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Strategies & Market Trends : Rande Is . . . HOME -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bucky Katt who wrote (57464)	7/12/2007 11:12:32 PM
From: Rande Is	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 57584

Hi Bucky. Glad things in are well in the windy city. Great to hear about your granddaughters. Our youngest boy's little girl calls me "Randepa"....>g<... I am enjoying watching from the sidelines....rather than being in the game. When stress gets too great, I can put my head in the sand like everyone else and squeeze out another day of artificial bliss. Like you, I am concerned about our fragile economy. Recent news on the renewed strength of Al Qaida and its ability to attack the U.S. is cause for concern. If economy holds up to house of cards debt load (individually and gov't), it could still collapse under stress of another significant attack event. And if we survive that, we still have the burden of a massive amount of money yet to be spent on the war effort....not to mention out of control trade deficit and shrinking job market (which has yet to be officially acknowledged)....and of course the (apparently hidden) increasing inflation...and still complacent public....and voters. Throw in another natural disaster or two....and....well...you get the picture. So where do we look for global leadership once America is reduced to third world status? I like to watch skyscraper construction to see where economic confidence lies. skyscraperpage.com (check "next page" too) [Scroll right for a glimpse into the future of the worlds tallest buildings]....and you can see that there is more confidence in countries like U.A.E., China and South Korea...(and do I see Russia??)......than in the United States.....especially when considering how we dominated the globe with such construction for nearly a century. And those countries conjure up images of a "new world order", which conceivably would not include U.S., U.K. or Japan. Very interesting how even buildings built within U.S. are globally oriented in nature, I.E. world trade. I predict that Russia will "create" an exciting new city in the next 10 years and will become an increasingly larger economy over time....likely through a partnership with deeper pockets of the oil rich Middle East. Korean and Chinese manufacturing will certainly dominate for decades to come. While America specializes in what.....uh, technology? Hey, aren't we due for a few more changes in our operating systems....so that we will require all new programs....and new computers to run them? [said sarcastically] I don't know.....it seems to me that while India sets national policy to favor rapid industrial expansion in a highly competitive global marketplace.....we in America chase our tails and rest on our laurels. Capitalism requires a certain amount of integrity by its leaders...in order that it doesn't end up consuming itself. Greed has run rampant long enough that it seems that finding ways to cheat customers has become the new standard. Banks, Utilities, Institutions and the Government were sort of expected to rip us off whenever possible. But over time, this unscrupulous behavior has trickled down to include big business....and even small business. "Whenever possible cheat...to improve profit margins", has become the new mantra. If only 30% of the population notice and only half of them actually complain about it.....and half again actually act on it....then that is less than 10% of the customer base....and legal says we can absorb whatever that number can do, IE, sue or bring about class action suits." It's not like anyone is "breaking the law"!! Yeah, I believe the pinch that many feel....[and many more will soon feel when they try to buy a home].....is just the beginning. We...and moreso, our sons and grandaughters.....are reaping the ills that corporate, institutional and government greed has cultivated and sewn. The US Dollar sinking should come as no surprise. I do wish you (and everyone here)....very best wishes.... Rande Is