WHAT IS THAT EXPRESSION AGAIN?
February 12, 2006
You know, the one about the unmovable force being hit by the unstoppable thrust! Tell me, does any sane person think that the 1,400+ year old war between Muslims and Jews is going to end well? What is interesting is that there are people who think this is some sort of new conflict. Continue Reading »
THE U.S. CREDIT CARD IS MAXED
February 11, 2006
As we went into this year I said that I couldn’t make any predictions because the year could go either way. We could see a BOOM (I am talking about the stock market), or we could see a BUST! After nearly one and a half months, we don’t know a thing: or do we?
As of Friday, the DOW and NASDQ got back to even afer being down 420 and 178 points respectively. The S&P500 is still barely in the negative. One of the “old saws” of the investing community is that if the Dow is down the first week of the New Year, it’s bad news. If the Dow is down for all of December, it’s even worse news. Well, we had both, but two weeks later the market is back to EVEN
The tell-tale though may just be the TRADE DEFICIT. We want from a record $480B in 2003 to a new $617B record in 2004. Even if you are a government, there is a limit on all credit cards and I believe that we have maxed ours out. Yes, Greenspan can continue to print money, but at some point the ISSURER will say no mas.
Two months ago Russia started buying oil in Euros. China is starting to buy Euros, and even our friends (Japan) is not buying as many of the U.S. backed securities as they used to.
So, where is this all going to go? Eventually to our demise as a nation. No household can live a bankrupt life forever and neither can a nation. I don’t know if Bush can serve out his four years without a CRASH, but this I know, the next president will inherit a MESS!
IS THIS A CRACK IN THE DAMN?
February 10, 2006
South Dakota of all places! Is this where it all starts? And will it end at the USSC? Fate operates in ways we seldom understand; however, you have to love the possible scenario here. Continue Reading »
HOW FAR CAN WE APPEASE ALL?
February 10, 2006
There is no doubt that one of America’s strengths is it’s diversity. America is truly a melting pot of the world. People flock to our shores to find citizenship and the fulfillment on their dreams. It’s estimated that that there are more than 30,000,000 immigrants in America with the fastest growing number coming from MEXICO.
But I have to ask that sticky question: have we overdone it? Does the welcome mat need to be pulled? How long can we continue to see anti-Americans want citizenship IN America? How long can we see those who are against Christianity particularly, file lawsuit after law suit to ban one thing after another that has any implications to Jesus Christ, especially the TEN Commandments.
While America owes much of it’s growth to immigrants, it owes a lot more to God-fearing people,mostly of the Christian pursuasion. So, do we allow the radicals to continue to push their agenda? Do we aloow the ten percent to dictate how life will be for the other 90%?
How long do we allow outright fraud like that espoused by professor WARD CHURCHILL, who claims to be a native American. I say claims because the tribe to which he claims to come from denies his statements and have even pulled his “honoray membershp” (by the way, Bill Clinton got the same honorary membership in the same year as Ward did).
I learned a long time ago that a person or nation (can you say FRANCE?) that stands for everything, ends up falling for anything. There comes a time when tolerance becomes destructive to all. There are hundreds of nations in this world. Find the one that espouses the philosophy of life that fits your paradigm best, and go there. Serve that nation with pride.
A nation can only go so far with the “appeasement” principle, and I believe America has hit that wall.
ANOTHER ICON BITES THE DUST!
February 9, 2006
I was against the $19 billion dollar merger just because I didn’t want Texas giving up something to California. There was also this sense that Carly Fiorina was trying to “make a point” against a couple of the founders of HP while making history for herself.
Well, she barely won a major and bitter proxy battle to see the merger through. She got her way, and in getting her way she got axed in the end as well (if you call a $21 million dollar severance package an ax job). Why such a lucrative package? Is that how you reward a CEO who runs the company for five years and oversees a 63% loss in stock value?
Or maybe it was that by firing her they knew anyone else could do a better job, the market would know that, and the stock would rise. That would be a novel concept; however, in day one of Robert Wayman’s interim position as CEO, the stock jumped up almost 7%, closing up $1.39. Can you keep that going?
Everyone that wasn’t getting great stock benefits from the merger knew this was a BAD DEAL! One of the more astute business analysts, Jennifer Chatman, said in January of 2002, “Mergers are especially problematic when they involve companies that are large, are direct competitors, have different corporate cultures and are touted falsely as “a merger of equals,” Ms. Chatman says. HP-Compaq represents potentially the worst possible combination of factors. Almost every factor is against them.”
Oh well, with her $21 Mil in hand, there will be several suitors out there to come begging at her door. Maybe this business icon hasn’t eaten that much dust after all.
SUCCESS BREEDS FAILURE!
February 9, 2006
The first time I heard that phrase, I was in a sales seminar, somewhere! It didn’t make sense: until I made the big times. It’s like this. We set goals and we pursue them until we make the goal. Once we’ve attained the goal, there is no goal- unless we set new ones. Continue Reading »
SOMEONE GET DR. PHIL PLEASE!
February 8, 2006
The world we live in today is more than interesting. You can’t own a team called the Cleveland Indians because that is a put-down to the native American Indians. And to label a team the Washington Redskins is really a slam! But we’ve now moved from the spoken to the pictorial. Continue Reading »
A MORAL DOCUMENT YOU SAY?
February 8, 2006
I think the Democrats are taking the election poll results a little too far. It is obvious that they can read some of the tea leaves: the moral ones. The exit polls showed that a big difference in who won was the moral issue. And in the last two months, Hillary in particular, has been speaking about spiritual matters and saying that she prays often.
Okay, it’s good to learn from your mistakes; however, calling the Government’s budget a MORAL DOCUMENT is really taking things a bit too far me thinks.
The new Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, called the budget (the book) a MORAL document! Really? Yep, and just to verify that a bishop (Frank Griswold) of the Episcopal church has confirmed it! And just how did he come up with that? The better question is WHY did he come up with that? I think I know because of what he followed up with after making that statement.
He then said what Bush was doing in cutting 150 programs was IMMORAL! You see, when the government does something for the PEOPLE, and then the government takes it away- that’s IMMORAL! I think we need to add that to the new revised Democratic dictionary adding it to the word “IS”.
So, here’s the conclusion to the matter. If the government starts something, it never wants to end it, and thus government keeps getting bigger and bigger with no end! Ahh, so that’s how we’ve gotten into so much trouble with a $2.57 TRILLION dollar budget: which doesn’t take into account the $20 TRILLION dollar off-budget items.
WHO UNDERSTANDS TRILLIONS?
February 7, 2006
I wonder if anyone has a grasp on what big government is all about. Is there a way to get it under control? Or, are we headed to an inevitable collapse at some point down the road.
Bush has just sent his $2.57 TRILLION dollar budget to Congress, saying that it will cut or eliminate 150 programs. He says that it is a conservative budget. Right! The total savings of the 150 programs that he has cut, and Congress will not, is miniscule.
Oh yes, and the budget does NOT include the cost of war. I don’t know about you but at mi casa, I have to plan for the emergencies. We have a good idea as to the cost of war (Another $75 BILLION) so why not include it? I know, it’s not politically correct.
I can’t even imagine the interest that we have to pay each year: $281 BILLION. But the good news is that the DEFICIT is estimated at only being $427 BILLION! What’s the bad news? Don’t tell me!
Then there’s that area that is not cut, but increased: the defense budget. Our defense budget will get a 5% increase to $419 BILLION. That amount is more than ALL of the other nations (put together) on this planet will spend for defense. Now you know another measure of the price of freedom.
I am sure Greenspan can help out by printing more dollars; however, I think he’s going to have to order a few more copy machines or else we’re in big trouble quickly. Is anyone at the controls: is it possible to stay out of the way from what has to be a locomotive out of control- our government spending?
A FUNERAL OR BUSH-BASHING?
February 7, 2006
After I read the scathing letter that John McCain wrote to Obama, I thought such a broadside had more to it than normal. Wasn’t it just last week that Bush encouraged the Congress to be more civil? Additionally, Specter and Reid were more than testy on different issues. Continue Reading »
BACK TO WORK!
February 6, 2006
We’ve seen the commercials, we got the expected results: New England and Brady win. Both elections are over. The State Of The Union speech has been delivered. And, we’ve got January and all it’s new beginnings out of the way. So, now we’re solidly in February and it’s time to get back to work.
Most people have eleven months ahead of them: not everyone will make it through the whole year- they never do. So what will you make of 2005? Got plans?
The stock market had a bad start to the year and if we go by history, that wouldn’t be the place to put your money to work. The IMF is threatening to sell gold, which says gold wouldn’t be the place to put your money to work (if they do it).
So, are you one of the 7 in 10 who are in a career that you’re not happy with? If so, going back to work is not going to be fun. For me, it’s a delight to say the least: I pray it is for you as well.
LET’S TALK INVERSION NOT PERVERSION
February 6, 2006
Enough of politics, the perversions of life, let’s jump back into the financial-economic world for a day since today was significant to me. In fact, I’m ready to issue a DOW warning. It’s just thirty stocks; however, its a barometer of America’s economic health, recognized world-wide. The “mother” of all economic indicators, the Dow should be headed towards a fall; maybe not Tuesday or Wednesday, but soon. Continue Reading »
SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS HERE
February 5, 2006
What else could I comment on today? Just eat it up all you sport fans, and have no fear non-sport fans, it’s only a one day diversion from the reality of the world: even without a wardrobe malfunction.
So, what do we know about the Super Bowl and who’s going to win? For me, it’s all about Tom Brady. Who else has his numbers with just four years (and one game) under his belt? So, I guess you know I am rooting for the Patriots even though they are from Mass. Maybe next year the Texans can break into the playoffs.
Sure, Donovan McNabb is a great quarterback, but he doesn’t have the experience or the defense that Tom has. I don’t think it will be a blowout; however, there are many who do: like Don Banks.
But if you are not into the betting odds, don’t have a favorite, or could care less about football, there’s always those innovative commercials. I love the commercials as much as the game- almost! They have to be good costing $2.4 million for a thirty-second commerical. Not a minute, thirty seconds! And then there are the production costs which evidently doesn’t bother people like Monster.com that has three commercials in the field of some sixty plus commercials (including the pre-game).
So, chill out for a day! Put the war in Iraq on hold for a day, tune out the yelling and screaming over whether Social Security in bankrupt or not, and plop yourself down in that favorite over-stuffed chair. It’s Super Bowl Sunday baby!
BUY A COUPLE OF GOOD BOOKS!
February 5, 2006
The Super Bowl is over. The State Of The Union Address is behind us. Samuel Alito is a USSC Justice. The first month of the year is history. So, what’s left on the agenda? Continue Reading »
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