As you have seen in my previous entries in this blog, I love to read books, internet, magazines, etc. With every important issue — foreign policy, economic, or otherwise — I urge you to seek out books, websites and other publications to stay informed. One such source is the White House web site above — www.recovery.gov — which explains what the U.S. government is currently doing to recover from the crisis, including recent legislation and how government funds are being spent. In seeking to understand what led to the recent downturn in the global economy, I am always searching for reading material to help me grasp the causes of the crisis. One useful book that I came across is THE ORIGIN OF FINANCIAL CRISES by George Cooper. Among other things, it explores different market philosophies and talks about how many of our assumptions regarding the stock market have been challenged. In these uncertain times, it’s essential to have a firm understanding of the causes of the downturn. Only then can we begin to look forward and forge the way ahead.