TGIF and Hmmmm ....

Strange news coming out ...

FT: "Japan’s industrial output bounced back 5.2 per cent in April compared with the previous month, a stronger rise than analysts expected "

And "India’s economy grew a better-than-expected 5.8 per cent in the first three months of 2009 "

Copper prices are rising decisively over $2.00/lb.

I suppose the doomsters can find something bad in that data. But in my humble opinion, up is up. Why overthink this ? Last fall was a panic caused by beefer Viking raiders, everyone got scared and stopped buying or ordering everything, so the economy fell off the cliff. But that can only last so long. Eventually people start living again.

It's like 1974 when the Arab oil embargo hit. Panic ... gas lines ... stocks fall 50% ... economy nosedives and bounces along the bottom for six months ... then life continues ... stocks rise 100% over the next year. Very long term, some troubling things exist that might hurt GROWTH later, but until the economy gets back to where it was, that resistance won't be felt.

Obama Fund is well positioned IF this scenario plays out. I chose many stocks in sectors that performed excellently after the 1974 air-pocket. Time will tell.

Scotch Whisky

Scotch drinkers: check out this site - http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/default.asp

And here's a fine glass to best enjoy your fine Scotch whisky: http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0100000001790

I drink my finest Scotch whiskies in a glass like this. I prefer the finest Scotches with just a small ice cube, which I let partly melt as I smell the aromas and enjoy the visual pleasures of the fine Scotch adhering to the glass as I tip and lightly swirl and sniff it. Then I sip it ... the partly melted ice puts it at the perfect temperature, about 50F and the bit of water releases the flavor and gives the Scotch better mouth-feel as the alcohol burn is reduced just enough.

I've visited the Royal Mile Whiskies store in Edinburgh. It's just a little shop, but has super selections and the staff was really helpful. I bought six bottles [each costing over $400]and had them shipped directly to home. This works OK if you limit it to four or six bottles, as they said they've never had a problem with customs.

[By the way, there is a store in London, too. I walked past it on my visit there on the way to the British Museum.]

So what if you want a good Scotch here in the US, without buying it from Scotland? Here are my tested recommendations.

Finest: Johnny Walker Blue Label. About $200 per bottle or so, depending where you buy it. This is a blend of superb single malts and has the mouth-feel and richness of a fine cognac.

Medium: Glenlivet French Oak Finish. About $40 per bottle, depending on the store and exchange rate. It's a single malt with a better, richer taste that the usual Glenlivit which is quite good.

Modest: Teacher's Highland Cream. I think one can get a 1.5 liter bottler for about $25 or so from memory. This Scotch whisky has the flavors of the fine Cardhu malts used in Johnny Walker whiskies, but is much cheaper. Best value.

By the way, just so you don't appear as a heathen or Philistine, it's spelled Scotch whisky, but conversely it's Irish whiskey. Only scotch is properly deemed a "whisky" - all the rest are "whiskey". We do have to let the Scottish people and their spirits have that respect- they invented it and we are grateful to them for that. Bourbon is an American originated whiskey made with over 50% corn. And Rye is originally a term used for whiskey made with over 50% rye grain, but is also slang for the many "American" blended whiskies like Seagram's, etc.

Word of the Day

"Liminal" - adjective [$10]
Liminal means 1.a. of or relating to a transitional or initial stage; 1.b. marginal, insignificant; 2. occupying a position on or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold.
Sentence: Quite a lot of recent economic data has liminal qualities portending new cycle of economic growth is commencing. It's not certain, but when is anything certain about economies or stocks ?

Le Mot du Jour

"Canard" - noun, masculine
Canard means 1. (Culinary) duck, (oiseau, male) drake; 2. (journal) paper, *rag; 3. (= fausse note) faire un ~ to hit a false note; 4. (terme d'affection) mon (petit) ~ my pet. Several idioms such as "Il fait un froid du canard" meaning "It's freezing cold.", but more literally, "It's cold as a duck":
La Phrase: Il fait un froid du canard aujourd'hui- 50F. Qu'est-ce qui s'est passé à réchauffement de la planète ?
Sentence: It's freezing cold today - 50F. What happened to global warming?