Monthly Archives: December 2008

What to do about the looming commercial foreclosure mess?

Posted on December 31, 2008 by coopgeek

I am up against all sorts of deadlines in preparation for my 5-week national book tour starting on Friday. So it’s likely to be quiet around here until I hit the road and start encountering some really inspiring people and … Continue reading →

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Ujamaa

Posted on December 30, 2008 by coopgeek

Happy Kwanzaa everyone. I just went to my first observance of this holiday, which I must bashfully admit I had given little thought before my sister called me up yesterday; she told me that they celebrate a different principle every … Continue reading →

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Good news at last!

Posted on December 29, 2008 by coopgeek

National Public Radio’s Jacki Lyden posted a sobering story yesterday about the troubles facing Detroit’s fire department. It was a short but solid piece that outlined the difficulty of preventing a hollowed-out city from burning. The department is half its former … Continue reading →

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Will pirouette for food

Posted on December 27, 2008 by coopgeek

Among the many stories in my home town (which happens to be the capitol of California, which happens to be teetering on the brink of insolvency and governmental chaos), one must include the plight of the Sacramento Ballet, which is … Continue reading →

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It’s a Wonderful Life

Posted on December 24, 2008 by coopgeek

It is Christmas, and that means it’s time for all sorts of sentimental stories that mostly don’t do much for me. Call me scroogy, but I’m just not one for being manipulated into a specific “holiday spirit.” For example, “A … Continue reading →

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Have no shame in need

Posted on December 23, 2008 by coopgeek

People are worried. Everyone in my family and most of my friends are having some sort of stress from loss of income or potential loss of income. I think that some of this fear is about the actual difficulty and maybe … Continue reading →

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Guest blogger!

Posted on December 22, 2008 by coopgeek

From time to time I mention Argentina here. Some of you may be starting to get tired of hearing me go on and on (and on) about Argentina, so tonight I’ll give you a break and we’ll hear from someone … Continue reading →

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“Orderly” bankruptcy

Posted on December 18, 2008 by coopgeek

I’m not reassured by the noises coming from the Bush Administration right now, especially in the wake of Chrysler’s decision to halt operations for at least a month. Some people are trying to downplay this, because the automakers always shut down … Continue reading →

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Market Failure

Posted on December 18, 2008 by coopgeek

Today the Washington Post reported that the government’s effort to help struggling homeowners is a failure. The program, which was intended to help restructure 400,000 mortgages, has only attracted 312 applicants since it’s October launch because “it is too expensive and … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on Madoff

Posted on December 16, 2008 by coopgeek

“The financial system is not based on trust…Banks don’t trust you—that’s why they take collateral. You don’t trust the bank—that’s why we have the FDIC.” So says Robert Wright, a financial historian at New York University, quoted in Business Week’s recent … Continue reading →

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