Scared Stiff

Major Market Turning Point Ahead (Part I)

Good insights, I enjoyed reading this article. One point I would argue with, however:

"If you were to review the blogs and postings of die hard gold bug analysts you would find that they have all opined at one time or another that when the public is widely involved in gold that that would be the top. Well this has happened...and without a commensurate bubble run in the metal."

I don't think this is entirely accurate. The commercials I see are all pushing opportunities to sell gold, not purchase it. The public has been very much involved on the sell side, but not the buy side. I'm not sure that's what the bloggers had in mind when they made the statements you refer to.

Let's Just Say It: Print More Money

Dirk, you are 100% correct. We just need to keep propping up the broken system, again and again, and just keep praying that we can perpetually put off the inevitable, or at least until we're no longer around to deal with the consequences. Who wants to make tough decisions when the easy way out is always so successful?

A Black Hole Nearly Swallows Wall Street

This is more like Mussolini's dream than Lenin's.

A Paulson Fan's View of the U.S. Mortgage Company

"This morning's spike open was surely influenced by options expiration, as those caught short the market scrambled minimize their losses."

Anybody who was on the short side and managed to lose money this week deserves to lose everything.

Friday Outlook: T.G.I.F.

Dave, you seem to have raised the ire of the Ministry of Truth.

The U.S. Economy Is Holding On - For Now

The total DPI number is not a valid measure of Joesixpack's situation, because it's too heavily weighted by those at the top. Show the MEDIAN DPI, that's where you'll see the black line and the red line get closer and closer together.

Speed with Which Financials Have Fallen Is Disconcerting

Jimmy-- I disagree that "charting" is the problem. I think the problem is wall street's mentality that "what goes down, must go up." Anybody who has an honest look at XLF's charts wouldn't go near financials.

10 Winning Stock Themes in a McCain Administration

I think trying to foretell what either of these guys will actually do when in office is a loser's game. How do you feel so confident in what he's going to do when he's drastically changed his position on virtually every issue since his 2000 campaign? The only one that's a no-brainer is defense contractors, and I doubt Obama will have the courage to clean up the $billions of waste going to that sector, so it's a winner either way, IMO.

Weekly Market Review: Stagflation Story Remains Intact

Lower taxes will only help if they are accompanied by much lower government spending. Right now increased indebtedness will only exacerbate the Dollar's problems.

CPR for the Dollar? Try DNR

Aside from the media-Obama conspiracy talk, your article is spot on. For a guy so willing to buck conventional wisdom in favor of evidence, your willingness to cling to the notion that Republicans somehow bring on smaller government is baffling. The problem is not Democrats or Republicans, the problem is Democrats AND Republicans. Unfortunately, dumping the political cartels is about as likely as dumping the Fed.

Even in a Down Market, Growth Outperforms Value

Good article. It's another symptom of this totally insane, topsy-turvy, unpredictable market.

This Is My Least Favorite Type of Market

Macro Man and Duff Man should hook up.

Interview with Prieur du Plessis: Blogging, Investing and Global Markets

I also find it.... interesting.... that this interview was posted by the interviewee, rather than the interviewer. It almost seems like the author accidentally uploaded the wrong document.

Why the Fed Should Leave Interest Rates Unchanged

What about the Too Big to Plunge Index, aka the DOW?? Heaven forbid it should drop!

Good News: Consumer Confidence Falls to 26-Year Low

It's also interesting to note that we don't actually have a bear market yet. When was the last time consumer confidence was this low without an actual bear market? It's kind of hard to sell the idea that natural indicators point to a bottom in the market when the federal reserve has suddenly decided that its job is to prevent the market from behaving naturally.