With a real lack of news to drive, we correctly expected the Markets would trip over themselves to the downside.

While we wait for the Fed announcement Wednesday,  Gold is having a good pop early.  Likely related to Bond Traders Swing to Powell’s Side as Trump Calls for Rate Cuts which documents a close-in rate spike.  We think of it as lobbying.

Two Big Picture Views

Our Peoplenomics.com subscribers got a two-day head-start on you considering this from our Saturday report – thank them for us sharing it.

The second chart – and this is the one I’ve been fretting about all weekend – is WHAT IF we see only a minimal reaction to the Fed and we keep on slip-sliding away?

So, if we are  in the Replay this closely (that no one else seems to be paying attention to) then we see a possibility that our little “Lunch Money Wager” could turn green today.  Not just “iceberg lettuce” – we’re talking grown-up Romaine. Maybe spinach, even.  Pass the dressing forth pop-eyed Mr. Keto, please?  (Hit today’s theme song)

(Or, in Movies, try this on…)

And – since I’ve gone off the mixed-media high board (kinda early this week, but let’s roll with it)…  Know what was up $80 an ounce earlier?  (The Big hint)

We’ll leave it to you to figure out what was $94,384.  I can’t do all the work around here….

Sinking Cinco?

While this is “Safety Week” on the (big corp) Server Farm build where son G2 is site medic for about 700 tradesmen building tomorrow, he was busy getting ready to dish out a metric ton of chips and salsa for the occasion.

“Hey, dad, can you imagine the whole shop FILLED with chips?  Yeah baby….drums of salsa!”

No, actually, I couldn’t.  “Sounds more like a global Cilantro shortage to me….”

Now let’s Wrap it Up with the Trump daily marketing tag-in:  Trump orders ‘100% tariff’ on movies made outside US.

On the South Side, the ‘tude seems to be “What happens in Mexico…”  Which would be fine except for the fent leaks.

On that note, nearly time for breakfast.  Today’s side order? (hint),  God, it’s a bear getting old.

Making Moves

Or, movies:  Trump orders ‘100% tariff’ on movies made outside US.

Speaking of Movies – remember Conclave?  Here’s an update: How cardinals are using social media ahead of the papal conclave.

India-Pakistan is on a rolling boil: Pakistan Bars Indian Ships, Test-Fires Missile as Tensions Soar. Monday judgment call: Is there still time to get a Geiger counter from the Zon? File under: Launch codes and deal codes?

And speaking of war plans (bring more chips): If Trump Does Not Wake UP – The EU will Invoke Article 5 and Take us into WWIII.

Oh, and look here: 7 Iranians Arrested in UK Over Terror Plot “Hours Away”. Brits (being a tad slow) may not be able to see the “open borders” dot-connector, so we’ll muzzle that rap…remninding America only signed up to bail the EU out of TWO world wars, not three, thank you very much.

Still don’t think Chemtrails are real? Russell Brand on X: “UK Researchers are using geo-engineering tech called SATAN. It’s an acronym for ‘Stratospheric Aerosol Transport and Nucleation’. Um, do your own WW3…just not on us…eh wot?

How Positioning Really Works

Last week I mentioned Trout and Ries book “Positioning: The Battle for your mind.”  The defining book on how people, companies, products, and even whole countries “become what they say they are.”

Super-long-term readers will remember that back in 2002, or so, I wrote a column on how the local burg should rename itself based on such provable marketing concepts.  I didn’t see much good coming for a city named “Palestine” and suggested “Tomorrow, Texas” would be a “measurably momentous municipal moniker, massacring monetary malaise and moving mo’ money…”  Well, you get the idea. (Psst…wake up!)

Idea never got traction.

However, our Houston Bureau tipped us to watch what was taking part in another rural area and sure as hell: Residents of SpaceX’s Starbase launch site vote to incorporate as a city.  Starbase, Texas.

Not as cool (positioning-wise) as Tomorrow, Texas, or the neighboring city Gimme, Texas envisioned at the time.

Still, it’s a start and a damn fine one.

No, it won’t mean anything in the next 10-minutes, or so.  But, over time, this is the kind of “Calling Things that are Not” (great – Charles Capps amazing book, BTW, if you haven’t read it) that tends to materialize the best possible Future.

Well done.

Around the Ranch: Star Wars Sunday

I’d like to thank Mike at the ham radio special events station W3S for the nice chat on 20-meter SSB Sunday.  Which was?

May the Fourth be With You 

…Star Wars Sunday, get it?

QSL card will be in the mail today.  He get’s an old one from when I had 2-meters in the 930. Hopefully I’ll get the Star Wars card back…

Mr. Keto:  Down 10 pounds in the first week.  No telling how coming weeks will go.  Downhill’s a given, just not sure what that looks like, yet.

Sunday samplings included two brands of zero sugar beef jerky.

Speaking of Jerky, I didn’t realize the extent of the damage in Seattle where, turns out, Oberto which made a great teriyaki beef jerky became (if I follow it) Cattleman’s Cut.   Sad to report that Art Oberto died a couple of years back.

I remember talking to him a bazillion years back when he was involved in Seattle hydroplane racing with the Miss Oberto in the 1970’s.  Art, the Jerky mobile, and the Oberto brand – flavors of a life well-lived.

On that note, off to breakfast for shots of MCT oil, not Herradura Suprema Especial, remind me again; it’s always later than we think.  Even on Monday’s.

Oh, and ShopTalk Sunday is here, if you missed it.

Write when you get rich,

[email protected] / ac7x