Monday, March 29, 2010

Bank Bailouts and the Rich Get Richer

I don't usually talk about the banking industry or government regulation even though I do have my opinions of both.  However, now that the health care issue has been put more to the back burner than up front, financial regulation must be at hand. 

I follow a blog from a guy in Cincinnati, OH where I have learned about derivatives, the bond markets and banking issues.  I may comment on his site, and sometimes I may really really sound dumb but I learn.  I definitely know more today than I did a year and a half ago.  This gentleman has no agenda, he's retired.  He isn't running for some office.  All he wants is for the banking industry to get straightened out and the bad boys that don't play fare to go away.  Check him out (http://moneyplusthoughts.blogspot.com/).

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/opinion/29krugman.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y,  is from the New York Times and is about the regulation of the banking industry.  This story is written about everyday and yet it seems to get the same response all the time.....yawn.  Yes, it is boring to many.  More so to those that don't have the passion for it and those with the passion are few compared to let's say those that have a passion for a sporting event.  I guarantee you that if the NFL decided to change the number of downs in a game to 5 from 4 there would be more people showing emotional concern than there are about how our money is regulated and controlled.  The NFL won't put millions of Americans out of work but one little decision by the banking regulators, like letting banks hedge and speculate with our money, can and has put millions of Americans out of work.

It is a real toss up as to whether Obama should have gone after health care or the banking industry first in importance.  I believe there are many uninsured because they have lost their jobs and not just uninsured.  I beleive Goldman Sachs, AIG (hurry, change the name and people will forget all about us), Moody's, Lehman Brothers all need to be drug infront of the American people.  Their reponse time to allegations should be fare but not exceedingly long as it seems to be.

There are many books and articles out there but, to me, no one is listening.  This bull market recession WILL go on for a long long time.  Yes, it will straighten out but the question is how many more people will be put in food lines without a roof over their heads before someone in government decides enough is enough and gets off their fat ass to go to work for the people of the United States.

If you want to regulated something, start with the lobbyists.  They out number the politicians.  They get in the way of real democracy.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Oh What A Day Makes In The Ohio Valley

Last 4 days we had upper 50 to lower 60 degree weather.  Today.....the cold has returned.  The day opened in the uper 20's and will open tomorrow the same.  But, it is suppose to climb into the mid-fifties by afternoon. 

Yesterday I posted the shots of the Pussy Willow shrub next to our house.  A week earlier I did the same thus I am showing its progression to summer. 

There is s commercial on TV where a man and wife are standing inside and watching the kids shovel the snow.  The wife says something about the weather and the guy says it's cold out, that he isn't going out there.  Well, same here.  It's cold out so I took the picture through the window.  Poor shot but I stayed warm.

You can't see it but I-675 is out below the tree line and was moving at this point at this location.  Just a few minutes later it was at a stand still for a wreck to the north about 4 or 5 miles in my best guess.



Thursday, March 25, 2010

One Week Later....Plus a Few Hours

The weather is still warming and the buds are coming out in droves.  The Pussy Willow is going from silver to its yellow flower state.




Some Geese come in for a landing while I'm taking the pictures.  Heard them, swung around and this is what I caught.  Looks like one is running in for a landing instead of the usual foot/belly slide in.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Spring Is Upon Us.......Finally!

One of the first bushes to come out in Ohio, other than the Forsythia, the Pussy Willow.  I figure flowers by next week.