Archive - Nov 2009 - Blog entry

Should we throw out capitalism altogether? Or would that be throwing out the baby with the bathwater?

Yes, you've been Bamboozled! Hoodwinked! You're being taken for suckers that not only can't count, but whose memories have been washed away by threats of swine flu and reality TV shows. Do not fret, though. What I have is PROOF of the great Banking Bamboozle, for all to see. Now, armed with this proof, all I need for you is to go out and do something about it.

Upgraded Failflu v2.0 spreads in Ukraine, Americans too stupid to buy a gold Maple for $50, windbag Chavez prepares for war against Columbia, Pelosi's health insurance bailout includes jail terms for Americans, Damon Vickers claims US Dollar Will be Utterly Destroyed

... the 'fixed period drop-off effect,' the differences between moving average methodologies, the true nature of the term “fractal” as applied to the structural composition of trading systems, the 'four basic qualities of great technical indicators' and a practical nuance within stochastic calculus that can help you anticipate what others are about to think.

The head of Goldman Sachs literally said he's doing "God's work" with his banking activities.

The head of Barclays also recently told his congregation that banking as practiced by his company was not antithetical to Christian principles.

Are they right? Is big banking as practiced by the giant banks in harmony with Christian principles?

In addition to PPT or other gaming of the stock market, here is another reason it can go up while jobs are crashing downward ...

The changes within the indicators are noteworthy, but there is still nothing noteworthy regarding the indicators.

“The real question investors need to ask themselves is this: if we truly are in the middle of a Fed-induced liquidity rally where the fundamentals simply don’t matter, do you buy now or wait it out for the inevitable bust?”

"Simon Johnson, an MIT professor and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, reckons there should be caps of roughly $100 billion on the assets of financial institutions and "serious criminal consequences" if firms are caught trying to get around such limits."

I've been meaning to write a piece on Ludwig von Mises, the greatest economist who ever lived, and, if you will, a hero of mine. This is a piece on Mises from the Op-Ed page of the Wall Street Journal by Mark Spitznagel. Spitznagel is the head of Universa Investments and is a protege and partner of Nassim Taleb of Black Swan fame. Those of you who have been following my blog know of my admiration of Mr. Taleb. He and Mr. Spitznagel were also "right," and Universa made a lot of money for their investors from our economic crisis.

The Fannie tax deal is an indication that Washington is well aware of the risks they face with an angry population. No more insider deals for the 'Fat Cats'. I am just wondering what that might cost us

Uh-oh...

Investors are basically rational, right?

In fact, as many studies have demonstrated, the answer is no.

In order to understand the present state of the U.S. economy you have to understand that there are two things happening at once. For the most part they are in conflict with each other, in that one track can negatively impact the other. Lest I be accused of putting out conflicting information, there is evidence that the economy is recovering in some fashion, but not because of the reasons most economists and politicians think. There are still substantial prevailing winds blowing against the kind of recovery most commentators are hailing as fact. But economies have a tendency to repair themselves unless the feds derail the process.

In this interview with CNBC on Nov. 4, 2009, Dr. Nouriel Roubini, professor of economics at the Stern School of Business, New York University and chairman of RGE Monitor, cautions investors of the coming asset bubble and crash caused by the dollar carry trade, and at the same time shared his views on the economy and housing.

This is the second time in many weeks that Dr. Roubini warned of a growing dollar carry trade and threatening to cause a global implosion. The following is a summary of his CNBC interview along with my comments.