*These are our short term thoughts on the market. We combine our medium-long term model and discretionary outlook when making investment decisions. We’re looking at how the market reacts to news, earnings, and other fundamental themes related to the key individual sectors.

Stock index & news

Some people were shocked by today’s weak New Home Sales.  It’s interesting that all 4 housing indicators this month were weaker than expected (New Home Sales, Housing Starts, Pending Sales, Existing Home Sales). This temporary weakness matches the fact that Citigroup’s Economic Surprise Index has been deteriorating. However, overall housing is still improving. Focus on the overall trend and not the month-to-month fluctuations. Housing is still a medium-long term bullish factor for the U.S. stock market. Here’s the New Home Sales chart.   There is a new bearish factor We have been looking for bearish factors that will trigger a small 6%+ correction in the S&P 500. Aside from the fact that this is one of the longest small rallies in history, we only had 1 bearish factor thus far:

1. Rising oil production will hurt oil prices. Falling oil prices will put downwards pressure on the energy sector, which will hurt stocks.

But perhaps we now have a 2nd bearish factor: Trump-Russia investigation. The worst case scenario is that all the Trump-Russia allegations turn out to be true. That will probably cause a significant correction in which the S&P 500 will give up all of its post-election gains. In this case, our model will have failed to predict the significant correction, which will be its 3rd failure in 67 years. (Right now our model does not foresee a significant correction). The S&P futures crashed to 2028 on Trump’s election night. If Trump is impeached and forced to resign, 2028 is a likely target. Here’s the chart S&P 500’s futures chart.   A bear market will not ensue if Trump resigns. The U.S. economy continues and WILL CONTINUE to grow with or without Trump. Mike Pence will just be a lame duck president like Obama in his 2nd term. The economy will improve on its own. However, we don’t think this worst case scenario will happen. The FBI has been investigating the Trump-Russia allegations for many, many months. If there really was anything that incriminated Trump in clear black-or-white terms, they would have nailed Trump already. Instead, it’s likely that the Trump was involved in some gray areas with Russia. Here’s the logic:

If Trump is crystal clean, why does he need to beef up his legal defence and prepare for possible impeachment?

News update: Trump is close to picking outside legal counsel for the ongoing Trump-Russia investigation. In addition, former CIA director John Brennan said that he was concerned about “possible interactions” between members of the Trump campaign and Russia’s intelligence agencies. Brennan doesn’t have any solid proof, but he is concerned. We think that Trump has something to hide. However, we don’t think that “something” is enough to prove collusion, impeach Trump, and force him to resign. Perhaps that “something” has to do with Trump’s business dealings with Russia. Trump is the first president not to release his tax returns. *This is all random speculation. The continuing cloud that hangs over this administration can be the trigger for a small 6%+ correction. We don’t think this cloud will cause a significant correction. The S&P’s reaction to Trump-news right now is completely normal. The S&P always lags the bad news and fundamentals. The news/fundamentals will deteriorate first while the S&P ignore the news and continues to rise. Then the S&P will fall when the bad news cannot be ignore. That has been the pattern historically.

Sectors

There was nothing notable going on in the individual sectors today. Energy Oil went up a little today, so the energy sector ETF XLE went up a little. Finance The finance sector was the leader today because interest rates went up. The year-over-year change in interest rates impacts banks’ profit margins. However, you can see that interest rates are still at the low end of their range. Here’s the 10 year Treasury yield chart. Information technology The tech sector performed in line with the S&P 500 today.

Bottom line

Who knows when the small correction will begin. We now have 1 additional short-medium term bearish factor.

1. This is still one of the longest stock market rallies without a small correction in history.
2. Our model does not foresee a significant correction or a bear market. Based on our discretionary outlook, we agree with our model.
3. Oil is still a risk to the S&P 500.
4. Trump is a new short-medium term risk to the U.S. stock market. This risk is enough to cause a small correction but is not big enough to cause a significant correction. But if Trump is impeached and forced to resign, you should expect a significant correction.

Milk and king snakes are excellent, docile snakes. Milk and king snakes are firmly related, both belonging to the Lamproletis family, and there are a few subspecies of both milk and king snakes. Patterns and colors differ between the subspecies, but there are many striking and delightful patterns to be found among these snakes.

Choosing a Snake

Things to search for in a strong and healthy snake (any sort of snake):

• Round, firm body.
• Clear eyes (might be somewhat shady if going to shed), no discharge from eyes.
• No indications of bugs (check particularly around head/eyes, search for dusty spots on the body, and check hands after holding the snake).
• No open mouth breathing or wheezing for breath.
• Inside of mouth consistently pink (cheesy looking matter or reddened area may indicate mouth rot).
• Shiny, smooth skin without any scabs or wounds.
• Clean vent with no swelling.
• Should move easily without any tremors.

Housing

A safe cage is essentially vital – king snakes are famous for testing their cages for weak spots and getting away from the littlest of spaces. Any cage requires a latched and secure top. Bear in mind that setting up a cage like this might be expensive but it will be justified, despite all the trouble. Remember that snakes can get past spaces that are so little and doesn’t possible to pass through. Putting plastic tubing (like aquarium carrier tubing) between the edge of the tank and the top may likewise help avert escapes. Milk and king snakes ought not to be kept in one cage because they won’t hesitate to eat each other when they get the chance. Won’t eliminate the bad situation, though. You’ll want to use a  Best Snake Bite Kit for that.

Substrate

For a substrate in the tank, an assortment of materials can be utilized. For new snakes, paper towels or butcher paper are perfect to encourage cleaning and permit observing of defecation until the specific the snake is free of parasites. Different substrates that can be used are aspen shavings, mulch, reptile bark, or outdoor-indoor carpeting (never use pine, redwood or cedar). If you settle for shavings, it is critical to ensure it isn’t ingested with the snake’s food because it could lead to serious health issues. Whatever is utilized, neatness is critical.  Ensure you pick something that you will have the capacity to clean as regularly as you can.

Feeding

Milk and king snakes are fed mice or infant rodents. When in doubt, feed the snake only what is equivalent to the width of the snake at its most stretched out part (the head not included). Young snakes (subadult) ought to be fed twice weekly. Fully grown snakes can be fed adult mice (or weanling rodents) on more than one occasion per week. Similarly, as with several snakes, pre-killed prey recommended to ensure the prey does not harm the snake.

Handling

After allowing the snake a few days to settle in, you can begin handling it. Be delicate and diligent, with day by day short sessions at first to build up the required trust. Regurgitation is moderately basic in these snakes and can come about if you handle them too soon after a meal. Other reasons could be as a result of illness, too cold enclosure or that the meal is too large. If it does keep reoccurring after you have taken the necessary adjustments and it keeps recurring, check with a vet.

Are you considering raising pigs on your farm and you want to find out if it would be a great idea? Are you also thinking about what breed to get? What breeds you can lay your hands on? What are the advantages and disadvantages of various pig breeds?

Commercial Pigs

“Processing plant” raised pigs, brought up in huge amounts on the super hog house, are intended for ideal meat production but are tasteless, bland and dry. They may not work out great on a residence or little homestead setting because you may need to provide adequate space for your pigs to roam. On the other hand, the industrial facility breeds may do not have a portion of the more conventional pig instincts and behaviors.

Heritage Pig Breeds

A heritage breed is a breed that was produced before the commercial aspect of raising pigs became prominent. These are old-time era pigs that were brought up in barns and backyards back in America and Europe, pigs that were chosen for their simplicity of raising, their preferences, and their solidness. Heritage breed hogs can forage and brush effortlessly, picking up the entirety of their nutrition from it. Here are a few heritage breed pigs with a brief description of their identities and different qualities. Just as goats, there are several types of pig breeds, so this rundown is in no way comprehensive.

American Yorkshire Pigs

American Yorkshire pigs originated from England but later went on to become popular in the United States. They are especially useful for hams and bacons and are also great for their mothering ability and meat production.

Berkshire Pigs

Berkshires are known for their extremely delicious, darker meat. They are a famous specialty breed for small time farmers. They are one of the most seasoned breeds known. Berkshires are strong, dynamic foragers, and stretch around 600 pounds when fully mature. Personality-wise, they are friendly, curious and have a decent attitude.

Gloucestershire Old Spots Pigs

Gloucestershire Old Spots, likewise called GOS, are from England and were in the old days used for cleaning up orchards. There are not very many of them in the United States and you may need to be placed on a waitlist for you to get one. GOS’s are lighter cleaned and may require loads of shade in hotter, sunnier atmospheres. GOS’s can put up required market weight in just six months.

Hampshire Pigs

This is one of the most seasoned American breeds still in around. Hampshires have a white belt around the front of their body, including their front legs. These are phenomenal foraging pigs, extremely tough and deliver superb quality meat. Hampshires should be a decent pig for amateurs.

Hereford Pigs

Herefords are a lean meat hog. They’re considered “lovely,” and regularly utilized for showcasing at 4-H and FFA fairs. They are versatile so raising them on semi-confined spaces and on pasture is not a problem. Herefords are astounding at tiling and rooting. These pigs can easily be accessed, with a substantial rearing populace in the United States.

Large Black Pigs

Large Blacks are tough, thrifty, and simple to oversee. They are otherwise called the Cornwall, Devon, or Lop-eared Black and were first spotted in England. They have a long and profound body, as they were initially reared as a bacon-type pig. Large Blacks can fare very well on pasture and were initially raised in unpleasant conditions so became truly versatile. Their dull pigmented skin implies they are impervious to sunburn.

Tamworth Pigs

Tamworth pigs were first spotted in England and are smaller in size when compared to different breeds. They’re particularly great at delivering loads of tasty bacon.

The water pump produces the levels of oxygen movement through the water. Due to this your fish and plants will do much better. There are a variety of aquarium pump types but submersible pumps can be used as it possesses a powerful motor to pump water in even large tank. I have been used my submersible pump for many years and it have always been good to me. However, there are also some drawback that make me weigh the other options of aquarium pump. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of submersible water pumps and so you can decide if it the best aquarium pump submersible will appropriate for your aquarium setup or not.

#1 The advantages of submersible water pumps

The most common water pump type is the submersible pump. It brings significant efficiency and convenient as it never needs to be primer. As the name suggested, the entire pump can be submerged into the tank water and you do not need to worry about it wearing or tearing. The water pressure gets the water directly to the pump so it will save a lot of energy than the other kinds of pumps. One more advantage of submersible pumps is that since it is under water, it I much more quiet than others pump. This is because the water they are submerged within ends up absorbing the noise of the pump. For beginner, I would like to recommend this kind of pump as it is a heck of a lot easier to install. Submersible pumps do not require you to do any complicate things or drilling into the bulkhead of your filtration system. Since the pump is always submerged in water, it also keeps the motor cool easier than other pumps.

#2 Disadvantages of submersible water pumps

a disadvantage of these internal pumps is that as they are water cooled, so they will release some heat out into the water and may heat up the water. These shouldn’t be used in cold water aquariums. The other drawback is that the seals can become corroded over time. This can make water seeps into the motor, rendering and need to be repaired. Besides, that seal makes the submersible pump a bit difficult to get repairs. Not only that, a submersible water pump can have a large body and take a lot of internal space of your aquarium, be careful of the dimensions of the pump.