The “Bizarre” Moment

RONALD S. PHILLIPS

Author of two books, teacher & trusted columnist

we have a mess of an inverted yield curve, strongly signaling a recession. Bottom line? Know one knows exactly what to expect from markets and economies or exactly what to do next.

LEARNING FROM A BILLIONAIRE

Yahoo Finance columnist

Brian Sozzi is calling our current market and economy “a bizarre moment.” And boy is it! The Nasdaq is just 0.2% away from a bull market; big corporations are beating earnings estimates (but not by a lot); big corporations, led by tech, are also laying off people in the thousands; interest rates are still climbing, which means inflation is still here; and

Ken Fisher is a famous and, at times, infamous billionaire money manager but he’s a pretty smart guy. He refers to the stock market as TGH: The Great Humiliator. Because it always humbles and humiliates even the best of us--professional and novice alike. Who knew that tech was going to roar back so quickly? Who knew the markets, almost unanimously expecting a 2023 recession, would start off so strong?

That’s the work of TGH. Or maybe we should chalk up some of the strength to the January Effect?

Another puzzle is real estate and housing. House prices have eased. Interest rates are up a lot compared to the recent past. So new house payments are also up a good amount. Builder sentiment and surveys are as bas as we’ve seen in many years. But…the housing market seems to be chugging along. The Great Humiliator strikes again!

Time For Winter Season Planning

I think this awkward and surprising environment is time to really assess a few things and get ready for what does appear to be at least an economic shakeout (who knows with that darned stock market, though?!).

Interest rates are up. So now could be a good time to look at stagnant cash sitting around and go into risk-free Treasury bills. Lately, these have been paying upwards of 4.7 percent—guaranteed by the US government. The Fed could raise rates even more so these would probably get slightly better again. So keep rolling them over with short maturities then ultimately lock-in some longer maturities when Fed rate-raising slows or stops.

Also, looking further in the past, we’ve had a super bull market for US stocks for about nine years! That’s a long run and growth stocks, things like Netflix, Tesla, Amazon, and other growth-at-any-price stocks, led it. So my thinking is value could be the new stock market leader--those stodgy blue chips and widow-and-orphan stocks. In the last 6-8 months those have done good, along with the tech bounce-back.

Plus, keep an eye out for emerging international and maybe (maybe!) developed international to make a possible comeback. At least these sectors could be on your investment “shopping list”.

This article is for illustrative purposes only. Ron is not recommending any investment security for you but just trying to educate the community. INVESTMENTS CAN AND DO DROP IN VALUE; THEY HAVE NO BANK OR OTHER GUARANTEE. He is licensed and regulated by the great State of Colorado.

Ron Phillips is The Investment INCOME Advisor, a Pueblo, CO native, and an independent business owner. Order a free copy of his book Investing To Win by leaving a message at (719)220-3005. Visit RetireIQ.com or email RonPhillipsAdvisor@gmail. com

Hey! Hey! Forty-one years ago Senior Beacon made its debut in Pueblo and Fremont Counties. Yep, and I was there! As Publisher Emeritus in 2023 I can safely tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Senior Beacon, that's if you are even at all interested. Just thought I'd let you know that Senior Beacon has now officially started its 42nd year. Hoorah and Huzzah!

Pet Peeve: The separation of church and state. As a student of the public schools K-3, then 4-12 in two Catholic schools and then finally a degree from a public college I could never understand the stance that the party of the donkey took regarding the separation of church and state. It seems pretty pat that the First Amendment simply bans state-established churches and protects free exercise of religion. Nowhere does it say anything about the "separation of church and state." Not anywhere!

First of all, for decades the Left has used the establishment clause of the First Amendment against religious parents, demanding that they -and they alone- must choose between the school of their choice and the public support that every other student receives. Love this next part: The so-called Lemon test passed back in 1971 by a Court that lost their collective minds proclaimed any "entanglements" between government and religious schools unconstitutional! "Entanglements?" Is that a word to be used in a court of law? What does that word mean to you? Our Court (meaning the court that we have had in this century) has thankfully dismantled this nonsense of "entanglements" in a series of decisions in 2002, 2017, 2020 and now to untangle these "entanglements" making the Lemon test, well, a lemon!!! Good Grief!

I've read some interesting ideas of why Vlad Putin invaded Ukraine by so-called analysts who say that he did it because he fears the European Union and NATO were encircling mother Russia. Mother Russia, all right, but I read that what's on Putin's mind is not "encirclement" but Russian histo- ry. What I read was that Putin told an audience of scientists and entrepreneurs that he fancied himself Peter the Great, simply taking back what was justly Russian. He was alluding to the Great Northern War, which was a 21-year struggle with Sweden. Methinks ole Vlad is a megalomaniac and we, and the rest of our allies should help Ukraine stop this nonsense before we go backward yet again!

Some of you may have remembered Mark Shields, curmudgeon! He passed away last summer and I remember a joke he told: "Two liberals," said he, "come across a man in a ditch. He is bleeding and moaning. He has been beaten to a pulp, left for dead. One liberal turns to the other and says, Quick, we have to find the people who did this. They need help!" It shows what he thought about the times in which he lived. Shields might have been the last of the O.G. pro-life Democrats. He loved JFK, RFK, the New Deal, people and America. He was 85.

Let's talk about the pamphlet that I have which is entitled "Divine Mercy Novena and Chaplet" that states how you can be rewarded in death. Don't believe me! Read the pamphlet. If you send me an email at srbeacon@gmail. com or mail me a note to P.O. Box 7215, Pueblo West, CO 81007-0215 with your name and mailing address and I'll send it to you. No questions asked. No gimmicks, Just the pamphlet in your hands and just maybe a trip to the sublime.

Godspeed to you and yours.

Remember: contact me at SRbeacon@ gmail.com for that great Chaplet prayer directly from Christ to Maria Faustina Kowalska at the beginning of Nazi invasion of Poland....... it's wonderful folks. Contact me and I'll send the pamphlet, no charge. It's a game changer!

730

Meals On Wheels Menu

February 2023

710

Menus Are Subject To Change

915

870 Carbs: 89g Carbs: 92g

114g Protein: 43g Carbs: 89g Fiber: 12g

14g

12g Carbs: 76g Fiber: 9g Protein: 48g

40g Fat: 30g Protein: 42g Fat: 31g

28g

41g

590mg Sodium: 1100mg

40g Fiber: 10g Fat: 2g

1265mg Sodium: 740mg Sodium: 970mg and Yogurt Parfait (34) Navy Bean Soup (25) / Crackers (5)

Roll w/Margarine (22)

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MENUS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Please remember SRDA in yourplanned giving. Yourlegacy lives on,our mission continues at Meals on Wheels.

In order to preventwaste, we are on a ReservationSystem . Please call the day before or the morning of, before 9:00A.M, to CANCEL your Meal YOU MUST BE HOME TO RECEIVE YOUR MEAL!!! 719-543-0100

Please Turn Menu Over For Important Nutrition Information,

Consumers attending the congregate meal sites shall be advised and informed to keep a three-day supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water in case of inclement weather or other emergency that causes a temporary suspension of services. If feasible and determined by the Area Agency on Aging in their area plan, emergency meal packages may be provided.