The Stock Market and Investing

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  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited March 2012
    So, you disagree and believe it is better to have someone in the White House that does NOT understand business? How can that be better?

    Also, business success is certainly not the only criteria. There are many issues I posted earlier that are weaknesses for Obama, and some would be better with Romney, aside from the business success.

    But, truly understanding our economy should be a huge part of running the country, and it definitely is an advantage for Romney to have a better understanding of business.

    TM
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    You know when one of his biggest fan's Chris (tingle up my leg) Matthews says Obama is just not suited for the job and disconnected from the reality of it all, he was a poor choice.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB4b11_LREA

    Another big supporter thinks he is getting "Creepy"

    Not-So-Smooth Operator
    Obama increasingly comes across as devious and dishonest.


    It's not due to the election, and it's not because the Republican candidates are so compelling and making such brilliant cases against him. That, actually, isn't happening.

    What is happening is that the president is coming across more and more as a trimmer, as an operator who's not operating in good faith. This is hardening positions and leading to increased political bitterness. And it's his fault, too. As an increase in polarization is a bad thing, it's a big fault.

    The shift started on Jan. 20, with the mandate that agencies of the Catholic Church would have to provide birth-control services the church finds morally repugnant. The public reaction? "You're kidding me.

    Events of just the past 10 days have contributed to the shift. There was the open-mic conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in which Mr. Obama pleaded for "space" and said he will have "more flexibility" in his negotiations once the election is over and those pesky voters have done their thing. On tape it looked so bush-league, so faux-sophisticated. When he knew he'd been caught, the president tried to laugh it off by comically covering a mic in a following meeting. It was all so . . . creepy.


    http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited March 2012
    Well, we can now add my wife to the list of iPhone owners. She dropped and broke her HTC EVO 4G, and since she was due for an upgrade, I suggested she get an iPhone. Well, she did! Now I'm the only one in the family without an iPhone.

    But only until the iPhone5 comes out, at which time I expect to join the ranks. The ONLY thing that could keep me from doing so is if they don't increase the screen size, and while I'd still probably get it, I'd be a little disappointed. I really prefer a larger screen. Fortunately the iPhone body can accommodate a larger screen without growing in physical size.

    TM
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Wow, good links.

    Hopefully, more people will see this before Election day.

    TM
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited March 2012
    I just read this...

    Flurry's latest round of analytics -- which measured revenue of 11 million daily active users from mid-January through the end of February 2012 -- shows Amazon's Appstore pulling in a shocking amount of revenue given the short life that it has lived. Apple's strength in sales has been well documented, but the latest report shows that for every $1 generated in the iTunes App Store, $0.89 is being spent in the Amazon Appstore.

    The game is very early for Amazon. Draw your own conclusions.

    Also, on an additional note... Amazon just had a very limited offer for refurbished Kindle Fires (they resell product returns, just like Apple does), and they announced a price tag of $139!, claiming it will look and perform as new.

    Apple really needs to offer a smaller, less expensive iPad... IMHO. Lots of folks prefer that size form factor.

    But the bigger news is the $0.89 already being spent at the Amazon Appstore for every $1 at Apple's iTunes App Store.

    TM
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I cannot find any info on how many Kindles have been sold to date. The Telegraph claims one of every forty adults in the UK got a Kindle for Christmas. My son in law and grandson love the Kindle Fire I gave them. They are thinking of getting a second so they don't have to share. Not sure when I will get another tablet or even a smartphone. I don't think I would use it much. Especially paying a monthly fee. I kind of think a tablet that works on 4G that I can just buy a months worth if I travel.

    I buy more on Amazon than any other store. I don't have to waste gas going all over town only to find out no one has what I want. If I don't like my purchase they pay for the return, again no gas wasted going back to the store. Plus almost always a better price than even Costco.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Definitely. I love Amazon.

    I suspect the next evolutionary upgrade to the Kindle could be a REAL winner, as it would hopefully address some of the general little shortcomings, and possibly add some significant features.

    Also, lots of folks prefer the smaller form factor. As much as I love the iPad, it's not quite as portable as I would like at times.

    I really expect to see the competition heating up, and totally expect that a smaller iPad is a certainty, even though Len posted otherwise. In fact, I would put money on it. No way Apple is going to just ignore a potentially massive market that is actually still in its infancy. It would be as if they only offered one size notebook computer. Even the iPod has had several models. The tablet market will grow to be so big, that they will possibly even offer a LARGER iPad one day. But, a smaller one is a good bet... 7.85" is the likely size for the smaller upcoming iPad!!

    Anyway, gotta love the convenience of Amazon.com!

    TM
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    I've only seen people Palinize themselves - there are no legitimate victims out there. Even if they aren't unstable (and the name in question sure as hell is), they make themselves appear that way. Too many other conspiracy theories out there.

    I don't see any credible voices talking about everything being rosy - but I do see people who were silent during the gas price hike of the previous regime, and the debt accumulation of the same regime, being awfully vocal now.

    In the rust belt, which in so many places has been kicked down by unfair trade, I'd imagine the AAPL economy and the bubble built around it has no impact on the local economy. In reality a statistically tiny amount of people actually hold an iota of stock.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    ...getting contractors is much harder now than the year before.

    EVERY weekday, I receive a minimum of 3 phone calls from contractors looking for work. It's the same thing every time. "Hello, is this Mr. Tagman?... Hello sir, I am Joe Blow, calling from A-2-Z Construction, and we would welcome the opportunity to give you a very competitive estimate for any repair or home improvement project you might have in mind, any size job. Is there anything at all we can give you an estimate for?"

    These guys are soooooo hungry. That's why I have been doing a total re-do of every inch of my property. I got an estimate last year that was a FOURTH of some of the other estimates, by a guy that is well-known for some of his work done here in SoCal... Done award-winning jobs for celebrities, and has been transforming my place. 17-foot barbeque island, spa, fire pit, sport court, multiple patios and all new paver decking, and over 20 new palm trees and scores of new plants, new driveway, new irrigation, drainage, lighting, and more. All for a song, compared to what it would cost if the economy was healthy.

    Getting contractors may be harder than last year in New Jersey, but it's a piece of cake here. Like I said, they call multiple times every day begging for work.

    Oh... Thanks for reminding me to ask him about putting in a back-up generator. I've been wanting to look into that. Might as well, while so many of these construction guys are so eager to work for practically nothing.

    TM
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    EVERY weekday, I receive a minimum of 3 phone calls from contractors looking for work.

    I get at least a couple a week. I now have a very good handyman with his own van and tools. I looked at a deck he built for my neighbor. Very excellent work. He is only charging $12 per hour. Before the crash I paid more than that for a Mexican gardener. I also see restaurants and stores full. Those that have jobs are spending like crazy. Until they get laid off and lose their homes. I see too many people looking for work to think the economy is as good as the stockmarket. The only consistent job openings around here are entry level. A guy was sitting in his car at Lowes this week when I went in. Big sign on the side of his car. Experienced carpenter $75 per day.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    I suspect they target Malibu residents, thinking that there is more disposable income here. Certainly could be true, don't know for sure.

    BTW, I was at Westfield Center, over near Studio City last Wednedsay evening, and they have both of those large Microsoft and Sony retail stores over there since last year, located next to the Apple retail store. Both are larger than Apple's store, but Apple is usually more crowded, and certainly appears more crowded since it is relatively small by comparison.

    Anyway, that Tuesday evening the Microsoft store was PACKED. I went in and could barely move, it was so jammed. Seems that there was a huge promotion and special release of the Windows phone. It was nearly as big as an iPhone release. The big attraction was a special promo event that challenged ANYONE with a smartphone to compare the speed of their phone, no matter what model, against the new Windows phones. They required a couple of typical tasks, and I watched the Windows phone just SMOKE everything else that people tried to put against it. I actually had an opportunity to test one at a separate display, and it was lightening fast. And, it had Microsoft Office installed. But with all that speed and power, I didn't totally like the user interface and the "feel" of the user experience. Still... It was a rocket.

    Never saw the Microsoft store so crowded. More crowded than Apple store when the iPad was released! But not quite as crowded when the iPhone4s was released. And, people were checking out the laptops and the XBoxes, too. Very impressive. The Sony store was relatively dead. The Apple store busy, but not jammed. All around dinner time on a Wednesday evening. I have a hunch that Windows 8 is going to be a big success... VERY big success... And surprise a lot of people.

    TM
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    MS Win 8, will have to be a heck of a lot better than Win Vista or Win 7 to get me to give up my Win XP Pro OS. I use my test bed computer that is way past normal duty cycle. I loaded Win 7 Pro and was not impressed with the speed of loading programs or the ability to have multiple programs all running at once. I wiped the HD clean and reloaded my XP Pro and will keep it until I build another desktop. Just this morning the upgrade popped up for Flash. It was also on my wife's brand new Gateway with Win7. I started it on hers and then started it on mine. Mine was loaded and installed in less than half the time it took for her machine. It seems with every new version of MS Office it gets more difficult to do tasks. I use Excel, Word and Publisher every day. I upgraded to Office 2007 because I was getting Word docx that I could not read with my older version. I am not impressed with the ease of doing things in the newer versions from Microsoft. I will check out their Smartphone OS next time I visit a mall. Which is only about twice a year.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    So, you disagree and believe it is better to have someone in the White House that does NOT understand business? How can that be better?

    Also, business success is certainly not the only criteria. There are many issues I posted earlier that are weaknesses for Obama, and some would be better with Romney, aside from the business success.


    I never said that business success was not needed in politics but as noted - it's not the only criteria.

    Other than the Olympics, where else has Romney been successful outside of business? On a sidenote - IIRC, Romney had to reach out to Congress for an earmark to turn the games around. Add to it that his one time in office was "successful" due to tax increases does not give me the warm fuzzies. Lastly, the one mandate that he touted (near universal healthcare) is the one that he now touts as bad.

    Government unfortunately is more about keeping one's job and that means pleasing only those that will help one keep one's job. Running a business is much easier IMHO.

    Personally I believe the Romney is the lesser candidate in the upcoming election.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    I also continue to use XP Pro. And so do tons of people. I will make two comments here.

    First, I recently posted right around the first of the year that I had sat (on a Southwest flight) next to a game engineer, who was part owner of a game development company. As soon as we met, we got along great, and talked about many things, and the topic of Windows 8 came up. He had already seen the beta version and said it was very good. He said it was "the one" that would get people to switch from XP, and that is was a terrific OS. Who knows?... But I've got a strong hunch that it could be their most successful OS to date. They need it to be great, and the early reports are favorable. We'll know the truth later this year.

    Second, the resistance to upgrade to a company's next generation product is a concern that I have about Apple. At some point, their products will be so good that the only way to entice folks to upgrade would be to have inew models with drastic improvements. Currently, I believe they can upgrade all their notebooks and desktops by offering Retina Displays on their mainstream products, and then further offering "touchscreen" capabilities to them as well. The iPhone to get a larger screen and LTE, and the iPad to get a smaller sibling, as well as the introduction of a hybrid model... tablet/notebook. So while there's still a ways to go, the question will be whether or not they can entice consumers with enough adequate improvements fast enough. And, there is stiff competition at all times to contend with, so Apple must not only continue to move ahead of themselves, they must also stay in front of the competition, without fail. One big slip up and the money stream will be affected. I see huge success, but vulnerability from the outside and from within, for the reasons I mentioned... and, frankly, there are others.

    All that said, I think it's likely Microsoft will get Windows 8 right. If they don't, Apple will be the beneficiary... and Apple's desktop growth, which is already growing nicely, would surge. Windows 8 is critical to Microsoft.

    Also, as you probably know, Microsoft will not support XP indefinitely. They will attemp to get users to migrate / upgrade to Windows 8.

    This is definitely an exciting year. Especially with Apple and Google and Microsoft. I am expecting a huge "tech" Christmas for America... One of the biggest and best ever.

    TM
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    Other than the Olympics, where else has Romney been successful outside of business?

    Personally I believe the Romney is the lesser candidate in the upcoming election.


    This just shows how messed up the media is. You know nothing about Romney. As soon as the Republican convention is over and he is the candidate, hopefully, enough people will get to understand the HUGE and important differences between Romney and Obama.

    And, for goodness sakes, please tell me what you think is so good about Obama!

    TM
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    I thought I was the only one still using Windows XP. I still have it on my desktop. I had to search high and low to find a desktop with XP installed a couple of years ago...found one at Wal Mart. I have Windows 7 on a couple of laptops, but still prefer XP.

    I have a hunch that within the next year or so there will be some huge game changing technology that will sweep thru the computer industry and change everything. Just a hunch.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Lastly, the one mandate that he touted (near universal healthcare) is the one that he now touts as bad.

    I thought Romney pushed HC for the state of Mass? That to me is where it belongs where the people of the state can vote for or against it. That is the state's right. Forcing a plan onto everyone that is likely to fail after bankrupting the USA, is hardly a wise piece of legislation.

    The Feds continue to promise stuff they do not follow through on. I know several retired military people that have TRICARE. When these people went into the Military they were promised Medical, Dental and Eyecare for life after they retired. All lies. No dental now or eyecare. And it has big copays for many procedures. Same goes for the promises made when SS and MC were forced onto the American people. Most Federal programs turn out poorly.....
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,700
    > I am sure he will be more connected with the Congress and able to get meaningful reforms pushed through. Several that you have brought up to control the electronic trading are needed.

    Neither party shows a willingness to reign in the freedoms for the money makers since banks were allowed to do everything else along with banking. I see the abuses continuing. I've read parts of a few books lately about the coming collapses. Discouraging.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,700
    edited April 2012
    >Feds promise...

    I see Romney having been a governor and having business background as a plus. A big plus. I also hope he wouldn't let politicians like the past Speaker of House and Senate Leader run the policy and spending decisions wasting as much money as they did.

    E.g., I just figured out the solar panels at the Zoo probably were paid for by some Green money from the Feds. They are using to produce some of their power... Seems it would be cheaper to buy it from their local power company, Duke.

    It's time for Change. I'm tired of Hoping.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    I have a hunch that within the next year or so there will be some huge game changing technology that will sweep thru the computer industry and change everything. Just a hunch.

    That's not unrealistic at all. Let's just hope it's from Apple... LOL.

    The only wrench in that gear is the time it can take to go from a breakthrough to the marketplace. Sometimes development can be within months, but sometimes, if it's complex and large-scale, it can take years for the industry to completely adopt a new standard.

    One thing for certain, there will be advancements.

    I like the way they seem to show up in out techno toys and cars... Two of our favorite things, right? :)

    TM
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    edited April 2012
    Don't see Apple going to a smaller iPad. Smaller cheapens the product and the smaller tablets don't function well for the breadth of things the iPad does/plans to do IMO. I can see a slightly larger iPhone instead but I actually like the current iPhone perfectly. It's easy to read the internet and it gets lost in my pocket. The droid2 was so much heavier,uncomfortable in my pocket and the screen size was no benefit as it was harder to read than the iPhone not to mention all the other terrible things about that phone. The Kindle line of products are mainly book readers and Amazon products sales tools. Once a tablet doesn't fit in my pocket I'd rather have the larger size. Given the failure by all the all tablets that came in smaller sizes I just don't see it happening. The Kindle has gotten awful reviews and is looked at as more of a device to drive search and buying on Amazon then anything that competes with the iPad. It is also a big money loser and the jump in revenue at the Amazon store has happened after they put the money losing 3 kindles up for sale. So it is low quality loss leader revenue, hardly anything I'd compare Apple store revenue to. Apple piggy backs the iPhone with its iPad for high quality revenue and profits. Amazon throws the knidle into the fire (no pun intended) in hopes of drivimg Amazon sales.
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    edited April 2012
    I owned the original ipad and thought it was OK. That said I returned it because I really had no use for it. Android phone was, and is, all I need when I am on the go, and at home I use the PC or laptop. Being retired, I can't charge it off as a business expense, so why spend $600. on what is basically an expensive toy or play thing?

    After the ipad I tried a kindle fire. It stuck, and I use it every day, mainly for reading, especially in bed at night. It cost $200., which I can rationalize, and does 90 to 100% of what I would use the ipad for. Plus it is much more comfortable to use as a reader and much less obtrusive. Also, I find the Fire to be elegant, dependable, and very well made. For me, it is a pleasure to use.

    Yes, I own Apple stock, but it is because I think it is a very well run company and a good investment, not because I am in love with Apple or its products.

    Remember, no matter how good or how bad a situation a person or a company is in...that situation will change.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    I have never received so much junkmail for offers of new roofing, garage doors, kitchens, bathtub facelifts, flooring, windows, etc. The best part is that I live in an urban mid-rise apartment building. The junk mail companies must be desperate too.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    Not to mention being involved with an Olympic bid is more about corruption and bribery than anything else.

    I think the Obama camp will have a field day tearing him apart on the verbal gaffes he has already committed, and there will be more to follow. We'll end up with another idiot no matter who wins.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    Wow... We really disagree a lot here.

    For example, your perspective of construction workers is very different then mine and many others, and different from an industry that indicates the housing crisis is still a terrible situation. To suggest a robust housing market or construction industry would not be accurate in my opinion. Perhaps a little better than last year in some areas, as yours maybe, but overall I wouldn't conclude from it that the country's housing crisis is over, or that construction workers are very, very busy... because it's still a mess.

    Also, your claim that the Kindle Fire has gotten awful reviews is not correct. Well, I guess SOMEBODY gave it a bad review, as did somebody against the iPad, but overall, the reviews for the Kindle Fire were very good, and it is an Editor's Choice at PC Magazine, for example, and it has many very positive reviews. It's no iPad, but for what it is, it does not need to apologize, and it will get better with the next version, as do Apple products.

    We also disagree about the smaller iPad. I will bet money that eventually we see one. You can have your opinion, but it makes waaaaay too much sense for Apple to slam the door on those other smaller tablets. Even iPods have different sizes, and in some respects, the iPod touch is a micro iPad. I am very confident we will see a smaller iPad, at 7.85".

    The iPhone is likely to get a boost in screen size, IMO The industry trend is massively going that direction, and the iPhone can accommodate a larger screen without much, if any, increase in the size of its body, which many people like.

    Your Droid and Android experience is not representative of the majority of consumers, who continue to pick Android phones over the iPhone. I think that could change one day, but for now, the Android OS is the one in the lead... Somewhat attributable to the many different models, but nonetheless, it is the sales leader.

    Back to Amazon, it is interesting to note that for every $1 spent at the Apple iTunes App Store, people now already spend $0.89 at the Amazon Appstore, and it's amazing that the Amazon Appstore hasn't even been open that long.

    I think Apple is the best, but that doesn't change the facts about what people are buying. Apple knows that there is a huge market for smaller tablets. They are not stupid enough to abandon the ENTIRE tablet market, and somehow think that only one sector of it is enough. Heck, as I posted earlier, I foresee even a larger iPad one day. THREE sizes! But for now, I am firm on my expectation of a smaller (probably 7.85") iPad. Over time, we'll see what happens. More good things from Apple are certainly on their way before too long.

    TM
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    Talk about verbal screwups... Obama made fun of Gingrich for talking about gas prices at a gas station, and then the news showed us a clip of him doing the same thing when he was criticizing high gas prices under Bush.

    He had the microphone catch him taling to the Russian leader about being more flexible after the elections, and he also screwed up with a hot microphone when the Israeli prime minister was here.

    He can't keep his mouth shut. And worse, he has a long list of promises he made that he has lied about. Romney will have a field day with all those lies.

    Tell me a couple very good things about Obama, that warrant him to be our president. I can't think of any. At least Romney understands economics, and that is a HUGE advantage, especially since one of the real problems with America is THE ECONOMY. And, Obama wants to raise taxes within the same old screwed up tax system, while Romney wants to fix the tax system. Obama wants bigger government and to spend more money we don't have, and Romney wants to have a balanced budget... and is probably better equipped to understand how to achieve it.

    So, what's so good about Obama? I would love to hear about it.

    TM
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    edited April 2012
    Meh - should I produce the list of dumb Romney statements? :shades:

    We all know the Israeli PM holds more sway over American policy than our own president...lots of things to hold against Obama - especially in terms of broken economic and systemic (transparency et al) promises, but that one, nah.

    There isn't really anything good about Obama - just less insane than his 2008 opponents. Lesser evil is all we get. I also don't see what Romney understands about "economics" in general - he understands the world of vulture capitalism and being born on third base, and being an average American because he has a pickup and his wife has a couple of Caddys, but maybe not a lot else. I'd like to see his grasp of any economic theory, or specific details of how he can fix what ails us.

    How will Romney fix the tax system? More breaks for the top? How would Romney truly balance the budget? Why should he deserve my vote? I am as concerned about economics as anyone, but IMO another couple decades of breaks for a few won't help us as a nation.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    Man, are you kidding? Are you suggesting Israel runs this country? You think all that Middle East oil that we've been SLAVES to for decades comes from Israel? I think it's those "other" Middle East folks we should be concerned about. How about terrorists? You going to suggest thar Israel wants to destroy America? Or is it once again those "other" folks in the Middle East?

    And, since when is capitalism a bad thing?

    Obama is a disaster. Romney lessor of evils? To some extent probably true, but let's really see what plan he proposes, once the campaign gets under way. I think it will be better than ANYTHING Obama has done.

    TM
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    Who on earth is suggesting a robust housing industry??? I said contractors here are harder to get then a year ago and that I had a hard time getting an electrician to call me back on a generator. You took off with that and concluded that I said we are in the middle of a construction boom?? That's jumping to a helluva conclusion. The local economy here looks as good as ever to me, maybe that's the NYC area misrepresening things the same way Apple is carrying the S&P.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    You were definitely implying that consumers aren't stretched, in contrast to what the guy said in the video link that you originally posted. You were making a point that the economy is good from your experience. I am saying clearly that your experience is not reflective of the overall economy. For example, here's a statement you just posted...

    "The local economy here looks as good as ever to me"

    As EVER?

    Frankly, that's hard to believe. The economic data of New Jersey is not nearly like it has been in better days. Housing data is a mess in New Jersey, and are you suggesting that New Jersey has a great employment situation? New Jersey isn't in a bubble, so I must conclude that your observations are in contrast to all the data.

    You are entitled to your opinions and observations, of course, but I just think that sometimes they are out-of-touch, while other times they are right on the money.

    In this case of your observation that the local economy is as good as EVER... well, I can't disagree with what you perceive & observe, but I can certainly have the impression based upon economic data that your observation doesn't match the economic data, and it also does not match my observations in other environments.

    If somehow New Jersey & NYC economies are actually as good as ever, than I am glad. But, I have a hard time believing it.

    TM
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    To ALL...

    Please excuse me, but I am feeling that it is not acceptable to disagree here sometimes... especially where Apple is concerned.

    I love the company and it's products, but this forum is now almost totally about Apple. The only other topic seems to be politics, and I think that politics could prove to be a touchy subject around here, especially as the election draws closer.

    I am saying goodbye for a while. I love all you guys in a special way, but I just can't do this anymore. I've been at Edmunds for a long time, and I will probably be back, but I just realized with the recent posts with Len, that it doesn't feel the same to me anymore.

    When the smaller iPad comes out, please think of me. If it doesn't, well then, just buy that "awful" Kindle Fire instead as Len was posting about... personally, I think that it's a helluva bargain and I'll be looking forward to reading about the next generation Kindle Fire, as I shop at Amazon.com.

    Enjoy next Tuesday's program on CNBC. But beware!! There might be negative remarks about Apple... and we know how terrible it would be for us to hear them. How dare anyone criticize Apple... isn't that right?

    Best to ALL of you. God Bless!

    TagMan. :D
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    edited April 2012
    I guess you know what I meant better than I do.

    As for my comment about Amazon's quality of revenue I think their financials spell it out pretty clearly:

    http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=AMZN

    Now look at Apple's by comparison:

    http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=AAPL
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    edited April 2012
    Drop the red herrings, bad discussion tactic. I never said Israel wanted to destroy anything. But why should we pay for it? And like it or not, it does have massive influence over our foreign policy, especially in that region,where we have wasted so much money. It's been one hell of an ally. No candidate becomes viable without submission to AIPAC. I have no problem with Israel existing, but it is hardly a model of self-sufficiency, and we can't afford it.

    What "capitalism" do you speak of? This isn't really a capitalist society, not some kind of egalitarian meritocracy, it is closer to a masked corporatist oligarchy.

    I eagerly await Romney's economic plans. Will it be something real, or just trickle down part II while he distracts with talk of "class warfare" while his peers increase their wealth at a relatively greater rate since before the 20s? Those economics are perhaps the most dangerous. I am most curious to his stance on the offshoring issue.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    This just shows how messed up the media is. You know nothing about Romney. As soon as the Republican convention is over and he is the candidate, hopefully, enough people will get to understand the HUGE and important differences between Romney and Obama.

    I know nothing?? I lived under his governorship for 4 years. He raised taxes on business and reduced local aid to cities and towns which resulted in higher property taxes.

    His verbal gaffes ie "I like to fire people" and stories about his Dad closing a plant in Michigan to move jobs to Wisconsin basically show that he is out of touch the the vast majority of this country's citizens.

    What do I like Obama? Not much but at least he has empathy and concern for the poorest in America. He's not doing the best job but at least he has a grasp on what America cares about - and it's not creating additional wealth for a small slice of the population.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    I thought Romney pushed HC for the state of Mass? That to me is where it belongs where the people of the state can vote for or against it. That is the state's right. Forcing a plan onto everyone that is likely to fail after bankrupting the USA, is hardly a wise piece of legislation.

    That is true that Romenycare was for the state of MA as well. IMHO Romneycare is actually a better plan than Obamacare. It too has individual mandates required and suprisingly, nobody here in MA has brought up the unconsitutional angle.

    What bothers me about Romney on this issue is that he won't talk about it. He is avoiding discussing it because it's politically bad for him - not necessarily bad for the country.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Just a comment on real estate investing. We stopped by an open house in our neighborhood today. We have looked at this home as an investment over the last year. It probably peaked at about $1 million in 2006. Unfortunately the owners did not want to leave at the time. He was transferred to the East Coast over a year ago. And they have been trying to sell ever since. It started out as a short sale when we first looked at it with an asking price of $599k. A house like this on 2.4 acres in 2007 would be a bargain. Bof A told the owners as long as they were not behind in their payments they would not accept any kind of short sale offers. So they quit making the payments. They are lucky the home is in CA as the regulations favor the homeowners over the banks. This is the first we have checked out the inside of the home. Great for entertaining and many upgrades. They are currently entertaining offers from $449k. There is no way you could build this home for that. The lot in 2006 would bring that much. And the bottom is yet to be reached. So no building is going on. If you are a builder or trades person still living here you are likely unemployed. Unemployment still in the stratosphere. This is a horrible place for making a decent living. Unless you work for the government or in the biotech field.

    http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2290-Corine-Way-Alpine-CA-91901/16905646_zpid/-
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    edited April 2012
    Your area has a lot of government work and well paid public sector retirees, right? Might not be the worst deal, but you are certainly right in that the bottom isn't here yet. So many years of that market were such an insane mirage - and in reality the banks still win as they eventually get both the house and the bailout.

    My friend who works as a planner suburban ATL says housing starts are now less than 20% of what they were 10 years ago, when anyone who could fog a mirror was granted a mortgage for 8x household income. As well, many prices there are down to mid 90s levels with no end in sight.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    San Diego probably has a higher percentage of upper income retirees than many other areas around the country. I would guess a large percentage of those have been retired 20 years or more. So they either own their homes or owe very little. And with CA Prop 13 taxes they may have relatively low real estate taxes. Those that have lived off of investments are starting to feel the pinch. We were in the bank talking to the manager about CDs. He told us they are getting a lot of 5 year CDs maturing that were paying up to 5%. The people are shocked to find out they are not going to get much when it renews.

    As far as housing starts that is much more regional. The subdivision my daughter bought their home in was only about half filled with homes in 2010. They are just now selling the last of the homes. All built during the depression. And Evansville Indiana lost a lot of jobs when Whirlpool shut down. I guess they made up for it. Prices never dropped like here. The new ones in their subdivision are about $10k over what they paid. Good to know some places are stable. When Indiana gets all the new jobs the states around them may want to think about RTW.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,531
    I bet your area attracts new retirees with money though, for the weather - so you are in better shape than many. There's at least some demand - that linked house would be lucky to bring half that in many areas of the country. 5% from a CD? Yeah, that's not going to happen anymore from a passive investment. - even if real inflation is that much or more. Many people aren't seeing a huge incentive to save.

    Prices never dropped in IN because the area saw no bubble. My mother lives in an area with a similar situation - there was never a crazy run up, so prices now are similar to 10 or even 5 years ago. Those jobs will eventually be shipped out of Indiana and the US itself unless one of our same clowns in different suits can encourage some strong economic reforms and "encouragements" to the traitors.
  • cyclone4cyclone4 Member Posts: 2,302
    edited April 2012
    So what is so different today than back on Thursday or Friday? In my opinion, not a damn thing, but maybe funds were evening up their books with the end of the quarter.

    I am still livid about that BS on CNBC last Thursday. They should have had a disclaimer as Len stated already.

    I was driving all day to Akron, OH yesterday and I see that there has been some turmoil here. Tag is taking a leave of absence because of a disagreement about Apple, Amazon, etc. Personally, I don't think it warranted this action by TM. Len was just stating facts about the economic situation in NJ and about the Apple/Kindle argument.
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    Charlie,

    Window dressing at the end of the quarter by different funds managers drove the price down and now the same guys are probably rushing right back in and then some. To be out of this stock as we near earnings is going to be very hard for any manager.

    This story is really interesting and supports so much of my reasoning on Apple.

    http://seekingalpha.com/article/471741-apple-vs-a-portfolio-of-solid-brand-names- -still-no-comparison
  • cyclone4cyclone4 Member Posts: 2,302
    Len,

    This story tells it all and definitely supports your conclusions about AAPL. This is also why I have stated on several occasions the past 6 months to a year that Apple is better than gold.

    We should find a way to email this story to that irresponsible guy on CNBC. I just cannot get over how that guy was behaving that day.
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    He was behaving a lot differently today Charlie. One looks pretty stupid barking not to buy a stock and two days later the train moves 3-4% further down the track.

    I looked closer at Amazon numbers today. Didn't realize the stock was at a multiple of 145X. Man I would be very leary of that stock holding onto that price/multiple. The stock is priced to perfection and beyond and I don't see anything supporting a multiple like that. Earnings better be real robust or I could see that cratering 25% or more.
  • tagmantagman Member Posts: 8,441
    edited April 2012
    TM always claims to be buying lows and selling highs. It has gotten so bad that I think people here no longer believe his claims because they appear unrealistic.

    TM, if you are reading this, please don't take it as if I am being mean spirited


    How can I not repond to this.

    I NEVER posted a trade I never actually made, including the terrible mistake last year. I posted them ALL... the good, the bad, and the ugly. I absolutely made every trade exactly as I posted. I did, in fact sell most all of my Apple shares last week near the high, as I posted, and I posted that I believed we would have a significant dip, and we did! I woke up this morning at 4:00 to buy pre-market under $600... yes I really did!!... and I bought shares... yes, I really did!!!... but my wife reminded me that I had things to attend to today, so I would not be able to watch the market, so I sold most of them, and I did indeed miss most of today's gain... which frankly, was only a REBOUND, and not any new territory, as it did not reach the previous highs.

    The fact that it has been suggested that I had made up the trades is so hurtful to me, and proof that I have been wasting my time here. I tried to always post as close to real time as possible, to make it known that I was telling the truth, and I could not always do that. I am not insecure, and only shared my good results as they really were, just as I shared my mistakes when they were bad... even when they were really terrible. Truth is what it is, no matter what anyone else thinks. I've always had a good sense of the market's flow, but not 100%, of course, but enough to make it work... where many others should not even try. That's just the truth.

    I am not on meds. I am not stupid, as Len said, nor am I crazy, as he also said. And "revolting"? Wow. That's really nice Len. And, I did not suggest buying Amazon... I only mentioned that their Appstore was doing surprisingly well in such a short time. I mentioned that the Kindle is not as awful as he suggested. I disagreed that the economy in New Jersery / NYC was as "good as EVER", just because that's how it looked to him. I disagreed with Len, and that's not a good thing to do around here. I guess I should just agree no matter what, like Charlie does, and join the fan club. Sorry, but I don't always agree.

    The only thing I said to fintail that was out of line was that he did not know Romney. Actually, in all truth, I did not mean to type that as it came out, I meant to type that WE don't know Romney yet until the campaign gets some steam going. But I made that mistake, and in fairness, I do owe him an apology for that... but I don't know what else, and what the big deal is.

    As far as criticizing personalites here, I guarantee there's plenty I could say to some of you guys that wouldn't be very nice, but I won't. I'll leave that kind of stuff to some of you. I've seen Houdini terribly insulted for his political views, but I won't go there. But now that I've been accused of being a crazy liar... well, that's the END, for sure. I won't defend myself... but I will tell you all that I told the truth around here, and I was never afraid to challenge anyone, or agree with anyone, depending on how I saw things, or if I wanted more information before drawing a conclusion.

    The thing is, I truly cared about all of you, and thought that my posts were helpful, and interesting, and sometimes provoking enough to stir up a good discussion.

    Honestly, the posts I just read are horrible, and I will NEVER post with you guys again. You can all say what you want about me, knowing that I will not come back here to defend myself, and you can have the last laugh at my expense and put whatever spin on it you want, but Christ knows I told the truth about my trades, and you can NEVER change that.... but with this last post I wanted to let all of you know that I ALWAYS told the truth, no matter how incredible it might have sounded, and I never lied, and I have the Scottrade records to prove it.

    Shame on you guys for calling me a liar, and crazy also, and suggesting that it was revolting. Pitiful, absolutely pitiful.

    I look forward to seeing the presentation tomorrow on CNBC, and just because I want to see it, it does NOT mean that I agree with it, and I am NOT posting that Apple is a bad invesment. I don't believe I ever said that. If I did, show me. In addition to posting about the Tuesday program, I also posted about the guy that predicted Apple shares at $1650. I look at ALL sides of the picture as much as possible. It's more interesting to me that way. I used to like to hear all your different views. They were challenging, entertaining, enlightening,stimulating, and interesting.

    Ya' know... I am blessed with a gorgeous (and younger... yikes!) wife, and two terrific kids... my daughter attends a great college, and my son is a very lucky good-looking talented 12-year old who makes TV commercials and can pitch a baseball unlike almost anyone his age! I am a self-made multi-millionaire and have had some amazing experiences, and am blessed to live in Malibu, California. I have everything a guy could ask for, and more. I don't need this forum. I participated here because I thought you guys were good guys, and it was fun. But, not any more.

    Yes, it was fun... but now I know the truth about some of you. When someone calls me a liar, I don't keep them my friend any longer, but I do pray for them.

    God Bless you guys. I'm outta here.

    And, FWIW... just to let you know that I love to look at all sides... the good, the bad, and the ugly... and that I have truthfully posted all sides of my trading successes and failures... The theme from "The good, the Bad, and the Ugly" is actually my ringtone on my phone! It's because it's my way of life, to look at ALL sides, which I always loved to try to make happen here... and I have that ringtone to affirm it... for personal reasons.

    Goodbye.

    TM
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Good Luck To You Tagman-----I never knew your name, but appreciated your essence...

    I almost chimed in a couple of days ago, to say I also find the economy very robust everywhere I go.......No it is not like it was a number of years ago, as so much money disappeared...but what is left is coming from under the mattress, and the government is just pumping it out....

    Last year Len and Charlie and myself were flummoxed by the action in Apple, and as I remember it you said you were never going to touch it again....This year the action is reversed, and all that invested in it are doing fine....People are happy when they are making money :) I`m happy when I`m not loosing it..

    Again Good Luck Tony
  • anthonypanthonyp Member Posts: 1,860
    Good Luck To You Tagman-----I never knew your name, but appreciated your essence...

    I almost chimed in a couple of days ago, to say I also find the economy very robust everywhere I go.......No it is not like it was a number of years ago, as so much money disappeared...but what is left is coming from under the mattress, and the government is just pumping it out....

    Last year Len and Charlie and myself were flummoxed by the action in Apple, and as I remember it you said you were never going to touch it again....This year the action is reversed, and all that invested in it are doing fine....People are happy when they are making money :) I`m happy when I`m not loosing it..

    Again Good Luck Tony
  • cdnpinheadcdnpinhead Member Posts: 5,621
    edited April 2012
    . . .but this forum is now almost totally about Apple.

    Ain't that the truth! :D

    That said, I still come here -- something about car/train wrecks comes to mind.

    The following is an edit, based on reading the balance of the posts after the initial one to which I responded. I carefully followed the timeline each time as Tag posted his exploits, and it all seemed legit. I know of no way to pre-date posts here, and that's what it would have taken to do fake this stuff. He's just seemed to be really good at reading the tea leaves.

    I'm not. I'm dull as dishwater. I rebalance a "portfolio" of 401(K) and mutual fund accounts a time or two a year and hope for the best. It's turned out reasonably well, long-term, better than much of what is discussed here. Short term, I'm completely out of the game.

    Either way, he'll be missed.
    '08 Acura TSX, '17 Subaru Forester
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    Tagman, I can see no reason why anyone would be untruthful about what they are doing here, and I have never doubted your (or anyone else's) honesty. You might be guilty of having a big ego, but so what.

    IMO, there has been some over reactions here (from both sides) for some reason. Now that everyone has gotten this off their chests, we should all just settle down and make a fresh start.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Amen and Amen
  • ljflxljflx Member Posts: 4,690
    edited April 2012
    . .but this forum is now almost totally about Apple.

    Ain't that the truth!


    I'm going to stop talking about Apple here since it seems to be so displeasing to others. It's more of a discussion between Charlie and I anyway so we can simply take it offline. I'll gladly answer anyone's financial questions about it but I'm not going to lead any more discussions on it or post any more links about it.
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