j-dub

Why So Much Skepticism Regarding the Rally?

Excellent article and my sentiments EXACTLY.
(How many kicks in the head do investors need?)


I proclaim this equity run up as the Rally of Hope and Smoke.

Strategic Default: The New Stimulus

There is out of control spending by our government and apparently out of control pay packages for public sector employees.
There are banksters screwing American consumers with 30% credit card interest rates, and American consumers screwing banksters by not paying their mortgage whether thay are able or not.
There is our government funneling our children's money into the banks who won't lend for very good reasons, and small businesses that won't hire new employees because no real small business owner would bring on a new employee with the current administration changing the rules on a daily basis.
The banksters are grabbing bonuses like life preservers aboard the titanic, ,while insiders are selling their shares at an astounding rate to make one wonder if company stock, little did we know, is simply a dying fad. The financial pet rock that overstayed it's 15 minutes, so to speak. What I would love to know, in all seriousness, is where these executives are parking all of their funds from stock sales-wouldn't that be interesting to find out!
Is it only a matter of time before a tax revolt takes hold or has 50 inch HDTV's put the American citizen into a coma?
Is our economy in a free for all with everyone grabbing what they can before it all comes down?
Are sections of our society coming apart at the seams?
Or is it time to take the Gucci tin foil hat off and go to bed?

2009 Christmas Card from the U.S. Financial Markets

Things are back to normal according to this chart. Statistically speaking, 2008 was a simple 1 year blip. I think conditions are more negative, but according to this chart, I am wrong.
Thank goodness for wall street statistics and government supplied charts, otherwise there would be no V recovery.

Availability of credit and bank lending is back to normal via an inverted chart to resemble a Christmas tree with ornaments?
Well, it looks like he's finally lost it.

(Oh, and if anyone actually paid attention to the chart with any sort of seriousness, it should read Jan 08-Dec 09)

Recovery on Track: Buy Equities, Sell Bonds

"Recovery on Track."

He then goes on:
"The market remains very vulnerable, if the recovery were to falter, since the economy has not yet built up momentum to the upside. So the rally is not yet locked into place, even though it is well founded. The risks of a reversal in the market will decline sharply as economic growth becomes better entrenched."

TRIPLE TALK

9 opinions in two sentences. I've heard of forked toungue, but never trident toungue.
You inadvertently(I assume) make it all too convenient to completely discredit you, as I didn't even have to back check your other "articles" for contradictory opinions.

The only solid upward trajectory that can be seen from the ground is the number of Americans that are reliant on food stamps.

Just Don't Call It a Stimulus

Excellent article!!!!
I laugh (because I can't cry) how my fellow health care workers are so unbelievably clueless as to how far removed from reality our workforce is.
I took a 5 week vacation to South America this year and the ONLY Americans I ran into the entire time were from the education/health care sector. Some seemed offended when it was mentioned that our vocation does not face the same market forces that others do. That our country is in serious trouble. They seemed annoyed, not because we were on vacation, but because they don't experience the same stress as those employed in a ultra competitive environment. They are absolutely clueless that stress is real and growing and that it can't be swept under the carpet. It is human nature to dislike what is not understood. The public/pseudo public sector needs to be jolted and have their comfy surroundings pulled out from under them in order to create mass anti-government action. Now I admit I am suckling on the tit of mother government as well. My responsibility that I have taken upon myself is to remind my colleagues, whether they like it or not, that all is not well in Kansas and we are all too fortunate to be where we are. I am the human alarm clock to those around me sleeping soundly. And the vast majority are out cold.
"WAKE UP"

Why Bernanke Should Be Fired

Ode to Ben

There once was a man named Bernanke.
A Wall Street whore and government lackey.
To the Federal Reserve chair, he rose.
The events surrounding the Great Depression, he knows.
Still, wrong time after time.
Someone throw him a line.
A complete failure, back to Princeton, he goes.

Former Fed Governor Mishkin Slams 'Paul Bill': Are We in Wonderland?

“The Ron Paul bill is incredibly dangerous,” said Mishkin, who is now a Columbia University professor, in a Bloomberg Radio interview. “It is remarkable the kind of attacks that are occurring on Fed independence.”


Substitute dangerous with unprecendented, attacks with suspicion(think about that one:)) and independence with secrecy.

ISM Index: Another Sign of a V-Shaped Recovery

For an OSTRICH HATER, you really enjoy sticking your head in the sand by thinking your making money from a statistical recovery in a bear market rally with a fast depreciating currency.
My goodness, the irony..............


On Dec 01 01:20 PM OstrichHater wrote:

> Who cares? You should. Aren't you an investor/trader? You should
> realize that you can profit from this information.

Why I'm (Cautiously) Optimistic About the Future

"Cautious optimism is the correct and most rewarding path. And that, I hope, is what you see when you read my weekly thoughts."

You must notice, Mr. Maudlin, that the positive articles are based on blind optimism and (quiet) hope that when the fed and government stops the music, the American economy will continue to dance.
The realistic articles (not necessarily negative) are based on numbers and facts.
I think the most important concept one should glean from your writing is that our country for better or worse, will be very different from what we have experienced the last 60 years. Change is inevitable in all facets of life.
You can protest, accept and adapt, or leave
The choice is yours.
Mine? A bit of 1 and a lot of 2.

Is Monday the New Rally Day?

I have a feeling either today or next Monday,(the Monday after next at the latest) one of these dollar beating rallies is going to reverse AND REVERSE HARD. Bulls won't know what hit em
A gentleman's bet!!!

Market Volume: Still an Unanswered Question

I guess controlling is a less controversial word than manipulating.
Substitute control for manipulate
:)


On Nov 22 11:24 AM thotdoc wrote:

> So, did you go to jail for manipulating SIRI?

Market Volume: Still an Unanswered Question

"Were it not for rising market values, the current government policies designed to rescue the US (and global) economy would be brought into doubt."

If the current administration has "the most" to lose by a dow near 7,000, then by that measure, they surely would have the most to gain from a dow above 10,000. So if you believe that this is a zirp, government engineered rally, then what we have is a bear market rally. You can't put a gun to my head and tell me to hire someone, so it's easier to print money to manipulate the market.
Hell, I was 27 years old and was able to successfully manipulate a few stocks like SIRI or TRAD with a couple of million dollars. If I had a couple of hundred billion at the time.....................
There are 2 sections of society the press loves to discuss:
1) Wall Street
2) Main Street(everyone else)
If Main Street(everyone else) is actually getting worse, then the fundamentals that drive sustainable growth are getting worse. Unless you are part of fthe Wall Street Ivory tower folk who all of a sudden are pretending Main Street(everyone else) doesn't matter anymore. So if fundamentals are getting worse(sicker), how is Wall Street getting healthier? Trillions in handouts, mass layoffs("increased productivity" you've been hearing about) all supported by the PPT who is gunning the futures higher. All of this general misallocation of finite(yes, we can't print dollars forever(sorry Big B)) capital to the banks' coffers takes away from the capital that can be utilized by the "everyone else" crowd.
So Wall Street is getting healthier while Main Street stays in the ICU.


A large part of the BIG LIE is trying to pretend that the above is not taking place.
That because GS is handing out billions in bonuses, things are getting better. The problem with the BIG LIE is that the everyone else crowd has eyes and ears and can see what is really going on no matter how the current administration tries to divert our attention with the 911 trials in NYC or the insistence of immediate and colossal health care legislation.

The government will spend our grandkids money, say that their saving us from disaster, and tell us us that our economy is recovering because of stabilizing spending. The other part of the BIG LIE.
All makes sense to me. Right? No one that has any sense believes the BIG LIE. So there is no volume because there is no confidence in sky high PE levels and government's sugar coated stats.
So to answer your unanswered question, Mr. Catalano, there is no volume because no one on Main Street believes anyone on Wall Street anymore. Let the two or three computers trade back and forth with each other until one quant accidentally hits the wrong key and the DOW crashes
Oh....................... and this mistrust I've been talking about:
it's a generational thing.

The Real Reason the FHA Doesn't Need a Bailout

Mark,

Take the BLUE pill, if you still have the chance!!!!
I did and things are wonderful.

Obama is making nice with the Chinese who make things cheap enough for anyone to buy which is awesome. Our government is working overtime to fix the crisis.
I still do have one serious issue with everything going on: I think there should just be one more car credit program so I could snag that sweet caddy I've had my eyes on. Besides this one caveat, the blue pill is the way to go.

sincerely,
j-dub

Employment Outlook Isn't as Bright as Slate's Daniel Gross Thinks

Let me say to you that since I lost my job earlier this year, I am able to stay home and watch CNBC all day, everyday. And I've learned three very valuable pieces of information from watching day in and day out that I am happy to pass on:

1) Everything is fine.

2) Our government is making ALL the right moves because Ben Bernake is a genius.

3) The economy is just a bit behind schedule concerning employment. That'll solve itself. (refer to #1)

Watch a lot more CNBC, John, and you'll come to the same conclusions. They don't get involved with all those fancy numbers and it's fun to watch Cramer jump around.

If This Is a Recovery...

So, from the information I've gathered so far, we will be in a:
jobless, homeless, incomeless, debt ridden, currency appreciationless, recoveryless recovery.

GO USA


(on an anecdotal note, I was attending an MBA information session here in Florida, when the second speaker got up to talk. Talking about job opportunities in this economy, I have never seen a more obvious hatred towards ones own spin when she said,"As we recover.........."
Her eyes rolled so much they almost fell right out of their sockets and she lingered on the word recover as if to say,"Who am I kidding?"
Pretty telling)