Richard Jamison Authorities announced the details of their $26 billion* mortgage settlement with big banks last Thursday. And if nine other major mortgage servicers join the pact, as is currently under discussion with the government, the total could rise to … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison The most “noise” this week came from the primary elections, not the markets. The biggest single noise event was Mitt Romney’s release of his tax returns. That proved he is definitely part of the “1 Percenters.” It turns … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison Most of us are aware, at least on some level, of the strains that pension systems in this country face in both the public and private sectors.  The overall economic climate in the last few years has greatly … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison America has long been known as the ‘land of opportunity.’ It’s been a place where anyone can achieve their dream(s) if they apply themselves and work hard.  Benjamin Franklin, Henry Ford, and even that ‘other’ Jefferson (i.e., George … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison It’s the start of another New Year and time for (Vice Chairman, Blackstone Advisory Partners) Byron Wien’s 10 Surprises for 2012 List. This is the 27th year he’s created a list of surprises for the coming year. While … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison You may already know that members of Congress (unlike some other branches of government) receive a raise every year, supposedly for ‘cost of living’ increases and such.  Congressional members also receive a generous package of benefits that we’d … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison Well, it’s a big weekend. With that in mind, and the fact that I can get more than a little silly late on Fridays (even without a three-day weekend dangling in front of me), let’s get Christmassy this … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison The practice of ‘fracking’ (or, hydrofracking) is becoming a hotly debated topic among environmentalists and also economists.  The energy industry praises it for allowing new stores of natural gas to be recovered in areas which may not have … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison The need for investment diversification is a familiar cornerstone concept for most investors with visions of long-term growth. Sometimes though, the familiar choices don’t line up well with what the stock market is doing (or has done recently). … Continue reading →

Richard Jamison You undoubtedly already know that I am not a fan of Congress. I don’t like any of them very much, and I dislike most of them a lot. When I saw a story that began with, “Just when … Continue reading →