Day: September 4, 2009

Letter Re: Some Economic Indicators to Watch

James Wesley, I just had lunch today with a senior bank executive in Chicago. He confirmed much of what I have been seeing in the economy. After picking his brains, I have put together a few economic indicators to watch: – Christmas will be a financial disaster – people are reluctant to spend their cash. Weak sales will be a tipping point for many retailers – Commercial real estate is the next “shoe-to-drop” – Small businesses continue to struggle – their problems will broaden and deepen as credit is strangled – SBA loans are off-the-street, defaults may be as high …


Two Letters Re: Do it Yourself Low Temperature Casting

James J.W.G. has a great idea with the zinc pennies. When I need to fabricate a part I usually look under the hood of a junked car for something to melt, many easily-cast metals are under the hood requiring only a blown charcoal forge and covered dry steel pot. The Multimachine web site pointed me to a great source of high very quality casting aluminum: the overhead cam cylinder head from a motor that does not use separate cam bushings. Just ask a mechanic that you trust. Here in Israel there are also easily found junked brass plumbing fittings often …


Economics and Investing:

Items from KAF: Gold Increases 2.3% as Greenback Drops China Pushes Silver and Gold Investment to the Masses Hong Kong Recalls Gold Reserves, Touts High-Security Vault Retailers Report Sales Decline for August More Americans than Anticipated File Jobless Claims Sugar May Drop 24% as Demand Stalls, Supply Grows Edinburgh Hedge Fund Feel Madoff Effect as Clients Get Pickier HSBC Says Switzerland Luring More Rich Foreigners as Taxes Rise And from HH: The $531 Trillion Dollar Derivatives Time Bomb The Nightmare of Contemplating Global Derivatives Fed Secretive for Good Reason Investors Rush into Gold Like 1849 Items from The Economatrix: The …


Odds ‘n Sods:

America’s Breadbasket Drying Up (What the article doesn’t explain is that half of this drought is political–since California Aqueduct water has been diverted from many farmers. California’s water politics are Machiavellian.)    o o o When is a nickel not just five cents? By chance, I got a fine condition 1944-P War Nickel in change at the local US post office today. (These are 35% silver, with a current melt value of about 90.1 cents per coin, their numismatic value is a bit higher.)