RE Broker

Is Too Big to Fail Now Too Big to Exist?

Why have a simple solution when Timmy the Tax Cheat can come up with a complex "solution" that punishes the honest and prudent.

A 22-year-old man has received 15 months in prison and must pay back $200,073 after trying to open more than 58,000 accounts with E-Trade (ETFC), Charles Schwab (SCHW) and Google (GOOG) in the names of characters from the King of the Hill TV show (among others). The scheme was to steal the "micro-deposits," from 1 cent to $2, that firms make to test account functionality.

Dodd, Frank and Obama enabled zero net worth individuals to open mortgage accounts that cost the taxpayers trillions and they have received zip time in jail.

Irwin Union Bank of Kentucky and Irwin Union Bank and Trust of Indiana become bank failures No. 93 and 94 of 2009, and the first in those states. The combined estimated cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund is $850M.

Potential new game for the Las Vegas gaming industry- place your bets on the number and names of the banks the FDIC will close on the following friday.

Bad News for the News Industry

Hopefully the broadcast media follows the newspapers into the toilet. I'll be happy to flush.

Top Performing S&P 500 Stocks Since the Lehman Bankruptcy

The bottom 15 are broke or soon will be I suspect.

Pinning the Blame on the House Republicans

I too find it curious that Lehman was allowed to fail but others such as AIG and their trading partners at Goldman were allowed to live. The country is getting a severe financial bitch slapping because of massive overleveraging which unfortunately is hammering those of us who never believed in Scarlett O'Hara theory (I'll worry about that tomorrow) along with those that did. How 'bout we go back to 20% down if you want to buy a home? It worked very well for a lot of years.

Lehman Tales: One Year After, What About the Impact on Average People?

It will be interesting to see if the true perpetrators of this mess, politicians like Chtis Dodd and Barney Frank who pushed these loans lose their jobs next Nov. Personally, I think the mainstream news media is giving them a free ride.

$25 Million Worth of Defective Chinese Wallboard Will Cost U.S. Builders / Owners $3.2 Billion

The current crowd that runs the Beltway seems to want to investigate and regulate everything. A good place to start would be Chinese imports. Any Chinese product that has a safety problem should be banned for 5 years with no exceptions. This would put these people on notice that dangerous stuff should never leave China.

JoS. A. Bank to Triple Its FY2010 Store Openings

The Men's Wearhouse stock has also done well lately

Liar Loans Not the Problem

I agree that it will take a long time to get things turned around and we are all in for a lot more pain before the economy starts growing again. Until the average consumer pays down his debt to a comfortable level spending and growth will be slow.

Investing in Natural Gas: It's Time

It is amazing, just when you think gas can't get any cheaper, it does. Somewhere along here I guess you have to jump in.

Connecticut Not Learning the Right Lessons from California

I would not suggest that Ct residents try fleeing to NJ in hopes of a better life. We have our own tax and spend Governor and legislature that is taxing and spending away our future.

STEC's Stunning Growth

This stock has really been volatile lately. I have bought, sold and then bought it back in the last week.

Cedar Fair: Make Money by Having FUN

Terrific company that runs its parks very well.

FHA: Growth Is the Problem

More Federal follies that we will have to bail out.