Market Manipulation to Continue

The Federal Reserve announced yesterday that their buy-back programs will be extended all the way out to March. I have been avoiding the markets, especially the Treasury markets, due to unusual activity based on Fed announcements, intentions, actions. It's still not a fair playing field. Both bonds and stocks continue to rise and this is not a realistic viewpoint. Either the economy is strong or the economy is weak. You can't have it both ways.

Many gauk in amazement over the market's run but fail to look at the decline in the dollar. Perhaps this is the best indicator of the overall success of the administration's efforts to restore faith in the US system. The dollar continues to fall.

SPAIN TRIP OFF

Don't tell my wife, but I've decided that a trip to Europe next year has little chance of happening. With the dollar getting trashed daily, by next year, it will cost us significantly more to enjoy the "other side of the pond."

PRETTY SCARY

I had a meeting downtown Chicago last week and was stunned to see the number of people, on the street begging. It's not the fact that there were those begging for money. I spend lots of time in Mexico City where this problem is endless. What stunned me was that the people begging for money looked like me! How long will it take before all of us middle-classers are out on the street, without a job, without food, without medical... It was pretty scary.