abetterplace's Comments

Don't Count American Manufacturing Out Just Yet

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:42:39 -0400

I am afraid, sir, that your facts are twisted just as they are in the government reports. Manufacturing in the US today is but a fraction of what it has been. GNP is the best reporting tool for the manufacturing track but GDP looks much better to the masses as to how our country is doing. Domestic services should not be used in tracking manufacturing. Just look at DE,CAT,GM,Ford or Chrysler
products. Without all the imported parts they are assembled with (assembled being the key word, not manufactured) they would have no product. Look at what is left of our steel industry. Very little. A real look at manufactured goods would give a very different reading from those used today.

Are Unemployment Numbers Bogus?

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 07:27:45 -0400

Always remember this report :

This report finds that all reports, surveys, opinions and studies are flawed at least 50%, including this one.

The Bears' Skepticism Is Getting Old

Sun, 17 May 2009 08:15:52 -0400

You got it right Harry. Picture the market as a snowball, with the snow being optimism or pessimism and determining the amount of snow available and the length of the roll. In the end, the snowball always stalls and melts or keeps rolling until it finally bursts. It never knows when to stop at the optimum time.
The old snowball theory everyone knows.
About as good as the next theory.

There Won't Be a Recovery

Sun, 17 May 2009 07:49:11 -0400

Yea buddy. Just thinking of where all the happy, equal people are in the world after the upper echelon of citizens were robbed of their money for the benefit of the masses. UH. Uh. uh. Just give me a few minutes, I'm thinking.

The Federal Reserve Can Not Account for $9 Trillion in Off-Balance Sheet Transactions?

Mon, 11 May 2009 20:09:20 -0400

I wouldn't put much faith in the nature of any questions asked of anybody by a politician. They are always loaded in one way or another for political gains.

Has 'The Trampoline Effect' Come to an End?

Mon, 11 May 2009 08:08:00 -0400

I prefer calling it a "safetynet". Being that it is not held as correctly as possible, it sure beats splatting the concrete if you're the one falling.

Loss of Manufacturing Jobs Prevents Normal Recovery

Sun, 10 May 2009 07:47:07 -0400

Not being a union man, I fail to understand what's wrong with working 60 hours a week.Laziness did not propel this country to the greatest one in the world.

Dollar's Purchasing Power Annihilated - The Chart They Don't Want You to See

Sat, 09 May 2009 08:13:18 -0400

Just another doomsday chart with no common sense value.
Dollar values and supply must change constantly in any capitalistic society to allow for inflation that is an absolute.
The big catch is when inflation outruns money supply as has been seen in many, mostly under developed countries. It's not going to happen here, at least not in the near future.
If you happen to be old enough to remember 1971, How many people do you know that do not have it much better now than then.

Housing Recovery: Where Will Demand Come From?

Thu, 07 May 2009 07:43:22 -0400

Take a 25% figure of mortgages underwater.
Take a 10% unemployment figure. Would that mean that 2.5% of underwater mortgages are at risk? No.
How many of the 10% are renters? How many of the 10% have a spouse or other relative that will help maintain that mortgage until employed again? How many will get odd jobs or have a little stash to back them up, along with unemployment benefits?
There are lots of unknown variables. Most people will strive to stay in their home for many reasons. Three in particular.
1. To protect their credit. 2. To avoid the trauma of losing their home and having to move. 3. A man's home is his castle.

More Than 1 in 5 U.S. 'Homeowners' Actually Own Nothing

Thu, 07 May 2009 07:05:46 -0400

"The obvious question is this: why would anyone but a fool continue making payments on these homes?"

Mr. Neilson,
The answer to your question is called responsibility. Something that is sorely lacking in our current society.
Your view on additional housing devaluations is totally wrong also. The price of finished homes in most areas is now well below the price required to build a new home like it. Home prices are at or near their bottom.

Martin Weiss: A Depression Is Unavoidable

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:59:03 -0400

"I wrote this book primarily to help you and everyone protect their wealth and grow it in these difficult times, but I also wrote it for another reason, and that is to try to help the country."

Why sure you did Mr Weiss.
Mr Weiss, you're just like the fox in the hen house.
Get um while they're running boys and skin um good.
You and your publisher will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Week in Review, Part I: Global Economics, International and U.S. Equity Markets Overview

Sat, 02 May 2009 16:28:27 -0400

I have definitely decided to master walking on water. Once I have achieved that I will master the second hardest feat I know of, calling this market.

M3: The Money Supply Sure Doesn't Look Like Deflation

Sat, 02 May 2009 08:01:54 -0400

I am thinking that the absolute certainty of the inflation that is ongoing now and continuing to worsen will make gold lovers out of us all.

Nothing About This Economy Is Surprising

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:31:41 -0400

Einstein was indeed a genius, but not in all things. Knowing that I am about as dumb as dirt, I do not subscribe to his quote other than in very broad terms. One really cannot do the exact same thing over again. There is one element that will certainly not allow this and that being time. Under a controlled. scientific environment, time would probably make no difference, but in the real world many times it would. Whether it is spending a dollar in 1900 vs 2000, or an ounce of gold, there would be a difference in the results.
Much shorter time frames would also allow a different result.

That being said, I feel that the current economic situation is not to be blamed to any one entity. Yes, much more to some than others, but there is plenty of guilt to go around.
We as American citizens share in this. We have lived the good life and do not want that changed. We have become too liberal. Many want a Utopia. Everyone with a new house and car, a 30 hour work week or none at all.

Well, it ain't gonna happen. No matter what the banks and politicians do, this country is not going to recover without
some deep soul searching by everyone. We all cannot have what Joe has.Not unless we are willing to sacrifice and do what is necessary to obtain it through hard work and diligence. So please, quit blaming our lot on the banks and politicians. Take a good look in the mirror first.

Stress Tests Were Never a Serious Exercise

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:47:18 -0400

How does all this government conspiracy play into the fact that the banks got themselves into this mess all by themselves.
Greedy CEO's taking on way too many subprimes and other high risk loans, pumping themselves up for the big kill. Now we have much of the greed on the reverse side. Shorters hoping to line themselves up for the big kill on the down, spreading any kind of bad news gossip that can be gathered up and published.

Why Hyperinflation Is Not Coming

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:53:41 -0400

You never put a number on the term "hyperinflation". Is it at or near the "50% per month" economist often use. I don't feel that a very large percentage of people subscribe to such a high number taking effect in the US. Our economy could not withstand even a month or two at that rate. On the other hand, it would take much less of a number to have a very crippling effect on our economy, say 2% per month. I think the chances of this happening are very real.
Sometimes it's hard to see the trees for the forest. Certainly the printing presses are and will be a big influence, but take a look at the lower levels of the economy like maybe some of the guys at Joe's cookout.
Many companies being hit by the slowdown are looking to increase or sustain profits with price increases. Things that a large portion of our spendable cash goes to. We've all read about the smaller cereal boxes, etc. Everything that we need to survive daily life will be increasing at a rate high enough to cripple this economy in the near. Bill, over at Joe's barbeq owns a small retail store. Because of slower sales he will try to cut expense and also add a little to the bottom line with a price increase and don't think that Walmart won't have the same idea. Couple this with higher taxes and oil prices just down the road and we will have enough inflation to make a bitter difference in our future.
And yea, I think buying residential real estate in this market is a great idea. People, government and banks will always find a way for home ownership to keep the masses happy.

Deflation Risk Is Disappearing

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:53:24 -0400

Raw commodity prices will always have strong highs and lows and their prices are never stable enough to predict inflation or deflation, only current market demands versus availability. Finished food products on the other hand are very subject to inflation and are still in an upward spiral that will continue indefinitely. The deflated housing market will be back to inflationary levels once this economic crisis is history. All things necessary for living will be subject to extreme inflation due in great part to the high cost of the government bailout. Never put any confidence in the Fed's measure of inflation. It is most always wrong or at least years late. Discounting the auto and housing market, the rest of the goods and services sector has been,is and will continue to inflate at very high levels.

S&P 500 Earnings: Decreasing Revenue Indicates Worst Is Yet to Come

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:41:21 -0400

Opinions are like, well you know, and everybody has one.
Is the glass half empty or half full?

"08 issues (29.7% market value) reported: the good news is actuals are 19.6% ahead of estimates, the bad news is they are -17.8% behind last year"

Well, what did you expect, to make a full recovery in one quarter. Give me a break, and probably plenty of "thumbs down". You "Doom and Gloom" proponents are certainly giving it your best, but "spreading the wealth around" might be harder to do than you think.

Economic Prospects Continue to Improve

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:40:25 -0400

You got it right, John. Now let's figure out how to convince all the bull headed bears of this.

On the Burden of Home Ownership

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:39:55 -0400

At this point current home ownership in the US is only damaged. It will recover and not take but a few years to be back at an acceptable level. You are right in saying that the crash was bound up in this miracle of social policy. That policy being the relaxing of credit policies allowing too many people that were not qualified financially to buy a house that was out of their financial means and with little or no down payment. This policy was not out of "conventional wisdom" but rather political humbug. I am sorry, but not everyone in this country is equal. We all have an equal chance. From there it is up to the individual.
Surely no one thinks that this country can stand as it is without the "dream of home ownership" staying intact and it will.

Crude Prices Should Hang Around $50 While Gasoline Prices Likely to Rise

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 08:57:40 -0400

Remember life's basic needs we all learned in school, "food,clothing and shelter". I think it's way past time to put "fuel"at the front of all these.
Now, here we are just a few months down the road from when all the oil companies were posting "insane" profits and they are worried about going broke. I don't think so. Fuel, in whatever form,
has to be the most critical human processed resource we have and the oil companies are in control of it. Second to no industry in the country, not even banks, to help guide us out of this economic
mess and ,while most sectors are fighting to keep their head above water, they are and can expand their profit margins to any number they want at the general economy's expense.
While I am at the head of the list against government control, this might be a good time to take a hard look at some tougher regulations concerning oil profits. We certainly have no control over crude prices and never will.

A Look at Multi-Day Runs in the Stock Market

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:29:00 -0400

GRAPHS: !*@#&^<>? Too much college professor orientation. Everyone has a graph on just about everything and still virtually no one is getting it right, especially me.
I wish someone would make a graph on how fast we can get our pants on in the morning compared to 50 years ago.
If we can't get it right at the beginning,well, I think maybe the rest of the day might be screwed too.We all may need a new perspective.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:24:10 -0400

What's going on with SA. It's 7:22 Am ET and yours is the only article posted with today's date.

Rogers Likes Agriculture Over Oil and Gold

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:57:41 -0400

Commodities, a very deeeep subject. Which one or ones would you buy? Agricultural commodities will always be in demand at some level, but finding that level and price point is harder than pegging any company stock. There are many more factors that apply, not the least being weather. If you can predict what ag commodities will be produced in what amounts and can also pick their demand usage amounts, then you must be God, or one of his chosen few.
The common sense analysis of commodities will always point to the only sure thing hit in the world. Oil! We can't grow or more of it. Despite what you hear, there is no viable substitute for it in the foreseeable future, at least not to power production equipment, and every commodity we produce or extract first has to be powered with oil burning heavy equipment. If you are bent on owning commodities, better take oil, its by far your best bet.
A pretty simplistic analysis, but the best I can do for now.

Banks Are Not Reaching Bottom - Meredith Whitney

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 07:48:59 -0400

I suppose Meredith Whitney is and always has been right on his analysis.

The Tide Has Turned

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:11:13 -0400

You tell um, Scott.I behind you. Waaay behind you.

AIG Bailout Exceeds Value of Fort Knox Gold

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 07:25:27 -0400

I would be surprised if there is $37 billion in there, much less $137 billion.

Don't Jump into the Markets and Be an April Fool

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:45:54 -0400

Great advertisement.

Markets Still Seeking Bottom

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:36:11 -0400

With all the bad news coming out this week, It would take an "Act of Congress", no pun intended, for the market to keep its head above water for the next week or so.

G20 Summit: Headed for Disaster

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:30:31 -0400

When half of America and three fourths of Europe think you are going the wrong way, it may be time to rethink your direction.