Monday, September 22, 2008

The Worst Persons in the World - Today wasn't so bad. Henry was "W"rong. The sky didn't fall after all.

...Frank tonight withdrew his earlier assertion that Paulson had agreed that the U.S. will get equity in companies that receive government aid.
``I overstated'' the level of agreement on equity, Frank said. Still, he said, ``we've gotten closer to where we think it ought to be.'' (click here).
Democratic leaders said the measure is needed to calm market turmoil and they hope to complete talks and pass the measure soon. Even as an agreement neared, Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, said the proposal is ``neither workable nor comprehensive, despite its enormous price tag.'' House Republicans have also criticized the administration's response to the crisis as ``bail-out mania.''...

Bush really needs to be impeached along with Cheney. Should have been done a long time ago. I have never seen such a ludicrous mess in my lifetime. Those Bozos keep kicking sand in everyone's faces and they simply look the other way. This is as much a travesty to these circumtances as Paulson's Wet Dream.



The 'play' in the markets since it left 14,000 has been interesting. 14,000 was an artificial elevation. The market continues to make adjustments. I still don't see the pain and I don't 'buy it' that retirees have it so bad. The 'real' issues with people on FIXED INCOMES is that their cost of living is so overinflated due to energy, transportation and food costs that they don't have a lifesytle anymore.


I am quite confident retirees want to leave a country that has a future to their children and grandchildren rather than seeking 'short term creature' comforts. We are all in this together and its the simply things in life that sometimes makes more sense than extravangance and indulgence.

The market will turn around when there is a change of administration in DC and good paying jobs are again part of the American landscape, when energy and transportation is clean and reasonable and food is back to being thirfty and nutrious without corn syrup and additives in every ounce of the American diet. I mean it was the end of the line when I read an article about obesity in children and their need for liver transplants. Is there no decency in this country anymore? I think we need gym class back in all our schools.

The country has been on the wrong path for a long time now, this is just more of the same. The financial institutions have to ride it out. I only hope the Congress comes up with a loan program that will encourage the institutions to continue to strive to better outcomes. I have no empathy for stockholders. We all should be pleased these institutions continue to operate, so should they.

It's called being an American before one is an investor. Is there such a thing? The country didn't achieve this crisis overnight and it won't be straightened out overnight. Stockholders weren't complaining when the 'windfall profits' were hitting the books, then they should not be annoyed because they have hit a bump in the road along with a market adjustment. Gotta take the good with the bad.



...Paulson also faces serious defections in Republican ranks, with several key senators and congressmen resisting a bailout of this scale. Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, speaking on CBS's Face the Nation, flatly blamed the crisis on greed and deregulation, and questioned the terms of Paulson's plan....

There is no way the USA can absorb that level of debt, especially when its not even real.

This was April of 2008. Enough already. The price of the USA dollar drops and commodities go through the roof. The Paulson debacle will make the USA dollar worthless. Just the statements regarding such a plan has everyone running for cover.

JP Morgan did the right thing and it positions them to assit in the recovery of the USA economy and the markets as a stable fiscal entity. These firms need to be given an opportunity to resolve their debt through low interest loans that will provide latitude for expansion and a return of a solid base. They are best to steer the recovery, not the USA government.


As everyone is aware, the US Dollar has been in a severe decline since 2001 (click here). Over that time it has declined over 41%. The declining dollar helped to pull the economy out of the 2001 recession by lowering the prices of exports to foreign countries. But it also caused a lot of pain to consumers by being the primary cause of the rising cost of fuel. Depressed investor confidence in the Dollar is causing foreign investors to start selling dollar denominated assets, which in turn depresses investor confidence even more.




Crude Oil Has Biggest Gain Ever as Dollar Drops Against Euro (click here)
By Mark Shenk
Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil climbed more than $25 a barrel, the biggest gain ever, as the dollar weakened the most against the euro since January 2001, boosting the appeal of commodities as a hedge.
The October contract, which expires today, rose almost $12 more than the contract for November delivery, as traders rushed to close positions. Oil, gold, corn and other commodities climbed
as the dollar dropped on concern that a U.S. proposal to buy $700 billion of troubled assets from financial firms will deepen the budget deficit....

Georgie, Go Gofling. You've proven your worth to be not much more !

The markets are doing well, investors are not as jittery as one might expect as they have faith in the USA Legislature to be cautious and thorough.

A few hundred point swing is nothing these days. The DOW isn't going to see 14,000 for some time, so get over it. TOO BAD, HANK !

Don't blow it !

Steady as it goes ! Chart the coarse everyone. Let's go. We can do this and we can to it right without the corruption the Bush Executive Branch brings.

Where's Allen?



...Hank Paulson's plan will soon be rammed through Congress (Maybe not.), likely with strings attached for "homeowners" and executive pay. Too bad, because the plan is seriously flawed and taxpayers are likely to get hosed. Especially too bad because a much simpler plan that would save the system without socking it to taxpayers....

Krugman is right. You know there is something really reassuring right now about reading the same Op-Editor for years and years and years. Nice.

I can't help but wonder though, if we aren't all caught up in the 'enormity' of the Paulson Con. I mean that is exactly what it is, even if 'the gentle people of Wall Street' won't say it. Either Paulson is completely inept or he is attempting the Biggest Con in history. He didn't see any of this coming?

Give me a break. Would anyone in their right mind with intact ethics and integrity actually hang their hat on this one? No.

And what if the 'tragedy of the commons' isn't all that?

Cash for Trash (click here)
By
PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: September 21, 2008

...But Mr. Paulson is demanding extraordinary power for himself — and for his successor — to deploy taxpayers’ money on behalf of a plan that, as far as I can see, doesn’t make sense....



Nice work Vladimir.

Very nice.

Russia can be counted on.

When it comes to fighting Nazis or containing the nuclear ambitions of Iran or stopping tirading zealots in Georgia or stabilizing global markets.

Russia 'gets it.' You know?


EMERGING MARKETS REPORT
Russian rally sends stocks 30% higher (click here)
Epic swing prompts another temporary suspension of trading
By
Polya Lesova, MarketWatch
Last update: 6:13 p.m. EDT Sept. 19, 2008
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Russian stocks rallied nearly 30% Friday, causing the markets' regulator to halt trading once again on the two main stock exchanges, after the government took a series of steps aimed at stemming the country's financial turmoil....

It is difficult to tell on a warming planet with drought disaffecting everything when exactly is the best autumn leaf color....


...the net is fortunate enough to have experts speaking to the issues of 'leaf color perfection.' Click on the title to this entry to find the quinessential forecaster of Autumn Color Foliage.


Click example here


cjansen@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Sept. 28, 2003
Staying at a New Hampshire bed and breakfast when the fall foliage was at its brilliant peak, Marek Rzonca couldn't figure out why the place was empty except for him and his wife, Sara....

...So using his Internet savvy and his background in meteorology, Rzonca tapped bed-and-breakfast proprietors in his region and set up a Web site for travelers in pursuit of up-to-date information about the fiery reds, glowing oranges and bright yellows of autumn.
Four years later, his Foliage Network Web site covers 19 states, including Wisconsin, and has leaped from 6,000 visitors in 1999 to more than 170,000 last year....

The height of color along The Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina, 2007.

Best Fall Foliage and Autumn Color Web Cams for 2008 (click here)
Fall and Autumn Foliage Live Video Cams
By
Steve Nix, About.com
I have selected the very best "web" video cameras showing fall leaf color in forests throughout North America for the 2008 viewing season. These selected sites record the color of fall tree foliage using "live" web cameras mounted at strategic locations. By viewing these forest web cams, you will see how fall color is spreading and the autumn leaf wave is moving throughout North America....

South Africa: Address to the Nation by President Thabo Mbeki

Everything Bush touches turns to mush.

South Africa: Mbeki to Resign After Party Clashes (click here)
20 September 2008

Posted to the web 20 September 2008
John AllenCape Town
President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is being forced out of office early after a bitter struggle with his rival and successor, Jacob Zuma, over the fallout from a U.S.$5 billion arms deal....



South African Government (Pretoria)
21 September 2008
Posted to the web 21 September 2008
Thabo Mbeki
Fellow South Africans (click title to entry, thank you),
I have no doubt that you are aware of the announcement made yesterday by the National Executive Committee of the ANC with regard to the position of the President of the Republic.
Accordingly, I would like to take this opportunity to inform the nation that today I handed a letter to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Baleka Mbete, to tender my resignation from the high position of President of the Republic of South Africa, effective from the day that will be determined by the National Assembly.
I have been a loyal member of the African National Congress for 52 years. I remain a member of the ANC and therefore respect its decisions. It is for this reason that I have taken the decision to resign as President of the Republic, following the decision of the National Executive Committee of the ANC.
I would like sincerely to thank the nation and the ANC for having given me the opportunity to serve in public office during the last 14 years as the Deputy President and President of South Africa....