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    • Tue Dec 2nd 13:25 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      The NBER Catches Up to Main St.
      The short but painful next leg down into depressionary conditions already manifesting themselves will simply be called a deep recession. It will be the non-depression, depression just as this recession was the non-recession, recession. The non-ROI market for most this last few years since 2002 can be called the ROI-Non-ROI-ROI. You see, it all just depends on what the meaning of the word is, is. Is can be isn't and it can be is. And if is isn't, then isn't can be is as well. Gee, why doesn't anybody just trust the government? Perhaps we should slow down the bullshit generator ( www.dack.com/web/bulls... ) and learn to all use one set of books and a magical invention called a spreadsheet to run our economy and businesses.
      View article »
    • Tue Dec 2nd 13:17 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Who Says We're Not in a 'Real' Recession?
      correction: CANT see Ms Noonan at the food line. But do not fear, those people will exit the market and government, but not soon enough for my liking.
      View article »
    • Tue Dec 2nd 13:15 PM
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      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      Who Says We're Not in a 'Real' Recession?
      This is called the 'encapuslation effect'. Those at the top are effected the last. Those at the bottom feel the immense pain first. Also, I wasn't around in the Great Depression, but I do not recall reading about those CEO's who lurched there companies into failure leaving with tens of millions of dollars and lukrative deals in other politically connected ventures to boot. Hence, the CEO's diving from buildings in the Great Depression. Why jump from a building when you can buy a private yacht club in Tahiti and speculate if the U.S. economic system will collapse or not? Socialism happened then as it is now and many of the same mistakes are being repeated, to me it is simply that Washington as the global financial empire has a bit more to spread around to those in power. I was at a church helping some folks on Thanksgiving this year. Ummmm, there stories of going from riches to rags very quickly is an entirely different perspective then what Ms. Noonan's personal experience is. But somehow, I can see Ms. Noonan at the food line (replace food with soup on Great Depression reference and thank God we do have a bit more social net now).
      View article »
    • Tue Dec 2nd 12:54 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Bailouts: Unfair to Non-Bailees
      Ooooh. The truth sting so much sometimes. The Founding Fathers insisted that at some point we will have to deal with our own lost government the hard way. Such a shame about human nature, power and corruption.


      On Nov 30 10:08 PM Jackson Cash wrote:

      > Dear John,
      > Thank you for your vote.
      >
      > Love,
      > Incumbent Congress
      View article »
    • Tue Dec 2nd 12:50 PM
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      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      12 Observations on Current Market Stress
      I admire the ability for you to self-reflect honestly with yourself and the public Mr. Merkle. I learned some lessons the hard way as well along the way.

      I also appreciate your time to report as you do using facts and numbers. Now when individuals such as yourself are in Washington we'll get much resolved and back to business.

      Unfortunately, those in power intend to stay there and milk it until the citizenship wakes up and begins researching which individuals have caused the damage, are continuing to cause it and vote them out and good leadership in. This sounds like a broken record from me over the last year in the investment community. I am not glad or happy I am proven correct. Over the last two years on economics and politics I wish I was very, very wrong. Hopefully, I am also correct the depressionary conditions the U.S. will face will be temporary and we'll return to a bull market by 2013.
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 15:22 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Last Thursday Was the Bottom - It's Time to Get Back in
      You got it. The market is experiencing wild gyrations. This is probably an interesting time for daytraders with healthy risk appetites to make a massive fortune or go instantly bust trying. I will wait until the end of the 1st quarter to begin 'nibbling'. While there are some bright minds joining the Obama economic advisory team, beyond the pledge to backstop global debt, there is no policy. When I begin seeing what it is, I can then begin making decisions. Should I invest in the markets or should I invest in a bomb shelter? I will guess it will be something in-between.


      On Nov 28 08:47 AM manohmanoh wrote:

      > The S&P (to pick a broadly-based index) is up 18+% percent in
      > FOUR DAYS, and NOW is the time to buy? Are you, by chance, long the
      > rearview-mirror industry as well? I hope so, as you seem to be their
      > best customer. How about providing the same advice (if that is your
      > belief) after a 5% pullback? I'm long HERO as well (mixed company
      > at best ... unfortunately for you ... ha ha ha) ... and I have been
      > buying as well starting last Thursday (call it blind luck), but I
      > actually lightened up a bit on that new money, taking 1/3 off the
      > table on Wednesday. My crystal ball is a bit fuzzy, but a 50% move
      > in GS and JEC seemed like pretty big moves to me in 5 days (even
      > including the drop I took last Thursday) ... FYI, I'm still an idiot
      > (in case there was any doubt), b/c I included a "lottery ticket"
      > investment in Nortel (which is down in the past week of course).
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 13:59 PM
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      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      Ignore Jobs Numbers for Market Timing
      Great article. I was fascinated when Mike Shedlock seemed to be one of the few people that posted the job losses regularly and was startled by the implications. What suprised me most was how few actually commented at the time. Look at this post, three total comments! The guy venting how upset he was about how the institutional investor got burned had dozens of responses. Thanks for posting this Steve. Facts derived from research is what is needed and then a gameplan.
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 13:45 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      The Convertibles Collapse Offers Investment Lessons for All Investors
      Appreciate you posting this. Some new insights learned.
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 12:26 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      The Perfect Storm: Semi-Annual Economic Review
      Do you want help investing or surviving?


      On Dec 01 04:13 AM carolynaw wrote:

      > Everything you say makes sense. Where can one get help when all the
      > financial advisors in the US seem to use the same cookie cutter advice
      > and investments? I am a senior caring for a grandchild and a disabled
      > husband. My time for study is limited. I would pay an advisor, but
      > they all have a very rosey view of the future and all seem to think
      > this will all be over sometime in late 2009. Any help or advice you
      > can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 12:03 PM
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      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      How Wall Street Has Failed the Individual Investor
      I am moving forward with what the market wants which is a transparent, risk sharing business model. That said however, I have cut down my hours from 16 a day down to 9. I made the money while it was available and you could see this train wreck coming a mile away. Investors forgot about fundamentals. So investors and Sr. Mgmt alike are going to have to dive into those areas once assigned to a middle mgr lackey, be involved with research projects and dive into sales. Investors will find safe havens in Consumer Health. The Boomers are retiring. What do you think they will spend there money on, a bigger McMansion?


      On Nov 30 10:21 PM redrobin wrote:

      > Yes. we individulas were "set up" by the the government . They messed
      > up. They were misled by the Wal St geniuses....They admitt it.....We
      > all should..We all make mistakes.... It was not a conspiracy...It
      > was a gigantic "bubble".. We all messed up... Its was one HUGE mistake
      > by all concerned.. Lets get up and move foreward...
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 11:35 AM
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      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      How Wall Street Has Failed the Individual Investor
      Probably the most accurate comment thus far. Others have posted about failure of regulation and the regulation that did exists was not policed effectively. While this Presidential Administration focused soley on foreign issues our own house burned. A nation that does not abide by law is not a nation, it is anarchy just what we have right now.


      On Nov 30 11:53 AM TomArmistead wrote:

      > I regard the situation as the natural outcome of a total lack of
      > regulatory oversight, a laissez faire ideology carried to its logical
      > extreme. CDS were exempt from regulation. The credit rating agencies
      > received no meaningful oversight, yet the impact of their findings
      > was hardwired into swaths of the financial system. Mark to market
      > accounting was endorsed as gospel and has had a destructive effect
      > on regulatory capital. Marth Stewart and Mark Cuban were pilloried
      > for insider trading, but naked short-sellers and CDS manipulators
      > were coddled.
      >
      > The logical extension of this course of conduct was Paulson running
      > around like a chicken with its head cut off, nationalizing and/or
      > seizing and dismembering some businesses, propping others up, picking
      > the winners and the losers, totally destabilizing the finacial system.
      >
      >
      > Wall Street operated with their normal efficiency and greed, what
      > else is new?
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 10:48 AM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      How Wall Street Has Failed the Individual Investor
      This is a good point Axelrod. You can say the entire market had far too many middle men. The effect of too much liquidity in the market. The market does work, but the lazy and incompetent must go and that is a process. I am in Consumer Healthcare marketing. When I call a CEO and explain a value proposition in numbers, the CEO loves the idea. Risk sharing and company pays us when we after we aquire a new patient. But when you get to the middle managers, well... Lazy, incompetent and hedging there own bets job searching instead of problem solving. This attitude is rampant in the market. Pain is the catalyst of change leading to innovation. The forest must burn down a bit more for the seedlings of good management and leadership to grow. Sadly, we all will be working with a lot less so the recovery will take a few years. But I am LONG America and expect a bull market in 2013. Until then, part of my production will continue to be stolen by morons and yes, that pisses me off. But it beats digging ditches.


      On Nov 30 11:17 AM axelrod608 wrote:

      > Like most "individual investors" I started with a full service broker,
      > who advised me to buy the funds that made HIM the biggest commissions.
      > The longer I stayed with him, the "broker" I got. When I complained
      > to management, the Asst Mgr took over my account and sold me proprietary
      > funds that the Brokerage was selling off because they knew the bottom
      > was about to fall out. I again got "broker".
      >
      > When I told a friend my story I discovered that he had been trading
      > for decades, making money all along. I listened and learned and now
      > trade with a discount broker - IB - and make all my own decisions
      > other than the ones I pay for.with advisory services.
      >
      > Full service brokerages and 401k managers are in it for THEIR profit,
      > not the customer's. Anyone who's not in charge of his own accounts
      > is a gambler, not an investor.
      View article »
    • Mon Dec 1st 10:15 AM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      How Wall Street Has Failed the Individual Investor
      True, a famous Frenchman said you get the government you elect. The Framers of this nation had spent much time studying the Roman empire. Hence, why much of our American culture is based on it. Too much power has been consolidated to the very few. And those in power have spent far too much time in the world of excess liquidity on Equality which is a noble principle but a second critical principle behind Liberty. Liberty is about personal accountability, reaping a mighty harvest when blood, sweat and tears are put into something and mighty failure for laziness or lack of vision.

      The nation reached a pinnacle peak of those in power that should never been put into power at the local, state and federal level all in the name of Equality. But do not fear, our nation self-adjusts at times the very hard way. I will invest in the markets in 2009 after I see what crop of winners and losers our government picks. That in and of itself, is an investment strategy. No, I prefer fundamental research over this form of investing, but unless you choose to move overseas, it's about all that's out there besides panic gold buying.


      On Nov 30 10:45 AM subprimeswami wrote:

      > Regulation failed us. This caused the sub prime collapse and on going
      >
      > depreciaton of home values. Lack of oversite in financial markets
      > caused derivitive cave ins hedge fund melt downs and collapsed finance
      > companies,
      > Blame the congress that voted on all these regulations. Learn how
      > the system does not work anymore. It is over run with lobbists and
      > action groups with their own agenda. We can't afford to let the country
      > fall off
      > a cliff because of greed and stupidity.
      > Our credibilty is now weakened and global financial companies don't
      > trust our "base/bonus pay Mr fuld 500 million to run Lehman into
      > the ground" mentality. The lending markets have frozen.
      > OUR FAULT
      View article »
    • Wed Nov 26th 17:44 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      A Lot to Be Thankful for, Despite It All
      1) I am thankful everyday my family has a great roof over there heads and kids are absorbing the life concepts I can teach. I don't want for anything and am grateful for the years of prosperity and am thankful some wise mentors taught me the value of giving something back to society.
      2) I am not thankful mankind and in particular America has not learned that you don't have a good society when one group has the power to take your productivity and hand it off to someone else that has already proven to be inept or corrupt.
      View article »
    • Wed Nov 26th 12:28 PM
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      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      What Obama Needs to Know about Tim Geithner, the AIG Fiasco and Citigroup
      On above meant to put a decimal into the $12 T = $1.2 T .
      View article »