Augustus

129 Comments

    • ON: Wed Oct 15th 10:54 AM
      Commented on:
      MLPs: Still Alive and (Reasonably) Well
      An investigation of BSR would be interesting to read. An ETF of the Alerian index. Besides the diversification the different MLPs, it avoids that multi state taxation headache. Possibly worth the fee for management.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Oct 13th 09:51 AM
      Commented on:
      Can the Banking System Handle Huge New Write-Downs?
      The exact same problem with treating everyone "fairly" was what caused the bubble on the way up. Giving everyone the same deal of renegotiating a lower loan amt and rate will kill the lenders on the way down.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Oct 13th 00:47 AM
      Commented on:
      A Politics-Proof Portfolio
      The Obama nuclear plan is a fraud. Note that he hedges the statement with saying he is for nuclear, as long as there is safe storage. The storage of waste issue has stopped nuclear for years. He goes to South carolina in the primaries and claims to be in support of nuclear development. He goes to nevada and tells them that the storage there is not going to be done. Meanwhile, the rate payers have invested billions in studies and development of the NV storage site.
      View article »
    • ON: Sat Oct 11th 11:47 AM
      Commented on:
      Does Dividend Reinvestment Pay?
      The only way to compare stocks is to use dividend reinvestment in the calculation of returns.

      BRK does it for you by not paying that dividend to the stockholder.
      Others give you the option by giving the investor the money.
      View article »
    • ON: Sat Oct 11th 11:26 AM
      Commented on:
      Lehman CDS: It Won't Be Over Today
      The CDS pricing for LEH was only for the $4 Billion or so of the bonds. That is a small part of the debt. Lots more pain from this than the CDS problem.
      View article »
    • ON: Sat Oct 11th 11:26 AM
      Commented on:
      Examining the "Unprecedented Demand" for Gold Eagle Coins
      Everyone has the idea that gold will hold value in a depression. The only reason it held up in the 30's is that the price was government fixed. Look at what happened to the price of silver during the period. It crashed along with every other commodity.
      View article »
    • ON: Wed Oct 8th 11:28 AM
      Commented on:
      NYSE Margin Debt Shows More Selling Ahead
      Great Call and thanks for posting.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Oct 6th 11:39 AM
      Commented on:
      Are Puts the Best Way to Play UST and Anheuser-Busch?
      Suppose it is extended again, then falls apart in April?
      How would the trade work out?
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Oct 6th 10:24 AM
      Commented on:
      Gaming Stocks Still a Poor Bet - Barron's
      No shares available to short in most of these.
      View article »
    • ON: Wed Oct 1st 08:44 AM
      Commented on:
      'No Shorts' Outperforming
      The fact that the No Short index has performed better may have more to do with the bailout bill than with being on the no short list. When the govt. directs $700 Billion at one particular sector it sometimes has an effect.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Sep 29th 12:05 PM
      Commented on:
      Hedge Fund Performance Fees Not As Simple As You Think
      Thanks for the article and the link to the good study. It is much more comples than first view would lead someone to believe.
      View article »
    • ON: Mon Sep 29th 11:49 AM
      Commented on:
      Eight ETFs to Preserve Your Wealth
      A depression will not cause commodity prices to rise. Lower economic activety will result in less demand.

      Gold could work as a flight to safety asset. Otherwise, it will not hold up any better than any other commodity. Once the panic is over, GLD will decline along with other commodities, IMHO.

      A depression accompanied by hyperinflation would, of course, cause all prices to increase with some effect on commodities. Look at the raging inflation in Zimbabwe for guidance.

      The WIP foreign bond is going to be a laggard defensive move. That would be much better than taking the full hit of any decline. If cash is king now, then it will be much more valuable later in the depression. That is without the raging hyperinflation scenario.

      Bonds have
      View article »
    • ON: Sun Sep 28th 23:07 PM
      Commented on:
      Did the FDIC Sabotage WaMu's Management and Erode Investor Confidence?
      Washington Mutual had adequate capital. It had been examined by numerous accountants and Bank Examiners. One Federal official was on the tube early in the week to make that statement.

      The reason that the banks all pay an insurance fee is to that the FDIC will be thee to STOP a run. The way to do that is to advance the funds to the bank to pay the depositors as they make the withdrawals.

      In this case the FDIC and the OTS were both derelict in performing thier obligations. They just confiscated the bank, wiping out all shareholders and all bondholders. What they really did was destroy any idea that anyone should ever invest in a bank. After months of claiming that WM was sound they confiscated it. The loans that WM had on the books were not the best. However, the cash flow from payments was much larger than the payments for deposits. That is why it was a sound bank, if weak.
      View article »
    • ON: Thu Sep 25th 11:49 AM
      Commented on:
      The Rehabilitation of Christopher Dodd
      Dodd is a blustering moron.
      His idea of letting judges alter mortgage terms will destroy the mortgage and real estate markets. A mortgage loan will become nothing more than a $500,000 unsecured credit line.
      View article »
    • ON: Tue Sep 23rd 12:48 PM
      Commented on:
      All That Gold Is Really In the Gold ETF, Right?
      What is the point of the senseless article.
      The author writes.
      There could be a brain inside the head.
      There is a real brain in there, Right?

      Makes about the same level of sense as the article.
      If there are real doubts about it, check it out thoroughly before posting the nonsense. Otherwise it is simply rubish.
      View article »
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