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Archive for October, 2009

US banks get new rules on property

By ⋅ October 31, 2009 ⋅ One comment

From WSJ: “[US] banks have generally been keeping a lid on commercial real-estate losses by extending these mortgages upon maturity. However, that practice, billed by many industry observers as “extending and pretending,” has come under criticism by some analysts and investors as it promises to put off the pains into the future… Critics say the [...]

Leviathan on NAMA

By ⋅ October 30, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

I was on the panel for Leviathan last night talking about NAMA.

Nama: not fit for purpose

By ⋅ October 29, 2009 ⋅ One comment

Last night’s Leviathan debate was an interesting one – despite the egg-throwing – and it showed even more clearly that Nama is not fit for its purpose and that the politicans have no idea what they are doing. They are truly making it up as they go along. Nama, according to its website, is an independent commerical [...]

Community life the fairest deal for older people

By ⋅ October 27, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Surely the research shows that we have it wrong? Nursing homes are not the best answer. Community care of incapacitated older people is more natural and humane than the institutionalisation of nursing homes and hospitals.

Break banks in two (commercial and investment) to protect the public purse – Volker

By ⋅ October 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

American banks should be forced to operate as commercial or investment entities, not both argues Paul A. Volker, former Federal Reserve chairman who is also one of the architects of Obama’s economic strategies. A New York Times article today says: “Mr. Volcker argues that splitting commercial and investment banking would put a damper on both pay [...]

Grey matters

By ⋅ October 8, 2009 ⋅ One comment

Finding her first grey hair has columnist Margaret E. Ward in a tizzy and rethinking her attitude to aging.

Nobel Prize-winning economist says NO to Nama

By ⋅ October 8, 2009 ⋅ One comment

Nama is a bad idea said Professor Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, on Wednesday night while addressing Trinity College’s historical society. Nama is likely to “burden this generation for 25 to 50 years or more. I am very uncomfortable with a government with such a minority support making such a decision.”  The view that there is no alternative is “just [...]

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