Monthly Archives: March 2009

Systemic importance and blowdown

Posted on March 29, 2009 by coopgeek

As we consider the risks of “systemically important” firms (i.e. those “too big to fail”) we should take a lesson from forests. Their growth and structure can tell us a lot about the growth and structure of our economic system, … Continue reading →

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“Fundamental failure?”

Posted on March 28, 2009 by coopgeek

Has Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner been reading this blog? It sure sounds like it from this NY Times story: “Our system failed in fundamental ways,” Mr. Geithner told the House Financial Services Committee. “To address this will require comprehensive reform. … Continue reading →

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Thanks and apologies to Jake DeSantis

Posted on March 25, 2009 by coopgeek

Today’s New York Times included a letter of resignation from one Jake DeSantis from AIG Financial Products, the Very Same Division That Brought The Economy T0 Its Knees.  It is a very brave, beautiful, and important piece of writing, which rightly condemns the mob … Continue reading →

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Co-ops fall down

Posted on March 24, 2009 by coopgeek

There has been a bit of bad news in the co-op world this week, which has subdued my usual bubbly enthusiasm for all things cooperative. I generally am very upbeat about how co-ops can help solve our economic problems, but … Continue reading →

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Some perspective

Posted on March 20, 2009 by coopgeek

Charles Krauthammer (with whom I rarely agree) has made a very good point that I was already thinking: $165 million in bonuses to the least popular executives in the galaxy (at AIG, for those who haven’t been paying attention) is a … Continue reading →

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Playing with fire

Posted on March 17, 2009 by coopgeek

This AIG situation is starting to get out of hand. A Washington Post story this morning describes the firm moving from a state of financial collapse into the beginnings of organizational collapse. Assuming that this reporting is accurate, something very … Continue reading →

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Steps in the right direction

Posted on March 16, 2009 by coopgeek

By now, most people know that AIG is going to give out $165 million in “bonuses” to the people who not only wrecked the company, but would have wrecked the entire global economy without massive and repeated bailouts (to the … Continue reading →

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End the bailouts!

Posted on March 13, 2009 by coopgeek

One of the biggest problems about all these bailouts is that we are repeatedly throwing money at the very institutions and people who wrecked the economy. We’re rewarding those who got us into this mess, mostly by virtue of the … Continue reading →

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The American Dream

Posted on March 11, 2009 by coopgeek

One of the ominous undertones of debate about the economy’s wobbles (usually not spoken aloud in polite company) is whether we might be forced to do with less over the long term. Whether we might have to give up on the … Continue reading →

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Much to report…

Posted on March 7, 2009 by coopgeek

…and no time to report it. This has been a pretty intense week, with five events and three presentations, and that’s a big part of why I’ve been so quiet. I’ll have to give a full report next week, because … Continue reading →

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