Bakruptcies, Bailouts & Mergers...Oh My!

I know you have been missing the daily updates; however, I have been a little distraught over the past few days. My head is spinning. I am questioning the limits of government. I am feeling sorry for the innocent employees getting ready to become an unemployment statistic. I am pondering the destructiveness of greed. Clearly, my mind is over worked.

For all of you that have been living in a cave, the financial news of late has not been pretty. The week started off with a bang. Lehman Brothers filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. What? The same Lehman Brothers that survived the Great Depression? That would be the one. Scary, right? Well, it gets worse. Merrill Lynch was saved from imminent death when Bank of America bought them out. First, they bought Countrywide, now this! Are they searching for world domination on the horizon?

Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, AIG (the world's largest insurer) hinted of major problems. A collapse of this magnitude would be horrific on a global scale. So, our government did what it does best these days....it bailed out AIG to the tune of $85 Billion! Just think, if those cocky CEO's at AIG didn't spend over $1 Billion a year ago to have their logo on Manchester United's "Football" Jerseys, the US tax payers would have been spared at least that much. Like my dad always says, "You get cocky, you get beat!"

What effects have the past few days had on the markets at large? I'm glad you asked. First and for most, it has become clear the government is controlling our economy. I can't be sure how I feel about this. I know they are trying to protect the people at large by their actions, but at the same time they are going against the capitalistic principles the country is formed upon. Quite a quandary. Repeat of the Great Depression vs. a centrally controlled economy. I truly do not envy their position.

All in all, the events that have unfolded have negatively affected the stock market, but the fact that it hasn't gone into full meltdown is a testament to the actions of Bernanke & Paulson. Many thought the fallout would be much, much worse. Some would say it proves they know what they are doing. I say, let's wait and see how this really affects our economy, our business practices, our government intervention, and our economic liberties as Americans. I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but I just don't like big government. On the surface it seems to help, but in the end the people like me are the ones that suffer. After all, the former CEO's get big "parting packages" as they exit the companies they ran into the ground. No wonder Morgan Stanley& Goldman Sachs are looking for investors to merge with. Here is the formula: Rise to the top of large company based upon your skill and investment prowess. Next, get caught up in the greed of Wall Street. Then, start rewarding your employees for short-term gains while gambling with the future strength of your company. Finally, get fired for ruining the company while laughing all the way to the bank with your $45 million payout. Honestly, can you blame these guys. When you are rewired for bad behavior you will continue with said behavior. It's Psych 101!

The trickle down effect of the chaos is hitting the global markets. Global Confidence dropped 2.8% this month, while we Americans saw our confidence drop 7.6%. It is so good to be number one! Also, housing construction fell 6.2% to its lowest level in 17 years, and the Security & Exchange Commission released a set of zero tolerance rules against abusive short selling of stock in publicly trades companies. Hopefully, traders will heed the warning and not end up knitting shawls in white collar prison! Even OPEC is sad. Their greed made them reduce their daily output of black gold to increase the price, but it is well under $100/barrel. I guess they haven't figured out that no money = less demand!

Finally, onto Hollywood where America's favorite messed up family is once again in the headlines. No, not for trips to the psych ward, beating up paparazzi, or being pregnant at 16! This time, Mama Spears is pimping out her family's drama to sell her new book about parenting & fame. As if enough of your dirty laundry is not already out there, you have to go and do this? I just want to thank my family at this point for being "normal." It means the world to me!

Oh "BIG BROTHER", Where Art Thou?

I may no longer be a man of constant sorrow; not after the watchful eye of Big Brother has taken over. I'm sure you have heard, since it is all the rage, the government seized control of the mortgage giants, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. Seized is such an ugly word, but let's face it, this is down right, run 'em through the mud, dirty! Let's review how it all went down, shall we? First, a little over a year ago, banks started dropping like flies. Then, investors only wanted Fannie & Freddie backed loans. Next, foreclosures started multiplying to historic levels. Then, Fannie & Freddie found themselves in the precarious situation of having way more debts than assets. Finally, the government stepped in, took control of all their assets, kicked the CEOs to the curb, caused shareholders to loose most of their investments and barred the firms from lobbying in Congress! Whew. Are you as spent as I am? It is all practically dizzying!

The Libertarian part of me keeps repeating, "How is this disturbing? Let me count the ways." 1. The government just seized control of the 2 largest mortgage lenders in the country! Need I say more? 2. The government now owns more than half of all US mortgages; maybe even yours! 3. The tax payers will end up paying a hefty price for this seizure, no matter what they say. 4. Fannie & Freddie shareholders were left in the dust. Let's hope it wasn't their retirement! 5. It's 2008, so why does it feel like 1984?

As I said, this is the Libertarian part of me. There is also this little mortgage banker voice that keeps screaming, "Is this the way out? I think I can see sunlight!" To everything, there is a reason, and the government had lots of them when they decided to take over. First and foremost, they were completely terrified of the mortgage giants collapsing. You think it is tough out there now? That would have been down right depressing. I guarantee you would have seen make-shift "Hooverville's" again. Also, they felt compelled to stop the bleeding in the market, and my wallet. The word on the street is this take over is going to lower 30 year fixed rates by almost a full point, leading to the rebound of the housing market! Can I get an Amen! Clearly, I smell a refinance boom! And here's the skinny. The more quickly the housing market rebounds, the less impact this whole take over will have on tax payers. So, here's the deal. We all need to get off our duffs and make this happen! With a quickness!! Never before has my mantra of "It will be if we believe," meant more!

Even though it doesn't seem like it, there are other items in the news today. As was expected, the markets have gone on quite a little rally today! Investors are feeling great and believe the new government mortgage presence will lead to a broad economic recovery. The global markets are also increasing, and much more confident about their US mortgage investments. Also, OPEC is at it again. With oil dropping from $147 to $109, Iran & Libya think there is just too much oil in the global markets. As a result, they want to cut production. Apparently, it is making them poor at $109/barrel, even though it was never that high until a year ago! Luckily, the Saudis have to approve reducing output and they are saying nothing needs to be done until oil reaches a floor of $80/barrel. Thank goodness. As a side note, I had a globe as a child that my dad would spin, point to a country and ask me for its capital. Fun game, I know. Anyway, during our issues with Libya in the early 80's, I blacked it out in pen. If they mess with oil production, I just may have to get out that globe again. After all, there is no need to be greedy, but this incident points out there plenty of need to have the US be Energy Independent.

Finally, onto Hollywood where Ms. Britney Jean Spears has officially proven you can have a comeback. One year after her disastrous, and quite embarrassing, performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, she took the stage looking poised and beautiful. She even took home 3 awards. Thank goodness for conservanship! Heading back to the East Coast, it is a story about the good, the bad, and the ugly! Serena Williams was all good as she won the US Open Tennis Championship and took over the #1 ranking in the world. Congratulations! But, unfortunately, there is no joy in Beantown, for the mighty Brady has been hurt! Yes, the bad and the ugly go out to Tom, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. We all wish him a speedy recovery!

Hanna...meet Oprah's Mama

Apologies to all of our loyal readers! We’ve been slow in coming back since the Labor Day holiday. The good news…nothing major has happened in the world except for a few annoying weather systems that are coming straight for us! Yikes! Yes it looks like Hanna will be making her appearance on the Outer Banks as soon as Saturday morning. At present she’s a Cat 1 which is about the equivalent of our typical Nor’ Easters. Of course the media will play it up with photos of random Outer Bankers fighting over ply wood and nails at the Home Depot! In fact, I saw Channel 13 at the Avalon Pier just last night. They were begging me for an interview but I told them they had to go through my publicist. That’s Emily by the way. So far no calls. My father in-law works for Noaa so I feel like I could be a good source of information on the upcoming storm. My take…I’ll finally get a nice rainy Saturday to be lazy and do exactly nothing. Works for me.

In other news, the markets are down this morning. Jobless claims rose (up 15,000) for the first time in three weeks. Currently the number of unemployed workers stands at 444,000. That’s up from the same time last year when 320,000 workers were without jobs. Analysts aren’t sure what caused the jump. Um…ok. I know I’m not officially “anyone” but it was just Labor Day and I would imagine that a lot of seasonal workers lost their jobs or went back to their home countries. Just an educated guess. Following that story, the private sector cut 33,000 jobs in August. Hardest hit were the construction and manufacturing sectors. The Service Sector on the other hand is reporting a growth spurt from 49.2% to 50.6 in July. Anything over 50 signals growth. Well that’s some good news!

Economists were expecting better “Back to School” numbers in the way of Retail Sales. The only retailer showing positive growth was Wal-Mart. Good ole Wally World! People buy where they can afford to buy. Does this shock anyone? Toll Brothers reported a Q3 loss but said they feel that the economy is stabilizing. Q3 saw their biggest decrease in clients cancelling their home building contracts in two years. They also noted that they are seeing an increase in the amount of deposit monies being given when contracts are written. Right….that’s the way the system should work. People who can’t afford homes shouldn’t buy them. People who can put down money shouldn’t buy them. It’s back to the old school way of doing business. Toll Bros also indicated that they feel the market will come back in full swing when the foreclosure market has been depleted. Agreed.

I’m skipping the RNC because I don’t feel we should get caught up in political rhetoric. Translation….I’m not into smoke and mirrors on either side. So it’s on to Hollywood where smoke and mirrors rule the world! David Spade may be a Baby Daddy! Seems he had “relations” with a Playboy model and…pop…out came a baby! No word yet on the paternity test. Mackenzie Phillips was arrested last week for cocaine and heroin possession. You’ll remember her from “One Day at a Time.” Very sad what’s happening to these childhood stars! Oprah’s Mama is in financial trouble! Seems she’s been doing some shopping to the tune of $155,547.31! Yup! She allegedly owes a Wisconsin boutique for various purchases. Her Mama hired a team of three lawyers to defend her against the claim. She shoulda just hired Oprah to pay that jam! Have a great day!

You down with GDP?

It's a rainy day here on the Outer Banks. Hopefully the rain will move out in time to salvage a sunny Labor Day weekend for all of our tourists! The rain has ushered in a surge in the stock market. The economy seems to be doing better and jobless claims are down! You down with GDP, yeah you know me? Sorry. A random rap reference will act as a prelude to some good news on GDP. The good ole GDP increased at a rate of 3.3% for the period of April-June. The weak dollar helped boost US Exports thus helping that number rise above economist’s expectations of 2.7%. Even better than all of that, 3.3% is the best GDP number we've seen since Q3 last year when it was 4.8%.The Dow rose 150.96 points as a result of the good news! Can I get an Amen?!

On to jobless claims. The number of claims for people seeking unemployment assistance fell for the 3rd straight week. Claims in excess of 400,000 signals a weak economy. Currently we are right at 425,000. Weak. That's all I have to say about that. Sears isn't so happy this morning. It seems their Q2 sales are down by 62%! Ouch! Personally I think the "Big K" drags them down. I don't know about your K-Mart but ours is severely lacking in a lot of areas! On the upside, I believe us to be one of the only K-Marts in the country with a live band. Yeah, it's scary. Sears is blaming tools and home goods for the decrease in sales. Sure...jump on that band wagon! They plan on reducing their domestic inventory to solve the issue. Do I smell a sale? Maybe the Big K will bring back the blue light specials! They really should. Lights, buttons and whatnot intrigue people that would otherwise be wandering aimlessly around the store.

Our new friend Gustuv has managed to drive oil prices back up to $120 a barrel. Currently Guvvy has sustained winds of 70mph. So do most politicians? What does it all mean? Can't be sure. I think it means we are in for higher gas prices and more rhetoric. Should be use to that by now. Here's a bit of interesting info. Did you know that on average, people in Philadelphia leave the highest tips? Yup! Their average tip is around 19.6% while the rest of the country leaves only 19%. My Dad longs for the days when 15% was acceptable. He feels pressured to conform to the new 20% rule. I assure you he's not one bit pleased. Perhaps he should move to LA where the average is 18.4%! Shame on you LA LA Land! I'm jumping over to Hollywood to see what those non-tippin movie stars are up to.

Don't shake the Juice! OJ that is. Seems OJ's eldest daughter got into a fight with his girlfriend. Low and behold the Juice was knocked to the ground by his own kin! I think they call this...justice. Lindsey Lohan's Daddy has done it again. He's been running off at the mouth about her relationship with Sam Ronson. Lindsey fired back (on her blog) telling Daddy if he has something to say he should say it to her face. Excuse me! NBC has apologized to Matthew Mitcham for failing to recognize his Gold Medal achievement in diving. Matthew is an openly gay athlete in case you were looking for a motive. Maybe they were just busy watching Mr. Phelps clean house. Not. He dove AFTER Phelps made his clean sweep. Shame on you NBC!

Have a great day!

Shining Little Glimmers of Hope

What a difference a day makes on Wall Street. The markets are enjoying a nice boost today after orders from durable goods increased by 1.3% in July. I know it doesn't seem like the percentage of increase that would cause the masses to run wild, but hey, I've seen mobs go crazy for less. It seems as if demand for commercial aircraft led the charge, but I don't want to take anything away from its teammates, cars, appliances and machinery. After all, it takes everyone’s contribution to win! We will just award commercial aircraft with this month's MVP award to make it fair.

Durable goods don't get all the glory for today's surge on Wall Street, however. No, No. Fannie & Freddie's (you know, your cousins from down yonder) shares have climbed for 3rd straight day. This turn of events is the direct result of investors feeling an eminent government buyout is no longer a threat. Also, it seems as though country club women are still looking fancy, as Talbot's raised its forecast for 2008. Not to be outdone, Chico's price rose when they beat Wall Streets profit expectation. This is what I like to call the Michael Phelps Mom effect. See, she loves herself some Chico's and even sported their wares throughout the Olympic Games. Finally, the news most near & dear to my heart. Mortgage applications rose slightly last week. Yes, I can attest to this fact. I have been doing crazy numbers of pre-qualification applications. You heard me correctly, pre-qualifications. I live in constant fear they will never turn into real deals, until I see the little glimmer of hope. Follow the shiny object & believe a recovery is just around the corner. It's all I have; please don't take my glittery hope away!

Just because I sound all giddy, does not mean there was not some worrisome news today. US Thrifts (federally insured savings & loan institutes) lost $5.4 Billion in the 2nd quarter. The NY Attorney General is investigating whether there was any foul play in the relationship between Fidelity and Goldman Sachs. They are making sure no incentives were given to Fidelity to sell auction-rate securities. I sure hope not, I am growing a little weary of scandals in the financial world. Oh, and Gustav is still rearing his ugly head, making oil prices climb to $117.80/barrel.

The biggest bummer of all is the delays incurred by numerous airline passengers yesterday. It seems as though the FAA had a little software malfunction. Comforting, right? I say Hell, you say No. HELL NO! When I think of a malfunctioning in the FAA, I think of smoky control rooms, where men in thick rimmed glasses are allowing planes to take off at the same time, nearly crashing! It is kind of like my worst nightmare, but I digress. Hopefully this little "malfunction" will result in a wee bit of updating in the ol' control rooms. 1970's, OUT! 21st Century, IN!

Speaking of old and outdated, archeologists in Peru found a preserved female mummy, along with the remains of 2 other adults and a child, in Huaca Pucllana. This mummy is thought to be from the Wari culture…pre-Inca's...and is likely from around 700 AD. Very cool.

Finally, we will move onto our celebrity corner. Somehow, politicians have become celebrities in their own right. Hillary Clinton brought down the house last night at the DNC, in fine fashion I may say. She spoke of uniting, blah, blah, blah, but you know she was getting a kick out of the crowd's adoration, thinking, "It should have been me!" Tonight is Bill "Slick Willie" Clinton's turn at the podium. God only knows what will come out of his mouth! I personally cannot wait! Breaking NEWS....after nearly 84 years on Earth, the original Playboy, Hugh Hefner, may be marrying his main girlfriend (as he clearly has 12). I will keep you posted. I say, don't believe the hype. I don't think Hugh will go down without a fight!

Hope and Change Are In the Air

Wow! Can you feel the excitement? The Democratic National Convention seemed to set the tone on Wall Street this morning, and everything was coming up roses. After yesterday's bad vibes on the floor, the markets were all in the green by the opening bell. Good news was coming from every direction. The dollar was at a 6 month high against the Euro, the sales of new homes rose 2.4% in July, inventory of homes for sale shrank 5.2%, consumer confidence edged up 5% and Freddie & Fannie announced they had enough capital to withstand this year's losses. This is spectacular, right? Everyone seemed to be hoping for signs of an economic recovery, but like they say, Hope is Not a Strategy. So, inevitably, things flipped to the "dark side" again. What caused the shift? One word, GUSTAV! Those dang hurricanes don't want to leave the oil rich Gulf of Mexico alone. As the storm strengthened, investors worries about the impact to the region. Sure, they were able to overlook US home prices tumbling by 15.4% in the 2nd quarter (note to self: the drop did slow between May & June...I see a silver lining), North Korea suspending the disablement of their nuclear reactor, an AK-47 attack on a top US Diplomat in Pakistan, and the weakening of European Economies; but when oil supplies are threatened...WHOA NELLY! That there is cause for reversal of fortune! One thing is for sure, however, tomorrow is another day. We will have to wait and see what lies ahead.

In other news, Dave Freeman, the co-author of "100 Things to Do Before You Die," died yesterday at the age of 47 after falling and hitting his head at his Venice Beach home. He believed in getting the most out of life every day. In fact, he had even visited over half of the items on his "must do" list by the time he passed. This just goes as a reminder that you never know when it will be your time. So tell your family you love them, always do your best, and please stop with all the negative attitudes! A good friend once told me, "it is the best day of my life because I wake up in the morning!" How true!

I guess this next blip is just a sign of the times. We all feel as if we have to be so politically correct these days, watch out for others feelings more and more, and make everyone feel equal in every facet of life. Well, 9 year old Jericho Scott from New Haven, CT has proven that not all are created equal...on the baseball field that is. Apparently, Little League has now taken the stand that players that are deemed "too good" cannot play because the others cannot keep up. What? Did I hear that correctly? A child is being punished for being too good? That's absurd! Sure, little Jericho throws a 40 mph fast ball and players are a little scared, but he is extremely accurate and has never hit an opponent. I would think parents would be excited to see that kind of talent. Maybe their kids would one day be able to say they faced that Cy Young Award winner back when they were in Little League. Instead, when Scott is on the mound, other teams forfeit and leave the field. Ridiculous! Let's look at how we are damaging these kids. First, we are telling them not to excel in a field because you may be banished. Then, we are following that up with a good ol' when anyone is better than you, just quit! I am completely outraged. As a daughter of a former Little League coach, I know my Pops would have put him on the mound for the Expos whenever possible, and if he had the misfortune of having to face him, he would have told his kids to, "Buck Up! Don't back down. It's time to get Mad Dog Mean!" And that, my friends, is why my dad was such an inspiration to all of his players! He taught them not only to win, but to be fearless in the face of adversity. That's how you become a champion! For winners never quit, and quitters never win.

Yes Alex, I will take Ironic for $1,000 please.

Yes, irony is the word of the day on Wall Street. Let's all say it together now. Very good. Does little Sally need some examples? Well that shouldn't be too difficult, now should it? First, everyone is aghast because oil is edging up on reports of a weakening dollar. Never fear, in the subsequent breath they are touting that gas prices have dropped $0.15 nationally in two weeks because of lowered oil prices. Next we have reports that the number of unsold properties reached an all time high in July, but in the same month the sales of existing homes increased by 3%. And, we shan't forget the election this fine year. We have a man touting Hope & Change as a platform, who then goes and picks a lifer...by this I mean a man that has been in Washington so long that he is part of the system requiring change. All of these things are just a little too ironic, don't you think? But all in all they have banned together to create a drop in the Dow of almost 225 points...Ouch! If nothing else, hopefully this decrease will result in some lower rates, 'cause let's face it...Mama needs a pay check!

In other news, the Democratic National Convention starts today, and people are really fired up! It does my heart good to see people so engaged in the political process. Hopefully they will not become bitter like myself where they sit a dream of a day when real change is possible. I know, I know, it seems like Negative Nancy has taken up permanent residence in my soul today, but I can't help but scowl. The Democrats actually said aloud they think they have the best conditions in their party since Watergate. Are you kidding me? Even if you think it people, don't let on. What you are saying to the world is we have to have a major scandal caused by the other side to be competitive. No, no, no! No need to worry, the Republicans are just as bad. Their leader can't remember how many houses he has, he compared his competitor to Paris Hilton & Britney Spears, all while having the master minds in the background planning their next political assault. It is truly frightening, this process we have. I have now turned you into a Bitter Betty, haven't I?

One person that will not be left out of good ol' fashion Americana is Oprah! She is number one for a reason, and no it is not just because she puts her own face on the cover of her monthly magazine. No, she is number one because she comes up with ideas that create a sense of pride while tugging at your heart strings. Priceless! For the 7th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, she is gathering all 36 US Olympic Gold Medalists for one show. Good stuff!

Attention all hippies. I repeat, attention all hippies. A new study reports that long-term exposure to incense increases risks of cancer because it creates carcinogens. Apparently someone forgot to tell the Asians, yogi's, etc...but wait, they don't get much cancer. I don't know what to believe anymore! Next they are going to tell me that using fluoride while pregnant increases the risk of Alzheimer in the fetus...that's right, they already did. We simply can't win!

When all else fails it is always nice to turn to Hollywood, where people think they can do anything because they are stars, by God! Apparently, Madonna feels that after donning a British accent and turning 50, she is the go-to person in politics. At her recent concert she compared John McCain to Adolf Hitler and Robert Mugabe. Note to all celebrities...STOP! You are not, in any way, helping your candidate. In fact, you are hurting them. If you want a person to win, please, I am begging you, stop the madness!

Bernanke meet Zuma!

TGIF! Bernanke has spoken! Big Ben is single handily responsible for stimulating the stock market this morning. BB says that the strong dollar, lower oil prices coupled with the weak economy should curb inflation. Translation...the Federal Funds Rate should stay unchanged. That being said, the outlook for our economy is very uncertain. Most experts agree that the economy will continue to be unstable through 2009. Watch out Miss Cleo...the experts are trying to take over! Hey it's not just the US economy that's suffering. Reports from across the pond show that their economy came to a virtual halt in Q2. Cranky!

Another big financial mind had something to say this morning. Warren Buffet feels that Fannie & Freddie are too big to fail. However comma, he also said that shareholder equity in these companies could be completely wiped out! That's scary! Buffet went on to say that in the end the Fed's may have to bail them out as their problems are too great to receive help from the private sector. It's all quite scary if you ask me. You can't rely on the government to bail anyone out. They come up with these "solutions" that aren't really helping anyone! It's madness.

I'm moving on to Hollywood news because ironically it seems more realistic! The US medal count is currently at 102. The Chinese are right behind us at 89. Michael Phelps is going to be the new face on the Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Box. It's causing all sorts of scandal amongst the healthy folks. They feel that Phelps endorsement of such a treat will influence children to eat sugary cereals thus contributing further to childhood obesity. Umm....I wouldn't worry about the children. I think plenty of Mom's will be buying FF to check out his hot body! Fear licking of the box maybe! Just when you thought Hollywood couldn't name their children anything more outlandish than what we've seen in the past, Gwen Stefani named her new baby Zuma Nesta Rock. Perhaps they are die hard Marley fans? Can't be sure! Think of the child people!

Have a great weekend!

I'll Have What She's Having...I'm Eating Through My Depression!

The markets are down this morning after the New York Based Conference Board dropped a bomb on Wall Street. They indicated the future economic activity fell 0.7% in July. Not Good. The biggest drag was in the decline in building permits, but of course energy costs, unemployment, the mortgage crisis, etc are certainly not helping the situation! In addition, those pesky Russian's are making our oil prices go up again...all the way to $120.69/barrel. Of course they decide to cause all sorts of trouble right before I have to make the trek to Raleigh!

All is not lost, however. Jobless claims fell for the second week straight, Burger King's profits surged 42%, Heinz saw its profits increase 11% and NBC is breaking all kinds of viewing records thanks to the Olympics. But low and behold, Barnes & Noble's profits are down by 15%! So let me get this straight. As Americans are feeling poorer & poorer, they are sitting in front of the boob tube, eating their Double Whopper with Cheese, while dipping their Fries in Ketchup, all while forgetting how to read. Clearly becoming sloths will get us out of our current situation!

In other news, it seems as though Jerry Seinfield will be hocking wares for Microsoft in the near future. Bill Gates is also rumored to be going after Will Ferrell & Chris Rock. That's right. Those nerdy types learned long ago is you can't keep up with the Hipster's over at Mac, you can at least school them with a little comedy!

Finally, Hollywood is all about some babies today. First Matt Damon & his lovely wife, Luciana, welcomed another girl into the world yesterday. Poor man. He is now completely out numbered. Also, Gwen Stefani checked into the hospital to have her little bundle. Finally, I swear, it seems she has been preggers for about 2 years now!

Visualization Is the Key

After a rough start, the markets are now a mixed bag o'chips. The barrage of information has investors' heads spinning! Those silly traders just can't seem to get their minds around all of the good news. Instead they focus on anything negative they can find and end up causing some problems. Need an example? They are not too hard to find.

Okay, today we saw some really strong numbers being posted. First, HP recorded a 14% jump in profits during the 3rd quarter despite stiff competition in the PC department. BJ's Wholesale saw their profits edge up as well, prompting them to increase their full year earnings expectations. Sure, HP is probably up due to back to school shopping, while BJ's is loving the bad economy since it makes more people want to stock up on bulk food, but all in all this is strong, positive economic news! So why they be hatin'? Apparently they would rather sit there biting their finger nails and worrying, 'cause you know, worrying is good for the soul! NOT! All their worries made oil prices rise this morning up to $116.28 per barrel. Why? Well, they all just knew the inventory reports due out later this morning would indicate supplies were down. They just knew it! Therefore, oil prices rose. Clearly they have not gone to the Emily Berry-Belvin School of Visualization, with our motto, "It Will Be If We Believe." OMG, I just had a thought. Are they trying to visualize low supplies so they can make more of a profit on their oil stocks while the rest of America is feeling the crunch? I certainly hope not. I will now proceed to erase that thought from my head as to not will it to happen!

Speaking of willing things to happen, you gotta love those Cubbies Fans. Bless their hearts. Their team has not made a World Series appearance since 1945, and we will not even mention the curse of the goat and the time span since actually winning a World Series. Do you think this is holding their fans back? Hell to the no! Cubs fans everywhere are using the fine art of positive thinking to get their beloved Cubs to the big dance! They are so confident in their abilities to do so that they are already purchasing tickets to the still hypothetical series games! WOW! Now that is some faith. As a long-time Red Sox fan, I hope they get their day in the sun. There is nothing like the feeling of reversing a curse!

In other news, American Airlines just announced they will be offering in-flight Internet to passengers as a way to increase revenue. So let me get this straight, now it will be $25 to check a bag, $5 for a pillow & blanket, $6 to reserve a particular seat, $15 to use the Internet, and $6 per drink to calm my nerves since they have always said Internet & cell phones mess with airplane satellites! That is one expensive ride, even after you buy the ticket! But whatever gets them out of the red is fine with me. I certainly enjoy a nice, quick ride in a plane!

Finally, in Hollywood news, tongues are wagging that Eva Longoria has a bun in the oven. How hard would it be to be a starlet? Any time you put on a few pounds people say you are preggers! Hopefully, for the benefit of her self esteem, she actually is going to have a little bundle of joy! Also, there is reason to rejoice. Finally someone has gotten through to troubled singer Amy Winehouse! She is entering rehab for her various addictions...Good luck!

Sorry Negative Nancy, You Are Not Welcome Here!

Another day, another media outlet trying to take our mood from euphoric to plain ol' depressed. All of the financial headlines this morning are focusing on the negative. Stocks are down, wholesale inflation increased at the fastest pace since 1981, and housing starts fell in July to the lowest point in 17 years. If you took all of these numbers to heart, you might just want to crawl into a hole and become Rip Vanwinkle until it is all over.

Let me let you in on a little secret. The media likes to sensationalize things. I know, I know, it took me by surprise too, but alas, it is true! They love to put those Debbie Downer headlines up for shock factor, yet they rarely give the entire picture. Okay, so it is true; wholesale inflation rose in July by 1.2% and that is worrisome. Now, for the rest of the story. See, wholesale inflation includes indicators such as energy costs and motor vehicles. Let's think back to a month ago. What happened? That's right Sally, oil prices went rictor...all the way to $147.27/barrel! Of course inflation is going to sky rocket, it makes perfect sense. However, it also makes perfect sense that inflation numbers for August will go down considering oil is now back to $112/barrel. Then we will see the markets go wild! Apparently, dropping that kind of knowledge on the population at large would create a positive vibe detrimental to society. Or, it could produce knowledgeable citizens capable of determining their own opinions based upon truthful insight instead of catchy headlines. Somebody stop me!

Clearly I am a little bit "angered" this morning, so let's say we move on to the world of Hollywood via Beijing. First off, Michael Phelps is now getting to enjoy the Olympic experience and it makes me smile. But, let's face it, he is going to be the one smiling for the next year or so as every advertiser out there wants a piece of him. He is going to be going for the gold in more ways than one, you know what I'm saying? Speaking of the Olympics, Nastia Liukin got gypped out of the Gold Medal on the uneven bars. Somehow, even though the scores were tied, Liukin had to settle for the Silver. I do not understand. All I know is that I miss the days of the Perfect 10! I don't think I have ever been as excited as when I saw those cards go up for Mary Lou Retten. God, I loved her.

Blame it on Fay

Happy Monday to all! The financial sector is not looking to extra special this morning. Rising oil prices have sent the stock market due south. As of Friday, light sweet crude was $109 a barrel. Today it's topping out at around $115. I'm not worried. "They" say that it's due to the threat of Tropical Storm Fay. Oh I see how it is....always blame the woman! Of course they mask their concerns with the fear of a decrease in supply. Much like my cupboards, I think we are ok for a while. I have enough Chef Boyardee to feed the neighborhood for several months. I do believe our oil situation to be somewhat similar. Just my opinion.

Do you like the Home Depot? I'm not a fan. Just thought I'd share that thought. My new favorite home supply store Lowe's, is making news today. Their Q2 profit showed a 7.9% decrease. That was better than analyst expected. There's a victory in there somewhere. I guess it's sort of like 4th place at the Olympics. It sucks but at it could have been worse. You're still a major player but you won't be bringing home a medal. You can't brag about it but you can try harder next time. You can't stand on the podium but you can watch from the sidelines. Ok I'll stop. Tropical storm Fay is headed for the Keys. Most locals are staying put while visitors have been ordered to leave the island. Let's hope it doesn't hurt their economy too much. We in the OBX know all too well what a storm scare will do to your business! I'm sure the media will be there to help....not! Fire fuelers! Sorry. My Father-In-Law lives in the Keys and works for NOAA. Guess he has to stay. That's all I have to say about that....(random Forrest Gump reference).

In obvious Hollywood news, you all know by now that Mr. Phelps is "the man" with 8 individual gold medals! Rock on! One blog report questioned whether it's too soon to call him the greatest Olympian in history. They site the fact that swimming isn't that difficult of a sport. I'm sorry...and you are? I say..you take your sorry butt out there, swim a trillion races with different strokes for 9 days, bring home a ton of golds and break a world record each time! It's unprecedented. Taking a breath. In other news, Christina Applegate is set to talk to GMA about her battle with breast cancer. We wish her well. The tabloids are reporting that Alanis Morissette has put on a few pounds! Can't be sure what that's all about. Welcome to the dark side!
Have a great day!

We're Going For Gold

I know, I know, you have missed us so since we have been gone. However, we have had a very busy week of revamping our sales skills, visiting Realtors, taking trips to the emergency room, and yes, watching the Good Ol' US of A win lots of medals in Beijing. I feel this Olympic Spirit has been infectious. People everywhere are talking. They are cheering for swimmers, (trust me, I have been to many a meet and no one usually cares except for the mom's with their cow bells & horns), the great Chinese Divers, the perky gymnasts, and oh yes, the US Women's Beach Volleyball team who is kicking some a**. Once again, it is nice to see the world come together and celebrate some good virtues for a change; sportsmanship, sacrifice, dedication, courage, drive, and honor. Perhaps if we all practiced these virtues a little more in our own lives the world would truly become a better place.

Enough about my unhealthy love of the Olympics, let's move on to the economy, shall we? Today is one of those days where you are just happy because things are not quite falling apart. Yes, while we are still in quite a little slump, I am going to turn the rest of this blog over to our good friend Polly to spout some positive occurrences in the market. Okay, so we all heard the Fed say that we are not headed for the "Stagflation" of the 70's! This is such good news that I am going to ignore the fact they told us we would all feel poorer for the foreseeable future. Also, consumer confidence edged up in August even though people are still fearful of recession, and industrial production is up 0.2% for July. I know this seems really horrible, but hey, they thought it would be flat. So there you have it. "Why yes Polly, my glass is half full. Thanks for noticing."

Now for the news that is good all the way around. The dollar is up and oil is down! YIPPEE! Will this have an immediate effect on my wallet, can't be sure, but it does have an immediate effect on my attitude. As they have always said, Attitude is Everything! It seems as if we need to be thanking China for much more than a fantastic Olympics & awesome food. Yes, with the economies in the US, Japan, Canada, and several European countries teetering on the brink of recession, the growth in China is helping to ward off a global recession. Think things are bad now? You just wait until that happens! I will be the first in a long line a well wishers to say, "Thank you China. Your growth is much appreciated."

I hope you are feeling all my positive vibes, because I am really having to push through some feelings to get there today. See, I am feeling like that kid who idolized Mickey Mantle or Pete Rose, only to see their heroes fall in the shame of their "off the field" antics. While my disappointment is not so great, still I feel a little let down. For all who know me, you know I kind of have this thing for the genius of Warren Buffet. But alas, he too is human, not the investing guru incapable of making a mistake which I have made him out to be. Imagine my dismay when I read he sold out shares of Anheuser-Busch prior to the $70/share takeover by InBev! Since they rarely trade over $61, he sure did leave a lot of money on the table. I can forgive once Warren, but please, don't let it happen again.

Finally, onto Hollywood where Donald Trump has been feeling a little left out of the game. What is a Trumpster to do? Well, bail out Ed McMahon of course. Soon Carson's Sidekick will not have to worry about impending foreclosure since The Donald has purchased his home. It is nice to know at least this publicity stunt is helping the Star Search legend!

Peace, Love, Harmony and Mergers!

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and have recovered from the amazement that comprised the Opening Ceremony of the 29th Olympiad! Oh yes people, I am an Olympic Junkie...I can't get enough of the stuff. I hunt it out day & night. Clearly I have a problem when I cannot break away from the TV set because I may miss a point in the fiercely fought Badminton Match! I don't know how I will sleep during the next few weeks, as I have to keep up with medal counts, Hand-Ball Games and all those inspiring Olympic stories. It will be hard, but I can persevere. There are few occasions where an idealistic little hippie like me can truly witness the world at its finest. People cheering each other on, meeting friends from across the world, learning about one another’s cultures, and most importantly, coming together as one and, for a brief moment, forgetting all the conflicts of the world to celebrate national pride and athletic achievement. It is a beautiful sight to behold. Excuse me; NBC is on the phone wanting me to write their next story about Olympic Magic!

Maybe all this Olympic spirit has spread to the markets which are enjoying a hike. Consumers are enjoying their 25th consecutive day of decreased prices at the pump. Now, the real challenge will be for consumers to keep their demand at the lower levels of today, because you know those oil companies will raise prices as soon as our unquenchable thirst for oil rears its ugly head! But even with gas prices going down, the experts are shouting my mantra. You want to "Inflation Proof" your portfolio? Well, it is time to look toward commodities. Rumor has it you should make sure 10% of your portfolio is in commodities or commodity focused mutual funds, because no matter what, inflation, no inflation, recession, no recession, people need their commodities. Very similar to how I need the Olympics, but I digress.

In other news, it's time to start playing Monopoly! My favorite childhood game is getting a facelift. Long gone are the days of 1920's Robber Barons, now we have new bullies in town. It seems as if big trash is about to get a lot bigger. Waste Management announced it will raise its bid for Republic Services. Already the largest company in the trash business, Waste Management will now be able to play "King of the Trash Hill" with no fear of competition. Not to be outdone, UPS is also looking to expand their business. They are hoping those crazy Europeans will like their Brown Uniforms and make them #1 as they plan on buying out Dutch Competitor, TNT. Good luck to both companies. Maybe they can figure out a way to get both Boardwalk & Park Place, then they would really be kings!

Now onto the Hollywood Minute! Yes folks, Hollywood was out in force on the Outer Banks this weekend. Complete with a stunning bride, a handsome groom, and enthusiastic paparazzi! Congrats Beth & Zak...what a great wedding & a great love! It wasn't all glitter in Tinsel Town however. I am sad to report that both Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes passed away this weekend. Our deepest condolences go out to their families and friends. Rest in peace!

Good News Day!

For the first day in quite some time, I won't be reporting that the housing sector is stinking up the joint! In fact, there was a 5.3% increase in pending home sales for June! That number is still off by 12% from the previous year but we'll take small victories on the trail to recovery. More good news coming to us via Wallyworld. When they pulled their new store sales (stores opened for 1 year) out of the overall picture, they show a 3% increase for July. This is largely believed to be a result of consumers spending their government stimulus checks. Out of curiosity, how would one know that? I can't imagine consumers are cashing their checks at Wallyworld. I suppose you could associate the timing of the check delivery and the increase in sales but I think that's a stretch. Just my opinion.

One more bit of good news to report. Nestle, SA is showing a 6.1% increase in profit growth. They own such brands as Nescafe, Perrier and Jenny Craig. The company reports it grew in all areas except bottled water. Hey, when consumers run out of money tap water will do! I'd like to throw in my two cents and add that the Jenny Craig brand grew in areas other than profit. Seems Ms. Kirstie Alley has gone up about 6.1% in size as well! They have since fired her as their spokeswoman. Guess it's back to wearing tent coats and watching Cheers re-runs for her! Here's the deal (for those who now think me to be mean)...don't parade yourself around on TV and tell me that $350 worth of pre-packaged crap can change my life and then a year later you are back on the Ho Ho's! It's ok to be fat. Except that you love to eat. I do.

On a less controversial topic, go to the pump and fill up now. Light, sweet crude is rearing it's ugly head at $120 a barrel. It's not $140, but we all know that these oil giants use any excuse to pass higher prices on to the consumer. Perhaps instead of stimulus checks the government should have sent gas vouchers! Also reporting not so pretty numbers...unemployment. We are at the highest level of unemployment since March of 02. That's a six year high for the numbers challenged. I think Jenny Craig is hiring. Sorry. I'll stop.

Hollywood save me from the madness. Seems our little friend Morgan Freeman has been hiding a little secret. He and his wife of 24 years are calling it quits! I never understand this sort of thing. If you've put up with each other for 24 long years what could possibly break the back of this marriage?! Even if he cheated...he's almost 100, who cares! By the time he pays out he'll wish he had stayed the course. Lil' Kim had a birthday party and somebody ended up dead! Fresh outta jail, that girl cannot stay out of trouble! Police are not sure how the woman died but blunt force trauma is suspected. In case you haven't noticed (bcs I certainly have), blunt force trauma is the method of choice in most murders. Not that anyone needs that information but it's fact. In sad news, Brett Favre has been traded to the Jets. In better news, he's still hot and we'll watch him no matter where he plays!

I realize that I am quite feisty today. I apologize in advance. I will admit that I have eaten exactly 1.5 donuts thus causing overstimulation. I hope you have a great day!

Big Mac

Happy Hump Day! It's all about the Big Mac...as in Freddie Mac. I'm still "lol" from the Freddie quote yesterday but today is no laughing matter. The mortgage giant posted an $821 million dollar loss for Q2. That's exactly 3x larger than Wall Street predicted. Ouch! Just one year ago the mortgage giant boasted a $729 million dollar profit. The biggest losses were seen in states like Florida, California, Nevada and Arizona. CoininkyDinky...these states also showed the largest jumped in their average home price during the height of the market. Hmmm....I smell some exotic mortgage funk!

Here's a little "Did you know"...Did you know that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac combined, hold 1/2 of the US Mortgage debt. Take a moment to digest that por favor. Let's play the blame game shall we? Playing with us today is a group of fabulous home mortgage clients we'll call "Alt-A." "Tell us a little bit about yourself Alt-A." "Well, we have a lot of members in our group, we have good to great credit and little to no cash. We enjoy not documenting our income and nothing about us really adds up when you look closely enough." "Excellent! You sound like great candidates for 100% financing on your 4th primary residence! Johnny, roll out the red carpet!"

That's a scary game to play. Most investors in the mortgage game rolled the dice on these very people. They were quick to blame sub-prime lending when everything came crashing down, when in fact it was the over extended, good credit havin folk that were give free reign to buy buy buy! "Alt-A" represents 10% of current mortgage loans. That's a big number. It's your No Docs, your stated income your no ratio type of loans. Often referred to as "exotic" mortgages. Anything "exotic" should be an exception not a rule. It became a rule and that rule was quick to be broken!

When all is said and done Fannie and Freddie are trying to work through their problems without the help of big brother (Gov't). The government is bendin over backwards to help the mortgage giants bcs they know if Fannie and Freddie fall, the mortgage market will fall like a house of cards. No one wants that. In off topic news, oil is down again! I'm running on "E" whilst I wait to see what happens at the pump. If you happen to see me stranded on the road, please don't wave and pass me by. I don't bite.

In Hollywood news, look for Peter Brady to host the new Trivial Pursuit game show. Perhaps now we'll see less of his reality show disaster and his crazy wife. If Madonna loses any more weight I'm going to send her a care package. She looks terrible! Eat something already! A-Rod doesn't like skin and bones...kidding! Jen Aniston is denying that she and her boy toy John Mayer will wed. Ok he's been with every Hollywood hoochie. I'd get him checked and double checked before I put that ring on my finga!

Have a great day!

Don't Blame Me

I strategically timed the Market Update to coincide with Uncle Ben's releasing of the Fed minutes at 2:15. From this I will determine where your loyalties lie. Nothing earth shattering is expected to come out of this meeting other than the ole wave of the magic "what we think is going to happen down the road" wand. You may want to stay out of the path of that one. We don't expect the Federal Funds rate to change. Keeping the Federal Funds rate low helps all of us now doesn't it.

Cheers! Wallstreet is looking quite dashing in money green today! At last check the Dow was up around 200 points. Nice! Strong activity in the service sector led to better than expected losses. Como? I said it that way on purpose. Remember when your mother said, "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say it all." Well had mother been a spin master she would have said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, make it sound better so no one realizes that it's not the best news." In these trying times, losing less than expected is cause for celebration. Moving out of the spin zone, Proctor & Gamble posted a 33% increase in their fiscal Q4 profit. Hey, no matter what the cost we gotta shave and clean our clothes! My monies on them all the way! If you happen to be out of gas, head on down to the local fill up station. Crude is down to about $118 a barrel. It's getting lighter and sweeter! Round these parts we are posting $3.69 a gallon. Grab the kids and head for the beach!

I found this tidbit quite scandalous. The NY Times is reporting that Dick Syron (Freddie Mac Chief) ignored "red flags" about the financing of questionable loans. Dicks response: "If I had better foresight, maybe I could have improved things a little bit," he told the Times. "But frankly, if I had perfect foresight, I would never have taken this job in the first place." I love it! How many of you would love to walk into your bosses office and say that right now?! Me too! I think he's a genius. It's the "It aint my fault excuse wrapped up in a common sense package with a shiny bow!" Love it!

Jumping over to Hollywood, Mary-Kate Olsen is refusing to talk to prosecutors about what she knows regarding Heath Ledgers death unless they offer her immunity. Interesting. Perhaps she knows where all of those pills came from....hmmmm. If you've had a chance to peep the Brangelina twins you can clearly see that they are the prettiest babies ever. Angelina states that their other 400 children like to dress them and call them their babies. Sweet...now hand over Brad. Rumors are circulating that Lindsey Lohan may wed Sam Ronson. When reporters asked her father for his thoughts he stated that given his Christian beliefs he wouldn't be walking her down the aisle. Exsqueeze me? Where were these beliefs when he was dressed in stripes and shackled at the county jail?!

Hope you are surviving the heat! Until next time...stay cool.

Breaking News...$1 menu could be $1.19...gasp!

This just in (and a portion literally copy and pasted from their website) from the Wallstreet Journal...

In an interview, Don Thompson, president of McDonald's U.S. business, said the company has tested ways to make the burger less expensive to make. Some restaurants are selling it with one slice of cheese instead of two, and billing it as a "double hamburger with cheese." Others are offering a double hamburger without cheese. Some are selling the traditional double cheeseburger at prices ranging from $1.09 to $1.19.

The company is also considering expanding what it considers the middle tier of its menu, items ranging from about $1.30 to $2. "We know customers are facing tough times in this economy," Mr. Thompson said.
Launched in 2003, the Dollar Menu has been a key driver of sales at McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants and has helped it ride out dips in consumer spending. But recently, franchisees have complained that the menu has brought too much unprofitable traffic into their restaurants.
The biggest question for the eight-item menu is what to do with the double cheeseburger, considered its anchor. High dairy prices have pushed up the cost of cheese, and McDonald's predicts more pressure because its beef costs will be higher this year. Mr. Thompson said if McDonald's moves the double cheeseburger off that menu, there would still be some type of $1 burger.

Perhaps no one but me will find this worthy of "Breaking News." Considering the fact that just moments ago I spoke of cheese woes, I think we can all agree that I am on the cutting edge of economics. I partake in the $1 menu as much as humanly possible. I have excellent health care coverage that affords me the opportunity to eat on a budget. The next time you go looking for two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, CHEESE on a sesame seed bun....it may not be there!

Light, Sweet and Crude

Sorry I'm running a bit behind today but as they say...better late than never! I was hoping that the market would turn itself around by this afternoon but no such luck. It's a strong blood red on this hot and sticky August Monday! The biggest news of the day, Consumer Spending. It seems spending is down .2% whilst (my new fav word) prices are the highest they've been in at least 3 decades! Who you tellin?! I took chicken breast off the shopping list cause it was $10 for 3 breasteses. I thought I could keep my tacos. Nope! I went to buy a bag of shredded cheese and I almost passed out when I saw the price... $7.89! You wonder why America is fat? Back in the day, the fattening stuff was cheaper. Now I may be forced to graze in my neighbors yard for roughage!

You can thank Tropical Storm Edouard for a plunge in light sweet crude. They make it sound so yummy. It seems Edouard was so appalled at Exxon's profits that even he couldn't think of coming ashore! It's down below $120 a barrel which means...well no one ever really knows what that means. Bla bla they will send out a fearogram over supply and we'll be at $5 a gallon before you know it. I'm sorry...that was suppose to be a good bit of news. Seems it turned bitter. Apologies.

Perhaps Uncle Ben (not the rice giant...the money man) can help us out? He and his pals at the Fed are suppose to leave rates unchanged when they meet on Tuesday. With the spike in unemployment, energy prices and foreclosures...I think we can all say, "Amen." Home prices are expected to drop another 10% based on available inventory. Shocking.

If you are a frequent flyer on JetBlue, you better start packing your pillow and blankie. It seems the airline carrier is going to start charging $7 a pop for these creature comforts! Good Lord! How can we keep track of everything involved in flying these days? Let's see...I get one checked bag or I get charged, that one checked bag can't be over 50 lbs or that's $25, I get 2 carry ons including my purse, then I have my blankie and pillow...does that count as three? Can't be sure! I think we should start charging them for too many rules and not enough service! Flying first class is a joke unless you are among the few who can consume $500 in liquor to make up the difference in the coach fare. I'm not saying I could or couldn't but one should crunch the numbers before making such decisions.

Hollywood is full of juice as always! First and foremost, a big "Get Well" shout out to Morgan Freeman. He was in a car accident late last night and is listed in serious condition. Witnesses say his car went airborne before landing in a ditch. They used the JAWS of life to remove him from the car. Observers say that people on the scene were trying to snap photos of the star with their cell phones. Shameful! Freeman joked, "No Freebies." The first pictures of the Brangelina twins are online at people.com. The mag paid $14 million for the pics. Wait until they find out Brad is secretly in love with me. How much will they pay for that story? For all of you football fans out there, it seems Favre is back at camp with the Packers. My husband tells me they will most likely trade him or make him fight for top quarterback. This could be my new favorite scandal.

That's all for now!

It's a Very Special Day...

Yes folks, we have an anniversary to celebrate. It seems like only yesterday, but it has been a year since Bear Stearns filed for bankruptcy spawning a spiraling credit crisis...and we are still reeling from the effects! Now I know you are expecting me to talk about the fact unemployment has reached a four-year high, or to mention GM's 3rd worse quarterly loss ever, or even how US manufacturing was flat for July, but that would be down-right depressing. Instead, I am going to take this opportunity to talk about all the things going right in the world. Yes, Polly is back and she is spreading her positive vibes all over the land!

Okay, sure we may not have as much money to throw around and spend spoiling ourselves & our loved ones. Hey, maybe we don't even have enough to cover our bills, but we have gained countless treasures over the past year. Let's review:

1. I have noticed more kids playing made-up yard games outside since their parents shut off their Internet/cable connection.
2. More family dinners. Going out to eat is expensive and often the first thing to be cut out of the budget. There is something to be said for sitting down with your family and talking about your respective days. I know my fondest memories of childhood are from around the kitchen table.
3. Realizing when push comes to shove, money isn't what can hold you and tell you everything will be alright...that job is reserved for your friends and family.
4. Acknowledging you don't have to be on the go all the time, it's actually fun to hang around town and enjoy the simple aspects of where you live.
5. Its great to plant a garden and cultivate the earth, that way you don't have to complain as much when food prices sore and you have the satisfaction that comes from a good harvest.
6. Knowing it is okay to ride your bike down the street instead of driving. Not only does it save money and give you a little exercise, but it also gives you the pleasure of fresh air and being able to stop and say hello to your neighbor.
7. Learning not to take everything for granted. Newton told us long ago, whatever goes up must come down...it truly applies to everything.
8. Living within your means, instead of always trying to have more. It's times like these when more, more, more becomes your burden.
9. Taking responsibility for your actions. Just because the bank says yes, doesn't mean you should.
10. Finally, realizing its okay to take advantage of the downtime. Whether it be to pick up a hobby, read some new books, or simply sit, enjoy it...it won't stay this simple forever.

See, while we watch our savings & stocks deplete at rapid rates we still have a lot to celebrate! This year has been rough, but we can make it and we will come back stronger and better people as a result! So go hug your friends & loved ones, pop open a beer, eat some dinner and play a good ol' game of Scrabble. Sure, it's not going out to a fancy dinner and a show, but I bet you will have more fun and laughs staying around your kitchen table. Have a great weekend.