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Sports
High School Football
11-07-09 - Hoosac Valley beats Drury.
More photo's on Monday |
 | Thursday, Nov. 06
Boys' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
McCann Tech 3, Keefe Tech 2
Girls' Soccer: State Vocational Championship Game
Blackstone Valley 8, McCann Tech 0 |
Election
Trying to remember who won what and why? All the information is right here. |
Daily Digest
This is Jake
He's been lost in Pittsfield for weeks but frequently sited. He was last seen heading toward the fire station on Peck's Road. He's tired, dirty and needs seizure medication. He's chipped. If you see him, call Julie at 413-537-5616, the vet 24/7 at 413-499-2820 or animal control at 413-448-9700. |
What's Playing
The popular anime character "Astro Boy" searches for acceptance on the big screen.
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ObituariesSales FliersBazaarsNov. 7:
VNA & Hospice, Community Room, North Adams
North Adams Elks
10-4; Nov. 8, 9-2
Crafters, Chinese auction, bake sale
For vendor information, Melanie at 413-743-5562.
Nov. 14
Berkshire Community Church, Richmond
10-4; Crafters, bake sale. Contact Evelyn Goggia at 413-445-5747
Lanesborough Elementary School annual Fall Craft Fair from 10 to 4. Free admission, huge variety of arts and crafts, raffles, food and more. Proceeds go to sixth-grade trip to Cape Cod.
Vendors can contact Deb at 413-738-5349 or debhutton@aol.com or Lori at 413-499-0065 or lorittod@yahoo.com to secure a spot.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Contact Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here. |
Related Stories |
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Independent Investor: Pass the PlanBy Bill Schmick
iBerkshires Columnist
08:29PM / Thursday, September 25, 2008
 | | Bill Schmick |
Both sides of the congressional aisle agreed on a framework for the multibillion-dollar financial market's rescue on Thursday afternoon. There will be further haggling on the details but it looks as if the deal will pass. It better.
That's not to say I'm happy about it. It ticks me off that we have to pay for the mistakes of a bunch of greedy bankers and brokers, but self-preservation dictates that we go along with the plan. As for the add-ons that Congress is proposing, the more the merrier.
After all, the plan will be costing each of us more than $2,000 so we might as well have some of that money go to bailing out middle-class Americans.
Frankly, I was a bit surprised at first by the number of Americans who are against this bail-out. In discussing the situation with my wife, who is one of the most intelligent, intuitive people I know, it quickly dawned on me why.
"So why should we bail out a bunch of blood-sucking banks?" she demanded.
"Because if we don't you won't be able to get a car loan, a mortgage or maybe even a job in six months," I said
She looked at me cynically. In order to justify my statement, I knew I would need to explain the arcane business of credit swaps, derivatives and CDS defaults. I began but stopped, tongue-tied. I realized it was just too much to explain or absorb without a deep background in business and an hour of discussion.
Instead I boiled it down to this: the lifeblood of business is lending — overnight, weekly, monthly or yearly loans; it is what provides everything we produce, consume and save. Without lending, everything stops.
Last week, the world stopped.
Lenders were afraid to lend. Borrowers, no matter how credit worthy, could not borrow. If this credit freeze continued it would have ushered in a huge recession if not an outright second depression.
There will be ramifications, however. I believe the entire free-market model of the last 50 years will be re-examined while the unquestioned economic leadership of the United States since the end of World War II may now be in doubt. An overhaul and updating of the regulations is certain.
What impact this will have on our financial institutions and the way we do business going forward will provide additional challenges and opportunities. One thing is for sure: it will be a brave new world for all of us.
Bill Schmick is a licensed investment adviser representative and portfolio strategist with Berkshire-based Dion Money Management, managing over $700 million for middle-class Americans from coast to coast. Direct your inquiries to Bill at 1-877-850-7942, Ext. 146 (toll free) or wschmick@dionmm.com. You can also visit www.afewdollarsmore.com for more of Bill’s insight. |
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