Re: America, a Civilization in Decline

On Mon, 19 May 2008 01:47:20 GMT, nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Straydog)
wrote:

>On Sat, 17 May 2008 14:51:43 -0700, retrogrouch@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 17 May 2008 11:20:39 GMT, nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Straydog)
>>wrote:
>>
>>>> The notion the real
>>>>estate market is stabilizing is a joke. You're seeign seasonal
>>>>variation, (more house starts and slaes in Aprl than January) not year
>>>>over year. Compare April 07 to April 08 (and for good measure match
>>>>both of htose to 06.
>>>>http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/Calendars/EconomicCalendar.htm
>>>>Click on the entries for tables.
>>>
>>>I really don't have time to spend most of my day chasing every source
>>>of data and information. 
>>
>>In other words you wish to hold fast to your illusions and delusions.
>>The housing market is no where near stabilization. 
>
>Well, I'm telling you what my general impression is based on scanned
>WSJ articles and from a few other sources (eg. Business Week, and The
>Economist, which I also have subscriptions to).
>
>>
>>>>Housing starts are down about 30% year over year. and 60% over 06.
>>>
>>>I appreciate that the articles discuss the housing sector in terms of
>>>a large number of factors besides "starts". 
>>
>>You "appreciate" articles that say what you need to hear. I gave you
>>links directly to the statistics. They are evidently to real for you
>>to wish to consider.  Your loss. reality awaits you.
>
>What do you do, pick out the links that fit your particular preference
>to focus only on the negative news?


What I do is follow the economic re****ting calendar and look at every
statistic posted. 

> I scan over WSJ articles that
>cover a lot of related sectors of the economy and that includes
>financing. 

You read the spin, I read the data, that's the difference.

Almost every day I read what's new here:
http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/Calendars/EconomicCalendar.htm

This is raw data without the spin.

When it comes to interpretation my favorite place is 
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/

He considers himself a libertarian trader and analyst. You might know
I loathe libertarians (at least the usenet variety) but Barry is
brilliant at looking at what the numbers really say and what's being
spun. Despite differing philosophical basis I respect his take on
things.

>Don't get me wrong, I am very sorry that the whole housing
>industry is in a big funk and lots of people are hurting. Buuuut,
>there is a lot more going on in the US economy than housing, and my
>general impression is that things could be a whole lot worse. 

And if you look at the data, you'll understand things will soon be
worse. Much worse.