redmuddler

Expect a Breakout or a Key Reversal Today

Most of the job increases were in the service industry, not construction or manufacturing. Likely, the unemployment number will stop going down, but what will actually make employment numbers go up? Loan demand is down, and the banks don't want to lend even is someone asks. This is Japan 1990, and they are still deflating.

Real Estate Recovery in Southern California: Home Sales Increase for 16th Straight Month

Does Mark Perry not read the papers? The only thing that makes the Cal. R.E market look "better" is all the gov. money and changing all the rules like "mark to market": all an illusion of improvement. Mr. Perry I question your motives or your intelligence.

Still Not the Great Depression 2.0

Marron's post is a poly-anna. He makes no allowence for the governments MASSIVE infusion of cash in SO many areas, and still the GDP comes up in negative numbers! Next quarter, the numbers will be revised down when it has less impact. Officially, unemployment is 9.8%, but they have reformulated the "estimated" calculation differently then the 1930s with a larger denominator to keep the unemployment number lower, and they ignore that each hour diminution of "average hours worked" translates to thousands of jobs lost. The government's estimates are weak and we won't know the truth until the information is of little more than historical value.

Barron's Interviews Templeton's Gary Motyl

All p/e will drop to 4 when the government admists they are not bigger than the world economy and they finally stop wasting our tax dollars propping up this dead man we call our economy. Sure, these stocks may go up for a while but in the end all assets will corollate down. This is simply re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic..

Why Tax Credits for Health Insurance Won't Work

Group insurance is invasive, wasteful and redundant and should end to be replaced with individual health policies. Health is between you and the doctor of your choice. With deductables and co-pays chosen by the individual, more people will be aware of cost reducing the expense of healthcare. To induce an increased percentage of the population to buy heath insurance, use a tax deduction.

The Fed is Terrified

Bernanke was well respected and confirmed by both parties for the job. Greenspan has been lauded for years until now. These men did not and do not act alone. There are 11 others on the committee. NO ONE sees a recession coming: i.e. look how all the smart guys trading stocks one day, are taken by surprise the next. The ecomomy is too big, and has too many moving parts to be controlled. All you can hope for is a good fire company.