Plenty of economists agree with Paul Krugman that today’s S&P downgrade is “no big deal,” citing Japanese long-term interest rates that stayed low even after the country was downgraded in 2002. Show of hands: How many people want the fate of the U.S. over the next nine years to approach the fate of Japan over the previous nine years? [View news story]
We can only hope that the fate of the U.S. over the next nine years will approach the fate of Japan over the previous nine years.
Most Americans Not Ready for Retirement [View article]
The table assumes that a person is spending all income to maintain a certain lifestyle.
What about the person who has always lived well within a person's means? Knock of 10 or 20 thousand. Adjust for lower taxes because of a lower bracket and maybe that person doesn't even need that 74%. I don't.
Not to say I don't worry about incompetent government ruining everything though.
How the S&P 500 Destroyed $4.5 Trillion [View article]
Exactly!
They issue options to employees at or below market value and then if the stock price rises they buy back shares to prevent dilution. If the stock price falls, they reset the option price lower thus completely negating the supposed incentive for granting the options in the first place.
Geithner to Neil Barofsky, according to the TARP inspector general's report: "In the future, we may have to do exceptional things again” - i.e., a bailout - if the shock to the financial system is large enough. Barofsky to Geithner: That attitude “underscores a TARP legacy - the moral hazard associated with the continued existence of institutions that remain ‘too big to fail.’” (I, II) [View news story]
It should be mandatory reading for all members of Congress to read the first 65 pages of "The Creature from Jekyll Island", the 1994 book on the Federal Reserve System.
Actually, now that I think about it, it should be incorporated into high school curriculums.
Here It Comes: Consider Yourself Warned [View article]
One thought that crossed my mind prior to the invasion of Iraq was that in some circles it was a belief that wars were good to spur the economy. Lots of increased manufacturing with no market saturation. I.e. so much of it was disposable. Very little mention of it, if any, at the time, but I that it much more plausible than defending our source or oil, disposing of a tyrant, fighting over there rather than here, and all the other reasons that were in debate.
The PC industry could lose 50M-100M units in annual sales by 2015 thanks largely to the impact of mobile devices, argues Barclays in a depressing report. Barclays, which is cutting estimates for Dell (DELL) and H-P (HPQ), forecasts PC sales will fall another 4% next year to 338M, and total just 311.5M in 2015. On the other hand, it expects tablet sales to reach 182M next year and 300M in 2016. Longbow is also downbeat, claiming checks indicate notebook orders are being cancelled; ultrabook demand is soft, and Intel and AMD are cutting prices. [View news story]
Somehow I can't visualize an accountant doing tax returns on a tablet. In fact, I can't envision me doing my tax return on a tablet.
Debating Dividends: What Would You Want Your Company to Do With Its Excess Cash? [View article]
Dear SeekingAlpha,
We need a way to search for "New Comment" so that one doesn't have to scroll through all the previous comments that a person has already read. A real bummer when a thread has over 100 comments.
Changing the "New Comment" graphic to highlighted text "New Comment" would work.
Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News [View article]
Anyone else find the "Related Articles" pop up or slider or whatever you call it annoying? We need a way to turn it off for those of us who don't want it.
I stopped reading after he mentioned that ShadowStats says last year's inflation was 8.5%.
Using ShadowStat's compounded rate of inflation over the last 10 years, I should be getting food stamps. As it is though, my budget hasn't really changed dramatically, medical care excepted.
What's so wrong with tax cuts for the wealthy, Caroline Baum wonders - after all, most Americans aspire to being rich. It's "voodoo economics revisited," Simon Johnson says - "childishly reckless" fiscal policy that digs the U.S. into a deeper debt hole. [View news story]
Re: "Who would strive to be a millionaire?"
Pretty much all of us. I'd venture to guess that leaving a lot to one's heirs is secondary to a comfortable lifestyle here and now.
And then there is the satisfaction of winning. That's why millionaires and billionaires keep working.
Bernanke's thinly-veiled chastising of China's currency policy was unusual in its bluntness, highlighting not just the "unconventional" nature of U.S. monetary policy but also of Fed rhetoric. It also could lead to unintended consequences: provoking China, causing a currency war, and launching a round of foolish tariffs. [View news story]
Yeah, I seem to recall a "Bring it on" boast about 4000 dead soldiers ago.
Plenty of economists agree with Paul Krugman that today’s S&P downgrade is “no big deal,” citing Japanese long-term interest rates that stayed low even after the country was downgraded in 2002. Show of hands: How many people want the fate of the U.S. over the next nine years to approach the fate of Japan over the previous nine years? [View news story]
Unfortunately ...
First Call of a Double-Dip Recession: Setting Up a Market Bottom? [View article]
Yet when it is up, so few try to call the top?
One of life's mysteries, I guess.
Worst Housing Number in Decades: What Is the Wall Street Media Smoking? [View article]
Most Americans Not Ready for Retirement [View article]
What about the person who has always lived well within a person's means? Knock of 10 or 20 thousand. Adjust for lower taxes because of a lower bracket and maybe that person doesn't even need that 74%. I don't.
Not to say I don't worry about incompetent government ruining everything though.
How the S&P 500 Destroyed $4.5 Trillion [View article]
They issue options to employees at or below market value and then if the stock price rises they buy back shares to prevent dilution. If the stock price falls, they reset the option price lower thus completely negating the supposed incentive for granting the options in the first place.
Geithner to Neil Barofsky, according to the TARP inspector general's report: "In the future, we may have to do exceptional things again” - i.e., a bailout - if the shock to the financial system is large enough. Barofsky to Geithner: That attitude “underscores a TARP legacy - the moral hazard associated with the continued existence of institutions that remain ‘too big to fail.’” (I, II) [View news story]
Actually, now that I think about it, it should be incorporated into high school curriculums.
Here It Comes: Consider Yourself Warned [View article]
Of course that didn't work out very well.
The PC industry could lose 50M-100M units in annual sales by 2015 thanks largely to the impact of mobile devices, argues Barclays in a depressing report. Barclays, which is cutting estimates for Dell (DELL) and H-P (HPQ), forecasts PC sales will fall another 4% next year to 338M, and total just 311.5M in 2015. On the other hand, it expects tablet sales to reach 182M next year and 300M in 2016. Longbow is also downbeat, claiming checks indicate notebook orders are being cancelled; ultrabook demand is soft, and Intel and AMD are cutting prices. [View news story]
How My Family And I Overcame Obstacles To Be Better Off Than 4 Years Ago [View article]
Net income (retired) I'm up a few percent.
Optimistically I'm up more than a few percent.
Just bought a new car. Still living within my budget.
I enjoyed your article. Things aren't all bad for many (the majority?) of us.
Debating Dividends: What Would You Want Your Company to Do With Its Excess Cash? [View article]
We need a way to search for "New Comment" so that one doesn't have to scroll through all the previous comments that a person has already read. A real bummer when a thread has over 100 comments.
Changing the "New Comment" graphic to highlighted text "New Comment" would work.
Sincerly,
DavyJ
Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News [View article]
Weak holiday sales are even more dismal than they seem, Jeff Nielson writes. When adjusted for inflation, the 2010 shopping season was actually worse than in 2008 and 2009 - "nothing short of an economic disaster." But at least we're eating well. [View news story]
Using ShadowStat's compounded rate of inflation over the last 10 years, I should be getting food stamps. As it is though, my budget hasn't really changed dramatically, medical care excepted.
What's so wrong with tax cuts for the wealthy, Caroline Baum wonders - after all, most Americans aspire to being rich. It's "voodoo economics revisited," Simon Johnson says - "childishly reckless" fiscal policy that digs the U.S. into a deeper debt hole. [View news story]
Pretty much all of us. I'd venture to guess that leaving a lot to one's heirs is secondary to a comfortable lifestyle here and now.
And then there is the satisfaction of winning. That's why millionaires and billionaires keep working.
Bernanke's thinly-veiled chastising of China's currency policy was unusual in its bluntness, highlighting not just the "unconventional" nature of U.S. monetary policy but also of Fed rhetoric. It also could lead to unintended consequences: provoking China, causing a currency war, and launching a round of foolish tariffs. [View news story]
Know When to Walk Away [View article]
But he who panics first gets the best price.