I don't think so. I think things are a little frozen up and banks want to hoard their cash. Our home is paid off but I am tempted to take out a mortgage for the tax write off, plus I could probably net 5% by investing the loan amount.
Probably fortunately for me, my wife is very old school and would never agree for us to borrow money we didn't really need, for any reason. She insists on paying cash for cars and everything else.
I remember on one car purchase they wanted to give us a 1% loan and she adamantly refused even though I explained we could invest the difference and make a few bucks. She just said, "Nope". What did I say? "Yes dear".
My wife feels the same way eventhough she's a CPA. She paid it off back in 1995 and won't think of refinancing at all. Ditto on the cars...think she'd only go for the 0% only. The house next door was foreclosed but we didn't act fast enough...should've mortgaged ours & bought it on the cheap...it's the exact copy of ours with a pool. Oh well. The only positive was we could've made sure maintenance was kept up.
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
When I tried to get a small mortgage (less than 50% of purchase price) for my recently acquired property in Sarasota, the broker quoted 7.25 % plus a one time 2% fee. I told them no thanks and bought with cash. :confuse:
I think a person would be better off paying cash for a home then taking out an interest only equity line of credit. I was offered that kind of loan at 3%. The games bankers are playing now defy logic. Has to be the Fed screwing with things.
Today I received a committment of 4.625% for a "super-conforming jumbo" fixed mortgage... with no points. Unfortunately, jumbo rates are much higher than conventional rates. By going with the "no-points" option, it will cost me nothing if it goes through, and my payment will go down a couple hundred bucks a month. In addition, I get a free second home equity line of credit at prime + 3/4%, which would currently be 3.99% interest only. Heck, if refinancing my primary mortgage costs me nothing, and my payment goes down, even if only a couple hundred a month, I'm good with that.
Now let's see if it actually happens. Some of the posts have me wondering.
This is one awesome looking machine. BTW, I recently watched a segment on the British show "Top Gear" that featured the LFA. They test drove it and they were amazed that Lexus actually built this car since in their words, Lexus builds boring vehicles. They had very positive comments about the LFA except for the price. They said it was WAY overpriced. The way QLIK is going, you will own this beauty in no time.
Per the New York Times this past weekend. It's excerpts like this from the link below that have caused me to drop every auto magazine from my list of subscriptions.
More than any luxury car maker, Lexus has been stereotyped, sometimes crudely, as the antiperformance brand, the epitome of masterfully built but soporific and soulless cars. Yet when Lexus does manage to create a car like the IS-F, a wildly fun-to-drive sport sedan, enthusiasts turn the argument around and question why any Lexus buyer would want one.
Interesting that the author would make a statement like this and still not be gaga over the car:
Such contradictions make the LFA fodder for one of the year’s most interesting auto debates. Judged purely as an adrenaline-inducing performance tool, the Lexus tops a number of supercars I’ve driven — not just the similiarly priced Lamborghini Murciélago, but also the $1.3 million Bugatti Veyron.
BTW - I actually got a letter back from C&D not too long ago. I had written them to stop haunting me about renewing as I was permanently gone and suggested they change their name to Consistent and Decided since I could predict their winning cars 10 years before the computers and paper exist that they will create their stories on. I told the editor - you want boring - repetive predictable stories that go on for decades is as boring as it gets. Needless to say they weren't happy with me but at least I'm off their mailing list.
Charlie, two things: - QLIK will probably be at least $30 this time next year, if they continued to dominate the BI software market and become #1. - The LFA is only overpriced if you compared it to exotic cars with cheap/simpler construction techniques. To me, this baby is a piece of rare arts, and one of the exact exterior color has my name on it for 2012 delivery .
Did you get to drive one at one of the track sessions for prospective buyers? $375k, is a lot of money. I thought they were going to compete against the 911 Carerra. Then at that price they don't have to sell near as many. Not priced in my league. I can't get my wife to let me buy a used Carerra. Time will tell if the LFA becomes the status symbol of a Ferrari or other Italian sports cars. In my eyes it does not compete aesthetically. A picture is probably as close as I will get to one.
I don't think it will approach Italian status, based on styling alone. It is kind of inelegant looking to say the least - Asian automotive design hits a home run every few blue moons. But all of them will sell, highline cars are doing well right now in this bizarre economy, the very high end is no exception. It will perform every bit as well as its prettier counterparts.
That being said, I am sure this thing cost so much to develop - it is so overengineered - that Toyota is still going to lose a nice chunk of change with each sale. But, it's being sold as a halo car and something to give Toyota some sporty image - something it lost in the 90s, rather than as a practical or profitable machine. Lexus makes products that for the most part can cure insomnia, and that has made them virtually invisible outside of the US. They are hoping this will change the image.
No I did not get to drive one yet. It was buy and and ask questions later. I told my wife that this car will appreciate in value 20-30 years from now because there are only 500 copies made, and that's how I was able to get her reluctant approval. Styling of the LFA has grown on me over the months. Upon closer inspection of the pictures, this car is actually much better than the competitors, iMO. Also, Lexus promised that it will be a complete package of sporty and luxury experience that money can buy.
To buy the LFA and store it for 20 years in hopes that it appreciates is a big gamble. I think $375k in QLIK would be a much better investment. People that I know that have made lots of money on cars bought used when the market was in the tank and sold high when money was flowing. If the LFA proves to be popular you know Lexus will build more.
I did not say anything about storing it, just my excuse to my wife... you know how they always say don't put all your eggs in one basket, my portfolio has realestate, shares/options, cash, and rare car speculation (definitely not storing it)... Seriously, making money is one thing, but if I can't enjoy it then it's kind of pointless. The LFA is just one of these items which I will enjoy, and if it appreciated in value then I would take it as a bonus.
I hope all those car magazines crash and burn. They suck big time.
BTW - I actually got a letter back from C&D not too long ago. I had written them to stop haunting me about renewing as I was permanently gone and suggested they change their name to Consistent and Decided since I could predict their winning cars 10 years before the computers and paper exist that they will create their stories on. I told the editor - you want boring - repetive predictable stories that go on for decades is as boring as it gets. Needless to say they weren't happy with me but at least I'm off their mailing list.
I got a lot of pleasure from this. Thank you!
BTW Len, 2010 stands in line to be the warmest year ever for the globe since reliable records have been kept.
If you put all money to making money, you'll never enjoy life.
GS - Read between the lines and you can see the guy loved the car and would be gaga over it if produced by another manufacturer. He said he preferred it's drivability over a Bugatti that costs 4X as much for cryin out loud, and then at the same time said the car is overpriced. Playing it down has to do with the manufacturer and the writers view that no newcomers are really welcome in his book. That is the problem with many things held dear to auto reviewers hearts. They think no one can ever match old time manufacturers, and the club is closed to a new entrant. Again if that was the case in reality there'd be no Apple, no Microsoft and no Google just to name a few. We'd be stuck with old stodgy companies instead. Just plain stupid.
By all means, drive it! I can't stand speculators and those who entomb cars in sterile vaults hoping for a profit. Get it out on the road, take it to shows, see what the engineering made. You only live once, it likely won't depreciate like most of the competition, so have fun.
You have the right attitude, AFAIC. But, the bottom line is that it's going to be YOUR car... and whether you drive it a little or a lot, or store it, or whatever you do, it's YOUR choice. Do what you want with it... it's one helluva car and I really hope you get it... you deserve it!
Absolutely! It requires patience. The government still must unload the remaining shares it owns, causing downward pressure. It could go down even more, although I would be surprised if it went significantly lower. After that, the share price will likely work its way up.
I no longer think it will return a massive reward, as I once did. But, a double is likely within several years. IMO.
BTW, it turns out that my broker recently bought some C for me. :surprise: :surprise:
I no longer think it will return a massive reward, as I once did. But, a double is likely within several years. IMO.
Just wondering TM. What caused you to lower your expectations on C? Is it the overall weak economic environment that you expect to continue over the next few years?
Just wondering TM. What caused you to lower your expectations on C? Is it the overall weak economic environment that you expect to continue over the next few years?
That's a good question, and it's a big one. Do I expect an overall weak economic environment for the next few years? Hmmm.
I have had my eye on other weak bank stocks such as Bank of America (BAC), and previously owned some of those shares. So, isn't just Citigroup that I've toned down on. I don't see some problem with Citi itself that has caused me to lower my expectations. I think the entire sector could be under some pressure for a while. But, isn't it anybody's guess nowadays?
Look at the situation the Fed finds itself in lately. Just how much ammunition is left? Of course I am pleased that Uncle Ben has been indicating that the Fed is prepared to take action, but no one really knows in any depth what the specifics would be. It's hard to imagine what possibilities would be great for bank stocks... but frankly, I just don't know who is out there in our government that understands the complexities of the economic situation well enough to really do the right things to bring about geniune healing. I keep hoping.
I've posted several times in the past regarding my concerns, and I've tried to make sense out of the market's behavior by "trading" in and out, instead of truly "investing". My broker (as is the case with most brokers) is better at long-term investing than I am. That's why I gave my broker some authority to "invest" in the market recently, although with extreme caution. We agreed that he has my permission to "invest" in small steps... slowly building the stock portfolio, to minimize the potential impact of a major market slide. As he continues to build the portfolio during the next many months, I think that he will ultimately have ended up purchasing equities at an historic time, and that one day I will be glad that he accumulated those equities during this period of time. It is a very diversified portfolio that he is starting to build, and I am free from the day-to-day concerns of "trading", which was getting to be more attention-robbing than I really wanted, due to the recent volatility levels.
That all said, in spite of all the doom and gloom media and some of the data, I still think that the market is poised for a major rally... but that it will happen only when (and if) there is serious positive economic news... and once that happens, it will be a huge rally. I'm not talking about these recent short-lived rallies that are based on BS and continue to fall apart... I'm talking about the real deal. I just don't have a real sense yet when (or if) it will happen. Soon, I hope... but trust me, once we finally get genuine hard-core positive economic data, this market will go to the moon.
In the meantime... :confuse:
Anyway, buy come Citi. Take a chance and sit on it for three to four years. Then we'll see. I'll be right there with you, as I own a fair amount of it myself. At the worst, I don't think we'll ever lose much on it, and we are more likely to realize a respectable gain. Consider that Citi has been doing things very right for a while now, not just domestically, but internationally, and the genuine information and data on Citi is actually quite favorable, which bodes well for its share price after the government finally sells off it's stake, and after the American and global economy improves.
BTW, I am amazed at QLIK, and think that I should get some again at it's next dip... if it ever has one. What do you think?
Yes, I could see that he liked the LFA, but also took some backhanded shots at it. So far most reviewers could not get past the fact that it is from Japan and competing in the top end of the exotics. In their minds it should start at the low end, so they are ignoring all the goodies such as carbon fibre construction and all special engineering designs to make the car work with the driver, for example the driver seat is in the sweet spot of the car's centre of gravity, so that the driver\s body does not get tossed around in hard corners. I think these people will start to accept it as they see more of its capabilities. I hope Lexus is doing a lot more to convert these doubters, especially with the first production units get delivered next February.
I think QLIK will zig zag its way up just like any other hot stocks. It won't go straight up, but I could be wrong because the trading volume is relatively low. I think JPM analyst has set a target of $22 for QLIK . It is starting to get more and more attention...
BTW, I am amazed at QLIK, and think that I should get some again at it's next dip... if it ever has one. What do you think?
First of all, thank you for the very detailed analysis of the state of the economy and your thoughts on the future. I agree that this market wants to take off, but it needs some sort of a spark (e.g. better housing news, jobs, etc.). In the meantime, it will be a struggle, but I still think there will be a very slow upward trend with lots of volatility. As I stated on several occasions in the past, I do not see a "double dip".
As far as QLIK is concerned, undoubtedly it will have a dip or two again in the near future. All it will take is for someone like TM to sell thousands of shares within a few minutes and here comes the dip. This stock has been incredible in how it has defied the downward pressure in the stock market the past couple weeks. GS will be able to pay cash for his new incredible toy in no time thanks to QLIK :surprise: .
As I stated on several occasions in the past, I do not see a "double dip".
Yes, you've made that point very clear on several occasions. I hope you are right, of course.
Some analysts say a double dip is already a statistical reality. I'm not sure I believe that quite yet, but a couple more months of data will indeed prove it one way or another. The media will have a field day if it turns out to be true.
The media will have a field day if it turns out to be true.
When is the media ever correct on these sort of things? In fact, I feel more confident that there will not be a double dip if the media is predicting it.
8-30-2010 12:18 Obama, advisers discussed more steps on economy
WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday he and his economic team discussed additional steps to promote economic growth, including looking at tax cuts for businesses. "My economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term and increasing our economy's competitiveness in the long term," he said in a statement at the White House.
I am especially interested in hearing your responses to this statement: he and his economic team discussed additional steps to promote economic growth, including looking at tax cuts for businesses.
Every time Obama discusses the economy it goes further in the tank. That is my take on it. Nothing he has done with all the billions in stimulus has created long term private sector employment. They are the only kind of jobs that will start paying back the huge debt he is running up. Most of which has gone to welfare programs that do not create anything but more generations of welfare recipients.
I loved his comment on New Orleans. Too many empty lots. Has he been to Detroit or Baltimore lately. They make NO look like a booming metropolis. And rebuilding below sea level was stupid to start with. Rebuilding NO is lunacy.
Never, never pay any attention to what any politician says. This is especially true of Obama. The key is to watch what they do.
If he really does cut taxes on business you can bet there will be so many strings attached that businesses will be worse off than before. He is a master at saying one thing but doing something very different.
For example, wasn't the Health Care Bill supposed to make health care more affordable for all of us? Wasn't it supposed to make health care available to more people? Wasn't it supposed to save the gov. money?
None of that turned out to be true. It is just an omnibus bill packed with very onerous rules, regulations, and new laws that create more gov. jobs, takes money and jobs away from the private sector, and creates hundreds of panels, boards, and bureaucrats to mooch off the public trough.
>If he really does cut taxes on business you can bet there will be so many strings attached that businesses will be worse off than before. He is a master at saying one thing but doing something very different.
You typed the words right off my keyboard before I got it posted.
He's an empty suit. He's so used to spouting hot air and doing something different that he thinks people are going to believe it now.
The healthcare for my dependent son will go up almost 25% next year. He's 18 entering college.
The people who believed the Democrats saying that costs would go DOWN have to catching on as they get their costs for healthcare for the next year. I was at a concrete block/decorative brick and stone company and they had a notice on their bulletin board about healthcare cost increases being explained at the group meeting scheduled this week.
Blue Cross & Blue Shield have been given the go ahead to raise premiums in CA by 20-29%. So far our Kaiser plan has not gotten any increases under our Medicare advantage plan. I expect the hammer to fall any time.
Obama's campaign slogan still rings in my ears. "This is the greatest country on the face of the Earth, Join me in changing that". He is doing a bang up job so far.
I heard this from a client who has been looking to buy Qlikview, so I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY TRUTH TO IT; apparently, a large tech company is having some serious thought about acquiring QT because it knows that everyone big or small loves the software. This is someone who already paid 5 bil for another software company. - At yesterday's closing price, QLIK is very expensive for someone to buy the whole thing, but just in case there is any truth to it, I've added some QLIK call options to my holding.
I have been talking with my wife and my stock broker about you and QLIK in the past hour. I told them the story of how I got to purchase QLIK and they were amazed. How many times does one find this sort of inside scoop on a stock ready to go public from a forum such as this? How about never! I have praised your honesty and sincerity before, but I hope people here appreciate what a wonderful person you are.
I can't wait until your LFA arrives and you can send us some photos. THANK YOU AGAIN!
I've expressed my appreciation to GS in the past, and will gladly do so again.
Thanks to GS, I made a nice lick on QLIK in the beginning, and then again shortly thereafter when I made the big selloff. I bought QLIK again earlier this week, so here I go yet again.
We all want GS to get that LFA... he deserves it!
Btw, what did you decide on Citi? It's been going up.
Btw, what did you decide on Citi? It's been going up.
I have dragged my feet and did not buy any Citi. I am instead thinking of buying some Principal Financial (PFG). I will probably do so tomorrow. PFG headquarters are here in Des Moines, IA. In fact, the tallest building in Des Moines is the Principal Building at 42 stories tall.
I have dragged my feet and did not buy any Citi. I am instead thinking of buying some Principal Financial (PFG). I will probably do so tomorrow. PFG headquarters are here in Des Moines, IA. In fact, the tallest building in Des Moines is the Principal Building at 42 stories tall.
Well, I must say that it's stock price currently is around where its price was a decade ago. So, either there is something wrong, or it's definately ready for a comeback. Let's hope for the latter, of course.
I also noticed this little tidbit...
Principal Financial Group Announces Preferred Dividend August 17, 2010 Principal Financial Group announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $1.39075 per share on its 5.563% Series A non cumulative perpetual preferred stock and a cash dividend of $0.407375 per share on its 6.518% Series B non cumulative perpetual preferred stock. The preferred dividends are payable on September 30, 2010, to preferred stockholders of record as of Sept. 9, 2010.
Charlie, TM, thanks for your kind words. I am glad you are enjoying the fireworks provided by QLIK. I hope others here are taking advantage as well. Now if you can steer some actual QV clients my way, then we are even
About the LFA, the red one won't be in my garage for a little while longer, so the only thing I can do is enjoying pictures such as these ( I stole them from another forum):
Comments
I don't think so. I think things are a little frozen up and banks want to hoard their cash. Our home is paid off but I am tempted to take out a mortgage for the tax write off, plus I could probably net 5% by investing the loan amount.
Probably fortunately for me, my wife is very old school and would never agree for us to borrow money we didn't really need, for any reason. She insists on paying cash for cars and everything else.
I remember on one car purchase they wanted to give us a 1% loan and she adamantly refused even though I explained we could invest the difference and make a few bucks. She just said, "Nope". What did I say? "Yes dear".
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
The Sandman :sick: :shades:
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
I can't wait for the real thing...
Now let's see if it actually happens. Some of the posts have me wondering.
BTW, nice pic of the backside of the LFA.
TM
Per the New York Times this past weekend. It's excerpts like this from the link below that have caused me to drop every auto magazine from my list of subscriptions.
More than any luxury car maker, Lexus has been stereotyped, sometimes crudely, as the antiperformance brand, the epitome of masterfully built but soporific and soulless cars. Yet when Lexus does manage to create a car like the IS-F, a wildly fun-to-drive sport sedan, enthusiasts turn the argument around and question why any Lexus buyer would want one.
Interesting that the author would make a statement like this and still not be gaga over the car:
Such contradictions make the LFA fodder for one of the year’s most interesting auto debates. Judged purely as an adrenaline-inducing performance tool, the Lexus tops a number of supercars I’ve driven — not just the similiarly priced Lamborghini Murciélago, but also the $1.3 million Bugatti Veyron.
link:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/automobiles/autoreviews/22LEXUS.html?pagewante- - - - d=1&sq=Lexus
BTW - I actually got a letter back from C&D not too long ago. I had written them to stop haunting me about renewing as I was permanently gone and suggested they change their name to Consistent and Decided since I could predict their winning cars 10 years before the computers and paper exist that they will create their stories on. I told the editor - you want boring - repetive predictable stories that go on for decades is as boring as it gets. Needless to say they weren't happy with me but at least I'm off their mailing list.
- QLIK will probably be at least $30 this time next year, if they continued to dominate the BI software market and become #1.
- The LFA is only overpriced if you compared it to exotic cars with cheap/simpler construction techniques. To me, this baby is a piece of rare arts, and one of the exact exterior color has my name on it for 2012 delivery .
That being said, I am sure this thing cost so much to develop - it is so overengineered - that Toyota is still going to lose a nice chunk of change with each sale. But, it's being sold as a halo car and something to give Toyota some sporty image - something it lost in the 90s, rather than as a practical or profitable machine. Lexus makes products that for the most part can cure insomnia, and that has made them virtually invisible outside of the US. They are hoping this will change the image.
you know how they always say don't put all your eggs in one basket, my portfolio has realestate, shares/options, cash, and rare car speculation (definitely not storing it)...
Seriously, making money is one thing, but if I can't enjoy it then it's kind of pointless. The LFA is just one of these items which I will enjoy, and if it appreciated in value then I would take it as a bonus.
BTW - I actually got a letter back from C&D not too long ago. I had written them to stop haunting me about renewing as I was permanently gone and suggested they change their name to Consistent and Decided since I could predict their winning cars 10 years before the computers and paper exist that they will create their stories on. I told the editor - you want boring - repetive predictable stories that go on for decades is as boring as it gets. Needless to say they weren't happy with me but at least I'm off their mailing list.
I got a lot of pleasure from this. Thank you!
BTW Len, 2010 stands in line to be the warmest year ever for the globe since reliable records have been kept.
GS - Read between the lines and you can see the guy loved the car and would be gaga over it if produced by another manufacturer. He said he preferred it's drivability over a Bugatti that costs 4X as much for cryin out loud, and then at the same time said the car is overpriced. Playing it down has to do with the manufacturer and the writers view that no newcomers are really welcome in his book. That is the problem with many things held dear to auto reviewers hearts. They think no one can ever match old time manufacturers, and the club is closed to a new entrant. Again if that was the case in reality there'd be no Apple, no Microsoft and no Google just to name a few. We'd be stuck with old stodgy companies instead. Just plain stupid.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
TM
I no longer think it will return a massive reward, as I once did. But, a double is likely within several years. IMO.
BTW, it turns out that my broker recently bought some C for me. :surprise: :surprise:
TM
Just wondering TM. What caused you to lower your expectations on C? Is it the overall weak economic environment that you expect to continue over the next few years?
That's a good question, and it's a big one. Do I expect an overall weak economic environment for the next few years? Hmmm.
I have had my eye on other weak bank stocks such as Bank of America (BAC), and previously owned some of those shares. So, isn't just Citigroup that I've toned down on. I don't see some problem with Citi itself that has caused me to lower my expectations. I think the entire sector could be under some pressure for a while. But, isn't it anybody's guess nowadays?
Look at the situation the Fed finds itself in lately. Just how much ammunition is left? Of course I am pleased that Uncle Ben has been indicating that the Fed is prepared to take action, but no one really knows in any depth what the specifics would be. It's hard to imagine what possibilities would be great for bank stocks... but frankly, I just don't know who is out there in our government that understands the complexities of the economic situation well enough to really do the right things to bring about geniune healing. I keep hoping.
I've posted several times in the past regarding my concerns, and I've tried to make sense out of the market's behavior by "trading" in and out, instead of truly "investing". My broker (as is the case with most brokers) is better at long-term investing than I am. That's why I gave my broker some authority to "invest" in the market recently, although with extreme caution. We agreed that he has my permission to "invest" in small steps... slowly building the stock portfolio, to minimize the potential impact of a major market slide. As he continues to build the portfolio during the next many months, I think that he will ultimately have ended up purchasing equities at an historic time, and that one day I will be glad that he accumulated those equities during this period of time. It is a very diversified portfolio that he is starting to build, and I am free from the day-to-day concerns of "trading", which was getting to be more attention-robbing than I really wanted, due to the recent volatility levels.
That all said, in spite of all the doom and gloom media and some of the data, I still think that the market is poised for a major rally... but that it will happen only when (and if) there is serious positive economic news... and once that happens, it will be a huge rally. I'm not talking about these recent short-lived rallies that are based on BS and continue to fall apart... I'm talking about the real deal. I just don't have a real sense yet when (or if) it will happen. Soon, I hope... but trust me, once we finally get genuine hard-core positive economic data, this market will go to the moon.
In the meantime... :confuse:
Anyway, buy come Citi. Take a chance and sit on it for three to four years. Then we'll see. I'll be right there with you, as I own a fair amount of it myself. At the worst, I don't think we'll ever lose much on it, and we are more likely to realize a respectable gain. Consider that Citi has been doing things very right for a while now, not just domestically, but internationally, and the genuine information and data on Citi is actually quite favorable, which bodes well for its share price after the government finally sells off it's stake, and after the American and global economy improves.
BTW, I am amazed at QLIK, and think that I should get some again at it's next dip... if it ever has one.
TM
First of all, thank you for the very detailed analysis of the state of the economy and your thoughts on the future. I agree that this market wants to take off, but it needs some sort of a spark (e.g. better housing news, jobs, etc.). In the meantime, it will be a struggle, but I still think there will be a very slow upward trend with lots of volatility. As I stated on several occasions in the past, I do not see a "double dip".
As far as QLIK is concerned, undoubtedly it will have a dip or two again in the near future. All it will take is for someone like TM
Yes, you've made that point very clear on several occasions. I hope you are right, of course.
Some analysts say a double dip is already a statistical reality. I'm not sure I believe that quite yet, but a couple more months of data will indeed prove it one way or another. The media will have a field day if it turns out to be true.
TM
When is the media ever correct on these sort of things? In fact, I feel more confident that there will not be a double dip if the media is predicting it.
WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama
said on Monday he and his economic team discussed additional
steps to promote economic growth, including looking at tax cuts
for businesses.
"My economic team is hard at work in identifying additional
measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth
and hiring in the short term and increasing our economy's
competitiveness in the long term," he said in a statement at
the White House.
I am especially interested in hearing your responses to this statement: he and his economic team discussed additional steps to promote economic growth, including looking at tax cuts
for businesses.
I loved his comment on New Orleans. Too many empty lots. Has he been to Detroit or Baltimore lately. They make NO look like a booming metropolis. And rebuilding below sea level was stupid to start with. Rebuilding NO is lunacy.
If he really does cut taxes on business you can bet there will be so many strings attached that businesses will be worse off than before. He is a master at saying one thing but doing something very different.
For example, wasn't the Health Care Bill supposed to make health care more affordable for all of us? Wasn't it supposed to make health care available to more people? Wasn't it supposed to save the gov. money?
None of that turned out to be true. It is just an omnibus bill packed with very onerous rules, regulations, and new laws that create more gov. jobs, takes money and jobs away from the private sector, and creates hundreds of panels, boards, and bureaucrats to mooch off the public trough.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
You typed the words right off my keyboard before I got it posted.
He's an empty suit. He's so used to spouting hot air and doing something different that he thinks people are going to believe it now.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The people who believed the Democrats saying that costs would go DOWN have to catching on as they get their costs for healthcare for the next year. I was at a concrete block/decorative brick and stone company and they had a notice on their bulletin board about healthcare cost increases being explained at the group meeting scheduled this week.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
>bureaucrats to mooch off the public trough.
The strings in the last small business loan plan made it not useful for most small businesses to get loans.
The congress exempted themselves and their favored ones in the regime from the public's healthcare plans.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Obama's campaign slogan still rings in my ears. "This is the greatest country on the face of the Earth, Join me in changing that". He is doing a bang up job so far.
- At yesterday's closing price, QLIK is very expensive for someone to buy the whole thing, but just in case there is any truth to it, I've added some QLIK call options to my holding.
I have been talking with my wife and my stock broker about you and QLIK in the past hour. I told them the story of how I got to purchase QLIK and they were amazed. How many times does one find this sort of inside scoop on a stock ready to go public from a forum such as this? How about never! I have praised your honesty and sincerity before, but I hope people here appreciate what a wonderful person you are.
I can't wait until your LFA arrives and you can send us some photos. THANK YOU AGAIN!
I've expressed my appreciation to GS in the past, and will gladly do so again.
Thanks to GS, I made a nice lick on QLIK in the beginning, and then again shortly thereafter when I made the big selloff. I bought QLIK again earlier this week, so here I go yet again.
We all want GS to get that LFA... he deserves it!
Btw, what did you decide on Citi? It's been going up.
TM
I have dragged my feet and did not buy any Citi. I am instead thinking of buying some Principal Financial (PFG). I will probably do so tomorrow. PFG headquarters are here in Des Moines, IA. In fact, the tallest building in Des Moines is the Principal Building at 42 stories tall.
TM
Well, I must say that it's stock price currently is around where its price was a decade ago. So, either there is something wrong, or it's definately ready for a comeback. Let's hope for the latter, of course.
I also noticed this little tidbit...
Principal Financial Group Announces Preferred Dividend
August 17, 2010
Principal Financial Group announced that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $1.39075 per share on its 5.563% Series A non cumulative perpetual preferred stock and a cash dividend of $0.407375 per share on its 6.518% Series B non cumulative perpetual preferred stock. The preferred dividends are payable on September 30, 2010, to preferred stockholders of record as of Sept. 9, 2010.
TM
Now if you can steer some actual QV clients my way, then we are even
About the LFA, the red one won't be in my garage for a little while longer, so the only thing I can do is enjoying pictures such as these ( I stole them from another forum):
Great pic, though. The LFA is shown in good company and certainly holds its own just fine.
OK, so you're on your way to rolling a double with QLIK. You'll need to do better than that if you are trying to buy the LFA. What are you thinking?
TM