“November producer prices: YoY measures mask recent sharp deceleration to mainly tolerable levels“ – by New Deal democrat Consumer prices for November won’t be reported until next Tuesday, but this morning we got the upstream producer prices. The news was mainly good, although not good enough to likely dissuade the Fed from its current course of interest rate hikes. This is one of those cases where YoY measures give a false picture in...
Read More »The Meaning of a Food Label Expiration Date. Is there one?
Having worked for Oscar Mayer buying food labels and packaging, this article caught my eye. Oscar Mayer is an old company and was left pretty much alone by its owners until Kraft got involved. A big time of the year was July 4th for hot dogs. The author is going to tell you the food labels on products are not looked at and reviewed. If he means “good until such” date. I am sure there is data backing it up. Somebody i Quality reviewed the data backing...
Read More »33 Months Of COVID In One Image: One More Look At The Red/Blue Death Rate Divide
“33 Months of COVID in one image: One more look at the Red/Blue Death Rate Divide,” ACA Signups, Charles Gaba. Charles lives in Michigan, one county over from where I lived. While my County head Democrat was touting me for a great knowledge on healthcare to Slotkin, I was pushing Charles. He knew more about the ACA then I did. I believe what Charles is going for here is the split between political parties on Covid. Many more Republicans were...
Read More »Coronavirus dashboard for December 7: the first winter wave of endemicity begins
Coronavirus dashboard for December 7: the first winter wave of endemicity begins – by New Deal democrat COVID is well on its way to becoming endemic, with a significant background level similar to what we have experienced in the last 8 months, and a surge during the winter months when people spend more time socializing together indoors. In that vein, it is apparent that, as expected, Thanksgiving get-togethers have triggered a new wave of...
Read More »Pharma Gross-to-Net Bubble Exceeds $200 Billion in 2021 (a relationship)
This article by Dr. Adam Fein is drawn from the Drug Channels Institute. I can not say any of my knowledge is found in the detail of this recital. To summarize a bit as you read the detail, increases in rebates are associated with increases in list prices. Insurance coverage, the sale of drugs to distributors, sold to drug stores, via Pharmaceutical Benefit Managers is complex. Dr. Adam Fein explains how it works. He presents a couple of charts...
Read More »What News Was in My In-Box, Dec. 7, 2022
Assorted topics this time. Consumerism was actually the first topic on the list of links in my In-Box. I am interested in seeing how the US negotiates with the Taiwanese on a new plant and what the US will do with Supply Chains. It is not as simple as what many people think. You should know how the product is made. The US is sorely lacking in Supply Chain planning. The expertise is concentrated in mathematics rather than on the floor actual...
Read More »New factory orders remain an economic bright spot
New factory orders remain an economic bright spot – by New Deal democrat New factory orders for October were reported this morning. I normally don’t write about them, because they are very noisy, but since at the moment they are one of the few bright spots among the short leading indicators, let’s take a look. Total new factory orders rose 1.0%. “Core” orders excluding defense and aircraft rose 0.6%: “Core” orders have been flat for 2...
Read More »Mourning The Late Jiang Zemin?
Mourning The Late Jiang Zemin? Former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin died at age 96 on Nov. 30, curiously just as the worst outbreak of demonstrations to happen in China since 1989 happened, probably now come to an end, as China both suppresses them, arresting some people based on phones and visual surveillance, as well as some loosening in certain locations of the zero covid policy. Jiang came to power initially in the immediate wake of Tienanman...
Read More »US Needs More Housing to Meet Demand and Costs
Anne Lowrey at The Atlantic recognizes a shortage of housing overall and mostly in the cities. “The U.S. Needs More Housing Than Almost Anyone Can Imagine.” Just how many houses, what is the number? How many homes must the expensive coastal cities in the US build to become affordable for middle-class and the working-poor families? Over the past few weeks, Anne asks a number of housing experts that question. Anne expected a straightforward...
Read More »Energy Conservation – Do Not Involve Me Edition
No one wants to pay more for energy at any time. No one wants the means for greater independence from foreign control, big business, wasteful practices which will involve them. The reality being, it is all about us. The thems of the world. ~~~~~~~~ “As taken from Michigan Radio/NPR; “Auchter’s Art: Not in my backyard,” michiganradio.org, John Auchter. On the way to Thanksgiving festivities last week near Flushing, my wife and I drove past...
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