I have long been amazed how often people argue that low-interest rates don’t help the economy. And to be honest I once wandered over to the monetary dark side and wrote a post wondering, because of the confidence issue, whether keeping rates low for such a long period of time was helping the economy. But I have tried to repent since. …
Debt Tsunamis, Debt Snowballs, and Why the Conventional Wisdom About Defeating Debt is Wrong
When you’re in debt, one of the toughest problems is knowing where to start. It’s not that you have just one debt. You have several. Or dozens. Which debt should you pay off first?
Viewers Turn Off the TV … And TV Ad Prices Go Up?
For the first time in two decades, the number of U.S. households with at least one TV has declined. So why would the rates charged to TV advertisers be rising?
Apotheker Out: Another Hewlett-Packard CEO Is Gone
Hewlett-Packard CEO Leo Apotheker may be ousted by the company’s board of directors after less than a year on the job and may be replaced – at least on an interim basis — by ex eBay CEO Meg Whitman, according to Bloomberg News
Ignore Housing Starts. The Real Story Is Existing Home Sales — and It’s Good News
Housing starts just hit their lowest level in three months. As observers of the real estate market, should we be worried?
Gambling Site Full Tilt Poker Alleged to Be a Ponzi Scheme
It’s easy to lose money by gambling. And it’s really easy to lose money by gambling when the house is basically using a stacked deck, and never plans on paying out all the winnings. According to attorneys who filed a civil suit …
“I’m a real believer in the power of free markets. But free markets need rules. If those rules aren’t sensible or if they go unenforced, then markets don’t work well.”
Google’s Charm Offensive
Google may have finally mastered the ways of Washington.
Chairman Eric Schmidt is due to testify today at a hearing before the U.S. Senate on whether the Mountain View., Calif.-based company is abusing its market dominance in …
12 Craziest Counterfeits — and How to Spot a Fake
Everyone knows you can get a fake Rolex or a bogus “designer” handbag, but the world of counterfeit goods is much wider — and much weirder — than shoddy knock-offs of luxury goods. In times of financial distress, it may be …
Should You Switch to a 15-Year Mortgage?
As 30-year fixed mortgage rates have hit historical lows, there’s been one less-publicized corollary: 15-year fixed rates are low, too.
Dog’s Life: Owners Don’t Cut Pet Spending During Tough Times
During a worrisome, unsteady, and just plain bad economic climate, consumers change their behavior—typically by trying to spend less and save more. But when it comes to one sector of consumer spending, scaling back is more the …
Obama Tax Plan: Would Buffett Rule Kill Jobs?
There’s been a lot of rhetoric since Obama announced on Monday a plan to cut the debt by $3.1 trillion over the next decade, a good portion of which would come from raising taxes on the wealthly. The President’s speech itself contained a good bit of hyperbole. The President said that America’s millionaires pay a lower tax rate than …
