Frank Boland's blog

Frank Thoughts: The New Economy

The seemingly sudden collapse of commodity prices has made news in the press.  Oil declined close to 50% in just a few weeks. The press claimed it was due to increased U.S. shale production and slowing global demand.  While these two factors are valid, I believe, they are on the margin.  What’s not on the margin:  Americans understand something very fundamental has changed in our economy.

Frank Thoughts: If I Were A Rich Man

If you were to become a “rich man” would you live differently than you currently do … as in showcase your wealth?  Most of us could never imagine that a friend could be one of the richest persons in the world … and that we would never know it.  A person’s persona can conceal --- or show --- a great deal.  Our impression of people is often based on their outward appearance.  Since most of us have friends that are like ourselves, we believe they are ordinary people.  But sometimes they are not.   

Frank Thoughts: The Real Business

“Do you have a Macy’s credit card?” asked the woman behind the counter.  “No,” I replied shaking my head somewhat disdainfully side-to-side.  “Who needs another credit card?” I thought.   ‘Well, I ask because you can get another 20% off’ continued the woman.  “Oh,” I said quietly to myself.  “I’m getting 20% off because it’s on sale … and I can get still another 20% off?  And I’m buying $300 worth of clothes.”  I quickly filled out the short credit application.  I mean who wouldn’t want to save $120?

Frank Thoughts: The Coming Secular Bear Market In Bonds

As I came up out of the subway in New York City, I realized I was at the beginning of Wall Street.  Looking up the street I was absolutely awed to see the lineup of limousines.  In Boston at the time there were no limousines.  There –on Wall Street- they seemingly were everywhere!  To a poor Irish kid from Boston the cars, and their chauffeurs, represented great wealth … wealth I knew that had been created in the stock market.  It was the fall of 1965 and the market had been going up since the end of World War II …  close to 20 twenty years.  And I was 21. 

Frank Thoughts: The Malaise

The other night I entered a Cheesecake Factory restaurant and found myself smiling to no one in particular as my mind drifted back to over twenty years ago.  I recalled sitting at the Prime Rib in Baltimore with David Overton, founder of The Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain, and his Chief Financial Officer Bill Kling.  We had a large round table that would probably have seated eight people.  The reason for the large table was that we were about to sample eight to ten dinners ... plus desserts. 

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Do we have the capability to eliminate booms and busts in economic activity? The answer in my judgment is no, because there is no tool to change human nature. Too often people are prone to recurring bouts of optimism and pessimism.

– Alan Greenspan