruiting tool -- a corporate status symbol -- than a serious form of medical therapy.
… continued …
UNQUOTE
(3) On westpacific’s earlier point …
Message 15824289
<<At some point it will end up in a smaller and smaller groups pockets - leaving the majority much worst off than at anytime in history>>
If this comes to pass, we will have much instability, because Pezz may become less happy while fishing unless he repents and go with his deeper intuitive feelings and give up on his gesture of defiance towards greater economic forces that will overwhelm wishful thinking.
If this does not come to pass, we will have massive inflation, because, while we like to think all pies gets larger in size, some do not.
Personally, I think this particular forecast will be proven more right than wrong, although I think part of the process will involve the inflation culprit, and part involving credit blowups, bankruptcies, layoffs, and outright confiscation (taxation, manipulation, fraud, valuation vaporization).
(4) On the size of pies, the gold pie forms the basis of an interesting and almost pure psychology game, like the DotDotComs, only more ancient. The move of gold this week was interesting, and does not bode well for what we believe may be happening. The move could be technical and a reactive jiggle, and it could be fundamental demand and psychology driven. I believe the latter is an explanation closer to the truth. So far, no official attempts at calming the crowds, almost as if the officialdom hopes the unwelcome intrusion will disappear. The press, from www.ft.com to more biased outfits such as CNBC and www.WSJ.com, hardly a whisper. This is going to be so much fun!
I bought more physical gold Saturday morning from the bank, just for the feel of it. I got a little waist bag bought near the bank filled with a few barrels of the stuff. The heaviness of the bag swung on my shoulder felt good … making me think that I can go to any island and make a fresh start. I am a romantic at heart, and so ghoulish.
The bank did not try to sell me any of their mutual fund products, and the metal desk staff was all non-questioning smiles. The manager first offered me a quantity discount and then had to retract it and stay with the original quote, because the price was going up even as we were talking. Dynamic pricing is dynamic.
On the mining shares, I think the AU and NEM shares may pullback, thus allowing more puts to be written at the below 18 levels to add to what I already have. One never has enough of what is breaking out to the upside.
(5) Just had a break lunching on stir-fried German and Spanish sausages wrapped in crisp lettuce with a side order of scrambled eggs, and must now do a bit of gaming or napping once I figure out the order I want to do them in.
(6) Finally, this piece on US-China relations (LKY guy in Singapore took my script : )
washtimes.com
[EDIT: Got this link from …
Message 15824544]
(7) This week should be interesting, as usual.
Chugs, Jay |
