Mixed Messages

The financial news was a bit mixed today. The stock market was all over the place. Several financial institutions - many who recently diluted their shareholders by selling stock - are now repaying tens of billions in TARP money.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a7MXJA__4Q_A

So here is the question for those institutions' stockholders: did they dilute your shares by selling more shares so they could repay TARP and avoid government control over executive pay? If I were a stockholder I would certainly want to know. By the way, dozens of financial institutions were downgraded by S&P - big surprise.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aeWkrzSkd5Y0

Meanwhile Asian stocks are down more.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=arX88anTB0iU

Big surprise - not. I am not - obviously - believing in the market rebound. The economy in the U.S. is totally messed up for perhaps decades to come. The more I read and learn about it, the more I realize I should perhaps move to another country. We are simply too debt laden at too many levels for anthing to go well at any sustained level for the forseeable future. I am not joking here. I am considering looking at other coutries where I might live. I am willing to stand by and help the country I love, but we are self-destructing and at some point - if those like me keep getting ignored - life on the coast in Costa Rica, Mexico or the like, does not seem that bad. Worth serious consideration.

Disclosures: None.