How Do they Rate? Most importantly, how do competing banks rate for their online banking services, fees, and support? I have discovered a number of sources providing key ratings and evaluations of major US and Canadian banks and would like to provide you with these important links that lay out in detail services, fees and rankings offered by banks.

For US Bank Comparisons

According to a Consumer Reports (CR) study that will be published in its February 2002 issue, just over one-fifth (22%) of US households are banking online. About 80% of respondents consider online banking "easy and quick," and 60% of e-bankers are concerned that their banks would share personal data.

Consumer Reports' top five online banks include, in descending order: E*Trade, Citibank, NetBank, JP Morgan Chase and Bank One. For another comparison of PC/Online banking services and fees by US banks visit Bankrate.com at this URL: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/publ/onlifees.asp

For a ranking of top US internet banks in Fall 2001 based on ease of use, customer confidence, on-site resources, relationship services, and overall cost, visit Gomez.com at: http://www.gomez.com/scorecards/index.asp? topcat_id=1§ion=Gomezwire

For Canadian Bank Ratings

A poll done on Canadians by market research firm NFO Cfgroup showed about 24 per cent of adult Canadians have signed up for on-line banking, compared with about 20 per cent who had logged on during same period a year earlier. About 61 per cent of respondents said they clicked their accounts once a week, while 82 per cent reported using on-line banking at least once a month.

The study also found that online banking is less likely to be used for more complicated transactions such as opening accounts, taking out loans or applying for mortgages.

View 2001 Canadian Online Banking Report by Moneysense.ca at: http://www.moneysense.ca/eng/banking_credit/banking/online_banking/sho wcontent.jsp?cid=576275

Or for those who wish to do their own research, here are web addresses for major US and Canadian banks offering online services. Happy banking!

US Banks

American Bank www.pcbanker.com American Express Centurion Bank www.americanexpress.com/banking Bank Caroline www.bankcaroline.com Bank of America www.bankofamerica.com Bank One www.bankone.com BankAtlantic www.bankatlantic.com BankDirect www.bankdirect.com Chase Manhattan Bank www.chase.com Citibankwww.citibank.com Claritybank.comwww.claritybank.com E*TRADE Bankwww.etradebank.com Ebankwww.ebank.com everbank.comwww.everbank.com Fidelity Deposit and Discount Bankwww.the-fidelity.com First Internet Bank of Indianawww.firstib.com First Union National Bankwww.firstunion.com Flagstar Bankwww.flagstarbanking.com Fleet National Bankwww.fleet.com NBank www.nbank.com NetBankwww.netbank.com Nexity Bankwww.nexitybank.com Pennsylvania State ECUwww.psecu.com SouthTrust Bankwww.southtrust.com Stonebridge Bankwww.stonebridgebank.com U.S. Bankwww.usbank.com USAccess Bankwww.usaccessbank.com VirtualBankwww.virtualbank.com Wachovia Bankwww.wachovia.com Washington Mutual Bankwww.washingtonmutual.com Wells Fargo Bankwww.wellsfargo.com Woodforest National Bankwww.woodforest.com

Canadian Banks

TD Canada Trustwww.tdcanadatrust.com Bank of Montrealwww.bmo.com Royal Bankwww.rbc.com Scotiabankwww.scotiabank.ca CIBCwww.cibc.com Citizen's Bankwww.citizensbank.ca President's Choicewww.preschoicefinancial.com National Bankwww.nbc.ca

In end, president has to cast a net so wide and ambitious that he may even be snared by it. This is law and order party, so we expected longer prison terms. However that doesn’t change fact that there is too much gray area in rules, and until that changes many public companies are going to go for bling-bling. After all, that is difference between a for-profit and a not-for-profit-company. At very least, individual investors buy stocks in companies because they think company will grab brass ring (if you’re lucky, maybe said company will reach platinum ring).

A final thought on Bush address. It is obvious that he has a formidable obstacle in front of him trying to fix a problem that is systemic in nature. Years of status quo have to be torn down, almost overnight if US equities market is to ever recover from its current state. In meantime, his get-tough approach could put another nail in coffin of small publicly traded companies. I’m talking about 3000 or so companies that trade like orphans in market, with no Jack Grubman to pump them. These companies already pay a disproportionate amount of money on compliance and filings. They simply can’t be expected to adhere to new rule changes; it will put many out of business. I’m not sure if public is in mood for special exemptions or if Bush administration really cares or understands problems. Yet it could be disastrous. These small companies are already afraid of SEC, because they don’t have large legal department that can fight back. They need a break, or else another victim of current crisis in American financial system will be American promise itself. The dream is that a company can get financing and challenge giants and in process add to spirit that has kept America ahead of rest if world in terms of innovation andtechnical prowess.

It is a tough and dire situation. Somewhere down line goal of innovation and achievement gave way to greed. We all have been seduced by bling-bling, but now it’s back to basics, hopefully market can hang in there while transition is being made.

Other Thoughts and Observations A few weeks ago, I said that individual investor wouldn’t step in to buy stocks on weakness like they did post September 11th. It is one thing to not let bastards win, but another to bail out homegrown bastards that abused system and our trust. Since then, selling has become so pronounced that a hint of patriotic fervor has returned. It moved long-time bear, Byron Wein, to pick up flag and say stocks are a buy. Other well known Wall Street bears made upbeat comments about long-term potential of stock market. However, none picked bottom.

Outside of days and weeks immediately following terrorist attacks, I can’t think of a time when Washington should be less partisan. Forget blame game for a moment and stop acting like Hatfield and McCoy clans. There is nothing to brag about and problems are so universal and pervasive that everyone has played a role.

I’ve asked that everyone remain hopeful but gather as much cash as possible. It may be time to put that cash to use, really soon. My best guess is that 8177 is going to be launching pad. I do find it interesting that techs are probably going to outperform blue chips this summer. If there is a new paradigm shift then that means a long-term recovery in stock market will have to come from a sector other than techs.