Monday, September 22, 2008

Summary of a Crisis

Very good read on the current financial mess. Yes, it's on Kos, but it's the best I've read so far.

And another on the potential cost of doing nothing.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I do not like looking at the doom and gloom scenario too closely. It reveals just how unprepared I am for it. Most importantly, how unprepared my kids will be for it. Two years ago I made a move that has paid dividends... but if I can't touch it... what good was it?

Should this be a question of how much gold I have stored in a foundation safe?

Although the two articles outline just how the situation has gone critical, it does not underscore who has the best plan to fix it. The fact that I need to rely on someone's plan is a problem for me. To let this simply "shake itself out" is just as troublesome as having to listen to a bunch of people in power (and money) roll the dice. Right now... I'd take 6,8 and the pass line. To be honest, I have zero confidence on a successful remedy in the next 7 years. By then... someone else will be selling a new flavor of Kool-Aid to take effect for another 8 years.

PassTheChips said...

7:6 odds on the Place Bet with 10 out of 36 combinations going my way. 27% chance of hitting. Probably too optimistic at this point.

Let's improve the odds to 6:5 by making an Odds Bet instead. Still, that 27% hit rate. Ouch.

Forget cash. Gold, oil, and food.

Anonymous said...

I'd change the order; Food, Gold, Oil. People have to eat even if we move to energy independence. My 401k is up this year because I got out of all US markets that weren't food related.

PassTheChips said...

That's impressive. You must have some sweet international options (my international funds are down 15%), as well as mutual funds/ETFs that are pretty specialized.

Jealous.