Archive for January 31st, 2009

Buy American: The Ghost Haunting Davos

A couple of days ago I posted my thoughts on the “Buy American” provisions of the fiscal stimulus bill. A fair amount has been written since but none better than Ambrose Evans-Pritchard’s dispatch today from Davos. If you have any interest at all in this subject then it’s a must read. There are two central […]

Davos Delegates Pinpoint Sex As A Contributor To The Financial Crisis

Finally something from Davos that’s useful. Delegates suggested that the problems we’ve run into with our financial services sector were caused by too few women at the top of the management pyramid. Something about women being more risk averse. Could hypoxia be responsible for insights like this? more: here

Financial Services: Now On My List Of Do Not Touch Investments

Many years ago I was asked by a bank for which I was employed to look into investing in the entertainment business. I had no idea how to analyze the industry but was lucky enough to have had some associates from a previous employer who had migrated into the finance side of a couple of the big […]

TARP: Some Banks Just Say No

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that more than 50 banks have refused TARP funds. Some have applied for the funds and then rejected them even though approved. A growing number of healthy banks are rejecting funds from the Treasury Department’s $700 billion bailout partly over concerns that the U.S. may impose tougher restrictions on […]

Interesting Take On Economists

I’ve voiced some frustration over the past few weeks with economists and their petty spats. I have also had the growing feeling that despite all of their blogs and obtuse discussions that they really don’t have a clue as to what’s truly transpiring with the world’s economy right now much less how to repair it. […]