The music industry, due to the power of the internet, is undergoing a radical evolution right now that is killing its old business model. Record sales are down by a third in the past few years precisely because 95% of the population is getting their music for free.
Musician Richard Shindell is one forward-thinking artist embracing the change:
In my view (that of a person trying to make a living creating music intended for other humans to hear), your downloading my song is functionally the same thing as hearing it in a subway tunnel.
The music industry, due to the power of the internet, is undergoing a radical evolution right now that is killing its old business model. Record sales are down by a third in the past few years precisely because 95% of the population is getting their music for free.
Musician Richard Shindell is one forward-thinking artist embracing the change:
In my view (that of a person trying to make a living creating music intended for other humans to hear), your downloading my song is functionally the same thing as hearing it in a subway tunnel.
The Broker Dealer Index has taken the brunt of the stock market selloff of the past six (or so) months. For good reason, too: these companies bear the responsibility of most of the mortgage mess the nation currently finds itself in.
This index is a typical leader, though, and can be decent indicator for stocks, in general. The chart shows that the index recently broke out above its early April highs. This is obviously bullish.
But it’s still below some pretty significant resistance marked by the January lows and March highs. And by the looks of the stochastics at the top of the chart, it’s also getting pretty overbought.
The Broker Dealer Index has taken the brunt of the stock market selloff of the past six (or so) months. For good reason, too: these companies bear the responsibility of most of the mortgage mess the nation currently finds itself in.
This index is a typical leader, though, and can be decent indicator for stocks, in general. The chart shows that the index recently broke out above its early April highs. This is obviously bullish.
But it’s still below some pretty significant resistance marked by the January lows and March highs. And by the looks of the stochastics at the top of the chart, it’s also getting pretty overbought.
Forget Euros or Gold, if you want a REAL hedge against the falling dollar, buy some dolphin chiclets. The Wall Street Journal Reports:
Shaped like miniature ivory jalapeños, the teeth of spinner dolphins have facilitated commerce in parts of the Solomon Islands for centuries. This traditional currency is gaining in prominence now after years of ethnic strife that have undermined the country’s economy and rekindled attachment to ancient customs.
Over the past year, one spinner tooth has soared in price to about two Solomon Islands dollars (26 U.S. cents), from as little as 50 Solomon Islands cents.
Even the Fed Heads are buying:
Even Rick Houenipwela, the governor of the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands, says he is an investor in teeth, having purchased a “huge amount” a few years ago. “Dolphin teeth are like gold,” Mr. Houenipwela says. “You keep them as a store of wealth — just as if you’d put money in a bank.”
Looks like I need to make a trip back to Kona for some more quality time with my good friend Kayo.
Forget Euros or Gold, if you want a REAL hedge against the falling dollar, buy some dolphin chiclets. The Wall Street Journal Reports:
Shaped like miniature ivory jalapeños, the teeth of spinner dolphins have facilitated commerce in parts of the Solomon Islands for centuries. This traditional currency is gaining in prominence now after years of ethnic strife that have undermined the country’s economy and rekindled attachment to ancient customs.
Over the past year, one spinner tooth has soared in price to about two Solomon Islands dollars (26 U.S. cents), from as little as 50 Solomon Islands cents.
Even the Fed Heads are buying:
Even Rick Houenipwela, the governor of the Central Bank of the Solomon Islands, says he is an investor in teeth, having purchased a “huge amount” a few years ago. “Dolphin teeth are like gold,” Mr. Houenipwela says. “You keep them as a store of wealth — just as if you’d put money in a bank.”
Looks like I need to make a trip back to Kona for some more quality time with my good friend Kayo.
NEWS FLASH – According to today’s Bulletin Bend is “recession-proof”!
On page A2 we find this interesting headline: “Are there really any areas that are recession-proof? One expert says yes – and Bend is on his list,” (from the AP).
The article continues:
Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, [Mark] Hovind, president of JobBait.com, compared job expansion in a number of key industries and work-force growth in various metropolitan areas. He came up with a list of about two-dozen areas where jobs outpaced the work force during the recessions of 1990 and 2001, and in the past year, and figured they’d likely fare well in another downturn…
Among the metropolitan areas making his list were Prescott, Ariz.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Bakersfield, Calif.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Bend, Ore.; Valdosta, Ga.; and Morgantown, W.Va
I find it more than a little curious that Hovind decided to use data nearly a decade out-of-date for his research rather than the most recent available.
Because according to the most recent “data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” out of all of the 369 metropolitan areas on record, only 3 have seen their unemployment rate grow faster over the past year than that right here in Bend.
You read it right: in terms of job losses, Bend is in the top 1% worst markets in the country.
So riddle me this, Mr. Hovind: how does that make us recession-proof? LIV
This is a daily chart of the rate on the 10-Year Treasury Note, maybe the most important rate in the world. It is the basis for most mortgage rates and also one of the best indicators of future inflation/economic expectations.
The yield on the bond has dropped 200 basis points (2% points) since last summer indicating that worries about inflation have dissipated as concerns about future economic activity have taken over.
But this month, it has broken its downtrend and the 10-period exponential moving avg has crossed the 40 – signs of a trend change.
Bio: Jesse Felder founded Felder & Company in 2000 as an independent investment advisor. Jesse oversees both the company's proprietary investment research and managed investment accounts. He is also the editor of the company's monthly newsletter "The Felder Report."
