http://skennedy.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Sean Kennedy en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:45:43 GMT 2010-01-07T03:45:43Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977978141 In what should hardly come as a surprise, US third-quarter GDP has once again been revised downward from the initial projection of 3.5% annual growth. First the figure was revised downward to 2.8%, . . . Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:24:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977978141 Sean Kennedy 2010-01-05T19:24:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977904002 In the early 1980s, a major recession and massive military spending resulted in huge government borrowing. The sale of U.S. Treasury bonds financed all that massive spending. Many of the long term . . . Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:30:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977904002 Sean Kennedy 2009-11-17T02:30:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977850457 Despite mainstream media reports about a recovery in the housing market, the problem is far from over and is in fact getting worse. More than 15 million homes are mortgaged for more than their value, . . . Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:45:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977850457 Sean Kennedy 2009-10-12T23:45:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977843622 According to our own government, we're just a decade away from the next two fiscal mega-crises "We suffer from a fiscal cancer and if we don't treat it, it could have catastrophic consequences . . . Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:32:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977843622 Sean Kennedy 2009-10-08T04:32:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977806190 China Signals Loss of Confidence, Will Move Away From Dollar The warnings have come in stages, but they have been consistent and clear. In March, Chinese Premiere Wen Jiabao, worried about . . . Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:30:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977806190 Sean Kennedy 2009-09-09T21:30:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977800003 Fearing a systemic financial failure last year, the federal government pumped hundreds of billions into the US banking system.  America's biggest banks were deemed "too big to fail" and . . . Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:31:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977800003 Sean Kennedy 2009-09-04T14:31:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977785255 The Health Insurance Industry's Profit Motive is the Big Problem   As the healthcare reform debate rages in Washington and in town halls across America, the health care industry . . . Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:01:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977785255 Sean Kennedy 2009-08-24T03:01:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977771196 In June, Deutsche Bank forecast that home prices – covering 100 U.S. metropolitan areas – will decline an additional 14% from the first quarter of this year through the first quarter of . . . Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:59:14 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977771196 Sean Kennedy 2009-08-12T19:59:14Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977767785 Despite the fact that more than half of the House of Representatives signed on as co-sponsors, and despite the efforts of Senators as disparate as Jim DeMint and Bernie Sanders, the Senate still managed . . . Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:33:15 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977767785 Sean Kennedy 2009-08-09T00:33:15Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977730358 When it comes to working out, you need to prepare your body for and repair it from the stresses associated with exercise. Food provides both the fuel that drives you during . . . Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:21:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977730358 Sean Kennedy 2009-07-06T18:21:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977708570 Civilizations around the world have used natural herbs and plants to treat sickness and pain.  The Chinese have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times, using it . . . Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:57:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977708570 Sean Kennedy 2009-06-11T23:57:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977704196 In his 2005 book,  "Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy ," Matthew Simmons reaches some downright scary conclusions. A member of the National Petroleum . . . Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:57:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977704196 Sean Kennedy 2009-06-07T19:57:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977703532 The government just released its "official" unemployment rate figure which, it claimed, was 9.4% in May. Many economists claim that the true figure is significantly worse, and that if workers who can . . . Sat, 06 Jun 2009 21:27:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977703532 Sean Kennedy 2009-06-06T21:27:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977697283 In 2007, American household debt reached $13 trillion, equal to our nation's GDP. The last time that household debt was 100% of GDP was in 1929, the start of the Great Depression. Consumer . . . Sun, 31 May 2009 18:50:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977697283 Sean Kennedy 2009-05-31T18:50:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977696298 Many of America's biggest and most well-known corporations have set up off-shore "headquarters" in places like the Cayman Islands to dodge their tax obligations.  In fact, each . . . Sat, 30 May 2009 15:19:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977696298 Sean Kennedy 2009-05-30T15:19:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977681109 In the words of both former US Comptroller General, David Walker, and former Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan, "The United States is currently on an unsustainable path." This is what they were talking . . . Wed, 13 May 2009 00:42:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977681109 Sean Kennedy 2009-05-13T00:42:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977669786   At an annual shareholders meeting today, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis was pressed to defend himself and the purchases of two financial institutions that have burdened B of A.  . . . Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:52:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977669786 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-30T01:52:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977666909 Fear of the Swine Flu is nothing more than a lot of media hype. It’s part of a consistent pattern of fear-mongering by our media. In the 24-hour news cycle, this sort of thing just gives . . . Mon, 27 Apr 2009 03:55:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977666909 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-27T03:55:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977664935   Perhaps you've heard about the recent spike in violence across America, highlighted by an increase in mass shootings. The widely reported outbursts have been blamed . . . Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:41:04 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977664935 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-24T16:41:04Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977649623 It Was All Just Smoke & Mirrors We are now have an economic reckoning. And the truth is bitter for some, disillusioning to others. Much of the corporate profit growth . . . Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:55:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977649623 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-07T22:55:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977647415 The national outrage over the bonuses given to AIG executives is nothing more than a distraction and a diversion from the real outrage; the billions in US taxpayer money that went to foreign banks via . . . Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:48:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977647415 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-05T23:48:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977646895 The Latest Evidence That The Game Is Fixed In an effort to help banks reduce their losses, this week  t he Financial Accounting Standards Board relaxed rules forcing banks to . . . Sun, 05 Apr 2009 07:19:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977646895 Sean Kennedy 2009-04-05T07:19:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614439 It's not a good thing when the Defense Secretary and Joint Chiefs Chairman don't agree on something this critical. It makes you wonder; do these guys even talk to each other? . . . Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:33:26 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977614439 Sean Kennedy 2009-03-04T21:33:26Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977613347 Last Tuesday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress the economy is suffering through a “severe contraction,” but hoped that the current recession will end this year.” “If actions taken by the . . . Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:12:17 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977613347 Sean Kennedy 2009-03-03T20:12:17Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977600646   GM is folding its Saturn division. Remember, "A different kind of company, a different kind of car?" Saturn was established to compete with Honda and Toyota 19 years ago. So much . . . Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:33:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977600646 Sean Kennedy 2009-02-20T08:33:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977590284   And it Needs to be Focused on Infrastructure Spending It's rather remarkable that Republican legislators, who simultaneously voted for two separate rounds of tax cuts . . . Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:53:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977590284 Sean Kennedy 2009-02-10T19:53:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977569740 On the day when Barack Obama was historically inaugurated as our nation's 44th President, it is worthwhile to put this unprecedented moment into perspective. Do you know how . . . Wed, 21 Jan 2009 05:40:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977569740 Sean Kennedy 2009-01-21T05:40:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977538352 Earlier this month, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), which tracks the US economy, confirmed what many of us had long suspected; the US is officially in a recession. Everyone wonders how . . . Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:15:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977538352 Sean Kennedy 2008-12-17T22:15:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977538332 The FDIC Has $53 Billion to Cover $4.4 trillion in Deposits. Does that make you feel insured?   As of the end of the second quarter, total FDIC assets declined $68.6 billion, to $13.3 trillion. . . . Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:51:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977538332 Sean Kennedy 2008-12-17T21:51:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977526784 On November 10, Bloomberg News reported that the Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers,  nor would it identify the . . . Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:43:43 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977526784 Sean Kennedy 2008-12-05T14:43:43Z