Month: May 2015

The Friday file: While thought since 1917 to result from carbon dioxide being released by bacteria, repeated CT scans of Swiss cheese during its entire 130 day ripening period convincingly show that its distinctive holes are a result of microscopically…

Despite harsh words and deadlines that are always missed, the EC/ECB/IMF and Greece will make a deal freeing up billions to save Greece from bankruptcy. Whatever temporary agreement is forged will look great on paper and allow everyone to save…

Over the past year, the unemployment rate declined in every state but North Dakota, where it rose from a microscopic 2.7% to 3.1%, the second lowest rate in the nation, behind only Nebraska at 2.5%! DC has the highest unemployment…

$2 trillion in US corporate foreign earnings are overseas since repatriation would create huge tax liabilities. Obama wants to bring the money home by offering firms one-time corporate tax relief. Not likely. Republicans feel the proposed 14% rate on repatriated…

The Friday File: On 5/5/1868, the Grand Army of the Republic, an advocacy group of Union Army Civil War veterans, established Decoration Day as a day to decorate graves of the war dead with flowers. Following WWI, Memorial Day was…

While housing starts jumped an impressive 20% in April compared to March and permits bounced 10%, hold the applause. March was an unexpectedly lousy month, and through April 2015 all housing starts are up just 5.5% year-over-year; single-family starts are…

Despite falling exports, rising inventories, declining industrial production, poor corporate profit growth and weak corporate investment, the labor market is strengthening. The number of students enrolled at four-year for-profit colleges and two-year public colleges, both educational institutions that cater to…

While retail and food service sales have fallen four of the last five months, retail sales are a lousy predictor of anything. During the Great Recession, retail sales turned negative fully eight months after the recession began! Moreover, at $5.2…

The Friday File: 75 years ago today, brothers Dick and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald’s in San Bernardino, CA. In 1948 they reduced their menu and sped up service, inventing fast food. In 1949 came fries, and in 1961…