Voice of Reason

Not Everyone Is In Trouble

There are many people and institutions to blame. Begin with the little monkey named Bush that has zero creditability and did what he does best, sit on his hands and mumble nonsense like everything is fine. Wink. Wink.. Then you have egg head Ben Bernanke that generates as much confidence in what he's saying as a bowl of cold oatmeal left on the kitchen counter overnight that has been behind the curve from day one and hasn't caught up let alone get ahead of the curve yet. Lets not forget Henry Paulson that seems unable to put five words together without stuttering. Where the hell do we find such idiots and give them so much power and responsibility only to see them fall flat on their faces over and over? Take the handful of fifth graders on the show called Are you smarter than a fifth grader and put them in charge. I doubt they could have done worse. In fact I know they would have done way better.

Speaking of idiots, Congress is front and center. Lets see, some couldn't vote for the original plan because it cost too much so 4 days later they approve a plan that costs over 100 billion MORE!

Then how about the executives at major banks and AIG? One guy smugly confirming, yeah, I got 1 million for consulting correcting the Congressman asking, no, not in a year, each month!

You want to know what's really wrong? Its the crazy "system". Where is it written that it's OK for investment banks, which by the way we don't have any more of, to leverage 20, 25, 30 even 40 to 1?

What kind of crap is it for so-called rating agencies to down grade companies' bond ratings, which drives their stocks lower, which in turn lowers the price more which makes it harder to raise capital which further delutes the current stockholder's equity. What kind of a circus is this?

What moron invented mark to market accounting?

Why did they get rid of the up tick rule?

Why are hedge funds allowed to engage in naked short selling which pushes companies to lose billions in value?

In case you haven't figured it out yet the real problem is confidence.

You can't trust what the president says, or Congress. The Bozos in charge at the Federal Reserve and Treasurary dept couldn't find their rear ends with both hands behind their back. Oh... and guess what, the fat cats on Wall Street and Main Street game the system and no matter what happens walk away with bags full og cash after wrecking companies in business for a 100 years while you see your investments race towards zero.

All that said, you know who the biggest idiots of all is?

Sorry, that would be Joe Average Investor, that's who. Just like in every Bear Market Joe at the very end panics and sells everything. Then Joe Six Pack sits on the sidelines as the market screams back up 20% or more, then gets back in missing most of the move back up.

People never learn.

Why the E*Trade Shorts Have It Wrong

Personally I'm just putting my E-Trade position on the back burner and not worrying about it till things shake out more. It only represents less than 2% of my total stock positions so I'm willing to let it ride along with my Thornburg holdings along with a couple other current bow wow stocks that have the potential to double or more. Like with poker, sometimes it's time to double, other times fold, other times just do nothing but wait and sit things out. So for now I put these chips in my pocket and walked off to another table to see what other trouble I can get into. But I ain't cashing in my E-Trade or Thornburg chips. Not yet, no way. I'm patient.

Why the E*Trade Shorts Have It Wrong

Did a little birdie whisper in your ear or are you just guessing?

In other words a lot of bluster and BS, short on facts. Got any?

The truth is you have no idea what E-Trade's or for that matter anyone's mortgage portfolio is made up of. Put your play money back in the Monopoly box where it came from.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

It is obvious to anyone the gloom and doom mob have an agenda. One of the biggest evils in the market today is naked short selling. WHY is this even legal? Why the hell is ANY KIND of short selling permitted? It is absurd that you can sell something you don't own by borrowing a third party's money with the intended purpose of profiting by trying to cause misery on others.

WAY TOO MANY smart-ass types have plundered the stock, options and future markets with the intended purpose of trying to make a quick buck. That flys in the face of fundmential investing principles and it is long past the the time way tougher rules are enacted and ENFORCED.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

OK, to be fair I took a look...or tried to. Unlike the majors Think or Swim won't even let you really see their software until you register. Dumb. I'm not playing that game. The big boys like E-Trade, Amertrade, Scott Trade and Fidelity all at least give you a fairly extensive demo right off their web site...no need to open an trial account to get a feel what you'll get.

Since they don't brag about it on their web site I'm forced to conclude Think Or Swim offers little if any research or historical data or news ticker feeds. Another big minus again all the major players offer in varying degrees depending on which of their platforms you run. I prefer E-Trade's Market Trader over their Pro version.

As far as Options or Futures, I'm not really into that in a big way. Sorry, I don't want or need "some guy that sits around all day making commentaries'. I DO MY OWN HOMEWORK which again is where the rich resources E-Trade provides at no extra change comes in. In summary for me, it's the whole package, not just the ability to get lower commissions and I don't want a service that admits they specialize in options, that means they skim in other areas like the ones I mentioned.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

You expect serious investors to jump to a firm called Think Or Swim ? I wouldn't put any of my money in a firm named that no matter how good a platform they claimed to have.

I remember my mother telling me when she was growing up in Chicago in the early 1900's there used to be a Undertaker with the company name Ketchm and Killum.

Just like I would think anyone layed out in their Sunday finest at Ketchm and Killum may cause a raised eyebrow or two from those coming to pay their last respects as to how they met their demise I would hate to admit to having my funds at a place called Think or Swim. Too tacky for my tastes.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

Making wild assumptions again Wez? That your speciality? I've got a nice profit on E-Trade and expect it to increase markedly over the next 9 months or so.

As far as you getting sick of the topic, several posters handed you your head on a platter. So good idea, time you stop embarrassing yourself.

Comparative Price Shopping: Selected Banking, Mortgage and Brokerage Stocks

I can't stand TD Ameritrade commericals. That over the hill actor from Law & Order is a BIG negative and makes me avoid anything he pitches. In contrast E-Trade commericals have just the right touch of humor. A merger would be interesting but doubt it is in the cards.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

Some here are a little too full of themselves. Like you Wez when you make foolish comments like "Lol, typical seeking Alpha rabid stock promoters." Seeing value in a stock isn't being rabid and I'm hardly promoting anyone buy E-Trade or anything else. I'm simply tired of all the cold water throwers that spew out their gloomy and often distored outlook then crawl back to hide in the bushes until they ambush the next poster having a optimistic view.

I see way more excessively negative crepe hangers. For those not that familar with that term it refers to compulsive worriers, anxious about things that have not yet happened and persons with a consistently pessimistic outlook. As an investor I have a positive outlook and the long term record of the markets bears me out. So no, I'm not overly fond of people who always seem to see the glass as half empty and also seem to look for opportunties to throw away what's already in the glass then get bend out of shape if everyone else doesn't do the same.

Comparative Price Shopping: Selected Banking, Mortgage and Brokerage Stocks

User 181148 doesn't even know how to pick a posting name. LOL!
Accordingly I don't take anything he says seriously. This guy/gal could give the Grim Reaper and run for is money on being constantly negative about everything in every thread he shows up.

www.fastfancydress.co....

Comparative Price Shopping: Selected Banking, Mortgage and Brokerage Stocks

So-called analysts like Prashat Bhatia apparently out to make a name for themselves by irresponsible comments should be fired and banded for life from ever working in the industry again for gross misconduct.

Someone tell me how an analyst can on one hand scream sell, sell, sell to the public while he's in the loop at City which bought, bought, bought during the same period. I thought the regulators frowned on this double speak. If on the other hand this guy wasn't in the loop on City's own security purchasing, what does that say about this guy's creditability? I smell a rat.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

OK, what specifically doesn't E-Trade's platform not do that you need?

I'm listening.

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

I think that is one reason for customer loyalty. E-Trade has probably the best platform AND it seems they learned from the subprime mess. I'll go out on a limb and say within the next 18 months or so the stock will more than double. I make that prediciton since I just replaced the battery in my crystal ball which is shining brightly again. ;-)

E*Trade: Primed To Turn Around?

The market often moves up on greed and down on fear. For the last 9 months at least the fearmongers have been running wild and screaming the sky is falling not just about E-Trade or banks, but nearly everything. Yes, E-Trade has exposure to subprime, lines of credit and other risky paper. Well, so too some of the smartest minds on wall street. At least we were told this was the "smart" money.

The stock market goes in cycles. After a point screaming wolf doesn't scare people anymore. Are there surprises ahead? Sure, when haven't there been? If investing was easy, everybody would be filthy rich.

Picking bottoms or tops is a fool's errand. Taking ANYTHING said by some analyst, market watcher, so-called professional or talking head on TV is in my opinion is about as useful as used toilet paper.

Many playing the market have a heard mentality. Sure, you can hitch your wagon to some guy's idea and keep your fingers crossed it pays off but nothing beats doing your own homework.

Specifically regarding E-Trade I think it is obvious management knows they goofed. The new guy is trying to turn the ship around and focus on what they do best. He seems to be off to a good start. I for one am willing to give them time. How much depends on market conditions and how well they do.

As a long time investor in the stock market I DON'T PANIC. Sure, over the years I've made some really boneheaded decisions, but you know what, I made some pretty good ones too. Most of the time the right decision was doing what the others ain't.

That's why I'm still long E-Trade, NCC, and yep even Thornburg. Many ran away kicking and screaming from the last two. I increased my position. But what the heck do I know.