biomedlives

Pfizer Increases R&D Commitment in China

This story isn't very encouraging for Americans thinking of going into organic chemistry or molecular biology in the pharmaceutical industry.

Atwood Oceanics: Gushing Profits

The soft market for jackup rigs is one of the issues I would consider in a decision to invest in ATW or the other major ocean drillers. What proportion of ATW's comes from jackups?

Green Bankshares: Value in the Tennessee Valley

Though I believe Green Bankshares will make it, I note that banks can get into trouble even if they don't operate in areas that have not experienced real estate bubbles. Sterling and City Bank, in Washington state, probably won't make it.

Like Summit Brews, I believe it's important to watch the level of non-performing assets.

Babcock & Brown Air Limited Q3 2009 Earnings Call Transcript

I believe that the depreciation life of commercial aircraft should be shorter than 25 years.

Credit Default Swaps: Once Again, The Tool of the Devil

I absolutely agree with the NC comment that "Credit default swaps have no redeeming social value." If you want safe income investments, buy bonds of corporations that are financially strong.

One way to deal with CDS issue #2 is to a CDS to a specific bond or loan, as municipal bond insurance does now.

The Reluctant Bull: My Portfolio

GIM has been volatile lately, and it was selling at a 5% premium to NAV at the close on Friday. At this point, I'd prefer to invest in the no-load income funds run by the same manager.

Goldman, Buffett Deal with Fannie Mae Inked a Month Ago

I hope the Treasury tells Goldman and Buffett to go pound salt on this one!

My Two Healthcare Favorites

Copaxone is a branded drug for Teva right now, and generic versions from other manufacturers represent a threat to future profits for this product.

Why Is the Market Going Up When Jobs Are Going Down?

I don't agree that the US health care system is the primary reason companies base in the US choose to hire abroad. There's still a huge wage gap, which is not limited to manufacturing jobs, and there's not much the government can do other than wait for the dollar to decline to the point where the gap is less significant.


On Oct 27 12:05 AM GreenMom wrote:

> What if companies hire abroad and make profits abroad, and come to
> realize their profits are robbed by US corporate taxes?
>
> They spin off a chunk of the business to an offshore subsidiary.
>
>
> What if they witness a US government that is increasingly intrusive
> and anti-business?
>
> They move headquarters offshore for good.
>
> What if they want to hire within the US but the healthcare system
> overhaul makes it prohibitively expensive to hire American?
>
> They continue to hire abroad.
>
> A global economy means that your country's corporate tax structure,
> business friendliness, and labor affordability are continually being
> compared to the rest of the world. We are so far behind in all three,
> but I have no idea what it's going to take to get our legislators
> to recognize the problem.

Covered Calls: No Free Lunch

I agree with the Wall Street saying "Let profits run, but cut losses short," and thus writing covered calls doesn't appeal to me in general.

Malpass in WSJ: Devaluing Currency Has Never Led to Prosperity

From the WSJ piece: "A better approach would start with President Barack Obama rejecting the Bush administration's weak-dollar policy. This would invite capital and jobs to come back before interest rates have to rise." How would a strong-dollar policy, which would make U. S. wages even higher in comparison to those in other countries, bring jobs back to this country?

4 Ways to Protect Your Capital (Think Debt and Bond ETFs)

Note that, unlike many closed end income funds, GIM does not use leverage.

Climate Change: How to Invest for the Possibility

I recognize that there are trained scientists on both sides of the argument. My point is that the mere fact that celebrities with no scientific credentials endorse a particular position is not a reason to dismiss that position.

I'd be interested to know what data you would regard as convincing evidence that global warming is real.


On Sep 25 10:44 AM Jimbo wrote:

> Biomedives: there are also a large number of trained scientists who
> are skeptics about AGW. Astronomers at a well known observatory (Lowell
> in Northern Arizona) told me several years ago that they believe
> the main driver of global temperature, and much long term wet/dry
> cycles, are due to solar activity. My fear is that the Utopian movement
> has emerged from the ashes of the Soviet Union, the People's Republic
> of China, Cambodia, etc. to seek to seize control of all human activity,
> in the name of "science" of course. There has always been a delay
> effect in the seasons: Summer warmth persists into the Fall and Winter
> cold persists into the Spring. The recently reported melting of glaciers
> could be reversed by the now observed significant drop in sunspot
> activity. We need more data and not breathless speculation. To access
> the scientists who are AGW skeptics, see the Heartland Institute.

Climate Change: How to Invest for the Possibility

My understanding is that there a number of people who have concluded that global warming is a real possibility have scientific credentials that are considerably more substantial than those of Penelope Cruz, Tim Robbins, and Harry Hamlin (or Rush Limbaugh).

Onyx Pharmaceuticals: Is Nexavar the Next Avastin?

Two notes:
- It's worth noting that Nexavar is a small molecule drug, while Avastin is a monoclonal antibody.

- "logical reasoning suggests that a drug that can act in multiple ways probably has a higher likelihood of being more effective than a drug with one method." A drug that can act in multiple ways also has a higher likelihood of adverse effects.