huskerbob's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/175946/comments http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/33679?source=feed#comment-704765 704765 Let's other countries keep devaluing their currencies as fast as the dollar, or we'll be paying european prices for gas in the future.]]> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:04:33 -0400 Let's other countries keep devaluing their currencies as fast as the dollar, or we'll be paying european prices for gas in the future.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/165036-is-marc-faber-right-about-the-u-s-dollar?source=feed#comment-704741 704741 Unfortunately, dollar destruction will accelerate to the point where it becomes a regular topic of conversation among the hoi polloi.
Will the world continue to send us their savings?
Will the ruling class do what needs to be done to strengthen the dollar?
No and no, emphatically. The dollar will continue to slide in the coming years, with an occasional gain here and there. ]]> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:23:18 -0400 Unfortunately, dollar destruction will accelerate to the point where it becomes a regular topic of conversation among the hoi polloi.
Will the world continue to send us their savings?
Will the ruling class do what needs to be done to strengthen the dollar?
No and no, emphatically. The dollar will continue to slide in the coming years, with an occasional gain here and there. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/161279-social-security-here-s-how-to-extend-the-fund-s-life?source=feed#comment-675845 675845 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:21:23 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/32005?source=feed#comment-663461 663461 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:08:27 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/140475-the-curious-problem-of-gold-and-silver-coins-as-legal-u-s-tender?source=feed#comment-525126 525126 Sun, 31 May 2009 11:26:05 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/24834?source=feed#comment-517523 517523 The problem is not lack of resources, it's idiotic, out of control spending to buy votes. Work for CA and retire on 80% of your highest salary!
Paul Krugman is a statist Keynesian who will always advocate more government confiscation of wealth, more government control. Reduce government spending? Who ever heard of such an idea?
How did such a tool win the Nobel prize for economics? It's handed out by a central bank. What a surprise.]]> Tue, 26 May 2009 03:36:16 -0400 The problem is not lack of resources, it's idiotic, out of control spending to buy votes. Work for CA and retire on 80% of your highest salary!
Paul Krugman is a statist Keynesian who will always advocate more government confiscation of wealth, more government control. Reduce government spending? Who ever heard of such an idea?
How did such a tool win the Nobel prize for economics? It's handed out by a central bank. What a surprise.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/23245?source=feed#comment-486340 486340 "We of couse need domestically made vehicles... in case of war."
What war are we talking about? Are Chrysler and Chevy a huge help in Afghanistan and Iraq? Can anyone imagine a scenario where we need to mobilize the economy to fight a war?
We can't fight a country with nukes or biological weapons or any of their allies unless we are not going to worry about having wmd's used against us. The remaining countries are so weak and isolated that it would not require us to mobilize our entire economy when we find an excuse to invade. ]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 22:23:19 -0400 "We of couse need domestically made vehicles... in case of war."
What war are we talking about? Are Chrysler and Chevy a huge help in Afghanistan and Iraq? Can anyone imagine a scenario where we need to mobilize the economy to fight a war?
We can't fight a country with nukes or biological weapons or any of their allies unless we are not going to worry about having wmd's used against us. The remaining countries are so weak and isolated that it would not require us to mobilize our entire economy when we find an excuse to invade. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/134231-real-estate-rentals-and-sales-prices-out-of-sync?source=feed#comment-484679 484679 However, you can use the more accurate Case Schiller index and still see significant downside. Don't forget that rents are falling in many markets. We are not likely to see rents rise significantly unless income rises as well.]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:09:03 -0400 However, you can use the more accurate Case Schiller index and still see significant downside. Don't forget that rents are falling in many markets. We are not likely to see rents rise significantly unless income rises as well.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/134231-real-estate-rentals-and-sales-prices-out-of-sync?source=feed#comment-483650 483650 There is a compelling reason for the indices to move back into sync, as home prices and rent were affected by largely the same factors and will be again now that it takes more than a social security # to get a mortgage. I was going to write pulse instead of SS# but that probably wasn't required on all loans.]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:18:04 -0400 There is a compelling reason for the indices to move back into sync, as home prices and rent were affected by largely the same factors and will be again now that it takes more than a social security # to get a mortgage. I was going to write pulse instead of SS# but that probably wasn't required on all loans.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133883-will-deficit-stimulus-spending-help-or-hurt-economic-recovery?source=feed#comment-483177 483177 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:07:19 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/133883-will-deficit-stimulus-spending-help-or-hurt-economic-recovery?source=feed#comment-482542 482542 We could go to war with China or Russia or their allies, but ask them first to please not deploy WMD's if they are losing.]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:44:50 -0400 We could go to war with China or Russia or their allies, but ask them first to please not deploy WMD's if they are losing.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/22907?source=feed#comment-482285 482285 As a hilarious aside, here is a quote from the investigator who gave the all-clear to Madoff in 2006: "If someone provides you with the wrong set of books, I don't know how you find the real books." She is shocked that a criminal would give her phony accounting to look at! No fraud will be uncovered unless the company provides the investigator with the documentation of their fraudulent activities!
She "was shocked" to learn of the $50 billion fraud. You can't make this stuff up!]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:35:49 -0400 As a hilarious aside, here is a quote from the investigator who gave the all-clear to Madoff in 2006: "If someone provides you with the wrong set of books, I don't know how you find the real books." She is shocked that a criminal would give her phony accounting to look at! No fraud will be uncovered unless the company provides the investigator with the documentation of their fraudulent activities!
She "was shocked" to learn of the $50 billion fraud. You can't make this stuff up!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133889-defined-benefit-pension-plans-may-be-financial-crisis-next-shoe-to-drop?source=feed#comment-482260 482260 I wonder how long until the pension bailout. Maybe they will just juice social security payments. Can't help but think that as long as they are printing dollars, they won't just print a few billions more to buy the boomer vote. Worked for FDR!]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:25:12 -0400 I wonder how long until the pension bailout. Maybe they will just juice social security payments. Can't help but think that as long as they are printing dollars, they won't just print a few billions more to buy the boomer vote. Worked for FDR!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133810-ponzi-schemes-fbi-arrests-danny-pang?source=feed#comment-482139 482139 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:01:42 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/133809-tarp-watch-riskier-less-transparent-and-more-corrupt?source=feed#comment-482132 482132 Whatever. I doubt Treasury's negotiations with GS were too stressful.

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:42:58 -0400 Whatever. I doubt Treasury's negotiations with GS were too stressful.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133883-will-deficit-stimulus-spending-help-or-hurt-economic-recovery?source=feed#comment-482130 482130 He can sign up his great grandkids to pay for this mess. I want mine to have a better future.

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:28:34 -0400 He can sign up his great grandkids to pay for this mess. I want mine to have a better future.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133671-something-s-afoot-in-cds-the-merrill-bank-of-america-decompression-trade?source=feed#comment-482095 482095 In defense of the complainers, he did have an obligation to pass on the deal or present an accurate picture of the deal to the shareholders.]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:44:24 -0400 In defense of the complainers, he did have an obligation to pass on the deal or present an accurate picture of the deal to the shareholders.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133685-one-party-rule-specter-defects-to-democrats?source=feed#comment-482081 482081 With Dems in control, we will have corporate cronyism, eroding rights, and rising deficits.
Hmmm, tough choice.]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:22:23 -0400 With Dems in control, we will have corporate cronyism, eroding rights, and rising deficits.
Hmmm, tough choice.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133623-earnings-preview-starbucks?source=feed#comment-482060 482060 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:41:49 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/133506-peak-oil-as-a-function-of-earth-s-volume?source=feed#comment-481908 481908 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:12:29 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/22857?source=feed#comment-481802 481802 And just say whoa, you are right. Thank god we have the Fed to protect us from suffering through any inflation or depressions. We have only had one Great Depression so far in US history, which the Fed took responsibility for. They have also managed to devalue the dollar 96% or so. Are you from the Bizarro world also?
]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:08:18 -0400 And just say whoa, you are right. Thank god we have the Fed to protect us from suffering through any inflation or depressions. We have only had one Great Depression so far in US history, which the Fed took responsibility for. They have also managed to devalue the dollar 96% or so. Are you from the Bizarro world also?
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/22856?source=feed#comment-481794 481794 He probably agrees with recovery.org that the purpose of this spending is to "build the foundation for long-term economic growth". You can't make this stuff up!

]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:53:36 -0400 He probably agrees with recovery.org that the purpose of this spending is to "build the foundation for long-term economic growth". You can't make this stuff up!

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133449-mexico-s-woes-quakes-flu-and-oil-production-collapse?source=feed#comment-480389 480389 Worse is the decline faced by the people of Mexico. The government recieves up to 40% of its revenues from Pemex, a company $96 billion in debt and soon to have no oil for export. They are already struggling with the drug war, this is just piling on.]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:37:28 -0400 Worse is the decline faced by the people of Mexico. The government recieves up to 40% of its revenues from Pemex, a company $96 billion in debt and soon to have no oil for export. They are already struggling with the drug war, this is just piling on.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133214-how-will-markets-react-to-mexico-s-swine-flu-panic?source=feed#comment-478656 478656 Sadly, I agree with Haerdt, although most disease outbreaks get a ridiculous amount of coverage.
As far as the markets, maybe the broken window analogy crowd will see some benefit. I'm sure vaccine makers are happy.]]> Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:18:18 -0400 Sadly, I agree with Haerdt, although most disease outbreaks get a ridiculous amount of coverage.
As far as the markets, maybe the broken window analogy crowd will see some benefit. I'm sure vaccine makers are happy.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/22598?source=feed#comment-478521 478521 A. Screw things up (see every Federal bureaucracy for examples)
B. Ask for more money]]> Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:49:59 -0400 A. Screw things up (see every Federal bureaucracy for examples)
B. Ask for more money]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133085-thoughts-on-the-current-restructuring-of-global-oil-demand?source=feed#comment-477458 477458 And to nobby - you are 100% correct about public transportation. Sadly, it is an uphill battle. In the past, there were too many corporate interests aligned against efficient public transportation. Hopefully the weakening influence of automakers will remove one hurdle. Public support seems to be growing as well.
]]> Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:11:35 -0400 And to nobby - you are 100% correct about public transportation. Sadly, it is an uphill battle. In the past, there were too many corporate interests aligned against efficient public transportation. Hopefully the weakening influence of automakers will remove one hurdle. Public support seems to be growing as well.
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133007-new-home-sales-trying-to-make-a-bottom?source=feed#comment-477277 477277

On Apr 25 09:45 AM Steve Owen wrote:

> HuskerBob has it right. Without the fraud the housing boom would
> not have happened. And sadly, a lot of builders were part of the
> problem. However, you may have missed or downplayed one factor, Bob.
> governmental action. It was Fannie and Freddie that really caused
> the housing bubble (I'm not discounting other factors such as too
> cheap interest and fraud); when they decided to push the envelope
> is really when things started to brew. Now they are in receivership,
> no telling what the government (with a primary purpose of putting
> people into houses) might do.]]> Sat, 25 Apr 2009 17:20:06 -0400

On Apr 25 09:45 AM Steve Owen wrote:

> HuskerBob has it right. Without the fraud the housing boom would
> not have happened. And sadly, a lot of builders were part of the
> problem. However, you may have missed or downplayed one factor, Bob.
> governmental action. It was Fannie and Freddie that really caused
> the housing bubble (I'm not discounting other factors such as too
> cheap interest and fraud); when they decided to push the envelope
> is really when things started to brew. Now they are in receivership,
> no telling what the government (with a primary purpose of putting
> people into houses) might do.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/133085-thoughts-on-the-current-restructuring-of-global-oil-demand?source=feed#comment-477240 477240 Jasper, the people who are moving up to a Tata are probably much safer than they were on a scooter.
Also, would the safety aspect of the switch to low consumption vehicles factor in lower consumption?
Less weight = less steel = less dependence on oil prices, lower cost of ownership, more discretionary income, more money = longer life.
Poverty is the #1 factor for reduced lifespan.]]> Sat, 25 Apr 2009 16:24:20 -0400 Jasper, the people who are moving up to a Tata are probably much safer than they were on a scooter.
Also, would the safety aspect of the switch to low consumption vehicles factor in lower consumption?
Less weight = less steel = less dependence on oil prices, lower cost of ownership, more discretionary income, more money = longer life.
Poverty is the #1 factor for reduced lifespan.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/132981-paulson-changes-his-tune-on-bofa-and-merrill?source=feed#comment-477217 477217 Our current predicament is possible because so many were afraid to speak out on abuses occurring around them. Although looking at what happened to people like Eliot Spitzer and Catherine Austin Fitts, I can't say I don't sympathize.]]> Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:52:46 -0400 Our current predicament is possible because so many were afraid to speak out on abuses occurring around them. Although looking at what happened to people like Eliot Spitzer and Catherine Austin Fitts, I can't say I don't sympathize.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/132877-interview-with-peter-schiff-reflating-the-bubble?source=feed#comment-477202 477202 At some point, spending will pick up again because the Fed will not let savers go unpunished! This has been stated in writing time and time again. Please read Bernanke and Greenspan on this subject. The only way to spur savers to spend is to make the idea of saving dollars seem ridiculous: devalue the currency.
The public pronouncements that they will act quickly to rein in inflation is counter to everything they are attempting to accomplish. Watch what they do, not what they say.


On Apr 24 09:59 AM OperaMan wrote:

> It seems to me that the hole in this argument about inflation due
> to spending ignores the one key fact of why we are in this mess to
> begin with and that is the collapse of consumer buying power due
> to wage stagnation for at least the last decade.
>
> Unless wage earners suddenly see a vast increase in their earnings
> from labor (where most of us get our money to spend) there will be
> no increase in spending to cause the increase in the velocity of
> money to drive prices up. Given the lack of well paying jobs in
> this country, such a large increase in real wages is, to say the
> least, unlikely.
>
> Given the new realities of declining real wages, and the realities
> of the new frugality (driven by the unavailability of consumer credit
> and a real fear of not having sufficient savings to weather a continuing
> series of personal financial crisis), there will not be any major
> increases in consumer spending (except maybe for the gifted top 2%
> of wage earners) any time in the near future.]]> Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:22:47 -0400 At some point, spending will pick up again because the Fed will not let savers go unpunished! This has been stated in writing time and time again. Please read Bernanke and Greenspan on this subject. The only way to spur savers to spend is to make the idea of saving dollars seem ridiculous: devalue the currency.
The public pronouncements that they will act quickly to rein in inflation is counter to everything they are attempting to accomplish. Watch what they do, not what they say.


On Apr 24 09:59 AM OperaMan wrote:

> It seems to me that the hole in this argument about inflation due
> to spending ignores the one key fact of why we are in this mess to
> begin with and that is the collapse of consumer buying power due
> to wage stagnation for at least the last decade.
>
> Unless wage earners suddenly see a vast increase in their earnings
> from labor (where most of us get our money to spend) there will be
> no increase in spending to cause the increase in the velocity of
> money to drive prices up. Given the lack of well paying jobs in
> this country, such a large increase in real wages is, to say the
> least, unlikely.
>
> Given the new realities of declining real wages, and the realities
> of the new frugality (driven by the unavailability of consumer credit
> and a real fear of not having sufficient savings to weather a continuing
> series of personal financial crisis), there will not be any major
> increases in consumer spending (except maybe for the gifted top 2%
> of wage earners) any time in the near future.]]>