Bill West

Online Spending Shows Recession Resilience

As a resident of the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia we now have one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation. That along with the dumbest local goverments in the Nation. So what do you do when you can't sell your house and vote with your feet???

To save money I go to Google and Amazon to search for products I need. Simple to purchase with Google Checkout. No tax, no shipping charge and usually a 25 to 30 percent cost savings on products.

Between the pending financial nightmare of "Bailout nation"' "Obamanomics", and tax the hell out of anyone still working I plan to do alot more online shopping.

The law of unintended consequences is in full effect. People everywhere are FED UP with the BS. They are now pursuing work- arounds to save money, taxes, and reporting requirements.

Petrobras: Set to Become a Global Oil Major - Barron's

PS-
Lest I forget......the Iranians will get wacked by the Israeli airforce and that should make tanker navigation in the Straits of the Middle East a little interesting too......................

Petrobras: Set to Become a Global Oil Major - Barron's

Don't forget the sugar ethanol product. While the moronic "body politic" in Washington is on vacation the Brazilians will scream past everyone. They "get it", they got the drilling rigs, and our "addiction to oil" will continue. Meantime we are held hostage by the environmental cartel while Cuba prepares to siphon the oil out from under the USA in the Gulf of Mexico. The chickens have come home to roost!!!!!
LONG PBR, XOM

My Investment Philosophy and Visa

Your 8% loss on 70 total shares of Visa with a value around $5600..........hmmmmm okkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
@#%^%&**()&^^&...

Apple on Steve Jobs Health Rumors: No Comment

I have known two people who have died from pancreatic cancer, one woman from breast cancer, and one woman from cervical cancer. Regarding Mr. Jobs; pancreatic is fatal within 3 to 6 months most of the time. Since his cancer was the curable type in 2003 I seriously doubt the rumors now in play. Mr. Jobs has a slender build and a vegetarian diet. He does not have "the look" of a cancer patient in the final stages.

Although he is considered critical to Apple he also has a very capable team of associates to carry on the Apple tradition if something should happen.

Maybe all the shorts will have to cover their Apple positions once the cancer myth is dispelled.

Disclosure- Long APPL

What's Up With Apple's Downturn?

Just ugly market lemming run for the hills BS. Will buy some AAPL tomorrow for a quick momentum trade.......

The Great MasterCard - Visa Debates

I stand corrected on the percentages but the principals are intact.....

Bernanke: Markets Are Still Far from Normal

The most telling comment is regarding Visa and Mastercard:
"......This would seem to be in line with what Bank of America said: that spending of bare necessities had increased overall spending on their credit card portfolio. We can just imagine that Wal-Mart, Visa (V), and Mastercard (MA) are benefiting from this. "

Apple Could Soar

Great summation of the latest APPL buzz. IPhone and the Ipod continue to be the "gateway" to the Apple experience.

Long APPL

Why Do Oil Prices Keep Rising?

Drilling technology has changed drastically over the last twenty years. Go talk to the drillers if you like. What has not changed is the evironmental nazis death grip on the body politic in the United States. No drilling off the coastlines, no drilling in Alaska, no new refineries to be built. The chickens have come home to roost.

Even if massive approval for exploration and refining started today it would take at least 5 to 8 years to get through the processes required now and start the oil flowing. In the meantime you have the emerging markets growing at lightning speed with the flattening of the earth taking place via the internet.

So while we sit and wring our hands fretting about $4 per gallon gas; don't worry, Europe is already paying $7 to $8 per gallon. Needless to say you won't see many Hummers or Escalades in Europe.

You can hate XOM if you like but I prefer to own it and smile everytime I fill up the suv.

Diclosures- Long XOM

Will Apple Follow in Google's Footsteps?

Don't know if it means anything but I went to my local Best Buy today and spoke with a friend I know in the computer area about Apple products. He says that the sales have been very strong. Air, MacBook Pro and some of the add-ons like dvd drives etc. There always seem to be people at the Mac table as well.

The Mac buzz is definitely out there, does it translate into blowout earning on Wednesday.........we'l... see....

Disclosures- Windows XP owner. Apple stock and options holder.

Is Visa Really Priceless?

To BuyV-
Great commentary......I'm a firm believer in Visa. Yes the economy is in the tank and the consumer may be squeezed but the smaller payments being utilized by MA and V holders will continue to add to the bottomline. The European Visa issue will be resolved and this will add further to the bottomline.

Great company and business model. No financing, just fees per transaction adding up to BILLIONS of dollars at some point.

Frankly these days the higher the "nay-sayer" ratio the more interested I am in buying........!

Keep up the good work BuyV.....

Will Adobe's New Media Player Play with Users?

Adobe Acrobat is a fantastic printed media product. Why wouldn't their video product be of greater value as well........

Will Adobe's New Media Player Play with Users?

Adobe makes a fantastic product. Everyone uses Acrobat for documents online. Why wouldn't the video product be equally successful. Great product will be downloaded by millions.

Yeah nobody liked Firefox either......

Is Something Cooking in Microhoo's Kitchen? (Update)

I reiterate my previous opinion when this MicroHoo came to the forefront...........It would be awesome for Google to come in and snatch Yahoo from MrSoftee. ......Don't think it would pass DOJ anti-trust muster but who knows.......
Good luck to the Yahoo investors.
Disclosures- Long Google