Posted by Canadian Dream on October 8, 2008
Why do we refer to ourselves as consumers? Because we consume, yet this isn’t what we really are. It’s like trying to make sense of a person by looking at their water bill. It doesn’t tell you much.
What we really should call ourselves are citizens. We members of great nations who look to improve our standing in the world. Collectively North America has long been a great place to achieve dreams, but it’s now lacking that somewhat. We have forgotten true greatness doesn’t come with a new TV on credit but rather great people which starts with our leaders.
So remember to vote in your upcoming election. There is no such thing as a wasted vote. Find which party most agrees with your own beliefs and then vote accordingly. Be a citzen and not a consumer and remember to vote.
Posted by Canadian Dream on September 30, 2008
Well after yesterday’s disaster of index performance I decided to do a little digging. Exactly how bad has it been lately.
Well the following is the major stock indexes that make up my portfolio and their performance for the last few months.
TSX
- June 18, 2008 – 15073
- Sept 29, 2008 – 11285
- Down 25%
S&P 500
- June 18, 2008 – 1337
- Sept 29, 2008 – 1106
- Down 17%
MSCI EAFE Total Return Index
- June 18, 2008 – 1468
- Sept 29, 2008 – 1163
- Down 20%
Wow that sucks! What is really scary is the US and world index have been falling since the start of the year. If you take that in to account the loses are closer to 24% for the S&P and 26% for the MSCI Total Return.
And I’m just left sitting here with two thoughts on my mind. Damn I wish I had more cash to go shopping right now. Panic sellers can be good deals if you can stand the downside. The other thought is bonds were a good idea to include in my portfolio for the sleep at night factor. Best of luck everyone.
Posted by Canadian Dream on September 25, 2008
Alright the US is looking at the mother of all bailouts to the tune of $700 billion dollars. They have even hinted at 1929 style crash and depression to follow if they don’t offer this bailout package and stiff the US taxpayer with the bill for the next 50 years or so.
Is it me or is this all strangely sounding like the famous ‘weapons of mass destruction’ wild goose chase? We take something bad and pump it up to something ‘terrible’ and then get the public support to do something stupid and leave people paying for it for decades to come. The trick is to get it passed fast so people can’t read the fine print and realize what is going on.
They keep saying it will wipe out lots of investors. The really good question is which ones? How much money will the average people lose? After all in the lovely capitalist society isn’t most of the wealth concentrated at the top. Who is really going to get hurt badly? Perhaps a couple 100,000 people out of millions?
If the US is really all about free market, they should let it correct itself. Afterall the market has been trying since 9/11 to correct itself downwards. Will it hurt going down? Yes, but think of it this way. All they are really going to do is take a large hit now and spread it out over a number of years with interest. So what do you want to pay $5000 now or $100/month for the next five years? Either way someone has to pay to clean up this mess.
So what’s your thoughts on the big bailout? Needed or hot air?
