Leser

How to Play the Next Great Bull - Matt McCall

Your comment, Albertarocks, included this: "Check out the science behind colloidal silver and the fact that it kills all viruses so far known to man including the man-made concoction farce known as H1N1. It would make all vaccines redundant and big pharma doesn't like that idea. So the FDA is trying to ban the production of it and ban it under the category of "pesticides". How insane these basterds are."
A very intelligent person I know did herself no favors taking colloidal silver years ago. Among other problems, I understand, from that regimen, she's now literally, and forever I suppose, blue/white in color.

Cramer's Stop Trading! The Caterpillar and Deere of the Banking Sector

Stated in article:
Cramer thinks criticism of Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis is undeserved and believes the chief executive has put the bank in a good position to recover from the economic slowdown. In addition, Bank of America's stock is being bought "hand over fist."

"Isn't that what matters?" said Cramer.
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No, Mr. Cramer, it's ethics that matters, which is lacking both under this BOA leadership and also in your assessment of what life and investing are all about. Learn from Suzi Ormann's motto, which doesn't put money as the idol on the altar. She ethical relationships between people first. You "just want to make money." Your show's credo sums up your Achille's heel, Mr. Cramer. That's your hubris and the intrinsic fallibility of your otherwise informed views. However, even brilliant people make bad mistakes. Welcome to the club.

Why Chasing Yields Will Lead to Disappointment

Good thesis development. Useful article. Useful exemplary chart at end of article. Good work. Thanks.

Vive La France! Cut Taxes and Generate Energy the French Way

It's hard to write a useful article with applicable information when exposing and espousing one's political prejudices. Biases don't make for useful information, just create symbols clashing. Moreover, platitudes and stereotypical attitudes about the French or any nationality are also empty writing, but they do illustrate one's propensity to shallow thinking. That tells the reader how much the writer can be believed, if at all. More research and less fanfare and you may develop some useful themes to write about. This article is not useful.

Is Natural Gas About to Break Higher?

Thanks, everyone who commented above, as well as the author, Thomas MacLeod. I appreciate the information and perspectives and in particular the civil way your stances were expressed.

6 Ways to Short the Obama Health Plan

Suncatcher, you wrote the following:
"Leser and Bob55, You guys sound like you are dedicating your lives to make a really meaningfull difference to us lesser mortals. Please give me a honest list of your accomplishments in this area. I find that people such as yourselves pontificate about what should be done but don't get it on. How much of your own energy do you generate by solar panels? How often do you take public transportation when you don't have to, etc., etc., etc.? While you are floating up above us narrow minded and greedy basthads please do us some good and check the ozone layer." --
Suncatcher,
Sorry that I sounded to be "pontificating." To be sure, if I had done it to make myself seem superior to anyone, it would prove that I am less than one should be. Where I live I can't much use public transportation, but I conscientiously make a mental list before I run errands, using less gas and not doing errands until there is a reasonable need to do perhaps ten at a time. I bought a house very close to my work so as not to need to use as much gas to get to work. I use the heat and air conditioning as sparingly as possible. Sometimes I have special uses for grey water. The recent appliances I've purchased all have the Engergy Star symbol of conservation and save some resources, be it water or electricity. My replacement light bulbs all have the energy star. When I leave a room I shut off lights I am not using almost all of the time. I wouldn't necessarily have to for financial reasons. It's just the right thing to do. I really do recycle everything feasible in my region and believe in the "reduce, reuse, recycle, repair" motto. But you are right, I need to consider more ways to use natural low-carbon or no-carbon energy sources. When the Boone Picken's natural gas cars become a practicality and can be refuled in my area, I'll need to avail myself of that means of transportation. I've influenced my family and many others through teaching to think of the result of recycling, etc. and I know some lives have been changed. If you hadn't asked for an inventory, I'd never think of talking about myself, but your question is fair. When I write this I still think about how little that is relatively I am doing for the environment. I believe in investing more in companies involved in lower carbon emissions like natural gas and a no-carbon energy source like wind. So, sorry if I came off sounding superior, but I think everyone, myself included, can still do more to make the world a better place. I need to think less about my personal benefit and think more about society's. Doesn't everyone? We're all in this together.
Leser

6 Ways to Short the Obama Health Plan

Is the egomaniac mentality prerequisite to being an investor? What is espoused here in these comments is the greed that debilitates. It is saddening. Something humanizing was omitted in the nurturing and education of such commentators. Do you even recognize this incompleteness? You don't even think I'm writing about you. I am, if you are the sort who wouldn't invest in planting a tree, because you won't be the one to live in its shade. Egocentrism has reared its ugly head and will cost more than money. We fail ourselves and our fellow man when we forget to live an altruistic life.

Two Consulting Giants Merge: Que Pasa?

Sorry, I'm sure the article is of interest to many others, but I personally was not interested in it. In my modest opinion the real fault is that the title, by using the extension "Que pasa?" (What's going on here? What's up? What's happening?) implies a Latin connection--at least to me. Therefore, I opened it up. I don't get it. Why use Spanish in the title? After reading the article I saw no Spanish language connection (such as reaching out to the Hispanic population, etc.) I'm not xenophobic and not Hispanic. I do speak Spanish, however. It just is not a title that suggests with accuracy where the article is going to go, even though there is a reference to "tongues wagging" in the body. I feel this title is not indicative of article content and don't want to waste time opening articles that won't be of a nature I want to read.
By the same token, I feel the title "Must Know News" by a different Seeking Alpha contributor, is too bland. I don't open that link up because the title is too nondescript. I wrote to that contributor about it, but she's kept the column name lo these many months. I find "must know news" is an exaggeration. It's a come on to get me to open the article and never fulfills it's promise. After reading her column I never feel "Wow, I had to know that! Thank goodness for that alert! It certainly was a must know revelation."
So, unlike "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," what's in a title? A way to get people who really would be interested in your article incentivized into reading it by giving a palpabale suggestion of the content. You'll have more appreciative readers and followers when you're done.
By the way, the body of the article has a good compositional style. Sorry, if it seems the earlier responders and I are trashing your contribution. I'm sure someone after me will point out what an idiot I am for writing about this and will love it all.
Nonetheless, I feel the title should be pertinent in multiple ways to the content.

Leaving Green to the Free Market - Barron's

Sorry, brokerinbirmingham, it's not choose either capitalism or choose communism. Wouldn't that be an oversimplification?
Sorry, also, that you think corporations and shareholders shouldn't pay for the environmental messes they make. Or better yet, not mess up the neighborhoods they work in to begin with. One who wouldn't want to pay his way would be a "freeloader", right?
I think that's an even worse label than a "liberal". Labels don't help us think. They separate us and they ultimately do not win arguments. Labels help us to avoid dealing with thougts. We just spit out the pre-chewed cud we always have ruminated on and learn nothing new. Same old, same old.
Example: No taxes + no government = anarchy delt out by the hands of "conservatives."
More thinking and fewer knee-jerk reactions are needed--no labels and more creative thought and a sense of responsibility. Let's come together with thought and a spirit of compromise.
Amen.



On Apr 26 01:04 PM brokerinbirmingham wrote:

>
> So where are all the people just clamoring to enter the worker's
> paradises of command economies? Gee, I just don't recall Soviet Union/Eastern
> Bloc being economic powerhouses.
. When will Liberals get it that cost increases are
> passed on to consumers. Corporations don't pay taxes, shareholders
> pay taxes (2 times - once as the income of the corporation and again
> as dividends received).

Leaving Green to the Free Market - Barron's

Your investment writing will be more pertinent without stances from your political agenda. Are you serious that the free market will make the planet greener without environmental controls? The free market with laissez faire government messed up the world economy, now we should let the environment be ruined so that companies can decide for themselves what's best for the welfare of the world? This article has a bias still trying to justify a failed hands off policy for government. Just as a society can't get along without police for the common good, the government needs to establish logical environmental controls. Otherwise, as with people, some companies are not morally grounded enough to do the right thing.

The Worst Isn't Over Yet

I've had the most fun ever reading these humorous comments. Thanks for making my day! (I mean it. I'm not being sarcastic. Great humor here!) Even in this sad economy humor helps.

Meet the Top 10 Low Carbon Footprint Vehicles of 2009

Driving a diesel in the North may not always be a satisfactory experience. Know the effectiveness of a diesel during the rogours of winter in one's region prior to purchasing a vehicle.

Don't Watch CNBC

Only two people above, I believe, mentioned the antidote to the antifreeze-laden coolaide of CNBC's offerings: Bloomberg.
The idea of the viability of mixing "edutainment" and investment information is as rediculous as mixing fine wine and castor oil.
Being pleasant, friendly, courteous, happy, jovial, etc., should be fine on a news or investing program. Being the court jester (Cramer) or the hanging judge (Kudlow)are two inapporpriate roles to honestly informing the public about investing. So, definitely shut off the machine when shout-down-the-guest Kudlow comes on and turn to Bloomberg, where there is a much less frenetic and far more intellectually honest pursuit of information.
Also, I totally disagree with the heartless people above who say that each person is solely responsible for his own information gathering. Wherever we see the truth being betrayed we have to point out the hyped misinformation or dysinformation. As fellow human beings it's our responsibility. Or do you subscribe to the selfish thesis espoused in the question "Am I my brother's keeper?" If that's the case, there's a lot about life that one still has to learn.

The Economic Meltdown: Dismantling, Yes; Doom, No

Rcs, the right of the individual to write his or her opinions should not be taken away. If one did that, that would be “anti-American.”
Democrats and Republicans can share in blame about our current crises. Republicans hand-off attitude toward financial and investment controls have hurt the stability of our country. There was a reason the controls were issued after the Great Depression. “Trickle down” from the rich to the poor doesn’t work in sharing the prosperity of the entire country, unless someone aspires to be a maid in the rich man’s house. Tax cuts to the rich and tax breaks to the wealthy companies, held mostly by the rich, have not spurred the economy to produce more effectively. They produce profligate use of the funds. (Witness AIG, et. al.)
The US can’t go up against every “evil dictator”. Financially, it’s not reasonable. Logically, it’s not an excuse for intervention, which was really, as everyone knows, because of oil and politics. The government tells us a lot of things, e.g. WMD—and you believe them? Well, then they have accomplished their purpose to persuade you with disinformation. Who’s smarter, the citizen or the government?
Foreign aid usually is to some extent misappropriated when it goes through the government. One intention is probably to make a positive impression. That’s not so bad. Supposedly, the better venue for aid would be Christian charities. More of the money gets to the people, although it will probably have a Christian message with it about loving everyone. Whereas, the “charity” that may go through China, Russia, and Cuba, may seem philanthropic, but is to influence the recipients into liking those donors and their philosophies.
This is quote from your comment, rcs, “the actual cost of the war in iraq is a very small part of the US budget and cannot possibly cause the effects the author is claiming.” The actual costs are very high: military expenses that could have been put to use teaching children in our schools and universities to function better in this unpredictable world; loss of life, loss of limb, loss of mental stability, loss of relationships of those involved, both for Iraqi and US victims; loss of international functionality and cooperation with allies and also possible opponents. Diplomacy would have certainly been more economical and positive in its results to control the stimulation of radical Muslim fundamentalism.
This isn’t an ignorant article. It is an invitation to our discussion, just like the one we are having in the comments below it. Good going Seeking Alpha, for letting us comment on this article and our fellow blogger’s thoughts. (And let’s use more civility and avoid the epithets, rcs. No need to call some someone “ignorant,” even when their comments show signs of it.)

The Economic Meltdown: Dismantling, Yes; Doom, No

That was a quote from a previous article--not to be taken as a comment about this article. It is not my opinion at all. Sorry.