Economic Potpourri December 30, 2008

The barrage of noteworthy economic news continues as we head into the new year. Here are a few headline news reports of interest from the past couple days.Japan mulls scheme to buy bad loansJapan's government and central bank are considering a $110 billion scheme to buy bad loans and other financial assets from banks to ease a credit crunch [more...]

Date: 2008-12-31 02:58:00

Blog posts (169) | Videos (57)
 

Resolution #9: We will return the Favor to our Bank

Resolution #9: We will return the Favor to our Bank A lot of blame is being put on the financial industry for getting the country into this ... to pull out of loan agreements or persuade Company’s not to draw down on credit facilities. As the economy worsens, more Companies will be at risk for failing banking covenants, especially on debt [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 13:30:57

Focus on reader comments #4

You all know a lot more than I do, and it’s often shown in the quality of your comments. So from time-to-time I like to feature a few of your thoughts, both for the benefit of those who don’t follow the discussions, and as a small thank you. Here’s the fourth in my ‘focus on reader comments’ series. [more...]

Date: 2008-12-16 10:10:44

Daily SG: 16 Jan 2009

MP Burnt - Hard Hitting in the Lion City: When Idiots rule the Blogs of Singapore Have you ever wondered why we must serve - the boy who knew too much: A debt of national gratitude - Everyday’s Life in a Snapshot: MINDEF: not responsible till proven responsible, or responsible till not proven so? - nofearSingapore: Will my country [more...]

Date: 2009-01-16 03:58:12

What The Rise And Fall In Housing Has Done

The Ventura County Star reports from California. “Thousands of Ventura County residents were pushed out of their homes last year, and many more were left hanging on by a thread — a situation exacerbated by mounting job losses. In Ventura County, December foreclosure filings surged 37 percent from November and 97 percent from a year ago, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 18:16:59

How Do Credit Counselors Help You?

by William Blake It is not unusual for a person to be shouldering much more debt then he actually can handle ... and for some it eventually gets out of hand and impossible to maintain. For those people credit counseling can offer some assistance. What can a credit counselor do for you? A person with a sizeable debt that is hard [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 10:32:19

Free Helpful Advice - Can The Hope For Home Ownership Relief Act Really Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure?

My take on this bill is that it will be a another government run fiasco ... be at least 31 percent; * They cannot afford their current loan; * They did not intentionally miss ... the new program include: * 30-year, fixed rate mortgage; * Maximum 90 percent loan-to-value ratio [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 07:36:03

The Effect Of Credit Card

by Mike Carbeck If you’re looking to get a credit card, be sure to go over the terms with a fine-toothed comb ... your credit rating, and are also in danger of falling into debt .You need to compare the companies ... for your money. Many people fall into debt because they charge too many luxuries onto their credit card [more...]

Date: 2009-01-14 11:03:30

Will $500,000 earmark for controversial ministry be used to fight voodoo and Satan in Haiti?

NOTE FROM PAM: One of the contributors to Dump Michele Bachmann, Ken Avidor, has been putting together quite an expose on Minnesota Teen Challenge, a ministry of the Assemblies of God that has been tapped to receive a $500K earmark of your tax dollars thanks to Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 13:11:34

Equal Justice Works Launches Student Debt Relief Podcast

If you are graduating from college soon and worried that your career options are limited due to your staggering student loan burden, ... of Law, Equal Justice Works has launched its first podcast show on the topic of student debt relief ... hurdles for any person entering a public service career is student loan debt – and law school grads may [more...]

Date: 2008-12-26 17:53:00

IRS Offers Advice To Cash Strapped Americans

IRS Offers Advice To Cash Strapped Americans Posted by BK Dallas on 15 Jan, 2009 in Tax - Debt Garnishments Taxes, another debt that many Americans are struggling with is often going unpaid as taxpayers struggle ... from these payments, or make estimated payments to avoid a big bill at tax time. Public assistance and food [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 17:08:01

The Dividend Dilemma

Obama said he will order the Treasury Department to limit dividends paid by commercial banks and investment banks that receive “exceptional assistance” from the government to “de minimis amounts”. That order will not likely receive any ... receiving “extensive assistance” and are also the primary sources of a large portion (perhaps [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:35:17

Today In Budget Hell

With the Governor and the legislature still no closer on a special session solution on the budget, ... and debt service, the Capitol's budget paralysis may leave me no choice but to, in full or in part ... Stamps, WIC, Healthy Families, Medi-Cal, and CalWORKsfor assistance. Increased demand for public [more...]

Date: 2008-12-23 01:56:07

Oil troubled waters 2

Belmont Club Commenter L3 has an theory on why oil prices have swung from their recent heights to their recent lows. Below the “Read More” The key here is exchange rates and the impact of increased consumer spending driven by the housing bubble and foreign investment by US investors [more...]

Date: 2008-12-17 05:29:40

Davis Polk Releases Comprehensive Review of Financial Crisis Laws

It has been my privilege to support my partners as the editor of Davis Polk’s recently issued Financial Crisis Manual , which has been written by 21 Davis Polk partners and counsel working in a collaborative team that is the hallmark of our firm culture. The Manual is a comprehensive review of financial crisis laws as they apply to US financial institutions. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 13:25:46

Political Wisdom: Obama’s Plan is Just Too Small

Here’s a summary of the smartest new political analysis on the Web: by Gerald F. Seib and Sara Murray Plenty of skeptics are popping up to suggest the economic stimulus plan President-elect Barack Obama will present, carrying a price tag of $800 billion or so, is too much government spending, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-08 15:58:41

News and Commentary

Children Heavily Represented Among 917 Dead, Say Officialsby Michael Jansen - Irish Times / Common DreamsHealth officials in Gaza said yesterday that the Palestinian death toll since Israel began its offensive against the Strip on December 27th had reached 917 and the number of wounded 4,100 [more...]

Date: 2009-01-14 08:42:00

PLAN's Plan: Reforming Nevada's Regressive Tax Structure

At some point in the very near future we can easily expect the stalwart defenders of Hooverism to emerge from the Nevada brush and cry out that "We can't raise taxes during a recession!" Of course, they also cried out that we could not possibly raise taxes during more prosperous times lest we jinx our progress [more...]

Date: 2009-01-14 19:37:00

Better Personal Finance

Do you know the best way to financial freedom and wealth? You might be surprised at the simple things you can do to be just like them. The key to stability with your personal finances is successful management of your personal finance. Getting your personal finances in order will allow you to understand how to use your money better and how to keep [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 15:52:33

Bankruptcy Is Not The End

During economic downturns such as the one we are experiencing, ... of bankruptcy, companies as well have to worry about whether they can keep paying the bills ... having to resort to filing for protection. These companies may also allow you to settle out of court [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 03:32:03

Useful Advice - Can The Hope For Home Ownership Relief Act Really Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosure?

My view on this bill is that it will be a dismal failure ... must be at least 31 percent; * They cannot afford their current loan; * They did not intentionally miss ... program include: * 30-year, fixed rate mortgage; * Maximum 90 percent loan-to-value ratio [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:06:21

Obama’s - Democrats increase Stimulus Plan – now $850 Billion, Additional T.A.R.P. Funds requested, Massive Omnibus Land Bill Passed.

The Democrat controlled Senate and Congress have been adding to Barack Obama’s stimulus plan, however, the AP is reporting that the $3, ... assistance with Medicaid, $90 billion for education, $25 billion to help laid off worker keep ... that will be added to the national debt, and the President is requesting an additional $350 billion [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 11:39:00

BofA?s Ken Lewis to Employees: ?This Extraordinary Period has Called for Extraordinary Measures?

Deal Journal colleage Dan Fitzpatrick reports: Bank of America Corp., its stock hammered Thursday by its need for billions in federal aid to support its acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co., tried to rally its employees with a memo titled “Bank of America Remains Strong [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:23:00

Economic Apocolypse: What if?

Economic Apocolypse: What if? September 29th, 2008 By JAZZ SHAW, Assistant Editor What if the stock market fell from 11,000 to 5,000? What if loose credit evaporated overnight? What if people who took outrageous mortgages and debt ... ? What if credit became tight to the point where average households couldn’t have nine credit cards [more...]

Date: 2008-09-29 23:48:42

"Fill in the Blank" Wants A Bailout: More cheery news: The Wall Street...

More cheery news: The Wall Street Journal reports that commercial real estate developers are now headed to Washington, D.C ... of commercial real-estate debt coming due, some of the country's biggest property developers have become the latest to go hat-in-hand to the government for assistance. They're warning policymakers [more...]

Date: 2008-12-23 00:52:44

Russell Kirk on Bush I's Iraq war

Last night, I came across a speech I had heard before, of Russell Kirk in 1991 in the waning months of the presidency of George H.W. Bush entitled "Political Errors at the End of the Twentieth Century."  It reminded me so much of our current time in the waning days of George W. Bush’s presidency, and war in Iraq, that I had to post it up [more...]

Date: 2008-12-24 02:11:17

IMF Team Concludes Article IV Consultation Mission to the State of Eritrea

IMF Team Concludes Article IV Consultation Mission to the State of Eritrea    ASMARA, Eritrea September 29, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission visited Eritrea during September 14–29, 2009 to conduct the 2009 Article IV consultation discussions. The last Article IV consultation was concluded in April 2008. The mission met with Mr. Ali, Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr. [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 15:41:13

Carnival of Debt Reduction: Tips via Twitter Edition

Welcome to the Carnival of Debt Reduction, a traveling weekly roundup of the best articles in the blogosphere covering credit cards, consumer debt, mortgages, and the elimination thereof. Here is more information about the Carnival of Debt ... to be featured in today’s Carnival of Debt Reduction. What follows is the best of those submissions [more...]

Date: 2009-01-12 13:00:59

xxxExpanding Government, Corrupting Business

Tossing money at most anyone who shows up in Washington touting a sob story in the company of a lobbyist  is doing more than impoverishing taxpayers ... enough for all, industries are crafting creative pitches to show that assistance to them would [more...]

Date: 2009-01-06 10:57:20

Secretary Rice's "Foundation for History's Judgment"

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave an end-of-term interview this morning to Rita Braver of CBS Sunday Morning. There's a lot to chew on given the far-reaching nature of the interview that covered the image of the US abroad, the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Sino-American relationship, [more...]

Date: 2008-12-29 04:52:33

The Secrets to Entrepreneurship? Or More?

Earlier this week, I stumbled across an October article from Inc. entitled Street Smarts: Secrets of a $110 Million Man ... pay off the full balance. Doing this ensures that you’ll not run up a big debt tab that will be difficult to pay off. Don’t focus on the top line. Gross [more...]

Date: 2009-01-11 14:00:52

More Industries Saddle Up To The Bailout Trough

Director Blue on the newest group to want a free handout: ... -estate debt coming due, some of the country’s biggest property developers have become the latest to go hat-in-hand to the government for assistance. They’re warning policymakers that thousands [more...]

Date: 2008-12-22 17:35:49

No Cure: The Squeeze Is What Got Us Here

Nouveau Poor:Numbers Now TooLarge to IgnoreBy Barbara EhrenreichBarbaraehrenreich.comJan. 13, 2009 - Ever on the lookout for the bright side of hard times, I am tempted to delete 'class inequality' from my worry list. Less than a year ago, it was the one of the biggest economic threats on the horizon, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-13 16:31:00

Shoe Incident

  On the phone. Ammar Mohammed – Admin assistant. (Laughing) "Of course he's a hero! ... many Iraqis did Bush kill in Iraq?? Hundreds of thousands. This shoe is settlement for only one. How many Muntathars do we need to settle our debt with Bush?" Abu Abdullah and Abu Eseel Abu [more...]

Date: 2008-12-16 09:46:50

Credit and debt consolidation

With the assistance of 3debtconsolidation.com, you can get tips, procedures and great ways on how to consolidate your debts ... consolidation makes your payment simpler by consolidating your money loan, mortgage, credit cards, etc ... lower your bills and lessen the monthly premium. To get free debt consolidation and credit counseling [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 03:32:04

Effective Immediately - No Refi’s For Borrowers with Modified Loans

1/5/09 - EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY - Modified Loans are Ineligible For Fannie/Freddie Refi’s, while FHA MAY Be Eligible ... , resulting in either absolute forgiveness of debt or restructuring the debt through either ... of the original mortgage debt to a “soft” subordinate mortgage; or Conversion of any portion [more...]

Date: 2009-01-12 17:52:15

President Bush Doesn’t Care About Black People

Dec. 8, 2008: President George W. Bush kisses one of the children attending the Children’s Holiday Reception and Performance with first lady Laura Bush in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. The reception is for children whose parents are serving in the military and cannot be with them for the Christmas holiday [more...]

Date: 2009-01-14 08:47:09

Combined Gay News Headlines (T5T-1)

Thought of the Day: Anonymous Openly-Gay Former Clinton Aide "he problem here goes well beyond Warren's incendiary language equating gay marriage with incest. He is what he is. The greater problem lies in the President-Elect's cruel calculation that this insult [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:10:00

New Credit Card Rules and Regulations - The Good and The Bad

Note: The New Credit Card Rules Do Not Go Into Effect Until July 1, 2010 These days, it seems like whenever there’s a good thing going or some attractive opportunity for pecuniary gain or profit, the masses ultimately swarm the offer like locusts until they’ve completely ruined it for everyone else [more...]

Date: 2008-12-25 03:28:28

Credit Card Debt Assistance Programs Which Offer Relief

Many people in the United States are undoubtedly heavy into credit card debt, and the effects of the recession have not made it any easier for them to repay their existing credit card debts As part of the debt relief program initiated by the government, many credit card companies are offering credit card debt assistance in the form of the consolidation of credit card debts [more...]

Date: 2009-09-29 03:34:03

Global Development Prominent in Clinton Confirmation Hearing

Development was a prominent theme in Tuesday's Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of State-designate. Hillary Rodham Clinton mentioned “development assistance" or "development aid" roughly three times more than outgoing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did during her confirmation hearing in January 2005 [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 17:43:54

Thinking Strategically About a Post-Balanced Budget Future

Paul Krugman has a good column today about how state balanced budget needs lead to perverse outcomes during an economic crisis that demands fiscal ... anything except federal debt, and those states that can borrow at all are being forced to pay [more...]

Date: 2008-12-29 21:15:46

Kurds, Jews, And Shi'a Shoes

Kurds, Jews, And Shi'a Shoes  by Gerald A. Honigman   (Posted by request)         As I'm sure you've heard by now, on a recent surprise visit to Iraq, President Bush had to duck when a Shi'a Arab journalist threw shoes at him in protest of American policies and presence in Iraq [more...]

Date: 2008-12-22 01:36:39

Stimulus: Something for Everyone

Stimulus: Something for Everyone by Howard Gleckman on Thu 15 Jan 2009 06:46 PM EST The stimulus plan unveiled by House Democrats today includes a little something for everyone. With an eye-popping price tag of $825 billion, I suppose it should. The plan, written in close consultation with the incoming Obama Administration, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 23:46:35

Retirement Calculators - What Can They Tell You?

Retirement Calculators - What Can They Tell You? Posted By William Blake on @ 1:46 pm by William Blake Most people are interested in what situation they will be in when they retire. Everyone has an idea of how they would like their life to be. If you input what you are currently putting away for your retirement into a retirement calculator [more...]

Date: 2009-01-14 07:38:07

For victims of the Cedar Rapids flood, the budget crisis is hitting home

Flood map courtesy City of Cedar Rapids. Click for larger PDF version. Few in the crowd of 70 people sat peacefully on the padded folding chairs in the basement of Trinity United Methodist Church in downtown Cedar Rapids Monday afternoon, as two dozen state legislators, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-08 16:17:50

Words from the (investment) wise 12.28.08

Investors spent the holiday-shortened Christmas week in an un-merry mood, digesting more gloomy economic data and taking stock of a tumultuous 2008 ... s exuberance), but also still be battling with the implications of the credit crisis for the global economy [more...]

Date: 2008-12-28 12:31:33

TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION LOCAL 100 WON’T FIGHT BACK…so transit workers resist on their own

from the CHIEF-LEADER: Transit Workers Seek Public Support to Derail Cutbacks Question Union’s Inactivity By ARI PAUL The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James A COMMON INTEREST WITH RIDERS: New York City Transit Cleaner Marvin Holland, right, [more...]

Date: 2009-01-13 07:05:55

Debt Consolidation in Canada Can Be an Attractive Solution

With the way things are in the economy at the moment, ... you can arrange for debt consolidation. The first thing many people do is approach their current bank or credit ... want to consider is debt consolidation. Debt consolidation involves taking a single loan [more...]

Date: 2009-01-15 16:59:58

Arne Duncan sails through confirmation hearing for Education Secretary. Duncan, Ted Kennedy statements

STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY AT THE NOMINATION HEARING FOR SECRETARY OF EDUCATION- DESIGNATE ARNE DUNCAN (As Entered into the Record) ... do all we can to help every student achieve, by providing additional time for learning during the school day [more...]

Date: 2009-01-11 01:57:42

101 - 150 of 169 Posts
Page: First | < Preceding | Next >
0 | 1 | 2