Tremont Invested More Than Half Its Assets With Bernard Madoff

From Bloomberg: Tremont Invested More Than Half Its Assets With Bernard Madoff

Tremont, which manages a total of $5.8 billion, would have made roughly $62 million this year peddling funds that are solely run by Madoff, who was arrested Dec. 11 after he allegedly confessed to running a “giant Ponzi scheme” that may have bilked investors out of $50 billion.  Hedge funds that invested with the 70-year-old Queens, New York-native charged fees to their clients for the task of vetting the fund.  [Read more]

It's amazing to me that people or organizations for that matter, would put such large investments into the hands of one man. 

This fallout is going to be very very bad. Did ya hear? It's the Dow dropping, as hedge funds continue to unwind or just disappear.

Aimee
"Aim for Answers"

FDR on Foreclosures, Gold, Reflation, Labor [VIDEO]

Video Details:

These two video clips represent early New Deal policy.  The first is a radio address delivered some time after the collapse of the London Gold Conference of 1933.  The conference had been set up under the outgoing Hoover administration.  A leaked communication from President Roosevelt ended the conference.  In it, Roosevelt indicated he did not support a quick return to the traditional gold standard and that domestic considerations outweighed international. 

New Deal policy favored "reflation," essentially raising prices and wages back to the pre-Depression level.  This was to be done by various mechanisms including raising the price of gold and the cartel-like codes of the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). Part of the idea was to relieve the burden of debtors (hence, references in the first clip to assistance to those whose mortgages were in default).  Gold policy was based on theories that people really thought in gold terms (money was seen as just a representation of gold) and therefore raising the price of gold would lift all prices proportionally.

Aimee

"Aim for History"

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good." The Economist, 1929

Reactions of the Wall Street Slump appeared in The Economist on November 23rd, 1929.

It gives a unique perspective of the problems on Wall Street at that time and offers forecasts of what could come (without the advantage of hindsight).

...what will be the economic effect of the slump on business in the United States?

...speculation in the United States has been so widespread that persons of all classes deceived by, in some cases, real, but in many more cases, purely paper profits from their investments, have been living beyond their means, or, at all events, mortgaging their future by purchasing luxury goods up to, or even beyond, the full limit of their incomes.

How far this will extend must at present be a matter of conjecture. A great deal must in any case depend upon the situation of the banks.

It remains to consider what effect a setback, whether great or small, in the United States will have upon other countries.

If we are justified in assuming that the setback in American industry will only be temporary, we may look forward to steady development in 1930...

Aimee
"Aim for a History Lesson"

Paulson on Paulson's Plan

Fighting the Financial Crisis, One Challenge at a Time

By HENRY M. PAULSON Jr.

Published: November 18, 2008

If we have learned anything throughout this year, we have learned that this financial crisis is unpredictable and difficult to counteract.

There is no playbook for responding to turmoil we have never faced. We adjusted our strategy to reflect the facts of a severe market crisis, always keeping focused on our goal: to stabilize a financial system that is integral to the everyday lives of all Americans.

No Playbook? Really? Get a dictionary. It is called a contingency plan.

Aimee
"Aim for Answers"

Google Goodies

• Google Trends


• Google Translate


• Google Docs


• Gmail


• Picasa Web Albums


• Google Maps


• Even more Google stuff here

An Affair: Sarah Palin's Newest Problem?

Sarah Palin ‘affair’: big media stays quiet as ‘lover’ named

So far there has been nothing reported about this by the larger U.S. news agencies. We'll see soon enough if there is anything to this new bombshell about John McCain's VP nominee and running mate Sarah Palin.

Here's an article from The First Post:

While America's respectable media focus on John McCain's acceptance speech to the Republican faithful, blogs and gossip sites continue to lead the feeding frenzy surrounding the National Enquirer's allegation, reported here yesterday, that McCain's running mate Sarah Palin had an affair with her husband's business partner.

Aimee

"Aim for the Election"

Sarah Palin’s Song: Half-Baked Alaskan

A new song about Sarah Palin. It is a catchy, melodic tune with funny sound bytes from this Half-Baked Alaskan as well as other commentary.

Aimee
"Aim for Music"