Cknolls

QUOTE (BaseballNick @ Mar 16, 2009 -> 01:07 PM) Market is up and news came out that AIG has paid out $1.2B in bonuses. AIG pisses me off. ACKERT, DAVID WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) ALLERS, DONALD COS COB,CT 06807 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) BALFAN, MARK PORT CHESTER,NY 10573 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) BUSACCA, SAL COLTS NECK,NJ 07722 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) CASSANO, JOSEPH WESTPORT,CT 06880 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) DESANTIS, JASON REDDING,CT 06896 AIG FINANCIAL 12/9/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) DIAZ-PEREZ, EDUARDO SYOSSET,NY 11791 AIG FINANCIAL 11/28/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) FANG, XUAN GREENWICH,CT 06830 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) FERRAIUOLO, NEIL PLEASANTVILLE,NY 10570 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) FRAADE, JONATHAN WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL 11/21/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) FRAADE, JONATHAN WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL/EXECUTIVE 6/26/07 $800 Dodd, Chris (D) FRAADE, JONATHAN WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL/EXECUTIVE 9/8/08 $800 Dodd, Chris (D) FRAADE, JONATHAN WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL/EXECUTIVE 6/26/07 $200 Dodd, Chris (D) FROST, ALAN WESTPORT,CT 06880 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) KANAAN, ILYAS , AIG FINANCIAL 12/16/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) KOLBERT, WILLIAM WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) LEARY, ROBERT GREENWICH,CT 06831 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) LIEBERGALL, JONATHAN NEW CANAAN,CT 06840 AIG FINANCIAL 12/1/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) MCGINNIS, JAMES WESTPORT,CT 06880 AIG FINANCIAL 12/30/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) MELTSER, JULIA RIDGEFIELD,CT 06877 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) NELSON, KURT NORWALK,CT 06853 AIG FINANCIAL 11/21/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) NELSON, KURT NORWALK,CT 06853 AIG FINANCIAL/BANKER 6/21/07 $800 Dodd, Chris (D) NELSON, KURT NORWALK,CT 06853 AIG FINANCIAL/BANKER 6/21/07 $200 Dodd, Chris (D) PALAZZO, JOANN FAIRFIELD,CT 06824 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) PHOLE, CHRISTOPHER NEW CANAAN,CT 06840 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) PIKE, STEVEN STAMFORD,CT 06901 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) PLAGEMANN, THOMAS NEW YORK,NY 10021 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) POLING, DOUGLAS FAIRFIELD,CT 06824 AIG FINANCIAL 11/21/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) POWELL, ROBERT WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL 11/28/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) RAAB, EILEEN TEANECK,NJ 07666 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) ROONEY, JOSEPH FAIRFIELD,CT 06824 AIG FINANCIAL 12/16/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) RUFFA, GREGORY DARIEN,CT 06820 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) SHEKHTMAN, LEONID REDDING,CT 06896 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) SHIRLEY, WILLIAM LARCHMONT,NY 10538 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) STEIN, KEITH WESTPORT,CT 06880 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) TOFT, CHRISTIAN WESTON,CT 06883 AIG FINANCIAL 12/3/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) WAGAR, STEVEN NORWALK,CT 06850 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) WAYNE, MARTIN BEDFORD HILLS,NY 10507 AIG FINANCIAL 11/22/06 $2,100 Dodd, Chris (D) Not a bad take for Dodd. SCUMBAG!

QUOTE (KipWellsFan @ Mar 14, 2009 -> 01:10 AM) I don't really understand this. It seems like Obama is legally allowed to replace these US Attorneys, but why was Bush not allowed to do the same? Because he was a right wing nut job.

QUOTE (Texsox @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 10:41 PM) Yes, they take your taxes and redistribute it to cops, and teachers, and highway workers, firefighters, and etc. etc. etc. Everyone wants to live in a first class country but pay third world tax rates. I love how everytime we talk about gov't being bloated, the response is to use the poor teachers,cops and firemen as examples. Give it a rest already. Everybody b****es and moans about how poorly companies are run, but when its the gov't doing a piss poor job its "Do we really want to lay off teachers,police and firemen?" No, that s not who we want to lay off. Does it really take three people or two for that matter to collect garbage in the city? How much money could be saved right there by having a one man garbage crew in the city? Can somebody explain to me why gov't cannot shrink? When a company is losing money, they cut expenses, with their largest being payroll. Somehow that doesn't translate into the halls of capitols.

QUOTE (CubKilla @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 10:23 PM) As a State employee, I feel it important to let you know that..... 1. I am maxed out by FEDERAL LAW with what I pay into the pension plan from the last contract I worked under and my contributions come out of both my pay and OT pay checks. Further, to max me out FEDERALLY during my last contract, my raises were often not in my pocket but were sent right to the State's pension chest to shore up the State's pension system and to max me out. 2. Like with most pensions/SS, etc., most of the contributor's are living beyond in years what they contributed into the pension/SS, etc. But is the REAL problem? Could it be the State borrowing against the pension plan to pay for even more social programs and, furthermore, NOT paying their share into the pension system even after the borrowing? I'd say the borrowing and not paying their fair share has made the pension problems what they are today. No State employee has ever missed their pension deduction from their pay check. 3. My health insurance has been scaled back and I'm paying for more but less and, under the current contract I am now working under, the State can go back to the negotiating table after the 2nd year of a 4-year contract to "renegotiate" our current health insurance contributions. 4. You can only tax those that have to give MORE breaks to those who don't do a god damn thing for so long before those that have say enough's enough. I'm doing more than my part as a State employee. As someone stated earlier, I'd like a Ferrari, but I can only afford a Kia. Time for the State to adopt a similar fiscal approach because those that the government are going to further tax are those that are already being taxed too much. Oh yeah, and I hope your employer cuts your pay, asks you to pay more in medical, and tells you to start planning for your own retirement..... your's is costing him way too much after 12+ years of service to the company. I am my employer. My boss is such an a**hole.

QUOTE (southsideirish71 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 10:01 PM) Undertaxing us? Now I have heard everything. No I don't want to praise a government that has overcommited its resources, and needs to lean on citizens during a recession because they can't control themselves. Live within your means, thats should work for the government too. I pay enough taxes.

QUOTE (jasonxctf @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 09:51 PM) seriously, Illinois has the lowest income taxing rate in the country. We've underpaid for decades. Now that the State wants to tax at a fair rate, you've got a problem??? Were you praising the State for undertaxing for the past 20+ years? Well since you say its fair, debate over.

http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0309/603499.html WTF???

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 13, 2009 -> 09:48 AM) No one likes tax increases, but how do we plug a $9 BILLION hole? Not many options. Oh maybe cut some dead weight from the state payroll, and have some pension reform with gov't employees. 1. Increase workers contributions to their pension plans. 2. Decrease workers benefits from their pension plans. 3. Increase (if they pay any) premiums for health insurance. 4. Increase state income taxes.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/10...itary-aircraft/ Somebody get her a pacifier, PLEASE!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 10:25 AM) So, Obama's education policy is a gigantic success? Yeah, especially the part about the D.C.vouchers.

QUOTE (Y2HH @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 10:27 AM) Uptick rule has been restored. Goes into effect in a month. Says who, Barney Frank?

QUOTE (BearSox @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 08:24 PM) I love it. We have a president who's been lying out his ears, and a treasury secretary who doesn't pay his own taxes but wants to go after the rich who don't pay taxes. Well, the later isn't bad except for the fact he's a hypocrite and wants to raise taxes on the rich so they can "spread the wealth." Also, does the later mean he'll go after Rahm Emanuel for all the property taxes he has not paid? Oh wait, his home is the center of his charitable organization where he and his wife donate 25 thousand a year to some school where their children go for free, where ironically the tuition would be 25 thousand anyway. I hate politicians with a passion, all of them are garbage, democrats and republicans alike. Emanuel is scum. How much money did he make at UBS(?) after he left the previous admin.? 18 million?

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Mar 9, 2009 -> 02:16 PM) CKnolls, Do you agree we see 10%+ bounce if we get rid of mark-to-market? Huge upside, IMO. I do see a bounce coming, be it from MTM or just bear mkt bounce. Cycles are indicating a move is coming, MAR.11, be it a huge rally, or a new low.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 08:40 AM) As long as its not a dead cat bounce... Just look at 1929. After the crash low in Nov. 1929, there was a capitulation rally for 5 months into the spring of 1930. The mkt then proceede to fall almost 90% into JULY 1932. From 300 down to around 40. So do not get carried away if the mkt rallies 100-150 spx handles. Just a bear mkt rally, to be sold no doubt.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 08:28 AM) They are up because Citibank says they are operating at a profit for the first two months of the year. Combine this with the MTM noise, we might have seen our bottom. I could use an extra $1K on my cashout before next week. Bernanke is against rescinding MTM rules. It will be interesting to see what the committee does at Thurs. meeting. If they suspend rules there is huge dissention between the FED and the White House= NOT GOOD for mkts.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Mar 10, 2009 -> 08:15 AM) By the way, markets up big today, 4 to 5% on major indicies so far. Not sure if this is the beginning of a bounce or not - there seems to be increasing levels of noise that the market is oversold on irrational levels of fear (as I suggested recently). Could also just be a blip. What fear? The vix never got above 53.25. There is no fear in the mkt right now. The vix was trading at the 81-82 level on the Nov lows. And all they can muster with these lows is a 53.25 print. You can still get short without having to pay up for puts.

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/op_ed/...,6379102.column Just another reason for the Ethics Committee to investigate Dodd.

Anyone know who makes those podiums? Now that is a stock I WILL buy.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 03:50 PM) I do think it's funny actually. His "unscripted" voice is pretty easy to imitate. "Uhhhh..." "Aaaand..." nice!!

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Mar 6, 2009 -> 03:42 PM) He's very disciplined in his message and wants every word to count. I cant fault a guy for using a script. I'm a horrible speaker off of just notes. But it is kind of funny for someone to always have to read what he is saying, don't ya think?

I was just thinking this same thing the other day. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19663.html

Do Obama's Fans Really Want to Make an Issue of Opponents' Drug Use? Joan Walsh of Salon rips Rush Limbaugh as "a thrice-divorced, drug-abusing, Parkinson's-mocking, cigar-sucking egomaniac, a poster boy for meanness, overindulgence and excess." She alleged that at CPAC, Rush was "hopped up." Timothy Egan, writing in the New York Times, "Polling has found Limbaugh, a self-described prescription-drug addict who sees America from a private jet, to be nearly as unpopular as Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who damned America in the way that Limbaugh has now damned the nation’s newly elected leader." Bill Maher, not too long ago: "I give Rush a wide latitude because he’s a drug addict." A letter to the editor in Colorado Springs: "When their chosen national committee chairman is forced to publicly kiss the bloated backside of a drug-addicted, anti-American blowhard such as Rush Limbaugh, real Americans are grateful this party is not running or representing our nation." And the guy who has been talking up Rush as the leader of the party — the guy who shares a daily conference call with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, CNN commentator James Carville, and ABC News This Week host George Stephanopoulos — Paul Begala: "The real leader of the Republican Party in America today is a corpulent drug addict with an AM radio talk show, Rush Limbaugh." Here's the thing: If Rush is an "addict", then the President of the United States is a "cokehead." Both men have had issues with consuming mind-altering substances in violation of the law in their past; both have overcome those past experiences and gone on to lead productive and successful lives. (Rush, in fact, managed to do so while overcoming a near-miss with a loss of hearing, a torturous development for a man whose entire livelihood is in radio.) (If our friend Larry Kudlow enters the Senate race in Connecticut, I would not be surprised to see others who have no problems with Obama's past drug use try to argue Kudlow's past experiences are disqualifying.) So I'll ask our friends on the other side of the aisle to refrain from using the term "addict" in reference to Rush, as I'd hate to see our president casually referred to as a "cokehead" on a regular basis. Or had they forgotten President Obama's descriptions of using "blow" in his younger days?

Let them eat cake. ABC reports on the bi-partisan White House dinner last night: About 180 guests – House and Senate committee chairs, ranking members, members of Obama's cabinet, senior staff, legislative staff - and all their spouses – sat at elegant tables with white roses, white peonies and green apple centerpieces on a light blue tablecloth. The dinner that followed – served on gold rimmed china - included Celery Soup, Wild Mushroom Crisps, Steelhead Salmon with Citrus sauce, Crispy Spinach, Toasted Saffron Couscous Pearls, Baby Iceberg lettuce with Maytag Bleu Cheese and Yogurt ranch dressing and for dessert, Milk Chocolate velvet cake. What recession?

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bre...,0,900628.story What a piece of s*** this guy is, he should be used as shark bait. Hopefully he gets the full 15 years and his a** is sore as hell when he gets released.

President Barack Obama told AFL-CIO union leaders Tuesday in a videotaped address that the controversial Employee Free Choice Act will pass, signaling his full backing for legislation that makes union organizing easier. "We will pass the Employee Free Choice Act," President Obama told more than 100 top labor officials in a closed-door meeting at the labor federation's winter gathering in Miami, according to people at the meeting. What special interests?