“It’s possible that I don’t understand the position of this blog, whether it’s really progressive or not, but I have yet to see progressive economic ideas here, so not sure why progressive politics are even linked to. You set the tone, the readership is following your example.”

I too am a new reader, having only discovered the site in June (and regretting wasted years in not finding it earlier).

This is the best and most informative economic site on the web (roubini aside). The last few weeks have been heated and frantic – reflecting the meltdown out there and Yves herself has lamented absence of posting about broader economic issues but such is the characteristic of these days in the midst of a meltdown.

I can assure you, there is no more progressive site. This site (Yves and her bloggers) have provided more insight and accurate prediction in the 6 months that Ive been reading than Ive heard from a single source in a lifetime (and trust me, I have worked for some high calibre finance instutions and first rate minds in my life).

Just be objective and look at the archive list and look at the headlines that have been posted this week alone!

News quality does vary from time to time but full marks to NC.

If you really would like to be objective, pick a couple of random weeks these past 18months or 2 years and look at what was being discussed then – and then see if “progressive” is not applicable here.

Now I’m annoyed with self. I got sucked into responding, wasting both my time and yours, fellow reader.

If you don’t like, don’t read. Otherwise your value-added contributution to the debate is most welcome (either for or against, doesn’t matter either way as debate stimulates intelligent thought).

Well said, mxq. Here, here.

Agree with the substance, but you were a little rough!

i think the new american dream is to be debt-free. Those phony, get-you-out-of-debt quick schemes are probably going to make a killing (unfortunatley).

Anon 10:06 “Yves, may I respectfully suggest that readers take their tonal cues from the tone of your own comments. Quelle suprise!”

Anon, you are probably right about cues…if you’re a robot (or were raised in a barn). This blog isn’t being forced on anyone. As a result, people that respond form their own opinions. This blog is not here to teach manners…so for pity’s sake, show up with your own.

Anon @ 1:35…if you’re a new reader, how can you possibly have formed such a grave and damning opinion given your small sample set? this blog has been around for multiple years. That’s really irresponsible for saying something like that and then not cite anything that supports what you are spewing. A drive-by ad hominem. Real nice. Not sure Yves ad hominems anybody in her posts, so you’re pretty much following your own example.

Anon @ 1:59…i agree she’s too fair. As far as my memory is concerned, there have only been a handful of users that have been kicked out vs. the rather large number of asshatted comments. I’m guessing she gives readers the benefit of the doubt that they can change after the forum actually acknowledges their comments, no matter how ludicrious. That doesn’t mean we take their comments to heart, but it does mean that the threads are like a real live conversation…asshattery won’t be ignored.

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard has been one of the few writers to make the correct call on inflation versus deflation, and has also regularly provided excerpts from interesting and useful research that was not covered anywhere else, in media or blogs. Several economist/fund managers have written to tell me that Evans-Pritchard is one of the very few financial commentators who understands economics.

As for “bullying the euro” one writer’s words cannot move a currency. I have been saying for many months based on input from someone who has extensive contacts with regulators and speaks occasionally to Trichet that the ECB would have to cut rates because their banks are in bad shape.

I must differ with you as to the “quality” of Evans-Pritchard’s work. FIrst, per above, he has been more accurate than the great majority of financial writers. Second, many of my professional investor readers find Evans-Pritchard to be useful; indeed, some even send me links to his articles, IHe appeals to the sophisticated readers in my audience, and I take their assessment more seriously than that of the occasional anonymous reader who begs to differ, or perhaps has a vested interest that is opposed to what E-P is discussing.

And “bullying” a currency, which I find a very odd way to describe his writing on the euro, which is gloom and doom, but no more than, say, Nouriel Roubiini on the general outlook, is not at all the same as bullying a person. That is a very lame excuse for rudeness. It is possible to disagree without descending to personal attack or denigration.

I hear that Fox news is a good place for news, have you tried there?

It’s possible that I don’t understand the position of this blog, whether it’s really progressive or not, but I have yet to see progressive economic ideas here, so not sure why progressive politics are even linked to. You set the tone, the readership is following your example.