STOCK MARKET WATCH, Wednesday September 29

[ozymandius]

Source: du

STOCK MARKET WATCH, Wednesday September 29, 2010

AT THE CLOSING BELL ON September 28, 2010

Dow 10,858.14 +46.10 (+0.43%)
Nasdaq 2,379.59 +9.82 (+0.41%)
S&P 500 1,147.70 +5.54 (+0.49%)
10-Yr Bond... 2.47 +0.00 (+0.08%)
30-Year Bond 3.66 -.00 (-0.06%)

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Market Conditions During Trading Hours

Euro, Yen, Loonie, Silver and Gold

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Bush Administration Officials Convicted = 2
Names: David Safavian, James Fondren

Bush Administration Officials Charged = 1
Name(s): Richard Lopez Razo

Financial Sector Officials Convicted since 1/20/09 = 11

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This thread contains opinions and observations. Individuals may post their experiences, inferences and opinions on this thread. However, it should not be construed as advice. It is unethical (and probably illegal) for financial recommendations to be given here.

Read more: du

[ozymandius]

1. Today's Reports

07:00 MBA Mortgage Applications 09/24
Briefing.com NA
Consensus NA
Prior -1.4%

10:30 Crude Inventories 09/25
Briefing.com NA
Consensus NA
Prior 0.970M

http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/Calendars/EconomicCalendar.htm

[ozymandius]

2. Oil rises to near $77 on unexpected US supply fall

SINGAPORE – Oil prices rose to near $77 a barrel Wednesday in Asia after a report showed U.S. crude supplies dropped last week, suggesting demand may be improving.

Benchmark crude for November delivery was up 41 cents to $76.59 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract lost 34 cents to settle at $76.18 on Tuesday.

Crude inventories fell 2.4 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute said late Tuesday while analysts surveyed by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., had forecast an increase of 2.2 million barrels. Inventories of gasoline rose while distillates fell, the API said.

In other Nymex trading in October contracts, heating oil rose 1.55 cents to $2.140 a gallon and gasoline was steady at $1.948 a gallon. November natural gas held at $3.954 per 1,000 cubic feet.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/oil_prices

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The Energy Department's report, which is considered the more reliable of the two, will temper these numbers.

[ozymandius]

3. Sour economic mood in living room and boardroom

NEW YORK – Americans in both the living room and the boardroom are growing more fearful about the economy, creating a Catch-22 for the job market: Shoppers won't spend until they feel more secure, and business won't hire until people start spending.

The eroding views were revealed Tuesday by two separate surveys, one that found everyday Americans are increasingly pessimistic about jobs and another that found CEOs have grimmer predictions about upcoming sales.

The monthly consumer confidence index from the Conference Board, a private research group, fell to 48.5 in September, its lowest point since February and down from 53.2 in August. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters were expecting 52.5 for September.

Meanwhile, a poll by Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of big companies, found two-thirds of chief executives expected sales to grow over the next six months. That's down from 79 percent in June.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100928/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/us_economy

[ozymandius]

4. Recession rips at US marriages, expands income gap

WASHINGTON – The recession seems to be socking Americans in the heart as well as the wallet: Marriages have hit an all-time low while pleas for food stamps have reached a record high and the gap between rich and poor has grown to its widest ever.

The long recession technically ended in mid-2009, economists say, but U.S. Census data released Tuesday show the painful, lingering effects. The annual survey covers all of last year, when unemployment skyrocketed to 10 percent, and the jobless rate is still a stubbornly high 9.6 percent.

The never-married included 46.3 percent of young adults 25-34, with sharp increases in single people in cities in the Midwest and Southwest, including Cleveland, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Albuquerque, N.M. It was the first time the share of unmarried young adults exceeded those who were married.

Marriages have been declining for years due to rising divorce, more unmarried couples living together and increased job prospects for women. But sociologists say younger people are also now increasingly choosing to delay marriage as they struggle to find work and resist making long-term commitments.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100929/ap_on_bi_ge/us_census_recession_s_impact

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The article reminds us of the information posted here today regarding income: the rich get richer and the middle to lower income earners make less.

[tclambert]

11. I've heard the opposite, that people are staying together for economic reasons.

I met a lady who told me she and her estranged husband got back together because it cost too much to support two households. Divorce costs money. Misery is free.

[Dr.Phool]

19. Had a little discussion last night.

The wife wants new floors, and the pool deck re-done. We have the cash to do it, but this whole homeowners insurance shit has me worried.

I take care of all the finances, except for the spending, which she takes care of. I usually project expenses at least 6 months down the road. I told her that if our rates increase as much as I expect, we're not doing any improvements, on the outside chance that Wells Fargo will own it.

[Roland99]

26. I hear ya

I've been trying to get back to that 3-month buffer of expenses...not making much headway. But, we took on some additional short-term debt that will be paid off by right after the new year and all that money being used as payments is going into savings, plus I'm going to bite the bullet and jump into the 401(k) here at work. They match half up to 6% so a 50% return just can't be beat right now.

[Demeter]

23. Spend what? Social Security?

[Festivito]

5. Debt: 09/24/2010 13,466,818,283,723.48 (UP 3,341,258,635.90) (Fri)

(Up a little. Good day.)
Short day, well, almost. Made chicken for chicken soup.
(Debt under Obama seems to jump up big then drop slowly maybe up a little and down a little for days--repeat.)
= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 8,962,112,145,545.98 + 4,504,706,138,177.50
UP 34,117,767.19 + UP 3,307,140,868.71

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 310-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.22 THAT'S 1B$, and $3,224.23 makes 1T$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.67, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 13 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 310,151,624 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 04/09/2010 15:49 -> 309,034,742
Currently, each of these Americans owe $43,420.11.
A family of three owes $130,260.34. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 23 reports in the last 30 to 31 days.
The average for the last 23 reports is 4,152,894,931.66.
The average for the last 30 days would be 3,183,886,114.27.
The average for the last 31 days would be 3,081,180,110.59.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 247 reports in 359 days of FY2010 averaging 6.30B$ per report, 4.34B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 849 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 14.6 and 17.9T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
09/24/2010 13,466,818,283,723.48 BHO (UP 2,839,941,234,810.40 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +1,556,989,280,211.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
Endof10 +1,583,011,385,173.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Linear Projection

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
09/03/2010 +000,065,447,919.59 ------------*******
09/07/2010 +000,022,960,425.76 ------------******* Tue
09/08/2010 +000,399,922,819.12 ------------********
09/09/2010 +008,813,573,460.79 ------------*********
09/10/2010 -000,055,297,184.77 ----
09/13/2010 +000,091,299,524.00 ------------******* Mon
09/14/2010 +000,150,853,245.21 ------------********
09/15/2010 +064,417,149,283.94 ------------**********
09/16/2010 -036,646,694,679.28 -
09/17/2010 -000,203,034,896.34 ---
09/20/2010 +000,019,446,813.89 ------------******* Mon
09/21/2010 +000,509,875,602.04 ------------********
09/22/2010 -000,022,020,658.96 ----
09/23/2010 -008,701,405,875.05 --
09/24/2010 +000,034,117,767.19 ------------*******

28,896,193,567.13 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
DUer primer on National debt

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4554681&mesg_id=4554686

[tclambert]

12. So, let me make sure I got this right, Festivito, the 2010 deficit will be SMALLER than in 2009.

Why is that not a big campaigning point? The Republicans are complaining about deficits (after 8 years of conspicuous silence), and yet the new guy is already shrinking them.

Hey, Sept. 30th is coming up! Will we see FY 2011 projections soon? I haven't heard anything about the 2011 budget.

[Festivito]

60. Yes. Time to write those articles and hold the submit button until Friday at 3PM.

Or, wait until Monday when people will actually read it. I'll be working without internet Friday, so, oh well, I won't make my update until later.

The last two quarters saw big rises on their respective last days. 31-Mar saw a rise of 90, 30-Jun saw a rise of 166 (in billions), so, what might happen on 30-Sep is surmision at best. It would have to go up by 314 billion to wreck my current projection.

Remember, what I'm showing is actual deficit, not the one that Republicans might use that forgets the "emergency spending" (i.e. the war in Iraq spending). I wish I knew that amount, 400-billion sticks in my mind. The Repub game would be to not use the 1.885-trillion number THEY DID BORROW, instead using a , I'm guessing, 1.485-T$ that is their budget that did not include war.

...comparing budget to budget numbers the Rs will smarm... you're comparing apples to oranges...

HAH! Not so, you Repub slime balls. You Rs compare two budgets, but one with the war spending against the one without it.

Yes, to answer your question, the 2010 actual deficit will be smaller than the 2009 actual deficit... as long as the update for Thu and Fri together doesn't exceed 314-billions. ..which it should not.

Remember, also, that the 2010 budget is Obama's first budget. The 2009 budget was GWBs budget that Obama inherited, TARP and all.

I think Rs stopped talking about us borrowing too much a few months ago when this deficit drop became more certain. So, they started claiming that we, instead, spend too much, and the R-faithful will just parrot that and ignore talk of the debt.

I just hope my postings gave those lying Rs a little less traction with their lies.

[Festivito]

56. Debt: 09/27/2010 13,468,173,874,830.08 (UP 1,355,591,106.60) (Mon)

(Down a little. Good day.)
How do I goof these up.
(Debt under Obama seems to jump up big then drop slowly maybe up a little and down a little for days--repeat.)
= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 8,962,045,737,733.70 + 4,506,128,137,096.38
DOWN 66,407,812.28 + UP 1,421,998,918.88

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 310-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.22 THAT'S 1B$, and $3,224.02 makes 1T$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.67, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 13 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 310,171,562 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 04/09/2010 15:49 -> 309,034,742
Currently, each of these Americans owe $43,421.69.
A family of three owes $130,265.07. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 21 reports in the last 30 to 31 days.
The average for the last 21 reports is 4,426,245,897.38.
The average for the last 30 days would be 3,098,372,128.17.
The average for the last 31 days would be 2,998,424,640.16.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 248 reports in 362 days of FY2010 averaging 6.28B$ per report, 4.30B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 846 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 14.6 and 17.8T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
09/27/2010 13,468,173,874,830.08 BHO (UP 2,841,296,825,917.00 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +1,558,344,871,318.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
Endof10 +1,571,259,331,577.84 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Linear Projection

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
09/07/2010 +000,022,960,425.76 ------------******* Tue
09/08/2010 +000,399,922,819.12 ------------********
09/09/2010 +008,813,573,460.79 ------------*********
09/10/2010 -000,055,297,184.77 ----
09/13/2010 +000,091,299,524.00 ------------******* Mon
09/14/2010 +000,150,853,245.21 ------------********
09/15/2010 +064,417,149,283.94 ------------**********
09/16/2010 -036,646,694,679.28 -
09/17/2010 -000,203,034,896.34 ---
09/20/2010 +000,019,446,813.89 ------------******* Mon
09/21/2010 +000,509,875,602.04 ------------********
09/22/2010 -000,022,020,658.96 ----
09/23/2010 -008,701,405,875.05 --
09/24/2010 +000,034,117,767.19 ------------*******
09/27/2010 -000,066,407,812.28 ---- Mon

28,764,337,835.26 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
DUer primer on National debt

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4556427&mesg_id=4556440

[Festivito]

57. Debt: 09/28/2010 13,472,761,083,757.88 (UP 4,587,208,927.80) (Tue)

(Up some. Good day.)
At least I had a nice dinner and it was a beautiful day.
(Debt under Obama seems to jump up big then drop slowly maybe up a little and down a little for days--repeat.)
= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 8,963,509,129,588.84 + 4,509,251,954,169.04
UP 1,463,391,855.14 + UP 3,123,817,072.66

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 310-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.22 THAT'S 1B$, and $3,223.95 makes 1T$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.67, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 13 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 310,178,208 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 04/09/2010 15:49 -> 309,034,742
Currently, each of these Americans owe $43,435.55.
A family of three owes $130,306.65. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 22 reports in the last 30 to 32 days.
The average for the last 22 reports is 4,433,562,398.76.
The average for the last 30 days would be 3,251,279,092.43.
The average for the last 32 days would be 3,048,074,149.15.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 249 reports in 363 days of FY2010 averaging 6.28B$ per report, 4.31B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 845 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 14.6 and 17.8T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
09/28/2010 13,472,761,083,757.88 BHO (UP 2,845,884,034,844.80 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +1,562,932,080,246.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
Endof10 +1,571,543,276,280.52 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Linear Projection

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
09/08/2010 +000,399,922,819.12 ------------********
09/09/2010 +008,813,573,460.79 ------------*********
09/10/2010 -000,055,297,184.77 ----
09/13/2010 +000,091,299,524.00 ------------******* Mon
09/14/2010 +000,150,853,245.21 ------------********
09/15/2010 +064,417,149,283.94 ------------**********
09/16/2010 -036,646,694,679.28 -
09/17/2010 -000,203,034,896.34 ---
09/20/2010 +000,019,446,813.89 ------------******* Mon
09/21/2010 +000,509,875,602.04 ------------********
09/22/2010 -000,022,020,658.96 ----
09/23/2010 -008,701,405,875.05 --
09/24/2010 +000,034,117,767.19 ------------*******
09/27/2010 -000,066,407,812.28 ---- Mon
09/28/2010 +001,463,391,855.14 ------------*********

30,204,769,264.64 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
DUer primer on National debt

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4556427&mesg_id=4558755

[ozymandius]

6. Lawmaker unveils mortgage modification bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – As many as 30 million U.S. homeowners would be able to refinance their mortgage at record low interest rates regardless of their credit situation under a plan unveiled on Tuesday by a Democratic lawmaker.

The legislation would allow for blanket 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages at the prevailing market rate, now around 4.3 percent, for anyone seeking to refinance a government-backed loan, Representative Dennis Cardoza told Reuters on Tuesday.

Homeowners could refinance irrespective of their income, credit history or loan-to-value ratio.

The plan, which faces an uphill battle in Congress, would help a wide swath of borrowers and is more comprehensive than the narrowly targeted efforts President Barack Obama has tried to date.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100928/pl_nm/us_usa_housing_mortgages

---

Reasons why this could fail: There is no immediate benefit for the banks; People will be able to stay in their homes rather than lose their property to the banks; Republicans in the Senate will, in lock-step fashion, block any attempt to help people they don't give a shit about.

[Papa Boule]

36. Another reason it will likely fail

is that it might help the middle and lower classes, and therefore help the economy, and there seems to be a strange lemming-like compulsion right now to figure out what would be good for the economy and to dismiss that and do the opposite.

[ozymandius]

7. European Stocks Fall for 3rd Day; Emerging Markets, Copper Rise

Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- European stocks fell for a third day, led by banks, and U.S. index futures dropped on concern the cost of bailing out nations including Ireland and Spain is mounting. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose to a 27-month high and copper rallied.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index lost 0.3 percent at 10:41 a.m. in London, while futures on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.1 percent and the MSCI index of developing nations climbed 0.7 percent. Copper traded above $8,000 a metric ton for the first time since April. The Dollar Index declined 0.3 percent. Borrowing costs for Portugal and Spain rose relative to Germany, Europe’s biggest economy.

The decline in U.S. futures indicated the S&P 500 may pare yesterday’s 0.5 percent advance. The gauge has rallied about 9 percent since the end of August, poised for its best month since April 2009 and its biggest September rally since 1939, amid optimism that Europe’s debt crisis and U.S. unemployment won’t derail the economy and speculation the Federal Reserve will buy more U.S. government debt. Hewlett-Packard Co. advanced 0.9 percent in Germany after the world’s largest computer maker predicted earnings and sales that exceeded estimates.

http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a42z7AV3SUxY&pos=2

[Ghost Dog]

30. Europe protest TV footage key to market reaction

LONDON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - European activists are stepping up their challenge to austerity policies through demonstrations, strikes and social unrest -- but how far this moves markets depends as much on TV footage as on the numbers on the streets.

Most of Europe's unions and more radical hard-core protesters scaled back their protests over the summer. Now the number of strikes and demonstrations is rising again in the run-up to a Europe-wide day of action on Sept. 29.

Their aim, protesters say, is clear -- to push back politically against the broad consensus over deficit reduction and spending cuts that has followed the stimulus spending of the financial crisis.

/... http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE68R0LF.htm

---

Brussels braces for day of Europe-wide protest

AFP - Police threw a ring of steel around Brussels Wednesday as workers from across Europe spilled into the streets of the EU capital amid mounting anger at painful spending cuts.

...

Millions of jobs fell off the European map in the global downturn and many more look set to be squeezed as governments axe public spending.

In Spain, where unemployment has more than doubled, with one out of five workers jobless, the country battled rush-hour travel chaos and pickets rallied outside factories as unions launched a 24-hour general strike. The strike, its first since 2002, was called to protest a sweeping overhaul of the country's labour laws and a range of steep spending cuts.

...

"They're doing this at a time where the economy is very close to recession, and almost certainly you'll see the economy go back into recession as the effect of these cuts take place."

Across Europe labour leaders are equally concerned.

/... http://www.france24.com/en/20100929-brussels-braces-day-europe-wide-protest-0

[Ghost Dog]

31. Limited Spanish support for strike before budget test

MADRID, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Spain's first general strike in eight years, called to oppose official spending cuts, disrupted transport and some factories on Wednesday, a day before the government is due to test parliamentary support for a tough budget.

...

Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, due to start seeking parliament's approval for his 2011 budget plan on Thursday, has vowed to pursue austerity measures and labour reforms that make it easier for companies to hire and fire.

Trade unions said 10 million people, or more than half the workforce, walked off their jobs, but the government said less than 10 percent of public administration workers and 20 percent of Madrid transportation workers were on strike.

Financial markets shrugged off the strike, which analysts said was unlikely to make the government reverse its plans to meet European Union deficit reduction targets

/... http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2010-09/18096372-update-3-limited-spanish-support-for-strike-before-budget-test-020.htm

[Po_d Mainiac]

39. And even with the unrest on the streets

The U$D continues to fall vs the Euro.:shrug:

[Ghost Dog]

32. EU Commission proposes sanctions for budget breakers

Sept 29 (Reuters) - The European Commission presented proposals on Wednesday to tighten the rules on budget deficits and debt for euro zone member states, an effort to add teeth to the European Union's Stability and Growth Pact.

...

'With today's legislative package, the Commission will seek to translate our earlier policy initiatives into concrete legal instruments.'

'All in all ... this will help construct a true and genuine economic union to complement the monetary union and it is high time to do so because it is esssential for sustainable public finances and sustanaible growth.'

/... http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2010-09/18096394-highlights-eu-commission-proposes-sanctions-for-budget-breakers-020.htm

[Ghost Dog]

33. French budget makes 'historic' spending cuts

AFP - President Nicolas Sarkozy's government launched a "historic" attack on France's soaring overspending on Wednesday, unveiling a budget which closes tax loopholes and imposes unprecedented spending cuts.

...

The public deficit will hit a record 7.7 percent of gross domestic product this year, far above the 3.0-percent limit laid down by EU rules, on the basis of projections in the budget. And the central government's budget deficit will hit 152 billion euros (207 billion dollars), falling to 92 billion euros in 2011.

...

Finance Minister Christine Lagarde aims to increase revenue by closing tax loopholes worth 9.4 billion euros, and to cut spending by allowing 31,638 government employees to retire without replacing them.

Some of the extra cash will come from de-facto tax increases on previously favoured categories of worker and on some insurance and property investments. One billion euros will come from raising VAT on domestic Internet, television and telephone connections.

/... http://www.france24.com/en/20100929-french-budget-makes-historic-spending-cuts

[Ghost Dog]

35. Turkish shares hit record high

ISTANBUL, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Turkish shares hit a record high and the lira firmed to its strongest level against the dollar since January on Wednesday, boosted by positive sentiment towards emerging markets and weakness in the U.S. currency. Bond yields also fell as minutes of the latest central bank monetary policy committee meeting were well received by markets.

'Turkish markets are taking positively the central bank talk of a possible further reduction in the overnight borrowing (rate),' said C.A. Cheuvreux analyst Simon Quijano-Evans. 'It would entice banks to place less at the central bank overnight and rather lend it on within the system or elsewhere (including the purchase of government bonds or even equities) - something that would be welcomed globally,' he wrote in a note.

...

'The dollar is losing ground against all currencies. It is pretty positive for the emerging market world because all that money coming from the U.S. will definitely enter emerging markets,' said a forex trader.

/... http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2010-09/18096727-update-2-turkish-markets-rally-dlr-weakness-helps-lira-020.htm

[ozymandius]

8. Summers Shit Legacy at Harvard to Take Five Years to Fix

Not the actual headline...

Mendillo, who says she doesn’t believe she was asked about her view of the markets at the 2008 meeting, has focused on unwinding some of the endowment’s investments in private equity and hedge funds made by her predecessors from 2005 to 2008 and bringing more of Harvard’s money to in-house managers.

She has started to restructure the school’s real-estate holdings, which lost 50 percent of their value in the year ended on June 30, 2009. She has been increasing investments in natural resources and timber, an area that she pioneered during an earlier, 15-year stint at Harvard.

Mendillo has recouped some losses. In the fiscal year ended on June 30, the endowment crept back up 11 percent to $27.4 billion, still 26 percent below its peak. That performance lags behind the 13 percent median for public and corporate pensions, endowments and foundations during that time, according to Wilshire Associates Inc., a consulting firm based in Santa Monica, California.

In her first months on the job, Mendillo had to hasten to raise funds to extricate the university from interest-rate swaps it had entered into under former President Lawrence Summers...

http://noir.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aqEvfk0usksA&pos=12

[ozymandius]

9. Good morning, all.

:donut: :donut: :donut: Have a wonderful day. Work calls.

:hi:

[Roland99]

13. As do tropical storms

gonna be a wet one here today apparently.

[Dr.Phool]

18. My dear old pappy just moved back to SC.

The night he was leaving, Wilmington got 10 inches of rain. Brunswick County was declared a disaster area (He moved about 2 miles from the state/county line). And now this mess is supposed to be there tomorrow.

One thing about Orlando. Whatever system hits Florida, hits Orlando.

[Roland99]

20. I think we're just going to get brushed, though

looks like it's focusing on the south and the east coast.

I'm sure afternoon rush hour will be fun, though. And, of course, we have dinner reservations tonight....

[Dr.Phool]

25. It's more hype than storm.

I remember a few years ago. Charlie was forecast to come right up my driveway. Half of Tampa took off for Orlando. Charlie made a right turn, and went up right through Lakeland and Orlando. We didn't get so much as a gust.

[Roland99]

27. Is that the one that came ashore near Punta Gorda?

I remember it taking out the water tower in DeSoto County and the prisoners from the county jail had to be moved to another location (I'd just been there weeks before to cull their jail booking data)

[Roland99]

22. BTW, anyone catch ABC News last night?

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/home-diane-returns-louisville-city-centered-solutions/story?id=11744563

A little hometown shout-out. :)

[tclambert]

10. Re: cartoon. Is that supposed to be a bus?

It should show them throwing the elderly under a bus.

[Dr.Phool]

15. Too bad that we don't have anyone with the balls to confront them.

This is an election cycle made in heaven for the right candidates. And the DLC, New Democrat right wing is totally blowing it.

I might run again in 2012 just to fuck with them. I could be the next Alvin Greene!

[Dr.Phool]

14. Some very disturbing graphs and predictions here. S&P 600 by years end?

http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/

[Roland99]

21. Either my eyes or my ears or lying

One hears things are picking up, one sees things are looking grim.

But, ya know...hearsay ain't admissible in court, is it?

[DemReadingDU]

28. Quite interesting graphs in TAE. Denninger has been cranking out articles too

I feel the pressure is building immensely. Something is about to blow, but I'm not sure where or what.
:nuke:


Some recent Denninger's articles. If anyone believes in a recovery, don't read these...

9/28/10 Oh My, Another Voice That Gets It
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=167739

9/28/10 Avoidance Will Not Work
Interesting dialogue follows in the comment section
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=167754

9/29/10 A Warning To The Political Parties
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=167781

edit to add another

9/29/10 PIMpCO: Illumination
"You may think I'm a nut. You would be wise to listen to Bill Gross."
Bill Gross now acknowledges we fixed nothing.
http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?post=167788

[Tansy_Gold]

51. I feel it, too. Not sure what it is, maybe just an overarching sense that

everything is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

I've felt this way for several weeks now, and as I watch the DJIA creep higher and higher with no rational reason whatsofuckingever, I feel more and more certain we've all missed something. Something or someone is going to break, and soon, and with absolutely catastrophic results. Bubbles have limits.




TG, NTY

[TalkingDog]

50. Very interesting.

The short term fluctuations are echoed in the longer term fluctuations.

A fractal(-esque) pattern. That means it could conceivably be predicted (to a certain degree) with an algorithm.


Very interesting....

[DemReadingDU]

16. Case Shiller Index is Overly Optimistic and Quite Misleading

9/29/10 Why the Case Shiller Index, Although Showing Another Downturn Coming, is Overly Optimistic and Quite Misleading! by Reggie Middleton

To be begin with, the Case Shiller is a rolling 3 month average, and most of those months are still benefiting from the government bubble blowing in the form of tax incentives and artificially suppressed mortgage rates. That means that the few sales that do not have that (tax) benefit instantly started dragging the index average down. Listening to Tom Keane on Bloomberg radio this morning, I heard that home sales were the slowest they have been since 1963. Do you realize how much larger the US population is in 2010 than it was in 1963, in addition to near record low interest rates, and perverse tax incentives?

If you think that sounds bad, then you ain’t heard nothing yet. You see, the Case Shiller is an econometric marvel, and is actually rather sophisticated. Despite this, it is also a tad bit unrealistic, particularly where this particular housing crash comes into play. You see, a decent amount of the housing inventory that is overhung in the form of new construction from overzealous developers that were funded by banks who didn’t believe they were lending their own money. Don’t believe me? Then walked through the most dense and valuable real estate in the country, NYC last year – “Who are ya gonna believe, the pundits or your lying eyes?”.

much more...
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/why-case-shiller-index-although-showing-another-downturn-coming-overly-optimistic-and-quite-
or
http://tinyurl.com/37dy59r


9/21/10 Reggie Middleton Interviewed on Bloomberg TV on Housing and Commercial Real Estate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iLKYxfxHpuY

[Papa Boule]

17. Re. yesterday's report about the record gap between rich and poor

I ran across this comment on an Elliott Wave blog:

“The extreme concentration of wealth among a small minority (1%) today replicates the exact same conditions prior to the 1929 crash. When you have fewer and fewer entities controlling larger percentages of assets (stocks, bonds, etc), it only takes a ‘few’ sellers to start an avalanche effect with no buyers on the other side to match the offer.”

http://danericselliottwaves.blogspot.com/2010/09/elliott-wave-update-28-september.html#comment-81791563

Ozy's post on the report:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4556427&mesg_id=4556433

[Roland99]

24. U.S. to sell Citigroup preferred securities

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-to-sell-citigroup-preferred-securities-2010-09-29-920210

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that it intends to sell Citigroup preferred securities that it acquired as part of the government rescue of the bank in early 2009. The department said it will sell trust preferred securities received from Citigroup under an Asset Guarantee Program. These preferred shares were received in exchange for Treasury's agreement to share potential losses on a pool of $301 billion of assets held by Citigroup. The loss-sharing deal was terminated last January. Treasury kept $2.2 billion of the preferred shares. Because Treasury never was required to make any payment under the arrangement, all proceeds from the sale will consititue a net gain to the taxpayer, the department said.

[DemReadingDU]

29. Cement Truck protest pic

A 41-year-old man was arrested this morning after a concrete mixer truck was driven into the gates of Leinster House.

The words 'Anglo Toxic Bank' were displayed on the drum of the truck and a billboard on the back of the truck said 'all politicians should be sacked'.

The truck has since been removed and Kildare Street has fully reopened to traffic.

a bit more
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0929/dailprotest.html

[Papa Boule]

38. I can think of a lot more creative things to do with a concrete mixer truck

Especially a full one.

[Po_d Mainiac]

41. True, but the bloke probably was figuring the Bobbies

would be carting him off to visit a magistrate. Probably wanted to still have a usable tool at the end of the day.

Those things ain't worth much than a paper weight if the load hardens.

[tclambert]

49. Mythbusters found a way to clear the hardened cement out of a half full truck.

800 pounds of ANFO!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m48j9INPICo

Okay, maybe it was more like they peeled the truck off the cement.

Okay, maybe it was more like the truck and cement disappeared in a cloud of dust.

[DemReadingDU]

58. Boom!

The cement truck evaporated

[Ghost Dog]

34. Dollar weakness persists as euro hits 5-month high

NEW YORK, Sept 29 (Reuters) - The dollar fell for a fourth straight session on Wednesday, hitting a fresh five-month low against the euro, as generally weak U.S. economic data fueled expectations of further monetary easing.

Mounting speculation the Federal Reserve could embark on a second round of quantitative easing, which would be negative for the dollar, drove the greenback to a two-year trough against the Australian dollar and a 2-1/2-year low versus the Swiss franc.

...

Also helping the euro was a report on Wednesday showing euro zone economic sentiment unexpectedly rose in September. The next big objective for the single euro zone currency is $1.3692, the high hit on April 12, traders said.

/... http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2010-09/18096668-forex-dollar-weakness-persists-as-euro-hits-5-month-high-020.htm

[DemReadingDU]

37. Lost in the system that took the house

9/29/10 Lost in the system that took the house By Ariana Eunjung Cha and Brady Dennis

Luis Fernandez's foreclosure documents never looked quite right.

Critical papers regarding his Orlando home were missing dates, and some signatures appeared to him to be forged. The mortgage had been sold so often - including once in the middle of the foreclosure process - that at times it was hard to tell which company was trying to seize the house. He challenged the foreclosure in court but failed.

Now, as Fernandez seeks to appeal his eviction and get his home back, he has learned that the law firm representing the banks is under investigation for fabricating foreclosure documents. And his file was signed by Jeffrey Stephan, a document processor who made headlines last week for approving what could be hundreds of thousands of cases without verifying whether the foreclosures were justified.

Fernandez says he longs for the days when homeowners knew the bankers holding their mortgage and could work out a compromise when hard times hit. Today, he said, it's like "fighting a machine." "You feel like you're alone and getting beaten up by the system," said Fernandez, 59, who missed three monthly payments after a heart attack nearly ruined his greeting card business.

Fernandez's story provides a glimpse into the bureaucratic maze his foreclosure is caught in, along with millions of others working their way through the nation's courts in the wake of the financial crisis. It is a system rife with shoddy documents, forged signatures and, some state law enforcement officials allege, outright fraud by lenders eager to rid themselves of bad loans.

As more of these practices are coming to light, the entire foreclosure system is facing the threat of grinding to a halt. Connecticut, California and Colorado have frozen all foreclosures by one major lender, and other states are pondering whether to follow suit.

The vast majority of families facing foreclosure do not fight their lenders. But that may change as a growing number of homeowners are contending in lawsuits that the process appears so flawed that they have the right to challenge their cases, even as they admit to missing payments.

Economists say such a trend threatens to overwhelm an overburdened legal system struggling to handle the aftermath of the housing collapse, as well as delay a correction in home values that the real estate market desperately needs to return to normalcy.

Legal experts say many homeowners may have legitimate cases, and even lenders in some instances are withdrawing foreclosure documents for fear that they might not hold up if challenged.

Lots more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/28/AR2010092806523_pf.html

[Papa Boule]

40. It's weird to think how much things have changed

Instead of the giants of transportation, steel, construction, manufacturing, and industry, the market rises and falls on the fortunes of a company that makes... ipods.

[Demeter]

42. I'm Off in a Bit to Probate Court

for what ought to be a non-drama release of my co-guardian from her duties due to ill-health. She's so ill, she won't even be able to come to the hearing....so the court wants to call her on the phone to testify. Sigh. I have the Kid drugged up, since she likes going to court even less than I do.

Already today I vacuumed for an hour of more so that the carpet could be washed--it's drying and thank goddess the temperature will hit 70F today, so I can have windows open to help the drying. Frost is predicted for the weekend...

Then I get to move all the upstairs furniture downstairs to start the long-dreaded ripping out the carpet, laying the wood floor process.

And sometime before the weekend, I have to decide what to do with the older cat, who is the reason why the carpet needed cleaning. She's either senile, or expressing disdain for the litter boxes, all 3 of them. Such a sweet-tempered kitty, but...I am torn. Never had a cat this old before. I can't remember, but she's over 20 for certain. (Senility is rampant around here).

So wish me luck. I am hating every minute of it. It will feel so good when it's OVER!!!

PS: Next week, it's 3 days in beautiful, suburban Cleveland! On business--somebody else's business! I can hardly wait! Stop me before I volunteer for anything again.

[Demeter]

45. I BA-AACK!

It was even more no-drama than I hoped. Except I have to renew guardianship next June...

It's so nice to see the carpet--and not smell it.

Do cats get senile? What do you think?

[ozymandius]

54. Congratulations!

I'm very happy for you that one chapter is over. Cats definitely go senile from my experience with the two who reside with me. I often think that senility is the baseline behavior.

[Po_d Mainiac]

55. yup....

Have one of them 20 something felines....

Fortunately she's taken to using sawdust around the bench saws in the downstairs woodshop, and not a rug She leaves nice neat piles that are easily shoveled into the stove...So I started putting sawdust in the litter box...She still uses the floor <groan>

[Dr.Phool]

47. Beautiful? Cleveland? In the same sentence?

You've been around Detroit too long!

[Demeter]

48. I haven't even been to Detroit since April

Just going around in little, tiny circles in Ann Arbor.....

[Papa Boule]

43. US truck tonnage hits speed bump

http://www.todaystrucking.com/news.cfm?intDocID=24723

"ARLINGTON, Va. – The largest month-to-month decrease in 15 months, the American Trucking Associations' advance seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage fell 2.7 percent in August.

"Overall the index is up 2.9 percent compared to the same month a year ago, though this was well below July's 7.4 percent year-over-year gain."

[4dsc]

59. Rumor Fed Ex to lay off 1500 newly hired drivers

This is not good news.

[54anickel]

44. Reality set in at 3:00 after the irrational exuberance from 11:00?

Hi Ozy and all! Been a very long time! Just dropping by.

[Demeter]

46. Hi! About Time You Showed Up!

Hope all is going well with you.

It appears that after 3PM all the stops are off, and reality is permitted to intrude. Usually. Or whatever passes for reality and price discovery...

[54anickel]

52. Hi Demeter! Seems some things never change...

I've been on a walk-about the last couple years...was lost in that blackhole known as facebook the past 3 months.
I heard Skinner's coming back on-line, so thought I'd wander back into the old DU neighborhood and see what's shaking.
:hi:

[ozymandius]

53. And all this time I'd worried I smelled bad.

Glad you dropped by, 54anickel. I sincerely hope that all is well in your world. :hi: You have been sorely missed.

[54anickel]

61. HA! Sorry to have given you such a complex! Thanks for the kind

welcome. I have missed you and the Marketeers as well.
My world is going...maybe not as well as it could be, but it's going.