Urbane Gorilla!

Seven Uncomfortable Predictions for the Economy

Yup! Aside from increasing social unrest in other countries (expect the Mexican Drug problem to spill over our border for example) I think you've summed it up very well. Thanks!

For Insurance Companies, Is a Crisis Looming?

Nobody likes what's happening right now. It's like going to the dentist. Not pleasant, but necessary.

But, I'll let let you in on a secret that seems to have escaped your intellectual ramblings: The younger generation always thinks it is supporting the older generation and the younger generation, never seems to be aware of the support that they have received. I'm not a boomer, but I do recall being pissed that I had so much social security pulled from my meager paycheck to **lavish** on those wealthy retirees, riding around in their Caddies, golfing and going out to plays and great meals on my buck! Somewhere in the mix, I didn't notice that I was driving on roads, going to colleges, watching the tube and at times collecting unemployment all off the sweat of the generation that preceded me. In case you missed it in high school, it's called 'the Social Contract'. Quit whining and grow up. Saving the banking system benefits everyone, even the younger generation.

jegan


On Feb 28 01:13 AM crowdofcheerleaders wrote:

> Boomers are fuct. What I DON'T APPRECIATE is their final act of
> hubris in insisting we bail out a bunch of criminals for nothing
> in return so in order to keep their final illusion of having a TV
> commercial style retirement. It really makes me puke a little bit
> up in my mouth.
>
> Guess what Boomers, not only are you not gonna get that TV style
> retirement, but also since you insist on believing in these bailouts,
> your own kids won't be able to take care of you in your senescent
> days like you might have wanted. You have fun now.

What Do We Need In 2009? More Failure

You're so right. In fact, if you visit India, you can see this process at work. Its very plain. Some people will walk on the backs of the bruised (Sorry, stole that from Trent Reznor) and succeed... The rest live in and dig through the local garbage dump to survive as rag-pickers.

Books are books. Life is about people.

jegan

The Moral Hazard of Underwater Stock Options

UFO "grassy knoll" stuff... jegan

Looking for Action? Most Volatile Stocks

Great stuff! Thanks jegan

AIG: How It Spent Your Tax Money

I posted this to another site, but it's interesting.... The Wikipedia entry under 'Credit Default Swaps' is worth reading if you'd like to see the variety of ways that these swaps can be gamed... Anyway, this paragraph references Warren Buffet and it is pertinent:

Warren Buffett famously described derivatives bought speculatively as "financial weapons of mass destruction." In Berkshire Hathaway's annual report to shareholders in 2002, he said, "Unless derivatives contracts are collateralized or guaranteed, their ultimate value also depends on the creditworthiness of the counterparties to them. In the meantime, though, before a contract is settled, the counterparties record profits and losses--often huge in amount--in their current earnings statements without so much as a penny changing hands. The range of derivatives contracts is limited only by the imagination of man (or sometimes, so it seems, madmen)." The same report, however, also states that he uses derivatives to hedge, and that some of Berkshire Hathaway's subsidiaries have sold and currently sell derivatives with notional amounts in the tens of billions of dollars.[21] Berkshire Hathaway, with a market capitalization of $196 billion[22], certainly does have enough equity to collateralize or guarantee these contracts.

Dow Changes Since Last Time at 10,000

Or you could wait and maybe buy 20! jegan ;-)

Lehman's Lies

I think I'm beginning to see a trend!

The President, Vice President and their posse lie constantly to the American Public.

Any politician up for election will lie to the public.

Organized religion lies about pedophilia in their ranks.

CEOs lie about the condition of their companies.

Sports figures lie about their drug usage.

.... Got all the makings of a great American tradition!

jegan ;-)

3 Things America Needs to Do to Get the Economy Back on Track

Boy! You're sure talking a lot of anti-republican rhetoric here! Limit free trade by taxing to compensate for the Yuan/Dollar, get clunkers off the road, push for reduced gas consumption.. Don't know what to say!

Caught you on the tube the other day... Good stuff

jegan ;-)

Go Terrapins!

Have We Reached a Near-Term Bottom?

The problem with the bailouts is simply that they were implemented too late. You don't leave someone lying on the pavement bleeding to death and only rush them to ICU when you hear a death rattle.

To that I say, Bush wants the Republicans to look like White Knights in time for the election. Too bad our financial network is failing simply because our president wants to wear another flack-jacket in November...

jegan ;-)

Taking Profits in TWM, Adding to Barclays

I'm pretty much drowning in my mouth-watering bargains.... How about some arid Sahara like upside for a change.. jegan ;-)

Finding Relative Value in Financial Services

Certainly hope you're wearing shoes while you're out there wading around in the murky swamp of financials. Wouldn't want to see you step on anything nasty and squishy. Having said that, I'd be looking elsewhere...

ITU (Brazil) Seems to be coming off a low and looks like it might have 25% upside within a 3 month period. It is also on an uptrend. Watch it though. Brazil has a lot of commodity exposure...But it also has a booming internal economy - unlike (err...hack..cough..) the US.

IBN (India). I'd let it come back up through $28, for what might be a potential double. (Don't buy it now... It's dropping again.) Although India has a lot of problems with infrastructure and barricading itself against outside forces, it could be a nice growth story.

I'd also look at a nice stop just below the recent lows on either..

jegan ;-)

Preparing for Dow 30 Earnings

Great stuff... I'll keep this chart as my desktop just so I can compare it as earnings come through ...

Thx jegan ;-)