Initial Unemployment Claims Fall; Will Apple Destroy These Companies?

Of course the data is no longer believable, and I won't be linking this data to the page where I track this date because it has lost its credibility, but for the record, the AP is reporting:

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell 5,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 305,000, the second-lowest level in six years. Steady declines in applications show that very few companies are laying off workers.

The Labor Department says the less volatile four-week average declined 7,000 to 308,000, the lowest since June 2007.

I hope to start linking this data to the original page once the data seems to be back on track. 

How is this affecting futures? Dow futures are now up 33, and oil is up 39 cents. It looks like a nice day for the market.

Disclaimer: this is not an investment site. Do not make any investment decisions based on anything you read at this site or anything you think you might have read at this site.

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Some pundits suggest Apple could severely hurt Pandora and Sirius XM. I don't know, I don't care; I don't have a dog in that fight.

All I know is that this morning, while updating the blog, I was sent a note by Apple that it would be updating iTunes/iRadio on my computer this morning. All I had to do was click on "Install." And then it happened. My iTunes/iRadio was updated, and I didn't have to do a thing, except click on "Install." I did not even have to restart my computer.

I listened to Pandora some months ago, maybe more than a year ago, but then lost interest. There seemed to be restrictions, and "they" decided what songs I wanted to listen to based on my previous listening habits. Unfortunately, my listening habits change over time. iRadio and iTunes will offer more options, remain free (as far as I know) -- and if not entirely free, it will certainly compete with Pandora and Sirius XM.

I don't have Sirius XM (of course, I barely have a car) but I do know there's an annual fee that is not trivial, but I think the service is very, very easy to subscribe to. But I also know that most luxury cars now have USB "outlets" in which folks connect this iPhones, iPads, etc, for iTunes and iRadio.

And so it goes.

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A Note to The Granddaughters

It's been a long time since I've written a note to the granddaughters. My wife and I, sometimes together, sometimes separately, provide 24/7 care for our two granddaughters. We've been doing this since Christmas, 2007. I have done most of it and will probably continue doing most of that child care for the next seven years.

I enjoy everything about taking care of them: making their meals (breakfast and dinner); walking them to school; swimming with them; taking them to soccer; helping them with their schoolwork, etc.

The younger one has the healthiest eating habits of all: most fruits and vegetables, apples and carrots.

The older one, however, is a cook's dream. She loves what I cook. My specialty has been the six-minute soft-hard boiled egg for breakfast. It consistently comes out perfectly.

Sometime ago I started grilling steaks for the older one. She loves steak.

Years ago, before I had a salary, I subscribed to The New Yorker. I recall seeing one-inch column ads for "Omaha Steaks." That would have been forty years ago. I was too poor to even consider "Omaha Steaks" but was always curious.

I do not know how it started. But about a year ago I ordered my first "Omaha Steak." Wow.

I am now a regular. I send "Omaha Steaks" to my younger daughter and son-in-law (he loves them), and to my dad, occasionally. I will start sending them to my younger daughter and son-in-law on a regular basis.

I order for myself, pretty much once a month, and always keep my freezer stocked.

I have no idea how their prices compare to what I would pay at the local store for the same quality and experience but I assume it is significantly more. But I don't know. But for Bakken mineral owners who have additional discretionary income, I heartily recommend trying "Omaha Steaks."

You will pay full price for the first order but after that you will get regular mailings offering huge discounts. Shipping is generally $20 but even shipping costs are waived periodically. Some readers will be fortunate enough to have an "Omaha Steak" store within driving distance. (My brother-in-law has an "Omaha-Steak" within walking distance.)

I honestly don't know what makes "Omaha Steak" so appealing for me. But here are some of the reasons.

Consistency.

One of the reasons McDonald's did so well from the beginning was that folks knew exactly what they were going to get each time they walked in.

This is the same with "Omaha Steaks." I now know exactly what I'm getting, and I know precisely how to cook each type of steak. I know precisely how to cook the sides (various types of potatoes, generally) and the desserts.

I know precisely when to take them out of the freezer to thaw and when to cook them. There is no waste.

The consistency cannot be emphasized enough. Whenever I went to the supermarket in the past, I would do what I see everyone else do: go through the various cuts to look for what looked good, the right size, and the right price. With "Omaha Steak" -- none of that. When you order filet mignon, you know exactly what you are going to get. And that's the same with every other cut of "Omaha Steak."

Marketing and execution.

Like Apple Inc, "Omaha Steak" has their marketing down perfectly. Once you order the first time, you will be inundated with circulars/advertisements in your mailbox, and the occasional phone call. All the mail and phone calls irritate some folks; it used to irritate me. But I've gotten used to it. Once you understand the method to their madness you will become hooked.

The cuts are on the small size, the size you might find in an upscale French restaurant. I'm sure many folks eat more than one cut or one portion at a sitting. I discipline myself to one portion at a sitting; it certainly is a healthier way of eating.

It's funny how things work out. Forty years ago "Omaha Steak" was a luxury I could not afford. These days "Omaha Steak" is a luxury I cannot afford not to have.

Oh, I completely forgot what led me to this note. My older granddaughter absolutely loves "Omaha Steak." Her favorite are the very, very thick filet mignons wrapped in bacon. Last night she had the first in a long time. She says she was waiting for a filet mignon/bacon ever since they left Boston several months ago. About a month ago, she reminded me to order those with my next order.

So, I cooked a filet mignon/bacon for her last night. It came out perfectly. She gave it a "five-star" rating (her highest). Wow, she enjoyed it. It was a lot of fun. I also cooked an "Omaha Steak" chicken breast for the younger daughter who ate about half of it; the older granddaughter had the rest.

So, now, like Oprah, a few of my favorites: Omaha Steak; Whataburger; Apple Inc; the Target Red Card; and bicycles.

Next month, if I remember, I might write about KHS bikes.