US Raw Steel Production Rose 10.7% Last Week

US raw steel production rose 10.7 percent last week as mills operated at an ACUR of 66.7 percent. In the corresponding week last year, mills operated at an ACUR of 76.4 percent. Thus far this year mills have produced approx. 3,000,000 tons at an ACUR of 63.4 percent, down from the approx. 3,600,000 tons at an ACVUR of 76.4 percent in the like period last year.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia December 2015 Manufacturing Business Survey

It reports manufacturing conditions weakened in the month with the indicator for general activity declining after being slightly positive in November.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York January 2016 Empire State Manufacturing Survey

It reported business activity declined for New York manufacturers at the fastest pace since the Great Recession with new orders and shipments indexes plummeting.

Are the Good Times Really Over for Good?

The lyrics to this song by Merle Haggard recently surfaced to my consciousness. I think you might enjoy:

I wish a buck was still silver
It was back when the country was strong.
Back before Elvis
Before the Vietnam war came along.
Before the Beatles and Yesterday,
When a man could still work… and still would.
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good?
Are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the Flag or the Liberty Bell.
I wish a Ford and a Chevy
Would still last ten years, like they should,
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good?
I wish a Coke was still Cola
And a joint was a bad place to be,
It was back before Nixon lied to us all on tv.
Before microwave ovens
When a girl could still cook… and still would,
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good?
Are we rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell?
With no kind of chance for the Flag or the Liberty Bell
Wish a Ford and a Chevy
Would still last ten years, like they should
Is the best of the free life behind us now
And are the good times really over for good?
Stop rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell
Stand up for the Flag and let’s all ring the Liberty Bell
Let’s make a Ford and a Chevy
That’ll still last ten years like they should
‘Cause the best of the free life is still yet to come
And the good times ain’t over for good.”

Last State of the Union

The President made his final State of the Union speech last night and, as expected, he painted a rosy picture of what he has done and his vision for the future of the United States. Unfortunately, his speech was political spin and the facts refute most of what he proclaimed. He took credit for things he had nothing to do with, they happened to occur on his watch; low fuel prices, the death of Bin Laden etc. He is a great orator for sure and I respect him as president but I wholly disagree with the direction he has pointed the country in.

Iran Detains Navy Boats

Iran boarded two US Navy boats which apparently had strayed into Iranian waters, 10 sailors were held captive. Obviously having been coerced, he admitted fault, profoundly apologized to Iran and thanked them for their hospitality… Are you kidding me? Who is running the ship around here, the United States of America or Iran? PLUS…THEY KEPT OUR BOATS AS PUNISHMENT. NOT A WORD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON THAT.

Naturally, secretary of state John Kerry, stepping on his tongue, nearly fell over himself thanking the Iranians for their swift response. What a bunch of pussy’s. Didn’t we recently sign a nuclear “deal” (I use the term lightly. It was more like a nuclear capitulation) with Iran? Since then, they have fired missiles near the USS Truman, one of our aircraft carriers, have held US naval personnel hostage, are waiting to get somewhere around $150 billion back from the US to further their terrorist ideology. They have sworn to destroy the US (after signing the “deal”) time and time again and yet we continue to trust the most untrustworthy. Makes no sense to me.

Have a great weekend…. God bless America!

Buy American made products whenever you can, it’s good for you, good for your friends and neighbors and good for our country.
If you are hiring…try to hire a veteran…. they are loyal, disciplined, hardworking…and they deserve our support.

Remember these tidbits as the election cycle grinds on:

  • Fast & Furious-Americans killed by guns supplied to the drug cartels…by the Department of Justice-Eric Holder presiding. The president was clueless. No one held accountable
  • Benghazi: Four Americans killed in an assault described as the result of a viral video. This was proved to be a false narrative. This was in fact, a planned act of terror. The president was clueless. No one even knows where he was as this went down. No one held accountable
  • “At this point, what difference does it make?” Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State
  • The IRS targeting of conservative groups and individuals. No one held accountable, Lois Lerner is on paid vacation and has refused to testify. The president was clueless. No one held accountable
  • Hillary using a private server for correspondence during her term as Secretary of State against the orders of the president. She thought “it would be more convenient…” Though the records were due when she left office, they were not submitted, subpoenas were issued, which she ignored for two years. Finally, she released 30,000 of some 60,000 alleged emails then she deleted the rest of the emails and will NOT turn over the server for investigation.