Johann Galt's Comments Johann Galt's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.com/user/200407/comments Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1423141/comments?source=feed#comment-18671981 18671981
Think that happened to anyone in 2007-2008?

Yep, that's fair.]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 10:25:03 -0400
Think that happened to anyone in 2007-2008?

Yep, that's fair.]]> Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1423141/comments?source=feed#comment-18671491 18671491
A further shame is that your Dad likely paid taxes on all of the gains he made until 2007. Great racket Uncle Sugar has set up- all the upside but very limited downside risk. ]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 10:16:29 -0400
A further shame is that your Dad likely paid taxes on all of the gains he made until 2007. Great racket Uncle Sugar has set up- all the upside but very limited downside risk. ]]> Senator John McCain will introduce legislation shortly to overhaul the TV business by giving consumers the option to buy channels on an individual basis (a la carte) - instead of seeing only large bundles as options. The politician will face fierce resistance from broadcast (NWS, DIS, CMCSA, CBS, AMCX, SNI, OUTD, DISCA, VIAB) and cable companies (CVC, CHTR, TWC) but may have a friend in upstart Aereo which has been rankling a few feathers as well. (Aereo timeline) http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/1013391?source=feed#comment-18618381 18618381 Thu, 09 May 2013 09:11:34 -0400 Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1408111/comments?source=feed#comment-18534841 18534841
But who cares about those people? ]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 10:46:57 -0400
But who cares about those people? ]]> Air traffic control operations are set to return to normal by this evening after the FAA ended the staff furloughs that had caused the delay of thousands of flights since coming into effect last Sunday. The FAA's move follows Congress' passing of legislation that allowed the agency to redirect up to $253M of its airport improvement budget to fund staffing and operations. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/976271?source=feed#comment-18202811 18202811
Crumbling infrastructure b/c of the sequester?

Idiocy.]]> Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:03:18 -0400
Crumbling infrastructure b/c of the sequester?

Idiocy.]]> Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1331691/comments?source=feed#comment-17445691 17445691
In Germany, there is no tax break for home ownership, but a big one for rental property. Thus, there is no incentive to sell property, resulting in a concentrated property ownership. Most Germans rent, is my understanding. ]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:10:52 -0400
In Germany, there is no tax break for home ownership, but a big one for rental property. Thus, there is no incentive to sell property, resulting in a concentrated property ownership. Most Germans rent, is my understanding. ]]> House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan calls his latest budget proposal "an invitation to the president of the United States, to the Senate Democrats to come together to fix these problems." Democratic Representative Chris Van Hollen says it's a "total uncompromising" blueprint and dead on arrival. Hollen adds a warning to the markets as well, noting that despite the healthy performance of stocks recently, the impact from another stalemate will likely reverse those gains very quickly. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/884501?source=feed#comment-16207331 16207331 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:52:37 -0400 Three lunchtime reads: 1) Firms send record cash back to investors 2) No, the United States will never, ever turn into Greece 3) The real problem with banks is they have too much debt http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/877681?source=feed#comment-16039581 16039581 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:44:45 -0500 Electric Vehicle Roundup: 1) Chevrolet Volt (GM) sales continue to fluctuate wildly, up 59% Y/Y and 43% M/M in Feb. to easily beat sales on Toyota's (TM) Prius. 2) Look for Ford (F) to include sales numbers on the Fusion Energi as the model hits dealerships this month. 3) Nissan (NSANY.OB) sold 636 Leafs in the U.S., +36.6 Y/Y, flat M/M, just ahead of the unveiling of a new model. 4) In Scotland, politicians issue campaign promises to install an EV charging point every 50 miles. 5) Tesla Motors (TSLA) trades in the mid-$30s post-earnings. On tap: Will revenue cover payments on a DOE loan and production costs or will Elon Musk need to float more stock? http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/863531?source=feed#comment-15799261 15799261 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:34:49 -0500 Electric Vehicle Roundup: 1) Chevrolet Volt (GM) sales continue to fluctuate wildly, up 59% Y/Y and 43% M/M in Feb. to easily beat sales on Toyota's (TM) Prius. 2) Look for Ford (F) to include sales numbers on the Fusion Energi as the model hits dealerships this month. 3) Nissan (NSANY.OB) sold 636 Leafs in the U.S., +36.6 Y/Y, flat M/M, just ahead of the unveiling of a new model. 4) In Scotland, politicians issue campaign promises to install an EV charging point every 50 miles. 5) Tesla Motors (TSLA) trades in the mid-$30s post-earnings. On tap: Will revenue cover payments on a DOE loan and production costs or will Elon Musk need to float more stock? http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/863531?source=feed#comment-15737591 15737591 Sat, 02 Mar 2013 13:47:53 -0500 Apple (AAPL) has withdrawn proposal #2, preferred stock shareholder voting requirement and all, in response to the injunction placed earlier today at Greenlight Capital/David Einhorn's request. Apple: "We are disappointed with the court’s ruling. Proposal #2 is part of our efforts to further enhance corporate governance and serve our shareholders’ best interests." Greenlight on the injunction: "This is a significant win for all Apple shareholders and for good corporate governance." (court ruling) http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/847461?source=feed#comment-15399091 15399091 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:47:19 -0500 February Philly Fed Business Outlook: -12.5 vs. +1.0 expected, -5.8 previous. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/842671?source=feed#comment-15309451 15309451 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:08:53 -0500 Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1201891/comments?source=feed#comment-15198421 15198421 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:11:47 -0500 Why Steve Jobs' Big Blunder Is Starting To Cost Apple http://seekingalpha.com/article/1182221/comments?source=feed#comment-14962291 14962291 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:03:21 -0500 Despite nearly 11M borrowers being underwater on their mortgages, home equity lines of credit are suddenly on the rise again. During the housing boom, Americans used their homes like an ATM, withdrawing over $1T in home equity before the bubble burst. JPMorgan Chase says they've already seen a 31% jump in HELOC's over last year, and with home prices up another 8% year-over-year in December, the trend appears likely to continue unabated. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/816741?source=feed#comment-14836891 14836891
Having never looked into one, I didn't know that. It would appear then, that many of my childhood cohorts, who refinanced for money out instead of a lower payment, have really dug a hole for themselves.

Thanks!]]> Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:14:14 -0500
Having never looked into one, I didn't know that. It would appear then, that many of my childhood cohorts, who refinanced for money out instead of a lower payment, have really dug a hole for themselves.

Thanks!]]> Despite nearly 11M borrowers being underwater on their mortgages, home equity lines of credit are suddenly on the rise again. During the housing boom, Americans used their homes like an ATM, withdrawing over $1T in home equity before the bubble burst. JPMorgan Chase says they've already seen a 31% jump in HELOC's over last year, and with home prices up another 8% year-over-year in December, the trend appears likely to continue unabated. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/816741?source=feed#comment-14784951 14784951 Sat, 09 Feb 2013 14:10:43 -0500 "Apple absolutely has to make an iPhone with a bigger screen," iPhone 5 owner Henry Blodget declares. While Apple (AAPL +0.1%) insists on using relatively small display sizes to guarantee effective one-handed iPhone use, devices such as Samsung's Galaxy S III (4.8" display) make the iPhone 5 look "puny and sad in comparison."  The iPhone 5's display size doesn't seem to be affecting its U.S. position much, as Strategy Analytics' numbers demonstrate, but international markets appear to be a different story. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/799491?source=feed#comment-14459581 14459581 Fri, 01 Feb 2013 14:50:25 -0500 Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News http://seekingalpha.com/article/1139621/comments?source=feed#comment-14309941 14309941
I don't understand what most of the above acronyms are . . . but I do have a working comprehension of the use of a period.]]> Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:18:17 -0500
I don't understand what most of the above acronyms are . . . but I do have a working comprehension of the use of a period.]]> President Obama is likely to approve a GOP proposal to suspend the debt ceiling until May 19, which has the backing of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as well. The House is due to vote on the measure today, with the bill also requiring both chambers to pass budgets by April 15; if they don't members' salaries would be withheld. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/775061?source=feed#comment-14041441 14041441
And we'll have plenty of time to read it in the food line.]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2013 08:58:23 -0500
And we'll have plenty of time to read it in the food line.]]> Fitch warns that the "age bomb" in developed countries, including the U.S., will exacerbate indebtedness and could hurt credit ratings unless governments enact labor and pension reforms. European countries are particularly at risk, although "recent reforms in Portugal, Italy and Greece have effectively neutralized the long-term impact of aging on public finances." (Fitch report) http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/771671?source=feed#comment-13970521 13970521 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:21:21 -0500 Fitch warns that the "age bomb" in developed countries, including the U.S., will exacerbate indebtedness and could hurt credit ratings unless governments enact labor and pension reforms. European countries are particularly at risk, although "recent reforms in Portugal, Italy and Greece have effectively neutralized the long-term impact of aging on public finances." (Fitch report) http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/771671?source=feed#comment-13966771 13966771 Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:08:42 -0500 Sell AMR Corp. As Shares Spike http://seekingalpha.com/article/1104391/comments?source=feed#comment-13590521 13590521 Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:32:04 -0500 Illinois legislators ended their 2012 session yesterday without taking any measures to deal with the state's $97B unfunded liabilities, which are rising by $17M a day and which could lead to more downgrades. "I think we may learn from Wall Street very shortly about the importance of doing this quickly," says state Senator Daniel Biss. "We all look like idiots." (previous) http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/752131?source=feed#comment-13484631 13484631 Wed, 09 Jan 2013 09:32:32 -0500 AIG's (AIG) advertising tagline at the moment may be "Thank you America," but it's board will today consider joining a $25B lawsuit that's being led by former CEO and major investor Maurice Greenberg against the government. The suit argues that the heavy demands of AIG's rescue, such as the government taking a 92% stake and the high interest rate rates levied, deprived shareholders of tens of billions of dollars and violated the Fifth Amendment. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/749711?source=feed#comment-13431901 13431901 Tue, 08 Jan 2013 09:11:28 -0500 Should You Buy Apple Before The Consumer Electronics Show? http://seekingalpha.com/article/1098731/comments?source=feed#comment-13407641 13407641 Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:20:46 -0500 FOMC Minutes: Everyone is clearly not on board. Fed officials are "evenly divided" between ending QE around mid-year or continuing until year's end. Several FOMC members thought it appropriate to slow or stop QE well before the end of 2013. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/744511?source=feed#comment-13271351 13271351
could this just be an acknowledgment by those at the Fed that the economy is improving, and QE may not be necessary?]]> Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:53:30 -0500
could this just be an acknowledgment by those at the Fed that the economy is improving, and QE may not be necessary?]]> Market recap: Wall Street celebrated the last-minute budget deal, renewing enthusiasm for risk assets and pushing the Dow to its best one-day point gain since July 2011. But opinions vary widely over how long the sugar high will last. Treasurys saw heavy selling, with 30-year and 10-year yields jumping to respective multi-month highs of 3.046% and 1.839%. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/742311?source=feed#comment-13242521 13242521
Read my first response. It's lengthy, I know, but I'm sure you can discern that I've answered your question.]]> Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:32:56 -0500
Read my first response. It's lengthy, I know, but I'm sure you can discern that I've answered your question.]]> Market recap: Wall Street celebrated the last-minute budget deal, renewing enthusiasm for risk assets and pushing the Dow to its best one-day point gain since July 2011. But opinions vary widely over how long the sugar high will last. Treasurys saw heavy selling, with 30-year and 10-year yields jumping to respective multi-month highs of 3.046% and 1.839%. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/742311?source=feed#comment-13241851 13241851 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:07:33 -0500 Market recap: Wall Street celebrated the last-minute budget deal, renewing enthusiasm for risk assets and pushing the Dow to its best one-day point gain since July 2011. But opinions vary widely over how long the sugar high will last. Treasurys saw heavy selling, with 30-year and 10-year yields jumping to respective multi-month highs of 3.046% and 1.839%. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/742311?source=feed#comment-13241651 13241651 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:58:37 -0500 The House will vote on the unamended Senate bill at 9 PM ET, reports CNN's Dana Bash. Any attempt to alter the bill by adding spending cuts has reportedly been abandoned for now. Update at 9:10: The vote has been pushed back to 11 PM ET. http://seekingalpha.com/currents/post/740511?source=feed#comment-13201931 13201931
We need more "foreigners from a socialist country" to slap us into some sense of reality. ]]> Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:35:44 -0500
We need more "foreigners from a socialist country" to slap us into some sense of reality. ]]>