Yep. First Woolworths then the World

Surprise!

I knew there was some kind of disturbance last night. It was a sleepless one and the moon was no where near full. It was Vikram Pandit's wheeling and dealing that did it. This man is an out and out threat. After his well received speech last week he clearly started drifting to the darker side. He thinks that's the only way he can beat the white witch. He couldn't be more wrong. His powers are no match for hers.

How did Vikram get his hands on this cash? Easy. Tarp. There's no stopping this beast. It's so obvious even elected officials are starting to realize it:

"The time has come that we consider what sort of limitations we should be placing on the Fed so that authority returns to elected officials as opposed to appointed ones."
-Congressman Scott Garret

Actually the time for that was a month ago when the bill was drafted...
Still, if you aren't going to do your job you might as well come out and say it. (This Garret fellow has a kind of integrity.)

Anyway, I don't like shady sunday transactions, I don't like Vikram's wheeling and I don't like not knowing or understanding what the hell is going on. Nowanights, you can't fall asleep without some government somewhere taking another big stake in some bank. And I don't like it.

Bankers: The New Husbandmen

“Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.”

Jerry! Jerry!

Jerry Yang is a brave and a decent man. I know this is a few months late but Jerry Yang understood. Jerry Yang understood that microsoft doesn't buy out your company they buy your soul. Jerry looked at the beast right in the eye and said thanks but no thanks at 31 bucks a share. I like my soul right where it is. I've put alot of work into my soul. I lived in California. I've been to Esalen. The soul stays.

Here's to Jerry.

The Bankers Can't Believe Their Luck...

Somebody asked me today, "Mr. D is Nick Clegg ornery?" That question was posed with respects to this very cynical quote young Nicholas gave to the FT.

"The Bankers can't believe their luck. They have got billions of pounds of tax payers' money, they can keep their bonuses and they don't have to lend to companies."

Is that true? Yes. But don't worry he's not ornery he's just having a laugh. Nick Clegg is a joker. But he's also a thinker:



Still, I can't take him seriously that wavy hair makes me think of this video.



Is that strange?

Breakfast and Radio

Credit Crunch is my new favourite breakfast cereal. I eat it every morning with illiquid milk. I wash it down with a fruity investment vehicle smoothy. I default obligate into college just like a robot. I am immune to pain again.
So it goes.

I sit beside my radio. Not a physical radio. Don't be obtuse. I'm talking about the radio in my mind. The radio that picks up the signals from the books, magazines, and idle speculative chatter of financial giants. The radio that is dialed in to Truth FM. The scariest thing about recent days is the signal is breaking up. There is just too much static. Is it me? Should I exercise more thus establishing a healthier mind-body equilibrium? I think not.

I think there is something funny down at the station. Or maybe it's the broadcasting tower. This morning the radio started crackling when Joni Mitchell was getting to the part about being a Wild Flower. That's the best part of the song! That song has ended now. That song has ended... how apt.

Wait a second...

James is pissed!

GBK

The forex markets are great. They really can't be beaten. They change so fast and so often. They have so many ups and downs. They're as delicious as pancakes. Loonies and Toonies, Greenbacks, Kronas, Pounds, Yen, and all sorts of other funny currencies. Dubloons, Sovereigns, Ha'Pennies, Coyotes...

One of the most interesting developements recently is the fall of the GBP vs. The Swedish Krona. An interesting effect here is people think the pound may be old hat and relinquished in favour of the euro. The logical response is then for people to go out and spend all their pounds before the switch is made. Expect heady retail numbers on the back of this.

Things are looking good...

After a few weeks of serious panic and insecurity at Direwolf hyper-tensivity has declined and rational thinking has begun anew. The election of Barry the Bomber is considered positive here at Direwolf. Particularly because of this:


Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

The markets continue turbulent times but, hey, we all get knocked about a bit. Right?

Also that weird post about 'my sources preventing me from talking about finance' and all that other junk was just due to a serious fever which addled my brains but good.

So I sit down to dine in the alphaville and look forward to a merry financial christmas season where money burns in all our hearts. Hare Krishna!

The Direwolf Owes an Apology...

The Direwolf owes an apology. For many years I have railed against bike theft as a crime more loathsome than any other. My populist campaign to have all bike thieves round up and shot was wildly successful in Toronto and I hoped to spread the message world wide.
However this morning, November the 4th the year of our Lord 2008, the Direwolf was tempted and could not resist. He took the easy way out causing more suffering than anticipated, and gave the world a glimpse of the darker side of humanity. Karma has already begun to wring her slow revenge.

Whether she is merciful or not remains to be seen but a lesson in contrition and humility is cheap at any price.

Trouble on the Horizon

Is this crazy? There are whispers about a major upset on tuesday. I need more time to confirm... Don't panic.