To All, Tech Review review: In general, the best issue ever. However, it reads like War and Peace, except long. <g> Nearly every word is a gem, but Count Earlie Tolstoy had a lot to say this month.
1. The intl. perspective is worth a newsletter of its own, even without the tech part. I don't see anyone out there who does this as well as Earlie or covers more bases than he and Donny do.
2. Somehow, the Review seems to think Japan may be selling more U.S. T-Bonds in the near future. And for some silly reason, they believe that when the largest holder (outside of the Fed) of the bombs sells them, that rates could creep up.
3. China is covered in some detail. This story, though a problem for the buck and our bonds, is much more of a problem for the crap shooters we call our banking system. They claim "a devaluation is all but inevitable." Hey, I've waited long enough. Take the sucker down. <g>
4. Unlike more respectable and more visible commentators on Latin America, the Tech Review does not believe that the crisis is over. In fact, they mention impossible concepts like $400 billion in loans, much of which will be in default sooner or later and that this may not be good for the banks. Where they miss the point entirely is that the US banks can counter this threat by splitting their stocks. <g>
5. They don't like Russia, much. Terms like starvation of millions come to mind. Heck, they have 2 weeks food supply and haven't paid for food in years. But we all know the commodity suppliers are so flush with cash that they will continue to carry the Russkies. <g>
6. They discuss the stages of a depression and how it is now becoming more apparent in the US of A. Commie rats. <g>
7. Something you get nowhere else. Earlie talks about the shipping industry and notices that things have fallen off a bit. See, there is a reason why he is out on the docks asking young seamen: "Hey, sailor, new in town?"
8. A mention that the spreads on corporate bonds vs. Treasuries are nearly back where they were during the "bond lockup" of this fall. And, this time , protecting the dollar does not allow another reckless rate cut.
9. Non-financial corporate debt was up 72% year over year to Sept 1998. I must be mistaken. That sounds bad to me. <g>
10. US consumer debt is up nearly 67% in five years. Then they have the nerve to say that U.S. economic health is a cosmetic lie. I understand Estee Lauder is suing for defamation of character. <g>
11. Q1 PC sales have fallen off a cliff. I wish they would stop being so wishy-washy and say what they mean. <g>
12. Mike Dell's insider sales have pushed the SEC legal limit every month. But everything is great at the Austin Autopsy.
13. Hard to believe, but they still don't like Micron.
14. Expect a near term warning from Intel. This one I'm not sure about. Intel is in huge trouble, but they have a lot of accounting tricks and the folks who own the stock aren't bright enough to see them. I hope they are right, but I have great faith in Intel's ability to hide the truth a while longer.
15. Rambus may be dead in the water. Hooray! I always like the Rocky movies better. <g> They use terms like "expensive boondoggle."
16. Samsung is roaring ahead on DDR chips. And they are way ahead of MU on Rambus.
17. Another accounting coup for the dynamic duel (misspelling intended). They've found another of Microsoft's accounting scams that adds to eps. Will anyone pay attention? I hope, but I'm not holding my breath.
18 As always, read the disclaimer for a good laugh.
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