Description: The author summarizes certain presentations at the ERM II Systemic Risk Workshop. The key objective of the workshop was to develop recommendations that could serve as input to regulators, legislators and other policy makers in designing and implementing systemic risk regulation that can prevent future financial crises.

Description: The upside of the downturn is that these powerful, influential, connected and important, yet incompetent people can be removed from their positions. To quote a great insight of Ayn Rand: “There is no substitute for competence.”

Description: The crisis has spread due to a systematic failure of the regulatory system. Over the last 20 years, regulations that fostered market stability were eliminated and new financial instruments were allowed to propagate without any real oversight. Instead of bailing out weak financial firms, we should be liquidating them. All doubtful asses need to be written-downs. We need accurate and transparent accounting.

Description: A discussion about the increasing risks associated with the National Flood Insurance Program in the U.S., including discussion of its history as well as key issues associated with its continuation in its present form.