Ask U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-CA, about credit default swaps and she’ll offer this warning: Ban them now or expect a reprise of the ongoing global financial crisis – which the derivative securities helped create. When it comes to elected officials, Congresswoman Waters is not one I would typically feel that I have a lot in agreement with.

General Motors Corp.’s (OTC: GMGMQ) emergence from bankruptcy Friday marks the beginning of the “new GM,” which will try to stay out of the ashes from which it emerged to become a leaner, customer-centric and modern company.

Stock investors will key next on earnings from tech giant Intel Corp.(Nasdaq: INTC) and banks including J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) for hints of what to expect in the third quarter — and how badly the recession hurt businesses in the second quarter.

With the “not-as-bad-as-expected” news surrounding the economy and the initial government stimulus measures have been priced in to the market, we are moving into a period of profound uncertainty. With the release of Alcoa Inc.’s (NYSE: AA) earnings report, earnings season has officially begun.

A federal judge handed the Obama administration an important victory in its push to steer the automobile industry back to health Sunday, approving the sale of General Motors Corp.’s (OTC: GMGMQ) most profitable assets to a new government-run company.

Mention Japan and many people think of Geisha, castles and samurai. Mention investing in Japan and the image of an impenetrable wall comes to mind.  I’ve been extremely fortunate to have seen all of this firsthand – and not just once, but on a pretty consistent basis for the past two decades, when I’ve been here as a businessman, a resident, and – most recently – as a husband and a parent.