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Downshift Specialist hahahah 19 y
I will be working forever, probably in the nonprofit money raising sector- but ,man, it does my heart good. And I'm all about the following my bliss in what I do for money!
This is Me! Oh yes, this gets my underwear in a bunch!
Extreme Makeover
In the very near future, you may have to adjust your business model.
by Steve Moeller
Recently I was talking with a financial advisor about helping his clients create a positive vision of their future. I explained the process by which the emotionally charged vision becomes the focus for developing goals and action plans.
The advisor allowed that the positive vision approach works great when the client has a lot of money, but he asked what to do with a couple that wanted to retire in four years but di ... read more Yep, Bonds are gonna Suck 19 y
Yes, and this is no new news =whenever inflation raises interest rates bonds become discounted...Say you bought a CD- and 5 days later you could purchase another CD and it pays more interest for the same $1000 face price- which would you pick- Yes ofcourse the one that paid more interest- That's why the older bond sells for less than the $1,000 face value. But if you hold the older, lesser interest paying (whoa too many words!) bond to maturity date-you will get your interest and your $1,000 investment ....If you trade bonds- this is when you get dinged! Gee its been along time since I had to explain this concept! Simply put, there is an inverse ratio of face value of a bond in a raising interest rate environment
Bad News Bonds
Bondholders reportedly face a conflicting set of fears. One is that the Fed’s new leadership will be soft on inflation, hurting fixed-coupon returns. The other is that it will hike interest rates sharply, sending the prices of existing bonds down.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 28, 2005
With the overall bond market suffering scads of bad news, these aren’t the best of times for companies to float commercial paper.
Rising interest rates have knocked down prices in the secondary market. At the same time, bondholders are plagued by a competing set of fea ... read more Hi Tech Supports Bernanke 19 y
Silicon valley and other environs says Goodbye Greenspan, Hello Bernanke! First vote of confidence from an economic sectore
Bernanke Pick Boosts Tech
Technology leaders express confidence that Bernanke won’t rock the economic boat.
October 24, 2005
Tech industry bigwigs see a friend in Ben S. Bernanke, President George W. Bush’s pick for chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, saying Monday the chief White House economist is likely to continue a similar course charted by predecessor Alan Greenspan.
Mr. Bernanke, a former Federal Reserve Governor and an economics professor at Princeton University until his appointment to the White House this year, does not have specific technology-industry experience ... read more Bernake Bush and the Fed 19 y
Bernake is the Bush nominee for Greenspan's replacement _ This is as big or bigger than Supreme Court Justice nomination! Wait and See a wrong move here is going to rock our financial world!cfo.com says:
Bush Nominates Bernanke as Fed Chairman
During his three years as a Federal Reserve governor, market observers would often look at Bernanke’s speeches for insight into Greenspan’s thinking.
Stephen Taub and Dave Cook, CFO.com
October 24, 2005
President Bush has nominated Ben Bernanke, 51, chairman of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers, to be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.
If confirmed by the Senate, Bernanke would succeed Alan Greenspan, 79, who has served as Fed chairman since August 1987 — through the longest economic expansion in history, as well ... read more WorldCom pays $651M 19 y
World Com pays and the bankers. IPO Underwriters, and those who should have used their fiduciary responsibility, rather than thinking of the fees to be made by issuing bonds and diluting the companies balance sheet. And to release the bloodied heart and soul of corporate America while protected their board of investors.
WorldCom Investors Get $651 Million
In the settlement, a group of banks and other defendants agreed to compensate institutional investors for losses on purchases of WorldCom bonds and stock.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 27, 2005
A total of 67 institutional investors recovered more than $651 million from a group of banks and other defendants to compensate the investors for losses on purchases of WorldCom bonds and stock from 1998 through 2001, according to Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP, the law firm that represented the plaintiffs.
The institutional investo ... read more Precious Metals 19 y
I once read a 4 inch thick book on the secret power of money, it was dry dry dry, but outlined the rise and fall of Rome and other coinage collapses until history led us to paper money and off the gold standard that once was the underpinnings for the US $. Now metals are a commodity, a future commodity, and an ingredient in coinage.
COMMENT: Silver Bullet-in
Dear A-Letter Reader:
On Monday, I told you about platinum. Today, we’ll look at silver.
Like platinum, this is a metal that has pluses and minuses.
On the plus side...
* In June, Barclays Bank began seeking SEC approval for a new
exchange-traded fund, iShares Silver Trust. Each ETF unit would
represent 10 ounces of silver to be backed by silver bullion stored
in vaults in London. This is both a reflection of increased investor
interest in silver and a sign that the trust itself could be a new
source of demand for silver.
* In August, New York-b ... read more Walmart,Good Citizen? 19 y
Walmart is it a corporate good citizen?
Wal-Mart: Good Corporate Citizen?
Recently the company has made a flurry of new proposals that address health insurance, the environment, the minimum wage, and workforce diversity.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 25, 2005
Is Wal-Mart Stores becoming a better corporate citizen?
The world’s largest retailer has been a lightning rod for a number of advocacy groups regarding its policies on pay, benefits, and work conditions. In recent days, however, Wal-Mart has proposed a flurry of new policies that attempt to address those complaints.
For example, although many compa ... read more Bank CD's "yield= debt derivatives"? 19 y
leverage interest rate~ Oh the seductive leverage-I remember an option strategy called the butterfly spread...PIMCO had Bill Gross, a bond guru as their expert leader~He was to bonds as Warren Buffett was to stocks!. Interesting strategy..what's the downside? BBB may not qualify as junk, but it does not qualify as AAA AA A or lower yielding "better balance sheet" paper...
Not Your Father’s CD
Banks are pitching credit derivatives as a source of higher yields for cash-laden companies. But as always, higher yields mean higher risks.
Ed Zwirn, CFO Magazine
October 15, 2005
With interest rates still low by historical standards and spreads tight, corporate finance professionals are facing a win-lose situation: funds have remained cheap for much of 2005, but yields on cash have also stayed low. Compounding the problem, cash on corporate balance sheets has ballooned with rising profits but unimpressive reinvestment opportunities.
That puts new pressur ... read more EC Antitrust Protection 19 y
Back to the Robber Baron Days, and remember the depression followed those excesses...Although European countries lean toward Socialism...and their antitrust laws quite likely are stiffer than ours!
EC Plans to Lighten Antitrust Rules
Focusing more on consumer protection than competition, the EC’s top antitrust regulator seems ready to push for rule revisions.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 21, 2005
The European Commission may be easing up on huge multinational companies.
An internal group, led by EC competition commissioner Nellie Kross, plans to make it more difficult for prosecutors to find large companies guilty of breaking antitrust rules, according to the Financial Times, which cited commission officials and documents.
A review currently underway will result ... read more No Writedowns for Fines 19 y
Now you are talking, because ladies and gentlemen when these billions of dollars are paid to NY State and the IRS then they are written off-And guess WHO gets to make up the losses? Who-YOU!
GAO Eyes Settlement Write-offs
’’Letting companies deduct settlement payments from their income taxes takes away the sting,’’ says the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 21, 2005
The Internal Revenue Service and agencies that reach civil settlements with businesses should work more closely to ensure that companies give the proper tax treatment to their payouts, maintains a report from the Government Accountability Office.
Earlier this year, for example, Marsh & McLennan Cos. agreed to pay $850 million to settle charges of fraud and anti-com ... read more No Universal Jurisdiction 19 y
Is Universal Jurisdiction going to be the New World Government?
Dear A-Letter Reader:
Since I’m headed for a nation, China, where the rule of law is a novel
concept, I got to thinking about how we Americans take our legal rights
too much for granted. At the moment we have a US government that seems
to have forgotten due process and equal protection, among other things,
that the Constitution guarantees.
Then there is the problem of creeping ”universal jurisdiction.” It
started with Chilean ex-dictator, Gen. Augusto Pinochet, who is back
in the news because his immunity against prosecutions as a Senator for
Life has been lifted by his nation ... read more Health Savings Accounts 19 y
They still seem attached to Western Medicine? But maybe that could be shifted to Alternative Therapies? They are a tax deductible savings account!
Forecasters: HSA Assets Could Reach $62 Billion By 2011
BY ALLISON BELL
NU Online News Service, Oct. 19, 2005, 4:48 p.m. EDT
Health savings account assets could grow dramatically over the next 5 years.
Researchers at Celent Communications, Boston, a market research firm, make that prediction in a new 32-page review of the HSA market.
U.S. residents probably hold about 740,000 HSAs today with an average of $1,100 in assets, for an overall HSA asset total of $811 million, the researchers estimate.
If monthly contributions start at an average of $110 per account holder in 2006, ... read more Greenspan retires & US $$ 19 y
There is a lot of truth in this, and while I agree~ the tone is rather shrill- all these factors will play a big part in a decline- as I've already posted many times...Bush is dancing as fast as he can...hie is the spiritual harbinger to create the birth the next epoch/yuga. We been party-e-ing for too long sister, and the big hangover is on it's way...But as I have noted many times it never seems as bad as it could/should be...I'm baffled-In all my readings we never pay the piper to the tune we played...It's some kind of USA magic...China may change all that, tho- Or Not!
The Only Thing Standing In The Way Of A Complete Devaluation Of The U.S. Dollar Is
ALAN GREENSPAN
And On January 31, 2006
HE RETIRES
Leaving Behind A ’Perfect Storm’ That Will Bring Down the U.S. Economy...And Most U.S. Investors Along With It
Find out exactly how the combination of 18 years of Greenspan’s loose monetary policy, $7.78 trillion U.S. national debt, and the revaluation of China’s currency is set to implode the U.S economy - and the one investment you need to make to save yourself from sinking with the ship...
Dear A-Letter Reader,
The secret is seep ... read more Insight Prison Project 19 y
Schwarzenegger and parole, Is it the spirit of money or the spirit of compassion, common sense? Or all of the above!
EDITORIAL
Doors closing for lifers -- again
Monday, October 17, 2005
SF Chronicle Submissions
Letters to the Editor
Open Forum
Sunday Insight
EARLIER THIS YEAR, we commended Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for being willing to grant parole to a greater number of the state’s expanding lifer population than his predecessors.
In 2004, he agreed to release 73 lifers recommended for parole by the Board of Prison Terms, recently renamed the Board of Parole Hearings. Although still a tiny fraction of the lifer population, in a single year Schwarzenegger released 12 times mo ... read more x-KPMG CFO indicted 19 y
No wonder! This is why the earlier post http://www.curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=306&i=153 the US attorney is indicting past CFO of KPMG and others...
Ex-CFO of KPMG among 10 Newly Indicted
’’This was an orchestrated case of deliberate tax evasion, and not legitimate tax planning,’’ says a U.S. attorney.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 19, 2005
Former chief financial officer Richard Rosenthal was among 10 additional individuals indicted in the widening tax-shelter scandal at KMPG.
”This was an orchestrated case of deliberate tax evasion, and not legitimate tax planning,” said Michael Garcia, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, according to the Financial Times.
earlier post http://www.curezone.com/blogs/m.asp ... read more Spinning Gold into Dollars 19 y
Ask for a prospectus, but it is an interesting hybrid-a CD driven by gold spot markets (how do they calculate the average the spot markets?) These are always products that the bank makes money on, the question is: Will You?
Spinning Gold Into Dollars
Everbank, an online bank that issues FDIC-insured certificates of deposit that are denominated in foreign currencies, has come up with a unique way to ”invest” in gold, while giving a guarantee that you won’t lose a dollar of your principal. It’s called the MarketSafe Gold Bullion certificate of deposit. It gives you 100% safety of principal, and FDIC insurance, along with a ”market upside payment” that is equal to 100% of the percentage change in the average spot price of gold over the five-year term of the CD! -- Terry Savage, TheStreet.com
~9th~- Be sure t ... read more Debtlacking Credit Worthiness 19 y
Global credit improving, N america - what about N America?
Credit Quality Lagging in North America
Things aren’t looking any better in the coming months; the region has more issuers on review for downgrade than for upgrade.
Stephen Taub, CFO.com
October 18, 2005
Global credit quality improved in the third quarter, according to Moody’s Investors Service, but the pace of improvement was not as strong in North America.
The credit-rating company reported 1.62 upgrades for every downgrade, worldwide, in the third quarter, an improvement on the 1.53 for the second quarter and 1.44 in the first.
By region, however, Moody’s reported ... read more |