iThinkBig

Loading...
Symbols:
Authors:
comments899
  • Positive ratings +47
  • Negative ratings -19
  • Net rating +28 or 71 %
Filter comments by:
Highest rated Latest comments
Or filter by symbol:
A AA AAPL ABK ABT ABX ACI ACWI ADI ADRE ADVNA AEM AF AGG AIG ALTR AMAT AMD AMGN AMSC AMX AMZN ANR APA APH ASBC AUY AVP AXP BA BAC BCS BGC BK BKF BLC BMI BMY BNZ BP BRCM BRK.A BRK.B BRL BSC BSR BTU BUD BZF C
... [+more]

Latest Comments
899 Comments

    • Mon Nov 17th 16:57 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 -1
      Commented on:
      Credit Default Swaps: Latest Data
      Because Johnny K, those profiting or shielding themselves from loss are those that run our government and have positions into these companies. You could say they are heavily biased. It's not right but pain will force true change in leadership. Up until very recently, the pain has been all J6Packs. Again, not right just stating reality. J6Pack are the pillars that support the platform of government and Wall St. The pillars have collapsed so those on the capsizing platform are now "concerned".
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 16:46 PM
      |
      Rating: +1 0
      Commented on:
      Some Tech Sector Optimism
      I think your picks are sound, all of these businesses have a high barrier to entry. MSFT could have more exposure to overseas markets and face further anti-trust but the potential reward seems to outweigh that risk at this price. These picks are also good because Washington will have little influence on these sectors. Which of these companies do you maintain a position in?

      Now that we have all done our bit of philosiphying on human nature and markets, it's high time we in the investment community get back to this kind of disclosure at SA.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 16:30 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 -2
      Commented on:
      John Hussman: The Market Is Not in Uncharted Territory
      The real problem is that it's only day traders left in the market. Big government collusions with NYC/Wall St. creates an encapsulation effect. If our economic system is dying it's common sense to ask the chicken and the egg question (does the consumer create a stock market or does the stock market create the consumer). When one answers that question honestly one comes to an easy conclusion of what must be done to restore our economy.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 16:05 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Technicians vs. 'Deleveragers': Who Will Win This Market?
      Hi Marvin MBA, write me sometime at my website or founders@ragingdebate .com


      On Nov 17 12:54 PM User 118015 wrote:

      > The basic fundamentals are too negative for the man in the street
      > to come back into this market. Unless fundamental conditions improve
      > the so called expert and day trader will be playing ping pong with
      > each other every day in the market. It takes the public to come back
      > in and provide the backbone and it seems from my vantage point it
      > ain't going to happen anytime soon..MarvinMBA
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 16:02 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      The Perfect Storm: Heading Toward Global Recession
      Your idea AARC is similar to my own except the idea I have is more specific and involved the Small Business Administration that guarantees half the loan from a regional bank willing to provide a loan to a small business. The advantage of the SBA is that it has offices in almost every town across America and a tremendous amount of intellectual capital directly and with retired, successful volunteers to boot. Here is the problem:

      Those with these kinds of common sense ideas are not 'known' in our chronie capitalist society we are living in. Hence, such idea will only be listened to when the system has already collapsed. Sometimes, you just can't avoid our frail human nature without pain being a wake-up catalyst. Nor was this idea new here on SA, it was sent to President Bush in 2007 and confirmed as read. I fear the Obama Admin will also be prone to corporate chroniesm with Clinton appointees, whom inherited the Internet boom, a Real Estate boom and avoided the face of terrorism which requires expenditure of blood and treasure. The best this crop of government can do at this point is likely to not louse it up further. I do hope I am dead wrong.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 15:40 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Dear Mr. President-Elect: Advice on Combating White-Collar Crime from a Convicted Felon
      Very true. America will likely reinvent itself to be decent republic but how much pain in the transition to and from shall unfold. That's the pertinent question for the investment community. I am short the current U.S. government and long America. How's that for disclosing a position?


      On Nov 17 03:14 PM john s. gordon wrote:

      > thinkbig - remember that the french revolution is still a work in
      > progress. how many constitutions/republic... have they had? and mr.
      > napoleon (the foreigner from corsica). and a second empire along
      > the way.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 14:01 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Dear Mr. President-Elect: Advice on Combating White-Collar Crime from a Convicted Felon
      AHAH. Whidbey as per norm has nailed it! Our culture has become corrupt, lazy and selfish leading to chroniesm. Why is the big question and the answer is based on human nature. When a culture has the basic necessities in abundance and NO national focus we become bored, nihlistic and self-destructive. In other words, we get BORED. Billionaires and large corporate interests, our culture focus on sucking what is left out of the little guy. Hence, government should act as a security guard but isn't because it has gotten it's nose too far into this profitable affair. There are only three outcomes possible based on human nature:

      1) Armed revolution
      2) Voter revolution
      3) The nation is conquered

      Actually, #3 has already largely occured with foreign interests of debt ownership controlling much of government policy. #2 is the likely outcome in the 2010 and 2012 elections. Meanwhile, more fleecing and backlash shall ensue. I am focused on moving along #2. Armed revolution is often as destructive as the tyranny it replaces, although France and the U.S. are rare exceptions. I am not sure exactly why.


      On Nov 16 09:25 PM Whidbey wrote:

      > Interesting, but not complete. Most Boards are involved in systematically
      > robbing the shareholders by diverting large sums to executive compensation,
      > special pay to board members and compensation for "finding deals
      > or finance etc.". The large corporations spend lavishly for training,
      > meetings, tours and inspections. The crimes are many and the auditors
      > go for, because you know who hires them.
      >
      > Congress robs the public with travel, health care, district offices
      > and retirement
      > pensions that are in effect golden dreams for little more than answering
      > role calls. The days of citizen legislators is gone and the age of
      > the professional legislature with a staff of twenty toads is here,
      > yet they use our money to rob, misgovern and wreck the state.
      >
      > While we are at it, I spent some time as a senior officer the in
      > the military. The problem of competency is very real there too. Promotions
      > are very "club" oriented and if the best man is selected he will
      > likely not be the most popular candidate with the selection board.
      > And if the pols like an officer, who cares what the selection boards
      > wants? The "Yes" man or women will be elevated even if he or she
      > is known to be a ninny, incompetent and drag on the armed force.
      > Who needs 110 admirals? Why 12 four star generals in peace time?
      > Is it the responsibility or getting the old boys and girls their
      > day in the values, and getting the retirement sweeten. If you go
      > into retirement at age 50 as a bird col you, on average, earn more
      > in retirement than during active service. Make sense?
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 13:52 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Dear Mr. President-Elect: Advice on Combating White-Collar Crime from a Convicted Felon
      Insightful comment of the day award.


      On Nov 16 10:01 AM mahony wrote:

      > I like your perspective, but alas you are whistling in the wind.
      > Boards of Directors are politicians...you learn this is business
      > school. Lesson 1:Pick a Board that helps with connections (i.e. regulatory
      > hurdles, access to finance, access to politicians, CEO of a major
      > supplier etc.). The money trail will lead you to Lesson 1 every time.
      >
      >
      > We will pay some lip service to better financial management for the
      > next few years and then it will be business as usual. We'll call
      > CEO's and CFO before Congress and berate them mercilessly, and they
      > will still go home with what they earned by ill-gotten gains. Hey,
      > you still get to vote and I bet that you (or even more likely your
      > family members) still have a comfortable nest egg.
      >
      > The overall lesson is that crime can still pay with low risk and
      > if you are able to pull it off without any criminal activity (pure
      > foolishness ala some of the Wall Street firms) all the better. Shame
      > is dead...
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 11:52 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 -1
      Commented on:
      The Week Ahead: Another Wild Ride
      I do not fear an imminent Iranian attack. All nations on earth are reeling from deflation. However, a few short years out may be another matter. Some skirmishes (capabilities testing) would not be surprising but I expect a truce from Islam to be offered Israel. Israel for it's part had best take that time of truce to prepare it's population for large scale war. History rythmes, global financial crisis' creates tremendous hairtrigger friction that builds. The good news is mankind is on a societal evolution. As consolidation of groups into villages, cities, city-states, nations and blocs of nations formed, consensus is reached. Wars get bigger but the peace in-between lasts longer. Man is on the verge of the best era in history but unfortunately the odds are we will see one last global conflict just to realize how stupid expansionist national movements are outside of economics.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 11:45 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Warning: New Lows Ahead
      Remember gentlmen, there is no effective government policy other then unlce hank propping up a few friends between now and January 20th. Even then, I will wait until the end of Q1 to see what Washington policy will look like to plunk money down. That was my advice as posts here for the entire last quarter. I suppose I will write an article for SA about this. In the interim, building the tech toolset for the political landscape so 100,000+ individuals and groups can educate America and root out bad leadership in business and government. My only bitch is the innovators are often smaller business guys that must help solve this problem and thus far have gotten zero help for the investment community or government. Such is the way of human nature and cycles I suppose.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 11:39 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Why Paulson and Bernanke's Plans Don't Work
      Oh yeah, one last thing Derryl: I am a very big fan of Laffer's idea of a six month, no income tax holiday for every American. That will help increase consumption a bit and offset falling asset values. Businesses will expand and hire slowing layoffs. No need to tax further actually Derryl. Inflation is a tax in and of itself that is spread as equal pain to all Americans. Tax capital gains but do this in 2011-2012 rather then now, in fact, best to lower capital gains next two years.


      On Nov 17 09:29 AM derryl wrote:

      > P.S.
      > I'm pretty sure you're absolutely right that current measures will
      > not prevent business declines and failures because stimulus money
      > will not be spent on consumption. Just as WWII brought us out of
      > Depression and back to full economic production for the war effort
      > via government direct spending into the economy, I think large scale
      > infrastructure spending will be required to bring the present economy
      > back to life. But this takes a long time.
      >
      > As I noted above, this deficit spending does not have to eventually
      > be recovered via taxes if the money is created by the Fed and Treasury's
      > debt is monetized. As Mosler notes in his Soft Currency Economics,
      > when there gets to be too much money in the economy and inflation
      > starts increasing, that's when the government should suck some out
      > via taxes. Regulation of a fiat money economy involves money creation
      > by the federal government and taxation, to directly increase or reduce
      > the amount of money circulating in the economy.
      >
      > Like any other power this money creation power can be misused by
      > ignorance or abused by political ambition. But we have to live with
      > this, because regulation of our money and economy is up to us frail
      > humans. There is no God-like savior to come down and fix this for
      > us. As Paul said to the Philipians, "work out your own salvation
      > in fear and trembling".
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 11:34 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 -1
      Commented on:
      Why Paulson and Bernanke's Plans Don't Work
      1) Yes, infrastructure projects. Replace imported oil slowly but surely.
      2) Use SBA to guarantee 50% of loans, provide regional responsible banks $250-$500 B to loan and SBA with local offices in almost every town in America decide on if a business is viable and has good management/plans. Plus, successful retirees assist entrepenuars and start-ups to refine plans. Innovation is need to created efficiencies in a BIG hurry. Large, mismanaged businesses with poor management that ask for bailout should have sweeping management changes and money provided in tranches, just like a hungry entrepenuar is enticed to perform or be shut off by an Angel or VC.
      3) Higher Education should be provided the poor. Step up and do something with your life but don't expect welfare forever. President Clinton had this right.
      4) When inflation does hit, it will rise slowly but steadily. If energy as a national focus is pursued this will temper speculative investment in energy. If the energy policy is weak and only focuses on solar and wind, NG which CANNOT replace petroleum alone (need nuclear power and electric vehicles as an interim plan) then the speculators and global investor will drive up the price far more then printing digital credits and this effect will trickle down into food and other goods creating hyperinflation.
      5) This government must learn economics, conduct real-time research with the consumer. If this government is wise, the USA will send many delegates overseas to all nations to promote trade and again, conduct consumer research overseas to gauge current and future demand.
      6) The G20 meetings are surely discussing debt renegotiations and restructuring. All deravitives and CDO's should be valued at ZERO until buckets of true valuations of these investments can be created and valued OUTSIDE of Moody's and other rating agency stamps.


      On Nov 17 09:29 AM derryl wrote:

      > P.S.
      > I'm pretty sure you're absolutely right that current measures will
      > not prevent business declines and failures because stimulus money
      > will not be spent on consumption. Just as WWII brought us out of
      > Depression and back to full economic production for the war effort
      > via government direct spending into the economy, I think large scale
      > infrastructure spending will be required to bring the present economy
      > back to life. But this takes a long time.
      >
      > As I noted above, this deficit spending does not have to eventually
      > be recovered via taxes if the money is created by the Fed and Treasury's
      > debt is monetized. As Mosler notes in his Soft Currency Economics,
      > when there gets to be too much money in the economy and inflation
      > starts increasing, that's when the government should suck some out
      > via taxes. Regulation of a fiat money economy involves money creation
      > by the federal government and taxation, to directly increase or reduce
      > the amount of money circulating in the economy.
      >
      > Like any other power this money creation power can be misused by
      > ignorance or abused by political ambition. But we have to live with
      > this, because regulation of our money and economy is up to us frail
      > humans. There is no God-like savior to come down and fix this for
      > us. As Paul said to the Philipians, "work out your own salvation
      > in fear and trembling".
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 11:07 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 0
      Commented on:
      Employee Healthcare Deductibles Are Becoming Punitive
      So why is it better as an employer to have a vast increase in taxes to support universal healthcare? As a business performer, I prefer to pay $1,500 a month for the best family coverage I can buy and work harder and smarter to be able to afford it. And our family spends time and funds on preventative medicine. Let's face it, one way or the other medicaire is non-sustainable so the quality of care is going down whether employees pay more or the employer pays more. Frankly, I provide full health insurance to all employees. They perform and create sustainable revenue or they wander the market learning the hard way that they are not "OWED" top pay and health benefits with lackluster performance.
      View article »
    • Mon Nov 17th 10:35 AM
      |
      Rating: 0 -1
      Commented on:
      The Humility of Realism
      Mr. Merkle: "if we can get the Debt/GDP down from 3.6x to 1.5x, we would have a chance. Until then, regardless of the confidence building measures attempted by the Treasury/Fed, we will not get to that level of transparency."

      Actually, monetary policy has been the only facet used to attempt to fix this problem and like the Great Depression, it was realized afterward that to reduce debt required increasing revenues, no different then a business. The other solution not mentioned on this article is exactly that, to increase business and government tax revenues by bringing a crucial export in-house. Specifically energy. Another option is to subsidize small business which is 51% of our GDP and rapidly dying. Small businesses cannot be banks and credit is shut off.

      To subsidize small business, you put XXX B into regional banks that were responsible these last four years and the Small Business Administration guarantees 50% of the loan. In addition, the SBA has a lot of retired business talent that volunteers to assist start-ups and entrepenuars polish financial plans and help small businesses get in touch with additional funding. The SBA and bank determine whether a start-up plan is viable, or an existing Small Business that has nicks in it's credit is worthy of investment, has decent management, etc.

      The innovators can increase the efficiency of our markets but these are not large companies with poor, lazy management and the ability to all become "banks" and get direct government funding, it comes from entrepenuars who are hungry and have been shut out of the market for the last five years while VC was out hunting for the next gadrillion dollar opp like waiting for the next Google which doesn't happen.

      For larger businesses like the automakers, allow them to go bankrupt and shed and restructure the unsustainable pensions, then fund them in tranches based on rolling out an electric vehicle. Build more nuke plants which also creates jobs. Can't have an energy independent America without the nuclear equation while wind, gas, solar and hydrogen power are utilized to slowly but surely begin replacing petroleum.
      View article »
    • Fri Nov 14th 12:22 PM
      |
      Rating: 0 -1
      Commented on:
      U.S. Trade Deficit Up in September: Job Losses Mount
      Mr. Morici, I have always enjoyed your concise views and understanding of fundamentals. Let's face it, those whom have this ability must BECOME leadership in Washington. Unfortunately, we are out of time to avert not only this crisis but other geopolitical crisis that will emerge as effects. The American public is slow to learn that those they just put back into office are the fiends. However, pain is a strong catalyst and history shows what will occur in a few short years of removal of such people in Washington. That will be our cue to step up and serve the public and further expose the economic mental dwarves in Washington.
      View article »