Archive for March 18th, 2008
Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by Econbrowser
How shall we describe what happened this weekend with Bear Stearns? The first big casualty of the credit crisis, yes. Bailout, no.
Bear Stearns was an investment bank that made trades and created markets for a broad range of securities, including extensive use of derivative contracts such as credit default swaps. In a credit […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by Econbrowser
No, I’m not talking about the credit markets– I’ll take those up in my next post, I promise. But first I need to discuss something really important, namely, the men’s college basketball tournament.
A popular American tradition is betting on the outcome of the 64-team NCAA basketball tournament (I know, I’m not counting the […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
Each year more than 3,000 Americans—a figure comparable to the death tolls from the 9/11 attacks—die waiting for kidneys. Is it time to legalize the sale of kidneys?
In this Reason.tv video, Drew Carey investigates what could be done to end the wait for people needing kidneys and give them the freedom they […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
Milwaukee–Walgreen Co., which rolled out its retail health clinic concept at Milwaukee-area Walgreens locations last year, is taking those services into large-company work sites with a pair of acquisitions announced Monday. Once the transactions close, Walgreens will have more than 500 work-site and retail health centers in 40 states.
Comment: Since most medical […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
There are nearly 1,000 retail health clinics in the nation, a number that is expected to rise dramatically in the next few years as chains like Wal-Mart, CVS, Target and Walgreens add more clinics. A recent poll predicted that there will be around 2,000 retail clinics by the end of 2008.
One company […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
There is a new website for international labor data from the BLS, including lots of charts and graphs:
Although BLS is the premier source for U.S. labor statistics, the Bureau is also widely recognized for providing comparable international data. The BLS provides information on employment, unemployment, productivity, compensation costs, labor force participation […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
Watch the video above from last Tuesday (March 11) of Jim Cramer scolding a viewer for “being silly” by thinking about dumping Bear Stearns stock — at $65.
(HT: Chris Douglas)
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by unsettling economics
Forbes counts 1062 billionaires. The number is increasing exponentially. Soon we will all be billionaires and the trickle down vindicated. Who cares about short run economic setbacks?
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by unsettling economics
I cannot help but feel some satisfaction in watching recent event confirm the diagnosis found in my Confiscation of American Prosperity: From Right Wing
Extremism and Economic Ideology to the Next Great Depression (Palgrave). The toxic combination of speculative excesses, financial deregulation, and unequal incomes, which make demand dependent on credit.
All the […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by Econbrowser
Currently, net exports are one of the few bright spots in the US economy. As Krugman points out, this is the one area where monetary policy is proving effective: by driving down the value of the dollar, expenditure switching is being induced.
Figure 1: Broad Trade Weighted Value of the Dollar, from January - […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
The graph above was created using data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) most recent release on delinquencies and foreclosures, and a previous MBA report here. Facts:
1. Of the 69.70 million American homeowners, 23.7 million, or 34% of the total, own their homes free and clear.
2. Of the 69.70 million homeowners, 36.8 […]
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Posted in March 18th, 2008
Submitted by A Dash of Insight
At “A Dash” we read and respect sources reflecting many different viewpoints, trying to find the best sources on various subjects.
The market was shocked today by the terms of the Bear Stearns “rescue.” It certainly was no bailout for the shareholders or management. There are those who expect government actors […]
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