Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Friday, April 3, 2015
You Can’t Live Without It
You Can’t Live Without It
Some experts say Vitamin D not only helps in bone health but can also aid in heart, brain, and immune system function, even noting that lower levels can be associated with asthma.
Some experts say Vitamin D not only helps in bone health but can also aid in heart, brain, and immune system function, even noting that lower levels can be associated with asthma.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Goodbye FICO, Hello FAKE-O
Goodbye FICO, Hello FAKE-O
To be sure, the good folks at Santander Consumer and American Credit Acceptance (among others) are doing everything they can possibly do to get underqualified borrowers into used cars even if it means extending terms that will land some of these proud new owners in vehicles they absolutely cannot afford given their financial circumstances. This is all made possible of course by the Wall Street securitization machine which has churned out some $5 billion in subprime auto-backed issuance YTD, with a recent deal from Santander Consumer (DRIVE 2015-A) marking the lender’s return to the frightening world of “deep” subprime. As a reminder, here are two recent ABS deals which epitomize what’s wrong with this industry:
To be sure, the good folks at Santander Consumer and American Credit Acceptance (among others) are doing everything they can possibly do to get underqualified borrowers into used cars even if it means extending terms that will land some of these proud new owners in vehicles they absolutely cannot afford given their financial circumstances. This is all made possible of course by the Wall Street securitization machine which has churned out some $5 billion in subprime auto-backed issuance YTD, with a recent deal from Santander Consumer (DRIVE 2015-A) marking the lender’s return to the frightening world of “deep” subprime. As a reminder, here are two recent ABS deals which epitomize what’s wrong with this industry:
Superbug Killer
Superbug Killer
Dating back to the the 10th century, the recipe for the remedy demands garlic, onions, and leek combined with wine and the bile of a cow’s stomach. In other words, it’s known infection crushers mixed with an odd combination of bile. A weird recipe that actually works to not only clear up eye infections and styes at large, but kills MRSA superbugs.
Dating back to the the 10th century, the recipe for the remedy demands garlic, onions, and leek combined with wine and the bile of a cow’s stomach. In other words, it’s known infection crushers mixed with an odd combination of bile. A weird recipe that actually works to not only clear up eye infections and styes at large, but kills MRSA superbugs.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
It’s a Doomsday Machine
It’s a Doomsday Machine
Yellen said gradual hikes are likely this year, but that the central bank will move cautiously……. the PBOC governor said he saw “more room” for China to ease policy if the economy stays soft and inflation continues to weaken.
Its just that frightfully simple. If any of the major central banks anywhere on the planet ease or even hint they might, the robo machines and day traders unleash an avalanche of buy orders and the stock averages jerk higher.
Indeed, Zero Hedge captured the motion succinctly this AM. In keeping with Bernanke’s inaugural blog revelation that 98% of monetary policy consists of “open mouth” operations, the markets leapt upwards on cue. That is, if central banker jaws are flapping, then buy!
The Stage Is Set for Another Big War
The Stage Is Set for Another Big War
This new expansion of the war in Yemen is a bad sign. The situation could easily worsen, involve many countries, and last for a long time to come. The stage for the “Big War” may well be set and we will be hearing a lot more about Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula in the coming months. If this war gets out of hand, I would expect that the benefits of $45 per barrel of oil will soon end. There is no doubt in my mind that the American people — financially and for security reasons — would be better served if we just came home and avoided these nonsensical military interventions that are carried out in behalf of various special interests that control our foreign policy.
This new expansion of the war in Yemen is a bad sign. The situation could easily worsen, involve many countries, and last for a long time to come. The stage for the “Big War” may well be set and we will be hearing a lot more about Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula in the coming months. If this war gets out of hand, I would expect that the benefits of $45 per barrel of oil will soon end. There is no doubt in my mind that the American people — financially and for security reasons — would be better served if we just came home and avoided these nonsensical military interventions that are carried out in behalf of various special interests that control our foreign policy.
Should I Buy My Dream Home Now?
Should I Buy My Dream Home Now?
Now we come to your question of a long term low interest mortgage on a larger home in today’s current economic climate. Dad once said (he was quoting someone and the name eludes me) that there are two ways to deal with the bank. The first is to owe them nothing the second is to owe them 110% of all you own – anywhere in the middle is a dangerous place. Keep in mind that Dad was a banker in the late 1960’s. In other words if you owe them 110% of your loan they will work with you and extend you terms and do everything possible to avoid foreclosing on you because they will suffer a loss. If on the other hand you borrow 50% from the bank and put up 50% of your funds you are in a perilous condition. If your investment suffers a 40% loss and you cannot pay they will swoop down, foreclose and sell your property at a discount where they will recover all their capital and you will loose all of your capital. Just keep this in mind.
Now we come to your question of a long term low interest mortgage on a larger home in today’s current economic climate. Dad once said (he was quoting someone and the name eludes me) that there are two ways to deal with the bank. The first is to owe them nothing the second is to owe them 110% of all you own – anywhere in the middle is a dangerous place. Keep in mind that Dad was a banker in the late 1960’s. In other words if you owe them 110% of your loan they will work with you and extend you terms and do everything possible to avoid foreclosing on you because they will suffer a loss. If on the other hand you borrow 50% from the bank and put up 50% of your funds you are in a perilous condition. If your investment suffers a 40% loss and you cannot pay they will swoop down, foreclose and sell your property at a discount where they will recover all their capital and you will loose all of your capital. Just keep this in mind.
To Subdue Rebellious Citizens
To Subdue Rebellious Citizens
According to the presentation, the eight-week training program involves Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces Command (Green Berets), Air Force Special Operations Command, Marine Special Operations Command, Marine Expeditionary Units, the 82nd Airborne Division, and unspecified “interagency partners.” Underneath the logo for the Jade Helm drills, a sword with two arrows crossing it, it reads: “Master the Human Domain.” What exactly that means was not clear, but at least some critics of the exercise have suggested it may be a euphemism for subjugating the population of the United States. Indeed, as other analysts have noted, citing available information, the drill almost certainly has nothing to do with defending the Southern border from invasion. The few details that have been provided, though, are causing concern among analysts.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Monetary Mumbo-Jumbo
Monetary Mumbo-Jumbo. Must read
2015 was supposed to be the year in which all the strands came together to create a real recovery, an environment in which rate hikes would be a certainty. But anyone who looks past the rosy rhetoric can see that the economy is currently in one of its weakest periods in years. The first few months of 2015 have seen more missed economic forecasts than any other comparable period since the depths of the Great Recession. Industrial production, retail sales, housing starts, just to name a few, are all continually weakening according to data from Reuters Polls, 3/18/15. In fact, the Atlanta Fed’s much talked about “GDPNow” data set, which was supposed to provide a fresh real-time look at the economy, is showing that the economy is growing at a paltry .3% annualized rate. While many people are blaming the result on the winter weather, much as they did last year, it is worthwhile to note that ice and snow in winter is not a new phenomenon.
2015 was supposed to be the year in which all the strands came together to create a real recovery, an environment in which rate hikes would be a certainty. But anyone who looks past the rosy rhetoric can see that the economy is currently in one of its weakest periods in years. The first few months of 2015 have seen more missed economic forecasts than any other comparable period since the depths of the Great Recession. Industrial production, retail sales, housing starts, just to name a few, are all continually weakening according to data from Reuters Polls, 3/18/15. In fact, the Atlanta Fed’s much talked about “GDPNow” data set, which was supposed to provide a fresh real-time look at the economy, is showing that the economy is growing at a paltry .3% annualized rate. While many people are blaming the result on the winter weather, much as they did last year, it is worthwhile to note that ice and snow in winter is not a new phenomenon.
Monetary Mumbo-Jumbo
Monetary Mumbo-Jumbo
By simultaneously claiming to be both aggressive and defensive, and to be moving forward even while standing still, Yellen positioned the Fed as being all things to all people, thereby igniting a rally in all asset classes at the same time. Stocks, bonds, gold, foreign currencies, all went up when Yellen took to the podium. While this may be the way to win friends and influence people on Wall Street, it’s no way to finally put the economy back on the path to a sustainable recovery.
By simultaneously claiming to be both aggressive and defensive, and to be moving forward even while standing still, Yellen positioned the Fed as being all things to all people, thereby igniting a rally in all asset classes at the same time. Stocks, bonds, gold, foreign currencies, all went up when Yellen took to the podium. While this may be the way to win friends and influence people on Wall Street, it’s no way to finally put the economy back on the path to a sustainable recovery.
The bottoms not in
The Bottom's Not In------Why This Market Is Dumber Than A Mule - Contra Corner PM Edition - March 26, 2015
March 26, 2015
To get the rest of the story visit Contra Corner.
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The Bottom's Not In------Why This Market Is Dumber Than A Mule
By David Stockman
They're trying to put in a bottom-----again! The sell-off earlier this week amounted to the sixth sizeable "dip" since November 20----so the market's ingrained reflex was back at work buying up the "bargains". But the roundtrip to the flat-line shown below is not a classic wall of worry and its not a "bottom" that's being put in. This market is dumber than a mule, and the nation's central bank and …
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Did you know Obama just took new executive action on immigration? | WashingtonExaminer.com
Did you know Obama just took new executive action on immigration? | WashingtonExaminer.com
Obama intends to make it easier to bring more foreign guest workers to the United States — likely at significant cost to workers already here — by loosening the rules governing something known as the L-1B visa program. Under the program, a multinational company with offices in the United States can move workers from abroad to live and work in the U.S. for as long as five years in what is known as an intra-company transfer. There are almost no rules concerning what those workers can be paid, so there is no barrier to a company firing American employees and bringing in workers from foreign facilities to replace them at much lower pay.
Obama intends to make it easier to bring more foreign guest workers to the United States — likely at significant cost to workers already here — by loosening the rules governing something known as the L-1B visa program. Under the program, a multinational company with offices in the United States can move workers from abroad to live and work in the U.S. for as long as five years in what is known as an intra-company transfer. There are almost no rules concerning what those workers can be paid, so there is no barrier to a company firing American employees and bringing in workers from foreign facilities to replace them at much lower pay.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Where’s the Outrage?
Where’s the Outrage?
The common themes here are government spying and lawlessness. We now know that the Israelis spied on Secretary of State John Kerry, and so Netanyahu knew of what he spoke. We know that the Clintons believe there is a set of laws for them and another for the rest of us, and so Mrs. Clinton could credibly believe that her deception and destruction would go unpunished.
The common themes here are government spying and lawlessness. We now know that the Israelis spied on Secretary of State John Kerry, and so Netanyahu knew of what he spoke. We know that the Clintons believe there is a set of laws for them and another for the rest of us, and so Mrs. Clinton could credibly believe that her deception and destruction would go unpunished.
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