STOCK MARKET WATCH, Monday November 9

[ozymandius]

Source: du

STOCK MARKET WATCH, Monday November 9, 2009

Bush Administration Officials Convicted = 1
Name(s): David Safavian

Bush Administration Officials Charged = 1
Name(s): Richard Lopez Razo

Financial Sector Officials Convicted since 1/20/09 = 11

AT THE CLOSING BELL ON November 6, 2009

Dow... 10,023.42 +17.46 (+0.17%)
Nasdaq... 2,112.44 +7.12 (+0.34%)
S&P 500... 1,069.30 +2.67 (+0.25%)
Gold future... 1,096 +6.70 (+0.62%)
10-Yr Bond... 3.50 -0.03 (-0.74%)
30-Year Bond 4.40 0.00 (-0.05%)

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U.S. FUTURES & MARKETS INDICATORS
NASDAQ FUTURES..............................................S&P FUTURES

Market Conditions During Trading Hours

GOLD, EURO, YEN, Loonie, Silver and US$

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This thread contains opinions and observations. Individuals may post their experiences, inferences and opinions on this thread. However, it should not be construed as advice. It is unethical (and probably illegal) for financial recommendations to be given here.

Read more: du

[ozymandius]

1. Market Observation

Dow Theory Update
BY TIM W. WOOD

blah...blah...blah

http://www.financialsense.com/Market/wrapup.htm

[ozymandius]

2. no goobermental reports today n/t

[ozymandius]

3. Oil prices near $79 on US hurricane, weaker dollar

SINGAPORE – Oil prices climbed toward $79 a barrel Monday in Asia as Hurricane Ida threatened oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico.
.....

Ida, the first Atlantic hurricane to approach the United States this year, headed toward the Gulf Coast on Monday with 105 mph (169 kph) winds, and could make landfall as early as Tuesday.
.....

The dismal jobless data stirred concerns that U.S. consumer demand will remain sluggish despite an overall economic recovery. Investors will be eyeing third-quarter earnings reports this week from retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Macy's Inc. and JC Penney Co. for clues about the strength of consumer spending.

In other Nymex trading, heating oil rose 2.94 cents to $2.03 a gallon. Gasoline for December delivery gained 3.06 cents to $1.95 a gallon. Natural gas for December delivery was steady at $4.60 per 1,000 cubic feet.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/oil_prices

[ozymandius]

4. Survey: Gas prices up 2.86 cents nationwide

CAMARILLO, Calif. – The average price of regular gasoline in the United States has jumped 2.86 cents over a two-week period to $2.68.

That's according to the national Lundberg Survey of fuel prices released Sunday.

Analyst Trilby Lundberg says the average price for a gallon of mid-grade was $2.81. Premium was at $2.93.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091108/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gas_...

[Demeter]

36. HAH! We just came DOWN to that rate, and not everywhere

wankers

[ozymandius]

5. Advanta files for bankruptcy protection

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Advanta Corp (ADVNA.O), a small business credit card lender in the United States, said on Sunday it filed for bankruptcy protection after the economic crisis over the last two years devastated its small business customers.

In the filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Advanta listed total assets of about $363 million and total debt of about $331 million.

The company, which listed 14 of its units in the filing, excluded Advanta Bank Corp, a subsidiary, which issues credit cards for small businesses. The filing will not have any impact on outstanding credit card balances, Advanta said.
.....

Advanta Corp said it has close to $100 million in cash and equivalents on hand, but over time it would not be able to meet all of its existing obligations. It has about $138 million of senior retail investment notes outstanding.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091109/bs_nm/us_advanta

[ozymandius]

6. European, Asian Stocks Gain on G-20, Axa; U.S. Futures Advance

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- European and Asian shares advanced and U.S. stock-index futures gained after the Group of 20 nations agreed to maintain stimulus efforts and Axa SA and AMP Ltd. offered to buy Axa Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd.

Axa Asia Pacific, the Australian unit of France’s biggest insurer, soared 33 percent after rejecting an unsolicited $10 billion bid from parent Axa SA and wealth manager AMP Ltd. Allianz SE, Europe’s biggest insurer, jumped the most in five months after earnings more than doubled. Continental AG added 4.1 percent as Citigroup Inc. recommended the tiremaker.
.....

The G-20 split on whether to introduce a so-called Tobin tax on financial trading as part of a broader strategy to ensure the global economy’s expansion is less crisis-prone.

U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the meeting in St. Andrews, Scotland that such a levy could prevent excessive risk taking and fund future bank rescues, adding momentum to a debate begun by France. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said a “day-by-day” tax on speculation is “not something we’re prepared to support.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=at7...

[rfranklin]

12. The U.S. believes in "self regulation"

Just like the banksters regulated themselves into a global meltdown. We are, I am afraid, destined for total disaster if Obama does not wake up and get rid of these crooks.

[Demeter]

17. If Obama Doesn't Get Out of "Religion" on the Economy

and can and jail the GS crowd, we will have no 2nd term and no Democratic Party.

This cannot continue. And he's still in thrall to the neocons on the illegal wars.

Between the two forces: neocon worldpolitic and neoliberal economics, our country is being ground to powder, and so is the rest of the world.

[JDPriestly]

30. Thanks, Demeter. There are plenty of common sense economists around.

Elizabeth Warren is a good example. There are others -- who can put two and two together without having to falsify the answer in order to prove some theory that does not work.

[AnneD]

44. I've noticed that Elizabeth Warren....

is popping up on Morning Joe more often these days and she has come to a meeting of the minds with the gang. She completes whole sentences and every thing

I don't know who among Joe's family and friends got laid off-but he has really been changing his tune as of late in reguards to the economy.

[JDPriestly]

48. I have heard that changes are afoot at MSNBC, that it might be bought out

or something. I do not know if that is true, but I think I read it here on DU.

[tclambert]

57. Early in 2009, economists predicted the recession would bottom somewhere between late 2009

and mid 2010. The economy grew 3.5% in the 3rd quarter of 2009. So far, reality is following the most optimistic predictions. They also predicted unemployment would start down some months AFTER the economy turned. So, we get to test that prediction in the coming months.

Right now, Obama is right on track to be able to do some solid boasting during his 2010 State of the Union speech. And by fall of 2010, just before the mid-term elections, he should be able to brag about 1) recession over, recovery under way, 2) unemployment decreasing, 3) health care reform passed, 4) deficits coming down, and 5) Republicans didn't help one damn bit. And the Republicans will have "he shudda mopped faster" as their only issue.

I would have liked to see him "mop faster" myself. I would like to see tougher regulation on the the "too big to fail" investment banks, and pushier regulators actually enforcing them. I would like to see a decisive new direction taken in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would like to see war crimes prosecutions against Bush administration officials, including Bush and Cheney. I think we'll see some movement on some of those.

If I imagine stepping into my time machine and taking a look at mid-2012, I see Obama regarded as a remarkably effective President. And who do the Republicans try to run against his solid record? Palin? Bobby Jindal? Jeb Bush? I'll go on record now and predict Obama will win re-election by a bigger margin than he beat McCain.

[amandabeech]

70. Your scenario would be great, but lots of us cannot wait for a job much longer.

Unemployment insurance helps, but it doesn't pay all the basic bills for most who receive it.

Unemployment also undermines self-confidence and may result in social isolation, both of which are needed to get a job once the economy gets going.

I congratulate Obama on the stimulus, but it has not done enough in the short term to help many people.

To me, Obama and his economic team have been acting essentially as though there is nothing left to do for the jobless since the stimulus and the TARP. Now, Obama has moved on to health care and will shortly really move on cap and trade, which are worthy goals, of course, but frankly, I feel abandoned--cast aside or, if you prefer, thrown under the bus--and I doubt that I am alone.

[Festivito]

7. Debt: 11/05/2009 11,990,561,444,829.48 (UP 11,607,722,003.58) (Thu)

(Up some. Population figures updated. Good day to all.)

= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 7,588,138,019,547.78 + 4,402,423,425,281.70
UP 8,148,647,528.82 + UP 3,459,074,474.76

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=n...

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 308-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.25 each THAT'S 1B$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.74, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 10 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 307,865,118 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 11/07/2009 08:19 -> 307,879,272
Currently, each of these Americans owe $38,947.45.
A family of three owes $116,842.35. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 23 reports in the last 30 to 31 days.
The average for the last 23 reports is 3,073,144,482.17.
The average for the last 30 days would be 2,356,077,436.33.
The average for the last 31 days would be 2,280,074,938.38.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 26 reports in 36 days of FY2010 averaging 3.11B$ per report, 2.24B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 1,172 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 13.6 and 18.0T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
11/05/2009 11,990,561,444,829.48 BHO (UP 1,363,684,395,916.40 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +0,080,732,441,317.70 ------------* * BHO
Endof10 +0,818,537,252,248.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Linear Projection

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
10/16/2009 -000,034,671,440.79 ----
10/19/2009 +000,169,101,777.19 ------------******** Mon
10/20/2009 +000,084,506,561.85 ------------*******
10/21/2009 +000,260,615,642.06 ------------********
10/22/2009 -054,881,746,021.15 -
10/23/2009 -000,105,634,856.79 ---
10/26/2009 -000,680,933,964.04 --- Mon
10/27/2009 +000,626,474,250.98 ------------********
10/28/2009 +000,798,039,832.64 ------------********
10/29/2009 -019,769,093,363.09 -
10/30/2009 +031,206,306,633.43 ------------**********
11/02/2009 +091,997,621,963.98 ------------********** Mon
11/03/2009 +000,189,596,548.58 ------------********
11/04/2009 -000,084,777,046.07 ----
11/05/2009 +008,148,647,528.82 ------------*********

57,924,054,047.60 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Festivito]

55. Debt: 11/06/2009 11,988,878,801,691.18 (DOWN 1,682,643,138.30) (Fri)

(Down a little. Good day to all.)

= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 7,588,065,890,982.59 + 4,400,812,910,708.59
DOWN 72,128,565.19 + DOWN 1,610,514,573.11

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=n...

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 308-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.25 each THAT'S 1B$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.74, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 10 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 307,873,758 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 11/07/2009 08:19 -> 307,879,272
Currently, each of these Americans owe $38,940.89.
A family of three owes $116,822.68. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 23 reports in the last 30 to 31 days.
The average for the last 23 reports is 2,671,430,467.05.
The average for the last 30 days would be 2,048,096,691.41.
The average for the last 31 days would be 1,982,029,056.20.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 27 reports in 37 days of FY2010 averaging 2.93B$ per report, 2.14B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 1,171 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 13.6 and 18.0T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
11/06/2009 11,988,878,801,691.18 BHO (UP 1,362,001,752,778.10 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +0,079,049,798,179.40 ------------* BHO
Endof10 +0,779,815,576,634.63 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Linear Projection

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
10/19/2009 +000,169,101,777.19 ------------******** Mon
10/20/2009 +000,084,506,561.85 ------------*******
10/21/2009 +000,260,615,642.06 ------------********
10/22/2009 -054,881,746,021.15 -
10/23/2009 -000,105,634,856.79 ---
10/26/2009 -000,680,933,964.04 --- Mon
10/27/2009 +000,626,474,250.98 ------------********
10/28/2009 +000,798,039,832.64 ------------********
10/29/2009 -019,769,093,363.09 -
10/30/2009 +031,206,306,633.43 ------------**********
11/02/2009 +091,997,621,963.98 ------------********** Mon
11/03/2009 +000,189,596,548.58 ------------********
11/04/2009 -000,084,777,046.07 ----
11/05/2009 +008,148,647,528.82 ------------*********
11/06/2009 -000,072,128,565.19 ----

57,886,596,923.20 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[ozymandius]

8. Stop the 'jobless recovery' madness!

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- It's time to stop glorifying our economic doldrums with this "jobless recovery" nonsense.

Yes, the economy did grow in the third quarter, for the first time in a year. Fewer Americans are filing new claims for unemployment insurance, and giant financial institutions appear less apt to collapse and send us into another stupor. The stock market has recovered much of its winter decline.

But so far there is no sign of an employment turnaround -- and without one, and soon, all the other gains could prove fleeting.

The U.S. has lost jobs in 22 straight months, and Friday's news that 10.2% of the labor force is out of work -- the highest reading since 1983 -- shows just how far we have to go.
.....

The term jobless recovery was used mostly as a pejorative when it came into circulation in the 1990s. But in the wake of last year's meltdown, it has taken on a new sense: If you give it time, economic growth will come. That has been the mantra throughout 2009.
.....

http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/06/news/economy/jobless.re...

---

As I've said ad nauseam... Jobless Recoveries do not exist. I'm glad to see others with a large megaphone broadcasting this message.

[tclambert]

60. "The U.S. has lost jobs in 22 straight months" - factually incorrect.

Unemployment went down in July (to 9.4% from 9.5% in June). I admit that got my hopes up and I've been disappointed since.

If you want to quibble about U-3 vs. U-6, or seasonally adjust vs. unadjusted: U-6 went from 16.5% in June to 16.3% in July (seasonally adjusted.) Unadjusted numbers: U-3 went from 9.7 in July to 9.6 in August to 9.5 in September and October; U-6 went from 16.8 in July to 16.5 in August to 16.1 in September to 16.3 in October. http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet

The raw number of jobs went up in 4 months of 2009 and 11 of the last 22 months (see BLS table A-1 http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet ).

Okay, their main point that unemployment is bad is absolutely correct. But it irks me when they exaggerate with incorrect facts.

Anyway, I'm going to predict that unemployment starts coming down by sometime in the 1st quarter 2010, drops to 8%-ish by the end of 2010, and 5%-ish before the elections of 2012.

[ozymandius]

69. It sounds like you're willing to organize a pool tclambert.

If you're looking at me for employment numbers' prognosis - well, my Magic-8 ball has a broken antenna and rusted batteries. I'll try to fix it.

I appreciate your knowledge and precision toward the U3 and U6 numbers. While I do not fact check everything that gets posted here, the article does make a solid point as you indicate above. Unemployment is bad now. It has been increasing in multiple dimensions of badness since late 2007. I repeat again that when weekly initial unemployment claims outpace population growth by a factor of 4.5 then we are firmly in "oh shit!" territory. That seems to be where we have been mired over the past 22 months.

The main idea that attracted me to the article was the visceral retort of the idea that we could be entering a "jobless recovery" phase. I stand by my assertion: Jobless Recoveries do not exist. It remains a mystery to me why the term continues to be bandied about the media like some breathless Bigfoot sighting.

[amandabeech]

71. Of course, you realize that we add a huge number of people to our workforce every month.

Some of it is natural increase, some of it comes from discouraged workers coming back to the workplace and another big chunk is legal immigration (and illegal).

We really have to create a lot of jobs to get close to full employment.

I'm really beat, but if you're interested, I may have time to get the figures later this week.

[NeoConsSuck]

9. Can someone enlighten me?

I noticed the Dow Jones has moved higher than the Nikkei 225. In my short period of studying the market (10 years), I can't remember another time that this happened. Can anyone else remember?

To me, it seems that either the Japanese investors are overly bearish, or Americans are overly bullish. One group is definitely out of sync, and I don't think it is the Japanese.

[ozymandius]

11. One direct correlation:

The USD versus the JPY. The yen has strengthened while the dollar has gone soft. This has a direct correlation on the carry trade. American markets are more approachable than Japanese markets through speculators that borrow cheap dollars and use them to buy equities. The counterbalance to these actions is the Japanese government has changed. The inference here is that a new administration is more hostile to business that ushered in Japan's 'lost decade'. That is much like what we are moving through right now: zombie banks wholly dependent on government money to stay afloat. Volatility is a side effect of carry trade activities.

Government manipulation of currency values opens avenues for speculation to run rampant. Likewise, as long as Glass Steagall remains repealed, our equities markets will remain prime for speculation and manipulation.

[ozymandius]

13. Second bit of evidence:

A weaker USD makes American goods and services cheaper overseas. We have seen direction in corollaries between cheap dollars and an increase in overseas sales.

Edit to note: Because American companies are selling more goods overseas does not mean they are making the goods here. (That would be very beneficial to the job shortages we face.) Many multinational companies, either based or, at least, traded in the United States, make their products overseas. Their value is still listed in USD.

[Demeter]

16. Might I Add that

the US economy is not in recovery but on an accelerating decline, but Japan appears to be in equilibrium, and therefore unlikely to follow the US down the drain.

Japan's bubbles have all burst, and not been re-inflated. Its people have adapted or been suppressed into resignation. Suicide is the Japanese way of coping.

Whether the winds of political change can actually change anything in Japan is as doubtful as whether we can change anything here at home, without bloody revolution in the streets and lots of class warfare.



http://forums.flowingdata.com/topic/deconrecon-showing-...

[tclambert]

61. Factually incorrect.

[ozymandius]

10. Treasury DKs Goldman/Fannie/BRK Tax Credit Scam (good news!)

From Ritholtz:

Due to an unexpected outbreak of rationality (and perhaps embarrassment), the Treasury department has rejected requests of Goldman Sachs and Berkshire Hathaway to purchase Tax Credits from Fannie Mae.

This paper transaction would have provided precisely zero value to the taxpayers, and allowed these firms to add to the piles of bailout monies already received by avoiding billions of dollars in taxes otherwise legally owed. It would have been a license to steal.

The sheer arrogance, the colossal gall involved boggles the mind.

And while we expect this sort of behavior from the Vampire Squid — they take pride at Goldman in not just being whores, but in being the highest paid callgirls in town — it is stunning to see such behavior from the usually politically astute Oracle Tentacles of Omaha. For Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to team up with Goldman Sachs (which he now owns a healthy chunk of) is a bit of a revelation: We have been spun by his genteel manner, his aw shucks down-home-isms, his off Wall Street, less bloodthirsty approach to investing, into somehow believing he was different.

More to read at link...

[Roland99]

18. At Goldman Sachs, they say the'yre "doing God's work" (LONG story in the UK Sunday Times)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[UpInArms]

22. condensed Reuters version: Goldman Sachs boss says banks do "God's work"

http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE5A71...

LONDON (Reuters) - The chief executive of Goldman Sachs, which has attracted widespread media attention over the size of its staff bonuses, believes banks serve a social purpose and are doing "God's work."

In an interview with London's Sunday Times newspaper, Lloyd Blankfein also said he believed big profits and bonuses at banks were a sign that the world economy was recovering.

"We help companies to grow by helping them to raise capital. Companies that grow create wealth. This, in turn, allows people to have jobs that create more growth and more wealth. We have a social purpose," he told the paper.

The dominant Wall Street bank posted third-quarter earnings of $3 billion and plans to hand out more than $20 billion in year-end bonuses.

Blankfein told the Sunday Times that the bank's compensation practices correlated with long-term performance.

"Others made no money and still paid large bonuses. Some are not around anymore. I wonder why?"

...more...

[Roland99]

25. Helping companies raise capital, eh? Only thing they're raising is their own wealth.

[skoalyman]

46. I hope they brought plenty scuba tanks they're gonna need them

doing gods work lol

[Demeter]

39. Shades of the Family cULT on C Street!

There you have it, the vast corporate, fascist, right-wing conspiracy. They all talk the same, walk the same, and destroy the same TARGETS: INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE AND THRIVING countries.

The neocon politics are Corporate politics--they benefit multinationals, not people. The neoliberal economics are Corporate economics--it ignores individuals and nations and fawns on the multinationals.

It's going to take something much bigger than I can imagine to stop them dead.

I am thinking the end of the Oil economy may be the only thing that does it. Lack of oil will put the war machine out of business, at least. And maybe the global economy.

I've got a really bad feeling about this. Especially since Obama seems perfectly oblivious to the effects of his GS masters' policies. This is worse than the Credit Default Swap swindles and the securitization frauds.

[Joe Chi Minh]

32. As I pointed out on another thread: Well, Attila the Hun was known

as the Scourge of God. But then, his name became a byword for cruelty and barbarism, and he made many, many people, homeless indigents.

[Ghost Dog]

33. "God's Work" indeed.

(Jehovah-style, not only).

[burf]

41. Maybe Gold in Sacks

is replicating the "Blues Brothers". After all weren't they "on a mission from God", helping to pay the taxes on an orphanage? It would be great to see an Aretha Franklin looking character jump in with the famous words of "Don't you blaspheme!".

[rfranklin]

31. Regional banks miss forecasts (Banks w/o the "ledger"demain)

Third-quarter results show more pain for regional banks
By John Spence, MarketWatch

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- More than half of regional banks missed third-quarter profit forecasts as the recession and tight credit conditions continued to weigh on these lenders, according to an earnings wrap Monday.

"A challenging operating environment continued to plague banks in the third quarter, as earnings results for the quarter unveiled great disparity," said Keefe Bruyette & Woods analyst Melissa Roberts in a research note. "Credit also remains in focus as headwinds persist."

As the third-quarter earnings season draws to a close, 81 of 156 banks she covers, or 52%, fell short of consensus estimates. In the second quarter, 55% of the banks missed estimates, and 60% in the third quarter of 2008.

The latest quarter was the fifth consecutive when more than half of banks missed consensus estimates.

Regional banks are being pressured by rising loan losses, while their exposure to commercial real estate loans are a growing problem as that sector deteriorates. Net charge-offs, nonperforming assets and provision ratios rose in the latest quarter across all regions and capitalizations, according to KBW.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/half-of-regional-banks...

[Demeter]

40. OZY, Do We Have a Prize for Atrocious Puns?

I'm thinking something painful, lingering, and bad-smelling.

[Ghost Dog]

43. appropriate... apropos:

Main Entry: leg·er·de·main
Pronunciation: \ˌle-jər-də-ˈmān\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French leger de main light of hand
Date: 15th century

1 : sleight of hand
2 : a display of skill or adroitness

and also: "light-fingered", I'd suggest.

Main Entry: light–fin·gered
Pronunciation: \-ˌfiŋ-gərd\
Function: adjective
Date: 1547

1 : showing adroitness in stealing or a tendency to steal especially by picking pockets or shoplifting.

[Demeter]

45. Absolutely Appropriate

but still, a horrible pun.

[ozymandius]

68. Yes.

The penalty is to stand in a bucket of warm worms and gargling with salt water.

[ozymandius]

14. Anecdotal evidence about the state of things from Wal-Mart

WalMart: Quote of the Night

"There are families not eating at the end of the month,” said Stephen Quinn, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Wal-Mart Stores, and “literally lining up at midnight” at Wal-Mart stores waiting to buy food when paychecks or government checks land in their accounts."

~A quote from a conference this weekend, from the NY Times

---

Reminds me of this image:

[Roland99]

19. God Bless America, eh?

[Demeter]

15. The less optimistic view of Treasury’s handling of the crisis (Ed Nails It)

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/11/the-less-optimis...

...What I want to turn to now is the ‘why.’

The Cheney-Rumsfeld replay

Now, I am not writing off Barack Obama’s presidency. I do worry he still could see a recessionary relapse which would cause him to seem more Herbert Hoover than Franklin Roosevelt. But, despite his Nobel Prize, it is much to early to know what his legacy will be.

Nonetheless, I believe he has wasted a lot of political capital and this will make ushering through a meaningful legislative agenda very difficult.

Why did Obama throw it all away?

Here’s my answer: I call it the Cheney-Rumsfeld replay.

When historians look back at the Bush 42 presidency, it will be defined by 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While George W. Bush was politically pre-disposed to the Neo-con world view, it was really advice from Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld which made Afghanistan and Iraq possible. George W. Bush was famously not well-versed in foreign affairs, having almost never travelled abroad. He was completely dependent on Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld to make foreign policy (although he could have listened more to Colin Powell, his actual Secretary of State; again it goes to predisposition).

So, I see George W. Bush’s presidency as having been defined by foreign policy and the War on Terror and, by extension, on Rumsfeld and Cheney.

Fast-forward to Barack Obama’s presidency and you have an almost identical situation, this time with the economy instead of foreign policy and Tim Geithner and Larry Summers instead of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.

But, as with George W. Bush, it goes to pre-disposition. Paul Volcker was a critical member of the Obama 2008 campaign. He also was a key member of Obama’s economic policy team. But, he has been speaking a very discordant message that is not in sync with team Obama. So, as with Bush and his marginalization of Powell, one has to believe Barack Obama has chosen to side with Geithner and Summers over Volcker.

The obvious conclusion, therefore, is that Barack Obama shares the blinkered and captured view of his policy makers and that this is why he has decided to go down this chosen path. And when it comes to Obama’s other ‘change’ decisions on the Guantanamo closure, torture, rendition, state secrets, and health care, the same logic also applies.

Is this change we can believe in? I will leave that for you to decide.


AN EXCERPT FROM THE BEST ANALYSIS OF OBAMA I'VE EVER SEEN--FROM WEEKEND ECONOMISTS THREAD:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

I THINK IT IS THE CORPORATIONS WHO ARE ON THE VENDETTA--AND FOR WHAT? A FEW MORE PENNIES? OR BECAUSE THEY MADE SUCH A MESS OF THE ECONOMY THAT THEY JUST WANT TO BRING ON THE CLEANSING FIRE OF DESTRUCTION ON THE ENTIRE WORLD?

IT IS A GRIM STUDY, ECONOMY.

[natrat]

20. and the conspiracy theorist might say it's just the same dark forces behind the scenes

rather than the front men they put up for public display

[bread_and_roses]

24. Apropos of above, Krugman

makes what seems to me to be an astonishingly dense statement in last article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/opinion/09krugman.htm...

The Obama administration’s job-creation efforts have fallen short, so that unemployment is likely to stay disastrously high through next year and beyond. The banker-friendly bailout of Wall Street has angered voters, and might even let Republicans claim the mantle of economic populism.

Doesn't he realize that they already have? With their usual brilliance in framing/slogans they seized on the great gut-level, almost instinctive "NO" that rose up from "Main Street" at the Bankster Bail-Out, diverted it from the uber-rich, translated it into fear of taxes and rejection of the paltry "stimulus" spending we desperately need on schools and roads and bridges and turned health care into a massive conspiracy against the people. That the Friends of Skinheads are out there using Holocaust imagery against the Dems/Obama speaks to a propaganda victory so amazing that it boggles the mind.

That there is no real outcry in the public sphere over supposedly responsible R "representatives" speaking as leaders to crowds essentially accusing the democratically elected leadership of this country of harboring Nazi extermination plots against them strikes me as unbelievably dangerous and ominous.


Meanwhile, in the last election, those who came out for Obama in droves last election could apparently find no reason to go to the polls in any numbers, even in NJ where Obama brought his weight to bear for the candidate (yes, I know there were real problems with the candidates in both NJ and V - but still, the absence of those voters says to me that nothing in the last year has kept them engaged, an unhealthy sign). And why should they? What has Obama said/done to assure them that jobs are on the way, relief is on the way? They have no jobs. They have no health care.

"Why did Obama throw it all away?" The very question is like a worm in the brain, it eats away at one. But the great bored yawn out of DC at these Nazi images, at gun-toting by-standers at rallies, at the complicity of supposedly sane and responsible electeds in this demagoguery has me very worried - more than worried, frightened.

[Zenlitened]

29. "a propaganda victory so amazing that it boggles the mind"

True, very true. All too true, sadly.

Students of Disinformation will be studying this era of U.S. history for a long time to come, and doing so with a feeling of admiration and awe. Perhaps mixed with a sense of revulsion.

[MilesColtrane]

37. The dismal science, indeed.

[UpInArms]

21. dollar watch

http://quotes.ino.com/chart/?acs=NYBOT_DX&v=i

Last trade 75.094 Change -0.545 (-0.70%)

US Dollar Remains in Downtrend After Fed Reiterates Dovish Stance

http://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/forecast/weekl...

The US dollar was easily the weakest of the majors during the past week of trading as fed fund futures shifted to price in a lower chance of rate increases in mid-2010 after as the Federal Reserve left rates at 0.25 percent and indicated that they would likely leave rates “extremely low” for an “extended period.” The other factor to consider was the increase in risk appetite, as evidenced by the concurrent weakness in the Japanese yen (the other “safe haven” currency) and the 3 percent increase in the S&P 500 over the course of the week.

The continued correlation between the greenback and risk aversion is a notable one, and will be quite useful in the coming week of trade as scheduled event risk will be remarkably low and contained to Friday. First, the US trade balance may show a wider deficit for the month of September as it is expected to reach -$31.8 billion from -$30.7 billion. This is a change from last month, when the deficit narrowed on rising exports and falling oil imports, as government stimulus measures around the world along with the weak US dollar helped to stoke foreign demand. Later in the morning, the preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer confidence index is forecasted to improve slightly in November by rising to 71.0 from 70.6. That said, it’ll be interesting to see if the index can hold at such robust levels after the latest US labor market report showed that the unemployment situation continues to worsen. A major issue we want to point out with this report is that the official time of release is 10:00 ET, but it typically hits the wires at 9:55 ET, which can exacerbate any surprise factor from the actual results.

All told, risk trends will likely be the greater factor to keep in mind, and from a technical perspective, the confluence of a falling trendline drawn from the July highs and the 50 SMA at 76.50 serves as a solid “line in the sand” for the US dollar index. Until we see a break above there, the currency’s trend remains bearish.



...more...

German Output and Exports Surge Fueling Optimism For Recovery

http://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/daily_briefing...

Fundamental Headlines

• Frugality Moves In for Long Stay– Wall Street Journal
• Dollar Slips on IMF Comments – Wall Street Journal
• UK change of heart on banking tax plan – Financial Times
• Commodities, Stocks Soar on G-20 Stimulus; Dollar Falls, Gold Sets Record – Bloomberg
• Stock Rally Just Getting Started in History of Period Preceding Rate Rises -Bloomberg

EUR/USD – European investor confidence rose for a fourth straight month in November to -7 from -12.6 the month prior. Signs that stimulus measures and resurging global growth will pull the 16-nation region out of recession has fueled optimism. Increasing demand from abroad led to a 3.8% surge in German exports in September raising the trade balance surplus to 10.6 billion from 8.1 billion. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that we also saw German industrial production jump 2.7% surpassing forecasts of 1.0% for the same period. A 5.9% increase in capital goods led improvements in manufacturing and consumer goods. However, a strong Euro could weigh on future demand which has been a concern for the ECB. Therefore, we may see policy makers remain on hold as long as inflationary pressures remain subdued.

...more...

[InkAddict]

23. Gold (over 1100?) and oil/gas puff (again) like a souffle - dollar not so much....YIKES

NOBODY SLAM THE OVEN DOOR! (OTOH, do it before the dessert gets any higher).

Yikes, either way, there's not gong to be a spectacular finale to this dinner party. Wonder if the chefs can dress it up like a elemenary school exploding lava cake project??? (Baked Alaska, anyone) Not ROTFL much anymore.

[DemReadingDU]

26. Elizabeth Warren: We Rescued The Top Of The System, Left The Bottom To Fend For Itself

11/6/09 Elizabeth Warren: We Rescued The Top Of The System, Left The Bottom To Fend For Itself (VIDEO)

Elizabeth Warren, the chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel charged with monitoring the bank bailout, was on Morning Joe Friday morning to dig in to the newly released unemployment report. The numbers are bleak -- unemployment has surpassed 10 percent for the first time since 1983 -- and Warren is not surprised.

"Let's face it," Warren said, "This is sort of how we went about the rescue -- we rescued at the top and we left the bottom to kind of fend for itself -- and that's showing up in the unemployment numbers."

Warren went on to explain that the report is really about the guarantees the Government made to protect banks' assets while leaving the public out to dry.

"Look, it saved the top of the system," Warren acknowledged. "It helped stabilize it, but not so much for families who are hard hit down on the ground, the real economy." There's always the question, Warren explains, about how you save the top -- in this case, the public pays for the banks' guarantees and the top executives benefit. "We said, in effect, at the top, there's really not any pain in return for taxpayer support. Not so much so when it comes to folks at the bottom. We said wait a year, we'll get there, we'll do what we can."

Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough suggested that it was the old "socialize the profits, privatize the gains" scenario, but Warren took it one step further.

"The way I think of it is: they say something like 'Give me your money, investors and I'm going to Las Vegas and put it all on red 22. And if red 22 comes in -- woo! we are RICH. If red 22 doesn't come in, don't worry because the tax payers will pay you back the money you invested."

Watch it here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/06/elizabeth-warr...

[mbperrin]

67. Elizabeth Warren is absolutely great! I've used her as a source for teaching

about credit cards in particular for years!

[Roland99]

27. Futures keep going up, up, up.

DJIA INDEX 10,072.00 94.00
S&P 500 1,077.30 11.10
NASDAQ 100 1,746.25 16.50

[Roland99]

28. Request: Anyone know of a site that lists various industry category indexes for the markets?

Such as, a financial companies index, insurance companies index, retailers index, etc.


I'm curious to see how the insurance companies are all doing today after the passing of the feeble HR 3962 which is going to give insurance companies millions more captive consumers.

[Hugin]

34. There is a histogram at the bottom of the Google Finance main page, Roland.

http://www.google.com/finance?hl=en&tab=we

Hope, it's what you seek.

[Roland99]

35. If I was there I'd be huggin' you, Hugin.

Thanks!

[Roland99]

38. 11:29am - Flyin; high!

Dow 10,168 +145 +1.45%
Nasdaq 2,141 +29 +1.37%
S&P 500 1,085 +16 +1.50%
GlobalDow 1,940 +36 +1.91%
Gold 1,106 +10 +0.92%
Oil 79.87 +2.44 +3.15%

[DoBotherMe]

42. K&R n/t

[UpInArms]

47. OP UPDATE: Ex-SEC Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Dreier Case

does this make him a bush appointee or a financial sector official or both? - okay, dimson did not appoint him, but he was an official in a cabinet during dimson tenure

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125779032730739101.html

NEW YORK -- A former lawyer in the Securities & Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement admitted Monday to helping disgraced lawyer Marc Dreier carry out a scheme to attempt to sell $44.7 million in fake promissory notes by impersonating persons at two hedge funds.

Robert L. Miller, 52 years old, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, as well as securities fraud, at a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis in Manhattan.

Mr. Miller admitted that he was paid $100,000 by Mr. Dreier, the one-time managing partner of Dreier LLP, in November 2008 in order to impersonate persons at a Canadian pension plan, and a few days later an Icelandic hedge fund, in order to sell about $44.7 million in fictitious promissory notes.

"In summary, I agreed with Marc Dreier that I would make misrepresentations to two hedge funds to induce them to buy notes," Mr. Miller said. "I knew what I was doing was wrong and I deeply regret what I did."

Mr. Miller, who is cooperating with prosecutors, faces as much as 20 years in prison on the fraud. Sentencing is set for Feb. 5.

Mr. Dreier was sentenced to 20 years in prison in July after pleading guilty to conspiracy, securities fraud and other charges in a scheme to sell $700 million in fake promissory notes and to misappropriate client funds from his law firm.

Mr. Miller, of Englewood, N.J., is the third person to plead guilty in the scheme. Kosta Kovachev, a former broker, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and wire fraud earlier this month.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's office in Manhattan said Mr. Dreier used money obtained from the overall scheme to support a lavish lifestyle, including purchasing two beach-front homes in the Hamptons valued at about $12.5 million, a $10.4 million Manhattan apartment, a yacht worth $18.3 million, a 2007 Aston Martin DB9 Volante, more than $30 million in art work and funding the operations of his law firm.

...more...

[Demeter]

49. you mean, he didn't qualify for any LEGAL means of theft?

what a loser.

[Demeter]

50. I'm Thinking of Taking Up Deep Sea Fishing

To get away from all the madness. I know absolutely nothing about fishing, not even if I'd like it. But I can't take the stupidity of my fellow DUers that do not heed the call of sanity any more. Not having the temperament for the convent, and unable to endure a vow of silence, it seems a reasonable alternative. My sanity is at stake here.

[bread_and_roses]

52. nooo....we need you here

for the common good! I'd lose my marbles altogether if there were not some sane voices around here. They're over there in GDP excoriating a group of a few hundred Black people who protested Obama's policies today. The comments are beyond belief. The only thing that kept me from the madness of posting in that thread was going back to WE and reading some of the links.

edit to note that I do realize that is a TOTALLY SELFISH plea on my part...I should say do what you're sanity requires...and of course, I do say so, and do mean it. You deserve a break.

[Dr.Phool]

58. I would have liked to go kayaking today.

But, there's a frickin' hurricane out there.

[bread_and_roses]

51. Astonishing how honest the Ins Vampire Execs are in their expectation of profit and analysis of O

From this article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5A83WD200...

"The Senate remains very unlikely to pass any bill containing an unbridled public plan that potentially could ultimately threaten significant price deflation for US sales," said Morgan Stanley pharmaceutical analyst Andrew Baum.

"We continue to feel very comfortable with our projection that any eventual healthcare reform is likely relatively benign to the pharmaceutical part of the healthcare value chain," Baum said...

"If they can put through some kind of public option where they can drive down prices (or) control prices that would obviously cut into the profit margins of certain firms," said Marc Pado, U.S. market strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. in San Francisco...

"We have long anticipated that Obama was willing to sign virtually any version of health reform that he could spin as a victory...

Insurers such as WellPoint were buoyed on Monday, with the overall sector trading up 1.6 percent on the Morgan Stanley Healthcare Payor index.HMO after earlier seeing a 2.5 percent jump. Pharmaceutical companies were trading up 1.5 percent on the NYSE Arca Pharmaceutical stock...

I've read several times Noam Chomsky saying that you could learn everything you needed to know what the US was up to by reading the WSJ

edit for incomplete sentence

[Demeter]

53. No Doubt Today's Gains Are an Endorsement of the Health Insurance Profiteering Bill

[mullard12ax7]

56. I thought it was because oil is unaffordable and women are 2nd-class citizens

Nope, it's pure criminal manipulation, not that anyone will ever be charged because that'd just be so hateful.

[mullard12ax7]

54. Whew, how about that pullback today? LOL

There wasn't one, it another pure manipulation Monday (PMM). Give those GS employees another $700,000 a piece for successfully rigging a "free" market.

[Ghost Dog]

66. .

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/if-theres-anybody-out-...

[Demeter]

59. I've Been Trolling in GD--Adding to My Ignore List

Stop the Stupid!

Make a great bumper sticker, no?

[Dr.Phool]

62. I've had to add to mine today too.

In about 7 years, I never utilized it until a couple of months ago.

I had just 2 on there this morning. It's increased exponentially today.

I even changed my sig line for one deserving asshole.

[TheWatcher]

64. I Love The New Sig Doc.

I TRIED to be as gentle as I could with that one, but it would seem he is just another sheep that wants to believe everything he is told, instead of think and learn for himself.

As for the insanity which seems to have reached a fever pitch, oh, I WILL have my 2 cents on that.

Probably tomorrow or Wednesday.

Watch this space.

And Good luck to you and all the Marketeers.

Especially Demeter, who is kicking serious ass today.

[Dr.Phool]

65. As always, looking forward to it!

[Demeter]

63. Mo Rocca Nails It

Halloween edition of Wait, Wait he predicted that the govt would create 7 million jobs by renaming 7 million people in honor of Steve.

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId...

[DemReadingDU]

72. I heard some portions of this while running errands

But I don't recall Mo Rocca. Which segment was this?

[Demeter]

73. The last bit==predictions

I tried to post it separately, but couldn't figure out how.