Cknolls

Fed creating a new bubble in MBS mkt? These have been the ONLY thing to own, and now the gov't is buying like no tomorrow. If someone(China) hits their bid, look out below. Next bubble????

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 10:43 PM) Which secret trillion? There's about two or three of those that I'm aware of. Does anyone understand at all what's really happening here? It's just plain frightful. What is happening here is politicians are trying to stay in office and they feel doing something(wrong as it has been) is better than doing nothing. Let the car cos. fail and file bankruptcy. Then and only then will they get the changes from both management and labor.

50 More pieces of s*** flushed down the toilet. NICE!!! to our brave Marines. Michael Ledeen highlights this stirring account of Marines fighting in Afghanistan: FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- In the city of Shewan, approximately 250 insurgents ambushed 30 Marines and paid a heavy price for it. Shewan has historically been a safe haven for insurgents, who used to plan and stage attacks against Coalition Forces in the Bala Baluk district. The city is home to several major insurgent leaders. Reports indicate that more than 250 full time fighters reside in the city and in the surrounding villages. Shewan had been a thorn in the side of Task Force 2d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Afghanistan throughout the Marines' deployment here in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, because it controls an important supply route into the Bala Baluk district. Opening the route was key to continuing combat operations in the area. "The day started out with a 10-kilometer patrol with elements mounted and dismounted, so by the time we got to Shewan, we were pretty beat," said a designated marksman who requested to remain unidentified. "Our vehicles came under a barrage of enemy RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) and machine gun fire. One of our 'humvees' was disabled from RPG fire, and the Marines inside dismounted and laid down suppression fire so they could evacuate a Marine who was knocked unconscious from the blast." The vicious attack that left the humvee destroyed and several of the Marines pinned down in the kill zone sparked an intense eight-hour battle as the platoon desperately fought to recover their comrades. After recovering the Marines trapped in the kill zone, another platoon sergeant personally led numerous attacks on enemy fortified positions while the platoon fought house to house and trench to trench in order to clear through the enemy ambush site. "The biggest thing to take from that day is what Marines can accomplish when they're given the opportunity to fight," the sniper said. "A small group of Marines met a numerically superior force and embarrassed them in their own backyard. The insurgents told the townspeople that they were stronger than the Americans, and that day we showed them they were wrong." During the battle, the designated marksman single handedly thwarted a company-sized enemy RPG and machinegun ambush by reportedly killing 20 enemy fighters with his devastatingly accurate precision fire. He selflessly exposed himself time and again to intense enemy fire during a critical point in the eight-hour battle for Shewan in order to kill any enemy combatants who attempted to engage or maneuver on the Marines in the kill zone. What made his actions even more impressive was the fact that he didn't miss any shots, despite the enemies' rounds impacting within a foot of his fighting position. "I was in my own little world," the young corporal said. "I wasn't even aware of a lot of the rounds impacting near my position, because I was concentrating so hard on making sure my rounds were on target." After calling for close-air support, the small group of Marines pushed forward and broke the enemies' spirit as many of them dropped their weapons and fled the battlefield. At the end of the battle, the Marines had reduced an enemy stronghold, killed more than 50 insurgents and wounded several more. "I didn't realize how many bad guys there were until we had broken through the enemies' lines and forced them to retreat. It was roughly 250 insurgents against 30 of us," the corporal said. "It was a good day for the Marine Corps. We killed a lot of bad guys, and none of our guys were seriously injured."

QUOTE (Texsox @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 02:43 PM) And IMHO, This will be his last contract, he's asking long term and will get it *and* at a sizable per year You are correct, he goes half ass I predict, after signing his last contract that half assed will become 1/3 ass, then 1/4 ass etc. Too much money for a guy that as you said, plays half assed. As he gets older, he will need to be "all ass" just to come close to justify his asking price.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 01:39 PM) Because it has already been established that this secret vote you're so desperate to protect simply isn't working, and it's allowed for enormous abuse of labor laws by businesses. If nothing else, big business has had its 50 years of abuses. Now it's time for the labor unions to have a chance to overstep things. I think they already have, HELLO GM, FORD CHRYSLER. MORE UNIONS! MORE UNIONS! MORE UNIONS!

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 03:32 PM) There were a lot of people in the business world in the early 80s that said the same thing about their typewriters. Never used one. Until something comes along as efficient and cost effective as gasoline, I'm doing fine with what I have.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 03:04 PM) More impressive than that are the new lows in the energies... 99.99 cents in the Dec Gasoline and 48.64 in the Dec Crude Oil. Crazy. Glad I didn't fill up the tank on the way to work this morning.

Btw, have you seen the 30 year again today. 126.89. +4.78 That is UNBELIEVABLE!!! Two day run of over 8 points. WOW! Yielding around 3.60%.

Well it should be a fight to the close. Who has more strength, HOOFY or BOO? Hoofy will try to close them above 777 and Boo will try to close them below 768.65.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 01:57 PM) What proposals would you like to see with regards to energy policy? I like the idea of nat. gas. But the enviro freaks will tie up the development of any substantial deposits; i.e Marcellus Shale deposits. And I'm doing just fine with my gas powered car too thank you.

QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 12:28 PM) You could argue carbon caps would. Also, if there was some sort of an "renewable energy" mandate, it might force companies to invest money in solar or wind. And to afford that, they may have to raise prices. Yeah mandates work real well in the health insurance industry, I'm sure they'll be as effective here too.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 10:11 AM) Also, word is that billionaire Penny Pritzker is the top choice for Commerce Secretary. She has no record in public office, so, I'd like to know more about her too. Same article also mentions that Daschle will not just be HHS Secretary, but also the "health care czar", responsible for the new health care policies they want to enact. Like how her bank failed. That's good for the resume.

pcHarmony.com [Mark Steyn] This doesn't seem an encouraging development: The Pasadena-based dating website, heavily promoted by Christian evangelical leaders when it was founded, has agreed in a civil rights settlement to give up its heterosexuals-only policy and offer same-sex matches. EHarmony was started by psychologist Neil Clark Warren, who is known for his mild-mannered television and radio advertisements. It must not only implement the new policy by March 31 but also give the first 10,000 same-sex registrants a free six-month subscription. “That was one of the things I asked for,” said Eric McKinley, 46, who complained to New Jersey’s Division on Civil Rights after being turned down for a subscription in 2005. I don't know Mr. McKinley's taste in men, but this would have been a less predictable case had he attempted to acquire a Muslim boyfriend at, say, singlemuslim.com. Indeed, Mr. Warren and his colleagues at eHarmony might have been better advised to convert to Islam and claim the right to have the case settled by one of the west's fast multiplying Sharia courts, which are (to put it mildly) less antipathetic to "heterosexism". As the Belmont Club comments: Sharia law is at heart a desire to live outside the system and while its spread is probably a bad thing for the West, one wonders how much the paralyzing and expensive effect of excessive litigation and over regulation in Western society has driven the rise of parallel private institutions. There'll be more of that in the years ahead. As Michelle Malkin says, the eHarmony settlement is like a meat-eater going to a vegetarian restaurant and demanding a ribeye. The "tolerance" enforcers are jeopardizing the very possibility of any shared societal space. Good luck with that.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 11:34 AM) Should be a very good thing for the economy. I'll sell that til no end.

GM meet your new CEO: RON GETTLEFINGER. That's my solution.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 20, 2008 -> 10:34 AM) On energy policy, yeah, I think that's the plan. And, good. Better than Drill, Dumbasses, Drill. I can't wait to see how this affects the economy.

This is interesting: Fascinating ramification of Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano leaving her state to become Obama's Secretary of Homeland Security: "Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer would serve the remaining two years of Napolitano's term, as next-in-line to the governorship. Brewer, a former state legislator, would appoint a replacement for secretary of state." A source in the state GOP tells me his reaction: Since Arizona is experiencing a budget crisis, how much of this was a desire to "get out of town" before a meltdown ruins her reputation? ... We will now have a Republican governor because the Secretary of State is Jan Brewer. Since we control both of the houses of the legislature, a lot of bills that were vetoed by Napolitino will probably pass. Personally I can't imagine the Dems giving up a governor's mansion. The Democrats have lost their best candidate in Arizona. Napolitano was a canny politician who knew how to outflank the GOP. I think going to Washington and taking up Homeland security will not be a boon to her future political career. Several Republicans were lining up to run for governor in 2010. With Jan Brewer as an incumbent, they may modify their plans. The top of the Arizona GOP ticket in 2010 (Brewer and McCain) should help down ticket. In the meantime, I just glad we are getting her out of the state. Who said that the Obama Presidency would be all bad?

6600. With my 660 number on cash this seems about right.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 19, 2008 -> 03:06 PM) So, predict for us good sir... bounce tomorrow, or a big drop to a new resistance level? I think we have to test the 2003 and 2002 lows. 788.90(2003) and 768.95(2002). Then see how they act from there.

I will tell you this, i am thinking about starting a short position in the U.S. dollar via the UDN(short dollar etf). If/When stocks decide to rally it will put pressure on the dollar. Also when the Fed re-inflates that too will pressure the greenback.

Right, there is no such thing as a quadruple bottom.

DOW closes below 8000 for first time since March 2003.

How about 30 yr treasuries possibly trading with a 3.25-3.50% yld. Who would of thought?

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Nov 19, 2008 -> 02:49 PM) Markets tanking again, down around 5% on the big boards. Seems like the DOW keepings flirting with 8000 but not getting below (at least not at close). The chart looks to me like its got a ground floor around that mark, unless some other major new lurking monster appears. With the news as bad as it is already, it would have to be a pretty huge monster. I'm going to have to say to CKnolls, I don't think we're going to the 6's on the Dow. I just don't see it, unless something on the scale of a new swaps crisis or a thorough collapse of the auto industry occurs (more than just GM declaring bankruptcy - I mean someone ceasing major parts of their operations immediately). How about no earnings for any company? Hey Ken Lewis, you still going to pay $28 for MER? MER trading 9.64. LMAO!!!!!

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Nov 17, 2008 -> 05:37 PM) I'm so gonna miss him. I used to drive a G20, what a nice car.