Scott will appreciate that one.
Been almost a month since the last post...a nice sabbatical. I would like to say that I have spent that time traveling the world but it has been mostly spent just being busy with the day-to-day activities that comprise my life. Along with the rebirth of nature that accompanies spring I have been trying to take new steps forward spiritually, physically and in my personal life while continuing the momentum that exists in my professional pursuit.
I noted in my last post that I needed more national exposure...and lo and hehold CNBC came calling. So perhaps this blog is blessed and something of a wishing well which I will now try to capitalize on yet again.
I could really use a million dollars.
Oh...and peace on Earth.
Fred Thompson is suddenly the conservative poster boy for the 2008 presidential race even though he is not yet making any promises that he will actually run. Dobson came out last week to say that Fred wasn't a Christian. Kind of interesting in that I'm not sure how much DD really knows about Fred. Perhaps the good doctor has a different candidate he would like to see in the White House.
Memo to Sean Hannity...Mitt Romney is a Mormon and Mormons don't believe that Jesus is divine. That means no forgiveness of sins and no salvation. Quit calling him a Christian.
Geoergetown lost today which killed my chances of winning the office pool. Easy come, easy go.
The stock market has rebounded strongly after the beatings it took at the end of February and in early March. That makes me nervous. Most people are chalking it up to just a temporary blip on the bullish radar. I don't like it when people are so quick to say that everything is fine again. Makes me worry about complacency and rougher waters ahead.
I think that's all for now. The repeat of Rainn Wilson hosting SNL is about to be on and I think I will watch some of that. Yes, I am obsessed with most things and people related to The Office. Now leave me alone.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Holy Schnikes!
That is a Tommy Boy reference for the uninitiated. You know who you are.
Wait...you mean owning stocks involves risk? Yes. Surprise, surprise. The Shanghai market fell apart to the tune of 9% Tuesday which had ripple effects around the globe including the good ole US of A. Let's have some perspective though...the Chinese market had risen 13% in the prior two weeks and was up 120% last year so that isn't exactly a disaster. The word is that Chinese officials are considering measures to stamp out excess speculation and easy some of the "easy money" policies that are overheating the local economy. Nothing tangible is really known and officials have denied plans to institute a capital gains tax there that would certainly induce additional selling.
The US market had enjoyed a very long streak with no daily losses of 2% so we were certainly due. Whether you want to blame China or Greenspan uttering the R word or the fiasco that is occurring in the subprime mortgage market - it doesn't really matter. We have been due for a correction and we are getting it now. Quite quickly. The question now is whether this is just a normal correction within a bull market (defined as a decline of 10% from the highs) or the start of something more sinister - i.e. a bear market (defined as a decline of at least 20% from the highs).
Impossible to say at this point but defense is the name of the game until we know more. I took my hits last week along with everyone else. I suppose I am fortunate to be up 5% for the year still versus the Nasdaq being down 2%. But it is going to be challenging to keep my lead if things don't ease up a bit. As I write this, overnight futures are suggesting a weak open Monday morning. My hope is we open down big and then bounce as more weak hands are shaken out. That would be the best scenario - which means it probably won't happen.
Going to be challenging. Hmmm...there's that word again.
Oh...and the CNBC contest starts tomorrow. Just in time. I need more national exposure. ;)
Wait...you mean owning stocks involves risk? Yes. Surprise, surprise. The Shanghai market fell apart to the tune of 9% Tuesday which had ripple effects around the globe including the good ole US of A. Let's have some perspective though...the Chinese market had risen 13% in the prior two weeks and was up 120% last year so that isn't exactly a disaster. The word is that Chinese officials are considering measures to stamp out excess speculation and easy some of the "easy money" policies that are overheating the local economy. Nothing tangible is really known and officials have denied plans to institute a capital gains tax there that would certainly induce additional selling.
The US market had enjoyed a very long streak with no daily losses of 2% so we were certainly due. Whether you want to blame China or Greenspan uttering the R word or the fiasco that is occurring in the subprime mortgage market - it doesn't really matter. We have been due for a correction and we are getting it now. Quite quickly. The question now is whether this is just a normal correction within a bull market (defined as a decline of 10% from the highs) or the start of something more sinister - i.e. a bear market (defined as a decline of at least 20% from the highs).
Impossible to say at this point but defense is the name of the game until we know more. I took my hits last week along with everyone else. I suppose I am fortunate to be up 5% for the year still versus the Nasdaq being down 2%. But it is going to be challenging to keep my lead if things don't ease up a bit. As I write this, overnight futures are suggesting a weak open Monday morning. My hope is we open down big and then bounce as more weak hands are shaken out. That would be the best scenario - which means it probably won't happen.
Going to be challenging. Hmmm...there's that word again.
Oh...and the CNBC contest starts tomorrow. Just in time. I need more national exposure. ;)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sign of the Times
Charles Rust-Tierney, the former President of the Virginia chapter of the ACLU, is arrested for possession of very graphic and disturbing child pornography.
He is a very prominent figure in the Washington D.C. area. Where does the story appear? Page B05 of the Washington Post in the Virginia Briefing section as a two paragraph arrest notice. On the front page is a story about victims of priest molestation..."
Perhaps this is to be expected from an organization that consistently supports NAMBLA while consistently opposing the Boy Scouts.
If this had been a former president of a conservative organization it would have made national headlines.
What left wing bias?
Congrats to Al Gore for his big win at the Oscars. He was less likely to lose than Hugo Chavez running for "El Presidente of Venezuela".
I will provide some thoughts on yesterday's market meltdown this weekend when my head stops spinning.
He is a very prominent figure in the Washington D.C. area. Where does the story appear? Page B05 of the Washington Post in the Virginia Briefing section as a two paragraph arrest notice. On the front page is a story about victims of priest molestation..."
Perhaps this is to be expected from an organization that consistently supports NAMBLA while consistently opposing the Boy Scouts.
If this had been a former president of a conservative organization it would have made national headlines.
What left wing bias?
Congrats to Al Gore for his big win at the Oscars. He was less likely to lose than Hugo Chavez running for "El Presidente of Venezuela".
I will provide some thoughts on yesterday's market meltdown this weekend when my head stops spinning.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Funny Line of the Day
Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
I Love This
WASHINGTON - The rival presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama traded accusations of nasty politics Wednesday over Hollywood donor David Geffen, who once backed Bill Clinton but now supports his wife's top rival.
The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."
The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.
Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused. "It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.
Pretty funny stuff. Hillary is in a dogfight and isn't really sure what to do with her top Democrat contender. She is the tired sequel and he is the new box office smash and she is getting concerned that she won't be filling the seats. Perhaps there will be some redeeming entertainment value to this whole fiasco.
As the blog title says...This oughta be good.
The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."
The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.
Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused. "It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.
Pretty funny stuff. Hillary is in a dogfight and isn't really sure what to do with her top Democrat contender. She is the tired sequel and he is the new box office smash and she is getting concerned that she won't be filling the seats. Perhaps there will be some redeeming entertainment value to this whole fiasco.
As the blog title says...This oughta be good.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Fighting Back
Been a challenging month in the old trading account. I often use the word challenging to reflect issues in my life or a tough day...at least I try to look at it in those terms instead of, "My day sucked" or "Nothing is going right". Those kinds of statements are self defeating and imply that the difficulties (a relative term of course) in this world are gaining the upper hand on you. Granted, there are moments where I don't really feel like fighting back but hopefully those are few and far in between. But if I say something is "challenging" then it conveys the idea that even though I may be struggling I believe it is a battle that I can win...which then becomes a battle that will be won. It is quite true that life is often defined by how you view it. Obviously, the fact that we have God on our side should trump any feeling of despair, even over the little annoyances that come our way, but we are human and it is seemingly impossible to live in that victory 24/7. So, this is just one method I use to get me through.
Reminds me of the old Kirstie Alley line from Cheers..."I knew that positive thinking crap wouldn't work and sure enough, it didn't."
So anyway, the personal trading has been challenging this month. The goal of 10% per month is looking like a stretch for February. There are 6 trading days left this month and it is going to have to go perfectly to hit my bogey. The good news is that I am back to even for the month after being down almost 10% a few days ago thanks to a few bad breaks and not believing this market could make another leg higher. So when the market took off last week on Bernanke's comments that the economy was strong and inflation was under control I wasn't positioned properly. Nothing like seeing lots of green on the screen...except in my account. At the same time you want to be prudent and not chase so I ended up in no man's land. Things worked much better today as I have repositioned a bit. Hopefully, this will be the start of a nice little run. Only time will tell but one thing remains certain...I will keep battling the challenges.
Reminds me of the old Kirstie Alley line from Cheers..."I knew that positive thinking crap wouldn't work and sure enough, it didn't."
So anyway, the personal trading has been challenging this month. The goal of 10% per month is looking like a stretch for February. There are 6 trading days left this month and it is going to have to go perfectly to hit my bogey. The good news is that I am back to even for the month after being down almost 10% a few days ago thanks to a few bad breaks and not believing this market could make another leg higher. So when the market took off last week on Bernanke's comments that the economy was strong and inflation was under control I wasn't positioned properly. Nothing like seeing lots of green on the screen...except in my account. At the same time you want to be prudent and not chase so I ended up in no man's land. Things worked much better today as I have repositioned a bit. Hopefully, this will be the start of a nice little run. Only time will tell but one thing remains certain...I will keep battling the challenges.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Tolerance
Oy vey, am I getting sick of this. Former San Francisco Mayor Brown was on TV the other night talking about how wonderful the city is because of its tolerance for all kinds of people from all walks of life. Translation: the city allows you to do whatever you want to do and rewards you for it. The city has no moral code and neither does its mayor Gavin Newsom who recently had an affair with his campaign manager's wife. Nice.
We all know San Francisco is a mecca for the homosexual community. It also legalized medicinal marijuana which quickly led to hundreds of shops opening up within city limits under the guise of selling pot only to the medically needy but in reality selling to anyone with cash. Of course, the city police are left to try and get this under control now. We also have the homeless being paid $400 a month for being...well...homeless. This is the world's definition of tolerance. Make no judgments about anyone, let them live their lives whatever way they want even if it involves zero self-responsibility and actually reward them for it. That is not a recipe for helping someone...it is simply a way to destroy them.
This is where the idea of Christian intolerance comes in. I must hate gays because I believe their lifestyle is sinful. I apparently hate women who want to get an abortion because I don't want my tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood or I want a pro-life justice on the Supreme Court. I really must hate left-wing bloggers from the John Edwards campaign because I want them fired after the way they disparaged the faith I hold sacred and blasphemed my Lord and Savior in the most profane way imaginable. So I guess I am judging each of them because I believe in right and wrong and I put their ACTIONS in the latter category. Ah...there is the distinction...and we need to remember it. This is the "hate the sin and not the sinner" clause that the anti-Christian establishment will do their best to ignore every single time. They will claim that because you deem someone's actions to be wrong that you are immediately marginalizing the individual as well.
We need to be adept at communicating the simple yet profound message that an unwillingness to endorse one's actions and unconditional love for the person committing the actions are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go together perfectly. For example, if a friend of mine is on drugs and I do nothing to intervene, which would mean that I would be judging his behavior, do I really love my friend? Would he be better off if I kept my opinions to myself and left him to his own devices? Far from it. Brotherly admonishment is not only a Biblical teaching but a very sound worldly lesson if allowed to exist.
This then leads to the next question from a liberal...Who made you God? Who are you to decide what is right and wrong? At least you have a witnessing opportunity now...one that says I am certainly not God nor would I ever pretend to be because I am just a sinner like everyone else and no better than anyone else. You can make a clear presentation of the Gospel and at least show them that your motives are genuine and humble and not derived from pride and the desire to make life difficult for others. Quite the opposite.
Was Jesus tolerant? Certainly not in the way that the world defines the word. He always confronted sin and evil head on. He could have a quiet and sincere conversation with the woman at the well and leave her with the words, "Go and sin no more." Or he can overturn the tables of the money changers in the Temple and in righteous anger declare to them that they have turned a house of prayer into a den of thieves. He can antagonize and challenge the religious leaders of the day without a moment of hesitation. Where is the tolerance there? Shouldn't Jesus have just let them believe and do whatever they wanted even if it was wrong? It's their life right? I don't think so...especially when others were being led astray from a relationship with God thanks to their teachings. Not much point in coming to Earth if Jesus had taken the path of least resistance.
Yet, in the way Jesus defined tolerance, He was the perfect example. He had dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors. He not only told the Parable of the Good Samaritan but lived it in loving and healing people of different backgrounds. He loved people and because He loved them He met them where they were at - but never left them there. May we strive to do the same. Our persecution may be one of the results as those who scream about our intolerance turn out to be the most intolerant of all. But that's alright...God has promised we will be blessed for being persecuted for His sake. Certainly the Son reigning at the right hand of His Father is proof of that.
If people call you intolerant make sure it is for the right reasons. Be careful that pride doesn't become the source of your interactions with others. If you are being called intolerant because you love each and every person you come in contact with and want to see them in a love relationship with their Savior than rejoice for their supposed insult is truly a divine blessing.
Romans 13:8,10 Galatians 5:13-18
We all know San Francisco is a mecca for the homosexual community. It also legalized medicinal marijuana which quickly led to hundreds of shops opening up within city limits under the guise of selling pot only to the medically needy but in reality selling to anyone with cash. Of course, the city police are left to try and get this under control now. We also have the homeless being paid $400 a month for being...well...homeless. This is the world's definition of tolerance. Make no judgments about anyone, let them live their lives whatever way they want even if it involves zero self-responsibility and actually reward them for it. That is not a recipe for helping someone...it is simply a way to destroy them.
This is where the idea of Christian intolerance comes in. I must hate gays because I believe their lifestyle is sinful. I apparently hate women who want to get an abortion because I don't want my tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood or I want a pro-life justice on the Supreme Court. I really must hate left-wing bloggers from the John Edwards campaign because I want them fired after the way they disparaged the faith I hold sacred and blasphemed my Lord and Savior in the most profane way imaginable. So I guess I am judging each of them because I believe in right and wrong and I put their ACTIONS in the latter category. Ah...there is the distinction...and we need to remember it. This is the "hate the sin and not the sinner" clause that the anti-Christian establishment will do their best to ignore every single time. They will claim that because you deem someone's actions to be wrong that you are immediately marginalizing the individual as well.
We need to be adept at communicating the simple yet profound message that an unwillingness to endorse one's actions and unconditional love for the person committing the actions are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they go together perfectly. For example, if a friend of mine is on drugs and I do nothing to intervene, which would mean that I would be judging his behavior, do I really love my friend? Would he be better off if I kept my opinions to myself and left him to his own devices? Far from it. Brotherly admonishment is not only a Biblical teaching but a very sound worldly lesson if allowed to exist.
This then leads to the next question from a liberal...Who made you God? Who are you to decide what is right and wrong? At least you have a witnessing opportunity now...one that says I am certainly not God nor would I ever pretend to be because I am just a sinner like everyone else and no better than anyone else. You can make a clear presentation of the Gospel and at least show them that your motives are genuine and humble and not derived from pride and the desire to make life difficult for others. Quite the opposite.
Was Jesus tolerant? Certainly not in the way that the world defines the word. He always confronted sin and evil head on. He could have a quiet and sincere conversation with the woman at the well and leave her with the words, "Go and sin no more." Or he can overturn the tables of the money changers in the Temple and in righteous anger declare to them that they have turned a house of prayer into a den of thieves. He can antagonize and challenge the religious leaders of the day without a moment of hesitation. Where is the tolerance there? Shouldn't Jesus have just let them believe and do whatever they wanted even if it was wrong? It's their life right? I don't think so...especially when others were being led astray from a relationship with God thanks to their teachings. Not much point in coming to Earth if Jesus had taken the path of least resistance.
Yet, in the way Jesus defined tolerance, He was the perfect example. He had dinner with prostitutes and tax collectors. He not only told the Parable of the Good Samaritan but lived it in loving and healing people of different backgrounds. He loved people and because He loved them He met them where they were at - but never left them there. May we strive to do the same. Our persecution may be one of the results as those who scream about our intolerance turn out to be the most intolerant of all. But that's alright...God has promised we will be blessed for being persecuted for His sake. Certainly the Son reigning at the right hand of His Father is proof of that.
If people call you intolerant make sure it is for the right reasons. Be careful that pride doesn't become the source of your interactions with others. If you are being called intolerant because you love each and every person you come in contact with and want to see them in a love relationship with their Savior than rejoice for their supposed insult is truly a divine blessing.
Romans 13:8,10 Galatians 5:13-18
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