Responsibility

Global Markets Outlook: 3 Events that Could Shake the Markets During a Quiet Week

Capitalism has good and bad practices just as socialism. Some bad practices are capitalism regardless of social and environmental costs. Over-emphasises on consumptions of goods and services led to budget deficits and corrupted social valuse.

Taxes must be put to good usage. Taxes have become too high especially because the taxes are used for making large government agencies that are non-productive to the bottom line or that are not instrumental in promoting good values in the society. Tax on interests from saving should be abolished to give incentive for saving that is good as a restraint on over-consumption and as a resource to finance worthwhile infrastructure building and to stablize long term wealth growth to benefit home values and small businesses. One way is to eliminate the interests on savings equal to two years of highest income.

Jim Rogers on the Next 10 Years

Very lively comments on many grounds. Jim R's opinions have some truth but so are others. Mostly, Jim R expressed his appreciations for the recent fast growth in China.

Just want to add that US's urgent matters are:
1. the financial sector problems
2. the war on terrorists or extremists
3. the energy shortage and
4. the trade deficit

These are the main problems that are putting US's overall economy at risk and China is not the culprit, with exception possibly for the trade deficit item that at most be 50-50 accountable between US and China.

China is a partner with US in working out these matters, regardless of China becoming a super power or not. Learning Chinese is just one little item among many items, like learning Spanish is for having more fun and convenience to enjoy our south side neighbor.

The U.S. Dollar and Oil: Is an Endgame Near?

There are so many angry words directed at various things. Could it be that there are many things that need to change?

The facts seem to be reflected in words such as these: " - - -placed ourselves in jeopardy through years of fiscal delusion and self indulgence as policy. The worth and credibility of the US dollar reflects us and our national standards. We are the problem, not our choice of energy."

We over-consume, we indulge in blaming everyone but ourselves, we take advantage of others, we choice to take short term profits for personal gain over the well being of the public, we - - - -

Take for examples:
1. When we can afford, do we engage in excess consumption with no regard to environment, social effects, - - - needs of other who are less fortunate?
2. When we cannot afford, do we restraint from over-borrowing with no regard to responsibility to pay back?
3. When there are various means to solve this energy problem, do we help each other to use these means (gas, coal, nuclear, wind, solar, bio-fuel, - - - ) instead of opposing each other into inactions or costly competitions?

Let's take the first step by ourselves: reduce our energy consumption to a minimum (Believe it. Minimum is the right goal and remember it next time when you fail to car-pool or not take public transportation or turn up the heating or turn down AC or drive tens of miles for eating out or take air flights for distant vacation travels or throw out food or fail to encourage others to reduce their energy consumption or - - - ). Americans remain the top energy consumer on average, by a big margin.

Let's take the second step by educating ourselves and our children in means of energy saving/producing science and technologies, and by working in these industries.

Let's take the third step by not engaging or at least reducing in irresponsible actions: speculative investments in energy wasteful industries, participation in purposeless recreations (e.g. TV, movies, recreation parks, - - sorry that much of these have become meaningless), - - - - .

I sense certain awakening: this article's initial goal is apparently to promote speculative investments in natural gas for personal gains. The readers' responses turn into a debate on fixing the energy problem more than on investments for personal profit.

Is the Dollar Dead in the Long Run?

Trade deficit is the key problem that should be discussed and addressed. The U.S. dollar has become what it is because of favorable U.S. trades. When U.S. trading conditions become unfavorable, there will be consequences, including the U.S. dollar. Work on how to improve trade, instead of how to profit with every opportunity in the market.

China Dumping Long-Term Bonds, Concerned About U.S. Inflation

Should we be figuring out how to be constructive in improving employment, industries, education, life styles, - - - , and in resolving conflicts in places with wars and terrorists problems, than to judge and to analyze what one other country does with its savings?

Seven Uncomfortable Predictions for the Economy

With so many identified problems, why not also identify something that people can do to help? For example, trade deficit is a key factor. People should change their behavior so as to reduce import and to increase export.

The Federal Reserve Has Failed Its Economic Mission

Since trade deficit is a key problem, how can a relatively larger amount of bail out money be allocated to fix trade deficit than to other areas?

Exporting more to fix the deficit is preferred but that may take time and other efforts such as increasing values in products and lowering costs.

Reducing import is helpful to fix the deficit faster than other efforts and should become the responsibility and priority for all.

The Undisclosed Costs of the U.S. Government Bailouts

To encourage people to be responsible, we should have tax penalty and special points for future loans on load defaulters and tax incentive to people who keep their mortgages, to those who take on new mortgages, and to those who increase their mortgages, similar to tax on big cars and incentives for small/hybrid cars. Please spread this if you agree so that the politicians will do something.