oregonrain

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  • The Banker: Connecting the Dots
    This is a very interesting article. I am not sure if what is happening is an "unintended consequence" or exactly what was/is intended by the regulators.

    But the idea of fattening up the smaller banks so they can be fed to the B of A's of the world and worse is a truly disgusting thought. I see these sweat little "piggy banks" on a conveyor belt being fed into the great big ugly "meat packing plant." Wow...truly a frightening idea.
    Jan 01 22:04 pm |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Another Big Bank Failure: More Likely Than Not to Occur
    I understand that Buffett has three "buckets" when he looks at making an investment. Yes, No and too complex.

    I have done reasonably well in both shorting and then going long with WFC now and again. I think that the government overlay here makes these investments "too complex" at least for me.

    There are a lot of people that believe as this writer does that the banks are still hiding lots of I think "garbage" would be the polite term on their balance sheets. So the risk of another large failure cannot be written off. However, I think that letting Lehman fail and the aftermath of that convinced a lot of government and policy types that the alternative of letting a big financial institution fail is just too scary right now. Crap they rescued GMAC..when not many people were looking. I do not see them letting another large one go anytime soon.

    Jan 01 21:49 pm |Rating: +2 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Why Does Cramer Have a Beef with Leveraged ETFs?
    First, I agree with the guy who said, "why would anyone listen to Cramer?"

    Next, for many years I wanted to short certain sectors as opposed to one stock. The risk of shorting one stock was too high in my mind. In addition, I did not want to even think about the "logistics" of doing it.

    What I think is so hypocritical are the Wall Streeters who do not want the great "unwashed" to have access to securities that allow us to easily short the living crap out of the junk they created...like financial companies that cooked up CDO's paid huge "bonuses" on profits that were cooked up and the like. No no....just "buy and hold" you droolers..as we put it to you idiots.

    ETF's have allowed a small investor from Oregon (me) to take positions that were completely obvious...like ah...short financial. Guess what, I made money. I made money not listening to the likes of Jim Cramer or any number of Wall Street people who were telling everyone that things were "contained." (Hank Paulson) That the subprime issues were not that bad..and on and on.

    Please...this is nothing more than the wolves trying to make sure that the sheep just keeping saying "ba ba...buy and hold...buy and hold."

    No thanks. You want to see some real heat just start to do away with these tools.



    Dec 25 01:16 am |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Peter Schiff: Outlook for the Gold Market
    In the short run..I think we will see more downside pressure on gold. In the long run...yeah....its going to go up..a lot. While there is a very good argument that is made by Mr. Commodity Bubble guy in the short term regarding the total destruction of wealth I think that eventually the stimulus will "work." Meaning that the value of all assets will increase again. At that point gold will go up a lot.

    I am looking to several "tells" that should allow me (I hope) to move fast. First, when oil prices start to increase. Second, when US housing prices at least slow their rate of decline and finally when the Chines economy starts to take off again. I think they will be in this order or very close to it. China may take off before the US housing market stabilizes.

    When these things start to occur it time to jump on gold and commodities.
    Dec 24 22:58 pm |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Second-Guessing Buffett's November Bottom Call
    I like the comments of Patvano. But, to boil this down..who is Peter Cooper? Sorry Peter...but if you are going to provide "color" on what one of the greats is saying..at least get the date and the place of publication right, nough said.
    Dec 23 12:29 pm |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • OPEC: Too Little, Too Late
    I happen to agree that it is the time to add a steep energy tax to in part begin to dig ourselves out of the enormous debt we have now. In addition, it will act as a drag on energy consumption. When this is implemented is important. Not now....
    Dec 21 20:28 pm |Rating: +1 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Coming Soon: The $600 Trillion Derivatives Emergency Meeting
    I think Buffet said a number of years ago that derivatives are the financial equivalence of weapons of mass destruction. Seems like others are picking up on that theme like aarc above.

    Seems like a plan to defuse them as carefully as possible is in order.
    Oct 19 22:52 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Nine Adult Entertainment Stocks to Weather the Recession
    Talk about the "almost dirty dozen." I did not "examine" these carefully but look at LNET. This one has been losing money for several quarters. It even seems to have negative shareholder equity at this point. At least on that one I would pass no matter how stimulating it might appear on the surface.
    Oct 01 00:42 am |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • In Defense of the Paulson Plan
    The main problem with this "analysis" is that it assumes that there is a "Paulson Plan" to defend.

    If you were to read the text of the bill the administration sent to Congress (which I wonder if this writer did) it really has only two provisions. First, give Paulson $700 billion of taxpayer money next see what happens.
    Sep 22 22:02 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Oppose the Treasury's Bailout Plan
    taojaxx, why is it that the "counter parties" escape without a scratch in the hussman plan?

    It seems to me that if you want to take out insurance policies when you do not really have an insurable interest...(like me taking out a life insurance policy on you for example) you should get a haircut as well.
    Sep 21 20:56 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Oppose the Treasury's Bailout Plan
    Old_Rick makes my point. It is essential that any company that "sells" assets to RTC II be restricted (via contract) from directly or indirectly making campaign contributions to those who are over site of the the buying or selling. If we do not insist on this this deal with make Fannie and Freddie look like a small time Congressional earmark for your local airport.
    Sep 21 20:42 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Oppose the Treasury's Bailout Plan
    This is the best article I have seen on this. I was wondering where the language of the act was....and here it is. This is really not much more than another "blank check" for Hank Paulson (or the next person) to do what he will with. I am sure his intentions are good but the history of giving this administration a lot of lead way or "standby authority" is not a happy one.

    I agree that in theory the RTC II should not do deals with other wise "healthy" financial service companies. Reasonable restrictions along the line suggested here are critical. I have one more.. in the event any company sells assets to RTC II they should contractually agree that neither that company or anyone of their behalf make can make campaign contributions to those that control or regulate RTC II,

    This is a critical element. One of the issues on RTC was that it assumed assets when they were dirt...and then they were lobbied to unload the assets before they really achieved their full value for the taxpayers.

    We also need a constitutional amendment to stop the unlimited campaign spending that has turned the Congress into supplicants to the bankers and finance industry among others.
    Sep 21 12:51 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • SEC Bans Shorting Financials
    I really wish I could think of something truly funny in a black humor sort of way...like many of the fine posts here and other places on Seeking Alpha. But, all I can see is the Bush administration going out in a blaze of insanity here. Paulson and Bernake seem to have taken over the government as the Congress and the people sit there with our eyes and mouths open (drooling) not quite forming a word...(whaaaaat!)
    Sep 19 07:01 am |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Wall Street's New Realities
    Agreed...that BAC and the companies that are left will be "too large to fail." This is very troubling or should be.

    This should be an interim step with a plan to re-establish the "firewalls" that were put in place after 1929. They were put there for good reason as we are now seeing. Not sure we can or should go back to that but to be sure there have to be regulations on the amount of leverage these companies can use...that was the problem in 29 and it is the problem once again.
    Sep 15 17:04 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Debating the Lehman Collapse
    Sorry for my little "rant" above. It just seem!ed like it was time to cut the crap here and let nature take its course.

    Gramps2, great posts! I do not know who you are but you seem to know what you are talking about... It is the tone of someone who has been there..done that. Keep them up/1
    Sep 14 19:27 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article

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