Sequestration...Is Working?

jerryguru69 — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:45:01 GMT

A DANCE WITH THE DEVIL

Opposing armies locked in mortal combat in The City On The Hill agree to a pact with the Devil: they invent “sequestration”: across the board cuts in all parts of the King's Budget. So hideous is this, that they shall be forced to become brothers once again.

THE GREAT ZONTAR SPEAKS

First, this is not a new idea:...

MCD - Golden Arches or Fool's Gold?

jerryguru69 — Sat, 04 May 2013 11:26:16 GMT

Over the years, I have become disenchanted, both as customer and potential investor.

Ronald McDonald has introduced several new dishes in his kitchen: salads, flavored coffees, wraps. At each step TMF has cheered: is McCafe a threat to SBUX, they are appealing to health conscious people with their salads, they will attract millenials with trendy things like wraps.

What n...

10 Common Investing Mistakes

jerryguru69 — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:17:47 GMT

Foolscap Follies

reading articles or blogs online titled “common investing mistakes”. C'mon: if these folks really did know of what they speak, don't you think that they would be tooling around town in a Dodge Viper, rather than hunched over a word processor with a sweaty brow?

Gold, I tell 'ya, Gold!

Heresy? Surely. Opinions go all over the map, but there is one universal belief: these 2 factors surely are intimately related. We only have to discover how.

Disagree in the strongest possible terms.

Factoid #1

Weaker legions of the EuroArmy have had to dramatically cut gov't spending, th...

Why bitcoins are important

jerryguru69 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:48:08 GMT

No, not because they are a good investment, or even a speculative one. It raises the important question: what exactly is money?

Stone Money

When I was wee lad, I read about the giant stone coins used by the Islanders of Yap. That really puzzled me. You can't put it into your pocket o...

Why Roger Ebert is important to me

jerryguru69 — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:55:54 GMT

It might seem odd mention of a truly great film critic on a financial website. Well, that is because he had a profound influence on my writing style. You may have noticed that my blogs resemble articles. This I learned from Ebert. He did not hesitate to expound or explain an important point, not matter how long it made his reviews or even just a very long paragraph. Had it not been for his influence, my blogs would be more barren and less inform...

Gold price - GLD vs. Central Banks

jerryguru69 — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:45:23 GMT

Trying to figure what influences the price of the precious yellow metal is a really fun parlor game. I have often stated it is merely an emotional thermometer for certain classes of investors. However, stories of central banks hoarding the Precious and that GLD has dramatically increased the demand, got me thinking if one factor might overwhelm the other.

Central Bank buying in 2012

Federal Deficit: it is mostly Entitlement spending

jerryguru69 — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:17:38 GMT

Recently, a Fool Article stated “the key driver of our recent deficits: the bloated U.S. security apparatus ”. Beg to differ: it is mostly American generosity in giving away free food and free money and free medical care that threatens the federal budget and our economy. <...

why I hate investing

jerryguru69 — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 21:36:11 GMT

no, no, I like making money with my investments, but dealing with the flotsam and jetsam that usually passes for sage advice and wisdom really annoys me, because they are usually wrong.

The GDP...isn't

The economy of a developed nation like ours has an awful lot of moving parts. Ho...

Can Elon Musk Save Boeing's Bacon?

jerryguru69 — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:35:06 GMT

sigh...I am getting just a wee bit tired of blogging about the 787's battery bumbling, but this is rather different.

Mr. Musk has offered his help. Let us hope that BA has the sense to at least listen:

**his Dragon9 space capsule that docked with the Space Station uses similar batteries

**his approach to using lithium rechargeables is...

Is the 787 a "lemon"?

jerryguru69 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 21:48:13 GMT

I read today that a “bad” battery batch has been ruled out, and that attention is now focused on the monitoring and control circuits for the battery pack. It is increasing looking like Boeing is going to have to do a redesign and re-certification, meaning that the fleet could be grounded for as much as year.

I also read something disturbing: the engineering for the 787 was not done in-house, but outsourced ...

Solving the 787 battery problem

jerryguru69 — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:08:27 GMT

Well, well: the entire fleet of Dreamliners have been grounded, pretty drastic even for the FAA. Batteries bursting into flames are apparently are too much for them. There are stories in the media that a “bad” batch of lithium-cobalt (LiCo) rechargeable batteries might be the cause. For Boeing's sake, let us hope that this is true, but color me skeptical.

The hot-n-spicy battery back (BP) is used to start th...

About the “lithium” batteries on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

jerryguru69 — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:06:55 GMT

Finally, a technical subject I can speak of with some authority. One of my hobbies is being a “flashaholic”, that is someone obsessed with flashlights and batteries and electronics thereof (no, I am not kidding: check out our hobby website www.candlepowerforums.com ). Many major media stories are full of BS, so I will do my best to set the record straigh...

why I finally bought AAPL (for my real portfolio)

jerryguru69 — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:58:22 GMT

I had always avoided AAPL like the plague, since it is a glamor stock: the price is determined by headlines, rumor, gossip, and cocktail party chit-chat. It is randomly in and out of fashion depending on the whim of the jet set or analysts.

Then, something interesting happened: I was using the very Foolish Stock Screener, and suddenly a miracle: Steve Job's lifework kept popping up. Judged by traditional me...

the end of the Gold Rush?

jerryguru69 — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:46:06 GMT

Yes, I know: whenever anyone gives a thumbs-down on gold, the gold bugs pile on.

Well, bring it on.

In support of my case, I cite:

In the next edition of Merriam-Webster, under the definition of “hypocrite”, I suggest the smiling visage of Mr. B eating a Dairy Queen ice cream cone.

I am getting sick and tired of his pronouncements that the rich should pay more in taxes. OK, Mr. Billionaire, put&...

the “cliff” is more than just “fiscal”

jerryguru69 — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:09:09 GMT

the term “fiscal cliff” was coined by Helicopter Ben to draw dramatic attention the impending pop-up of the federal budget deal agreed to in 2011 when the “Super Committee” in Congress failed to agree. In fact, it is much more than just the fiscal budget:

**expiration of the Bush tax cuts. So, technically, I guess you could weasel out by claiming you are not really imposing new tax increases

today's drop was $37.05 or 6.4%

whaddup? reason covered by

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1046581-the-reason-behind-apple-s-beating

just to keep you updated (critical news for us junk food junkies), last minute negotiations with labor unions (forced by the bankruptcy judge in charge of the case) have failed, and Hostess will indeed discombobulate itself.

Worry not, junk food nation. A number of compani...

Why the Economy Refuses to Recover

jerryguru69 — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:36:07 GMT

Up to a point, Helicopter Ben is correct (not to mention the Oracle of Omaha): the housing market is a big drag on the economy. Sadly, setting interest rates at 0% has not helped. Plus, there are other reasons.

PUTBACKS

Both

jerryguru69's Blog