EX-AD-MAN

In his weekly address, President Obama warned the U.S. should not return to credit-fueled growth, urging people to spend less and save more, while calling for a greater focus on exports to Asia. He also said it's important the upcoming jobs forum "not undertake any ill-considered decisions, particularly at a time when our resources are so limited."

Oh, and they can PAY for what we produce... forgot to mention.

In his weekly address, President Obama warned the U.S. should not return to credit-fueled growth, urging people to spend less and save more, while calling for a greater focus on exports to Asia. He also said it's important the upcoming jobs forum "not undertake any ill-considered decisions, particularly at a time when our resources are so limited."

What he means is we grew our economy on unprecedented - at times, mindless - borrowing and consumption. Now, the only part of the world showing growth and realistic levels of demand are in Asia, so we need to sell what we produce in the only viable market left. There are 2 billion consumers over there that need airplanes, industrial machinery, etc.

President Obama's maiden voyage to Asia has all the looks of a come-to-banker meeting, says William Pesek - except the reality dawning on Asia is that Obama can't promise that the U.S. can repay its debt and keep the dollar from crashing. Let's hope they call in the loan in a smooth way.

According to Fox News, China is building up its military at a positively alarming rate, making provocative statements and threatening the stability of the S.E. Asian region. I'm just saying. Sooner or later, these kinds of yahoos will bomb their bank in the name of God and freedom. The GOP sales pitch will be fascinating to watch.

Until recently, conventional logic says, U.S. car buyers cared little about fuel economy and preferred big, gas-guzzling (profitable) SUVs. But now former GM economist Walter McManus says carmakers systematically dismissed research to the contrary: "Our job was not to seek the truth, but to justify decisions that had already been made."

Tony- The article wasn't about you. It was about GM marketing gas guzzling everyday autos to consumers whom they believed (key word) were seeking those kinds of vehicles, and in the process ignored developing alternative autos for a viable low milage-craving market that, in fact, existed. No one in their right mind has any issue with people hauling work loads in a 15 mpg truck.

Three things to look for to call the bursting of the commercial real estate bubble.

In parts of my home town entire strip malls are empty, pristine new office buildings - including many built within last 2 years - are completely vacant and downtown some of the most prime high rise space, some of which I've never seen advertised because it has always been leased, is bedecked in "FOR LEASE" signage. But who needs real world observation when you have tv news available 24-7 and in the flavor of your choice? Personally, I enjoy Fox myself, with the hot anchor ladies in short skirts, mocking and ridiculing people who do basic math and have the nerve to talk about it.

A research paper points out a growing but apparently legal practice: companies awarding stock options to top execs while in negotiation to be taken over. The study found unusual pre-deal grants in a half-dozen large mergers in the past few years.

...and in other news, the sun comes up.

The 'Unsurprisingly Bad' Jobs Report

The other thing that must be apparent to anybody "on the ground" is that there are not many blue collar jobs left anymore. In the U.S. we temporarily replaced our lost manufacturing jobs with a McMansion/McMall/McTan... construction bubble that just exploded, and messily. That is a fact.

The borrowed money is gone, the debt remains, the workers are idled.

Further, these people borrowed and consumed themselves into a hole, ignoring the repeated reminders that they do not have their daddy's pension on the horizon, nor medicare, nor meaningful social security benefits down the road.

Rome has Burned, again.

Whole Foods Market (WFMI) CEO John Mackey stands behind his infamous healthcare op-ed that spawned a boycott, and speaks out against the Fed's "debauchery of the currency." Mackey thinks the bailouts were a travesty, and says no-one's too big to fail. "I believe in the dynamic creativity of capitalism, and it's self-correcting, if you just allow it to self-correct."

A "belief" in the "dynamic creativity of capitalism" is nothing more than a belief, and this country has had enough of "belief." It's a short cut to the golf course and a clear conscience. How about math and science and thinking?

I'm just saying.

On This Week today, Alan Greenspan played down the recent spat of weaker than expected data: "It is true, the last couple of weeks that some of the numbers that are coming in have been a little bit soft. But this is what a recovery looks like."

The ruckus over Alan Greenspan's mutterings reminds me of how the wise men in ancient China would collect their 3 year old emperor's tiny poops in a bowl, and then pick it over with a magnifying glass, looking for "signs."

History repeats, like a trucker with gas.

Jolly-Rancher: What does a USA recovery look like when the last of the borrowed money is spent, and no foreigners are willing -- for GOOD REASON -- to lend anymore? Wake up and take a look around. If it isn't made in China, it's borrowed in China.

Is China Really Such a Great Investment?

Outstanding commentary. Agree with Mad Hedge - we have 2/3 of the world simply rising. Meanwhile, I predict our own conservative media will begin beating the war drum, albeit subtly. Before you scoff, tune your ears and listen. It has already started.

More signs of a China recovery (bubble?): China's industrial output rose at a faster pace than forecast in August (+12.3%), new lending spiked to 410B yuan ($60B, vs. consensus of 320B yuan), and retail sales were up a robust 15.4%, sending the Shanghai Composite up 2.2%. (ETFs: FXI, PGJ)

The China bashers are an amusing lot. All I know is Chinese high school students flat destroy their american counterparts in basic math scores. I also know that their dishonest bankers are promptly executed. The only thing missing in China right now is the kind of mindless, credit abusing consumers that drove our system over a cliff.

In the mean time, deep thinkers, go ahead and trust the numbers coming out of New York and Washington - as if.

Despite signs that the global economy is starting to recover, WPP (WPPGY) chief Martin Sorrell sees little to cheer about in the advertising industry. "We don't see any green shoots," he said, noting WPP's clients appear wary of investing in advertising to "shell-shocked" consumers.

The run up from March lows was nothing more than a vote of confidence by investors that the world isn't coming to an end. Consumer spending will flat-line or decline for years from this point, I think, and so will western/european US markets. The REAl blow up for the advertising business is consumer control of information upload - IOW, the internet and interactive cable. Fewer and fewer consumers are slaves to whatever comes across the air, and nobody reads ink on paper anymore, relatively speaking.

Taiwan and China are nearing a deal that would open Taiwan's stock exchange to mainland investment, another step in thawing relations between the two governments that is manifesting in financial and political changes.

Follow the hot money into EWT. 10% yield. I'm half in today, waiting for pause to buy other half. Can I get an amen?

What the IEA Doesn't Want You to Know About Peak Oil

Seeking Alpha is by name and function a site dedicated to profitable investing. I would love to hear thoughts on how an individual can best capitalize on the peak oil scenarios depicted above?

Unemployment's not getting any better in MichiCaliFlAriVada.

I often wonder what percentage of the nation's entire private payroll in 2007 was paid out of borrowed money?

And what about the government? I know the federal pensions are borrowed from China, but what about payroll? It's just an insane employment picture looking back, and just plain sad looking forward.