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Crap Marketing Campaign of the Day, Merrill Lynch Edition

There is a lot of talent at Merrill Lynch and I feel that the remaining advisers have the opportunity to do right by their clients. I don't know much about Bank of America but I can say that they have acquired a great deal of wisdom. I feel they should adopt more of a venture capitalist business model. Where they maintain stricter than the average compliance practices and reward the brokers for honest client oriented business. It would mean weening some brokers off the old system of buying/selling based on what is popular and instead forcing them to hold true to each brokers stated investment discipline and their client's wishes. Let's be serious, outside of forecasted returns, what broker was savvy enough to have sub prime derivatives as a part of their investment arsenal.

Shared Perspective: Buy and Hold Is Changing

Great insight Roger! I must admit I like your style. Simplicity is king.

Two Hearings on Banks Today

I can't help but wonder what is being taught in business schools these days. Sadly I am comfortable with the fact that an MBA earned as recent as 3-5 years ago could be worthless due to the obliteration of many of the business models on wall street. I feel that we are now in a new age and that we must revamp the whole educational system. Let's face it there are no jobs in financial transparency. Finance is currently as much a mystery as alchemy. What is being taught in the classrooms? As for the talks, perhaps the only way out of this mess is to focus on the future.

Warner Music Embarrassed, Regrets MySpace Deal

When will we accept the fact that the internet has leveled the playing field? Artists need to break the bad habit of looking for advances and the like. In this new era, self promotion is king. This goes for all industries across the board. I like to see it as the end of celebrity. We are all stars and we can afford to showcase our talent, services and products without large excesses of cash on hand. I understand that old habits die hard but bad habits can kill you. I feel bad for Warner cause I hoped to have my artists sign with them because I felt they adjusted well to the initial shock but I couldn't see how they would be able to combat sites like worldstarhiphop.com or livetimerecords.com

Sirius XM Coming to iPhone in Q2

Interesting article. Now, I would like to ask for a little help from my fellow readers. I was thinking now would be a good time to buy a new car. Does any one agree? Here is my train of thought. Last year I financed a 2008 Nissan Rogue just under 30k. This year the trade in value is under 15k (ouch!) I was hoping I would be able to trade it in for say the bmw convertible hard top 3 series. Essentially turning a 45k sticker price into a 60k finance. With the upside being, ability to trade up, newer technology on dash etc...
My fiance and I are turning 30 this year. We put about 14k on the Rogue this past year and we assumed a mortgage on our condo just weeks before buying the Rogue. Which puts our payments around 500 month, so I was thinking why not go luxury for that type of payment. Please offer your wisdom!

What's the Point of the FHLBs?

James Wilson, I think I understand what you are getting at. Gary Townsend touches on it as well. How does the ability to buy debt empower the majority? There has to be some sort of dividend paid to the loanee for assuming the speculative risk of homeownership in the types of markets these loans are designed to "benefit".

As Lending Ebbs, Excess Reserves Flow - A Lot

Why don't we kiss this system good bye for good.
Step 1: continue to allow the banks to create the reserves and have their losses written off over the next few years.
Step 2: Have these same banks now presumably insolvent add "employment accounts" to their list of services where business owners can deposit a predetermined portion of their employees wages into the "employment account" every 1st and 15th to be traded overnight either to other banks to cover reserve requirements or to buy treasuries. The employees could obtain credit and borrow against these accounts with IRA like stipulations. But the intention would be to grow this money for retirement or at least for the duration of employment.
Result: Employers enlist the expertise of local banks in short term returns while eliminating the need for such expensive retirement plans. It gives the employer a reason to shop around for the best financial products for his/her employees and gives the employees the opportunity to work with more sophisticated financial professionals. The banks would be reliant on the accuracy of the companies bookkeeping and better practices will be employed. The employees wages will already be deposited at the bank and ready for debit while their retirement money is in the safest hands possible as well as in a transparent and close institution. Credit card companies and mortgage lenders could base credit off of wages and retirement holdings respectfully. The latter could even be payed from the account after a 7 year holding/accumulation period. As for the Fed they could focus on the activities of more saavy investors like hedge funds and offer modest rates to buy treasuries or to lend to multi national corporations/governmen... I call this a transfer of talent in response to a transfer of wealth. Please Comment

Friday's Jump: Sucker's Rally

Can somebody please explain how this whole redemption thing that the hedge funds are doing works, please explain it as if i was a complete novice...Thanks

Clarifying Sirius XM Reverse Split Issue

Hey Jgrab, or anyone for that matter. What is an IRC group?

Emerging Markets: The New Spenders of the 21st Century

As long as "credit" remains a taboo in the BRIC we could see a healthy amount of intelligent consumerism. The Global Economy can only be saved by discipline. This discipline will come in the form of humility at first. The real challenge is how to keep greed out of the equation...

Hedge Funds: Back to Basics

I agree with you 100% happysoul77777. Not that hedgies are bad or anything it is just that right now we must all pitch in and do what's best for the team that means that all the franchise players need to be at the foul line with the role players and the off the benchers practicing their free throws. Time to get back to the basics, we can look at it as setting a proper example for the rookies. Excuse my sport analogies.

Cramer's Stop Trading! Zombie Stocks (11/21/08)

Cramer is more of a how to think rather than a what to do type of guy. He is a perfect devil's advocate type if you ever have doubts about when to pull the trigger on a buy or sell. Learn to have fun!

Where Will GE's Jeff Immelt Be at 2 PM Today?

We must use the only american vote that matters, our dollar vote. We must bail out the stock market with our rainy day funds. We the people have all the power. It sucks that it has come to this but we must be both the super hero and the victim these days.

Why the East and West Should Switch Roles

Interesting article, thanks for the numbers. I will have to check out Mr. Setser's blog I do not understand how the rise in the U.S. fiscal deficit will offset a fall in borrowing. How does the Amero play into all of this?