J.Stevens

Stop the Presses Bernanke, Geithner Is Out of Control!

I sincerely believe that many of our present government leaders are impaired. It may be simply an intellectual failure but it may be something more ominous.
We have had many congressmen terribly alarmed that our athletes may be taking steroids, causing unfair performance advantage, but we hear nothing about a concern that the men making the most serious financial decisions in our history are not being tested for drugs that may be causing the bazzar judgements we now are witnessing. I hope that they will realize that the public is quite aware that narcotics are poisoning many aspects of our society and, quite frankly, many of us see a possible explanation for our nation's present economic mess.

Last Thursday Was the Bottom - It's Time to Get Back in

I, like the author, believe we're approaching the bottom for many stocks, but not all. I recently purchased some gold, because I can't imagine 7.4 trillion dollars of recent planned stimulation not pushing gold up a good bit. I think the idea of correcting the housing problem is to deliberately cause re-inflation and, if so, it'll probably work. But cash will lose a lot of it's remaining value. I also bought oil and NG trusts because many or back to their January prices and OPEC is very, very likely to cut their oil output. Even the Saudies are now calling for $75 per barrel of oil. I recently added to my pipeline stocks because higher oil means more need for more pipelines to serve the new oil and gas production from fields now being found in areas where pipes are not yet serving. I've also been buy some of the better yielding electric utilities. We need more electricity if we're going to be buying electric autos and we we really must. Soon, our old fashion utilities will be chin deep in orders for more power and stringing wire everywhere. Many of our misplaced workers will find a lot more work than they expect. Already experiments in city parking lot electric outlets are showing promise.
While many people a few years from now will be crying about missing their opportunity back in 2009, I may be driving by in a strange looking vehicle, throwing out sparks in all directions. Then, again, I might be busted, poor as a church mouse.

Wall Street Recession Vs. Main Street Recession

I am worried, but, like so many others, I'm having a very tough time justifying my worrying. So far, this year, this market has been much kinder to me and my friends that the indices would suggest. I don't know why, but I am beginning to think we're all embarrassed and don't wish to hurt anyones' feelings. Worse. every one of us who have recently prospered on this market have been advantaged by the prospering of others. Though gasoline is a little more expensive, and food has gone up, particularly lobsters, one can back off the high-priced food and return to the healthy stuff. Some of the talk of inflation is justified but it is not as crushing as it's being depicted. I think this may become one the better years from an investor's standpoint. And I'm one of those pathetic old people we all read about!

Who's Failing Us With Bad Information?

I agree but would add. Any who fail to enforce legal statutes are to blame. Fraud and criminal behavior are like weeds, appearing and growing wherever possible. Governance should include governing. We no longer have governing in any great sense of the word. We have, "Oh! It makes me sad!" We no longer even are allowed to be "mad!", just "Sad!" . Our bravest and best are in harm's way, doing their best to protect us, facing injury and death, but our leaders appear primarilly to be trying to protect the wallets of a defacto aristocracy. No child left behind should be altered to little justice left behind, or a threatened future left behind.

Who's Failing Us With Bad Information?

Most of the problems we have can be directly traced to the failure to hold scoundrels and crooks accountable fo their wrong-doings. Years ago, I had good friend from the Dominican Republic who once said, "You know, "Jeem", if a man is rich, he will not be sent bills very quickly. If he is rich enough, he will never be sent a bill. ". Today, we can see that if a man or group of men are rich enough, and placed well enough, they will never have to be subjected to justice or even be questioned by the law. Until recently, I thought it was only the poor who were regularly at the lowest levels of justice protection. Now, I, and millions of others can see that the middle classs doesn't count either. For example, is Mr. Paulson still working for GS or is he working for us? Are we to be forced to make sure he and his rich friends have their flawed "due diligence" behavior covered by our taxes and our childrens, now and forever into the future? Have we now traded in out democracy for an autocracy of economic scoundrels? We are no longer merely threatened by monetary meltdown. We are threatened by a loss of any faith that we even have a democratic enforement system of law. Everyone is not responsible. The guilty only are responsible. We must find them, convict them, and punish them, not forgive them and reward them. They are SOB's and potential killers of all our futures.