The market is calm BEFORE NEXT MOVE:]

[DrStool]

Maybe it is time to retire before the people retire him. If he is reelected, we are in worst shape than even I think we are.

 

His re-election is a slam dunk.

[T_Slim]

boy that old euro dollar is stubborn. it should discover what the word "gravity" means before too long . . . dumb futures still piddling around too. maybe this mess will be resolved tomorrow . . .

[4shzl]

I did some work on an infringement case involving a Taiwanese manufacturer of knockoffs of Nokia phones and Apple iPods. What I learned from that was that the knockoffs looked very similar, but simply did not possess the same breadth & depth of features and functionality. This complicated the analysis on my end, since I was hard-pressed to insist that Nokia would have otherwise captured the sales of knock-off equivalents. You get the same problem on cost, which the article indicates (since - given elasticity of demand - a purchaser of a $100 knockoff isn't likely to pay the full $500 price for the real McCoy in the absence of a knockoff). So, I'm not prepared to count knockoff units in China as a measure of the lost value to Apple, Nokia, et al.

 

 

 

Am I saying it isn't a problem for U.S. or European manufacturers? No way. It definitely saps unit sales, revenues, and margins.

 

But the knockoffers have an economies-of-scale challenge of their own: Apple can sell iPhones into China (and everywhere else...) legitimately, but the knockoffers can't sell their units legitimately into the U.S., because when they try, they get dragged into court. Further, U.S. distributors aren't eager to enter into agreement with these manufacturers, even if they think they could sell some of these units down market.

 

Lastly, I think the cost profile indicated in the article reveals some of the consequences of a decade of (over)investment in East Asian consumer electronics manufacturing capacity (destined for export): the knockoffers are clearly competing ruthlessly on price in the Chinese domestic market. The bulk of knockoffers will fail; those that survive will have to go legitimate at some point if they want to compete in global markets for their offerings.

With respect (since you obviously know a lot more about this than I do), this perspective reminds me of the attitude we had about Japanese cars in the 70s -- miserable little crapboxes whose only virtue was their price. We all know how that turned out . . .

 

A more significant point relates to what constitutes "legitimacy." I believe that BRIC is or soon will be in a position to rewrite the rules to suit their own interests. Why in the world would they choose to honor the rent-seeking manipulations* of the ancien r?gime when they have means to replace its goods and services with more or less equivalent domestic alternatives?

 

*How many times has copyright protection been extended at the behest of DIS? Hey, Mickey, watch your step . . .

 

[beachmuffin]

Well, it's up to us, the citizens, if we want to change the system. I think Campaign Finance Reform, where the taxpayers would pay for political campaigns, would be one efficient way.

 

The way we citizens have structured the job of Congress person, it is almost impossible at present for anyone but a whore to Special Interests to get elected. No use complaining about the kind of representatives we get, in a system we citizens have created which, by the very nature of that system, elects only whores to be representatives.

 

I like your ideas of having all-volunteer representatives also, who only work for 1 term. Maybe we could avoid having anyone pay for campaigns at all, by selecting people at random from the general voter population to serve in Congress. Maybe we furnish housing and food and necessities for them and that's all, so that anyone from any SES background could do the job.

 

Everyone wants to get some attention and to feel important. But it would be better if all those most extreme in those needs just went to try out for American Idol or something like that. No point in having hoards of egomaniacs in Congress, making laws that hurt the public as a whole but that benefit their friends who finance their campagins. This is a case where the road to hell is not paved with good intentions. This road to hell has caused numerous evils-- including causing a world economic crisis due to lax regulation of financial firms. This road to hell is paved by negligence on the part of us citizens. We need to wake up, make a U-turn on that road, and take back control of our government.

 

Cap,

I too think publicly financed campaigns would be a big step forward with a time limit for how long the thing drags on.

 

I do think our reps do need to be paid. You'd have to be pretty rich to not work for a few years or have a very supportive spouse.

 

I'm not so sold on term limits. Part of the problem in CA with the budget is that none of the reps have much experience so nobody knows how the government runs. Having worked for a few large companies in the past, I know that it takes a while to just learn the mechanics of how a large organization works or doesn't. I'm ready to vote term limits out on the state level. It sounded like a good idea, but the reality is not so good.

[Jorma]

I wonder why there's been so little speculation about this Fed meeting, either here or in the media. Nary a peep.

 

I'm getting a sense of foreboding.

 

It is rather odd.

 

This guy has been touting Qualitative Easing 2.0. Well that's coming someday along with 3,4,5,6,7. But now? Probably at least a hint.

 

http://zerohedge.blogspot.com/2009/04/upda...hart.html#links

[Cassiopeia]

Functures lost the bonar and back red.

[Bungster]

I wonder why there's been so little speculation about this Fed meeting, either here or in the media. Nary a peep.

 

I'm getting a sense of foreboding.

 

What can they do.....cut rates from 0.5% to 0.25%?

[K Wave Rider]

2 for 1 sale.....

 

Phoenix leads nation in home price declines in February

 

In addition, Phoenix home prices are down 51 percent from their peak.

 

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories...ml?ana=from_rss

[BusKow]

SloSto buy sig's in Utils... AEE, ALE, GAS, NJR

 

DYODD

[snorkels4]

The Fed is not empowered to buy any sort of financial instrument unless it carries the full faith and credit of the government.

 

REALLY

 

 

THE ARMOR IS CRACKING

 

http://market-ticker.denninger.net/

[capitall]

Cap,

I too think publicly financed campaigns would be a big step forward with a time limit for how long the thing drags on.

 

I do think our reps do need to be paid. You'd have to be pretty rich to not work for a few years or have a very supportive spouse.

 

I'm not so sold on term limits. Part of the problem in CA with the budget is that none of the reps have much experience so nobody knows how the government runs. Having worked for a few large companies in the past, I know that it takes a while to just learn the mechanics of how a large organization works or doesn't. I'm ready to vote term limits out on the state level. It sounded like a good idea, but the reality is not so good.

 

Some excellent points there, Beachmuffin. Thanks for your contribution. The more folks put on our thinking caps (and/or our action suits) about how to best take back control of the government for its citizens, the sooner we'll get this done. It can (and hopefully will) become a whole 'nuther world out there, with citizens, rather than Special Interests, in charge of government.

[shorty]

Phoenix home prices are down 51 percent from their peak.

only another 39% ta go

 

getcher fraudboxes here, 10 cents on the dollar, step right up

 

aSS is CONdition