Economic Statistics for 22 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
Existing home sales fell 0.6% in march to a worse-than-expected 4.92 million annual rate.
The Chicago Fed National Activity Index fell to -0.23 for March, while the 3-month average fell to -0.01.
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Dale Franks
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Observations: The QandO Podcast for 21 Apr 13
This week, Bruce, Michael, and Dale discuss the Boston bombings and polygamy.
The direct link to the podcast can be found here.
As a reminder, if you are an iTunes user, don’t forget to subscribe to the QandO podcast, Observations, through iTunes. For those of you who don’t have iTunes, you can subscribe at Podcast Alley. And, of course, for you newsreader subscriber types, our podcast RSS Feed is here.
Economic Statistics for 18 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
Initial jobless claims rose 4,000 to 352,000, and the 4-week average rose 3,250 to 361,250. Continuing claims fell 35,000 to 3.068 million.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to -29.2, the highest level in 5 years.
The Philadelphia Fed Survey fell -0.7 points to 1.3.
The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators came in at minus 0.1% in March.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 17 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The MBA reports mortgage applications rose 4.8% last week, with purchases up 4.0% and re-fis up 5.0%.
The Fed’s Beige Book reports that "overall economic activity expanded at a moderate pace from February to April.
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Dale Franks
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It’s hard being right all the time
Long ago, I argued that the end result of Lawrence v. Texas, and ultimately the legalization of gay marriage, would ineluctably lead to calls to polygamous marriage, and in some fringe cases, incest. Here I am arguing it in 2005. What I was told at the time, essentially was:
Ah, the famed ’slippery slope’ argument. It goes like this: ’’Opening the concept of marriage to any interpretation will lead to a slippery slope for any type of relationship to emerge as the new norm.’’
This is patently offensive. It says that if a loving gay couple can marry, we will have to allow a zookeeper somewhere to marry his monkey. Then, we have to allow Jethro to marry 8 women. We have to allow dad to marry his daughter.
But that response was stupid. Because it was essentially, "Your artificial definition of marriage is monstrous. But my artificial definition of marriage will hold, impervious, for as long as the sun burns hot in space."
But, I was right, of course. Now that gay marriage seems to be becoming fixed as an accepted right, we find ourselves faced with the next logical push for expansion of marriage. In Slate today, Jillian Keenan has penned an article urging the legalization of polygamy. Indeed, according to her, it’s a feminist imperative.
While the Supreme Court and the rest of us are all focused on the human right of marriage equality, let’s not forget that the fight doesn’t end with same-sex marriage. We need to legalize polygamy, too. Legalized polygamy in the United States is the constitutional, feminist, and sex-positive choice. More importantly, it would actually help protect, empower, and strengthen women, children, and families.
It will empower women! Indeed, look at how empowered women are in all the polygamous societies that currently exist in the world. And in polygamous societies all throughout history.
Oh. Wait. It’s the exact opposite of that, isn’t it?
Anyway, the argument goes that, under the feministy, empowering regime of legal polygamy it won’t be patriarchal polygyny. No, a woman can have two or three husbands! Because, you know, men like nothing better than letting their wives screw other guys. That’s just human nature.
In any event, the definition of marriage is plastic, you see. it’s just a social construct and it can mean anything we want it to mean. And there’s nothing inherently better in one definition of "marriage" or another. It’s all good! Family is family, right? So, like, whatever.
But, let’s forget the argument about whether polygamy is a good or a bad thing. Ultimately the point is that I was, of course, right to argue that we’d end up with arguments demanding a right to polygamy and, despite gay marriage advocates calling me a monster for even suggesting such an unseemly slippery slope argument, well…here we are.
Eight years ago, the slippery slope polygamy argument was just a load of Rick Santorum, wingnut, Christer bullsh*t. Today, it turns out it was just a logical prediction that was correct, and entirely foreseeable. I suppose that means that, eight years from now, we’ll have to let Jaime and Cersei Lannister get married.
So, we should probably start thinking about how we’re gonna deal that little dick, Joffre, right now.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 16 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The Fed reports that industrial production rose 0.4% in March, while capacity utilization at the nation’s factories rose slightly to 78.5%.
Housing starts were unexpectedly strong in March, up 7.0% to a 1.036million annual rate, however, all the strength was in multi-family units. Building permits fell -3.9% to a 0.902 million annual rate, well below expectations.
The Consumer Price index fell -0.2%, while the core rate, ex-food and -energy, rose 0.1%. On a year-over-year basis the CPI is up 1.5% and the core CPI is up 1.9%.
In weekly retail sales, Redbook’s year-on-year sales growth rate fell to 2.0%, while ICSC-Goldman sales fell -1.1% this week, and are up only 2.0% year-on-year.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 15 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The Housing Market Index fell 2 points in April to a worse-than-expected 42, the lowest since October.
The Empire State Mfg Survey shows an abruptly slowing rate of monthly growth in the district, falling over 6 points to 3.05.
Net foreign demand for long-term U.S. securities fell into negative territory, with a net outflow of -17.8 billion.
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Dale Franks
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Observations: The QandO Podcast for 14 Apr 13
This week, Michael and Dale discuss Kermit Gosnell and the UK.
The direct link to the podcast can be found here.
As a reminder, if you are an iTunes user, don’t forget to subscribe to the QandO podcast, Observations, through iTunes. For those of you who don’t have iTunes, you can subscribe at Podcast Alley. And, of course, for you newsreader subscriber types, our podcast RSS Feed is here.
Economic Statistics for 12 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
Falling gas prices sent Producer Prices down by -0.6% in March, the though the core PPI rate rose 0.2%. On a year over year basis, the PPI is up 1.1%, and the core PPI is up 1.7%.
Retail sales fell a disappointing -0.4% in March. Sales were also down -0.4% ex-autos, and down -0.1% ex-autos and gas.
The Reuter’s/University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index fell 6.7 points in the first April reading to 72.3.
Business inventories were steady in February, rising only 0.1%. A 1.2% increase in sales drove down the stock-to-sales ratio to a lean 1.28.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 11 Apr 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index stayed steady at –34.0 this week.
March chain-store sales were mixed with 9 retail chains reporting higher year-on-year sales rates, 7 reporting lower rates, and 1 unchanged.
Initial jobless claims fell 42,000 last week to 346,000. The 4-week average rose 3,750 to 358,000. Continuing claims fell by 12,000.
Import prices fell 0.5% in March, with the year-on-year rate at -2.7%. Export prices fell -0.4% with the year-on-year rate up 0.3%.
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Dale Franks
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