What is Gating

This past weekend Barron's reported:
"The first quarter saw a 20% leap in hedge-fund liquidations and 170 shut up shop, 30% more than a year ago. Investors in the funds can be cats on a hot tin roof. Leverage, the elixir of hedge-fund investing, has become more costly and tougher to get, as prime brokers have tightened their credit terms. Many hedge funds will not be able to redeem their investors because of liquidity woes. Some are already "gating" investors.....that is, suspending redemption's...which can easily add to jitters of investors in other funds....now the ships are taking on water and some are sinking fast."

This year a record number of American children will be trying to get into college. The mix will be roughly 60% Female and obviously 40% Male. Surprisingly of the male 40% only 30% is expected to graduate. This issue of gender mix and graduating ratios is also true in high schools. We have a crisis brewing in America and the reasons for this are multifaceted. Boys/ men are finding it harder to graduate, seeing less opportunities and/or don't want to work....very hard....We know one thing for sure and that is video games and X box alike are the worst things ever invented....

We have now heard this from several executives how hard it is to find a well educated, hard working American male to put in a 50 hour work week. Especially when compared relative to non Americans.

We are concerned.... way too many people/ investors are relying on the China story to reengage the global economy....what if they don't? The great unwinding continues.

Barkly seen here looking out over his pond.