Friday, March 14, 2008

Truth, fiction, and finance II

The lack of activity on this blog resulted from downtime to catch up with the world's craziness, especially as it deals with those aspects for which we would like to see a stronger 'truth' (finance, for instance).

Well, the Fed is bailing out a failure with our money, again. The other day, one financial writer mentioned all the new instruments that have come about, creatively, the past few years. Well, let's hope that our choking on these help us learn some lesson.

The trouble is that we don't seem to, as a group. Those who get burned may learn something; for the most part, some idiot is always waiting in the wing to try a new trick. It has gotten worse, of late, due to the computer's availability to leverage and multiply gains. But, there is a risk involved which we need to understand better.

For those who fail in the financial world, if they are large enough, they don't have to accept the consequences of their risky behavior, as we get to bail them out of their stupidity.

As one looks at what is seen as progress, one can get baffled. Of course, those who create these new instruments, and line their pockets thereby, enjoy the game. In many cases, value is created out of nothingness by acclaimed wizards. Of course, this is age-old, it's just that the computer, and the globalization fostered by the computer, spread the hurt.

And, there is usually no payback of outrageous bonuses.

Something is awry. We will slowly be arguing for, and looking to build, a stronger foundation through truth engineering.

Remarks:

01/14/2015 -- Chimera and charade? One example.

04/19/2011 -- We have to get back to the basics.

10/21/2008 -- Yes, it's time to re-look at this theme.

Modified: 01/14/2015

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