Itsonlymoney's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/19139/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/145772-why-cash-for-clunkers-is-a-bad-idea?source=feed#comment-567072 567072 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:18:21 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/145580-positioning-for-when-water-runs-out-part-ii?source=feed#comment-566951 566951 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:02:40 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/143962-as-an-investment-gold-s-just-a-brick?source=feed#comment-552334 552334
Gold earns its keep during times of extreme political and economic upset when faith in government and the monetary system are in collapse. Thankfully these times have been rare. Long term owners of gold seem to be true believers who expect the worst at any moment, there have always been plenty of indicators. But if the worst does arrive then we will have bigger problems than owning gold can solve.


On Jun 18 08:33 AM doubleguns wrote:

> "most of the gold ever mined is around today"
>
> How many of the stocks and bonds "ever" created are around today.
> Have you seen a roman stock certificate, Egyptian stock or bond,
> ANY STOCK OR BONDS from 1000 years ago, 500, 300, 200, 150?
>
> Gold lasts through the centuries, through the rise and fall of nations,
> pulled from the sunken corpse of ships long lost, dug from tombs
> in Egypt and China. None of your bonds, fiat, stocks etc...... can
> hold a candle to that!!!!]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:44:45 -0400
Gold earns its keep during times of extreme political and economic upset when faith in government and the monetary system are in collapse. Thankfully these times have been rare. Long term owners of gold seem to be true believers who expect the worst at any moment, there have always been plenty of indicators. But if the worst does arrive then we will have bigger problems than owning gold can solve.


On Jun 18 08:33 AM doubleguns wrote:

> "most of the gold ever mined is around today"
>
> How many of the stocks and bonds "ever" created are around today.
> Have you seen a roman stock certificate, Egyptian stock or bond,
> ANY STOCK OR BONDS from 1000 years ago, 500, 300, 200, 150?
>
> Gold lasts through the centuries, through the rise and fall of nations,
> pulled from the sunken corpse of ships long lost, dug from tombs
> in Egypt and China. None of your bonds, fiat, stocks etc...... can
> hold a candle to that!!!!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/142908-time-to-go-long-natural-gas-and-short-oil?source=feed#comment-546542 546542 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 23:01:41 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/142212-mac-pricing-value-is-in-the-eye-of-the-buyer?source=feed#comment-538840 538840 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:48:35 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/128472-seven-uncomfortable-predictions-for-the-economy?source=feed#comment-446499 446499
If some predict that crime is on the rise due to this economic malaise then they are revealing just how stalwart the urban poor really are considering they have been suffering through their own economic depression for years. So now a little economic hardship is predicted to send the law abiding middle class into the streets for their supper. Just how thin is the social fabric that separates the criminal from the "law abiding citizen"?

"When times get tough, the tough go shopping." That's what we are being urged to do. And short term this may be the answer since it will enable us to live business as usual without actually questioning the notion that economic growth for its own sake is good. Good for whom? ]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:25:32 -0400
If some predict that crime is on the rise due to this economic malaise then they are revealing just how stalwart the urban poor really are considering they have been suffering through their own economic depression for years. So now a little economic hardship is predicted to send the law abiding middle class into the streets for their supper. Just how thin is the social fabric that separates the criminal from the "law abiding citizen"?

"When times get tough, the tough go shopping." That's what we are being urged to do. And short term this may be the answer since it will enable us to live business as usual without actually questioning the notion that economic growth for its own sake is good. Good for whom? ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/120640-major-investors-piling-into-gold?source=feed#comment-392283 392283 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:06:53 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/116158-which-way-are-shipping-stocks-headed?source=feed#comment-364246 364246 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:18:34 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/113655-the-reflation-top-ten-portfolio?source=feed#comment-364100 364100 At the recent annual CFA awards dinner in Toronto Jim told the assembled crowd of fund managers and investment bankers to “sell your houses, move to Saskatchewan, buy a tractor and some farmland, and start farming”.

Indeed this action might just be the re-education that fund managers need after their dismal behavior these last few years.]]> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:42:16 -0500 At the recent annual CFA awards dinner in Toronto Jim told the assembled crowd of fund managers and investment bankers to “sell your houses, move to Saskatchewan, buy a tractor and some farmland, and start farming”.

Indeed this action might just be the re-education that fund managers need after their dismal behavior these last few years.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/115255-the-bull-run-begins-this-week?source=feed#comment-360142 360142 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:19:05 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/114966-exclusive-interview-with-jim-rogers-inflation-is-coming?source=feed#comment-360094 360094 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:33:39 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/115315-what-does-obama-s-cabinet-have-in-store-for-alternative-energy?source=feed#comment-360055 360055 Global Warming and recent cold winters have little or no short term relationship. They will be directly connected long term as the Arctic ice melts and thus disrupts the flow of the Gulf Stream which has been warming the Northern US and Europe. Google Mini Ice Age or check out the info on the Mini or Little Ice age. As the ice melts it's affect on the Northern Hemisphere is to cool it, and begin the cycle of ice creation all over again. Get out your mittens if you live on the East Coast. news.nationalgeographi...

]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:55:24 -0500 Global Warming and recent cold winters have little or no short term relationship. They will be directly connected long term as the Arctic ice melts and thus disrupts the flow of the Gulf Stream which has been warming the Northern US and Europe. Google Mini Ice Age or check out the info on the Mini or Little Ice age. As the ice melts it's affect on the Northern Hemisphere is to cool it, and begin the cycle of ice creation all over again. Get out your mittens if you live on the East Coast. news.nationalgeographi...

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/115242-six-companies-poised-to-gain-from-a-natural-gas-auto-mandate?source=feed#comment-360016 360016 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:16:33 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/115241-thank-goodness-the-banks-aren-t-lending?source=feed#comment-359993 359993 You wrote "Americans may need to change the mix of our consumption, but overall I think our standard of living is not only supportable, but improvable, and that our goal should be to get the rest of the world to live as well as we do, rather than to reconcile ourselves with some pseudomoral poverty." I agree with the improvable part. God forbid the rest of the world lives like we do.

There is a magnificent difference between quantity and quality and the choice of quantity has most often been the undoing of quality. Food is one obvious example although we could pick almost any industry from automobiles to toys. We are clearly a society suffering from too much of a good thing, so much so, that obesity, for both adults and now children, is a national malady. Much of what now ails us is diet related. I'm thinking diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and sleep apnea. Moreover we have replaced germs in our food with poisons. Created a food manufacturing and distribution system that requires prodigious amounts of fossil fuels. A system that tolerates ungodly living conditions for the animals we raise and slaughter. Most of our "food products" are not food at all but conglomerations of food like chemicals engineered by scientists rather than farmers. Their purpose? To "add value" to substances that would be cheap and healthy if only left alone. We are alienated from real food preparation, historically one of the foundations of civilized living, out of the necessity of having every able bodied earner in the home working full time to sustain this "standard of living". Don't even ask what happened to the family meal and why children don't spend time with their parents anymore.

I suggest that in many ways less is actually an improvement over more. Consider some trade-offs: Less work, more free time. Less food, increased energy and health. Less house, lower utility and maintenance costs. Less debt, more peace of mind. Less stuff, more spirit.]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:57:45 -0500 You wrote "Americans may need to change the mix of our consumption, but overall I think our standard of living is not only supportable, but improvable, and that our goal should be to get the rest of the world to live as well as we do, rather than to reconcile ourselves with some pseudomoral poverty." I agree with the improvable part. God forbid the rest of the world lives like we do.

There is a magnificent difference between quantity and quality and the choice of quantity has most often been the undoing of quality. Food is one obvious example although we could pick almost any industry from automobiles to toys. We are clearly a society suffering from too much of a good thing, so much so, that obesity, for both adults and now children, is a national malady. Much of what now ails us is diet related. I'm thinking diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and sleep apnea. Moreover we have replaced germs in our food with poisons. Created a food manufacturing and distribution system that requires prodigious amounts of fossil fuels. A system that tolerates ungodly living conditions for the animals we raise and slaughter. Most of our "food products" are not food at all but conglomerations of food like chemicals engineered by scientists rather than farmers. Their purpose? To "add value" to substances that would be cheap and healthy if only left alone. We are alienated from real food preparation, historically one of the foundations of civilized living, out of the necessity of having every able bodied earner in the home working full time to sustain this "standard of living". Don't even ask what happened to the family meal and why children don't spend time with their parents anymore.

I suggest that in many ways less is actually an improvement over more. Consider some trade-offs: Less work, more free time. Less food, increased energy and health. Less house, lower utility and maintenance costs. Less debt, more peace of mind. Less stuff, more spirit.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/115134-the-continuing-u-s-shipping-collapse?source=feed#comment-359868 359868 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:15:57 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/114649-fuel-systems-solutions-fueling-a-rocketing-stock?source=feed#comment-355702 355702 Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:14:22 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/114458-genco-shipping-a-new-bubble-in-the-making?source=feed#comment-354491 354491
I am more suspect of analysts who write glowingly about a company and then disclose that they have no position whatsoever. If the companies are so great why haven't they taken a position?]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:41:26 -0500
I am more suspect of analysts who write glowingly about a company and then disclose that they have no position whatsoever. If the companies are so great why haven't they taken a position?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/113515-back-to-the-future-commodities-rule-again?source=feed#comment-348772 348772 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:48:57 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/113667-conocophillips-more-than-just-a-great-stock?source=feed#comment-348641 348641 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:41:57 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/112583-oil-income-stocks-decline-to-new-price-lows?source=feed#comment-344309 344309
Owning healthy dividend payers is my way of staying sane in this roller coaster market. What's yours?]]> Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:41:49 -0500
Owning healthy dividend payers is my way of staying sane in this roller coaster market. What's yours?]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/112262-buying-uso-is-a-no-brainer?source=feed#comment-338812 338812 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 13:56:14 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/111889-a-new-american-energy-policy?source=feed#comment-335754 335754
I'm still skeptical of nuclear power. When Amory Lovins says it's OK then I will reconsider. Otherwise I like most of what you outline.]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:25:53 -0500
I'm still skeptical of nuclear power. When Amory Lovins says it's OK then I will reconsider. Otherwise I like most of what you outline.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/111369-the-madoff-affair-were-his-sons-actually-responsible?source=feed#comment-333173 333173 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:11:32 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/111188-three-ways-to-lock-in-low-gas-prices?source=feed#comment-333152 333152 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:51:14 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/110550-eleven-profitable-stocks-under-10-barron-s?source=feed#comment-331088 331088 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:25:03 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/108755-buy-sell-or-hold-gm-s-too-big-to-fail-myth?source=feed#comment-319074 319074
Does GM have even one superior new idea to solve our transportation needs for this century? Is there one executive in all Detroit who inspires even a tenth of the confidence of say, Steve Jobs? Money flows to new ideas and inspiration. If GM has either one it is not sharing it with the rest of us. The king is dead, long live the king.

]]> Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:46:55 -0500
Does GM have even one superior new idea to solve our transportation needs for this century? Is there one executive in all Detroit who inspires even a tenth of the confidence of say, Steve Jobs? Money flows to new ideas and inspiration. If GM has either one it is not sharing it with the rest of us. The king is dead, long live the king.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/107553-looking-good-genco-in-particular-shipping-in-general?source=feed#comment-315057 315057 Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:16:19 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/106681-gm-could-benefit-from-bankruptcy?source=feed#comment-310798 310798
Sadly, the US auto industry has been arrogant and short sighted, both management and unions. They continue to offer inappropriate products for too much money, and sell at a loss. Face it, Honda and Toyota have done a better job and have saved American car buyers tons of money and aggravation. For years we have purchased new vehicles because we wanted one, not because we needed one. With this economic crunch it is just too easy to hang on to the old car for a few more years. This is hurting Honda and Toyota as well. The unsold cars are piling up at the ports.

]]> Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:39:33 -0500
Sadly, the US auto industry has been arrogant and short sighted, both management and unions. They continue to offer inappropriate products for too much money, and sell at a loss. Face it, Honda and Toyota have done a better job and have saved American car buyers tons of money and aggravation. For years we have purchased new vehicles because we wanted one, not because we needed one. With this economic crunch it is just too easy to hang on to the old car for a few more years. This is hurting Honda and Toyota as well. The unsold cars are piling up at the ports.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/106252-is-negative-dividend-news-positive-for-the-stock-price?source=feed#comment-307888 307888
Lets face it, if ships stop carrying grain, coal, and ore we have bigger problems in this world than dividends.]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:38:32 -0500
Lets face it, if ships stop carrying grain, coal, and ore we have bigger problems in this world than dividends.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/104954-as-russia-tests-the-waters-oil-and-gas-showdown-looms?source=feed#comment-302147 302147
Sadly Putin has joined with Chavez and Ahmadinijad in playing international politics for every petrodollar it is worth. Hopefully Mr Obama will not take the bait. We need a return to previous efforts towards nuclear disarmament and missile reduction, something the Bush administration did much to undermine.


]]> Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:50:42 -0500
Sadly Putin has joined with Chavez and Ahmadinijad in playing international politics for every petrodollar it is worth. Hopefully Mr Obama will not take the bait. We need a return to previous efforts towards nuclear disarmament and missile reduction, something the Bush administration did much to undermine.


]]>