Hi everyone,

What do you all think about this crazy market and now the flu. Things can't get any better.

Now people in Central Texas are talking about moving back north since Mexico is next door to Texas and now there is one death in Texas.

People are looking to get out and don't know what to do. Prices are dropping in the real estate realm.

A commercial property that is appraise at 900k. I have it under contract for 200k. Can't get better then that.

Please give your inputs in how is it going in your local city or state.

Business | Financial | Real Estate | local | Economy

You're the chief financial officer of a multimillion dollar company.  You report that earnings have been solid, despite the economic decline, and determine that, unless spent soon, you're going to incur significant tax burdens.  The CEO asks, "Where's the safest place we can put the money, even in today's market?"  Your answer, "United States Treasury Bills."  AKA, T-Bills.

Here's how this works.

Economy | Investing | Financial

I found this article over at Bloomberg.com to have some pretty good information summarizing recent political steps regarding the economy, the bailouts and the auto industry.

President-elect Obama made a statement about his plans to forge a huge infrastructural investment strategy to help curb the economic crisis starting sometime next year.  Other than that the program is going to be a sizable, there are not enough details to determine what effects this will have on both the short term and long term time scales.  What one can rely on is that there are going to be plenty of entrepreneurial opportunities for companies to help with the process.  This correlates with my own experience talking with investors and entrepreneurs who survived the S&L crisis.

Economy | Financial | Current Events | Real Estate

I don't know Henry Paulson.  Is he a decent guy, trying to do the right thing in difficult times?  Probably.  Is it just a coincidence that, as a former Goldman Sachs executive, he oversaw the demise of three of Goldman's biggest competitors, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns, while Goldman lives on?  Probably.  Is it relevant that the vast majority of his wealth is held in Goldman Sachs stocks?  Probably not.  But there is no mistaking that the actions that led to him being dubbed "Mr. Risk" is a strong indicator that his philosophy of extensive leverage is part and parcel of the current crisis facing the financial institutions.

We're facing a unique problem in that those who are advocating extreme measures of government intervention in this crisis are doing so not because they necessarily want a socialized economy, but are acting in order to preserve a free market.  In this article from CNN, Paulson himself admits to such a way of thinking.  His rationale is that government intervention is necessary now because it wasn't implemented earlier.  Meaning, the current businesses needing a bailout need it because they are too big to fail and that the government should have come in and prevented them from ever being too big in the first place.

Current Events | Economy | Financial

Although this article from CNN seems to want to talk about retirement, what it really underscores is the philosophy the modern American adopts towards investing.  And what is the generalized American investment strategy?  It goes like this; don't take risks, save, and keep equity in your house.

The problem I see here is that this strategy is only being compared to its antithesis of taking risks, not saving and destroying the equity in your home.  Yes, compared to that strategy, it is far superior.

Real Estate | Financial | Economy | Investing

FUNDING PROGRAM

Subsidize Any { Business, Personal , Humanitarian} V enture /Project

With No Debt, No Fee, No Interest – No Payback !

$1 Generate $4 in 6 Months – $10 in 10 Months – $25 in 1 Year

Please, allow me this opportunity to introduce my unique, authentic and verifiable Funding Program! {I will provide proof of funding program to principles that show proof of funds and/or to principles that employ attorneys without showing proof of funds}

Financial | Economy | Investing

Most importantly, we have had personal success with the opportunities listed, and have been paid commissions for several months. In addition, there are no broker chains, and we are the program manager, accepting all of the new applications.

List of Investment Opportunities

1) Hedge Fund Investment ($1,000,000 and above)

2) Commodity Investment Program ($50,000 and above)

3) Private Placement Program ($1,000,000 and above)

4) Private Guaranteed Principle Program ($10,000 and above)

(1) Hedge Fund Investment

Investing | Economy | Financial

Stocks are plummeting, the auto industry is on the brink of collapse, Iran almost has the bomb, pirates are attacking, and now it’s even too deadly to flush toilets!  What are we to do?

From my point of view, ever since mid-October when the stock market went through its worst week ever and officially redirected public interest away from war in Iraq to the economy, there seems to be no end of ever increasing bad news.  The election of a new president seemed to stop fears, but only temporarily.  Now it seems like we’re back to counting down the minutes of a doomsday clock worthy of Biblical proportions.

But we can’t just hide under our desks and hope we’ll be fine when this all blows over.

As the economy contracts, one must realize that the way it contracts is not by eliminating excellent businesses or excellent investments.  On the contrary, the market is quick to severe the ties of the most unstable and poorly executed businesses and investments first.  Even though it upsets me that Congress would even consider taking my money and giving to a private company like GM, I am at least somewhat relieved that they are reluctant to do so unless it is accompanied with serious overhauls. 

But that’s not my main point today.

Today, it’s important to look at the companies that are not being bailed out.  It’s a great time to look at investments and ask, “Why is that one not defaulting?”  This economic “collapse” (as they like to call it) is separating safe businesses from risky ones, and investors from speculators.  It is a necessary cleansing.

And now we all are faced with two options; either we can continue with our old habits that we call investing and blame corporate malfeasance for destroying our nest eggs, or we can become serious, attentive investors who are not pounded by economic declines, but are rejuvenated.

It's a crazy world, but we can still act within it.

-beasley

Investing | Economy | Financial

I suppose what really grabbed my attention was the headline of the article; "Wait-and-hope strategy for some investors."  The reason this caught my eye was that investors don't "wait-and-hope," speculators do.

Financial | Business