Atakan's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/151522/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/134234-nothing-about-this-economy-is-surprising?source=feed#comment-484154 484154 I buy the argument that incentive structures when distorted can cause big headaches and system wide tremors but we can have a hybrid system with effective check and balances that are actually guess what "ENFORCED". The revolving door of Wall Street to DC has caused lax regulation by the likes of SEC that to me has been the weakest link in this monstrous mess. If you haven't yet read the book "The Demons of our Own Making". It does a nice job explaining the system wide dependencies and how most effective regulations can be those that are based on rough but simple and enforceable rules. Bring back the rules of
- 1:12 leverage and no more
- requirements to report holdings after a certain size is reached
- put in place a CDS clearing house where counter party risk can be manages
and you'll have much more perhaps even "black swan" proof system. What will be the missing? $50M dollar bonuses to the likes of Mr. Cassano of AIG. I think the society would be able cope with that much!

I'm sorry but I refuse to shed any tears for the Wall Street high flyers. Not in this life... ]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:54:33 -0400 I buy the argument that incentive structures when distorted can cause big headaches and system wide tremors but we can have a hybrid system with effective check and balances that are actually guess what "ENFORCED". The revolving door of Wall Street to DC has caused lax regulation by the likes of SEC that to me has been the weakest link in this monstrous mess. If you haven't yet read the book "The Demons of our Own Making". It does a nice job explaining the system wide dependencies and how most effective regulations can be those that are based on rough but simple and enforceable rules. Bring back the rules of
- 1:12 leverage and no more
- requirements to report holdings after a certain size is reached
- put in place a CDS clearing house where counter party risk can be manages
and you'll have much more perhaps even "black swan" proof system. What will be the missing? $50M dollar bonuses to the likes of Mr. Cassano of AIG. I think the society would be able cope with that much!

I'm sorry but I refuse to shed any tears for the Wall Street high flyers. Not in this life... ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/116965-rating-agencies-unfairly-give-turkey-short-shrift?source=feed#comment-369434 369434 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:36:20 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/113754-equity-asset-allocation-didn-t-work-in-2008?source=feed#comment-356798 356798 I have a question for you. If I want to select the world (free floating) as my portfolio benchmark. 5 years down the road when China makes up twice as large a part of the world market cap do I go back and readjust my benchmark or do I leave it where it started - frozen. We talk a lot about rebalancing without mentioning the fact that the world is dynamic and so are the benchmarks. How do we manage the inherent conflict between having to find a stable bencmark and one that reflects the world we live in?
May be I am missing sth. here...]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:47:19 -0500 I have a question for you. If I want to select the world (free floating) as my portfolio benchmark. 5 years down the road when China makes up twice as large a part of the world market cap do I go back and readjust my benchmark or do I leave it where it started - frozen. We talk a lot about rebalancing without mentioning the fact that the world is dynamic and so are the benchmarks. How do we manage the inherent conflict between having to find a stable bencmark and one that reflects the world we live in?
May be I am missing sth. here...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/114650-david-swensen-on-funds-distressed-securities-and-investing?source=feed#comment-355975 355975 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:58:24 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/82674-turkish-shareholders-association-plans-to-sue-the-turkish-central-bank?source=feed#comment-331672 331672 The merits of the export based growth model can be further discussed but IMO it represents a better alternative for Turkey that the current anemic policies that don't seem any more sustainable than the original TARP ideas in the U.S. I am hoping whatever market disruptions take place do not cause undue harm to the masses in Turkey that simply work hard and brave the conditions no matter what to make ends meet. It all starts with leadership and the upcoming local elections will be a great mid-term examination for the existing leadership roster.
Best wishes.
PS: Also hats off to Hadi for a very revealing set of comments with historical perspective, which is always illuminating.]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:59:18 -0500 The merits of the export based growth model can be further discussed but IMO it represents a better alternative for Turkey that the current anemic policies that don't seem any more sustainable than the original TARP ideas in the U.S. I am hoping whatever market disruptions take place do not cause undue harm to the masses in Turkey that simply work hard and brave the conditions no matter what to make ends meet. It all starts with leadership and the upcoming local elections will be a great mid-term examination for the existing leadership roster.
Best wishes.
PS: Also hats off to Hadi for a very revealing set of comments with historical perspective, which is always illuminating.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/82674-turkish-shareholders-association-plans-to-sue-the-turkish-central-bank?source=feed#comment-331647 331647 "...the pool of “hot-money” engulfing Turkish markets that is well over a hundred billion dollars and counting."
I have come across a wide variety of figures mostly revolving around 60 billion - a very big delta here.

]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:13:09 -0500 "...the pool of “hot-money” engulfing Turkish markets that is well over a hundred billion dollars and counting."
I have come across a wide variety of figures mostly revolving around 60 billion - a very big delta here.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/28095-foreign-investors-waking-up-to-turkey?source=feed#comment-331642 331642 ]]> Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:59:29 -0500 ]]>