Despite Portugal… Randomosity

• Here the headlines are worried about Portugal, while European and US stock markets are making bull market highs!  Not to slight the worries in Portugal and such, but I think much of this is priced in.
• Another great day in the market.  Yes, at some point the rally will end.  The indexes will retreat and retest the 50dma.  At some point.  I remain 100% long. 
• Honda will offer a Civic natural gas car nationwide in 2011, er the 2012 model, right?  Now there’s a great idea.  I’m thinking about getting one. It’s cleaner than gasoline.  It’s cheaper than gasoline.  When I fuel it, the money stays here in America instead of going overseas to countries who hate us.  Just waiting for the details.  $25K.  And here’s where you can refuel. Or refuel in your garage.  Available this spring!
• Britney Spears releases new song and uh, who cares other than the Bellamy Brothers.  But here’s a pic.  Oh, I’m sure the song will sell a bunch of downloads from iTunes.  I’m not a Britney hater. 
• Prices soar on crop woes. Prices of corn and soybeans leapt 4% Wednesday and wheat gained 1%, continuing the broad rally in commodity prices that began in June. With yesterday's gains, prices of corn futures contracts are now up 94% from their June lows; soybeans are up 51% and wheat is up 80%.  Time to start hoarding wheat, corn and soybeans.  What gets the blame?  Dry weather in South America and floods in Australia.  Too dry and too wet, said Little Red Riding Hood.
• Illinois raised the corporate tax rates and businesses are fuming!  With the higher personal income tax rate, people are fuming, too.  Well, if people demand services then somebody has to pay for the services.  And that somebody is you!  No free lunches!
• So, I wonder the impact.  Will folks move to lower tax states?  Will companies relocate?
• Oil prices up again.  Futures climbed to a 27-month high yesterday after an Energy Department report showed stockpiles dropped 2.15 million barrels to 333.1 million last week, the lowest level since February. Supplies were forecast to drop 1.4 million barrels, according to a Bloomberg News survey. U.S. stocks rose, sending benchmark indexes to the highest since August 2008.  Yes indeed, as the economy recovers, we will use more oil.
• Unless folks rush out and buy the Civic GX.
• The Fed’s Beige Book says that the economy is slowly gaining momentum.  Sometimes, when they release that, the market goes POP.  Held up today.  Add it all up, and the picture is an economy very slowly gaining momentum, with some continued pockets of distress but also definite signs of progress as 2011 gets underway. In the all-important labor market, for example, conditions "appear to be firming somewhat," though not enough to push wages upward.  I don’t think wages will go up much until we see unemployment drop.
• If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me?
• I haven’t written too much here or said too much on the AudioBoos about Jared Lee Loughner.  I don’t plan too, but it was a horrid event.  When I see the parents of the 9-year old girl talk, it really hurts.