Taking Stock

I began charting stocks 50 years ago in April 1962.
Computers came along and made charting and calculations much easier.
I was a stock broker for seven years.
I am glad that I was; I am glad that I am no longer.
For 16 years I maintained the Abarim Snohomish County Stock Index; I ended it on June 30, 2010.
I can be found now repairing computers at Harbor Square in downtown Edmonds.
What I write combines my sense of history (ask me about my ghost town some time, but be prepared to listen a long time) and my sense of numbers.
How are we doing compared to 10 or 50 years ago?
Statistics are easy. Agreeing on what the statistics mean can be hard.
My view is seldom the popular one, not because I want to argue (those close to me know that I avoid arguments if at all possible), but because what the raw numbers say and what the spinmeisters say are often at odds.
I usually make the sources of the numbers I use available.
You can check on me; you should check on me, as you should check any other source.
Snohomish County is very much in the shadow of King County, and may always be.
King County is one of the top economic engines of the entire world.
Snohomish County, as the smaller sibling, often isn’t noticed much.
I try to pull Snohomish County business information out into the light.
Often that may be something bright that has been overlooked, but sometimes it comes from the dark side.
Don’t expect to agree with me all the time, but I hope you will consider what I have to say.
Additional Column Posts (1 - 20 of 76) Next Page
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Microsoft makes state’s greatest 3rd-quarter gains | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Oct 04The third quarter of 2017 showed the smallest gain for Washington companies in 2017. The largest companies in the state grew, but gains were less ...
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Making the hike to Monte Cristo – finally | Taking Stock
Sep 20I don't have a bucket list as such, but there are certainly things that I would like to do before I die. The fantasy with Reese Witherspoon will ...
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Was Walla Walla once Washington’s biggest city? | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Sep 06I am not a political junky so I usually don’t watch TVW, the state’s public affairs television network. But on a weekend morning as I was channel ...
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How a 1909 cross-country car race inspired new roads | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Aug 23A few weeks ago I wrote about the Yellowstone Trail from Plymouth, Massachusetts, to Seattle. Because of that article, I discovered that there is ...
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The story behind Bezos becoming world's richest man | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Aug 09Forbes Magazine proclaimed Jeff Bezos the richest man in the world on July 27. His reign was brief: by the next day, Bill Gates was back in first ...
Highway’s twists, turns take travelers back in time | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jul 26I recently drove a section of the Yellowstone Trail right in our own backyard. Now nearly forgotten, this was the first highway in the U.S. that ...
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Railroad allowed towns on Puget Sound to prosper | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jul 12My good friend Karla Bowman recently gave me a book by Brian Solomon called “North American Railroad Family Trees.” Between that new book and ...
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Recovery slow for recession-battered banking industry | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jun 28The Great Recession hit the economy hard, and no sector was hurt more than banking. Washington's largest bank disappeared, and all of the largest ...
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Still keeping a list, and checking it twice | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jun 14Last week, I mentioned the Abarim Snohomish Stock Index – ASCSI – which I began in 1994 and ended in 2010. I also mentioned the spreadsheet that I ...
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Finding beauty in expected places, like headlights on I-5 | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - May 31The first home that I remember was on Eastlake in Seattle. We lived there until I was 5 years old. The Stewart Street off-ramp of Interstate 5 is ...
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Edmonds creation myth? Let’s get real | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Sep 27In college I had a professor of ancient history who was fond of poking fun at various societies' creation myths. I wonder how he would regard ...
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Historic places have plenty of stories, real or not | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Sep 13Many people associate me with ghost towns, especially Alpine, Washington. My interest is in historic towns. Some – like Monte Cristo, Alpine, ...
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Oregon traffic jam worth the celestial view | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Aug 30On Aug. 21, I got to see Venus and Orion before sunrise. Orion is my favorite constellation, and I seldom see it at this time of year. I usually ...
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Eddd-gaaar: Next stop, Cooperstown | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Aug 16The Seattle Mariners have finally decided to retire Edgar Martinez’s No. 11 jersey. Way past time. I have supported Edgar's candidacy for the ...
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Despite its mis-Fortune, Fortive makes Forbes list | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Aug 02In June, I was disappointed to learn that Fortune Magazine didn't include Everett-based Fortive on its Fortune 500 list. But Forbes Magazine just ...
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Football hero’s legacy extends to Snohomish | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jul 19Carl Lane Clemans is virtually unknown around here, which is a little surprising since he was once the coach of the University of Washington ...
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Big guys drive state’s (modest) 2nd-quarter gains | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jul 05The second quarter of 2017 was less eventful for Washington companies than the first. It looked like it might be a record-breaking quarter right ...
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Unlisted: Did Fortune forget Fortive? | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jun 20Fortune Magazine has released its 63rd Fortune 500 list of the biggest companies in the country, as measured by sales. The magazine says its ...
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How my index of county companies made an impact | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - Jun 07I have been tracking Snohomish County companies since 1994, when I began the Abarim Snohomish County Stock Index. The index was a conscious ...
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Some former capitals, county seats now ghost towns | Taking Stock
By Tim Raetzloff - May 24I am identified with the Alpine, Washington ghost town. Actually, ghost towns are rather common. Some sources claim that Colorado has more than ...