Discursive MonologueDiscursive MonologueReporting on the massive torrent of wealth from the United States to East Asia, the depreciation of the U.s. Dollar, and hedging strategies. Articles
I am moving into my new apartment this weekend; request for news about Davi
2007-08-10 22:57:00 I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up about some time off from posting here. I will move into my new place this weekend and I will be busy with chores through early next week. I have also been pretty lazy and haven’t even called about getting a cable guy over, so I might be ... More About: News , Life , Moving , Weekend , Request
CNBC Asia transcript: Kirby Daley bearish on Japanese economy, equities; ca
2007-08-09 13:26:00 I typed up the following transcript of guest Kirby Daley, strategist at Fimat, form Squawk Box Asia on Sunday, 05 August (yeah, I prepare all of my weekly content early in the week). I have expressed approbation for CNBC Asia several times in the past and I especially like several of the guests with recurring ... More About: Economy , Japanese , Bearish , Equities
10 most bizarre searches that brough people here in July
2007-08-01 13:18:00 At the beginning of June, I wrote a post called, Top Ten bizarre Google search terms that bring people here. “britney?s exposed vulva” topped the list last time and, while I won’t let it repeat on this list, there are still plenty of people who make it here looking for exposed vulva pictures. Variations of ... More About: People , Bizarre , Timeless , July
Current Account Balance: top surplus countries and top deficit countries; t
2007-07-31 14:50:00 In the past, I have made several references to the extreme global imbalance represented by the United States? current account deficit. I look at the current account balance as an indicator of a nation?s economic health. Over the past 15 years, the United States has relentlessly racked up enormous and growing current account deficits?effectively the ... More About: Current , Countries , Balance , Lance , Account
The look on everyone?s face when they see the 8×10 glossy of the bride hump
2007-07-30 12:49:00 One of my co-workers sent this to me last week and I thought that, since everyone writing personal finance blogs has written a wedding post, I would join the party. I have no knowledge of the author or the accuracy of this story (nor have I attempted to verify), but it is pretty funny, so ... More About: Bride , Face , Timeless , Glossy , Hump
Heads up: I will be upgrading Wordpress within 24 hours
2007-07-29 02:22:00 I just want to let everyone know that I will be upgrading Wordpress tomorrow morning. In my experience, upgrades usually break something, so don’t be surprised if you visit and see a half working Wordpress install. The impetus for this change was that my friend, Max, had his blog hacked. As far as I know, ... More About: Hour , Heads , Hours
Video Friday: Stewie beats the hell out of Brian over a small bet
2007-07-27 22:45:00 I’m a huge fan of the Family Guy and, while browsing YouTube for funny videos today, I came across one of the most memorable clips of all time. For those who do not regularly watch the Family Guy (people who don’t get Fox?), a primer is in order. Stewie is the diabolical baby bent on ... More About: Video , Small , Friday , Hell , Timeless
Transcript: Ron Paul questions Ben Bernanke in his semi-annual testimony be
2007-07-27 00:59:00 Before this content becomes too dated, I want to post a transcript of a portion of Chairman Bernanke’s testimony before the House Financial Services Committee (circa 18 July 2007) that includes questions by Ron Paul , an outspoken opponent of the Federal Reserve and it’s tenacious debasement of the currency via manipulation of the money supply. ... More About: Politics , Questions , Testimony
Credit scores are always a step behind the fraudsters; new FICO scoring sys
2007-07-18 15:18:00 As I mentioned earlier, piggybacking is the practice of adding users with lower credit scores as authorized users of credit accounts in excellent standing via a middle-man like instantcreditbuilder.com. Fair Isaac Corp. announced that it would modify its FICO credit scoring system to ignore authorized users in an attempt to stop the fraudulent practice of ... More About: Credit , Step , Frauds , Scores , Always
NYSE member margin debt at all-time highs in both real and nominal values
2007-07-17 16:25:00 I just wanted to give an update on margin debt since it has risen to a startling level. The aggregate debts in securities margin accounts for NYSE member organizations rose above 353 billion USD in May. This was another all-time record and appears to be trending higher to what will have to be a peak. ... More About: Time , Margin , Debt , Real , Values
Wall Street?s departure from reality send markets soaring without positive
2007-07-16 20:51:00 Lately, the market has been behaving so irrationally that the headlines are incapable of explaining the reasons behind price movement. I view the headlines on Yahoo! Finance every day and, as the effervescent market becomes more and more of a zoo, the headlines just randomly capture a merger and acquisition (M&A) story or some government ... More About: Reality , Wall Street , Markets , Street , Wall
The leaking housing bubble is a leading indicator of recession? or is it?
2007-07-12 00:27:00 Bad news in the housing market keeps coming in. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of sentiment hit a 16 year low in June. U.S. mortgage foreclosures in May rose 90 percent year over year. The Federal Reserve is predicting a major impact on the economy. Most analysts are crying the dolorous song ... More About: Housing Bubble , Housing , Bubble , Indicator , Leak
Tin Man Syndrome - How John Learned About Bums the Hard Way
2007-07-08 15:16:00 During my sophomore year in college, I had a roommate with a heart that was much bigger than his brain. Let’s call him John . John had lived a very sheltered life. He attended a junior college near his parents’ home prior to matriculating in the large university where I attended. Now, living several states away ... More About: Life , Syndrome , Hard , Learned
The 15 Minute Dating Blog: True Horror Stories and Tips From Real People (F
2007-07-07 16:19:00 This week, I’m featuring The 15 Minute Dating Blog. Apparently, this blog has an online dating site for a counterpart, but I’m not entirely familiar with the dating portion and the blog is the real gem here. I stumbled across The 15 Minute Dating Blog perusing reading material on MyBlogLog. There are a variety of ... More About: Wordpress , People , Horror , Stories
Mountain biking and Mexican food - the mundane details of my life
2007-07-07 04:37:00 I just want to mention that I returned from the mountain biking trail without losing a single drop of blood. For me, this is a personal best. I have scars from every single mountain bike ride over the past 2 years. I’m not a very experienced rider–I go a handful of times every year on ... More About: Life , Food , Mexican , My Life , Mexican food
Funny Video Friday: Show that wheelbarrow who?s boss
2007-07-07 04:00:00 Keeping with my tradition of winding down for the weekend with an easy (but still entertaining) post, this week’s video features a circus act. A man tries to push a wheelbarrow full of soil up a thin ramp–essentially walking the plank. Wearing cowboy boots might not be the best idea on that surface. The poor ... More About: Video , Funny , Funny Video , Show , Boss
Professor Eisuke Sakakibara on yen exchange rates and Japanese interest rat
2007-07-06 01:56:00 Eisuke Sakakibara, former Japanese vice minister of finance for foreign affairs, appeared on Squawkbox Asia Tuesday to discuss interestest rates in Japan and foreign exchange rates vis-à-vis the yen. I found it particularly interesting when Sakakibara-San suggested that Washington was too focused on currency issues in China and were ignoring the obscenely weak Japanese yen. ... More About: Exchange , Interest , Rates , Esso
Reader Reaction: Reader comments about protectionist legislation in Congres
2007-07-04 17:04:00 Since I saw good discussions on some of my columns in June, I want to begin taking time each week to highlight these comments and my response to them. I can only highlight a few comments at a time in order to keep post length reasonable. goldnsilver lured me into discussion in my posts, The ... More About: Reader , Comments , Legislation , Comm , Legi
Expenses for June - Dominated by Insurance and Rent
2007-07-03 22:19:00 I have been debating giving specific details about my life (as a lot of bloggers do). I like a lot of privacy, but an expense report is easy content so today I am providing a breakdown of my expenses for June . Total expenses for June were $1585.10. June is one of two months in the ... More About: Life , Insurance , Expenses , Rent
What are you saving for? - Two stories that show why America is headed for
2007-07-03 00:22:00 In my post, 10 Clichés to live by, I alluded to a conversation in which I was asked why I am saving. For me, the question is puzzling because it is tantamount to being asked, “Why do you breath?” I save because I have to. What the askers are seeking is the object of my ... More About: America , Economics , Stories , Show , Tori
The derivatives bubble and investment banking orgy fueled by the global cre
2007-06-24 18:21:00 I have been writing about bubbles enough to make the world sound like a geothermal hot-pool in Yellowstone National Park. I mostly talk about the global stock market bubble, asset price bubbles, and the credit bubble. Today, I want to write about investment banking and something that Warren Buffet once called “financial weapons of mass ... More About: Economics , Investment , Global , Banking , Bubble
This week?s featured web site: Photos from northern Norway
2007-06-23 22:33:00 For Americans, traveling anywhere in the world has become expensive lately with the languishing dollar and global inflation. The greenback has declined nearly 7 percent against the Norwegian Krone year over year. While that might make a trip to beautiful Norway a pipe dream for some Americans, it won’t stop resourceful Americans from viewing the ... More About: Wordpress , Photos , Site , Week
My first true personal finance entry - my second entry into the world of cr
2007-06-23 02:58:00 My blog is my personal soapbox. Typically, I write about the numbers behind the numbers (i.e., the important numbers that the special-interest-sponsored financial media and government ignore or don’t report because it doesn’t tell the story that makes their sponsors rich). Occasionally, I throw a bone and give an investment idea. Rarely, I report something ... More About: Personal , Life , Personal Finance , Finance , World
The Federal Reserve believes inflation has been contained. My bank account
2007-06-22 04:19:00 I have written several columns about the economic impact of inflation and government’s misleading inflation statistics. While the Federal Reserve does not take into account the prices of food and energy when considering inflation, I will because those are two things people tend to buy in order to stay alive. The Federal Reserve considers food ... More About: Economics , Inflation , Bank , Account
Sinclair Lewis draws a picture of twenty first century America at the begin
2007-06-21 05:01:00 I’ve mentioned that I have been working a lot lately, so I decided to go to the library to get a book to unwind in the evening. I picked up two books: The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner and Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis . I was warned away from Faulkner by a good friend, ... More About: America , Books , Picture , Twenty
Why do kids do whip-its when they could try Sulfur Hexafluoride?
2007-06-20 03:21:00 I’ve been working longer hours at work this week (and will continue to do so for the rest of the week), so I haven’t been paying attention to the markets, economic indicators, or reports. I have some ideas in the pipeline, but they will have to wait until things calm down. Until then, settle for ... More About: Kids , Timeless , Whip
What will it take to bring down the Yen carry trade?
2007-06-13 17:02:00 The Yen carry trade truly is a bizarre creature. The carry is really a play on the Ministry of Finance/Bank of Japan’s assiduous care in keeping the Yen/Dollar relationship fairly stable and rate spreads. Low rates in Japan allow speculators to borrow on an absurd scale in Japan in invest in higher yielding assets abroad ... More About: Economics , Trade , Carry
A Dow Jones Industrial Average collapse could usher in a stronger Yen and k
2007-06-10 21:14:00 Foreign exchange markets are well outside of my circle of confidence?it?s like voodoo to me. Other than the certainty of a U.S. dollar collapse in the long term, I don?t know how to value currencies like stocks. Because of this, take this post as a pointer to an interesting phenomenon, not investment advice or ideas. In ... More About: Collapse , Usher , Dow Jones , Industrial , Investing
An investment idea that is under the radar - flipping web sites
2007-06-09 18:03:00 I?ve been toying with the idea of featuring a web site that I regularly visit once every week. The only problem that I see with this is that I could run out of web sites very quickly. This week, I want to take a look at an interesting web site that posits a non-traditional investing ... More About: Investment , Web Sites , Investing , Sites , Idea
New (relatively) incoming links
More articles from this author:2007-06-09 18:02:00 This is just a shout-out to two new sites that have linked to me. I have been visiting several blogs in which people talk about their personal finances. Most of the personal finance blogs are journals in which people list their financial status (i.e., they list their assets, liabilities, and expenses) or write about their ... More About: Wordpress , Links , Ming 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
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