[equalizer]

This is from Gene Epstein, Barrons economic editor who is Mr. Optimistic (I’ve called him pollyannish) free-market guy who says speculation is causing food and energy bubble:

“Much as I hate to agree with any politician who blames the speculator whenever goods get too dear, which usually amounts to shooting the messenger, Homeland Security Committee Chair Joe Lieberman unfortunately had a point when he accused speculators of “artificially inflating the prices of food and fuel futures.

The rules the CFTC should enforce are position limits that specify the maximum number of contracts in a given market that any single speculative entity can hold. These limits, which generally amount to about 2% of all contracts outstanding, are set for a good reason: The commodity markets are too small to absorb an excess of speculative dollars. Even at current inflated prices and a near-record level of trading interest, the total contract value on all domestic commodity exchanges comes to only $960 billion. By way of comparison, even at current depressed prices, the total market capitalization of all domestically traded stocks tops $13 trillion.

History teaches that regulatory commissions often become hostage to the very industry they’re supposed to regulate. In that regard, it’s worth noting that CFTC Commissioner Jill Sommers is a former Head of Government Affairs at the International Swaps and Derivatives Association.

Say that legislators do ride herd over the CFTC by requiring that it enforce position limits. Even if, as proposed, the rules were phased in slowly, Briese fears an anticipatory collapse in prices that could drive the swaps dealers into bankruptcy. While that would hardly be welcome, the decline in food and energy prices would provide welcome relief to consumers.”

Even he has become cynical, fearing that regulators are beholden to their industry!!

Full story at
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB121460970889212409.html?mod=9_0031_b_this_weeks_magazine_columns

[equalizer]

American autos have gotten much better, but the stigma from low resale values hurts American auto sales.

On the bright side, while the Toyota and Honda salesman spout “these cars sell themselves with 20 awards etc”, and frown upon test drives more than 2 minutes, the American dealers insist you take the car home and show the family.

[equalizer]

American autos have gotten much better, but the stigma from low resale values hurts American auto sales.

On the bright side, while the Toyota and Honda salesman spout “these cars sell themselves with 20 awards etc”, and frown upon test drives more than 2 minutes, the American dealers insist you take the car home and show the family.

[equalizer]

American autos have gotten much better, but the stigma from low resale values hurts American auto sales.

On the bright side, while the Toyota and Honda salesman spout “these cars sell themselves with 20 awards etc”, and frown upon test drives more than 2 minutes, the American dealers insist you take the car home and show the family.

[equalizer]

American autos have gotten much better, but the stigma from low resale values hurts American auto sales.

On the bright side, while the Toyota and Honda salesman spout “these cars sell themselves with 20 awards etc”, and frown upon test drives more than 2 minutes, the American dealers insist you take the car home and show the family.

[equalizer]

American autos have gotten much better, but the stigma from low resale values hurts American auto sales.

On the bright side, while the Toyota and Honda salesman spout “these cars sell themselves with 20 awards etc”, and frown upon test drives more than 2 minutes, the American dealers insist you take the car home and show the family.

[equalizer]

Don’t leave home without the Motorcycle Air Bag Jacket and triple indemnity life insurance.

http://www.mashgate.com/

$400
http://www.impactjackets.com/index.html

[equalizer]

Don’t leave home without the Motorcycle Air Bag Jacket and triple indemnity life insurance.

http://www.mashgate.com/

$400
http://www.impactjackets.com/index.html

[equalizer]

Don’t leave home without the Motorcycle Air Bag Jacket and triple indemnity life insurance.

http://www.mashgate.com/

$400
http://www.impactjackets.com/index.html

[equalizer]

Don’t leave home without the Motorcycle Air Bag Jacket and triple indemnity life insurance.

http://www.mashgate.com/

$400
http://www.impactjackets.com/index.html

[equalizer]

Don’t leave home without the Motorcycle Air Bag Jacket and triple indemnity life insurance.

http://www.mashgate.com/

$400
http://www.impactjackets.com/index.html

[equalizer]

Countrywide is at $3B! XM and SIRI merger at $6B with 2K employees with GM with 250K employees! GOOG at $166B. GOOG could buy out GM and convert all plants to server farms with massive state subsidies and their stock wouldn’t move.

I thing GM can raise short term convertible offering (they had one GMX) that expired last year. That should keep them afloat without tanking common shares (?) till oil prices go down and they can retool for smaller models. After Chrysler debacle, private equity probably wont touch takeover, maybe high yield debt. Or Toyota could just buy out GM, save many jobs but that wont happen.

However, check this out:
Cramer: GM Should File for Bankruptcy

“First, we have to stipulate two things: GM has tremendous value if it can break all of its contracts, stop paying the coupon debts and eliminate the dividend.

But there is one problem — you can’t do that, you can’t make the critical changes, unless the company files for bankruptcy.

I rack my brain trying to figure out how they can raise enough money to not run out of money. The only way they can do it is to sell hundreds of millions of shares of common stock and simultaneously eliminate the dividend. That will buy them time, but buy them time for what? For the next offering?”

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/investing/10423696.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

[equalizer]

Countrywide is at $3B! XM and SIRI merger at $6B with 2K employees with GM with 250K employees! GOOG at $166B. GOOG could buy out GM and convert all plants to server farms with massive state subsidies and their stock wouldn’t move.

I thing GM can raise short term convertible offering (they had one GMX) that expired last year. That should keep them afloat without tanking common shares (?) till oil prices go down and they can retool for smaller models. After Chrysler debacle, private equity probably wont touch takeover, maybe high yield debt. Or Toyota could just buy out GM, save many jobs but that wont happen.

However, check this out:
Cramer: GM Should File for Bankruptcy

“First, we have to stipulate two things: GM has tremendous value if it can break all of its contracts, stop paying the coupon debts and eliminate the dividend.

But there is one problem — you can’t do that, you can’t make the critical changes, unless the company files for bankruptcy.

I rack my brain trying to figure out how they can raise enough money to not run out of money. The only way they can do it is to sell hundreds of millions of shares of common stock and simultaneously eliminate the dividend. That will buy them time, but buy them time for what? For the next offering?”

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/investing/10423696.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

[equalizer]

Countrywide is at $3B! XM and SIRI merger at $6B with 2K employees with GM with 250K employees! GOOG at $166B. GOOG could buy out GM and convert all plants to server farms with massive state subsidies and their stock wouldn’t move.

I thing GM can raise short term convertible offering (they had one GMX) that expired last year. That should keep them afloat without tanking common shares (?) till oil prices go down and they can retool for smaller models. After Chrysler debacle, private equity probably wont touch takeover, maybe high yield debt. Or Toyota could just buy out GM, save many jobs but that wont happen.

However, check this out:
Cramer: GM Should File for Bankruptcy

“First, we have to stipulate two things: GM has tremendous value if it can break all of its contracts, stop paying the coupon debts and eliminate the dividend.

But there is one problem — you can’t do that, you can’t make the critical changes, unless the company files for bankruptcy.

I rack my brain trying to figure out how they can raise enough money to not run out of money. The only way they can do it is to sell hundreds of millions of shares of common stock and simultaneously eliminate the dividend. That will buy them time, but buy them time for what? For the next offering?”

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/investing/10423696.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

[equalizer]

Countrywide is at $3B! XM and SIRI merger at $6B with 2K employees with GM with 250K employees! GOOG at $166B. GOOG could buy out GM and convert all plants to server farms with massive state subsidies and their stock wouldn’t move.

I thing GM can raise short term convertible offering (they had one GMX) that expired last year. That should keep them afloat without tanking common shares (?) till oil prices go down and they can retool for smaller models. After Chrysler debacle, private equity probably wont touch takeover, maybe high yield debt. Or Toyota could just buy out GM, save many jobs but that wont happen.

However, check this out:
Cramer: GM Should File for Bankruptcy

“First, we have to stipulate two things: GM has tremendous value if it can break all of its contracts, stop paying the coupon debts and eliminate the dividend.

But there is one problem — you can’t do that, you can’t make the critical changes, unless the company files for bankruptcy.

I rack my brain trying to figure out how they can raise enough money to not run out of money. The only way they can do it is to sell hundreds of millions of shares of common stock and simultaneously eliminate the dividend. That will buy them time, but buy them time for what? For the next offering?”

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/newsanalysis/investing/10423696.html?cm_ven=YAHOO&cm_cat=FREE&cm_ite=NA

[Author]

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