tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post7157063569423841361..comments2023-09-10T03:39:48.166-07:00Comments on Alberta Bubble: Weekend Open ThreadUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-70695228444402668092008-10-22T22:07:00.000-07:002008-10-22T22:07:00.000-07:00d3 facto:I'm adjusting all my tinfoil hats to fit ...d3 facto:<BR/><BR/>I'm adjusting all my tinfoil hats to fit the heads of the moles in my Whac-A-Mole game.<BR/> <BR/>According to Wikipedia: <BR/><BR/>"the object of the game is to force the individual moles back into their holes by hitting them directly on the head with the mallet, thereby adding to the player's score."sparkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040190329489174581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-51869136494596002712008-10-20T20:49:00.000-07:002008-10-20T20:49:00.000-07:00Those are from a private mint. Not sure but it ma...Those are from a private <A HREF="http://www.amerocurrency.com/buyameros.html" REL="nofollow">mint</A>. Not sure but it may be the same one that made the Ron Paul liberty dollars. You can get them on <A HREF="http://cgi.ebay.ca/RON-PAUL-DOLLAR-NUMBERED-79-of-1-000-NORFED-LIBERTY_W0QQitemZ200263776143QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200263776143&_trkparms=72%3A1215%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14" REL="nofollow">ebay</A>, look like a rip off in terms of how much actual silver you get.BearClawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15714953167582532109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-48133913649188289242008-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:002008-10-20T20:06:00.000-07:00Could happen.Always interesting, though, that the ...Could happen.<BR/><BR/>Always interesting, though, that the most controversial and proof-based videos (like bigfoot) are always either out of focus or the camera man was on a trampoline while shooting. In this day and age and with that kind of evidence, why not scan the friggin' coin, insert the hi-res image into the video (Windows Movie Maker and any Grade 2'er to help) and show the world your proof?<BR/><BR/>I don't dispute collusion by the gov't.... that's their trademark. But the proof has to be delivered a little better than that.<BR/><BR/>->Jim_shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00994819826572974422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-13807995335317433912008-10-20T18:54:00.000-07:002008-10-20T18:54:00.000-07:00After watching that video, and realizing the fact ...After watching that video, and realizing the fact the new bailout plans will require massive printing of US currency, I can see that happening? <BR/><BR/>Is the coin fake?d3 factohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15617927374224515173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-34009176541121117982008-10-20T18:53:00.000-07:002008-10-20T18:53:00.000-07:00Please adjust your tinfoil hats.AmeroPlease adjust your tinfoil hats.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1954933468700958565&hl=en" REL="nofollow">Amero</A>d3 factohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15617927374224515173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-38746502256853882032008-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:002008-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:00Had a great day on the U.S. markets again today. M...Had a great day on the U.S. markets again today. Man I love the financial stocks and their volatility!!!Brenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11692519299223098252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-78233434491125431702008-10-20T09:16:00.000-07:002008-10-20T09:16:00.000-07:00-The good news is that no matter what one can alwa...-<BR/>The good news is that no matter what one can always stay 'wealthy':<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081020.wjokes1020/BNStory/Business/home" REL="nofollow">Here's one thing there's still a wealth of: Jokes</A><BR/>-BADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08896288573355012563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-23345546841591779622008-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:002008-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00-Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified M...-<BR/><I>Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke testified Monday that Congress should consider passing a new stimulus package to try to jump start the economy.<BR/><BR/>Bernanke, speaking before the House Budget Committee, came just short of an outright endorsement of a package to pump tax dollars into the economy. <BR/><BR/>"With the economy likely to be weak for several quarters, and with some risk of a protracted slowdown, consideration of a fiscal package by the Congress at this juncture seems appropriate," he said.</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/20/news/economy/bernanke_testimony/?postversion=2008102011" REL="nofollow">Bernanke: Time to consider stimulus</A><BR/><BR/>Albert Einstein once said: <I>The definition of insanity</I>... <BR/><BR/>Forget Einstein, look at the US.<BR/><BR/>Will this next 'stimulus' created from borrowed money help?<BR/><BR/><I>The U.S. may be on its way to becoming a nation of savers, whether Americans like it or not. <BR/><BR/>With home and stock prices declining and credit hard to come by, consumers who have fallen out of the savings habit are being forced to curb borrowing and rein in spending. <BR/><BR/>(...)<BR/><BR/>``Consumers are starting to realize that they've been living in a fantasy world,'' says Lyle Gramley, a former Fed governor who is now senior economic adviser at Stanford Group Co. in Washington. ``They will have to begin salting away money for retirement, their children's education and other reasons.'' <BR/><BR/>Americans have a way to go to catch up with their counterparts in other countries. The 0.4 percent of disposable income that U.S. households saved last year compares with 10.9 percent for Germany and 3.1 percent for Japan, according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. <BR/><BR/>In the long run, higher savings would be good news for the U.S. economy, because the extra money would help put household finances on a sounder footing and lessen U.S. dependence on investment by China and other foreign countries to finance economic growth. <BR/><BR/>In the shorter run, though, it will likely mean wrenching changes for companies that have become reliant on rapidly growing consumer spending. Some firms have already begun cutting back to bring operations in line with lower demand.</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=axsUMrc.liiE&refer=exclusive" REL="nofollow">Turmoil May Make Americans Savers, Worsening `Nasty' Recession</A><BR/><BR/>Somehow I doubt that the 'stimulus' will help - see my previous post. Call me dense but I am still not convinced that spending one's way out of debt is the right thing to do.<BR/>-BADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08896288573355012563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-2616085897977145022008-10-20T08:41:00.000-07:002008-10-20T08:41:00.000-07:00-You'd think that the message might be getting thr...-<BR/><I>You'd think that the message might be getting through by now. <BR/><BR/>If you spend too much money today, you'll have to pay for it tomorrow. Or next week. Or next year. But at some point, you will have to pay it back.<BR/><BR/>(...)<BR/><BR/>The reality is that there is no easy way out once a bubble has burst. Even Keynes's theory relies on the government making an effort to save while everyone else is spending. But unfortunately, the government has had as much fun spending during the good times as the rest of us did. This 'solution' could just make things worse – just ask the Japanese, who are into their 18th year of stagnant or falling asset prices. <BR/><BR/>We have to pay the bill sooner or later. As Ambrose Evans-Pritchard puts it in The Telegraph today, "the world stole prosperity from the future year after year, with the full collusion of governments, regulators and central banks. Now the future has arrived."</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.moneyweek.com/news-and-charts/economics/we-cant-spend-our-way-out-of-recession-13870.aspx" REL="nofollow">Darling's wrong: we can't spend our way out of recession</A><BR/><BR/>Seems living on borrowed money is living on borrowed time.<BR/><BR/>For anyone who thinks US Treasuries are the best investment ever and 100% safe:<BR/><BR/><I>We're passing through the worst credit crunch in America's history. You'd think government bonds would have soared. But they didn't. The problem is, if Treasury bonds were the last investment on Earth, it wouldn't matter right now. The world needs cash. And it'll sell any asset to get it... even Treasuries.<BR/><BR/>(...)<BR/><BR/>Treasury bonds are perfect for dumping. They are liquid, so investors can sell them easily. And they have high prices. Unlike my friend's bank stocks, you can generate lots of purchasing power by selling them.<BR/><BR/>My concern is, if this credit crisis gets worse, it's going to trigger even bigger whales to liquidate their Treasury bond holdings... whales like the Chinese, the Japanese, or the oil exporters.<BR/><BR/>So far, we've only seen what happens when banks and hedge funds liquidate. If Japan and China start unloading – or even if they just slow down their purchases – the Treasury bond market will fall through the floor.<BR/><BR/>This sets off another vicious cycle. As prices fall, the interest rates Uncle Sam must pay rise. The higher interest rates rise, the more the US must pay... which makes bond traders mark down the country's credit rating. This sends bond prices even lower...<BR/><BR/>If the trend grows, we'll see a biblical collapse in the Treasury bond market.</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.moneyweek.com/investments/why-bond-prices-could-collapse-13866.aspx" REL="nofollow">Why bond prices could collapse</A><BR/><BR/>I don’t think the collapse will happen, but the whack-a-mole game continues... enter the bond markets mole… it’s got to be worth extra points.<BR/>-BADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08896288573355012563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-26170975756168954822008-10-20T08:39:00.000-07:002008-10-20T08:39:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.BADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08896288573355012563noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-30191478587549774992008-10-20T07:00:00.000-07:002008-10-20T07:00:00.000-07:00house sales in calgary have totally collapsed with...house sales in calgary have totally collapsed with the ending of the sub-crime mortgage<BR/>no more bums and scums driving the prices up<BR/>there was a ton of it here but the realtors will deny deny deny..<BR/><BR/><BR/>pasted from HP....<BR/><BR/><B>Redemption. Reform. Renewal. Change. It may be too early to see now but good things will come out of this Great Unwinding. What will they be?</B> <BR/><BR/><BR/><I> As I've said for years, America needed an enema. And boy, are they getting one.<BR/><BR/>People equated debt with wealth. America became a nation of spenders and not savers. Houses became lottery tickets and not homes. Frugality and live-within-your-means were seen as laughable traits. Poor people thought they should and could live like rock stars. Payola to Congress became the accepted. Liars were quoted in the MSM as if they were truthtellers, and truthtellers were portrayed as liars. Keeping up with the neighbors became a consuming passion, instead of helping the neighbors. And a nation sold out its morality and reputation for a quick buck.<BR/><BR/>And then the Great Housing Crash hit.<BR/><BR/>And hopefully, everything changed.<BR/><BR/>So, what good will come about because of this economic collapse? What lessons will be learned? What behavior will change?<BR/><BR/>Fire away.</I><BR/><BR/>i saw that about $50 oil..interesting timessquidly77https://www.blogger.com/profile/05932628180799650933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-45202682924943620222008-10-20T06:53:00.000-07:002008-10-20T06:53:00.000-07:00At $50, will that just about kill the Alberta boom...At $50, will that just about kill the Alberta boom as effectively as the NEP?arrogant twithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00504594942137521728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-41344816842315872022008-10-20T06:52:00.000-07:002008-10-20T06:52:00.000-07:00I won't pretend to understand what this is really ...I won't pretend to understand what this is really all about other than that oil is headed to $50. From Bloomberg,<BR/><BR/><I><B>OPEC Plans Supply Cut as Crude Oil Heads Toward $50 (Update2)</B><BR/><BR/>By Grant Smith and Margot Habiby<BR/><BR/>Oct. 20 (Bloomberg) -- OPEC, the supplier of more than 40 percent of the world's oil, plans to cut output for the first time in almost two years as the worst financial crisis since the 1930s sends crude toward $50 a barrel.<BR/><BR/>Options contracts to sell oil at $50 by December soared 50- fold in the past two weeks on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co. analysts say crude, which fell more than 50 percent from a record high in July to a 14-month low last week, may drop another 44 percent should the world economy slip into a recession. </I>arrogant twithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00504594942137521728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-67954904841719718962008-10-20T01:06:00.000-07:002008-10-20T01:06:00.000-07:00although i strongly support our social society i d...<I>although i strongly support our social society i do not believe that it is an inherent right to own a home</I><BR/><BR/>There is not an inherent right to own a dog, either. Or more precisely, to keep a dog in rental accommodation. Human rights are for - surprise - humans.<BR/><BR/>Buy a place first, then the dog.patriotzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11154064267408955762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-64328530708388325852008-10-20T00:01:00.000-07:002008-10-20T00:01:00.000-07:00Hot projects cool in Dubai<A HREF="http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/519949" REL="nofollow">Hot projects cool in Dubai</A>hybrid carhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137002503874493205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-12518617103322527522008-10-19T21:06:00.000-07:002008-10-19T21:06:00.000-07:00Bt dosent appear to be smartest apple on the tree ...Bt dosent appear to be smartest apple on the tree that breeds those destined to become realtors<BR/><BR/>if they were not realtors what else would the do ?<BR/>sell vacuum cleaners or hamburgers ?squidly77https://www.blogger.com/profile/05932628180799650933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-47549670628288955562008-10-19T20:33:00.000-07:002008-10-19T20:33:00.000-07:00Stormy, do you have anything to contribute to real...Stormy, do you have anything to contribute to real estate? Oh yeah I forgot - you are one of the permabulls getting ready to eat crow buffet. It's going to be a long winter. Can't raise rent, can't sell now either. Your only resort is to your best friend Jack Daniels and your 30 yr old girlfriend - whom you pay hourly for company.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps, that is why you now post irrational useless diatribe.<BR/><BR/>And regarding BT - what if you have a dog? His intellect or lack there of is permanently on display on a public forum. <BR/><BR/>More condo projects will be shelved from now till the end of the year.<BR/><BR/>Radley, how are you enjoying your 500k condo? <BR/><BR/>Invest in bankers boxes. <BR/><BR/>You'll need them soon.hybrid carhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137002503874493205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-13673667251077541192008-10-19T20:14:00.000-07:002008-10-19T20:14:00.000-07:00Harper Calls for PanicCalgary—in a proposed nation...Harper Calls for Panic<BR/><BR/>Calgary—in a proposed nationally televised address to the Canadian people Wednesday night, Harper called upon every man, woman, and child to spiral uncontrollably downward into complete and utter panic.<BR/>Speaking from the global news Office, Harper assured citizens that in these times of great uncertainty, the best, and only course of action is to come under the throes of a sudden, overwhelming fear marked by hysterical or irrational behavior.<BR/>"My fellow Canadians, the time for running aimlessly through streets while shrieking and waving our arms above our heads is now," Harper said. "I understand that many of you are worried about your economic future and our situation overseas, and you have every right to be. Yet there is only one thing we as a nation can do in times like these: give up all hope and devolve into a lawless, post-apocalyptic, every-man-for-himself society."<BR/>"For those of you who have remained resolute in your belief that things will turn around eventually, I urge you to close your eyes, take shallow rapid breaths, and begin freaking out immediately," Bush added. "At this point, anyone who isn't scared to death needs to wake the fuck up—because we're screwed here."<BR/> <BR/>The PM then picked up the telephone from his desk and hurled it through the Oval Office window.<BR/> <BR/>During the proposed address, Harper laid out a historic five-point plan for panic that he hopes will help the Canadian people fall apart as quickly as possible. The plan—which many are calling Harper’s most well-thought-out proposal to date—calls for citizens to abandon their daily routines entirely, and engage in a weeklong period of bloodcurdling screaming, arm flailing, dry heaving, and gnawing on one's fingers while rocking back and forth in alternating bouts of maniacal laughter and gentle sobbing. <BR/>Under the new bill, Canadians are also advised to withdraw all their money from Canadian banks and the stock market, place it in a Maxwell House coffee tin, and bury it in a safe place in their backyard. In addition, Harper has urged the legalization of Canadians trampling one another in a mad rush to compete for the nation's dwindling resources, and proposed allocating $3 billion toward a program that would give every citizen a gun and a bottle of 140-proof whiskey.<BR/><BR/>Harper told Canadians that if at any point they catch themselves feeling even slightly at ease, they should remind themselves that, in the end, everything is going to be completely fucked.<BR/><BR/>Safety Minister Day has canceled the televised address above after information revealed,<BR/> <BR/>'I Am under 18' Button Clicked For First Time in History of Internet<BR/><BR/>Banff—In an unprecedented and historic event Monday, the "I Am Under 18" button, an Internet security device which if selected restricts access to websites featuring adult content, was clicked for the first time ever. "I knew I could simply claim to be over 18 and continue onto my desired destination, but I also realized that I would have to live with that lie for the rest of my life," said local resident Gayle Kinsley, 17. "I admit I was curious to see what type of material I would find on www.juggworld.com, but that button was clearly placed there for a reason, andlet’s face it: 17 and three-quarters is not 18. I plan to return to the site three months from now, when I will be mature enough to handle its content.” Moments later, Kinsley’s friend Dona Garrard, 17, pushed Kinsley aside and clicked the "I Am over 18" button himself, at which point a RCMP tactical police unit broke down there bedroom door and arrested them.<BR/><BR/>The crown is seeking forfeiture without compensation off the offending mouse.Stormy Petrelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15062050673244964353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-73688056375331039132008-10-19T18:41:00.000-07:002008-10-19T18:41:00.000-07:00theres some idiot posting on all the blogs using o...theres some idiot posting on all the blogs using other bloggers names<BR/>at least he/shes a bear<BR/><BR/>bt says..<BR/><I>"What if you already own a dog? - Bob"</I><BR/>i say<BR/>have bob co-sign your mortgagesquidly77https://www.blogger.com/profile/05932628180799650933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-88442289653140771212008-10-19T14:50:00.000-07:002008-10-19T14:50:00.000-07:00what goes up must come down..it always has<A HREF="http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4922/calgaryinflationadjustede7.png" REL="nofollow">what goes up must come down..it always has</A><BR>squidly77https://www.blogger.com/profile/05932628180799650933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-42811555871460316482008-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:002008-10-19T14:20:00.000-07:00some people seem annoyed at the cmhcs decision to ...some people seem annoyed at the cmhcs decision to change the mortgage rules<BR/><BR/><I>Calgary 123 said: <BR/>"Bob, noone would give anyone any money based on a previous income. Would you lend any money to someone you know almost nothing about, who tells you they used to make 100Gs a year, but not anymore? I don't think so. Not to mention you can purchase proof of employment (and income) on the net, from places like Mexico or Nigeria ...."<BR/><BR/>"And why is that those individuals need to buy a house today? Is it too much for them to wait a year or so, to build some credit history? When credit is tight for people with decent credit history and down payments, you can't expect relaxed rules for people whith no credit history and difficult to check backgrounds."</I><BR/><BR/><B>bts reply<BR/><BR/>"And why is that those individuals need to buy a house today?" There are as many reasons as there are people. Perhaps they have a dog. Do you know how difficult it is to rent a house when you own a large dog? Perhaps they want to be near a certain school. <BR/><BR/>House-buying is not strictly a financial decision for everyone. You are free to make choices in this country based on what's right for you. - Bob</B> <BR/><BR/># October 19, 2008 12:55 PM<BR/><BR/>although i strongly support our social society i do not believe that it is an inherent right to own a home...what kind of system would that be..a guaranteed 4 bedroom homes for all families of four..<BR/>a house with an over sized back yards for all those that want to own large dogs..<BR/><BR/>i believe that home ownership is earned and i believe that the harder and smarter you work then the nicer home you deserve<BR/><BR/>i believe in larger down payment requirements and a 25/yr amortization as that is what keeps houses affordable<BR/>and i strongly agree that a thorough credit check be done and if you are on the edge you should expect to pay a higher interest rate or put off buying until you can address your problem credit<BR/><BR/>to suggest that because you own a large dog or you want to be near a certain school gives one the right to hundreds of thousands of dollars backed by our government is well ridiculous and exactly why the US is in the shape its in now<BR/><BR/>this is free democratic society<BR/>you have the opportunities here to get out of life what you put into it<BR/><BR/>we are not a socialist republic<BR/>when you see that guy with his large dog YOU lend him the money for that house with a big back yard and dont ask me tosquidly77https://www.blogger.com/profile/05932628180799650933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-11966368645908077682008-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:002008-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00JD, thanks for the link to that EXCELLENT intervie...JD, thanks for the link to that EXCELLENT interview. Anna Schwartz lays it out in a way that's easy for the lay person (like myself) to digest.Magnum Innominandumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16128906211160672518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-50023572453253647292008-10-19T09:36:00.000-07:002008-10-19T09:36:00.000-07:00Just to give everyone heads up - we are all guinea...<I>Just to give everyone heads up - we are all guinea pigs in one man's lab.</I><BR/><BR/>Of course, not everyone agrees that what Bernanke is doing will work:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122428279231046053.html" REL="nofollow">Bernanke Is Fighting the Last War</A>JDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03748594245579863615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-19567263189515848442008-10-18T23:27:00.000-07:002008-10-18T23:27:00.000-07:00good post bad on the economic state of China. I ha...good post bad on the economic state of China. I have a cousin who lives and works in Hong Kong who just learned he will be losing his job at the end of the year.zeitgeisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09969185424438599638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7588496932754350322.post-37151915392221864862008-10-18T22:03:00.000-07:002008-10-18T22:03:00.000-07:00-Here are Mr. Neil's Chinese hopes:Up to 2.5 milli...-<BR/>Here are Mr. Neil's Chinese hopes:<BR/><BR/><I>Up to 2.5 million people could lose their jobs in the Pearl River delta, covering Hong Kong and parts of southern China, by January as a result of the global economic slowdown, a media report said.</I><BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://news.smh.com.au/business/crisis-threatens-millions-of-china-jobs-20081019-53w5.html" REL="nofollow">Crisis threatens millions of China jobs</A><BR/><BR/>I suppose they all should come to the "Alberta Energy Superpower Island" to toil for oil and buy a shack. We need cheap labor, eh?<BR/>-BADhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08896288573355012563noreply@blogger.com