ArkansasAngie

And Bernanke Didn't Think Unemployment Would Reach 10%

Of course not!

He's shocked ... just shocked. Who would have ever thought.

Gee ... he's good at passing bucks!

Inflation vs. Deflation Battle Hits Key Inflection Point

Whatever they can do ... you can bet they'll do it.

They are furiously trying to kick the can at least past November 2010.

Can it be done? Or is all that slack (in the string) going to ball up and jam the machine.

The only question I have is how are they going to finance another 1.5 trillion dollar debt without QE?

At some point in time ... interest rate will go up.

How Should We Improve Seeking Alpha's Comment Rating System?

I was fine with the voting systme till I saw mu count drop by nearly 100 within an hour.

I asked for my points to be re-installed -- they were not, and I've not posted since till now.

The way this was achieved was creating a new alias and systematically goinh thru my old posts and thumbing down.

An idea is to stop thumbing after some number of days.

A Look at Obstacles to Long-Term Recovery

"This is not true. There is a huge influx of young consumers in the United States from foreign countries who are contributing to the economy and compensating for spent boomers."

I wouldn't be counting on illegal immigrants pushing up consumer spending this year.

Perhaps you didn't hear. There's a recession and they've lost their jobs, too.

In fact -- in my industry, construction -- I'd argue that because they aren't legal their unemployment isn't being counted accurately.

Trash collections being down 30% says it all.

The Scarier Graphic from the Economist

Let's do it your way

Let's pretend that Q 2 will be approximately equal -- how about -1.5.

Now let's get optomistic and say -.5 for Q3 and Q4.

So ... -1.6 + -1.5 + -.5 and -.5. Let's see --- that would be -4.1

The same holds true -- -2.7% is pretty darn optimistic

Consumer Education Foundation: 'How Wall Street and Washington Betrayed America'

But ... there was money to be made!

Right now ... "they" are busy trying to keep the market's ruling on their ineptness from being enforced.

We're playing "Hide the Loss" and they have a head start on us.

Disclosure: It is possible that I am morphing into a cynic and a CT'er.

Market Outlook: A New Reality Check

I keep coming back to the idea that program trading and "speculators" account for approximately 35% of volume each -- total 70% of volume.

What the hay!

These guys are trading on market inefficiencies not fundamentals. They may be betting long but you can rest assured that they won't be holding long.

Who needs a "reasonable" P/E ratio when you got a couple few percentage points swings nearly daily?

Heck ... you might as well simply bet about 35 minutes prior to close opposite whatever went on during the day and wait for the position closeouts.

Chart of the Week: Existing Jobless Claims Continue to Spike

The consumer will not lead us out of recession.

An interesting side statistic on solid waste -- according to the Associated Press -- "You can look at waste and see what the economy is doing," said Tom Houck, manager at the Defiance County Landfill in northwest Ohio. He's watched the amount of trash arriving at the landfill plunge 30 percent in the past year."

Late Year Recovery Seems Unlikely

China isn't going to change its monetary any time soon. We won't challenge them to either.

Change? Nah ... status quo under new management with their own bonus plan.

The Scarier Graphic from the Economist

The FEDury likes its role of picking winners and losers.

For GDP to be down only -2.7% for all of 2009 after starting off with a -6.3% and a similar number probable for Q2 is pretty darn optimistic.

Increased Home Vacancies Expected to Moderate Inflation

Or it could mean that more wealth is going to be destroyed while banks enjoy the zombie life.

Gee ... Hardwood -- You must have been pissed when you wrote that.

Strongest 2-Month Capital Goods Orders Increase in More than 4 Years

You don't suppose it could be a reversion toward the mean?

The End (of the Recession) Is Near

Yes ... the recession will end and the depression will begin.

Most Banks Will Pass, But Does the Stress Test Fail?

What does it mean to the economy -- the market -- you and me when the FEDury gets away with putting out false and misleading information?

For one thing it makes all other information suspect as well.

Just what we need when investors aren't investing because of uncertainty.

But ... Joe, the plumber, the intended consumer of this horse manure, well ... he puts away his pitch fork so that the status quo is maintained.

Cuomo's Revelation: Bernanke and Paulson Strongarmed BofA's Purchase of Merrill

I wrote the Attorney General of Arkansas, Dustin McDaniel. I suggested that Arkansas' Bank of America stockholders need his help. I suggest you contact your state's AG as well.

When free markets are manipulated they are not free. When the government manipulates the truth they are neither Democratic nor Republican, they are fascists.