"The Wild Blue Yonder"

CABLE NETWORKS

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:53:19 +0000

It’s hard for the average person out here in online stock trading world to know what’s going on. No matter how much news you watch on the cable networks, and no matter how early you get up in the morning, it is still difficult to know what, if any, moves to make.

In fact, many of my online stock trading buddies are frozen in fear. They are afraid to sell and afraid to buy. So they just sit all day and watch the data flow across the screen, and wonder what to do.

It’s a good time to be short in a few things. I know that shorting stock is being painted with a black name, but with out short sellers there could be no movement on any of these stocks at all. And obviously, sentiment is not great; otherwise there would be a lack of short sellers. You just cannot fool reality, and reality is the markets. There’s no getting around that.

I just read a report on commodities, and they are slipping and dropping seemingly with each day, with oil leading the way. I haven’t heard anybody wanting to do a bail out yet for the oil companies, whose profits must be tanking due to lower rates and revenue.

Even gold is loosing its luster, with money leaving it for safety and going to US treasuries. It is comforting to know that the world still believes that the United States is a safe haven. That made bode well for the United States if this keeps up, in that the country could be net winner as far as inflow of foreign money and investment.

However, the price of copper had declined quite a bit. Copper is always a metal to be watched, as it is a bell weather as to the health of building and production. I think it can be agreed that most residential and a lot of commercial building is not going to have a very rosy picture to it.

Even agricultural commodities have declined in the face of falling demand. Just several months ago many agricultural commodities were the stars of that world. Corn and other products could be held and bid up enough, mainly in consideration of the US government mandate that ethanol be used in an ever increasing percentage as fuel for motor transit.

It’s very hard to predict the future of markets and the economy even under the best of circumstances, but with all this going on it’s nearly impossible.

HAVING A GOOD TIME

admin — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:18:12 +0000

Joe saved my life as well as Donna’s life and Don’s life. Don was pretty grateful so he got us more tickets to the Boston Red Sox. Joe and I, for once, decided to have a good time and not think about other people. Father Rich was in jail along with all of his accomplices. No one would be getting out in a long time. The game was good and afterwards, we went to China town to eat a meal. I told Joe that I thought I had an idea for a column finally for the paper. He wanted to know what it was. I told him it was about small town life and how people helped one another in a time of need. And how most people want that sort of life which is why we seek it out. I told him that I wanted to write a column, but not for my town. Not for the Bugle. But the Pontiac paper. I said that now that my daughter was at school full time, it made no sense to stay in this area with it s corruption, defrocked priests, crazy senior citizens and raging alcoholics. I wanted to write a column that took place in a small town. Or, at the very least, about what a small town should be and how the feelings people have for one another in a small town should be in all towns. “What are you going to name it?” Asked Joe. I thought about the guy with the picket sign outside of the newspaper office. “Anywhere but here,” I answered then took a sip of my coffee. Without the scotch.

GONE FISHING

admin — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:33:35 +0000

My Austin bankruptcy attorney was waiting for me when I got back. I had taken a quick trip home and just gone fishing, while I tried to think through what I was going to do with my sudden turn of bad fortune. Business was bad, really bad, and my debts were really, really high. And getting higher. I was looking at losing over 20 years worth of hard work. Still, I didn't feel sorry for myself. I'm a fighter. I just wanted to know what to do to avoid having to file. It was like admitting defeat. I didn't want to do this. I dropped a line and waited for the answer to come to me. I was home for the first time in over ten years. I drove for an entire day to get there, and it felt good. I saw some old friends right away, and saw a lot of changes. Whole blocks had disappeared in those ten years. I couldn't believe it. The house I grew up in was still there, but my family was all gone. That part depressed me a bit. But I still felt it was home. Home was never where I was, but it was a place where I lived.

APRIL VACATION

admin — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:03:01 +0000

I am not sure if I will be able to take my vacation in April this year. I am pondering whether the take it in April like I usually do, I wait until mid May, when I will be able to team up with a couple girlfriends. We usually try to get together at least once a year and go someplace for a girl getaway, and we leave the guys at home with the kids. I am hearing from the girls and it seems we are all having a hard time coordinating our schedules this year. The guys are getting used to keeping the kids, since they have been doing it for several years now. They were watching a Cleveland Cavaliers game that last time we got together to discuss our getaway plans. We think it will be a three day cruise. It all works out because the guys usually get together much more often than we do. They love to go on fishing trips. They go for no less than a week at a time. Sometimes they rent an RV and camp out. We have all gone on vacation trips like that with the whole family and enjoyed it.