Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Sarcasm Report v.103

Are Restaurants Really Risky Businesses?

In the past decade, more government-guaranteed loans have gone to full-service restaurants than any other industry – 34,138, to be exact. The limited-service restaurant industry, including drive-in, take-out and fast-food establishments, came in second with 25,288 loans.

If there is one thing we have learned over the past decade it is that the more government-guaranteed loans there are for a given industry the safer that industry becomes.

The first explanation for the high loan volumes is the sheer number of restaurants.

There is safety in numbers. Sheer numbers of competitors therefore implies sheer levels of safety.

Combine that research with the loan-failure figures provided by NAGGL, and there’s a case to be made for restaurants: Maybe they aren’t that risky, after all.

Why the Real Estate Boom Will Not Bust - And How You Can Profit from It: How to Build Wealth in Today's Expanding Real Estate Market [Paperback]

“An invaluable book . . . Today’s real estate markets are booming and Lereah makes a convincing case for why the real estate expansion will continue into the next decade. This book should prove to be a truly practical guide for any household looking to create wealth in real estate.” —DEWEY DAANE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

“An important book, whether you agree with the author (as I do) that housing will remain an excellent investment or are convinced that home prices are poised for a plunge, David Lereah lays out a compelling vision of housing as a continuing positive investment—and how you can profit from real estate if you already own the home you live in, are looking to move from rental housing to an owner-occupied home, or want to use real estate as an investment.” —DAVID BERSON, CHIEF ECONOMIST, FANNIE MAE

There has never been a better time to buy restaurant land.


Clip not suitable for small children and those with heart conditions.

12 comments:

mab said...

DEWEY DAANE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Classic!

To me, it's very telling that propagandists like Limbaugh, Hannity, Carville, Krugman, Lereah, 99.9% of CNBC "experts" etc. are so well paid in our society.

When false promises are allowed to compete with honest promises as money, is it any wonder the system lacks integrity?

Stagflationary Mark said...

In other news...

Market Ticker sees flatness where I see curvature.

The flat lines above and below "Male" do not appear to follow the word to me. I see a slanted "Male". Try to put a vertical line through the left edge of the "M". It won't fit. You'll have to slant the line to make it fit. That means the "M" is slanted.

The "Kapi" part of "Kapiolani" looks slanted to me as well. Once again, try to put a vertical line through the left edge of the "K". It won't work. That means the "K" is also slanted.

This is not proof to me that the birth certificate is not genuine. If anything, it supports the notion that it is genuine.

For the record, I'd like to think I am fairly unbiased here. I don't consider myself to be either a Republican or a Democrat. I therefore have little vested interest in whether or not this document is genuine. I have absolutely no agenda here.

Many journalists have fallen for the conspiracy theory of government. I do assure you that they would produce more accurate work if they adhered to the cock-up theory. — Sir Bernard Ingham

I could not agree more.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

I thought you'd like that one! ;)

Stagflationary Mark said...

Here's a link to my version of the birth certificate. Note that the blue lines are not vertical. That means that there are curvature effects here.

mab said...

Stag,

The birth certificte issue provides yet another compelling reason why we need to determine exactly WHO is the trend line master!

There can only be one!

Highlander is like the greatest movie ever made....well after Talladega Nights.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

Hahaha!

(Trend Line) Princes of the Universe!

For those just tuning in, the inside joke refers to a post I did on this blog's first day. Still cracks me up. The Show Formerly Known as "The Ugly Show" Show - Episode 6 is pure genius and only 1,163 people have seen it. Hindsight is being especially kind to the sarcasm too!

Those Chinese stocks, man, that's one thing that never goes down... Chinese stocks.

Stagflationary Mark said...

Perhaps 1,200 views is The Show Formerly Known as "The Ugly Show" Show - Episode 6's version of a sarcastic rubicon.

Can people unview it if it crosses 1,200 views? ;)

GawainsGhost said...

David Lereah is an economist who used to work the the National Association of Realtors. I see he's still shilling for the housing industry.

I didn't agree with his analysis 10 years ago, and I don't agree with it now. I'm looking at price reductions of anywhere from $5000 to $15,000, every month.

This is what I tell people. You buy a house to live in it. It is not an investment or an asset. It is a shelter with expenses--maintenance, taxes, utilities, insurance.

A house is more like a car than anything else. As soon as you buy it, it loses 1/3 of its value.

Stagflationary Mark said...

GawainsGhost,

The book I linked to was published in 2006. I don't know what he's saying these days. I would advise him to say nothing. ;)

Troy said...

You buy a house to live in it. It is not an investment or an asset. It is a shelter with expenses--maintenance, taxes, utilities, insurance.

There is also a land component to this purchase, and that doesn't depreciate except during bubble bust events like we're in now.

I've done the math on buying in 1981 vs renting and investing the principal paydown in an index fund, and it's basically a wash. Prop 13 was a nice thing to lock in in the 1980s and 90s, but thus far is a non-issue for the 2000s.

The rent vs buy comes down to wage inflation in the end. We got a lot of that in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

Dunno if it's going to come back. . .

mab said...

Those Chinese stocks, man, that's one thing that never goes down... Chinese stocks.

Stag,

I think you should get a Chinese nanny. You know, for your kung fu!

Stagflationary Mark said...

Troy,

We'll have (wage) inflation in the things we need and (wage) deflation in the things we don't?

Don't Need Much

Look at this place
At the seeds we were sowing
Look at this strife
I still don't know where jobs are going
I don't need much
So I know we are screwed
And that may be all I need to know

Look at these lies
They never see what matters
Retirement dreams
So beat and so battered
I don't need much
So I know we are screwed
And that may be all I need to know


mab,

Kung fu fighting

We just can't seem to get enough.