Category Archives: Uncategorized

America’s (Ongoing) Civil War

Answering Kennedy’s Call Why should it be a surprise that Americans are still fighting the Civil War? Though it is no longer Generals Ulysses S Grant vs. Robert E Lee, it is still being fought with guns, as the latest … Continue reading

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Tapestry

“Tapestry” Every thread of creation is held in positionby still other strands of things living.In an earthly tapestry hung from the skylineof smouldering cities so gray and so vulgar,as not to be satisfied with their own negativitybut needing to touch … Continue reading

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Wartime Will JOLT Job Formation

Financial FAQs Calculated Risk The last time we had truly full employment in America was during World War Two. It’s a horrible thought, I know, but we ought to look at the ramifications of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The world … Continue reading

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Home Prices Keep Rising

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk I said last month the housing market was cooling with the fall weather, but maybe not yet. Because housing prices are still rising in double digits, although they may be leveling off. The S&P CoreLogic … Continue reading

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No Real Slowdown in US Recovery

Popular Economics Weekly FRED The latest survey of US businesses shows little diminishing of economic activity in the near future. A survey of senior business executives in service-oriented companies, such as retailers and banks, rebounded to a three-month high of … Continue reading

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Retail Sales Confirm Holiday Rally

Financial FAQs FRED September retail sales and food services presage a holiday season worth celebrating, despite supply shortages, worker shortages, and the pandemic. Seasonally adjusted retail sales are up 12 percent over last September, which means that the demand for … Continue reading

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What Happened to the Civil War?

Answering Kennedy’s Call NPR.org Removal of the largest Robert E. Lee statue from its prominent place in central Richmond, Virginia is a sign of the times. We are no longer fighting what has been called a ‘cold’ civil war. Not the majority … Continue reading

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Why Are Consumers So Confident?

Popular Economics Weekly Conference Board Rather than retreating mildly this month as expected, the Conference Board’s consumer confidence index edged up slightly from an upward-revised June level to stand at 129.1,” said Reuters.  That was a new pandemic-era high, although … Continue reading

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Can We Fix the Housing Shortage–Part II?

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk WASHINGTON (July 22, 2021) – Existing-home sales increased in June, snapping four consecutive months of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors®. But it’s not enough to bridge the supply-demand gap, especially for those … Continue reading

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Too Many Jobs to Fill?

Popular Economics Weekly Calculated Risk There are too many job vacancies at the moment, per the Labor Department’s JOLTS report; though it actually signals that  businesses seem to want workers for the same old jobs, but there’s now a mismatch. … Continue reading

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