Quiz on Tax Rates 3 y  

This is a buddy's blog

According to OECD, which country -- of the largest 15 -- has the highest ratio of overall taxes to GDP? And the answer is -- Sweden. See, that was easy. And which country has the highest margina... read
 

Financial College on Ethics 3 y  

This is my alma Mater, and I tell you it is first class and they train at a high level- first time I had to retake a test in my life was with this group- and I've taken a lot of tests!

New Center for Ethics at The American College to Feature Financial Services Leaders at Inaugural Event Recent reports in the media have focused on allegations of financial impropriety an... read
 

Pox on both Houses 3 y  

Are you a sovereign individual, sounds a little like the microcosom of all collectives, eh? Rang some bells as I read it!

My comments in the January 11 A-Letter about the warrant-less wiretapping of American citizens by President Bush, Judge Alito's record on privacy issues, and the record of the Supreme Court, elicit... read
 

Convertibe Bonds 3 y  

Money Managers of covertible bond funds have the ability (if managed by say Bill Gross- the Warren Buffett of bonds) to prosper when stocks begin to be the vogue investment again. The Senate has found some money maybe ...ah well, corporations will adeptly find a new loophole if this one is closed- Investments are compliance eveolutionary in nature

Senate Targets Some Convertible Bonds Under a current provision that might be eliminated, corporate issuers of certain hybrid securities can deduct the costs they would have incurred had they is... read
 

Bonds... 3 y  

I'm wondering if the fed will rachet rates as they have been slowing but surely doing...then it's not so sure what Eric is presuming..or if like landing a bloated C3 carrier we will bump into another growth period...Magical Thinking

Dear A-Letter Reader: Over the last two years, investors have barely kept pace with inflation in benchmark intermediate term US Treasury bonds. After enjoying a massive rally since 2000, bond yi... read
 

Economically Perverse=Pensions? 3 y  

My now that IBM has frozen their Defined beenfit plan- it turns out defined benefit plans were economically perverse- for whom- the worker...ummm not my guess, for the corporation- ah I see the corporation paying retired workers is perverse..Kinda the what have you done for me lately corporate tune?

TWO PENSION CRISES PLUS HEALTH CARE - The U.S. pension system is heading toward a double crisis. For employees, the crisis is a lack of funding. S&P says the companies in their S&P 500 with trad... read
 

Home Office Deductions 3 y  

The ins and outs of filings forms, which forms (pdf files), and what deductions with retirement and health plan deductions

Depreciation Appreciation 101: The Ins and Outs of Deducting for a Home Office By DAMON DARLIN Published: January 14, 2006 Every year at tax time, Robert Sigal, a San Diego chemical engineer... read
 

Canada and US 3 y  

Huh, wonder if we count different...This actually has other ramifications that spell the divide between Can and US philosophy...better to think global in accounting-?

U.S. GAAP Won't Fly North of the Border Canada will align its accounting rules with international financial reporting standards. Stephen Taub, CFO.com January 11, 2006 Canada's Accounting... read
 

Mistaken Identity 3 y  

10 years in jail and 1 Million fine, yea I'd say "It was him- not me!" I do think there are voice Id machines that can identify voices on tape- maybe that's just TV!

Enron Audiotape Prompts Second Thoughts After listening to the evidence, a former executive now maintains that a misleading statement was made not by him, but by Jeffrey Skilling. Stephen Tau... read
 

Bush~ Supreme Court 3 y  

Who can check the Presidential Powers?

Our Presidential Era: Who Can Check the President? E-Mail This By NOAH FELDMAN Published: January 8, 2006 I. OUR PRESIDENTIAL ERA Forum: Issues Before the Supreme Court Not sinc... read
 

There IS Enough!!!! 3 y  

We can make a difference- now -there is "enough", we are enough, and we have the power to "make a difference". A Bucky coinage!

This is one of my personal experiences so according to my usual it would be under Cold Water blog but it is about my doings last night and money! Guess who I saw after lovemaker went back home? ... read
 

City Pension Gone? 3 y  

I can't imagine anyone will get anything from this exercise...not even time. And they let one guy retire in December that's last month-so , huh? that means they pretty much knew they were going after indictments for a felony against this dude and he retires while being charged? BTW he retired in the same plan that he was head of and supposedly did some non dicuciarial governing in.

Multiple felony charges include conspiracy, wire and mail fraud By Kelly Thornton UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER January 7, 2006 K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Har... read
 

$$ and Yuan currency 3 y  

Here it comes- I knew someone was smoking something when the $$ was "high"...There is no reason, no reason for a strong dollar....And here is China's weapon -worse if they start selling our debt. And ya know, it is smart to diversify. Whee.........Time to end the war- This is how the war will end $$$$$

As Goes the Dollar? Bad (if inevitable) news from our banker. Keep your eye on the dollar. If it starts going down big time, the Fed won't be able to ease as much as the markets have come of la... read
 

MSN closes China Blogger 3 y  

So china has pull in government quarters- freedom of speech (this used to be in the bill of rights in America for you younger peoples) is not for China- but how and who went to Gates and made their point "governmentally" about his server's blog space and who could use it....Shame on us...I'm pretty sure Bill woulda just as soon as left it up- But of course he has a big sales number in Chima for OS-if they aren't just making copies of the OS for free! Yes, maybe bill said "quit copying my software, and I'll close down blog space for China dissenters" Just Maybe.

Microsoft Closes China Blog Redmond giant deletes blog on MSN Spaces service kept by New York Times researcher. January 5, 2006 Microsoft closed down a widely read blog on its MSN Spaces ser... read
 

IBM cancels pension 3 y  

Harbinger of things to come. IBM took a look at the airlines and their dilemma, and made the decision to cut the defined benefit pension, and make a nice contribution to their 401K plan (defined contribution plan)- the difference between plans? (so glad you asked)...is that the risk for a defined lifetime benefit is on IBM investing and liability for risk, and it is exactly the opposite for the defined contribution- ya'all will get what you get...Oh boy-this is gonna get interesting! What who's next!?

NYTimes.com News I.B.M. to Freeze Pension Plans to Trim Costs By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH Published: January 6, 2006 I.B.M., which has long operated one of the nation's largest corporate pension f... read
 

Nasdaq, brew of choice? 3 y  

Can it be only money? 400k is a drop in the bucket for Schwab, I'm curious to read a posting that hinted some had been asked to leave the NYSE-this is rare unless there has been aggregious offenses of rules and reg's. It usually is not a casual parting!

Battle of the Brands: NYSE and Nasdaq ''The competition for the attention of CFOs and management should be a big winner'' for companies, says one observer. Helen Shaw, CFO.com January 05, 20... read
 

$750.00 an hour? 3 y  

And considered well worth it UNTIL Abramoff turned "Star Witness". But did he really become the star witness, only one indictment from the whole episode..I think he knows lots more and decided to be a witness to get the powers that be off his back- Most know he knows much more and has decided not to kiss and tell-Now at least.!

Tremors Across Washington as Lobbyist Turns Star Witness By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG Published: January 4, 2006 WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 - As a high-flying Republican lobbyist, Jack Abramoff has long bee... read
 

Yield Curve 3 y  

Nothings for sure, but I glean it will be a long time until they lower rates. The "feeling" is that they stayed low too long as it was ... "FED RATES FOR 2006 - Some say that they will continue to rise, some say they will stay the same and others believe they may even go down. So, there you have it! Actually, the Federal Reserve is expected to raise rates for a 14th straight time in January to 4.5%".

ANALYSIS-Economists, traders eye different yield curves Tuesday 3 January 2006, 1:36pm EST By Victoria Thieberger NEW YORK, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Bond traders have been fixated in recent days ... read
 

CFO blog/China 3 y  

The links are very educational, and the idea that China who executes more citizenry than any country in the world- even more than Aarrnnoollddd.

GLOBAL BUSINESS Executing in China (So to Speak) Over the holiday week, I received this press release, complete with disturbing photos, alleging the beatings and rape of two Falun Gong adherents ... read
 

Taiwan/China Next? 3 y  

I know that at some point in the economic future of the USA and China we will absolutely use the Taiwan Chip- How many times has the US sent ships to the straits between China and Taiwan to show a stance of solidarity- but I'm thinking if China gives us some preferential corporate treatment we'd likely soften our stance on Taiwan- or look the other way while certain liberties were curtailed (huh! parellel universe) I'm wondering why we haven't done so already- I mean Britan threw in the Hong Kong connection- We shall see but Taiwan is a major sticking point in US-China politics.

Taiwan Chief Seeks More Arms, Not Better Ties to China By KEITH BRADSHER Published: January 2, 2006 HONG KONG, Jan. 1 - President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan called Sunday for increased arms purc... read
 

Dollar Bill Symbols 3 y  

I've heard or read a slightly different interpertation of the symbology of the dollar, but it was sent in an e-mail and I didn't save it.

Take out a one dollar bill, and look at it. The one dollar bill you're looking at first came off the presses in 1957 in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen ... read
 

usd$$$ 3 y  

Dollar is high- on what?

By Carolyn Cohn LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar looked set on Friday to end 2005 up almost 15 percent versus the euro and the yen and to post its best annual gain in eight years against an index of ... read
 

Recession-When/Why 4 y  

No One really knows the whys and wherefores...And often Buffett, and Gates, and Bush, and Greenspan decide to influence by just saying "their truth" -And so it is!- It works for them...Power goes to whom we allow it..The last time we had inflation in fuel-it was stag flation and Jimmy Carter was president

By Mike Dolan, Economics Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Head-scratching over whether this week's U.S. yield-curve inversion is a true bellwether of recession is merely a new spin on a hoar... read
 

Enron's exCFO to help Prosecutors 4 y  

35-40 years in jail, well, one becomes more cooperative, no?

HOUSTON, Dec. 28 - The former chief accounting officer of Enron agreed on Wednesday to cooperate with the government in its case against the two leading executives in the scandal over the company's... read
 

5 smartest things on Wall Street 4 y  

Smart because they either dumb down controversy, or they made bucoo bucks..It's the name of the brain game, babe

Mack Attack Morgan Stanley (MWD:NYSE - news - research - Cramer's Take) kind of backed in to a smart decision when it hired John Mack as CEO this summer, but no matter. The change has paid off alr... read
 

Exxon 4 y  

9.9 Billion 3rd quarter profit- there's the number 9.9M in 3rd quarter-Yikes!

The Five Dumbest Things Lab enjoys a little Christmas spirit as much as anyone. So in place of our traditional dunce cap we've donned a cheery Santa hat for today's countdown of The Five Smartest T... read
 

Horse is Dead- 4 y  

If the horse is dead dismount- hehe for some reason I am laughing at that...OK OK I am getting off...Whoa...

There is an old adage that says in essence, "If the horse is dead, dismount." There is a story about Russia in the days of the Czars. In the park of St. Petersburg Winter Palace there was a beau... read
 

History of Viacom 4 y  

So there were a coupla other big names involved with Viacom-besides sumner Redstone (is this a real name?)- this is tongue planted firmly in cheek..for the easily riled! Tisch, Paley, Zukor, Simon, Schuster- a rich history of many BIG men..

WHO OWNS WHAT Viacom Corporate Timeline 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000-present 1910s 1912 - Adolph Zukor founds the Famous Players Film Corp 1... read
 

Viacom 4 y  

Redstone takes on a lot to say he built Viacom- eez, how can an ego remain that BIG at 82 years of age-? Art of winning-??

Viacom Comes to the Great Divide, and Calls It a Path to Growth By GERALDINE FABRIKANT Published: December 26, 2005 On Jan. 3, Sumner M. Redstone will get his wish when Viacom, the sprawling m... read
 

WSJ Trust Funds 4 y  

Rather than the standard Mom and Pop revocable family trusts, there are some powerful family foundations and charitable remainder trusts..that fund family charitable projects, and leave property to 501 (c) 3's-or private charities-they are still a writeoff (but for how long?) and they help clarify families values and legacys

Demystifying Trust Funds By RACHEL EMMA SILVERMAN Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL December 24, 2005; Page B1 Once a financial-planning tool mainly of the super-rich, personal trus... read
 

Variable Annuities 4 y  

Variable Annuities lifetime benefits were @ 6% for some products- Now the reserves for these guarantees and the look back period are being modified due to lower interest rates..And they threw in the equity indexed products which are powered by options on a choice of indices...

NAIC revises annuity regulations During the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ winter meeting, they adopted the annuity nonforfeiture model regulation, a resolution on limited line... read
 

70M Enron traders 4 y  

so a 20 M bonus had to be given back- hmmm, I saw the movie Enron and as I recall there were Billions (with pinkie at corner of mouth) awarded in bonuses..this is a drop in the proverbal "bonus bucket"- these were the young, young men that laughed when Granny wouldn't have heat or lights- shameful young turks without value judgement or compassion...Fines should be higher, and returning of blood bonuses more

Enron Traders Must Return $20 Million The money will now go to the roughly 4,500 employees who were fired at the same time. Stephen Taub, CFO.com December 13, 2005 About 40 former Enron C... read
 

Conflict of Interest 4 y  

exist, but some will get checks based lawsuits that proved absolutely obvious misrepresented company data WHEN the same companies had underwriting agreements with the same firm who published the misrepresentative reports. This is kinda like finding a bop hale comet..well not that rare. It was my experience that Morgan Stanley Dean Witter our economists rarely gave a sell sign on any company we, as a firm, followed. Hold basically met sell in most cases- cuz' they probably had relationships with this firms like blocks a stock in the vault? Who knows, but any broker whose been around a while knows that their company economists (used to) be pressured to give good news on large company held positions and I guess those in underwriting for IPO's too...Ah what a tangled web we weave......Wonder if McGovern is related to George McGovern ex presidential candidate?

The Check Is (Almost) in the Mail Investors will finally see their share of the 2003 ''global settlement.'' Stephen Taub, CFO.com December 22, 2005 A large number of people who were victi... read
 

UR gonna live to 120! 4 y  

One way to make our Social Security last longer is to issue smaller monthly amounts over longer period of time (longer than you will actually live!) 20+ more years on the new life expectancy/mortality tables of the IRS- you will have less but longer-there really is a very GOOD chance you will not live until 120-so your account will have residual amounts left. Be sure you understand if these residuals go to your heirs or remain in the account to be "consumed" back into the pool- as the case with Social Security- Ahh yes, even when they say no one is fooling with the benefits they are indeed- just by changing the mortality tables-Poof- government does it too!

PBGC Releases Pension Benefit Guarantee for 2006 and Retirement Age Table Legislators want to take burden of off taxpayers—Retirement Plan Advisor, December 2005, Part 2 By Savita Iyer The P... read
 

Motley Fool & China 4 y  

What about Coca Cola- they must be in China- It seems the poorest countries (like Mexico) are inundated with Coca Cola- targeted for tooth decay? Perhpas Coke's growth in China is already taken into consideration by the P&L and the market??

Limitless Possibilities By Roger Friedman (TMF Roger) December 20, 2005 I've taken a bit of grief at Fool HQ for my lack of a specific investing focus. Around these parts, the value guys and g... read
 

St Luke/A-Letter 4 y  

Taxes and..what was the other one- o yeah, death- well since death isn't really necessary-hey maybe taxes aren't either!

Friday, December 23, 2004 - Vol. 7 No. 257 In This Christmas Weekend Edition: Comment: Taxpayers Forced to Seek Haven. Taxpayers Forced to Seek Haven Guest Comment is by SAINT LUKE, the... read
 

A Wash Sale... 4 y  

So this is a good strategy for tax purposes and there is usually a buy back at lower prices in the new year- if it is a wash sale...we will see...The New Year brings much enlightenment in all money and politics arenas...

Kerkorian Dumps 12 Million GM Shares His investment company sold the shares to "offset certain capital gains realized by Tracinda in an unrelated transaction." Stephen Taub, CFO.com December... read
 

Currencies for 2006 4 y  

C&C- commodities and currencies

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, December 22, 2005 - Vol. 7 No. 256 ---------------------------------------------------------------... read
 

Abercrombie & Ho Hum 4 y  

Ho Hum another One- but I gleaned while reading this and from reading another post about the expiration of the Patriot Act, that this overcropping or overporing of correcting the wrongs, may actually lulling us into a feeling of security and an "all is well that ends well" mentality- Our industrial war complex usually moving behind the scenes while keeping us busy with larger concerns of economic survival, and all the while showing us that the obvious grift will be punished...It is a perfect ploy to keep us distracted while perhaps other more orchestrated deeds run behind- and maybe, not so behind the scenes. Maybe we were just looking in the wrong direction and everything is right out in the open- If we care to see...

SEC Probes Abercrombie Trading The retailer also disclosed that several lawsuits have been filed against present and former board members ''alleging various breaches of the directors' fiduciary ... read
 

Schwab leaves NYSE 4 y  

Wow, Chuck really knows how to tangle, he has successfully sold his company..then criticized the purchasers running of Schwab and may have damaged their goodwill value, bought the company back at pennies on the dollar, then decided to home base the stock at NASDAQ...Cool he's a real operator. I met his main programmer/architecture developer for real time trading Mark ..who owns several houses and worked with Chuck directly...He had a home near Cold water swimming out on the tip of Point Loma- wowo! 35 Million if a penny- so some have prospered at Schwab(and who knows he may have made other lucrative investments) including Chuck!

Schwab Leaving NYSE for Nasdaq The company will save about $400,000 per year after the switch, said Schwab CFO. Stephen Taub, CFO.com December 19, 2005 The Charles Schwab Corp. is leaving... read
 

China 4th largest economy 4 y  

China 4th largest economy- yep, and it's only a matter of time before we are overshadowed by our Most favored nation trade partner

Experts See China as World's 4th Largest Economy - and Climbing By DAVID BARBOZA and DANIEL ALTMAN Published: December 20, 2005 SHANGHAI, Dec. 20 -- Many economists have long suspected that of... read
 

qwest 4 y  

QWEST CEO indicted for insider trading..ho hum...just another one, huh

Ex-Chief of Qwest Is Indicted By KEN BELSON Published: December 21, 2005 Federal prosecutors announced yesterday that Joseph P. Nacchio, the former chief executive of Qwest Communications Inte... read
 

Retirement Countdown 4 y  

Here's the simplified version, the p&q's of actually executing may take the support and help of a professional..

Countdown to retirement: Making list, checking twice Russ Wiles The Arizona Republic Dec. 18, 2005 12:00 AM For millions of baby boomers in their 50s, there's little time to waste in prepar... read
 

WebMD Charges 4 y  

It's a free for all- everyone exaggerated, misrepresented, concealed losses, yada, yada...and now- what once was considered business as usual or atleast creative finance- is all under the gun...they are paying in ways they never suspected possible- unfortunately the scape goats shoulda known better but never thought they, alone, would be held accountable...surprise...take thy reporting seriously- the investors do!

Former WebMD CFO, Others Indicted Practices included so-called round-trip transactions allegedly used to create fraudulent revenues. Stephen Taub, CFO.com December 19, 2005 The U.S. Attor... read
 

Time Warner/Google 4 y  

Again...He was the creator of greenmail back in the 80's- I really haven't kept up with him in the 2000's, but he's after the Googel tribunal (Time Warner)and that's Big Business- Google just became part of the Nasdaq 100- big stuff-heady money

Icahn Attacks AOL-Google Deal Carl Icahn begs Time Warner shareholders to stop Google from taking a stake in AOL. December 19, 2005 With Time Warner’s board expected to vote Tuesday to sell ... read
 

Investor Lawsuits 4 y  

According to CFO.com the investors that are suing based on research that was printed before the true state of affairs at Enron was revealed..are not winning their cases or if they are they are not being compensated at the tune of the losses... Hmmm, now that the initial outrage and flack has died down- Of course "firm" employed economists can easily claim they were mislead by Enron's duplicity and be telling the truth- so this make sense. I want to know what the employees are really getting out of their pension- are their lawsuits successful? And where will the settlement come from - The Board of Directors personal bank accounts? The real story lies in the fiduciary responsiblilty of the board- how many people directly involved can truthfully say "I didn't know it was so-in-so's fault" and can the Board be indemnified against fiduciary responsibility?

Citigroup Wins WorldCom Arbitration Individual investor claimed he relied on Jack Grubman's research reports; had sought $900 million. Stephen Taub, CFO.com December 08, 2005 Score one fo... read
 

Interviewing Styles 4 y  

How do you perform in job interviews? It makes sense to be prepared and mimic the style of the interviewer.

Over the years, I've noticed that people who interview job candidates tend to develop a distinct personal style. If you can quickly read an interviewer's style and establish rapport, you will appea... read
 

New Enemies? 4 y  

Oh dear, those mucky-muckys in the military really believe in earning their money- The new enemies are China? and ??India maybe- because they are competing with us for the commodities of life..And we are the greatest pigs (consumers of natural resources) on the planet

Navy to Expand Fleet With New Enemies in Mind By DAVID S. CLOUD Published: December 5, 2005 WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 - The Navy wants to increase its fleet to 313 ships by 2020, reversing years of d... read
 

Prosperity Reversal-got it? 4 y  

Paul posted abundance activator yesterday-(EFT), and he mentioned Prosperity Reversal thinking. Apparently he got a few questions from readers on the symptoms of prosperity reversal....Here are the issues, challenges, and symtoms....read on.....

Many people have asked me over the past year about Prosperity Reversal. Questions like: "Do I have it?" "How can I be sure?" "How serious an issue is it?" "How do I eliminate it?" Let'... read
 

Greenspan/Trade 4 y  

Oh well, it's not like the common joe hasn't thought this- I mean I was "concerned" about USA/Japan when I was at Morgan Stanley in the early 80's and here we are in the mid 2000's having the same conversation- Hey are we in a Time Loop?

Greenspan Points to Danger of Rising Budget Deficits E-Mail This Printer-Friendly Reprints Save Article By HEATHER TIMMONS Published: December 3, 2005 LONDON, Dec. 2 - Alan Greenspan, the ... read
 

Responsible Wealth 4 y  

Here is the true spirit of wealth- not money- Oh my - I like this woman -she has a blog and I included the URL- Go Girlfriend

Average Tax Cuts for Wealthy Could Pay Salaries for Three Teachers From Common Dreams....Tax Me More by Heleny Cook Heleny Cook is a member of Responsible Wealth and a high school English teach... read
 

Interest Rate Inversion 4 y  

When long term rates are lower than shorterm rates- the interest yield curve is inverted...yep! and we are there...this typically indicates a slow down- I'm already slowed down!

NEW YORK, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Short-term interest rates are at the cusp of surpassing their long-term counterparts in the United States, and many analysts are already squirming in their chairs as th... read
 

Currency Trades 4 y  

Can currency trades forecast the economy?

Marking the Dealer's Cards What economists can learn from currency traders. Economist Staff, The Economist November 30, 2005 You can make a career as an exchange-rate economist without ev... read
 

The Chinese Yuan 4 y  

More on my favorite curency. Did I post that I had a job in China, and the yuan could not be brought home and/or converted..so any savings from working would be left behind in the land of the master merchants- the superpower called China

U.S. Declines a Chance to Criticize Yuan Policy By EDMUND L. ANDREWS Published: November 29, 2005 WASHINGTON, Nov. 28 - Six months ago, the Bush administration warned that it would accuse Ch... read
 

Smart Farmers 4 y  

Smart Organic Farmers will tell you! Free range for live stock-

Op-Ed Contributor Organic and Then Some By NINA PLANCK Published: November 23, 2005 WHEN I first sold my family's vegetables at farmers' markets in Virginia in 1980, Slow Food hadn't been born,... read
 

Financial Reporting 4 y  

This would be fair reporting of assets and liabilities.....A refreshing outlook on a balance sheet...Yes, only this is a wishlist not a law- Best practices-if you will

The 12 Principles of CFA What should financial reporting look like? Here are the 12 basic principles laid out in a recent paper the CFA Institute, and presented to FASB and the IASB last month: ... read
 

EU vs. $$ & Others 4 y  

~9th included here:currency strength, mid 2006-stockmarket takes off, and I will win the Miss America Contest in the bathingsuit category! Yes, well who knows...heheheh-not

By Jeremy Gaunt, European Investment Correspondent LONDON (Reuters) - The end of the Federal Reserve's rate tightening cycle, when it comes, is shaping up to be a tipping point for big money inv... read
 

Bonds/Corp Credit Worthiness 4 y  

This seems to align with the financials- wonder if China will own both Treasury and Corporate- that's one way to become a US banker- or I guess that is 2 ways!

Foreigners Feasting on U.S. Corporate Bonds Pace set to make 2005 the biggest ever for foreign purchases of U.S. corporate debt. Stephen Taub, CFO.com November 17, 2005 Want to know why m... read
 

Pension Reform 4 y  

Pension bill reform passed Senate-Short Version Here

9/28/2005--Introduced. Pension Security and Transparency Act of 2005 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) to establish new minimum fun... read
 

Pensions on Balance Sheet 4 y  

Here's the net of the Senate reform- Airlines aren't going to get 20 years to fund existing liabilities,..and there will be accounting principles applied! P&L on the balance sheet- but there must be a caveat on that since it is money for future use- so it is a liability even if showing a gain- huh? Wonder if Enron's pension problem enabled this...

Pensions Go on the Balance Sheet: FASB In a unanimous vote, the accounting standards board decided last week to look into an overhaul of the retiree-benefit accounting system. Lisa Yoon, CFO.... read
 

Bernanke/Bush 4 y  

Nope it's not a recipe, its a gang of 3 Ok with Cheney Gang of 4- and here's the deal- he will not commit to any plan or opinion he can be held accountable to (neither would I)-and as for Greenspan's support of the tax cuts in 2001 (was this the same time we were escalating Afghan territories?) it was what always worked for the stock market, and it was no big deal-Reagan played that song for 8 years-well 4 atleast) It didn't work this time- this is a reaction that we as Americans should make note of...yep...what to do with our fiscal policy-? It's too late to stop writing bad checks- China owns our debt, and Japan...I don't have the answer...either Amen

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15 - Ben S. Bernanke, the nominee to succeed Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve, told lawmakers on Tuesday that it was a "false dichotomy" to assume that l... read
 

short term rising long term flattening 4 y  

Bernanke -maybe a Greenspan clone? Well let's face it lower rates didn't really stimulate the overall market enough to break out of a 4 year trading range- so ababy it's bonds- but as rates rise bond NAV declines- Oh dear what can the matter be...Now what? short the individual positions and go long certain individual positions, and write covered calls on sleepy dividend paying stocks..Why, you are a frigging genius!

During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee Tuesday, Ben Bernanke was given an opportunity for a do-over -- or at least the chance to clear his name. Asked if he may have... read
 

Reform=not paying? 4 y  

Any of you who have read even a sprinkling of spirit of money- know that the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corp is broke- they just haven't come out and "reported" it until now!..It seems to me, after years of "knowing" and watching- our Large infrastructures never admit their insolvency until a year after the truth is known ...maybe this cushions the impact- kinda like discounting the market! Yes, it is probably planned this way- leak the bad news, suspect the bad news, talk about the repercussions of the bad news, and then admit all the bad news is in fact a reality- very interesting...then the whole economy can be preserved until it finally collapses.

PBGC Chief: The Money Will Run Out BY MATT BRADY Washington Bureau -- NU Online News Service, Nov. 15, 2005, 6:03 p.m. EST The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the agency that insures U.S. work... read
 

70M embezzled? 4 y  

Perhaps this is just their way of avoiding windfall taxes-sure why not? Jeez-70M embezzled? who was watching the till?

Company Reports $70 Million Embezzlement Earlier this month, Patterson-UTI Energy received information about unauthorized payments made by the company for assets that were not delivered. Step... read
 

IRS-Good to Know 4 y  

Yes, this is good information for all residents of the USA

GAO Finds Serious Flaws in IRS Controls As a result, the service reportedly didn’t provide "reasonable assurance" that losses, misstatements, and noncompliance could be prevented or found out in... read
 

Pension Liabilities 4 y  

Well, it's uniamnimi, your pension willbe accounted annually -just in case- it doesn't smooth out and just in case the numbers are negative...yep yup- and they are! PBGC is broke friends no one to bail the largest demographic inhistroy- this is why Social Security reform must wait-Cuz' there will be nothing no where for many if things keep up- Jeez we need the stockmarket to perform...and it just ain't gonna do it- except thru- can you say "short the market"-oh dear but that is too sophisticated for most...Oh Lord, buy me a Mercedes Benz! Yes, I must make amends!

Pensions Go on the Balance Sheet: FASB In a unanimous vote, the accounting standards board decided last week to look into an overhaul of the retiree-benefit accounting system. Lisa Yoon, CFO.... read
 

Motley Fool triggers 4 y  

Or better known as "Why did Martha Stewart do Time?" Because any one that has a stop limit order does it in writing- not by discussing with their broker and certainly not dicussing with the Chair of the Company who has inside information!

FOOL'S SCHOOL DAILY Q&A The Motley Fool Money Guide By Selena Maranjian (TMF Selena) November 19, 2002 Q. What are the different kinds of orders I can place with my broker? A... read
 

Fannie Mae-Error10.8B? 4 y  

Whoops, just a little off there- just 10.8 Billion more than most people can imagine- in their wildest dreams! hahahahhaha- I went to college with a Bob Blakely- wonder if it's him- old money San Diego Ca!

Fannie Mae Finds $10.8B in Errors The nation's largest mortgage lender also names MCI executive vice president and CFO Bob Blakely as its new chief financial officer. Stephen Taub, CFO.com N... read
 

GmAC Pension Problems 4 y  

Airlines, GMAC and others are contributing to the Pension bankruptcy...PBGC can't cover everyone's mistakes? Or can we?

GM, PBGC May Spar over GMAC Proceeds When a company's debt ratings are below investment grade and its pension fund is underfunded, the agency has some leverage on proceeds from asset sales. S... read
 

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Comments (10 of 48):
Thanks for your inspiri… by kerminator  3 y
I wonder about women wi… by 9thbody  3 y
everybody knows... by drofinnah  3 y
Taiwan/China Next? by Rikki-Tikki-Ta…  3 y
I am sorry to hear this by 9thbody  4 y
Re: I have a retirement… by #49332  4 y
Nope, I don't make mone… by 9thbody  4 y
commercial pitch by mark777  4 y
oh well... by drofinnah  4 y
Yes this may well be ri… by kerminator  4 y
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