STOCK MARKET WATCH, Thursday, March 31, 2011

[Pale Blue Dot]

Source: du

STOCK MARKET WATCH, Thursday, March 31, 2011

AT THE CLOSING BELL ON March 30, 2010

Dow 12,350.61 +71.60 (+0.58%)
Nasdaq 2,776.79 +19.90 (+0.72%)
S&P 500 1,328.26 +8.82 (+0.66%)
10-Yr Bond... 3.44 -.00 (-0.12%)
30-Year Bond 4.50 -0.01 (-0.16%)

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Market Conditions During Trading Hours

Euro, Yen, Loonie, Silver and Gold

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Handy Links - Market Data and News:Economic Calendar    Marketwatch Data    Bloomberg Economic News    Yahoo! Finance    Google Finance    Bank Tracker    
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Handy Links - Economic Blogs:
The Big Picture    Financial Sense    Calculated Risk    Naked Capitalism    Credit Writedowns
Brad DeLong      Bonddad    Atrios    goldmansachs666    The Stand-Up Economist

Handy Links - Government Issues:
LegitGov    Open Government    Earmark Database    USA spending.gov

Handy Links - Videos:
The Coming Collapse of the Middle Class    Charlie Rose talks with Roubini    Charlie Rose talks with Krugman
    William Black: This Economic Disaster    Bill Moyers with Kevin Drum and David Corn

Bush Administration Officials Convicted = 2
Names: David Safavian, James Fondren
Dishonorable Mention: former House majority leader, Tom DeLay

Bush Administration Officials Charged = 1
Name(s): Richard Lopez Razo

Financial Sector Officials Convicted since 1/20/09 = 11

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This thread contains opinions and observations. Individuals may post their experiences, inferences and opinions on this thread. However, it should not be construed as advice. It is unethical (and probably illegal) for financial recommendations to be given here.

Read more: du

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. Today's Reports

Mar 31 08:30 Initial Claims 03/26 370K 383K 382K
Mar 31 08:30 Continuing Claims 03/19 3700K 3700K 3721K
Mar 31 09:45 Chicago PMI Mar 68.0 69.5 71.2
Mar 31 10:00 Factory Orders Feb 0.0% 0.4% 3.1%

Read more: http://www.briefing.com/Investor/Public/Calendars/EconomicCalendar.htm#ixzz1IB1Z2SB8

[Pale Blue Dot]

27. I'm pissed. They're playing blatant games to say that initial claims are dropping.

This is the third week in a row that they've revised the previous week's numbers upwards significantly, and then claimed a drop against the revised numbers. Claims are actually going up. The report:

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending March 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 388,000, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 394,000. The 4-week moving average was 394,250, a increase of 3,250 from the previous week's revised average of 391,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending March 19, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 19 was 3,714,000, a decrease of 51,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,765,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,765,250, a decrease of 32,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,798,000.

http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/press/2011/033111.asp

[mrdmk]

35. Yep!

:eyes:

[rdking647]

43. i only use the 4 week moving average.

weekly claims are to variable.

when i was on the floor we ignored the weekly claims completely.

[ret5hd]

2. First rec!

[Pale Blue Dot]

3. Oil near $105 as Gadhafi takes back Libya oil port

SINGAPORE – Oil prices rose to near $105 a barrel Thursday in Asia after control of a key oil port swung back to forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, dimming hopes of a quick rebel victory and a restart of crude exports.

Benchmark crude for May delivery was up 72 cents to $104.97 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 52 cents to settle at $104.27 on Wednesday.

In London, Brent crude was up 87 cents at $115.82 a barrel on the ICE futures exchange.

On Wednesday, Gadhafi forces pushed rebels out of Ras Lanouf, an important oil terminal that has switched between the two sides several times since the uprising began last month. The latest rebel setback has raised speculation that coalition powers, which have bombed government forces for two weeks, may send ground troops to protect the rebellion or overthrow Gadhafi.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/oil_prices

[Pale Blue Dot]

4. U.S. Stock-Index Futures Are Little Changed; Berkshire Hathaway Retreats

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index poised for its biggest first-quarter rally in 13 years, as investors awaited reports on jobless claims and factory orders.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) lost 2.4 percent in pre-market trading after David Sokol, once a candidate to succeed Warren Buffett as the head of the investment firm, resigned after helping to negotiate the acquisition of a company whose shares he had purchased. Mosaic Co. (MOS), North America’s second-largest fertilizer producer, may decline after reporting third-quarter revenue that trailed analysts’ estimates.

Futures on the S&P 500 expiring in June fell less than 0.1 percent to 1,323.5 at 7:11 a.m. in New York. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures advanced less than 0.1 percent to 12,292 and Nasdaq-100 Index futures slid 0.1 percent to 2,333.

“There are clearly quite a few risks out there that might hurt growth, not just in the U.S. but also the rest of the world,” Philippe Gijsels, the Brussels-based head of research at BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets, said in a Bloomberg Radio interview.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-31/u-s-stock-index-futures-are-little-changed-berkshire-hathaway-retreats.html

[rdking647]

45. i was hoping berkshire would have fallen more

so i could buy it

[xchrom]

5. I hope Demeter checks in today. Nt

[Demeter]

7. Your wish is my command

It's still ridiculously cold--20F

But the sun is shining today.

[xchrom]

8. ...

:hi: awesome! -- sorry about the weather.

[Fuddnik]

10. I woke up to tornado's and 70 mph winds.

I thought the bedroom blinds were going to fly out of the window. Still lots of thunder lightning and rain. A tornado was reported not far from where the wife works.

First light, I can see a door on the shed ripped off. It's pouring rain, and Rosco wants to go out and play in it.

But it beats the hell out of snow!

[xchrom]

13. watch out for falling witches! nt

[Po_d Mainiac]

16. I dun't know about that

I'll take the foot of snow, we're supposed to get tomorrow, on the roof over having the roof end up in another zip code.

[Fuddnik]

37. I tried to post a couple of times, and power kept going out.

Had to leave for a doctors appt., and it took a while to navigate around the neighborhood to find spots that weren't flooded. I finally made it. Unflooded now, but more thunder, lightning and wind.

[tclambert]

23. What cold? I've been bike-riding twice this week.

Hope to go again today. Winter coat, knit hat, gloves, and hot chocolate waiting back at base camp.

Okay, it is cold. And I go out in the afternoon when it's 40-something. You always go out when it's coldest.

[xchrom]

25. i got cold just reading that. nt

[Fuddnik]

49. 40 degrees? Are you people crazy?

Ooops, there goes another big BOOM!

[Demeter]

57. Getting there

I used to turn the heat off on Tax Day--in my passive solar house in NH.

I'll be lucky if I don't have to turn it on in June, like I did last year.

[Fuddnik]

59. I usually try to make it to May 15th without the AC.

I've been tempted a few times already this year.

[Po_d Mainiac]

60. you're right

It's a little warm for outdoor work/play, but there ain't much we can do about it.

[xchrom]

6. Recommend

[xchrom]

9. U.S. futures hold steady ahead of jobless data

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-futures-hold-steady-ahead-of-jobless-data-2011-03-31?dist=beforebell

LONDON (MarketWatch) — U.S. stock futures held in a tight range Thursday ahead of the first quarter’s final trading session, as investors also eyed a packed economic schedule over the next two days.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average /quotes/comstock/21b!f:dj\m11 (DJM11 12,294, +8.00, +0.07%) rose 14 points to 12,300 and Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures /quotes/comstock/21m!f:sp\m11 (SPM11 1,324, -0.30, -0.02%) were up 0.4 point at 1,324.30.

Nasdaq 100 futures /quotes/comstock/21m!f:nd\m11 (NDM11 2,335, +0.25, +0.01%) were up 1.25 points at 2,335.75.

[xchrom]

11. Portugal revises up 2010 budget deficit to 8.6%

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/portugal-revises-up-2010-budget-deficit-to-86-2011-03-31

MADRID (MarketWatch) -- Portugal's national statistical agency on Thursday said the government had a budget deficit of 8.6% of gross domestic product in 2010, which was higher than the government's estimate of just over 7%.

[xchrom]

12. U.K.'s Hague says no immunity for Libya's Koussa

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uks-hague-says-no-immunity-for-libyas-koussa-2011-03-31

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a speech in London Thursday that Moussa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister who arrived in the U.K. Wednesday night seeking refuge from the regime of Col. Moammar Gadhafi, would not be "offered any immunity from British or international justice" and that Koussa "is voluntarily talking to British officials."

[xchrom]

14. Caterpillar, Chevron top DJIA components

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/caterpillar-chevron-top-djia-components-2011-03-31?link=MW_story_morecolumn

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Caterpillar Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!cat/quotes/nls/cat (CAT 111.77, +0.24, +0.22%) leads the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average /quotes/comstock/10w!i:dji/delayed (DJIA 12,351, +71.60, +0.58%) with a year-to-date rise of 19.1%, according to Dow Jones Indexes.

[xchrom]

15. Markets wrap disaster-prone quarter on calmer note

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/markets-wrap-disaster-prone-quarter-on-calmer-note-2011-03-31?dist=beforebell

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Investors close out a nerve-rattling first quarter Thursday, maneuvering through a barrage of unexpected events that sent global risk fears skyrocketing before a degree of calm returned at the very end.

Shaken by natural disasters and political crises, uneasy investors gravitated toward safe-haven assets such as bonds and commodities and away from riskier assets such as stocks — and back again, as situations in the Middle East, North Africa, Japan and Europe intensified or eased.





dear markets: YOU ARE A FUCKIN DISASTER.
thank you, xchrom.

[SoulSearcher]

30. Caterpillar threatening IL they may leave

Says taxes too high - read this a few days ago- what gives????

[xchrom]

31. it's true -- they are threatening to do just that. nt

[Pale Blue Dot]

17. Josh Rosner: Dodd Frank is a Farce on Too Big to Fail (long)

Note: Josh Rosner, managing director of Graham Fisher & Co., submitted this written testimony for a March 30 panel for the House Oversight Committee that was cancelled. His testimony has been entered into the Congressional Record and will be available on the House Oversight Committee website in the near future. The text appears below..

Has Dodd-Frank Ended Too Big to Fail?

Almost three years have passed since the United States financial system shook, began to seize up, and threatened to bring the global economy crashing down. The seismic event followed a long period of neglect in bank supervision led by lobbyist-influenced legislators, “a chicken in every pot” administrations, and neutered bank examiners.

While the current cultural mythology suggests the underlying causes of the crisis were unobservable and unforeseeable, the reality is quite different. Structural changes in the mortgage finance system and the risks they posed were visible as early as 2001. Even as late as 2007 warnings of the misapplications of ratings in securitized assets such as collateralized debt obligations and the risks these errors posed to investors, to markets, and to the greater economy were either unseen or ignored by regulators who believed financial innovation meant that risk was “less concentrated in the banking system” and “made the economy less vulnerable to shocks that start in the financial system.” Borrowers, these regulators argued, had “a greater variety of credit sources and (had become) less vulnerable to the disruption of any one credit channel.”

In the wake of the crisis, and before either the Congressional Oversight Panel or the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission delivered their final reports on the causes of the crisis, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Act. The act claimed to end the era of “too-big-to-fail” institutions and sought to address the fundamental structural weaknesses and conflicts within the financial system. To falsely declare an end to Too Big to Fail without actually accomplishing that end is more damaging to the credibility of U.S. markets than a failure to act at all. The historic understanding that our markets were the most free to fair competition, most well regulated and transparent, has been the underlying basis of our ability to attract foreign capital. It is this view that, in turn, had supported our markets as the deepest, broadest, and most liquid.

In fact, Dodd-Frank reinforces the market perception that a small and elite group of large firms are different from the rest. While the act sought to reduce the risks that too-big-to-fail (TBTF) institutions pose to the financial system and the broader global economy, it is unclear whether any such meaningful reduction has actually occurred. Moreover, although not fully implemented, Dodd-Frank has not reduced the number of systemically risky firms or placed meaningful new limits on their size, interconnectedness, or leverage. In fact, since the crisis began the largest financial firms have become even larger. In 1995 the assets controlled by JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley represented 17 percent of GDP; as of January 2011 these firms controlled assets equal to 64 percent of our nation’s GDP. Today, the five largest banks, which controlled slightly more than 10 percent of deposits in the early 1990s, control over 45 percent.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/03/josh-rosner-dodd-frank-is-a-farce-on-too-big-to-fail.html

[xchrom]

19. very good read. nt

[xchrom]

18. ok folks hold on to your socks: Geithner: Biggest Problem Is 'Not Complicated'

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42353610

Tightly controlled exchange rate regimes are the main flaw in the international monetary system and the solution is simple, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a G20 meeting on Thursday.


In a thinly veiled swipe at the Chinese hosts of the seminar of the Group of 20 wealthy and developing economies, Geithner said that countries should have flexible exchange rates and permit free flows of capital to be major players in the global currency order.

He also used his speech to call for a stronger International Monetary Fund and to defend U.S. policies, acknowledging that past failures had caused much damage but saying the government was aiming to stabilize debt levels to avoid future problems.

[AnneD]

34. Timmy Geitner...Winner of

China's Last Comic Standing Competition.


:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[xchrom]

36. ...

:spray:

[Demeter]

51. Because Nothing Stablizes a National Economy Better

Than having "hot money" rushing in and out, in and out, in and out....making one's currency rise up and down like the Japanese coast during an earthquake.

And then the IMF has lifetime job security, creating a New World Order out of the chaos that ensues. Oh, Timmy belonged to the IMF didn't he? Sounds like he's got a job waiting for him there--in spite of his performance.

Geithner belongs in a mental institution.

And what is this nonsense about "stabilizing US debt levels"? Stabilizing debt sounds like the biggest obstruction in the bowels one can have.

[xchrom]

20. Japan March Manufacturing PMI Hits 2-Year Low After Quake

http://www.cnbc.com/id/42349834

Japanese manufacturing activity slumped to a two-year low in March and posted its steepest monthly decline on record as a devastating earthquake and tsunami disrupted supply chains and production operations, a survey showed on Thursday.


The Markit/JMMA Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell to a seasonally adjusted 46.4 in March, the lowest since April 2009 and down from February's 52.9.

The survey, conducted between March 11 and March 25, received only two-thirds of its average number of responses.

[Demeter]

21. 2/3rds of US Corporations Pay Zero Federal Taxes: US Uncut Movement Builds to Make Them Pay Up

http://www.alternet.org/story/150387/2_3rds_of_us_corporations_pay_zero_federal_taxes%3A_us_uncut_movement_builds_to_make_them_pay_up?akid=6742.227380.-_1Wrl&rd=1&t=9

[tclambert]

29. The article says Bank of America is one of them.

I read elsewhere that Exxon Mobil is another. Tens of billions in profit, but no taxes. They must give very generously to charities.

[Demeter]

52. Add GE and Pfizer to the List

[xchrom]

22. Japanese Economic Collapse Confirmed By PMI Plunge From 52.9 To 46.4, Largest Drop Ever

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/japanese-economic-collapse-confirmed-pmi-plunge-529-464-largest-drop-ever

In the first economic metric since the Japanese earthquake struck, Japanese manufacturing activity slumped to a two-year low in March and posted its steepest monthly decline on record, confirming all the worst fears about supply chain disruptions and production operations, according to the Japanese PMI released on Thursday. From Need to Know News: "The 6.5-point drop in March was the largest on record, surpassing the falls seen after the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008 and the U.S. terror attacks in September 2001, MarkIt Economics said, adding that the March PMI index was the lowest since 41.4 marked in April 2009.

[rdking647]

44. it will take a few months

for thenm to regain their footing.. then I expect things to improve there rapidly.

[xchrom]

24. be careful what you wish for: Responsible China gets what it wants

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/MD01Ad02.html

It has been an overused phrase, the challenge from the West that China become a "responsible stakeholder" in international institutions, that the country learn to abide by rules and regulations that larger, more developed countries have found work in everyone's best interest (or so those in the West believe).

But as China's role in these global institutions has evolved, not everyone welcomes their presence and growing influence. It has become increasingly obvious to many that China is a particularly quick study in terms of getting these non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to work for them in ways that are not always consistent with other countries' objectives.

[Pale Blue Dot]

26. Noonan to propose 'radical' bank sector restructuring (Ireland)

THE MINISTER for Finance will propose a ground-breaking restructuring of the banks today as the results of Central Bank stress tests will signal the virtual nationalisation of the Irish banking sector.

The results of the tests will lead Michael Noonan to undertake “a radical new approach” to fix the banks, a Government source said.

Mr Noonan will make a “watershed” argument for a EU-wide solution around passing bank losses on to bondholders in response to the tests on Bank of Ireland, AIB, Irish Life and Permanent and EBS building society. Government colleagues last night described it as the first radical policy departure from the previous Fianna Fail-led government.

The Minister will speak for 20 minutes in the Dáil immediately after the announcement of the test results by the Central Bank.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0331/1224293434419.html

[xchrom]

32. +1 -- dear mr noonan -- please don't ask the banks

what they think should happen.

[DemReadingDU]

28. Paul Farrell: A ‘Super-Rich Delusion’ is leading us to ruin

3/29/11 A ‘Super-Rich Delusion’ is leading us to ruin by Paul Farrell
Tax the Super Rich now or face a revolution

Yes, tax the Super Rich. Tax them now. Before the other 99% rise up, trigger a new American Revolution, a meltdown and the Great Depression 2. Revolutions build over long periods — to critical mass, a flash point. Then they ignite suddenly, unpredictably. Like Egypt, started on a young Google executive’s Facebook page. Then it goes viral, raging uncontrollably. Can’t be stopped. Here in America the set-up is our nation’s pervasive “Super-Rich Delusion.”


Our top 1% honestly believe they’re immune, protected from the unintended consequences of beating down average Americans for three decades with the free-market, trickle-down Reaganomics doctrines that made them Super Rich. They honestly believe those same doctrines will protect them in the next depression. Why? Because they have megabucks stashed away. Provisions for the long haul. Live in gated compounds with mercenaries guarding them.

They believe they’ll continue living just fine in a depression. But you won’t. Nor will your retirement. Neither will the rest of America. And still the Super Rich don’t care, “except in the abstract, because they aren’t directly affected.”

Warning: The Super-Rich Delusion has pushed us to the edge of a great precipice: Remember the Roaring Twenties? The Crash of 1929? Great Depression? Just days before the crash one leading economist, Irving Fisher, predicted that stocks had “reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” Yes, he was trapped in the “Great Gatsby Syndrome,” an earlier version of today’s Super-Rich Delusion. It was so blinding in 1929 that the president, Wall Street, all America were sucked in … until the critical mass hit a mysterious flash point, triggering the crash.

more...
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tax-the-super-rich-now-or-face-a-revolution-2011-03-29

[Hotler]

33. Thanks everyone for SMW n/t

[Viva_La_Revolution]

55. +1 nt

[Robbien]

38. Japanese nuclear shutdown could take 30 years

TOKYO: Damaged reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant may take three decades to decommission and cost the operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, more than ¥1 trillion ($12 billion), engineers and analysts said as fears grew over increasing radiation around the plant.

Four of the plant's six reactors became useless when seawater was used to cool them after the March 11 earthquake and a tsunami knocked out generators running cooling systems.

<snip>

The reactors needed to be demolished after they had cooled and radioactive materials had been removed and stored, said Tomoko Murakami, a nuclear researcher at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan.

The process would take longer than the 12 years needed to decommission the Three Mile Island reactor in Pennsylvania following its partial meltdown, said Hironobu Unesaki, a nuclear engineering professor at Kyoto University.

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/fears-nuclear-shutdown-could-take-30-years-20110330-1cg9u.html

[Demeter]

53. And that's ONLY if Somebody Else Does It

I wouldn't trust these clowns to put out birthday candles.

By the way, the Kid is 28 Today! Half my age on Sunday. Almost an April Fool, the pair of us.

[xchrom]

39. Oil rises past $106 on Libya, weaker dollar

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/oil-rises-past-106-on-libya-weaker-dollar-2011-03-31

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Crude-oil futures on Thursday traded at their best in 30 months, reacting to news rebels in Libya lost ground to forces supporting the government and getting additional support from a weaker dollar.

Crude for May delivery /quotes/comstock/21n!f:cl\k11 (CLK11 106.24, +1.97, +1.89%) added $2.08, or 2%, to $106.37 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It earlier traded as high as $106.77.

[xchrom]

40. Weekly jobless claims dip 6,000 to 388,000

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/weekly-us-jobless-claims-dip-6000-to-388000-2011-03-31

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — New applications by people seeking unemployment benefits edged lower last week after taking into account revisions in the how the U.S. government calculates the data.

The number of people who filed first-time claims for jobless benefits fell by 6,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 388,000 in the week ended March 26, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Yet that decline occurred after claims in the prior week were revised up to 394,000 from an originally reported 382,000.

[xchrom]

41. robert reich -- we're heading back to a double dip

http://robertreich.org/post/4218613020

Why aren’t Americans being told the truth about the economy? We’re heading in the direction of a double dip – but you’d never know it if you listened to the upbeat messages coming out of Wall Street and Washington.

Consumers are 70 percent of the American economy, and consumer confidence is plummeting. It’s weaker today on average than at the lowest point of the Great Recession.

The Reuters/University of Michigan survey shows a 10 point decline in March – the tenth largest drop on record. Part of that drop is attributable to rising fuel and food prices. A separate Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence, just released, shows consumer confidence at a five-month low — and a large part is due to expectations of fewer jobs and lower wages in the months ahead.

[rdking647]

46. double dip is out of the question

I wish people would stop talking about a double dip.. while we could have a new recession it would be just that,a NEW one,not a double dip

[ozone_man]

58. More like a downward lightening bolt

Double dip is not applicable in this case. That would imply a recovery in the foreseeable future. But, we never left the recession of 2000-2003. Just tried to spend our way out of it, started wars, lowered interest rates to zero, created subprime bubble, which led to bigger mess, derivatives unregulated, QE1, QE2,... It's going to take many years to get to the bottom.

[Fuddnik]

48. We've got more dips than you can name.

Geithner, The Ben Bernank, Rubin, Summers, Ryan, Ayn Rand Paul, McConnell, and Obama.

Just get the Washington area phone book. They're listed alphabetically there.

[xchrom]

50. ...

:spray:

[Festivito]

42. Debt: 03/29/2011 14,215,744,197,688.26 (UP 4,176,534,757.03) (Tue, UP a little.)

(Good day.)
Lots of time on the microscope.
(Debt under Obama seems to jump up big then drop slowly maybe up a little and down a little for days--repeat.)
= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 9,590,134,857,289.87 + 4,625,609,340,398.39
UP 181,007,415.32 + UP 3,995,527,341.71

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 312-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.21 THAT'S 1B$, and $3,208.47 makes 1T$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.63, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 12 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 311,674,592 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 10/04/2010 04:37 -> 310,403,677
Currently, each of these Americans owe $45,610.85.
A family of three owes $136,832.56. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 21 reports in the last 30 to 28 days.
The average for the last 21 reports is 2,037,457,515.79.
The average for the last 30 days would be 1,426,220,261.05.
The average for the last 28 days would be 1,528,093,136.84.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 251 reports in 365 days of FY2010 averaging 6.58B$ per report, 4.53B$/day.
There were 124 reports in 180 days of FY2011 averaging 5.28B$ per report, 3.63B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 663 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 15.1 and 17.6T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
03/29/2011 14,215,744,197,688.26 BHO (UP 3,588,867,148,775.18 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +1,651,794,027,380.00 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
FY2011 +0,654,121,166,796.50 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
Endof11 +1,326,412,366,004.01 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
03/09/2011 +000,555,472,651.94 ------------********
03/10/2011 -020,814,859,511.27 -
03/11/2011 +000,832,058,508.78 ------------********
03/14/2011 +000,380,093,829.66 ------------******** Mon
03/15/2011 +066,006,214,426.70 ------------**********
03/16/2011 +001,148,655,957.01 ------------*********
03/17/2011 -014,916,428,437.31 -
03/18/2011 +000,616,236,061.23 ------------********
03/21/2011 -000,100,873,734.64 --- Mon
03/22/2011 +000,366,066,174.28 ------------********
03/23/2011 -000,063,255,741.95 ----
03/24/2011 -015,763,143,549.40 -
03/25/2011 -000,034,574,737.25 ----
03/28/2011 +000,227,402,237.21 ------------******** Mon
03/29/2011 +000,181,007,415.32 ------------********

18,620,071,550.31 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
DUer primer on National debt

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4793228&mesg_id=4793703

[Festivito]

62. Debt: 03/30/2011 14,210,139,988,236.73 (DOWN 5,604,209,451.53) (Wed, UP a little.)

(Good day.)
Of in search of phoney things.
(Debt under Obama seems to jump up big then drop slowly maybe up a little and down a little for days--repeat.)
= Held by the Public + Intragovernmental(FICA)
= 9,590,804,946,759.17 + 4,619,335,041,477.56
UP 670,089,469.30 + DOWN 6,274,298,920.83

Source: Debt to the penny:
http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np

THINKING IN BILLIONS: Think 3 or 4 dollars per billion in a 312-Million person America.
If every American, man, woman and child puts in $3.21 THAT'S 1B$, and $3,208.40 makes 1T$.
A family of three: Mom, Dad, Child: $9.63, ABOUT TEN BUCKS for a 1B$ federal program.
I hope that is clear. However, I'd suggest using $3 per 1B$ to underestimate it.
Use $4 per 1B$ to overestimate the cost when thinking: Is the federal program worth it?
Aid to Dependant Children: 2B$/yr =$8/yr(a movie a year) Family of 3: $24/yr(an hour of bowling)

PERSONALIZED DEBT:
Every 12 seconds we net gain another American, so at the end of the workday of the report, there should be 311,681,792 people in America.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html ON 10/04/2010 04:37 -> 310,403,677
Currently, each of these Americans owe $45,591.82.
A family of three owes $136,775.46. (And that is IN ADDITION to their mortgage.)

ANALYSIS:
There were 21 reports in the last 30 to 28 days.
The average for the last 21 reports is 1,505,470,474.72.
The average for the last 30 days would be 1,053,829,332.30.
The average for the last 28 days would be 1,129,102,856.04.
There were 252 reports in 365 days of FY2007 averaging 1.99B$ per report, 1.37B$/day.
There were 253 reports in 366 days of FY2008 averaging 4.02B$ per report, 2.78B$/day.
There were 75 reports in 112 days of GWB's part of FY2009 averaging 8.03B$ per report, 5.38B$/day.
There were 174 reports in 253 days of Obama's part of FY2009 averaging 7.33B$ per report, 5.07B$/day so far.
There were 249 reports in 365 days of FY2009 averaging 7.57B$ per report, 5.16B$/day.
There were 251 reports in 365 days of FY2010 averaging 6.58B$ per report, 4.53B$/day.
There were 125 reports in 181 days of FY2011 averaging 5.19B$ per report, 3.58B$/day.
Above line should be okay

PROJECTION:
There are 662 days remaining in this Obama 1st term.
By that time the debt could be between 15.0 and 17.6T$.
It could be higher. It could be lower.

HISTORICAL:
President's term begins and ends on Jan 20.
(Guess who might want to hide the Reagan Bush years. Jan 20 data is missing before 1993.)
01/20/1993 _4,188,092,107,183.60 WJC Inaugural
01/22/2001 _5,728,195,796,181.57 WJC (UP 1,540,103,688,997.97)
01/20/2009 10,626,877,048,913.08 GWB (UP 4,898,681,252,731.43)
03/30/2011 14,210,139,988,236.73 BHO (UP 3,583,262,939,323.65 so far since Obama took office.)

FISCAL YEAR DEBT CHANGE, Sep 30 prior year to Sep 30 named year:
(One "* " for each 40B$ reached)
FY1994 +0,281,261,026,873.94 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1995 +0,281,232,990,696.07 ------------* * * * * * * WJC
FY1996 +0,250,828,038,426.34 ------------* * * * * * WJC
FY1997 +0,188,335,072,261.61 ------------* * * * WJC
FY1998 +0,113,046,997,500.28 ------------* * WJC
FY1999 +0,130,077,892,735.81 ------------* * * WJC
FY2000 +0,017,907,308,253.43 ------------WJC
FY2001 +0,133,285,202,313.20 ------------* * * C&B
01-WJC +0,053,598,528,417.78 ------------* WJC 31% of FY, 40% of FY-Debt
01-GWB +0,079,686,673,895.42 ------------* GWB 69% of FY, 60% of FY-Debt
FY2002 +0,420,772,553,397.10 ------------* * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2003 +0,554,995,097,146.46 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2004 +0,595,821,633,586.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2005 +0,553,656,965,393.18 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2006 +0,574,264,237,491.73 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2007 +0,500,679,473,047.25 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2008 +1,017,071,524,649.92 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB
FY2009 +1,885,104,106,599.30 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * B&O
09GWB +0,602,152,152,000.60 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GWB 31% of FY, 32% of FY-Debt
09-BHO +1,282,951,954,598.70 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO 69% of FY, 68% of FY-Debt
FY2010 +1,651,794,027,380.00 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
FY2011 +0,648,516,957,345.00 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO
Endof11 +1,307,782,814,535.50 ------------* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BHO

LAST FIFTEEN REPORTS OF ADDITIONS TO PUBLIC DEBT(NOT FICA):
03/10/2011 -020,814,859,511.27 -
03/11/2011 +000,832,058,508.78 ------------********
03/14/2011 +000,380,093,829.66 ------------******** Mon
03/15/2011 +066,006,214,426.70 ------------**********
03/16/2011 +001,148,655,957.01 ------------*********
03/17/2011 -014,916,428,437.31 -
03/18/2011 +000,616,236,061.23 ------------********
03/21/2011 -000,100,873,734.64 --- Mon
03/22/2011 +000,366,066,174.28 ------------********
03/23/2011 -000,063,255,741.95 ----
03/24/2011 -015,763,143,549.40 -
03/25/2011 -000,034,574,737.25 ----
03/28/2011 +000,227,402,237.21 ------------******** Mon
03/29/2011 +000,181,007,415.32 ------------********
03/30/2011 +000,670,089,469.30 ------------********

18,734,688,367.67 Total of 15 above reports.

Heavy borrowing seems to start after 09/18/2008 while Bush was in power JUST BEFORE fiscal year end.
Bush admin borrowed $962,245,245,654.01 in those last 124 days in office crossing two fiscal years.
$360,093,093,653.42 in last 12 days of FY2008, and $602,152,152,000.59 in subsequent 112 days before leaving office.

For a prettier and more explanatory view of our nation's debt:
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
DUer primer on National debt

(Debt to the penny keeps changing. Stuff is missing. Best to keep our own history.) LAST REPORT:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4794838&mesg_id=4795019

[DemReadingDU]

47. The Maine Department of Labor Mural Revised

Some of the corporate leaders who were significant in bringing wealth to the wealthy...

Jay Gould, Isaac Harris, Max Blanck, Bernie Madoff, Scott Walker, Don Blankenship, Bernard Ebbers, Henry Clay Frick, Ken Lay, Gorden Gekko
Look at the picture in each mural as the video moves!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFwhlG5eqgs&feature=player_embedded appx 2.5 minutes

3/24/11 Maine Governor Orders Removal of Labor History Mural From Dept Of Labor Building
From Lawrence O'Donnell show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtXoaKzBTtc&feature=watch_response_rev appx 4.5 minutes

[Demeter]

54. OUTSTANDING!

[Po_d Mainiac]

61. Be interesting how many tourists vote with their wallets this summer. n/t

[DoBotherMe]

56. k & r

[tclambert]

63. NOOOOO! Chocolate prices are going up!

Chocolate and candy prices going up

By Kim Peterson on Thu, Mar 31, 2011 12:10 PM
Get ready for broad price hikes in candy and chocolate.

Hershey (HSY) said this week it's going to raise prices by 9.7%, a move that many people expect competitors to follow. The entire industry is facing huge price increases for raw ingredients -- the cost of sugar has more than doubled in the past year -- and can no longer absorb the higher expenses.

from: http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=d80822d0-4fa2-4a20-9da2-ddb9155c47a5
______________________________________

With Zombie Jesus Day coming up. Chocolate bunnies will cost more. I need to load up on chocolate fast.

[DemReadingDU]

64. I just heard that on the news

:(


I best be stocking up on my favorites!