kowalski's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/5012/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/99588-the-crash-of-2008?source=feed#comment-281130 281130
yes,

Wall Street is a con game, but people have short term memories, and as long as there is capitalism, a need (even a desire) to make money..

I have seen this scenario unfolding many times before, and I doubt it will be different this time, because - quite frankly - there is no alternative... not as long as human nature is what it is: stupid and greedy!

Besides, Putin is the wrong man to make comments on who has lost what and for how long... Russia is the worst and most corrupt country of all!


]]> Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:29:33 -0400
yes,

Wall Street is a con game, but people have short term memories, and as long as there is capitalism, a need (even a desire) to make money..

I have seen this scenario unfolding many times before, and I doubt it will be different this time, because - quite frankly - there is no alternative... not as long as human nature is what it is: stupid and greedy!

Besides, Putin is the wrong man to make comments on who has lost what and for how long... Russia is the worst and most corrupt country of all!


]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/99325-this-bear-market-is-worse-than-i-thought?source=feed#comment-278578 278578 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:30:54 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/99175-looking-into-gm-s-history?source=feed#comment-277940 277940
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Maybe, just maybe GM used to pay fair salaries to his workers?! ]]> Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:33:37 -0400
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Maybe, just maybe GM used to pay fair salaries to his workers?! ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/99052-government-intervention-and-the-irony-of-modern-capitalism?source=feed#comment-276599 276599
So 93% of the rich own cars with median value $31k ?!

I assume it must be aliens from another planet who own all the Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maybach etc.]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:02:47 -0400
So 93% of the rich own cars with median value $31k ?!

I assume it must be aliens from another planet who own all the Ferrari, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Maybach etc.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/99058-is-the-end-of-the-crisis-near?source=feed#comment-276587 276587
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Hedge Funds need huge amounts of money b/c of year-end redemption calls!

www.marketwatch.com/ne...
]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:47:04 -0400
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Hedge Funds need huge amounts of money b/c of year-end redemption calls!

www.marketwatch.com/ne...
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/99013-russia-from-growth-to-mere-survival?source=feed#comment-276582 276582
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Yes, and why would that be?! Because we live in a "F*ck You Buddy" society! Rather a moral liability, it is deemed rational and clever to cheat... Game theory is Psychopathology!!!

Watch Adam Curtis' BBC documentary:

"The Trap: What Happened To Our Dream Of Freedom?"

www.youtube.com/watch?...]]> Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:39:55 -0400
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Yes, and why would that be?! Because we live in a "F*ck You Buddy" society! Rather a moral liability, it is deemed rational and clever to cheat... Game theory is Psychopathology!!!

Watch Adam Curtis' BBC documentary:

"The Trap: What Happened To Our Dream Of Freedom?"

www.youtube.com/watch?...]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/98903-have-we-learned-anything-yet?source=feed#comment-276092 276092 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:39:44 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/98903-have-we-learned-anything-yet?source=feed#comment-276068 276068 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:17:53 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/98903-have-we-learned-anything-yet?source=feed#comment-275926 275926 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:10:18 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/98840-vic-bill-ackman-on-wachovia?source=feed#comment-275544 275544
What happened to your former C and WB positions?!

Did you play with their values, or did they play with you?!]]> Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:47:56 -0400
What happened to your former C and WB positions?!

Did you play with their values, or did they play with you?!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/98826-what-to-look-for-next-in-this-market?source=feed#comment-275527 275527
Cash 8.6 billion
Net Receivables 8.1 billion
Accounts Payable 15.5 billion

(Numbers as of 1-Aug-08)

That means, my friend, net cash on the balance sheet is a meager 1 billion!!

]]> Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:37:13 -0400
Cash 8.6 billion
Net Receivables 8.1 billion
Accounts Payable 15.5 billion

(Numbers as of 1-Aug-08)

That means, my friend, net cash on the balance sheet is a meager 1 billion!!

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/98714-added-liquidity-part-of-the-problem-not-the-solution?source=feed#comment-275040 275040
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Excellent!]]> Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:13:29 -0400
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Excellent!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/98696-irrational-despair-is-creating-great-buying-opportunities-in-two-chinese-companies?source=feed#comment-274876 274876 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:38:01 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/98300-munis-in-the-crosshairs?source=feed#comment-271914 271914
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Derivatives!]]> Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:11:25 -0400
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Derivatives!]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97900-shopping-during-armageddon?source=feed#comment-269546 269546
Can't find it anymore...

]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:34:47 -0400
Can't find it anymore...

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97915-the-credit-hostage-crisis?source=feed#comment-269522 269522
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America is not a democracy but a plutocracy. Plutocracy is governance by the wealthy.

beyondplutocracy.com/
]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:20:44 -0400
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America is not a democracy but a plutocracy. Plutocracy is governance by the wealthy.

beyondplutocracy.com/
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97874-looking-for-hope?source=feed#comment-268985 268985
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Religious people never fail to amaze me! If the Lord was truly in charge, why pray to him?! Blaming Him for the mess would be more to the point, and asking Him to leave as alone even more so... But of course the true believer's relationship to "this"Lord is is one big Stockholm Syndrome.

]]> Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:07:13 -0400
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Religious people never fail to amaze me! If the Lord was truly in charge, why pray to him?! Blaming Him for the mess would be more to the point, and asking Him to leave as alone even more so... But of course the true believer's relationship to "this"Lord is is one big Stockholm Syndrome.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97517-on-board-the-u-s-s-titanic?source=feed#comment-266178 266178
Yes, most people are sheep included me and you, but still there have been quite a few revolutions, because desperation turns cowards into heros; on the other hand one must not forget that capitalism has a tendency to perpetuate itself in crisis by turning to fascism! In the 30s it was the German industry supported by international bankers who brought Hitler into power to stabilise "the economy". And so it comes that section 8 from Paulson’s proposal is nothing but the playing out of the inner logic of capitalism!



]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:01:20 -0400
Yes, most people are sheep included me and you, but still there have been quite a few revolutions, because desperation turns cowards into heros; on the other hand one must not forget that capitalism has a tendency to perpetuate itself in crisis by turning to fascism! In the 30s it was the German industry supported by international bankers who brought Hitler into power to stabilise "the economy". And so it comes that section 8 from Paulson’s proposal is nothing but the playing out of the inner logic of capitalism!



]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97517-on-board-the-u-s-s-titanic?source=feed#comment-265694 265694
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As a side-note:

John Bremer published a newly discovered letter from Plato in: Plato and the Foundation of the Academy (2002), in which Plato explains the plan and philosophy behind his Polity (or Republic).

Some crucial paragraphs:

231. Now, it is hard for people to accept, but it is a fact that ALL THE CITIES OF THIS WORLD ARE BASED ON FUNDAMENTAL LIES. IT CANNOT BE ANY OTHER WAY and for a number of reasons, the first of which is that when children enter the world they find themselves in a pattern of unjustifiable social inequality. People born before them have an advantage over them – not through any greater merit or virtue on their part, but simply because they are older. Add to this the fact of economic inequality between individuals and between families and between cities and there are powerful elements making for instability. There are other inequalities – bodily health and strength, intellectual ability and interest, social position, inheritance and so on. Now, instability, especially if it becomes too pronounced, leads to social upheaval and revolution or tyranny, and sometimes both, and so a means is required to prevent – or, at least, minimize – the revolutionary tendency caused by unjustifiable inequality.

232. I say unjustifiable because there is nothing in reason to validate the inequalities among men. That they exist is undeniable, but there is no known justification for them in reason, so there must be one in convention. That convention is what I call “the noble lie,” I must admit to you, although it is always a lie, it is only “noble” in the best cases – when the inequalities are not too extreme, and the motive for keeping them is to prevent social or political instability, and there is a mechanism by which the inequalities can be gradually lessened. Every city has its own form of the lie (which is the principle of its education program), and the extent to which it is not believed is the measure of active internal repression. I say “every city” but, in truth, the cities we know are not unified – they are many cities, not one. MOST OBVIOUSLY, EACH IS AT LEAST TWO CITIES, A CITY OF THE RICH AND A CITY OF THE POOR.]]> Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:19:03 -0400
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As a side-note:

John Bremer published a newly discovered letter from Plato in: Plato and the Foundation of the Academy (2002), in which Plato explains the plan and philosophy behind his Polity (or Republic).

Some crucial paragraphs:

231. Now, it is hard for people to accept, but it is a fact that ALL THE CITIES OF THIS WORLD ARE BASED ON FUNDAMENTAL LIES. IT CANNOT BE ANY OTHER WAY and for a number of reasons, the first of which is that when children enter the world they find themselves in a pattern of unjustifiable social inequality. People born before them have an advantage over them – not through any greater merit or virtue on their part, but simply because they are older. Add to this the fact of economic inequality between individuals and between families and between cities and there are powerful elements making for instability. There are other inequalities – bodily health and strength, intellectual ability and interest, social position, inheritance and so on. Now, instability, especially if it becomes too pronounced, leads to social upheaval and revolution or tyranny, and sometimes both, and so a means is required to prevent – or, at least, minimize – the revolutionary tendency caused by unjustifiable inequality.

232. I say unjustifiable because there is nothing in reason to validate the inequalities among men. That they exist is undeniable, but there is no known justification for them in reason, so there must be one in convention. That convention is what I call “the noble lie,” I must admit to you, although it is always a lie, it is only “noble” in the best cases – when the inequalities are not too extreme, and the motive for keeping them is to prevent social or political instability, and there is a mechanism by which the inequalities can be gradually lessened. Every city has its own form of the lie (which is the principle of its education program), and the extent to which it is not believed is the measure of active internal repression. I say “every city” but, in truth, the cities we know are not unified – they are many cities, not one. MOST OBVIOUSLY, EACH IS AT LEAST TWO CITIES, A CITY OF THE RICH AND A CITY OF THE POOR.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/97342-bailouts-misunderstanding-the-moral-hazard?source=feed#comment-264605 264605
The plutocrats have calculated in a remote possibility of revolt and taken precautions:

www.youtube.com/watch?...
]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:50:07 -0400
The plutocrats have calculated in a remote possibility of revolt and taken precautions:

www.youtube.com/watch?...
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/96926-the-family-foresight-thought-experiment?source=feed#comment-262449 262449
(1) you set up a legal structure (off-shore) that will allow you to cash in investment gains tax free;

(2) you invest the billion into a diversified multi-national (and multi-currencies) bond portfolio;

(3) you reinvest the yearly proceeds (about 30 - 60 mio) into international real estate and land!

That should do it!

]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:38:52 -0400
(1) you set up a legal structure (off-shore) that will allow you to cash in investment gains tax free;

(2) you invest the billion into a diversified multi-national (and multi-currencies) bond portfolio;

(3) you reinvest the yearly proceeds (about 30 - 60 mio) into international real estate and land!

That should do it!

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/96921-two-interactions-with-the-federal-reserve?source=feed#comment-262416 262416
As to W. Blake's quote - evil has never had anything to fear from good people doing something (presumably something "good"), because of the frailty of human nature. At the end of the day the human race is not up to the task, still we live and die in hope! ]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:16:06 -0400
As to W. Blake's quote - evil has never had anything to fear from good people doing something (presumably something "good"), because of the frailty of human nature. At the end of the day the human race is not up to the task, still we live and die in hope! ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/95806-america-buys-aig?source=feed#comment-256757 256757 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:01:09 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/83498-just-how-bad-was-june?source=feed#comment-197075 197075 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:51:35 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/83380-interdependence-key-factor-in-financial-system-stability?source=feed#comment-196549 196549
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Yes, but the hope is that one dies, before the bonds default;

gov bonds are not meant to be paid back;

for more, watch 'The Money Masters':

video.google.de/videop...


]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:40:36 -0400
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Yes, but the hope is that one dies, before the bonds default;

gov bonds are not meant to be paid back;

for more, watch 'The Money Masters':

video.google.de/videop...


]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/83380-interdependence-key-factor-in-financial-system-stability?source=feed#comment-196514 196514
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The difference between casinos and banks is that a casino does not lend money to gamblers to risk "their" money; if casinos were backing losing gamblers, the profits they (the casinos) show on their books would be exposed to default risk; if the casinos were to go on and take these profits (exposed to default risk) and lend them to more losing gamblers, it would increase the default risk; the game could go on for some time, and the gambling business could grow expoenentially for some time, and so could the pay packages for the casino managers, but as soon as the gamblers default, they take the casinos with them; and that is what happened with the financial system, only that here the 'gamblers' were the group of people who defaulted on their suprime loans.
]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:07:24 -0400
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The difference between casinos and banks is that a casino does not lend money to gamblers to risk "their" money; if casinos were backing losing gamblers, the profits they (the casinos) show on their books would be exposed to default risk; if the casinos were to go on and take these profits (exposed to default risk) and lend them to more losing gamblers, it would increase the default risk; the game could go on for some time, and the gambling business could grow expoenentially for some time, and so could the pay packages for the casino managers, but as soon as the gamblers default, they take the casinos with them; and that is what happened with the financial system, only that here the 'gamblers' were the group of people who defaulted on their suprime loans.
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/83361-what-s-wrong-with-today-s-value-investing?source=feed#comment-196470 196470 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:18:05 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/82099-cioffi-and-tannin-s-indictment-is-good-news-for-investors?source=feed#comment-189033 189033 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:30:19 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/80926-looking-harder-for-equity-returns?source=feed#comment-183449 183449 ]]> Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:32:01 -0400 ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/80334-george-soros-and-charles-r-morris-new-books-review-the-end-of-an-era?source=feed#comment-180313 180313
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Excellent article, apart from the cheesy (hopelessly romantic) last sentence. These books will have fulfilled a valuable social function if and only if the Wall Street elite (incl. Fed) reconsiders, but how likely would that be?! ]]> Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:22:55 -0400
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Excellent article, apart from the cheesy (hopelessly romantic) last sentence. These books will have fulfilled a valuable social function if and only if the Wall Street elite (incl. Fed) reconsiders, but how likely would that be?! ]]>