Mark Bern's  Instablog

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The number of U.S. workers filing new applications for jobless insurance was unchanged last week, according to government data on Thursday that showed the labor market was slowly healing.

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I worry when someone I admire for their investing acumen seems to have become a shill for our President.  Maybe I'm just too pessimistic about our economy.  But, it the US dollar continues its fall, investing overseas where growth is stronger, government deficits are smaller, and currencies are strengthening against the US$ would seem to provide a better expected yield.  It seems as though Mr. Buffett is trying to talk the market higher and dispel concerns over the economy.  If he can convince other major investors to invest capital in the US he may make his prophecy come true.  Only time will tell just how much clout the oracle from Omaha still wields.


NEW YORK (Reuters) – Warren Buffett, perhaps the world's most admired investor, said on Thursday the financial panic that gripped the globe last year is a thing of the past, even as the U.S. economy's struggles persist.

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I am trying the instablog thing for the first time soo please bear with me.   I liked User's idea about a repository of sounds that I had the thought that a place for photos & videos might also be helpful.  This is a test for now.  I'll expand it later if I get everything to work.

I'm thinking of visuals that might help describe where we think the economy is going or maybe a response to a comment.  Let your imagination run.  As an example, this is sort of a visual interpretation of where I think our economy is at.




And then there is administration's answer to requests for more transparency below.



This one is from Maya.  I think it depicts the problem very acurately.




And I think we have to be careful in all situations.  You can't take anything for granted anymore.



And when what seems like a safe path suddenly changes in perspective, we end up with something like this.  Not a great feeling, is it?



When you have to make choices, it is always good to consider the important factors on both sides of each issue.



If you really want to show someone that you're unhappy with them use the one below.



Or if you are caught in a market freefall this next photo may capture your emotions.



And then, for those of us who just knew that the market was ready to tumble and subsequently felt like we were being trampled by the bulls.



I have been saying that this would be an early and cold winter.  I had to add these pics to better describe what I mean.







And then there was the one that sort of explains a self inflicted wound.



I liked this next one because it sort of explains visually how our government pictures as "everything is fine."



Of course, our leaders have mapped everything out with great care.



She must have used water colors.



Your tax dollars hard at work.



This next collection represents the housing market and its shaky foundations.