Homebuilder sentiment dropped in January due to concerns on the economy (Yahoo!)
Tech Ticker video with an interview stating that there is plenty of pain ahead for the big banks (Yahoo!)
A great look how the savings rate will impact just about everything (Zero Hedge)
Obama’s top priority is jobs says the White House (Reuters) – which is why I guarantee more government programs and stimulus in 2010.  Eventually, we will learn that the private sector free to operate on its own can create more jobs than government and create jobs that can …

1. Some People Do Incredible Things To Help Others
The stories of volunteers that have gone to aid the people in Haiti after this awful tragedy are very inspiring.  There are so many medical personnel, volunteers, missionaries, etc. that have descended upon this tiny country to lend a hand.
Furthermore, the giving from people especially people in America has been really awesome.
2. Some People Will Do Unimaginably Awful Things To Survive
On the flip side of the coin, we have seen what human beings are capable of when faced with survival.  People will …

Yesterday’s post was on whether or not the stock market has really bottomed.  On a related subject, I want to make a few comments about the supposed Depression that is still heading our way.  First, a little background.  Many people who follow economics and the markets believe that a Depression is inevitable.  By Depression, I mean a severe recession, worse than the recession of 2007-2009.  Many people, myself included, believe that the actions taking to avoid the current recession will do more harm in the long run than good.  Some …

Pretty quiet day with the markets closed.  If you had the day off, good for you.  I didn’t.  Here are some good reads for the day:
Very good look at small business and the trend gives reason to doubt a recovery (Mish)
Goldman Sachs boosts their GDP estimates (Zero Hedge)
Interesting take on the Senate election in Massachusetts this week (WSJ)
Good read on Mutual Fund investing (Digerati Life)
Hugo Chavez says that we’re occupying Haiti in the name of aid (Reuters) – Billions in aid over the years, 12,000 troops on the ground making …

I like to think about the stock market and how it relates to investor psychology.  Specifically with market tops and market bottoms.  As we look back over the last 10 years, there is a debate over where the bear market, that we may or may not still be in, actually started.
When Did The Bear Market Begin?
There are two common answers to this question:

The bear market began in 2000 with the bust of the dot-com bubble
The bear market began in late 2007 / early 2008

Depending on which chart you look at, …

I just hooked up my brand new Apple Time Machine today (purchased using American Express points at 40% off!).  I’m very excited and relieved to have the time machine hooked up and all of my important data backed up.  The thousands of photos and hours of home video that we have stored on our iMac are priceless.  If we lost these assets, it would be a tough pill to swallow.  Thus, the Time Machine is backing everything up safely.  Redundancy is important!
Do you have your data backed up?  If not, …

If you’re unemployed, you can get a job.  It might not be your dream job.  Heck, it might not even be a job you like.  But, you can get a job.  The reason for this is because you have to.
You need your income.  While you’re unemployed and have zero income coming in, you are probably going in debt and you are definitely losing ground in your pursuit of your financial goals.
It’s estimated that there are 6 candidates for every job opening in America right now.  That means that you have …

The deflation vs. inflation argument is very common these days.  Most believe it’s either or.  I believe that we have and will continue to have both.
Deflation
There are definition deflationary forces everywhere.  Many people I know are having pay cuts.  Super Bowl ad prices are falling (source).  Heck, I just got 40% off all purchases with my Amex points and took the opportunity to buy a few items that I can’t afford normally.
In the hospitality world where I work my day job, there are definite price battles going on to land …