A few years back, on a trip to some Third World nation, I remember asking a successful businessman why more small businesses are not public. His response was sublime. “I keep two sets of books—one for the government and a real one for myself. I am not showing anyone the real books. If I have shareholders, what will I show them? I will never ... Read More

Dear President Obama, Back in March, I wrote to you with my Kuppy Plan for the housing market. After yet another dismal jobs number, I thought it was time for a Kuppy Plan for unemployment. Clearly our country is in a tough spot.  We compete in a world economy. Jobs gravitate to places which offer the lowest costs of doing business. There are places where ... Read More

When I read Security Analysis, the investment bible by Graham and Dodd, I am transported to a past era when investment life was easier. You could focus your energies on finding companies trading at less than fair value. You focused on the balance sheet and the income statement. The economy was static. It grew a few percent a year and economic life was rather uneventful. ... Read More

On thursday, I sat and watched the congressional grilling of BP (BP: NYSE) CEO Tony Hayward. Is anyone else embarrassed for everyone involved? I’ll admit that I know nothing about sub-sea cement bonding or fluid dynamics, but at least I don’t go on TV and pretend that I do. Did all dozen congressmen read the same cliff notes on the way into the hearing? ... Read More

It’s great to finally be home. After more than a month on the road, it’s time to get back and do some laundry. Travel is great. It lets you see so many things. You can take your mind off the details and get some deep thinking done. The downside is that you can get horribly behind on world events. While you can get the ... Read More

The Great Ocean Road I’m on the way to Adelaide and have stopped at a coffee shop in Tailem Bend, South Australia. If you can find this place on a map, you have a better map than me. I have just driven the Great Ocean Road between Melbourne and Adelaide. I’ve driven on a lot of scenic roads before; this is clearly one of ... Read More

I live on Miami Beach. It is the epicenter of the condo boom and then crash. For four years now, every hint of a bottom has been greeted with applause. Everyone wants to call the bottom—or at least hope that prices cannot go lower. Everywhere you look, people want to declare victory. I thought condo prices were silly as they went up. I think ... Read More

Dear Comrade Obama, Last week, I learned about yet another (soon to be failed) plan to fix the housing market. Like all plans before it, this one will only serve to waste government funds and instill false hope. I thought I would write to you with my own plan. Let’s call it the Kuppy Plan. I must say that I am proud of the ... Read More