Special Series
Green-Collar Jobs: Realizing the Promise
In a Series
Green-collar Stimulus 2
I recently mentioned funding green-collar jobs programs that are authorized but not yet financed.
Another good way to stimulate the clean-energy economy fast with federal funding is through targeted tax incentives. In fact, Congress has already done so.
We already described the new tax benefit for employers of bike commuters. What other green stimulus went into the $700 billion economic stabilization package for the financial sector? I found summaries here, here, here, here, and here.
Highlights:
Special Series
Economic Turnaround
In a Series
What I've Learned From My Schizophrenic 401k
The stock market sank yet again yesterday, as a late-day sell-off pulled share prices down another 5 percent.
It's just the latest in a series of occasionally-manic-but-mostly-depressive market convulsions. After getting so much good press for the last decade, the "wisdom of crowds" -- i.e., the combined knowledge of millions of investors -- seems pretty threadbare these days. The markets simply can't decide if it's finally time to buy, or time to keep selling. The crowd is as flummoxed as the rest of us.
Since the economic crisis is far from over, it's probably far too soon to draw firm lessons from all this turmoil. Initial reactions are like Rorschach tests, revealing more about the observer than about what's being observed. It'll take a long while for the real lessons to emerge.
Still, I can't help but think that there must be something to be learned from what markets have been telling us in recent weeks. So at risk of blogging prematurely (but hey, that's what blogs are for) here are three things I've learned, or re-learned, from my schizophrenic 401k.
1. Unlikely events are common
2. Markets don't know much
3. Unsustainable things stop
Ok, I admit that's all a little cryptic. Details follow...
