psychology

The story of Jdimytai Damour, the Wal-Mart temporary employee who was trampled to death is a sickening verdict on the consumerism disease plaguing this nation.  The worker was trampled to death as rabid shoppers broke down the door at 5:00am in New York.  Other Wal-Mart employees tried to help Mr. Damour but the crowd kept […]

We’ve just witnessed one of the most potent and unrelenting bear market rallies in history.  And all it took was 4-days.  Over this 4-day rally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 15.5% which is the biggest run-up since August of 1932 during the Great Depression.  The S & P 500 has even done better […]

In Los Angeles and other big cities many people get lost in the concrete jungle of urbanism.  In fact, hundreds of people die alone each year without any human contact with the outside universe.  It is as if they have disconnected from the actual grid of social interaction.  Every year a service in Los Angeles […]

It is now official that the largest economies in the world are tipping into a synchronized recession.  Japan and the Eurozone both are now in recessions.  This is significant not only because these industrialized zones make up a large portion of the world’s GDP but they signify that systemically we are grouped together in the […]

I had to step back from the market the last few days.  Trying to follow it by the minute you sometimes lose the bigger perspective of what really is transpiring.  On Thursday for example, the market was heading for another major loss continuing a multi-day trend and it looked like we were going to test […]

While most people fixate on the $700 billion bailout there should be an intense focus on the other clandestine bailout that is occurring without Congressional approval.  The Federal Reserve has already lent out nearly $2 trillion in emergency loans to troubled institutions with little if any transparency.  Bloomberg News has recently requested the information be […]

The consumerist credit machine is coming to a grinding halt.  It is hard to wean yourself off an addiction that has persisted for decades, unchallenged and enabled by companies and financial engineering.  The idea of buying things with money you currently don’t have isn’t a new concept.  In Edward Bellamy’s novel Looking Backward the concept […]

Leave it to California to first, stall a budget for a record 85 days only to pass a budget that amounts to kicking the economic shiny can down the pothole-filled road.  We may want to save those cans for their redemption value since things are getting progressively worse.  Only 6 weeks after being signed, the […]

The country has spoken and with a loud and convincing voice.  Change is demanded.  This historic moment in our history is appreciated on so many levels but once again, the market reminded us very quickly that things are not well on the global economic system.  President-elect Obama is going to have many challenges waiting for […]

In the midst of this epic and monumental election campaign, which I do sincerely hope you go out and vote, the number one issue which is the economy is now fluttering into the abyss at a much quicker pace.  On Monday, automotive sale numbers came out and the numbers were downright shocking.  U.S. auto sales […]