Kmart's Vision Quest (Musical Tribute)

February 17, 2016
Kmart to Offer Truly Brag-Worthy Deals Through New Sourcing Initiative

With an ongoing vision to make shopping fun again...



Swaying room as the music starts
Strangers making the most of the dark
Two by two their bodies become one

I see you through the smoky air
Can't you feel the weight of my stare?
You're so close but still a world away

Permanently High Plateau

The following chart shows household net worth divided by GDP with two starting points. The first is the 3rd quarter of 2003 and the second is the 3rd quarter of 2011 (exactly 8 years later to line up well with presidential elections and what not).


Click to enlarge.

I have a really good feeling about this! We don't yet have the data for the 4th quarter of 2015 and for the first quarter of 2016, but have no fear. I have projected it forward using the permanently high plateau technique first made famous in 1929! What's the worst that could happen?

There has never been a better time to lock in that permanently high plateau! Buy now or be priced out forever!

This is not investment advice. It's just the sarcastic opinion of a risk-averse retired saver who is skeptical that the future is so bright that he's gotta wear shades. That's all.

As a side note, don't expect more charts any time soon. This one has been on my mind for months and the lousy "sure thing" stock market performance so far this year made it irresistible, lol. Sigh.

Source Data:
St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart

A Cunning NIRP Plan

Ben Bernanke: We need to create a wealth effect. Now! Any ideas?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: What if we eliminated one of the ways investors/savers could easily increase their wealth?

Ben Bernanke: I suppose we could set short-term interest rates to zero, but what good would that do? How would eliminating one way to easily increase wealth make everyone wealthier?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: It would convince some to embrace riskier assets more prone to momentum. Momentum is good. As money piles in it would encourage even more money to pile in. It would create a momentum-based virtuous cycle of paper wealth creation!!

Ben Bernanke: Genius! Any risks?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: Well, there would be some downside if momentum ever started to falter.

Ben Bernanke: How bad could it get?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: Virtuous bubble cycles depend on ever-increasing confidence. Let's just say that our conversation should never be made public.

Ben Bernanke: It would look bad if the markets knew that I was consulting a clown?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: Exactly.

Several years pass.

Janet Yellen: We need to create a wealth effect. Now! Any ideas?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: What if we eliminated one of the ways investors/savers could easily avoid losing money?

Janet Yellen: I suppose we could set short-term interest rates below zero, but what good would that do?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: I'd explain but I'm actually off to perform at a birthday party in Tokyo for a little girl with big dreams. Dogs! Ponies! Clowns!

Janet Yellen: A Japanese dog and pony and clown show?

Sensei Bobo McChuckles: Exactly. Would you believe that some people actually wonder how I became a Federal Reserve financial consultant?

Quote of the Day

November 3, 2015
CNBC: Jay Leno on turning sea water to fuel

Roughly 71 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water, with the oceans holding the majority of it. So it would be incredibly useful if scientists could somehow convert all that sea water into fuel.

Yes, it would be incredibly useful. In fact, it would be even more incredibly useful if scientists could somehow convert *all* the world's remaining forests into giant matches. Just think of the possibilities if scientists could someday do both!

Well, by using the current process, it takes more energy to extract the fuel than you actually get out of it.

Bah! It shouldn't stop us from converting all the world's sea water into fuel though. We just need to find more fuel!

Forehead. Desk. Whack. Whack. Whack.

Stress Test Failure

October 29, 2015
CNBC: Job-related stress reduces workers' lifespans: study

You job may be killing you.

Me stressed out just reading that. Me worried about CNBC writer's lifespan. Me wish me had editor for this blog sometimes. But hey, at least writing on this blog is not me job. That make me feel a bit better. It do. It really do.

Shame on me. Bad Mark! Bad! Bad! ;)

Quote of the Day

October 28, 2015
Owning Half of Japan's ETF Market Might Not Be Enough for Kuroda

With 3 trillion yen ($25 billion) a year in existing firepower, the BOJ has accumulated an ETF stash that accounted for 52 percent of the entire market at the end of September, figures from Tokyo’s stock exchange show.

I'm just thankful that there won't be any long-term unintended consequences from this, especially if the United States someday feels the need to do it too, lol. Sigh.

You Won't Believe the 10 Controversial Things These Millennials Did to Go Viral

July 15, 2015
The Onion: Word ‘Millennials’ Forced Into Headline To Boost Pageviews

At press time, Gein had managed to garner even more pageviews for the post by shrewdly squeezing the terms “controversial,” “viral,” and “you won’t believe” into the headline as well.

What? No list of 10 things to seal the deal?

Monday afternoon clickbait, baby. That's what I'm talking about. Hahaha! :)

Great News for Yesterday's Panicked Coca-Cola Investors

October 21, 2015
Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Collapses, Foreign Exchange Dents Quarterly Sales, Jim Cramer's Take

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The Coca-Cola Co. (KO) shares are tumbling 1.4% to $41.70 on Wednesday morning after the beverage maker reported its third quarter fiscal 2015 financial results. Earnings beat, but revenue fell short of estimates.

After yesterday's brutal and unprecedented 1.4% collapse in the price of Coca-Cola stock to $41.70, the company closed today at $43.24. That's a 3.7% rally from yesterday's gut-wrenching panic and represents a true miracle in the face of overwhelming collapsing adversity. Further, the stock now trades within 4% of its 52-week high of $45.00.

In other news, I'm collapsing on the couch right now in sympathy. Please do not call 911 on my behalf. I think I'll manage to pull through once I've played video game or two on my iPhone. I do appreciate your concern though.

Only a sarcastic fool would believe that the Age of Sarcasm has ended. It's just getting started! Hahaha! :)

This is not investment advice. Other than to say that I never pay for Coca-Cola products at anywhere near full price in grocery stores, I am a Coca-Cola stock price agnostic.