December 2008

General Motors President Fritz Henderson said Wednesday bankruptcy isn't a viable option for struggling U.S. automakers, maintaining that a new retooling plan can save the industry.   He added that General Motors is ready to undertake a host of steps needed to re-size, but said that "to win, you've got to win with product and technology and we do not want to give consumers a reason not to buy ... read more

There is a great episode of The Simpsons called "Bart the Mother" where a group of pigeon-eating lizards infests Springfield.   As the townspeople try to do them in, Bart tries to protect his scaly friends and creates a larger problem by allowed the fast-breeding reptiles to run amok.   The town, in it's short-sighted wisdom, decides to solve the lizard problem by unleashing snakes to eat ... read more

Good point from a viewer to the automaker story I hadn't considered - what happens to the owners of cars whose brands get scrubbed? Here's his email to me: I agree with those that say make the unions concede a lot. But, Idon’t feel very well when I am paying almost  $500 a month on GM saturn Aura; a European Opel GM car built in Kansas City that is almost worthless after 1-1/2 years of ... read more

Best Buy (BBY) may turn out to be just that in the retailing sector. Sure, the Minneapolis-based electronics vendor has seen some of the troubles facing other retailers.    Sales and the stock are falling as consumers slow their spending, especially on pricey electronics.   But the long-term outlook for Best Buy looks more rosy as one of its competitors shut its doors yesterday and ... read more

The New York Post reports that New York Knick Stephon Marbury is going ahead with plans to buy a $40 million dollar private jet.    The highest paid benchwarmer in basketball has reportedly put a deposit on the aircraft and expects to take delivery. Some investor friends of mine follow what they call the "large house and private jet indicator."  They track CEOs and hedge fund managers ... read more

How do we fix GM, Ford and Chrysler? That's the question being asked from Detroit to D.C.    The issues being discussed and debated are sold as complex.  At first glance they seem to be, primarily because everybody is trying to analyze every possible problem and solution.  Me included. Then I realized that over analysis is unnecessary.  The problems are easy to understand and ... read more

The watchword in housing is becoming "re-default." Today brings some worrisome new data from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.   A report indicates that the mortgage aid programs are not working as hoped.   More than half of the loans of homeowners who modified their mortgages under the Federal plan, either through reduced principal, lower rates or both, fell back into ... read more

AIG continues to infect Wall Street balance sheets even after receiving billions in taxpayer money. From today's WSJ: American International Group (AIG) owes Wall Street's biggest firms about $10 billion for speculative trades that have soured, according to people familiar with the matter, underscoring the challenges the insurer faces as it seeks to recover under a U.S. government rescue ... read more

The government continues to remain either delusional or in denial about the situation in Detroit. Earlier today White House spokesman Joel Kaplan today laid out details about a possible automaker financial aid package.   It includes a short-term bridge loan that can be used for one of two options; the automakers become viable "now" or they go bankrupt.    The companies must also provide a ... read more

The New York Times did an excellent story on the real story around UAW pay levels and the burden on the Detroit 3. The  number "$73 dollars an hour" has been bandied about as an average wage for UAW workers, which that union has denied, but the Times does a great job of working through the figures.    It shows the actual take-home pay levels aren't that ... read more