NYC Journal

[Calzone]

Gold is still trading overseas, and the new trading day has begun. Gold’s new Tuesday Intra-Day High is $3448.00.

CitiBank is thinking that the FED because of tariffs that 5 rate cuts lay ahead starting in June.

So an economic slowdown lays ahead in a few months. The dollar will be worth-less (two words) becoming closer to worthless (one word).

Hope you own gold or at least gold miners…

Things are starting to get evil.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Gold’s new Intra-Day High is $3509.90.

How crazy is that gold breached $3.5K as we slept. How long until we have $5K gold because the dollar and dollar assets purchasing power and value disappeared literally overnight.

Recently I bought an 8-pack of Duracell “D” cells at CVS. Separately a two pack was $10.50, and the 8-pack had bulk savings, but still was priced around $27.00. I’m talking batteries here. Earlier I priced them at Tractor Supply, and I blew off the $9.99 price as being expensive. I utilized a 30% off coupon to save $9.00, and paid around $18.00.

“Moo,” said the Pig.

I needed the batteries for remote motion detection security lighting.

Anyways I thought the price on these batteries were insane.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

While maybe several percent of the US population has some gold investment, they don't have enough to live off of. Beyond that, those who have investments in gold probably won't be as badly affected as most of the population. The rest of us have only our labor and our rage. Watch out because the colors of our flag don't come only from our relationship to Great Britain, but also our alliance to the French, who know a thing or two about revolution.
Phil

 

[ellisson]

A revolution by the populace is building and getting stronger as the pain intensifies. Military and law enforcement in most places will obey governors, not the federal administration: They will not restrict protests and civil disobedience. A recent New York Times piece speculated about how it ends, and several readers leaving comments think it will be by either (1) impeachment, (2) resignation, or (3), well, you can speculate.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Well, if the orange Julius resigns, that leaves us with the bearded thumb with eyeliner. Not necessarily a better option. At this point, I have more hope in the nefarious milquetoast speaker taking the helm.
Phil

 

[Calzone]

Good news from my old geezer hematologist: My PSA spike is not due to Prostate Cancer spread, but is due to what they call “Bounce.” Not uncommon for PSA levels to increase with hormone treatment. My body is fighting Cancer and the higher PSA reading is somewhat normal.

Meanwhile my B-Cell Lymphoma is still a watch and wait, and it remains stable. It was explained to me that my hemoglobin levels dictate that I’m not really anemic, even though my red blood cell count was low and out of range.

Pretty much my lower energy level was explained to me as part of my recovery which really takes about 6 months. I’m only about 6 months into my recovery. I had surgery January 15th. Pretty much my hematologist, the old geezer, was very happy with my health, and says I’m doing remarkably well.

Seems like while I’m getting skinnier, meaning loosing fat, that I remain 158 pounds on a crazy digital scale. Only 9 pull-ups today.

Should get the financial aid for the ”inhibitor” any day now. “Maggie” says the full cost of the drug is $30K.

Carmel is a community with 7 lakes. Traffic and congestion are two reasons not to live there. Seems like the roads are not developed enough. Route 6 is one lane.

I set up some ELFA shelving at the kid’s house in the laundry room in the basement. The house is cozy. The grandson was happy to see us.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I think some back-peddling is going on. The FED can’t be blamed for crashing the economy. Also pretty much the FED can’t raise rates, nor lower them without killing one side of it’s dual mandate: one is full employment; the other control inflation.

Kill one side; or the other; you can’t support both. Powell kinda has his hands tied.

My thinking is that stagflation and/or a recession happens before the mid-terms, and people will vote with their wallets.

As far as gold goes, it is doing it’s job as far as preserving wealth.

Certain people who own homes at below 4% interest rates that are not saddled with debt load and live below their means will survive. In this scenario real estate is like gold, especially it seems in the Hudson Valley. Of course a condo in Florida not so good as gold. Location-location-location matters.

Meanwhile lots of permanent damage has been done, and there really is no going back.

AI development is cut back. I heard a NPR report that it would now cost about 20% more to build a new data center because of “input costs” of even raw materials. Also mentioned was the lack of electricity…

497K people lost their jobs in the first quarter of this year. We have to go back to 2009 to get a number like this. Meanwhile they say unemployment is low. Reports suggest it is not so easy to get a new job. I don’t think this is an example of the glass half full or half empty.

We are in a slowdown riddled with uncertainty. This supports the glass being half empty rather than half full.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

The glass is not half empty nor half full, it's cracked and leaking, unable to hold water. The regime is talking to the country in absolute Orwellian doublespeak.
Phil

 

[Calzone]

Phil,

My analogy presents and mentions ambiguous headlines, but I can’t argue about your analogy of a cracked glass, leaking and unable to hold water.

A powerful metaphor…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I will confess that the good news today from my old geezer hematologist was a release of sorts that kinda created fatigue.

Pretty much since last July things have built up, and are still building. Figure in the end of July this year my radiation treatment will end, and I will still have more that a year and a half of hormone and Inhibitor treatment.

Then there is a year to 18 months for the hormone treatment to wear off to see if I’m cured…

My old geezer is right, I’m still recovering from the surgery, I’m only halfway through the surgical recovery, and there is still a lot of treatment to kill the Cancer.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Cal, I think you have an outlook for brighter and more positive than anyone else I've known who has had a cancer diagnosis, save for maybe two people out of over a hundred. You already know that your mind will take you farther than your body will. Keep going.
Phil

 

[Calzone]

I am cured of the blood clot.

Tomorrow I’ll drop off the remaining Eliquis blood thinner at the disposal at CVS.

As far as lifespan goes and Cancer I almost have assured at least 5 years. Also fact is I should or could have been killed many times. Fact is I already should be dead, perhaps many times. This is why I believe in divine intervention, but also know I’m not really religious. I’m pretty convinced there is something about my destiny that is kinda important.

There seems to be a reason why I am still alive because I embraced death, risk, and a lot of self destructive behaviors. Never thought I would live to be an old man…

Tomorrow gardening and some biking. I have a stockpile of 9-speed Dura-Ace. Because of Phil I loaded up the truck with cassettes when they were not costly. Have mucho 12-25, and already have Paul’s Thumbies and Dura-Ace bar-con shifters.

I’m thinking of taking the 8-speed XTR M900 bombproof shifters/brake levers off my road bike and putting them on a 1999 Fat Chance Yo Eddie (blue and purple fade) that has a Rock Shox SID. The Yo Eddy is a dream bike of many, and this bike came my way via AJ, and I bought it at a give-away price.

In 1999 Fat Chance used parts on hand to build out my bike. XTR brakes, XTR right brake lever, but XT derailleurs and shifters. The left shifter is a lever/shifter.

Seems that the Yo Eddie and IBIS Alibi have a seat tube that is 15 1/2 inches C-C and the top tube is a short 21 1/2 inches. The geometry on the Alibi though is set up for the less tall Rock Shox Judy.

Both these frames are a bit small on me, but I kinda like it. I’m more of a 17 inch center-to-center seat tube guy and this is my size.

I kinda marvel at “Maggie’s” Yo Betty, it is a 10 inch frame made for a woman under 5’2.” The wheelbase is short at 40 inches.

My Ti IBIS is a 17 inch frame measured seat tube C-C, and in 1994 when it was built the top tubes were 1/2 inch shorter, in 1995 Steel and Ti Mojo’s had 1/2 inch longer top tubes. The front triangle on my Ti IBIS Mountain Trials is the same as a 1994 Mojo spec, but of course with a 24 inch rear wheel the rear triangle is different.

The wheelbase on my Ti IBIS is 40 inches. Interesting to note that my steel IBIS Mountain Trials has a 39 1/2 inch wheelbase, and know that my Ti IBIS Mountain Trials is a prototype and one-off. Brutal. A dream bike for me.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

WOW. I’m seeing a lot of a pump and dump pattern going on. Seems like wild swings are almost purposely created.

Some of the bluster was to test Powell, and to test power, but now the economy has to get steady before the mid-terms. Good luck with that…

Spring really emerged yesterday. Gardening and hopefully some biking.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

On the outside, people are surprised that I have Cancer because I look so alive and healthy. Even “Maggie” says and repeats this.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Great news is that my DNA test came out “negative” for Cancer. Basically Cancer is not in my genes.

I kinda knew that. My dad lived to 94 and had no Prostate problems. My sister died of Uterine Cancer. She had fibroids that grew to make her appear three months pregnant. Instead of having a hysterectomy she had the fibroids removed. She never had kids, but this medical decision likely took her out at the age of 72.

At one point my sister worked rotating shifts, and this stressful work situation wrecked havoc on her health.

In my case I think/believe I got Cancer because of stress and anger I had when young. In the black community they call this “Weathering” where damage to the ends of DNA leads to disease.

My dad aged well and did not look his age. Both my parents died of heart failure, both were overweight and had poor diets, both were immigrants… We were poor…

Only did 9 pull-ups today. Did a lot of gardening, digging and dosed out 20 cubic feet of cow manure.

My cholesterol levels are a bit high, slightly elevated, no need for medication, but some diet changes and exercise are needed.

“Maggie” did some research and I have to limit my exposure to the sun. Evidently sun exposure can increase my testosterone levels. It kinda sucks working in the yard sweating with a long sleeve shirt on.

More economic back peddling going on. Warnings of empty shelves… Gold futures receded down over $100.00.

So after my Cancer treatment ends I’m looking forward to working on the 1966 C-10. I’m still obsessing over my bikes.

It is exciting that the Fat Chance Yo Eddy and IBIS Alibi share similar geometry, but for different suspension forks: The Yo Eddy has geometry optimized for a longer Rock Shox SID; and the IBIS a shorter Rock Shox Judy.

These bikes are still kinda raw, meaning not built out, the Yo Eddie is “as-is” except for new tires; and the IBIS Alibi is almost just a bare frame.

I’m mucho glad I have these bikes. They are mighty cool.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m 3 months into my recovery for surgery. It seems that they account for 6 months to fully recover. I got back bladder control in about a month.

Radiation therapy can irritate the bladder and rectum. Usually this irritation subsides in 6 weeks after treatment is stopped.

About a third of men who do hormone treatment don’t ever regain any testosterone level. I’ll be on homone therapy for two years, and then it takes a year to 18 months for testosterone levels to normalize if they do.

In my case I’ll be on hormone therapy for an extended time, so I figure I might be at a higher risk of loosing and not regaining. Oh-well… For three or 3 1/2 years I’ll have already made that adjustment by doing regular strength exercises, eating less carbs, and being more physically active to maintain my health.

Being sick is not cheap.

The out of pocket for the DNA test was $250.00. BTW on my plan the co-pay is $40.00. I see so many doctors that this adds up quickly.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Although gold took a big dip it rebounded over $75.00 in Thursday’s trading already.

I see no reason for gold not to continue it’s upward momentum. Volatility and uncertainty continue. Things are untidy and a mess, lots can go wrong, and pretty much things are looking evil.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

A red screen today. The $75.00 gain on gold settled down to a $50.00 range.

My money tree has three long and lanky branches. In another post I wrote about how another money tree yellowed, shed all its leaves, and died. Pretty much an early indicator that coincided with 2007-2008.

This second money tree we have owned since we bought the Baby-Victorian. Following Asian aesthetic it had either 5 or 7 branches. Asian aesthetic does not support symmetry BTW. Either 2 or 4 branches died off, only 3 remain, The longest stem is about 3 feet long with a canopy only at the very top. As it grows taller, leaves yellow and then fall…

So near the base is some new growth on one of the three branches. Since I last posted about this growth the leaves have grown bigger, and it looks vibrant and healthy.

I wrote that this money tree is a good metaphor for what is going on in the economy. Growth at only the very top along with death and decay, but the new growth near the base seems to have a toehold and is prospering.

There is no middle and no middle growth. Clearly this is not like any typical money tree. Mighty lanky, and it strongly resembles a palm tree, except for the recent new growth at the base.

Color me superstitious, but I believe I’m being sent a sign. Although I am not religious, I do highly believe in divine intervention. I’m sharing the clear message…

More gardening today, a Home Cheapo run, go to Trader Joe’s.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The gains in past three days on the S&P 500 translate it not being in correction territory anymore, but do you think things are really resolved?

China says there were no negotiations today, and pretty much says there is no need to negotiate, just remove the tariffs.

Someone blinked because of empty shelves would happen at Walmart.

The economy is still on death row, its just the day of execution has been pushed forward.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Pandemic like shortages predicted if there is no tariff truce. Shortages imply higher inflation. Simple demand and supply laws.

Gold is getting a “haircut” today, the market futures are mixed, but lately these bets at the beginning of the trading day is no longer a reliable hint to when the markets open.

Looking forward to not having any doctor’s appointment till May.

Cal