Greg in Al

Is a Crash Impending?

Mike, I'm no expert here, but I believe this article (and chart) represents the Shanghai Index.....


On Aug 31 12:12 PM mikemichaelson wrote:

> This clown still thinks the S&P 500 is going to 200. Admit when
> you're wrong Karl.

Ban 'Flash Orders'

Egg, you don't have to ban day trading and force holdings for a day. We're talking seconds here..........

5 Reasons to Ignore Buffett

Another reason it's in his interest to keep the market buoyed - Berkshire has sold several billion dollars of long dated European style puts in the market.

Sell Signal of the Day, Greenspan Edition

The riddeler strikes again...........

A Rustbelt Revival: From Doom to Boom

Just be cautious of workers with the "union mentality" Isn't the big auto mfg. centers full of them? I'd bet some would rather build a brand new facility hundreds of miles away from the a UAW hall.

St. Joe Should Climb 25% - Barron's

As an owner of Real Estate of Florida panhandle real estate, I feel we are a long way from climbing out of this mess. Growth will be stagnant for years. Look at the gross overbuilding of Panama City Beach. Value of my condo has fallen 50% from the bubble highs in early 2005.

Wednesday Outlook: Commodities, Emerging Markets

David, I'm new to TA and just wanted you to know I appreciate the charts and commentary. I'm reading Murphy's book right now and your posts are helpful

Amazon Prime: Continued Growth All But Guaranteed

I don't hold amazon stock but have been an amazon prime member for two years now. I love the Prime service. Amazon is competitively priced on many items. I buy power tools and drill bits there among other things. 2.99 for overnight shipping costs less than the fuel to drive to Lowe's. It also makes Amazon one of the first places I look for items on the net.

The Problem with Diversification

I'm never investing in another bank again. Apparently, the banking industry is like a bunch of teenagers. Turn your back on them for a little while and they run amok. Pretty soon, you get the call to come bail them out of jail.

The Industry Indicator: Buy When the Market Sells

IMO, too early. Recession is news but we haven't felt the full effect of it. The banking crisis is just getting warmed up. It looks like there is much more bad news to come in this sector. The light at the end of the tunnel you see may be an oncoming freight train. I'll start shopping when the Dow has a 10 handle on it.

Stagflation in the 1970s vs. Today’s Economy

Thomas, Interesting article, but I am new to all this. How do you evaluate the investment rate and/or consumer liquidity levels? Any charts or figures available?

Forbes vs. Peter Schiff: Petty Smackdown

Sliman, Barry openly admits in this article he has made some bad calls. But Cramer takes the cake.

I will give Forbes a point about one thing: even a broken clock is right twice a day. Having said that, I lean much more towards Schiff's camp more than I lean towards the Wall St cheerleaders. I don't consider myself a conspiracy theorist but you have to wonder why some of these industry experts think it's just fine to lose our manufacturing base and finance our way into a false sense of prosperity.

Schiff has really helped raise awareness of some of the root economic problem this country has. The sooner we really deal with them, the quicker we can continue with true healthy economic growth.

Understanding What Recessions Are

balls, I do not agree that low return on savings will translate into spending, although it may in Jim Cramer's world. If I'm not making as much money as I was ( as could be the case in the recession), my impulse is to save for the rainy day, not spend. 2% in treasuries isn't good when inflation is over 4% but every consumer good I can think of off the top of my head depreciates a helluva lot faster than that. That leaves me with real estate and equities which right now aren't too enticing either. I'm hunkering downs and will take return OF investment over return ON investment right now.

Recession was accepted as a normal part of the business cycle until lately. It was financial Darwinism. Now, were trying to avoid it all costs, damned with the long-term consequences.

Some Subprime Mortgage Loans Are Actually Current

I admit my concerns are based on fear. With an almost universal acceptance that housing prices in many areas will drop, the LTVs will be very thin, or negative. I have a good FICO score which I want to keep. if I get upside down in my home I won't bail, I'm sticking with it. But will the sub-primers do that? After all, sub-prime is just a politically correct way to say "bad credit". When times get tough and equity turns negative, will the subprimers bail? They have crappy credit anyway, what do they have to lose by walking?

The Forever Stamp: The Next Great Investment Opportunity?

I thought the same thing! They are certainly better than TIPS. What better way to protect yourself from inflation than an investment tied to a the costs incurred by a bureaucratic monopoly. Just like precious metals, perhaps a small portion of every investors portfolio belongs in forever stamps! I'm just a little concerned about the looks I'm gonna get at the counter when I ask for a thousand rolls :)