Idle Rambling On A Late Friday Night -- January 23, 2021

Friday night. Feeling great. 

I'm fascinated by several stories right now. I track them over at "Investors" and "Themes - 2021" so I won't go through them again.

But this is what I'm thinking about tonight.

The US economy: ominous. I think the UAL 4Q20 earnings report was the tipping point, followed by the Dr Fauci press briefing.

The second story that that fascinates me is the semiconductor / chip story. 

Third, Apple. Wednesday.

Fourth, senility on the Big Stage. The video that went viral today (well, I guess it was "yesterday," now)  has to be scaring the bejesus out of his handlers today. He can't even follow simple three-word  instructions.

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US Economy

The weekly jobless report, it turns out, never mattered. 

Exhibit A: the election. 

After March, 2020, after Covid-19, the weekly jobless report became even more meaningless. I've talked about this before. I didn't think it was possible, but now, after January 20, 2021, the weekly jobless report is even more meaningless. No one cares. Not even the new CEO/CIC. The deplorables have become the expendables.

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Chinese Flu

There were three phases of Operation Warp Speed: development, manufacturing, and distribution of the vaccine. 

It looks like somebody forgot the fourth stage:  the last mile. Or should se say the last six feet, getting the vaccine from the refrigerator into the arm. That just doesn't seem to be working out. There were several reasons why. The biggest reason of course can be traced back to Cuomo/Newsom-thinking. 

Exhibit A: percent of doses available that have been actually used since distribution began:

• California 38.2%
• New York: 56.2%
• North Dakota: 85.4% 

But that shouldn't bother anyone. Japan has bought and stockpiled enough vaccine to vaccinate every Japanese citizen, and .... hasn't started vaccinating anyone yet. 

The good news: we now have metrics to follow. Not that it will make any difference but it gives me something to do. 

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Semiconductors

Two companies: Apple and TMSC.

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Apple

If I had to name one company that best encapsulates what is going on in the US right now, it's Apple. 

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Senility on the Big Stage

After four years of the Donald, folks have something new to watch. It will be interesting to see who blinks first: the mainstream media or the handlers. I include the spousal unit and the heir-in-waiting among the handlers. 

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Time For A Musical Interlude

I just can't decide what to post. There's just too much going on including 2 Guns with Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, on the "Paramount HD Network."