Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Daniel Mudd

Hat tip to Anonymous for the Wapo article. In January 2007, as years of loose mortgage lending were about to send the nation’s housing market into devastating decline, Fannie Mae chief executive Daniel H. Mudd wrote a confidential memo to his board. Discussing the company’s successes, Mudd said one of Fannie Mae’s achievements in 2006 […]

Will open format survive this election? Up to any one of us, and all of us

CoRev says: Dan, may I suggest an open thread that allow us to list the various policy issues and then discuss them. I would start with:1) Economic2) Energy3) Jobs [and I consider 1,2 & 3 to be closely interlinked]4) Fiscal— Balanced Budget— Taxes5) National Security It is hard to divorce any one policy or subpart […]

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The NYT reports: WASHINGTON — Senior officials from the Bush administration and the Federal Reserve on Friday called in top executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance giants, and told them that the government was preparing to place the two companies under federal control, officials and company executives briefed on the discussions […]

Alice in Co-payland

by reader noni mousa, doing regular citizen reseach for us all Alice in Co-payland Now and then some tiny little headline, like this from the OrlandoBusiness Journal, catches my eye and gives me that old Alice inWonderland feeling. Have a quick look: Biz journal says: Survey: Most companies will increase health care costsOrlando Business Journal […]

Call in today WKRS

http://www.extremewisdom.com/?p=1358 Any interest in putting it on the Bear? I’ll be doing a fill-in on someone else’s slot today from 3-5P CST atwww.wkrs.com. I’d love to have your readers call in. Bruno BehrendHost – Extreme Wisdom Radio ShowWeekdays 10 AM-Noon on 1220 WKRSwww.extremewisdom.comListen Live – http://1220wkrs.com/pages/93518.php

Real interest rates are negative

OSO tacks another tack: What’s up? Summary: Real negative interest rates rob people. The US has enduredfive periods of real negative interest rates since 1954 – two of whichhave occurred since 2002. It was the 2002-2005 period of negativeinterest rates which saw the expansion of the housing bubble. Now thatit has popped, is the current […]

Real interest rates are high

Global Economic Analysis makes a case for interest rates being high based on a different definition of a mainstream definition of increase in money supply and inflation. Mish uses a ‘basket of goods’ explanation and housing. Maybe someone can pick this up. Of course, Noni’s post makes a simpler statement but clear for non-experts.

Bruno says yes for Illinois

Bruno Behrend at WKRS updates us: Since we were last in contact, the campaign to get a Constitutional Convention in IL is basically consuming my life. I’ve gotten my first book out (co-written), and I’m working to get a “yes” vote to reform this horribly corrupt state. The reason I’m taking the time to tell […]

Palin’s military command experience

Notice the comments at the end of the video by CNN’s Campbell Brown. Palin has military command experience? McCain has reportedly cancelled Larry King Live and future CNN appearances. Anyone know anything?

Threads and fire engines

Main posters have the capacity to edit their own post threads, but will identify themselves when they do. Rdan’s little red fire engine will identify itself appropriately as well, so is not to blame for everything unless identified. Site owner id remains his.