There is no one left to enforce the global rules

My Comments: And you thought I was being negative last week?!? Well, not a lot right now to encourage a positive outlook on things. Yes, my clients are making money, thank you. And yes, my case of the flu has receded, the daily deluge has stopped (maybe), and the mornings are cooler. WOW! But the …

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Obama and the Crumbling of a Liberal Fantasy Hero

My Comments: Notice the date on these comments from Mr. Rachman. They were real then and they are more real today. Perhaps the specifics of Syria are now in the rear view mirror but the perception they leave is mixed. On one hand it can be said “we are NOT at war” and on the …

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The Armageddon Caucus

My Thoughts About This: For me, the jar is almost always half full, and not half empty. But I think I’m getting over a slight case of the flu and my sleep patterns over the past few weeks have been anything but normal. So I’m perhaps more grumpy than normal. Sorry. Like it or not, …

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America’s Last Frontier Shows the Need for Government

My Comments: Am unsure why this article cought my eye, and I decided to save it for later. Now that later is here, and frankly I’m sick of Syria, and all the other crap that TV and magazines, and the internet is bursting about. Yes, I have a slight touch of the flu so maybe …

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Retirement Advisors Labor to Rebuild Trust

My Comments: This article strikes close to home for me, a financial professional for many years. If you are a client, or perhaps a potential client, the finger is also pointing at you. I’ve argued in the past that rules about financial professionals being held to a fiduciary standard, the same standard that applies to …

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Bits and Pieces – September 6, 2013

NEXT MOVE FOR FED - No one knows when the Federal Reserve will begin tapering its bond-buying stimulus program. That apparently includes the 12 voting members of its policymaking committee, as revealed by the release of the Fed's 30-31 July meeting minutes. A few officials seek to move soon, while the more cautious are inclined …

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Successful Investing Stems From Process, Not Goals

My Comments: Unfortunately, while this is absolutely correct, virtually all of us measure our success or lack of it by results. How we got there is at that point irrelevant. I’ve been professionally involved in the investment process for almost 40 years, and have cautioned clients over and over again with that famous disclaimer about …

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The New Fed Chair Should Not Be One of the Usual Suspects

My Comments: I recently posted a blog in favor of Lawrence Summers to replace Ben Bernanke as chair. I also suggested that Janet Yellen would be OK. Now here is another argument that unfortunately makes a lot of sense. Clearly, whomever is ultimately chosen by Obama is going to have a huge impact on global …

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Prepare Now for Tricky Times Ahead

My Comments: I believe the next several weeks are critical for my clients. I’m doing everything I can to reach out to them and attempt to have them make changes. I don’t think we’re likely to have a crash like the one we experienced in 2008, but the volatility will be enough to drive some …

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Bits and Pieces – August 20, 2013

DOW DIPS - Familiar story behind a fall in stocks: fears that the Fed is about to begin a taper off of its bond-buying program. The indexes moved lower as St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said there could be risk of excessive inflation in the future. Yesterday, Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart lifted …

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