Posted by
Doug Wolkon on October 2, 2008 at 6:32 am
My parents (Happy Birthday Mom!) used to always say it, “Money doesn’t solve anything”. But it never hit home more than this past week when our leaders proposed a strategy to solve this “Economic Crisis” with more borrowed money? As if borrowing $700B is the answer to all our economic problems. Print another…
Oh yes, and our leaders say it must be “invested” in reinvigorating the establishment of credit. The government itself to go on credit in order to provide the credit, so that it will eventually trickle (yes, trickle) down to provide credit for the “average” American to eat as well. What a lifestyle, with a time gun to our head saying “pay me or else” all the way through! I can’t wait to get that credit flowing again. Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on September 19, 2008 at 5:16 pm
A developer once told me that if you do a deal with someone that has fleas, your bound to get fleas. For example, Bear Stearns and AIG have fleas. I understand the fear-based argument for getting fleas, “We have no choice”. But borrowing more money to participate in the Flea Market can’t be our only choice. What if the “Free Markets” posed another choice? What if there was a much better way than borrowing more time and money just to get fleas (and these are big and scary fleas)? Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on September 18, 2008 at 12:15 am
As the Fed continues to “print” more money what is the effect on the economy. Can they “print” their way out of this economic slide by lending more and more money to their friendly financial institutions? “Printing” more money against the same asset base is like an alcoholic having “just one more drink”. Such an attitude eventually leads to another and another…it is a bad idea and only works to “inflate” the existing problem. Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on September 10, 2008 at 7:48 pm
You must invest retirement savings in the businesses and real estate in your own State. The U.S. economy has changed. It has become more local and will continue to do so to fight off imported inflation. The dollar has inflated. It has dropped about 50% in value from its peak across all major trade currencies. As a result, we are experiencing a much higher cost to transport and import goods and services.
However, the reality is that it is the perfect investment opportunity to start working the local land again. Prices for local farmland is relatively low as it relates to higher prices from more demand and lower supply. Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on August 11, 2008 at 3:15 am
So how much paper money is out there anyway. Does it matter that every time The Wizard of Oz (The Fed/government) decides to bailout a financial institution like Bear Stearns, Lehman, Fannie or Freddie, they have to print more and more money. What is behind this printing of money and how do they do it? Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on July 22, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Starting to get a lot more optimistic about the economic opportunity that lies ahead. The economy’s assets and liabilities are shifting perspective and ownership. It will be forced to act more efficiently. It may feel like it will happen super fast, but it has been a long time in the making. For those who embrace it, it will be fun, but for those who don’t, it won’t. Continued »
Posted by
Doug Wolkon on July 11, 2008 at 2:14 am
The real reason that oil consumption has slowed down is once again – the housing market. Think about how much less oil is needed to move all those materials (wood, steel, concrete, appliances, etc.) as well as construction laborers for all those houses and condos we were building. All that consumption from our housing construction has come to a stop, and with it the end of a major consumer of oil. The next oil demand decrease is on its way from both China and India. Continued »
