Inside Countrywide

WorkingRE Magazine Interview: Appraiser Who Brought Down Countrywide By Isaac Peck, Associate Editor The U.S. housing bubble and the corresponding real estate market crash of 2007-2008 brought about one of the most severe economic downturns in America since the Great Depression. The fallout was extensive: banks failed, established companies declared … Continue reading

The U.S. and China at Crossroads

December 16, 2019 When it comes to Sino-American relations, few westerners have the knowledge, understanding and experience of former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger. Speaking at the National Committee on U.S. China Relations Gala Dinner on November 14, 2019, he explained: • The (U.S.) relationship with China started because … Continue reading

Thucydides & Tariffs

June 26, 2018 President Trump has decided to levy tariffs primarily on Chinese, European, Mexican, Canadian, Indian and Turkish products, and in so doing, he has alienated them all. Presumably, following the same logic –that the trade deficit is unsustainable- at some point he’ll have to do the same with … Continue reading

Not By Accident

April 4, 2018 Costa Rica, a beacon of democracy with just over five million people, is known for its natural beauty, biodiversity, warm oceans, green energy, and surprisingly good football (soccer) players. Now it leads the world in GDP/hour worked, and it’s not a fluke. What makes this tiny country … Continue reading

Defending the Dollar

Largely ignored by mainstream media, the dollar’s monopoly on global oil transactions is coming to an end. On March 26, 2018 the Shanghai Futures Exchange began trading oil in yuan (or renminbi), China’s currency. The ramifications of this event cannot be overstated. Some keen observers, as in this article, have eloquently analyzed … Continue reading

Speaking of Trade

March 20, 2018 Rarely, if ever, are trading partners able to achieve a balanced stasis, even among friends and allies. Today keeping personal, trade, and military secrets is fast becoming a thing of the past. Computers and the internet, like flooding waters, continually disseminate them throughout the world. Witness North … Continue reading

Pressuring Appraisers

WorkingRE Magazine – reprinted by permission Pressure, Subtle Influence and Plausible Deniability Editor’s Note: Appraisers report that despite tough new appraisal independence laws, lenders, AMCs and others haven’t stopped trying to influence the process- they’re just being more careful about covering their tracks.  Fraud expert Richard Hagar, SRA, explains how … Continue reading

2017 U.S. – China Trade

January 31, 2018 A picture is worth one thousand words. Here’s a chart of the U.S. trade deficit with China. 2017 : U.S. trade in goods with China (U.S. Census Bureau) NOTE: All figures are in millions of U.S. dollars on a nominal basis, not seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified. Details may not … Continue reading

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