Obama continues to make Machiavellian moves

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/01/31/greggs_appointment_to_commerce.html?hpid=topnews
You can say many things about Obama but he is clearly an excellent player of the game. By appointing a Republican senator from a Democratic controlled state he is doing what his party could not. Control of congress. In the end absolute power has always corrupted. Be careful what you wish for Democratics.

Korea nearing war?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jaGRMYGX4AoL2n076WwmIZr1IgMQD9620B580
As if Obama was not busy enough North Korea is upping the rhetoric.

So we end the month with 6 failed banks

http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2009/pr09013.html
This trend as well has been accelerating. But still mild.

January Economic Summary in Graphs

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2009/01/january-economic-summary-in-graphs.html
Just ugly and not signs of slowing

Soros and what could be done

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/49b1654a-ed60-11dd-bd60-0000779fd2ac.html

Very difficult and almost for sure undoable.

techincal warning

A close below 8046 will indicate a strong move down in the following weeks.

Watching closely and preparing to go short against the Dow and SP.

The difference between a severe recession and a full-scale Depression is famine

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/30/MNC615JNHB.DTL