| |
What's PlayingBazaarsNov. 21
St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28
Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here. |
Sales FliersDaily DigestMammography Dispute
The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line. |
ObituariesSportsMedia PartnersElection
Trying to remember who won what and why? All the information is right here. |
Related Stories |
| |
Independent Investor: 2009 — the Good, the Bad and the UglyBy Bill Schmick
iBerkshires Columnist
09:48PM / Thursday, January 08, 2009
 | | Bill Schmick |
For the most part, 2008 was a year of anticipation.
The mainstream financial media and market pundits were forecasting a possible economic slowdown, while forecasting a pullback in the stock markets and maybe a rough patch for housing and a few financial institutions.
As the year went on however those forecasts grew ever gloomier and by the fall, well, we all know now how wrong the experts were.
Yet, it is one thing to forecast a recession and quite another to live through one. This year, we get to experience what the Federal Reserve now fears will be a deep and ugly recession with unemployment continuing to rise into 2010. That was its latest discussion according to the minutes of the Fed's December board meeting. The stock markets, if you believe the market bulls, have already discounted much of what we will face in 2009. I disagree (I remain bearish and have been since my first column back in December 2007). But forget the markets, what concerns me is how you and I will weather this storm.
"Help is on the way," promised our president-elect a few weeks ago.
In my opinion, Barack Obama is the Good Guy in our 2009 story - at least so far. True to his word and campaign promises, a new Obama stimulus package estimated to total almost $1 trillion was presented to the American people yesterday (including a $300 billion tax cut for the middle class). I suspect many Americans will take some comfort in the new administration's efforts to stave off a more protracted recession. And I do believe it will help but if you are like me you won't be counting on the government alone.
Many of us are already doing the most rational thing we can do to protect ourselves from this downturn. We are saving more and spending a heck of a lot less if the latest numbers from the retail sector are any indication. Therein lies the rub.
You see the "bad" part of that strategy is that if all of us save, pay down debt and purchase less (which we should) then who is left to buy? Remember, we live in a service economy. One that is highly dependent on you and I continuing to spend beyond our means in order to grow. I believe we will see a clash of two strategies this year.
The government, desperate to jump start the economy, will offer all kinds of incentives — tax cuts, rate cuts, rebates, jobs — you name it to get us to spend (just like they have tried to get the banks to lend). We, on the other hand, weighed down by too much debt, the inability to borrow, fearful of losing our jobs, will continue to keep our hands in our pockets. The result will be like sitting next to a beginning driver with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake.
Now, I'm sure that many of those bright, experienced policymakers that Mr. Obama has brought together are fully aware of this possibility. I suspect there will be many false starts with some things working and others not. It was no different during the Roosevelt era of the Great Depression.
Hopefully, we will get it right and over a shorter time period than it took in the '30s. But it is going to take a lot longer than many think — at least the next 12 months if not longer. So get set for that kind of year.
Bill Schmick is a licensed investment adviser representative and portfolio strategist as well as a registered financial planner with Berkshire-based Dion Money Management, which manages more than $500 million for middle-class Americans from coast to coast. Direct your inquires to Bill at 1-877-850-7942, Ext. 146, (toll-free) or e-mail him at wschmick@dionmm.com. You can also visit www.afewdollarsmore.com for more of Bill's insight. |
|
Enter your email address below to receive our FREE iBerkshires.com Newsletter
|
|
