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10.07.09
For Sale, Cheap: America

The United States is being bought up by foreigners. It’s sort of like a rummage sale or a department store bargain basement. Investors are buying up US companies at a record pace and foreign governments are “buying up” the Federal Government through loans to finance Congressional and Presidential deficit spending and corporate bailouts. On one recent day, the stock market reported more than $14 billion in stock acquisitions, some of it in buyout deals by foreign financiers.

10.05.09
The Stimulus: Boom or Bust?

Besides putting our grandchildren in deeply in debt, the government stimulus was an attempt to solve the economic problems of this nation by throwing money at them. Has it succeeded or failed? The answer depends on whom you listen to, but the truth is that it did both. The GDP actually rose three percent (3%) the first two quarters of 2009, but how much of this was due to the stimulus spending? The stimulus money that went to state governments got spent on small, “shovel-ready” projects and prevented massive lay-offs which had been planned for early 2009. Larger projects will not occur until early 2010, so they will not impact the economy until then.

09.30.09
Exercise Can Extend Survival: Physical or Fiscal, Exercise is Good For Business

The jury is in and the verdict rendered. Exercise, even for the “oldest old” is good for you and may extend you life. According to a study done in Israel, the three year survival rate for 85-year-olds was three times higher for those who were active than the inactive group. Active was described as “more than fours hours of exercise weekly,” and consisted of walking and other forms of fitness. The study also concluded that previously inactive people of all ages benefited from starting an exercise regimen. Those who were part of the test reported also that the “active group” experiences less depression and loneliness. They also had an easier time performing routine, daily tasks.

09.24.09
The Close: Not tough to master

It was a seminar for salespeople held in New Orleans in the mid ‘70s. The stage had been set up with an overhead projector and a huge screen. The audience was about fifteen hundred strong, all salespeople from various companies in the area who had paid about fifteen dollars per person to attend the gathering. The speaker cleared his throat and the audience quieted down awaiting the presentation.

“Before we begin” he started, “I want to have the two strongest men in the audience to come up here.” Two big guys were encouraged by their friends and others in the crowd, rose and made their way to the stage. “Now,” continued the speaker, “I want the best looking woman here to come up.” A good-looking saleswoman from the floor was pushed forward and joined the trio on the stage. “And now,” said the speaker, “Surely in this group of salesmen someone has a $100 bill.” A bill was handed up to the stage. The speaker rolled the “Franklin” and put it in his ear, he motioned to the two big guys to hold him up as he leaned backwards. The woman was told to put her arms around his neck and hug him.

08.27.09
Bargains Galore: Everywhere in the news prices are dropping

Bargains, bargains everywhere. Headlines in newspapers, on advertisements and across the tops of industry newsletters extol the plethora of bargains available on nearly everything imaginable; Real estate, classic automobiles, jewelry, electronics, hey, even Omaha Steaks are 50% off! One headline announced that baseball Hall-of-Famer, Len Dykstra, just lost his house he had listed for $24.95 million. He had dropped the selling price by nearly $10 million, but it still didn’t sell and went into foreclosure. Another personality, music producer Scott Storch, lost his $7.5 million house to a bank who bought it at auction for $5.5mm.