Juggling Dynamite

• CALPERS actuary admits math:  says time for deficits to be caught up through a fixed increase in contributions.  This marks the beginning of a new mindset and necessary contribution hikes in pension plans that will replace the “extend and pretend” stalling tactic of the past 13 years.  Necessary, but definitely a drag on consumer spending and corporate profits, as dedicated contributions ramp up over the next several years. See:  California Pension may ask for 50% boost to close gap
• A senior Chinese auditor is also admitting math this morning, with a warning in the Financial Times that Chinese local government debt is “out of control” and could spark a bigger financial crisis than the U.S. housing market crash. See: China local authority ‘debt out of control’
• Meanwhile European car sales just hit a 20 year low as the on-going debt crisis sent demand plunging last month in the region’s biggest economy:  “The western European passenger-car market is on track this year to hit levels last seen in 1993, and Germany seems to be in a free-fall.”  See:  Europe car sales
• Prostitution to construction:  A 2 Trillion shadow-economy in the US

Also see this chart of the S&P over the past year and the NASDAQ 1998 to its bubble peak in 2000, courtesy of Zerohedge: Party like its 1999?

Danielle was a guest today with Kerry Lutz on the Financial Survival Network discussing recent developments in the world economy and markets. You can listen to an audio clip of the segment here.

I have always liked the perspective offered in this simple analogy. Now the 100 People Project.org is using it as a teaching tool to enlighten on human diversity and collective experience. Here is a direct link.