Hmm?!

The Market Bubble Is About to Pop

Charles,

Here are the potential flaws in your argument
>> If the US dollar continues to its low of last year vs....(using the CDN dollar just for an example), that's a more than 25% increase or 25%- 35% drop for everyone else. That won't spur any demand? And that is before the record government spending binge occurred.
>> At its current record setting pace China would need 25 to 30 years to reach the US standard of living. In fact everyone else could play without the US for a looong time and not catch up. Most of the world has still never driven a car or used a telephone.
>> What is it Americans really need?? What is it the rest of the world still does not have?
>> The 70% consumption US economy is dead! And more debt will not help. Everyone will just have to accept it.


On Aug 11 11:40 AM Charles Lieberman wrote:

> If the economy does badly, then how can commodities do well? That
> makes little sense. Commodities have rallied because investors expect
> demand from China and other buyers of commodities to continue buying,
> which can happen only if the global economy recovers. Also, it makes
> little sense to get into emerging markets, if you think the U.S.
> economy will do poorly. The de-coupling argument was disproven last
> year. If the U.S. economy lapses into recession, it will take down
> demand for exports from emerging markets, which are also highly vulnerable
> to credit market conditions. Emerging markets will do well only on
> the premise of a global economic recovery.

Why Is Oil Trading at $53 When Supply and Demand Is So Bearish?

Some factors that were not fully flushed out.

>> Oil will become less expensive to developing countries as the US dollar crashes. At $150 a barrel to us.....but the dollar was 35% lower just last year....which means $97.50 a barrel to them.

>> India and China will not be sadled by the CO2 cap and trade bullshit! If any enviro-idiot wants to speak at this point, please post a link to relevant data that shows an increase in global temperature. I have been waiting to see that since 1990!!!

>> Since AC power can not be stored like DC power, what are we supposed to with our solar panels and windmills when it is cloudy or calm outside?? We might as well build a moonbase.

Pension Underfunding: The Next Earnings Shock?

Here is an interesting twist. The company I used to work for filed for Chapter 11. I applied for a lump sum benefit as soon as the plan allowed (5 months after the end of severance) and should have been processed before even the first bankruptcy meeting of creditors.

Now they cannot pay because of an IRS regulation and I have to reapply for an annuity. The only law I can find is the "Pension Plan Protection Act of 2006". Of course it does not apply, because they froze benefit accumulations in 2007.

If they stall me and others long enough, they can use the PBGC (i.e. government insurance) and save more out of pocket. Got to keep the corporate jet gassed up somehow.

Obama, start reaching for the checkbook again!