Japan’s PM recently made remarks suggesting the yen’s appreciation is due to foreign belief in Japan’s economic health; however, some Japanese media responses have noted that people are simply terrified of everything else: the yen is the least terrible currency around. Against the dollar, the yen’s the strongest it’s been in over 13 years, which is probably going to hurt Japanese exports and, later, weaken the yen.

While the idea of buying tax-free muni bonds under Comrade Obama is appealing, how many municipalities are going to default? Many apparently have underfunded pensions that are going to start to be collected. And once the Treasury starts printing money to pay Federal debts, will the bonds’ interest rates keep pace with inflation? Only The Omnipotent One knows, and he’s not saying anything but Hope and Change.

A pre-housing-boom home (and thus one not shoddily built) can be cheap. If it’s big enough, you can take in boarders, if necessary.