The Economic Crisis of 2008

[TankHunter]

Well, I am kinda shocked that no one tried to do a thread about this before (especially considering that the DOW has lost something like 22% of its worth in the past week), but I will try. It could be an interesting discussion as long as it stays out of the mire of politics and political ideology.

To kick this discussion off, I will link to articles by a couple of the more intelligent bloggers that I follow.

http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2008/10/journal-tightly.html

http://globalguerrillas.typepad.com/globalguerrillas/2008/10/systemic-shocks.html

http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/critical-point/

So, what are you guys thinking with this?

[daskal]

I work for one of the "former" investment banks that were left on the Street - and when I came home today our stock price was down to 7,5 USD per share.... f!ck me.

Panic all the way:

http://finance.google.com/finance?q=NYSE:MS

[pamak]

"Well, I am kinda shocked that no one tried to do a thread about this before"

I guess one of the reasons is that Europeans are relative less linked to markets at a personal at least level.

For example if in US you count on your 401 as the main source of retirement and having Social security as a secondary one, in Europe it is actually the opposite.

On the other hand i do not know the situation for every EU country. I live in US for the last 7 years and i just see the differences between US and Greece, my country of origin.

It will be intersting to see the perception at a personal level from people living in different countries.

At a national level, with this type of interconnection between economies, we are all in deep shit. If a strong player goes down ,everybody will.

[enigma6584]

Frankly, much of this is over my head. In cases like this, I usually refer to the intelligence of Steven Colbert. He explains it quite well.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/186548/october-02-2008/formidable-opponent---business-syphilis

We are in a "business syphilis" phase.

Cheers.

[12Alfa]

Well, I am kinda shocked that no one tried to do a thread about this before (especially considering that the DOW has lost something like 22% of its worth in the past week), but I will try. It could be an interesting discussion as long as it stays out of the mire of politics and political ideology.

So, what are you guys thinking with this?

Well the banking sector has had record profits in the past years (billions (yes US billions also). So I can't see why the bailout. Or can it be more government control over them.

Big brother has done the following in the past.

1-Create a problem:sonic:

2- Offer a cure:shocked:

They let the industry go down the tube, now they can help fit the problem, of course there will be strings attached

Seems like a repeat of the mortgage meltdown we just saw.

I could be wrong and suffering from to long in the field/German beer.................................NOT!:biggrin:

[CharlieB]

In the field is a good place to avoid the whole thing!

[Ssnake]

It could be an interesting discussion as long as it stays out of the mire of politics and political ideology.

How could you possibly expect this. There's a lot of money involved, so of course that'll involve ideology and politics. We need a scapegoat, pronto.

[GH_Lieste]

…We need a scapegoat, pronto.

Hmmm...

I nominate TankHunter.

:diable:

The "discussion" is obviously a smoke screen for his nefarious dealings.

[TankHunter]

How could you possibly expect this. There's a lot of money involved, so of course that'll involve ideology and politics. We need a scapegoat, pronto.

Well, here is the US it is all the GOP or DNC's fault dependent on your ideology. Interesting how such complex issues can be figured out within a few days.

[12Alfa]

In the field is a good place to avoid the whole thing!

Yes it soo much easier in the field, I only got to avoid, wild boars, 5.56mm rounds, 7.62 rounds 23 mm shells, hummer tip overs, and gettin lost (geography misplaced), IED'ed, and being jacked up for doing something stupid. Ah I miss it allready:)

[CalAB]

As long as the central banks don't raise intrest rates the economy should survive. If intrest rates begin to skyrocket then we are pretty much fracked.

I do believe however that precious metals may be a good place to dump money at the moment but I could be wrong.

It's things like hearing about AIG going for an all expenses paid executive meeting in a top hotel after the government bail out that really blows my mind.

In the end there's always the option of a global conflict to straighten everything out. I myself personaly will just have another "toke" and relax.

[Ssnake]

Interest rates WILL have to rise after a while to prevent stagflation. The inflation of assets was what got us into this mess in the first place.

[Sergei]

Well, ...

So, what are you guys thinking with this?

I think that USP (United States of Pederasts) is downed like the mountain of shit

Yankee, go to your not-sweat home!!!

P.S.: for stupid USP and NATo's countries - you must study Russian language, bastards.

"Cold war" wasn't ended, and you all must pay.

[Ssnake]

What an incredibly constructive contribution to this thread.

[Tacbat]

you must study Russian language, bastards.

How's this for a start.

Sergei, you're a:

Hanurik or alkash;

Tya mama huyem v rot ebala;

Rogatii kozyol;

Podonok;

Baba;

So, perestan' bit dabayobom и zatknis' na hui. :smilelove-1:

[daskal]

Might come in handy for non-finance people

Here is a 30 second tutorial on how the Stock Market Making really works..

Once upon a time, in a village, a man appeared and announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for $10 each.

The villagers seeing that there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest, and started catching them.

The man bought thousands at $10 and as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at $20. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again.

Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer increased to $25 each and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was an effort to even see a monkey, let alone catch it!

The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50 ! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him.

In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers.

'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected.

I will sell them to you at $35 and when he returns from the city, you can sell them to him for $50 each.'

Realizing what a great opportunity this was... the villagers withdrew all their savings and bought all the monkeys.

Of course they never saw the man nor his assistant again... only monkeys everywhere!

Now you have a better understanding of how the stock market works.

[Sergei]

How's this for a start.

Sergei, you're a:

Hanurik or alkash;

Tya mama huyem v rot ebala;

Rogatii kozyol;

Podonok;

Baba;

So, perestan' bit dabayobom и zatknis' na hui. :smilelove-1:

Ha-ha-ha

5+, sit down, schoolboy

Was you in Russia?

Or neighbours from USSR?

Or you ex-USSR?

No-no-no, "и" says for me that you have cyrillic keyboard.

Not "tya" - it's "ty vyeban vo vse dyrki"

Not "dabayobom" - it's "ty dolbayeb"

[Homer]

Another vacation for Sergei - one month ban.

[TankHunter]

And on that note from the gap...

Nassim Nicolas Taleb (the guy of The Black Swan fame) is angry.

http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2008/10/12/nassim_taleb_ge.html

I think he makes some good points.

[JanTog]

No Economic Crisis here - my PC went down today - out to buy a new

and a new printer it ate my headset cable for some time ago, did not like it :men_ani:

[Hedgehog]

Another vacation for Sergei - one month ban.

Oh thank Christ for that, what a w***er.

JanTog, how did your Printer eat your headset cable???

That takes some work that does.

[mp5]

Don't worry about it. it will come back up. just buy as much stock as you can while it is low. You can make it just as fast as you lose it. Now if you lost and than pulled your money and ran to a save haven you took the loss. But if you just wait it out it will come back. Today was a good day so far and am up 14,000, but like I say it can go just as fast to.

[JanTog]

JanTog, how did your Printer eat your headset cable??? That takes some work that does.

HeHe - Should use some space on my mess of a desk, put the headset on top of the printer, forgot it when I had to print something and vupti cable follow with the paper into the printer - funny sound.

[Tacbat]

Or you ex-USSR?

I was in the Voyenno-morskoy flot SSSR back in the mid 80's, and served on the "Akula" class submarines as a Starshiy leytenant.

It has been a long time since I used the Russian language.

[TankHunter]

A potentially interesting posting

http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2008/10/roubini-sees-worst-recession-in-40.html