Category Archives: Economy

Clearing Up a Misconception (as if this were possible)

He said, “Rod, you’re loaded up with gold, right?” I said, “You think gold is going to go up?” He said, “Heck yes, with all the money the government is printing now, inflation is going to soar, and gold along … Continue reading

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On the Panic Over Gas Prices

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It is God’s kindness to terrify you in order to lead you to safety –Rumi What do I make of this? Here’s Brian Williams telling me on the evening news the price of gas will skyrocket this summer. Why’s that, … Continue reading

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Toreador, Ole!

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Gives me the willies when I hear what Wall Street types are saying just now. Reminds me of 1980, when the uber bull oil analyst at my firm grabbed the microphone and bellowed, “The risk is not in being in Dome Petroeum, … Continue reading

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On Work, Part II

We were surprised…The Good-to-Great leaders seemed to have…a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will…more like Lincoln or Socrates than Patton or Ceasar —Jim Collins, Good to Great NFL players are passionate about the game, but ask any retired … Continue reading

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On Work, Part I

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Take a look at them. They’re all nice guys. But they finish last… —Leo Durocher, 1939 The beatdown of the American middle class is especially hard on employees of public corporations today. It has not always been so, but it is now, … Continue reading

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On The Gift of Desperation

The Time for System D is now —Robert Neuwirth Tamales, she sells. From a shopping cart, standing in front of a downtown Manhattan deli. And Mole Poblano, which, you understand, is a sauce of divine origin. In the 16th century, the story … Continue reading

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Tide Receding (Definitely)

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You could say I lost my belief in the politicians They all seem like game show hosts to me                         —Sting It is six thirty-five of a weekday evening and Brian Williams, anchor man on NBC’s Evening News says to financial … Continue reading

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On Chaos as Normal

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A speculative party for the ages ended in the Spring of 2000, capping a sixty-eight year bull market in stocks. Quite abruptly, the bubble morphed into a Grand Supercycle bear market. So far,  a first leg down, bottoming in ’03,  led to a revisiting of the … Continue reading

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Faux Bears

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Fools rush in I hadn’t seen Carl in ten years. First thing he did was grill me about was my investment position. “You’re up to your eyebrows in gold, right?” he queried. “No.” “I’ve been in index funds, but I’m ready to switch to … Continue reading

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Goodbye, Mave

Never again will traditional industries sustain the whole middle class. But the new jobs in old trades are smarter—and pay better—than in 1980  …blue-collar workers have taken a beating, but what remains of them is more sophisticated, more skilled…             … Continue reading

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