hermanbrut

Holiday Price War Dooms Most U.S. Retailers

Unfortunately, I think Jeff's article states the reality of our current economic future.
"Hope" and "Change" speeches are not enough.
Greed will always be the prime motivator of capitalism. That's OK.
But greed must be regulated by our government for the greater good. Let's hope our elected officials have the spine to do so.

VW as a Home Energy Provider

I've been thinking this way for a while now but this is the first time I've heard anyone working on it. Lots of advantages. No overhead power lines. Nat gas cheap if you live in an area with lots of it.
But the mechanical engine of the generator is the negative. Would require lots of upkeep.
Fuel cells are a more efficient way to go.
Tried in Alaska:
www.fngas.com/fuelcell...

The Dollar and the Carry Trade, Simplified

Looks to me like buying some EWA could be the safest way to get a payoff here. China likes their resources, too.

Reading Market Volume Flow

People lately have been saying the market has reached a bottom because the "second derivative is positive" of various prices.

A better math model for predictions, implied by Brett's article, may be to look at changes in the function y= (price)X(volume).
Just a thought.

Australia’s ETF: A Developed Market Worth a Look?

5.8% unemployment! And heath care for all.
Sounds great to me.
If only the US could be so fortunate.
What am I missing?

Bending the Curve: Redefining Health Insurance

I attended a town hall meeting last night in Hornell, a small rural town in western New York. The discussion was civil and the Congressman, Eric Massa, was honest and eloquent with his answers. The meeting gave me hope that the loudmouth weirdos on both the right and the left might be finally running out of steam.

This article is right on. We must have universal health care in some form. The well-being and survival of the US depends on action now. We can't afford the current system.

Why So Angry About Healthcare?

From what I've seen, many of those against health care reform seem to enjoy being angry. And when there is nothing to get angry about, for example medicare paying to make a Living Will (a good thing), then they call it a "death panel" so it sounds like a bad thing. Then they can get angry again.
To bad these nutcases are now the face of the Republican party.
Grr. Now that makes me angry.

Could There Actually Be Another Reason Why Oil Prices Are Falling?

No one here who has a brain is talking about regulating oil prices here except you. We are talking about regulating the futures market traders in oil. All we want is for owners of large positions and their actions to be made public so people can know when the market is just being bid up buy big funds as it was in 2008.

Don't you believe in a free market? If so, then why would you not want supply and demand to determine prices, instead of market manipulators?

Capitalism without regulation is like playing football without rules, or running the US government without paying attention to the Constitution.

Do you really think the oil price spike in 2008 was caused by supply and demand? READ THE ARTICLE!


On Jul 12 02:06 PM Gadz wrote:

> What about real estate? People buying and selling madly in that market
> drives prices up beyond the normal. Nobody complains when that is
> happening and nobody wants to curb it. Why should oil be any different?
> If we're going to regulate oil, we might as well regulate everything
> else too, because everyday people buy things as a hedge against future
> price increases or in the expectation that it will rise in value
> and bring them a profit..it's called capitalism.

Could There Actually Be Another Reason Why Oil Prices Are Falling?

Some folks who are commenting here might want to actually read the report cited. We aren't talking about regulation of oil prices here as was tried in the 70's. Everyone agrees that would be bad.

What this article is discussing is the need for transparency about who is trading oil futures. When hedge funds, etc., are able to purchase large futures contracts without disclosing their buying and selling, the market price can be easily manipulated by a few large players. (recall the Hunt brothers trying to corner the silver market back in the 70's)

Especially read pages 13 to 15. The speculators- 4 or 5 large players- caused the price to rise and fall in 2008, not supply and demand. Without regulation requiring these players to disclose their positions, we small guys will never know whether prices are being determined by big market players or REAL supply and demand.

Some folks who really want a free market here seem to be having a knee-jerk reaction to the word "regulation" without understanding what needs to be regulated.

Could There Actually Be Another Reason Why Oil Prices Are Falling?

I agree with this article. Also, once speculators get out due to regulation, oil price will drop like a stone due to supply and demand.
Does any rational person really think that cash-strapped economies like Venezuela and Iraq will withhold supply so prices for Saudis will go up?
And demand? China consumers aren't going to buy Hummers either.
Lower oil prices will be good for everyone except the speculators.
Buy DUG.
But then again, hey, what do I know? I'm just a simple, small-time investor trying to think for myself.

I Left My Fat Paycheck in San Francisco

Bogus numbers here. Another Limbough-style guy making up stuff for people who like being "outraged" at whatever.
WhatsamataU? Can't find a feminazi girlfriend to beat up?
Why don't you guys get a life?

Google's Checkmate Was Three Moves Ago

FYI- Google doesn't actually own this satellite, GeoEye (GEOY) does. Google only contracted with Geoeye to use the satellite for Google Earth and Maps before its launch.

The US government regulates the use and sale of the images. As of now, the highest resolution images can be used only by the US military.

So, re "Big Brother," it's the US government we need to watch out for, not Google. All of you who were around in the '60's know what can happen. God help us if we get a new moose-killing "Decider" and a pseudo-maverick "stay the course" guy in office. If they get elected, better stay out of your hot tubs!

GeoEye-1 Launched Successfully

Agree with Chris. The launch was the big headlines. Final certification and first images sold, when these events happen, may not even make the news. Even though the launch was actually a low risk event, I think many people over-exaggerated the chance of failure due to the mental images we all have of rockets blowing up on the launch pad.

With stocks in today's market it's important to look at possible downside.
Between now and final certification, what might happen to GeoEye to cause the company to lose value?

• The satellite isn't going to fall out of orbit.
• Past accounting problems are now resolved.
• Likely there will be little negative news during the certification process.
• The demand for shares by those who have shorted to hedge their bet on the launch may cause price to rise rapidly over the next month.
• Looking ahead, revenues are expected to grow quickly.
• Any adverse geo-political events will only make GeoEye's services more valuable.

So for the next month or two, I see virtually no chance for GeoEye to lose value.
What's not to like? I think it makes no sense to sell shares now.

Bullish Sentiment Trend Continues Lower

Interesting data but is this a good thing or a bad thing?
My knowledge base isn't sufficient to form an opinion.
Will the recent drop in oil bolster bullishness?
Or is all this data just BS?

How Low Can This Market Go? The 40 Percent Solution

Lots of gloom and doomsayers, plus failure of a major bank in southern CA means we may be near a market bottom here.
Re housing, people have to live somewhere, so rents are going up. When rents exceed the cost of mortgage payments, housing will go back up.
Also, the world economy is all interconnected and, overall, is growing. When we are paying $150 a barrel for oil, someone is getting $150 a barrel for oil. So buy stocks in the middle east or Brazil.
We in the US have had it good for quite a while. It's time for us to get a much broader world outlook. Much of the "third world" is just starting to prosper and if we get some decent political leadership, that will be good for us, too.