svosavvy's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/170665/comments http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/410408-north-fork-investors/36515-ark-restaurants-corp-finding-value-in-a-difficult-industry?source=feed#comment-775694 775694 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:43:33 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/410408-north-fork-investors/36515-ark-restaurants-corp-finding-value-in-a-difficult-industry?source=feed#comment-771840 771840 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:21:42 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/174167-e-trade-takeover-chatter-how-should-an-investor-respond?source=feed#comment-766171 766171 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:06:45 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/172043-the-reluctant-bull-my-portfolio?source=feed#comment-759788 759788
I agree with the tool box analogy, however, you and I both know the best investment is a good nights sleep, so, we only do things that are comfortable. That said, I really enjoy options as they let me "fly my freak flag", but, they are a form of leverage and thusly an implement of financial mass (self) destruction. I am a big prescriber in moderation in everything from single malt scotch to investments. I have to say I have a real bias toward selling leap (long dated) puts in companies that I love or at least have a lot of confidence in. I am not the only one, it appears Mr. Buffett is also a put seller here and there. Just watched his special with Bill gates on cnbc, I realize that it could be classified as cheerleader BS, but, there are few people that anything they say I soak up like a sponge, Warren Buffett is one of those people, that and seth klarman. Anyway leap put sales are from what I have found an excellent tool to distill cash from a bullish bias you might have. It has been my experience that this play really shines in an extremely negative environment. let me first accentuate the absolute downside, if you sell a leap put in a company you love, the real downside is that they lay an egg somewhere along the line of the life of that contract, the real downside is that the egg they lay actually makes you not believe in the company anymore. Then they lay the egg, and you cease to believe in them and then you get stuck with their shares on the downslide. However, if that egg does not occur and you continue to believe in the business this can pay handsomely. When I take a look at a company(stock) at the end I kind of think of an absolute bargain basement price my dream price per se, thsi price means a lot to a potential put sale. Anyway I may store that in my brain for a long time waiting because it appears every dog has its day. If it goes down down down I will usually buy the stock with what I feel a good margin of safety, anyway if it continues down, but, I feel that I would compromise myself by buying more as I need a fair cash position to sleep at night, I will sell a put generally in a negative environment and receive a nice premium for it. I will then take the cash to cover that put, be it the premium received plus the balnce in cash and take that number and invest it in whatever I consider to be the safest best yield of the time be it treasuries in a dollar strengthening bias, TIPS in a dollar weakening bias, or even as of a couple years ago when online savings accounts had an incredible yield matched with fdic guaranty. I then wait, if it is exercised I get my stock at a price I consider to be "dreamy"plus the premium received upfront is mine to keep. I did this as I mentioned before with AA. After the covering of those puts I have again sold the leap put at a 10 strike on AA which I wouldn't mind a few more shares of AA at 10 for this leap I recieved 2.10 on the hundred which nets me AA at 7.90 a share which rivals a march buy I made in this at 6.76. I have a bias that AA at or around 7.50 is a steal imho. I made the contract on a negative day in the end of october. I then take the $1000 per contract which is 2.10 premium plus 7.90 my cash and invest conservatively. If it hits I get my stock if it doesn't I get 2.10 on the hundred per contract. Similar I guess to an insurance float model. Anyway it is a style, and this makes up a very small amount of my portfolio most is more traditional. I would argue that that this kind of stuff is the reason I get out of bed in the morning to research. Cheers. Oh yeah, p.s. 99% of the time I buy cover if or when the trade swings my way in a significant fashion, that way I can reload it at a later date instead of waiting until the bitter end.]]> Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:26:15 -0500
I agree with the tool box analogy, however, you and I both know the best investment is a good nights sleep, so, we only do things that are comfortable. That said, I really enjoy options as they let me "fly my freak flag", but, they are a form of leverage and thusly an implement of financial mass (self) destruction. I am a big prescriber in moderation in everything from single malt scotch to investments. I have to say I have a real bias toward selling leap (long dated) puts in companies that I love or at least have a lot of confidence in. I am not the only one, it appears Mr. Buffett is also a put seller here and there. Just watched his special with Bill gates on cnbc, I realize that it could be classified as cheerleader BS, but, there are few people that anything they say I soak up like a sponge, Warren Buffett is one of those people, that and seth klarman. Anyway leap put sales are from what I have found an excellent tool to distill cash from a bullish bias you might have. It has been my experience that this play really shines in an extremely negative environment. let me first accentuate the absolute downside, if you sell a leap put in a company you love, the real downside is that they lay an egg somewhere along the line of the life of that contract, the real downside is that the egg they lay actually makes you not believe in the company anymore. Then they lay the egg, and you cease to believe in them and then you get stuck with their shares on the downslide. However, if that egg does not occur and you continue to believe in the business this can pay handsomely. When I take a look at a company(stock) at the end I kind of think of an absolute bargain basement price my dream price per se, thsi price means a lot to a potential put sale. Anyway I may store that in my brain for a long time waiting because it appears every dog has its day. If it goes down down down I will usually buy the stock with what I feel a good margin of safety, anyway if it continues down, but, I feel that I would compromise myself by buying more as I need a fair cash position to sleep at night, I will sell a put generally in a negative environment and receive a nice premium for it. I will then take the cash to cover that put, be it the premium received plus the balnce in cash and take that number and invest it in whatever I consider to be the safest best yield of the time be it treasuries in a dollar strengthening bias, TIPS in a dollar weakening bias, or even as of a couple years ago when online savings accounts had an incredible yield matched with fdic guaranty. I then wait, if it is exercised I get my stock at a price I consider to be "dreamy"plus the premium received upfront is mine to keep. I did this as I mentioned before with AA. After the covering of those puts I have again sold the leap put at a 10 strike on AA which I wouldn't mind a few more shares of AA at 10 for this leap I recieved 2.10 on the hundred which nets me AA at 7.90 a share which rivals a march buy I made in this at 6.76. I have a bias that AA at or around 7.50 is a steal imho. I made the contract on a negative day in the end of october. I then take the $1000 per contract which is 2.10 premium plus 7.90 my cash and invest conservatively. If it hits I get my stock if it doesn't I get 2.10 on the hundred per contract. Similar I guess to an insurance float model. Anyway it is a style, and this makes up a very small amount of my portfolio most is more traditional. I would argue that that this kind of stuff is the reason I get out of bed in the morning to research. Cheers. Oh yeah, p.s. 99% of the time I buy cover if or when the trade swings my way in a significant fashion, that way I can reload it at a later date instead of waiting until the bitter end.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/172043-the-reluctant-bull-my-portfolio?source=feed#comment-753380 753380 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:53:15 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/172043-the-reluctant-bull-my-portfolio?source=feed#comment-753349 753349
The bulk of my options are of a leap variety. I mostly like selling leaps especially if I have a strong feeling about a position and am willing to back up my feeling with action. The reason I like the leaps is there is generally more leeway regarding time premium issues. In other words I think you can be less right and still make out, but, anyway you slice it if you make the move you gotta be willing to live with the consequences. I actually had a scary little adventure here a little while back and discovered something about myself. What I learned is that I am in love with my pvx position which is a scary proposition, attaching sentiment to a thing is setting yourself up to fail. Anyway, I sold 5 leap calls against 40% of my pvx for a dollar proceed, it promptly and abruptly flew up in price to the point where the contract was trading at 1.65 (not a big stop loss guy) I was beside myself that I let it go too easy. I spent a couple tense weeks a few weeks ago then it came back to me and I covered at 1.15. So only put buys for "my precious" now, something Buffett said in an address to a group of graduating mba's years ago that I saw on a youtube clip rang true for me. You absolutely cannot bet what you can't stand to lose, he made reference to a person getting millions of dollars to take a bet of playing russian roulette with a gun that had a thousand chambers and only one bullet. Yeah the odds are in your favor, but, you are betting what you can't lose and therefore it is reckless. It is wierd pvx is my first "lover" when it comes to stocks, man it is really wierd looking at that admission in type on the screen. I am generally more stoic than that, sorry. I actually remember back in march when they paraded out louise yamada on fast money and she called for some s&p level that was just absurd and I said to myself this is complete BS. The next day I went out and sold leap puts for I believe AA at 7.50 and ACI for 10.00 and I was real with myself, I had been a good boy and had a pile of cash, I said I would be thrilled to own at these levels. Anyway I think I got like 3.90 per for the aci one which is crazy that's like 39% of the risk in the first place. Covered both of these bets last month for monster gains. I find that if you can see an inflection point making the long bet against the grain can be huge. I am applying the same idea to my T tips, I bought them last spring. I opted for the 20 year the longest I could get, it is my belief that we will be screaming at the top of our lungs about inflation in 5years or so or longer. At the height of our screaming the prevailing bias will be that it will be like this forever, from what I have observed about human behavior (helps to have hands on psych experience) is that when a person is squarely in the center of some form of crisis or negative stimuli the prevailing "voice" (in your head or on tv) will continue to utter that it will be this way forever, however, if you subscribe like me to "the only constant is change" and "this too shall pass" you can overcome the idea that it will be like this forever. Kinda like if you ever want to see time stand still watch a person having a seizure. Anyway, while the crowd believes this rotten scenario will persist the crowd will seek comfort (pay up) in instruments that guarantee long term protection from a short term squeeze. So anyway I want TIPS that will have 10 years of comfort (premium) left on them because someone will pay up for that. That's my tested hypothesis anyway. Back to leaps, a nice conservativally aggressive play is to find a company you love that is in real distress and people are freaking out about it, calmly walk in and sell the longest put you can get (for the most premium) because unbeknownst to them your intention was to buy it all along and the premium collected can be your margin of safety. If the option isn't exercised you get an awesome payout and if it does you get the stock you wanted at a killer price. If the stock goes up you cover for pennies on the dollar you collected, if it stagnates time premium is your friend. It just came to me that if I remember right buffett had a truckload of bni puts sold that now will expire worthless with the buyout so yet another boon to buffett.]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:10:09 -0500
The bulk of my options are of a leap variety. I mostly like selling leaps especially if I have a strong feeling about a position and am willing to back up my feeling with action. The reason I like the leaps is there is generally more leeway regarding time premium issues. In other words I think you can be less right and still make out, but, anyway you slice it if you make the move you gotta be willing to live with the consequences. I actually had a scary little adventure here a little while back and discovered something about myself. What I learned is that I am in love with my pvx position which is a scary proposition, attaching sentiment to a thing is setting yourself up to fail. Anyway, I sold 5 leap calls against 40% of my pvx for a dollar proceed, it promptly and abruptly flew up in price to the point where the contract was trading at 1.65 (not a big stop loss guy) I was beside myself that I let it go too easy. I spent a couple tense weeks a few weeks ago then it came back to me and I covered at 1.15. So only put buys for "my precious" now, something Buffett said in an address to a group of graduating mba's years ago that I saw on a youtube clip rang true for me. You absolutely cannot bet what you can't stand to lose, he made reference to a person getting millions of dollars to take a bet of playing russian roulette with a gun that had a thousand chambers and only one bullet. Yeah the odds are in your favor, but, you are betting what you can't lose and therefore it is reckless. It is wierd pvx is my first "lover" when it comes to stocks, man it is really wierd looking at that admission in type on the screen. I am generally more stoic than that, sorry. I actually remember back in march when they paraded out louise yamada on fast money and she called for some s&p level that was just absurd and I said to myself this is complete BS. The next day I went out and sold leap puts for I believe AA at 7.50 and ACI for 10.00 and I was real with myself, I had been a good boy and had a pile of cash, I said I would be thrilled to own at these levels. Anyway I think I got like 3.90 per for the aci one which is crazy that's like 39% of the risk in the first place. Covered both of these bets last month for monster gains. I find that if you can see an inflection point making the long bet against the grain can be huge. I am applying the same idea to my T tips, I bought them last spring. I opted for the 20 year the longest I could get, it is my belief that we will be screaming at the top of our lungs about inflation in 5years or so or longer. At the height of our screaming the prevailing bias will be that it will be like this forever, from what I have observed about human behavior (helps to have hands on psych experience) is that when a person is squarely in the center of some form of crisis or negative stimuli the prevailing "voice" (in your head or on tv) will continue to utter that it will be this way forever, however, if you subscribe like me to "the only constant is change" and "this too shall pass" you can overcome the idea that it will be like this forever. Kinda like if you ever want to see time stand still watch a person having a seizure. Anyway, while the crowd believes this rotten scenario will persist the crowd will seek comfort (pay up) in instruments that guarantee long term protection from a short term squeeze. So anyway I want TIPS that will have 10 years of comfort (premium) left on them because someone will pay up for that. That's my tested hypothesis anyway. Back to leaps, a nice conservativally aggressive play is to find a company you love that is in real distress and people are freaking out about it, calmly walk in and sell the longest put you can get (for the most premium) because unbeknownst to them your intention was to buy it all along and the premium collected can be your margin of safety. If the option isn't exercised you get an awesome payout and if it does you get the stock you wanted at a killer price. If the stock goes up you cover for pennies on the dollar you collected, if it stagnates time premium is your friend. It just came to me that if I remember right buffett had a truckload of bni puts sold that now will expire worthless with the buyout so yet another boon to buffett.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/172043-the-reluctant-bull-my-portfolio?source=feed#comment-752724 752724
Yes indeed very valid reply, and options are generally not for the overly conservative. I become more conservative by the year, but, at 32 I fancy myself more of a cowboy. That or a mouse that thinks it can take on an elephant (an excerpt from a book my kiddies love). I hold pvx in my IRA as well so any shorting in there takes place as a put/buy. I do short in my brokerage acct. I have a healthy stack of 5 puts in my IRA, I bought when the stock broke 6. Some expire in dec some in mar, I am pretty much underwater on these nickels and dimes, however, what they represented for me was the option to continue being long the stock (and collecting the dist.). I was highly interested in selling at 6. I had carried a small position into the crash but I backed up the truck in march becoming titanically overweight, buying around the 2.50 mark and as a value investor not believing my eyes. Basically, I throw a little party every time my puts devalue because it means I get to keep the stock I think is irrationally high here and if it falls I would sell the purchased puts for proceed to cushion my oversized butt instead of exercising them. Anyway I think the theme here is a person who is balanced or hedged in approach generally tends to sleep better at night. Then there's ones in my brokerage acct like AA I've got 10 put/sales 17.50 call/sales and the proceeds go toward the underlying position which I have no love for. Hedged long pvx aa aci. naked long ed ge pwe silver and actual TIPS not the etf. Nakeds hedged with 25% cash.]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:23:04 -0500
Yes indeed very valid reply, and options are generally not for the overly conservative. I become more conservative by the year, but, at 32 I fancy myself more of a cowboy. That or a mouse that thinks it can take on an elephant (an excerpt from a book my kiddies love). I hold pvx in my IRA as well so any shorting in there takes place as a put/buy. I do short in my brokerage acct. I have a healthy stack of 5 puts in my IRA, I bought when the stock broke 6. Some expire in dec some in mar, I am pretty much underwater on these nickels and dimes, however, what they represented for me was the option to continue being long the stock (and collecting the dist.). I was highly interested in selling at 6. I had carried a small position into the crash but I backed up the truck in march becoming titanically overweight, buying around the 2.50 mark and as a value investor not believing my eyes. Basically, I throw a little party every time my puts devalue because it means I get to keep the stock I think is irrationally high here and if it falls I would sell the purchased puts for proceed to cushion my oversized butt instead of exercising them. Anyway I think the theme here is a person who is balanced or hedged in approach generally tends to sleep better at night. Then there's ones in my brokerage acct like AA I've got 10 put/sales 17.50 call/sales and the proceeds go toward the underlying position which I have no love for. Hedged long pvx aa aci. naked long ed ge pwe silver and actual TIPS not the etf. Nakeds hedged with 25% cash.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/170837-invest-in-silver-over-gold?source=feed#comment-752474 752474 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:36:43 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/172043-the-reluctant-bull-my-portfolio?source=feed#comment-751856 751856 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:48:54 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/171821-option-trader-friday-outlook-is-the-dollar-going-uup?source=feed#comment-748055 748055 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:02:51 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/170837-invest-in-silver-over-gold?source=feed#comment-745560 745560 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:20:53 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/170837-invest-in-silver-over-gold?source=feed#comment-742242 742242 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:17:16 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/170373-portugal-and-greece-downgrades-offer-silver-lining-for-yield?source=feed#comment-740259 740259 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:05:32 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/168771-michael-mauboussin-s-think-twice-harnessing-the-power-of-counterintuition-is-short-but-sweet?source=feed#comment-739838 739838 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:19:38 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/168771-michael-mauboussin-s-think-twice-harnessing-the-power-of-counterintuition-is-short-but-sweet?source=feed#comment-739834 739834 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:10:04 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/news/market_currents/post/35551?source=feed#comment-739825 739825 Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:00:17 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/168731-despite-declining-value-dollar-s-status-as-world-s-reserve-currency-is-safe-for-now?source=feed#comment-732264 732264
As a recovering dialectic junkie, I seek balance and "quality"

This has led me to only mostly believe in dollar demise. I wonder what happens if we see a radical shift in the behavior of the american consumer and consumers who behave like americans.

Here is my list of long shots. What if:

1. the american consumer radically changes their consumption behavior in regards to oil. My belief is a reduced demand for oil strengthens what it is denominated in. A major shift to domestic nat gas(power generation as well as vroom vroom) could be a major caveat as well imho.

2. The american savings rate goes up. From what I can see the contraction of credit will mitigate somewhat the potential of US consumers to get into trouble like they did before. I believe the savings rate has nowhere to go but up or flatline. The contraction of credit is huge imho. Without more plastic it will be more difficult for people to go on benders at walmart.

3. The need by banks for private capital once the federal backstop measures are reeled in. Hopefully, we will see a banking regulation structure that disallows insane leverage. This will require higher levels of reserve. If gov't money gets taken off the table, which it should once we move past crisis mode, this will create a need for private dollars. Bankers then would actually have to go out and compete for private money vis a vis interest rates. Fair returns for private money would attract them back to the system.

Like I said before I have positioned myself to gain from a weaker dollar. Anyway this is my list of longshots, nothing in life is ever a slam dunk. Life is not a one way street, anyone remember the 90's high taxes, a budget surplus? 5$ silver ringing any bells? I know it is laughable to bring up stuff like this when we are in the stew here.

Just the ramblings of a country bumpkin.

p.s. does anybody know a good way to invest in the Icelandic krona other than getting a boxfull mailed to your door?

]]> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:31:51 -0400
As a recovering dialectic junkie, I seek balance and "quality"

This has led me to only mostly believe in dollar demise. I wonder what happens if we see a radical shift in the behavior of the american consumer and consumers who behave like americans.

Here is my list of long shots. What if:

1. the american consumer radically changes their consumption behavior in regards to oil. My belief is a reduced demand for oil strengthens what it is denominated in. A major shift to domestic nat gas(power generation as well as vroom vroom) could be a major caveat as well imho.

2. The american savings rate goes up. From what I can see the contraction of credit will mitigate somewhat the potential of US consumers to get into trouble like they did before. I believe the savings rate has nowhere to go but up or flatline. The contraction of credit is huge imho. Without more plastic it will be more difficult for people to go on benders at walmart.

3. The need by banks for private capital once the federal backstop measures are reeled in. Hopefully, we will see a banking regulation structure that disallows insane leverage. This will require higher levels of reserve. If gov't money gets taken off the table, which it should once we move past crisis mode, this will create a need for private dollars. Bankers then would actually have to go out and compete for private money vis a vis interest rates. Fair returns for private money would attract them back to the system.

Like I said before I have positioned myself to gain from a weaker dollar. Anyway this is my list of longshots, nothing in life is ever a slam dunk. Life is not a one way street, anyone remember the 90's high taxes, a budget surplus? 5$ silver ringing any bells? I know it is laughable to bring up stuff like this when we are in the stew here.

Just the ramblings of a country bumpkin.

p.s. does anybody know a good way to invest in the Icelandic krona other than getting a boxfull mailed to your door?

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/168719-netflix-buying-back-shares-with-no-room-for-error?source=feed#comment-730225 730225 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:47:49 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/167548-bond-expert-tuesday-outlook?source=feed#comment-722091 722091 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:09:39 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/166533-portfolio-building-with-tips-etfs-is-now-the-time?source=feed#comment-719362 719362 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:55:48 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/166533-portfolio-building-with-tips-etfs-is-now-the-time?source=feed#comment-716349 716349 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:12:35 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/163382-e-trade-expect-a-takeover-any-day-now?source=feed#comment-693689 693689 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:45:53 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/162750-options-trader-tuesday-outlook-gordon-brown-s-booster-shot?source=feed#comment-686196 686196 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:53:49 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/162000-lessons-from-a-market-en-fuego?source=feed#comment-680633 680633 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:48:13 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/161241-look-who-s-betting-on-inflation?source=feed#comment-675278 675278 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:35:46 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/157709-prepare-yourself-for-the-inflation-invasion?source=feed#comment-645304 645304 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:19:46 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/157691-investing-in-natural-gas-it-s-time?source=feed#comment-643502 643502 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:58:53 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/157917-options-trader-monday-outlook?source=feed#comment-643427 643427 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:36:39 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/156482-rational-market-theory-and-black-swans-in-healthcare-reform?source=feed#comment-634761 634761
Private insurance has a pool of people who need care and healthy but still pay because they might. A good cross section much like any other kind of insurance. The crucial difference is the gov't agencies are full of people who need care. It's probably not just a little because private agencies shovel sick people out of their roles much like the shoveling of sh*t out of a dirty cowbarn. Maybe if the gov't agencies had a few healthy people under their wing paying a premium we could go back to normal vis a vis pre 1990 healthcare. What we have now is hell-thcare. I don't care if it is a public or private option, affordable healthcare is a mirage in this country.

The proof is in the pudding look at the bottom line of cigna, aetna, unh. How come we get pissed when we are robbed blind at the gas pump, but, not at the hospital. Why, I say it is psychology, it is hard to get mad when someone is providing care for you no matter that it is bankrupting you.

Combo drugs are a briliant ploy to combat the onslaught of generics. You can have 2 generics that are commonly available, but, if you combine them you have a patent drug. So, instead of prescribing both generics, you can have a drug rep go to the doctor and sign him up for a "conference" in some nice location where the doc can get a bj and play 18 holes, and "learn" about this new wonder drug. Then we can put that bad boy on tv and get people to want it like cereal commercials on saturday morning tv. Because you don't know any better you "ask your doctor". Your doctor doesn't care for obvious reasons and bingo lets make a deal. It used to be illegal to advertise prescription drugs on tv until there was a gaping hole left by the outlawing of cigarettes on tv.]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:10:59 -0400
Private insurance has a pool of people who need care and healthy but still pay because they might. A good cross section much like any other kind of insurance. The crucial difference is the gov't agencies are full of people who need care. It's probably not just a little because private agencies shovel sick people out of their roles much like the shoveling of sh*t out of a dirty cowbarn. Maybe if the gov't agencies had a few healthy people under their wing paying a premium we could go back to normal vis a vis pre 1990 healthcare. What we have now is hell-thcare. I don't care if it is a public or private option, affordable healthcare is a mirage in this country.

The proof is in the pudding look at the bottom line of cigna, aetna, unh. How come we get pissed when we are robbed blind at the gas pump, but, not at the hospital. Why, I say it is psychology, it is hard to get mad when someone is providing care for you no matter that it is bankrupting you.

Combo drugs are a briliant ploy to combat the onslaught of generics. You can have 2 generics that are commonly available, but, if you combine them you have a patent drug. So, instead of prescribing both generics, you can have a drug rep go to the doctor and sign him up for a "conference" in some nice location where the doc can get a bj and play 18 holes, and "learn" about this new wonder drug. Then we can put that bad boy on tv and get people to want it like cereal commercials on saturday morning tv. Because you don't know any better you "ask your doctor". Your doctor doesn't care for obvious reasons and bingo lets make a deal. It used to be illegal to advertise prescription drugs on tv until there was a gaping hole left by the outlawing of cigarettes on tv.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/156482-rational-market-theory-and-black-swans-in-healthcare-reform?source=feed#comment-634676 634676 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:23:14 -0400