May 2007
May 27, 2007 –
This New York Times article details the high level of pure crapola that Heinz ketchup received when it asked users to make ketchup commercials in their contest. One yoyo actually thought it was a good idea to brush his teeth with the ketchup and shave with it. Of note, I think the videos we have gotten for TMF video stock pitch contest have been, on a percentage basis, pretty solid. This NYT article is a great reminder to all CAPS players to take a step back and think about why they're posting. Is it merely because we can? And for those of us who hope to grow more influential with our picks, pitches and blogs, it's good to spend some time making sure we're not just adding to a great pile of digital moose pies. For me, I've come to realize that what has always got me the most recs in Fooldom has been AMUSE AMUSE AMUSE. Rant. Let it fly. Mock the wise and the wicked. Praise the righteous! The ulttimate question for us all is - why should anyone care what we have to say? I see the newest member of our community came out swinging with a great first blog post that spells out his mission cleanly. I can't applaud the name Atagrob - sounds like he should be advising a Klingon ship commander. But gotta love the bravado. [more]
May 26, 2007 –
Hey Fools,
As a mature and classy man who makes a joke to my wife and kid every time we pass a Black Angus, I am no stranger to Black Angus humor. So I have to laugh about the recent ads by Jack in the Box which imply that angus beef comes from cow anus. And as a man with a passion for all things advertising and PR-related, I can't believe that CKE would be stupid enough to sue Jack in the Box over this. The news today is filled with stories of the lawsuit, and the whole thing is utterly sickening. I still think of fingers in Wendy's chili. It's awful and unfair, but that's life. CKE could not possibly have done more to tie the word anus and angus together than this lawsuit. I hope the hyperlink is still valid. [more]
May 17, 2007 –
Hey Fools, [more]
May 14, 2007 –
Hey Gang,
After a relatively slow start, the Foolish 27-Second Stock pitch contest seems to be kicking out the jams. There is an energy, a pulse, a sense of sheer raucous creativity that runs through the entire contest. While I wish there were more submisions, the ones that have been submitted are really terrific. Where else in the entire world of finance, will you find this kind of reckless, wild creativity? We have a talking doll, puppet, sandwich, fetus, chickens, a guy talking to chickens, a hysterical woman yelling and running in circles, an educated anti-war kindergartner, a burrito munching semi-shyster, a Dora-saturated pregnant mom, a hyped up caffeinated madman, PC beating up Mac, a guy yelling at everything in sight trying to make the world do what he wants.
And why all this creativity? Well, sure it's because the contestants want to pinch $5K. But there's great stock ideas in there as well. I said it before and I will say it again - just like the Dropkick Murphy's sing - Loud and Proud - the Motley Fool community is the greatest collection of creativity, decency and brains ever electronically assembled for a higher purpose. After taking a monday morning waltz through the 27-Second Stock Pitch Video contest, I am more sure of that than ever. This is the microscopic first seconds of video coming into Fooldom. Sure, it's rough and we're all learning. Heck, I just edited my first iMovie the other night (a Mother's Day present that's really more slideshow than movie). But considering how much raw energy and creativity is in this small sample of videos - just imagine how much more exciting, funny, educational, amusing and enriching this whole world of Fooldom is going to become in the coming years. It's one thing to make money and take care of your family. And it's a whole other thing to have a great time doing it.
Fool on,
HD. [more]
May 11, 2007 –
Hey Fools,
Well, I'm almost down a thunderous 100 points on DryShips. Clearly redthumbing a strong business with crap management has been disastrous. But I have pulled red thumbs too early on Vonage, International Fight League (the purest crap) and others too numerous to mention. This CEO will loot this DryShip eventually, and when he does, Danny El Capitanny is gonna be there to reap the reward of only losing 20-40 points. You just watch. I don't care - and you mark my words - if I lose a million points on this. I will never, ever end this pick until it sinks to the murky bottom of the ocean.
Best, the Big ? [more]
May 10, 2007 –
Hey Fools,
I am working on developing my list of video stock pitches that I want to shoot in the coming weeks, months, years. I'm curious to see if the community at large has any stocks that they are most passionate about. I'm talking about those stocks that make you personally sit up and take notice because you have either a bigger passion for the brand, or the product, or you hate the CEO, or whatnot. I'm looking for passion here. if you have a stock you care about - either positive or negative, be a pal and post a comment! Thanks a lot for any help. Best, ?. [more]
May 07, 2007 –
Hey Fools,
I have known my dad since I was, oh, about... 30 seconds old. But I have never had a clue as to what exactly his investment strategy is. Having become a hardcore, full-time Fool lately, I am a man on a mission - to enhance my stock picking game, little by little gaining something interesting, useful, compelling, intelligent every day that I possibly can. As noted in the article, I think the more we know about ourselves, the better we'll be able to use that information to take the emotion out of our game, and make better decisions. I think my dad and I have a very intresting, openly combative, needling relationship that I hope amuses you all. Here is an interview with my old man. If you see something that reminds you of our relationship with your parents, or is the exact opposite, feel free to post a comment! As they say, "Share, share, that's fair."
Best, HD [more]
May 03, 2007 –
Hey Fools,
Recently, I have been seriously thinking about my Foolish screen name, and wondering if it is exactly right for me. I live in the Hollywood neck of the woods and exude tremendous personality and charisma and almost awe-inspiring physical beauty. I'm forever being told that my c-dome represents geometric perfection. And no doubt if aliens attacked, I could run right onto any available vessel and command it like a captain to victory. But I'm not of Spanish descent. And I think people can smell that. (I do have honestly keep a frozen burrito collection in my fridge.)
I bring this up because recently, here in CAPS-land, I have noticed to very positive name changes. Buckeye3d01 changed his name to the way more exciting, interesting and assertive, PLynchjr. And my longtime Foolish Pal, eBean, changed her name to the more in-your-face, proud and confident, MaverickatWork. If one believes the great book BLINK and I do, then one knows people make decisions - often lasting decisions - about other people very quickly. Let's face it - there's a big difference in what you picture in your mind when you think of Peter Lynch Jr. picking stocks as opposed to Buckeye. One image calls to mind perhaps the greatest mutual fund manager of all time. And one calls to mind Woody Hayes running up the sideline and punching an opposing player. Or of a guy obsessed with college football. And look at the Maverick. I never knew what to make of the name eBean. Does she sell beans over the Internet? Have a passion for coffee? I don't know. But a Maverick at Work calls to mind the popular book, Mavericks at Work and makes me think this woman is bold and daring. And I could get make money off her picks.
Other names that stir the imagery are BBQPorkMogul, Mansloth, TMFKnave, OceanBlueLA. The important thing is that picking a screen name forces one to spend a minute thinking about who they are, how they want to be seen, and maybe going forward, how they want to focus their investing. As these CAPS blogs get more detailed, offer more multimedia and more opportunities for self-expression and personal branding, I think this screen name - the doorway to your intro in Fooldom is going to become more important.
Change your name lately? Thinking of changing it? Post a bro a comment!
best, TMF ?
[more]
May 02, 2007 –
Hola Foolitos!
First of all, congratulations to Todd "TMF Knave" Etter for busting out his first 27-Second stock pitch video. His choice - CMG - a company that has brought me much joy today is a bold one - featuring Mexican food on a public hopper. Also, I will be giving a large shout out to the brave and noble souls who got off their hoppers and took their shots at the contest. Sombrero tip to you all.
Tonight I want to say, to all Fools, worldwide and intergalactically, that t is my hope, that over time, TMF builds a vibrant, exciting community of Foolish filmmakers who never lose site of the ultimate goal - Educate. Amuse. Enrich. I most passionately invite Fools who are interested in this neck of the woods to post comments on this blog, ask questions and do what we Fools do best - you guessed it, educating, amusing and enriching.
Adding video to Fooldom, and to the great force known as dynamic collective intelligence offers the incredible possibility of communicating with other Fools in a more authentic, more creative, more just plain fun way. One of the things I am most excited about Foolish filmmaking is that I think my results, as an investor, have improved by aligning my investing style with similar-styled analysts. For example, I just plain seem to "dig," if you will, the stocks David G. digs - Gamestop (a double for me! - thanks DG) and Netflix (another one!). Knowing David's style - his passion for the Internet, technology, and Rule Breaking gives me an extra level of comfort in his selections. For example, when a man who has co-created The Motley Fool sees unlocked value in Netflix - I pull an EF Hutton-style chair jerk forward and listen.
Foolish video offers all of us an incredible opportunity to learn about each other, and I believe passionately that this will help us make better investment decisions. When you get to see someone talk, listen to their level of passion about a subject, it's useful information. As video integrates itself into TMF and CAPS, in particular, I believe that new stars are going to emerge and that the best ones are going to not only lead vast flocks, but eventually, make some good money off their CAPS prowess. Consider my boy David "Pencils2" Kretzmann, for example. Come on, are you kdding me? He's FOURTEEN! I shudder to think what this kid-guy's gonna become as a full-grown, experienced manvestor.
I once read that money is not what makes people happy. What makes people happy is Family, Friends, Health, Spirituality, Meaningful Work and Community. I think Fooldom can contribute to all of that, and it can do so more effectively as it goes multimedia. There's some great, cool Fools - Selzhanik and Cissphp to name two - already in the video pool. I hope many others will jump in and help each other navigate this challenging but exciting new wave of Fooldom. And I hope this blog can help start building a great community of Foolish video makers.
Yours Truly,
The Ultimate Investing Man,
TMF El Capitan [more]
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