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Commentary

Stop the insanity and bring back Glass-Steagall!
2012-05-23 17:02:00
In 1929, again in 2000, and yet again in 2008, we’ve seen how those meltdowns are inevitable if the financial industry is left to its own devices Investigations after the 1929 stock market crash revealed widespread conflicts of interest and outright fraud in the activities of financial firms leading up to the crash, and the worst financial catastrophe the country has ever experienced, the Great … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: Stop the insanity and bring back Glass-Steagall!
What?s The Deal With Umpire Strike Calls?
2012-05-23 12:50:00
Umpires and their strike three calls - how did they get to be so animated?
Nothing Trumps RESULTS ? It?s ALL About Expertise, Experience, and Knowledg
2012-05-22 15:18:00
It’s the human condition, isn’t it? When inexperienced, but newly ‘educated’, we often convince ourselves we know what we don’t know. As a young man I must’ve been the poster boy for that concept. Almost like it was yesterday, the memory of my first ever day as a ‘real estate guy’ is still fresh. Walking ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2012 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nothing Trumps RESULTS – It’s ALL About Expertise, Experience, and Knowledge
Why Was Adam Lind Placed On Waivers?
2012-05-20 15:05:00
Taking a look at some of the factors that could cause the Blue Jays to place Adam Lind on irrevocable waivers.
http://bullionbullscanada.com/gold-commentary/25378-paper-money-the-barbaro
2012-05-12 04:33:00
Gold is a barbarous relic. Even most ordinary people who rarely pay any attention to topics in the realm of economics will be familiar with this expression. Like most of the Big Lies from the media propaganda machine, our governments have made sure that most of us have heard this one enough times to have it burned into our psyches. As with most of these Big Lies, this too is a blatant perversion of the truth. It will come as no surprise to gold-bugs and that dwindling minority who advocate sound monetary policies that the reference to gold as a “barbarous relic” was made by the one-and-only John Maynard Keynes. It was from Monetary Reform, a book Keynes published in 1924 – and it was a reference not to gold itself – but to the gold standard: In truth, the gold standard is already a barbarous relic… Thus the original reference was made by the most infamous paper-printer in all of history, desperately searching for some insult he could hurl at the gold standard in order to a...
What Constitutes the Industrial Sector?
2012-05-10 19:39:00
I’ve been investing in sectors for more than 25 years — first with mutual funds and now ETFs. Following the trends from one industry to the next is one of the best investment strategies I know. Yet I have to admit some sectors rarely show up on my radar screen. Today I’ll tell you about one of them — and … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: What Constitutes the Industrial Sector?
The Best Toronto Blue Jays Finishers
2012-05-10 13:00:00
Taking a look at the greatest workhorses in Blue Jays franchise history and how they stack up to today's rotation.
Notable Names in Nippon Professional Baseball
2012-05-09 12:50:00
Taking a look at some former big leaguers now playing professionally in Japan.
Europe is a bigger problem than the slowing U.S. economy
2012-05-08 17:44:00
Obviously, Europe is in serious trouble, and here’s why it’s not likely to get better anytime soon Here’s the problem in just a handful of words. Germany is Europe’s strongest economy. Yet even its Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) fell to 46.2 in April from 48.4 in March. Any number below 50 indicates recessionary contraction. So the further plunge in its PMI … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: Europe is a bigger problem than the slowing U.S. economy
How to Invest in the World?s Fastest Growing Countries
2012-05-03 20:01:00
I’m always on the lookout for investment opportunities. The last few years, most of the profit potential seems to be outside the U.S. Thankfully, with ETFs I can get involved in foreign markets that were once off-limits. A question still nags at me, though. Am I missing something right here at home? Isn’t America still … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: How to Invest in the World?s Fastest Growing Countries
SUPPORT SHANKMAN'S
2012-05-02 19:05:00
We came across this local Kickstarter and just couldn't resist the pitch. Imagine that Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing) and Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) work at a Martin Scorsese (The Departed)-owned deli and that's kind of what this project's about. TryBoro Productions wants to make their dark comedy-meets-slasher-meets-gent-rification, Shankman's, come to life (and budget) and they need your help to do it! Peep the pitch and decide if you want to help them reach just $10K more to fund their wild indie flick.
Fed will come to the rescue, but deliberately late
2012-05-02 18:42:00
Stock market’s confidence may delay the very rescue it’s depending on, until the economy’s rescue becomes more difficult There can be no doubt anymore that the global economic recovery is in trouble again. In the U.S. we can see it in the reversals of previously positive economic reports; unexpected declines in durable goods orders, industrial production, new home sales, existing home sales, … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: Fed will come to the rescue, but deliberately late
If All You Have Is a Hammer
2012-04-30 16:24:00
The evidence everywhere is unequivocal: Despite trillions in printed dollars, euros, pounds, and yen … despite the passage of almost four years since the heart of the credit crisis … despite all the proclamations of government bureaucrats and central bankers, the economy and capital markets remain on the ropes! Take … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: If All You Have Is a Hammer
Beware of defensive stock advice
2012-04-25 18:16:00
Before you rush out to buy stocks like McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Kraft Foods, Proctor & Gamble, or dividend paying utilities like Duke Energy, be aware of the actual history during market downturns With the U.S. economic recovery stumbling again, the eurozone debt crisis back in the headlines, and ‘Sell in May and Go Away’ on the minds of many investors, Wall Street is beginning to put out advice on … [visit site to read . . . → Read More: Beware of defensive stock advice
AMLP Makes Tax Payment and Raises Expense Ratio
2012-04-23 19:25:00
Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP), the first ETF structured as a C-corporation, issued a prospectus supplement dated April 19, 2012 (pdf).  Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses increased from 0.85% to 1.40%, resulting from “Other Expenses” climbing by 0.55% due to past tax . . . → Read More: AMLP Makes Tax Payment and Raises Expense Ratio
What Happens If Central Banks FAIL in Their Giant Experiment?
2012-04-16 19:35:00
I rarely recommend that you wade through a wordy speech by an economic theorist delivered to an audience of stuffy bankers. But last week’s address by PIMCO Vice President El-Erian to the St. Louis Fed is one you absolutely MUST not miss. And to save you the trouble of deciphering the economics code words, I dedicate most of this issue to the key points he makes — the same basic points that our colleague Mike Larson has been making for months. First and foremost, four of the world’s largest central banks have gone absolutely berserk, running the money printing presses like never before in history: Source: Chart lines — Pimco; . . . → Read More: What Happens If Central Banks FAIL in Their Giant Experiment?
Triple-Crisis on the Near Horizon
2012-04-10 15:30:00
I return from a wonderful vacation — beardless, tan, and rested … but also very wary of the unfolding events: Just when everyone thought the debt crisis was over … giant deficits didn’t matter … and the global economy was on the mend … We have witnessed a sudden shift in global events … and the shift is about to hit the fan! Here are the facts: First, the European sovereign debt crisis has exploded back into the headlines with a surprise new collapse in the Spanish bond market. The underlying reason: Spain is caught in the same vicious cycle as Greece … • The more . . . → Read More: Triple-Crisis on the Near Horizon
The Euro Will Disintegrate ? Germany Is the Reason!
2012-04-09 17:15:00
There are all sorts of reasons I could list to explain why the euro will disintegrate. You have heard a lot of them before. But as this crisis continues to drag on, I think many people still miss the core reason the single currency, and possibly even the European Union itself, will come undone — Germany! Here’s why … There is no way the countries of Europe can compete with Germany’s dynamic export-driven economy. That really is the bottom line of the story. But let me add some context … There are four financial management tools of manipulation that a country needs to properly grow and manage its economy relative to . . . → Read More: The Euro Will Disintegrate ? Germany Is the Reason!
Don?t shrug off the similarities of past April stock markets
2012-04-05 21:10:00
It might be well to keep in mind that the market topped out on April 26 in 2010, and April 29 last year, forcing the Fed to come to the rescue during the summer months Almost a year ago in this column I pointed out the eerie similarities in April (2011) to conditions the previous April (2010). And sure enough the similarities continued into almost identical 20% market corrections before the bull market resumed. And here we are again this year looking at eerie similarities as March draws to a close, this time to the last two Aprils. I’m hearing a lot of assurances that this time is different. It would defy the odds for the . . . → Read More: Don’t shrug off the similarities of past April stock markets
Investor Power Flexes its Muscles
2012-04-04 19:13:00
Last week three significant news releases, one after the next, testified to the extraordinary, unprecedented and ever-increasing power investors wield today in the residential real estate marketplace. The first piece of good news came with the monthly Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance Housing Pulse survey which found that the market share of investors buying homes has surged ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Investor Power Flexes its Muscles
Growing Rich in Bubble Land
2012-04-02 20:15:00
In the second half of 20th Century, you could count on the rising U.S. economy to lift nearly all boats. Sure, we had recessions. In fact, in the years between 1945 and 2000, economists count a total of eight significant contractions along with eight bear markets — some minor, some not-so-minor. But looking back, it’s obvious that those setbacks were merely temporary ripples in a veritable “golden age” for investors that lasted over a half century. In fact, if you had simply invested $10,000 in the average Dow stock in 1945 and held it until year-end 1999, you could have seen it grow to $756,146, multiplying your money by . . . → Read More: Growing Rich in Bubble Land
Iran Lists War Aims Against Israel Commentary Magazine
2012-04-01 22:08:00
In his Alef article, Ali Reza Forqani, an ally of Iran’s Supreme Leader, goes further. After justifying a war against Israel, Ali Reza Forqani delves into how Iran should conduct its war: Israel must come under heavy military strikes from …Read more »
Dark Economic Clouds And Rumbles Of Thunder Can Be Heard Again
2012-03-29 20:15:00
Already we may be seeing early warning signs in last week’s U.S. economic reports What is it about the economic recovery so far that allows good news to last for only six months at a time before fears rise again and the economy needs another adrenaline fix from the Fed? The pattern has been clearly reflected in the stock market, which saw its historical pattern of making its gains in the winter months and suffering corrections in the summer months even more pronounced in 2010 and 2011. And here we go again already? Just when it seemed we could relax, the U.S. economic recovery surprising with its strength, the Greek debt crisis kicked into the bushes, . . . → Read More: Dark Economic Clouds And Rumbles Of Thunder Can Be Heard Again
Late Thoughts Regarding The Dustin McGowan Extension
2012-03-28 21:36:00
The McGowan deal is a by-product of the Blue Jays' shift in organizational culture.
Why the U.S. dollar may be in a sweet spot ? a place it hasn?t been for a l
2012-03-28 15:15:00
Everyone is rightfully excited over the potential for a strong rebound in the U.S. economy. And there is nothing short of the potential of global recession at stake should U.S. growth sputter. What is the key risk to U.S. growth going forward? A Balance Sheet Recession You may not be familiar with the term “balance sheet recession.” The reason is because we haven’t seen one in the U.S. since the 1930s Great Depression. So what qualifies as a balance sheet recession, how is it triggered, and why is it so dangerous? In a balance sheet recession individuals and businesses are more concerned about paying down existing debt than taking on new loans. That increases the . . . → Read More: Why the U.S. dollar may be in a sweet spot ? a place it hasn?t been for a long time
Who Had The Better Slider: Dave Stieb or Steve Carlton?
2012-03-27 12:00:00
Comparing two pitchers who possesed nasty sliders.
BAD TRANSLATION = RACIST PANTS
2012-03-23 15:39:00
Twitter and the internet were in an uproar yesterday over some supposedly racist knock-off pants. Word around the web was that clothing company, Abercrombie and Fitch, was selling a pair of brown cargo pants whose hue was described as "Nigger Brown." Turns out that the pants were being sold on a counterfeit Chinese site with no affiliation to the brand. So how did the "colorful" name exactly make it onto the product? Experts say it was man-made error of bad Chinese translation like what happened in 2007 case concerning a brown sofa.
DOMINICAN RACE & IDENTITY
2012-03-22 17:23:00
We suppose that most of our readers already know this, but we here at Repblica really love social commentary. Here's some that comes from our good friend, Jeff Lapaixx, who decided to take his frist stab at documentary work. We could spend time describing its context, but thought that it'd just be better to let the man himself describe it in his own words:
LEAST HELPFUL
2012-03-19 17:27:00
You know those Amazon reviews where folks post their own small-minded opinions about products and nothing even remotely helpful for other buyers? That's what Least Helpful is compiled of--nothing but bad comments galore. From the very useless to the downright stupid! It's all there. Thanks. For nothing!
Wrigley Field Review
2012-03-15 11:00:00
Reviewing the home of the Chicago Cubs. A post 10 years in the making.
WHAT WHITE WOMEN SAY TO BLACK MEN
2012-03-14 17:44:00
We came across this video and just couldn't resist posting. Why? Probably because of its equal parts of absurdity and honesty. This is a full-blown, raw, uninhibited, stereotypical, ignorant and truthful look at what a couple of white females think about black males. Fetishism, racism, distorted reality. All there. Worth a conversation or two. Or three...
For Contrarians, a Crisis Can Bring Opportunities
2012-03-14 16:53:00
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the tsunami hitting Japan and the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. Undoubtedly the country is still healing from the effects of those disasters. But recent data has shown a recovery might be underway that could provide opportunities for contrarian investors. The Japanese government has taken tremendous steps, starting with huge infrastructure spending and loan guarantees put in place immediately following the tsunami, that are designed to help rebuild the Tohoku region. While those measures have helped the country recover and GDP growth turn positive, the Japanese economy has been hit by another powerful force … A Strong Japanese Yen Despite the aftermath from the tsunami and nuclear disaster, investors plowed into the . . . → Read More: For Contrarians, a Crisis Can Bring Opportunities
Eurozone Crisis: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
2012-03-13 16:26:00
When Greece’s woes first rattled the markets two years ago, the pundits predicted a collapse of the euro. The resilience of the euro has been due to a number of factors, not least of which is that the eurozone as a whole has a broadly balanced current account. As such, a misbehaving bond market doesn’t necessarily cause a plunge in the currency, as foreign buyers are not required to fund a deficit or protect against currency weakness. The euro has also been on the other side of the Bernanke trade: the Fed’s printing of trillions of dollars is a deliberate effort to weaken the US dollar in an attempt to promote economic growth. Conversely, with the European Central Bank . . . → Read More: Eurozone Crisis: Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst
Can you still find good values in this market?
2012-03-07 19:54:00
A lot of investors tell me they’re frustrated by all the recent stock market strength. Why? Because they got caught sitting on the sidelines and now feel as though it’s too late to buy in. While I’ll be the first person to admit that many companies are no longer the screaming buys they used to be, I do want you to know that there are still plenty of reasonably-priced stocks out there right now. The trick is knowing how to find them. As I’ve pointed out in this column many times before, stock screens are one of the quickest and easiest ways to start the process of searching for new buys. In a minute I’ll show you the . . . → Read More: Can you still find good values in this market?
Buffett and Trump Say Buy Real Estate Now
2012-03-06 14:51:00
Did you hear the news? Warren Buffett says that now is a great time to buy. That?s true. With interest rates and prices also at all time lows, why not make purchasing a property a priority in 2012? But, is it a good time for investor buyers? Yes and no. For investor buyers who want ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Buffett and Trump Say Buy Real Estate Now
Is this as good as the stock market gets for now?
2012-03-05 20:00:00
The DJ Transportation Average, which frequently leads the rest of the market, has possibly already rolled over into a correction, down 4% over the last four weeks In Europe, the Euro zone debt crisis has pretty much faded from headlines. The arrangements that will bail out Greece – at least for now – have been pretty much finalized. The European Central Bank has made two huge rounds of low cost three-year loans available to European banks, and that seems to be working to assure that the Euro zone financial system will be okay for several years. In the U.S. the economic recovery has surprised with its strength since last fall, just about every economic report exceeding . . . → Read More: Is this as good as the stock market gets for now?
Can the U.S. economy sidestep Europe?s recession?
2012-03-01 20:02:00
The Fed says it’s ready to step in again if the U.S. recovery stumbles. But in each of the last two years it waited until it was almost too late. The surprises continue in the U.S. economic recovery. Last week’s reports include that home prices rose 0.7% in December, an encouraging ending to a year in which prices were down another 2.4% for the full year. And existing home sales rose 4.3% in January. Even more surprising, the inventory of unsold homes has now fallen to its lowest level since March, 2005. In the employment picture, the important four-week moving average of new unemployment claims fell again, and is now at its lowest level since . . . → Read More: Can the U.S. economy sidestep Europe’s recession?
Vail commentary from the lift.
2012-02-29 17:26:00
Vail commentary from the lift.
Currencies: Crisis & Opportunity
2012-02-29 17:16:00
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. According to some estimates, Germany will contribute approximately 28% of the €130 billion (approx. US$170 billion) bailout recently agreed for Greece; yet, rather than expressing their gratitude, protestors on the streets in Athens burn German flags. While some are celebrating that Greece is – at least for now – not falling into chaos, we are rather concerned about major shifts in European policy making that have unfolded in recent months. Where there is a crisis, there may be opportunities – but not necessarily in the places one might expect. Let’s take a step back and ask why Germany is being so generous: The exposure of financial institutions towards Greek debt. . . . → Read More: Currencies: Crisis & Opportunity
5 Great Deceptions, 5 Protective Strategies for Today?s Markets
2012-02-24 18:15:00
Just a few days ago, I had the privilege of speaking to several hundred people at the World MoneyShow in Orlando. The gist of my presentation? That five “Great Deceptions” are lurking out there … and that individually and collectively, they have the potential to wreck your portfolio. The good news? I also outlined five protective strategies to help you avoid getting slammed. Since I recognize that you may not have been able to attend the show — and because I believe this information is so important — I want to share the meat and potatoes of my presentation with you now! Today’s Five Dangerous Great Deceptions Let’s start with Great Deception #1, the idea that the . . . → Read More: 5 Great Deceptions, 5 Protective Strategies for Today?s Markets
Two Years of Economic Fears Have Disappeared
2012-02-23 17:30:00
Stock market is up exactly 100% since its March, 2009 bottom, and up 24% just since its intermediate-term low in October Kudos to central banks. The Euro zone debt crisis produced two years of fears that it would result in financial collapse and a severe recession in Europe that would spread to the rest of the world. But in November the central banks of Canada, England, Japan, Europe, the U.S., and Switzerland, took coordinated actions to provide liquidity support to the global financial system. In December, the European Central Bank finally succumbed to pressure and launched a program providing substantial additional liquidity to European banks by making unlimited, low interest-rate, three-year loans available to banks. As . . . → Read More: Two Years of Economic Fears Have Disappeared
N*GGAS IN POOREST
2012-02-22 19:10:00
While The Throne's mega-hit, Niggas In Paris, has been remixed and remade a few times, none cuts as sharp as Yasiin Bey's (Mos Def) political stab, Niggas In Poorest. Peep the video and socio-economic breakdown of global conditions complete with lyrics on screen. Yasiin knows what time it is!
A highly unusual TRIGGER event for a great boom
2012-02-22 16:05:00
In the early 1950s, my family formed a corporation exclusively for the purchase of natural gas properties — a sector we believed would be at the core of a future fuel revolution. It was a major investment for us at the time. And it prospered. But the expected fuel revolution was still many years away. So, as I explained here last week, we decided to take our profits and come back another day — a day when all the stars would be in alignment for a major new opportunity. Before he passed away, Dad and I often talked about what kind of global event would most likely trigger the fuel revolution. But we never imagined it . . . → Read More: A highly unusual TRIGGER event for a great boom
The Multi-Billion Dollar Water Services Industry
2012-02-14 15:58:00
There is a multi-billion dollar water industry forming before investors’ eyes in the oil patch. It’s a huge opportunity for some great capital gains — but changing regulations, and a very attentive mainstream audience questioning business practises which have been in effect for decades, will will make it choppy water for investors. “In 2008 there were 25 billion barrels of water handled (by the oil and gas industry) in the US—even at 60 cents a barrel it’s a multibillion dollar business,” says Jonathan Hoopes, President of GreenHunter Energy Inc. (GRH-AMEX). “With the big growth in unconventional since then, it’s likely another 5-6 billion barrels.” GreenHunter is a pure play on the fast growing water market in . . . → Read More: The Multi-Billion Dollar Water Services Industry
So what SHOULD you buy in a world fraught with risk?
2012-02-14 00:17:00
In Europe, despite news of what seems like the hundredth Greek deal, default is all but inevitable down the road. In the Middle East, tensions are ratcheting up in Syria and Iran, with the odds of an Israeli military strike steadily climbing. And here in the United States, many economic indicators suggest the recovery is far from robust. For all of those reasons and more, I’ve counseled caution and patience when it comes to investing. But it doesn’t mean I’m recommending you sit in all cash. There are select asset classes, sectors, Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and stocks that I feel you can buy with confidence. So this week, I’d like to profile a few. Here Are Some Safer . . . → Read More: So what SHOULD you buy in a world fraught with risk?
Reforming The Caribbean Series
2012-02-09 10:30:00
The Lions of Escogido of the Dominican Republic were crowned champions of the 2012 Caribbean Series ? a series that ended with a whimper instead of a roar. These are my ideas as to how to make the Series better. This year?s 2012 Caribbean Series left much to be desired. …
The Real Truth Behind the New Jobs Numbers
2012-02-08 21:16:00
Even though you know that trading the headlines is a sucker’s game, plenty of people who continually miss that memo wind up driving stocks up or down based on what they think the day’s headlines really mean. The bad news isn’t just that your positions can get hurt if stocks go down but, moreover, that they can get driven up artificially based on false optimism … which can cause them to crash even harder when the real news comes out, or when the next batch of headlines isn’t as positive (even if only in perception) as the last. The good news, however, is that you can easily become far more-informed than these trigger-happy buyers and sellers, simply by . . . → Read More: The Real Truth Behind the New Jobs Numbers
Three Official Lies About Jobs! Two Official Lies About Housing! Plus, the
2012-02-06 19:23:00
While Washington announced last Friday that unemployment dropped to 8.3% … And while Wall Street rejoiced with another rally … The true unemployment in the United States actually rose to an estimated 22.5%, nearly the worst since the Great Depression. Hard to believe? Well, thanks largely to John Williams of www.shadowstats.com, we can prove it. Just consider how the government is lying to us about jobs in America: Lie #1. “Discouraged workers — unemployed workers who give up looking for jobs — are not really unemployed.” Even a third grader would know that’s laughable. If jobs are so hard to find that people are abandoning the search, that’s a sign things are actually WORSE, . . . → Read More: Three Official Lies About Jobs! Two Official Lies About Housing! Plus, the Hard, Factual Truth!
Split between ?Real? and ?Asset? Economies Never More Clear Than Now
2012-02-03 17:25:00
Many average investors like to think that the performance of the STOCK market is closely tied to the underlying ECONOMY. And in most normal times, that’s true. But the current market environment is anything but normal. I say that because we’re in the midst of yet another round of money-printing-driven action. The fingerprints are everywhere … Super-low volume rallies in stocks. Levitation in gold. A slump in the euro first, driven by the European Central Bank’s backdoor money-printing LTRO program, followed by a slump in the dollar, driven by more dovish talk out of the U.S. Federal Reserve. All these clues tell me that the “asset” economy is floating on a sea of liquidity … for . . . → Read More: Split between ?Real? and ?Asset? Economies Never More Clear Than Now
Toronto Blue Jays Reach Out To Bloggers
2012-02-02 17:15:00
The Toronto Blue Jays communications department reaches out to the blogging community.
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