2009-08-22 Saturday - Markets Poised

There is a great article this weekend in the new issue of Barron's: Look Before You Leap

"At some point [they] will have no choice but to turn the spigot off. Hard to pinpoint when that it'll happen. But when it does, the enthralling movie we've been watching since early March will be run backwards. Guaranteed."

I will start liquidating my investments and moving to cash over the next 4-6 weeks.

Just as a tsunami hits a coastline...it will recede - quite often followed by several series of smaller (or larger) tsunamis. On the ocean, there is one thing I have learned - waves travel in a series...3 or 4 in a "train".

The skies are brightening, the clouds are lifting, and the folks in Washington are saying "the storm is lifting".

They are wrong.

The fundamental bad behavior has not been corrected.

The trillions they have pumped into the world economy has kept the liferaft afloat longer than it should have.

The merciless master of cause and effect has been kept at bay by Bernanke and his horde.

The balance sheets were never tallied-up true....instead, they printed more fiction.

Another wave of financial disaster is heading toward our shores - and this one will reveal the true devastation that has occured - without the subterfuge and lies that have attempted to hide the truth...notwithstanding the recent desperate shenanigans of our government and financial industry to hide the true extent of the damage.

Hard assets (gold, silver) - that's where I'm putting my bets.



2009-08-23 Sunday Update:

You want to know why I remain pessimistic in the face of what appears to be a global easing of the recession?

FT.com - The risk of a double-dip recession is rising, By Nouriel Roubini

"this is a crisis of solvency, not just liquidity, but true deleveraging has not begun yet because the losses of financial institutions have been socialised and put on government balance sheets"

2009-08-25 Tuesday Update:

Senator warns of hyperinflation rivaling the 1980s

2009-08-14 Friday - The Birth of Shlarth

Today I have coined a new word:

Shlarth (verb): To slave at programming to make a living, but that does not feed the creative need of the soul.


My friend, The Mighty Joe Follansbee, offered this contribution to my new word:

"shlarth (shlarth) vt. [Modern American English idiom, derivation unclear: slump, slouch, or possibly schlep] 1. to program (as in computers) without purpose. 2. to work on a (computer) program without inspiration. 3. burdensome programming. “I shlarthed three thousand lines of code this week.” –n. 1. uninspired computer code; workmanlike. “This code is classic shlarth.” 2. A person who writes uninspired code. “The shlarth who wrote this code needs a life.” –adj. 1. inelegant, boring. “This shlarthed code needs a rewrite.”"

2009-08-11 Tuesday - Photography

100 Websites to Teach Yourself Photography

2009-08-01 Saturday - Advice for New Grads

I have a nephew who will graduate in a just a few short years...these are the things that I would like him to know...these are the important lessons I have learned - either by observations of others - or directly by paying for them in the coin of life lived...

• Travel. Often. Seeing how others cope, adapt, and thrive under circumstances of great adversity will make you appreciate more what you have - and the great blessing you were given by being born in America.



• Plan and budget time into your life for volunteering. Giving back to your community is so very important. You will be helped along in your life by many kind and wise souls. Some of that help will be direct and visible...at other times help will be given unseen, and unknown. You have an obligation to your community to help those less fortunate than yourself. Your community is the world.



• Get rid of your TV. Plan and budget time in your life to the process of creation. Experiment, Write, paint, draw, sculpt, build, create something of value. We live in a global economy. To sustain your value - you must devote time to Research & Development of the corporation that is you. There is no guarantee of a lifetime of employment in any professional field. You must continually re-sharpen the tools. You cannot afford the idle luxury of any form of mindless entertainment that consumes hundreds of hours per year.



• Character is the most important quality to look for in a mate. Looks may spark the chemistry of attraction - but they are temporary and ephemeral. Finding a mate that has good character is the single most important attribute that will weather the storms of life. Likewise, being a person of good character is equally important. Don't try to get by with less than your best.



• Eat Healthy. In your youth, the energy and resilience of your body will fool you into thinking that you are indestructible. That would be wrong. Time will catch-up with the abuse that you heap upon your body - be kind to it.



• Sleep is important. Cheating your body on sleep has consequences beyond anything you can imagine. Do not pull all-nighters.



• Spend less than you earn. Save a portion of all your income. Always. Every time.



• Never ever buy a new car. Buy 3-5 years old, get a 2 year extended warranty. When you buy a car, you are really just buying estimated remaining mileage.



• Avoid negative people. Bad attitudes are contagious. If you work in an environment where there is a pervasive negative attitude, quit. Don't let peer pressure persuade you to stay in a job that sucks. Life is too short.



• A harsh word cuts deeper than a knife. Be kind to everyone. Nurture a gentle approach in all your interactions. Never argue. Offer your opinion in terms of options that someone may wish to consider.



• Avoid drugs. period. Your mind is a beautiful instrument. The world is your stage. Your life is the solo performance. Don't screw up your performance by smashing the instrument against the proverbial brick wall.



• Not every thought you have needs to be shared. Be known for your discretion.



• Choose a line of work for which you have a passion. Structure your needs so that you can live on the income that comes from that line of work. Value freedom over the size of a paycheck.



• Learn to speak Mandarin. The world is going to change in your lifetime. The ascendance of China is an unstoppable force. Your options will be greatly expanded by being fluent in the language of the next major economic power.



• Get a college degree. Even if you choose a line of work that does not require a formal education - get a college degree - even if it is just an Associates degree in underwater basket weaving. Getting a work visas for a foreign country is so much more easy if you have a degree.



• Stay fit. Find some form of exercise that you can enjoy over the course of a long life. Exercise daily, even if you can only do a 10 minute workout.

2009-08-01 Saturday

I'm looking forward to attending this event: Circus Dreams, Friday, September 18th, 8pm.

Circus of Dreams Guild (http://www.circusofdreams.org/) is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing hope and joy to children with brain tumors. Circus of Dreams presents a children's circus performance; the concept of the show is the joy and inspiration of dreaming big. The show is open to the public, however we will be hosting special guests at the event. Children battling cancer will be sponsored to come to the matinee show with their families and will receive a fun backstage tour to meet the performers and other special surprises.

Circus of Dreams was founded in 2007 by Jenn Wrenn in collaboration with her sister Katy, who in July 2007 at age 28 was diagnosed with having brain tumors. 'I wanted to do something to inspire my sister -- and children battling cancer like her -- the same way she inspired me with her bravery', says Jennifer. Katy says of the project: 'when my sister offered me the chance to put together this benefit, it was the perfect opportunity to support research that's working to find better, safer treatments for kids. I think of it like this: Every dollar we raise puts us $1 closer to finding a cure..'