VintonCounty's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/126075/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/136629-on-banks-krugman-vs-krugman?source=feed#comment-498230 498230
The insight about fascism guides the cautious investor to industries and countries in which government intervenes little.]]> Sun, 10 May 2009 20:08:24 -0400
The insight about fascism guides the cautious investor to industries and countries in which government intervenes little.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/114665-what-big-auto-wants-from-obama?source=feed#comment-356178 356178
1. Increased gas tax would be bad for consumers and for auto manufacturers. The reason is told by the economic axiom that "When the price of something rises, people use less of it." If we include operating costs in vehicle prices, raising gas taxes reduces vehicle sales. Auto manufacturers desperately need the opposite.

2. Hydrogen fuel cells are extremely impractical for vehicular applications and always will be. This fact is due to engineering and scientific considerations that are essentially immutable. The extremely condensed explanation is that much energy is needed to separate hydrogen from water, and carrying a useful amount of hydrogen on a vehicle is cumbersome.

3. Car czar. Czars are for Russia. The proper way for the government to protect its "investments" in auto companies is for them to buy voting common stock in those companies. Any czar appointed by politicians would be a politician in fact, even if not nominally. And politicians know nothing of the vehicle business and have no desire to learn.

4. National energy policy. America tried to devise a national energy policy during the 1970s. (Rick looks too young to remember.) It was embarrassing and wasted lots of money. The concept of any group forcing a particular energy plan onto America is tyrannical and foolish. The best energy plan will evolve from technologies and market events that no one can predict.

5. Larry Burns' comment. Burns is annoyed that the public is unenthusiastic about the technologies that Burns favors. So he wants the government to FORCE us to buy products using those technologies.
]]> Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:32:55 -0500
1. Increased gas tax would be bad for consumers and for auto manufacturers. The reason is told by the economic axiom that "When the price of something rises, people use less of it." If we include operating costs in vehicle prices, raising gas taxes reduces vehicle sales. Auto manufacturers desperately need the opposite.

2. Hydrogen fuel cells are extremely impractical for vehicular applications and always will be. This fact is due to engineering and scientific considerations that are essentially immutable. The extremely condensed explanation is that much energy is needed to separate hydrogen from water, and carrying a useful amount of hydrogen on a vehicle is cumbersome.

3. Car czar. Czars are for Russia. The proper way for the government to protect its "investments" in auto companies is for them to buy voting common stock in those companies. Any czar appointed by politicians would be a politician in fact, even if not nominally. And politicians know nothing of the vehicle business and have no desire to learn.

4. National energy policy. America tried to devise a national energy policy during the 1970s. (Rick looks too young to remember.) It was embarrassing and wasted lots of money. The concept of any group forcing a particular energy plan onto America is tyrannical and foolish. The best energy plan will evolve from technologies and market events that no one can predict.

5. Larry Burns' comment. Burns is annoyed that the public is unenthusiastic about the technologies that Burns favors. So he wants the government to FORCE us to buy products using those technologies.
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/113208-the-bailouts-are-doomed-all-of-them?source=feed#comment-348240 348240 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:52:03 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/113312-keynes-vs-von-mises?source=feed#comment-348235 348235 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:21:00 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/113317-will-the-obama-plan-work?source=feed#comment-348227 348227
Seeing such an elementary error of logic is discouraging. I am convinced that American universities teach students not to think.]]> Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:55:57 -0500
Seeing such an elementary error of logic is discouraging. I am convinced that American universities teach students not to think.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/112625-returning-to-a-gold-standard-is-a-bad-idea?source=feed#comment-345123 345123 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 03:05:46 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/112691-what-constitutes-worthy-stimulus-spending?source=feed#comment-345118 345118 Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:43:27 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/112705-southeastern-asset-management-10-reasons-to-be-bullish-on-stocks?source=feed#comment-345116 345116 LLPFX) total returns trailed its category peers, large blend funds, by 6 and 5 percentage points annually over the trailing 3 and 5 years, respectively. It was a little worse relative to the S&P 500's total return. Are you sure you want to pay attention to the opinions of its managers?]]> Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:33:25 -0500 LLPFX) total returns trailed its category peers, large blend funds, by 6 and 5 percentage points annually over the trailing 3 and 5 years, respectively. It was a little worse relative to the S&P 500's total return. Are you sure you want to pay attention to the opinions of its managers?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/108907-the-u-s-dollar-is-following-argentina-s-path?source=feed#comment-322237 322237 Each dollar the Fed creates by buying government bonds adds to the money supply (M1) and so is currency inflation. Each dollar is subsequently loaned numerous times (the multiplier effect), and those credit dollars are money just like the original dollar the Fed created. The credit dollars also add to currency inflation. People's insouciance about inflationary effects from huge federal deficits presumably derives from the theory that, due to scarcity of credit, the number of credit dollars is currently reduced; so currency inflation will not occur. Even if that theory is correct now, the money supply will increase when credit availability returns to normal.]]> Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:15:57 -0500 Each dollar the Fed creates by buying government bonds adds to the money supply (M1) and so is currency inflation. Each dollar is subsequently loaned numerous times (the multiplier effect), and those credit dollars are money just like the original dollar the Fed created. The credit dollars also add to currency inflation. People's insouciance about inflationary effects from huge federal deficits presumably derives from the theory that, due to scarcity of credit, the number of credit dollars is currently reduced; so currency inflation will not occur. Even if that theory is correct now, the money supply will increase when credit availability returns to normal.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/107494-canadian-royalty-trusts-will-never-return-to-their-former-glory?source=feed#comment-314147 314147
The U.S. stimulus measure was economically harmful, and the prospective one will be harmful also. (That's because it was money transfers at gunpoint.) Any stimulus plans by foreign governments will do only harm, unless those politicians have been visited by an angel. I don't expect any investor to agree, but would it change your actions if I were right?]]> Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:21:42 -0500
The U.S. stimulus measure was economically harmful, and the prospective one will be harmful also. (That's because it was money transfers at gunpoint.) Any stimulus plans by foreign governments will do only harm, unless those politicians have been visited by an angel. I don't expect any investor to agree, but would it change your actions if I were right?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/106073-reich-s-reasons-for-a-new-fiscal-stimulus-bill?source=feed#comment-307519 307519 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:41:51 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/105445-obama-and-taxes-what-to-expect?source=feed#comment-304788 304788 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:32:48 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/105467-selective-data-state-by-state-unemployment?source=feed#comment-304782 304782 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:11:32 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/105526-the-most-misunderstood-chart-of-all-time?source=feed#comment-304767 304767 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:37:01 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/103809-it-s-a-great-time-to-be-an-inflationista?source=feed#comment-298451 298451 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:26:04 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/103435-solar-investment-epic-correction-leads-to-depressed-sector-with-plenty-of-potential?source=feed#comment-296840 296840 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:33:52 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/103440-verasun-energy-thin-margin-co-s-are-one-bad-economic-turn-away-from-disaster?source=feed#comment-296750 296750 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 21:43:26 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/99125-california-canary-in-the-economic-coal-mine?source=feed#comment-278558 278558 If Californians can't save themselves, then they are not worth saving. The greedy practices you mention were in response to edicts from Congress to grant mortgages to people who could not afford them. The Federal Reserve helped by flooding America with money and credit. Don't blame your local banker, etc.; blame Congress.]]> Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:34:22 -0400 If Californians can't save themselves, then they are not worth saving. The greedy practices you mention were in response to edicts from Congress to grant mortgages to people who could not afford them. The Federal Reserve helped by flooding America with money and credit. Don't blame your local banker, etc.; blame Congress.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/99113-why-the-financial-markets-haven-t-responded?source=feed#comment-278554 278554 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 06:09:58 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/95482-buy-sell-or-hold-garmin-defends-its-market-leadership?source=feed#comment-255102 255102 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:07:25 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/94255-halliburton-at-a-discount-despite-continuously-meeting-expectations?source=feed#comment-251210 251210 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:47:13 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/92833-integrated-oil-spin-off-propels-encana-s-growth?source=feed#comment-240488 240488
FP Trading Desk: It sounds like the joint venture will use in situ extraction. I am skeptical about in situ extraction; isn't anyone else? For just one example, what fraction of the oil is recovered? How does that compare with the alternative of surface mining, in which the "dirt" is loaded into a truck and carried to an onsite factory. I have never seen recovery data for either method. An investor should be more than curious.]]> Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:33:54 -0400
FP Trading Desk: It sounds like the joint venture will use in situ extraction. I am skeptical about in situ extraction; isn't anyone else? For just one example, what fraction of the oil is recovered? How does that compare with the alternative of surface mining, in which the "dirt" is loaded into a truck and carried to an onsite factory. I have never seen recovery data for either method. An investor should be more than curious.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/92852-the-economics-of-political-spin?source=feed#comment-240480 240480 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:17:30 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/90699-a-new-global-market-for-natural-gas?source=feed#comment-229707 229707
For coal the best uses are generating electrical energy and making coke. For nuclear fuel the best use is generating electrical energy.

For natural gas, the best use is space heating. To use it for electrical generation is wasteful. It is so used because governments have shackled coal and nuclear with laws and regulations. If governments did not rig the game, economic decision makers would choose coal or nuclear for most electrical generation. An investor would say, "Why should I care about that theoretical stuff?" The reason is that it will benefit future generations.]]> Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:51:08 -0400
For coal the best uses are generating electrical energy and making coke. For nuclear fuel the best use is generating electrical energy.

For natural gas, the best use is space heating. To use it for electrical generation is wasteful. It is so used because governments have shackled coal and nuclear with laws and regulations. If governments did not rig the game, economic decision makers would choose coal or nuclear for most electrical generation. An investor would say, "Why should I care about that theoretical stuff?" The reason is that it will benefit future generations.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/85827-out-goes-gold-fields-in-comes-tata?source=feed#comment-209725 209725 Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:46:23 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/81634-minimum-wage-hikes-vs-tax-rebates-what-s-more-effective?source=feed#comment-197507 197507 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:22:42 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/79332-why-is-oil-going-up?source=feed#comment-178864 178864 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:58:10 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/75322-walter-industries-a-one-stop-shop-for-coal-natural-gas-and-housing?source=feed#comment-161040 161040 Sat, 03 May 2008 01:05:40 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/73783-opportunities-in-natural-gas-baker-hughes-halliburton-schlumberger?source=feed#comment-156310 156310
Earnings yield is the inverse of P/E, but not here. So what is it?

SLB has the advantage of a low income tax rate and the disadvantage of a small earnings yield. ]]> Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:36:48 -0400
Earnings yield is the inverse of P/E, but not here. So what is it?

SLB has the advantage of a low income tax rate and the disadvantage of a small earnings yield. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/73790-consol-synthesis-energy-waste-coal-is-the-next-boom?source=feed#comment-156307 156307 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:10:09 -0400