The American Dream

[scooterbug44]

Wow. :shock:

Not saying it will be all rainbows and cute puppies in the future, but these predictions seem VERY negative and exaggerated.

Plus I tend to question the neutrality/wisdom of those who say the apocalypse will occur as they rake in profits from selling "post-apocalyptic" merchandise. :roll:

Nothing wrong with preparing for a rainy day and hedging your bets, but a little perspective is necessary.

You want to REALLY worry about something, fret about our dependence on oil and what factory farms and corporations are doing to our food supply. A solar panel and supporting local producers will do you a lot more good than buying seeds from Glenn Beck.

 

[DuneAHH]

Wow. :shock:

You want to REALLY worry about something, fret about our dependence on oil and what factory farms and corporations are doing to our food supply. A solar panel and supporting local producers will do you a lot more good than buying seeds from Glenn Beck.

When I do stockpile seeds I doubt my acquisition will benefit Glenn Beck. He isn't relocating to SoWal is he?

RE: Solar power:
I'm at a crossroads of indecision...
Whether to cut down a couple of big beautiful old trees that shade & cool my house in summer in order to access/facilitate solar heat for winter.

 

[scooterbug44]

Beck is hawking seeds, gold, and food supplies (which you can buy much cheaper at any grocery or camping store). :roll:

He moves here so closely on the heels of Wal-mart and that WILL be apocalyptic!

See if Gidget or Chandra can help you locate without cutting down trees. Rooftop? Next to driveway? Carport?

 

[30ashopper]

Apple, Dow Drive U.S. Fourth-Quarter Profits to 19-Year High - BusinessWeek 30A and TNJed, you would do well to not bet against the Fed and own some financials. There's a massive floor under them, and they've been out of favor. I'm not a Keynesian. No one school has cornered the truth. The Chicago viewpoint has many flaws.

I never bet against the FED. What I do try to do is not buy assets during the bubbles they create. For example stocks look to be kinda "bubbly" to me based on P/E ratios. (S&P 500 PE Ratio Chart)

As far as financials go, we'll see. There's a milestone for the "too big to fail" TARP banks this month - another round of stress tests. Some may finally be able to raise their dividends. Some will not.

 

[scooterbug44]

IMO anything currently deemed "too big to fail" needs to get broken up until it's "too small to override our country's greater good".

A few giant conglomerates are pucking up our country and we can't do anything because of the shock waves that might result.

 

[beachFool]

Last year the market crashed after the FEDs MBS purchases ended. Then they promised QE2 and boom, six months of good times. How long will the presses run this year, and what happens after they stop, and will they kick back in again if things crash again?

Artificial forces are in control and have been for well over two years. Investing isn't much different from taking a trip to Vegas at this point.

Wilshre 5000 chart:

Wilshire Associates

Show me 2010 "crash"

Investing isn't much different from taking a trip to Vegas at this point

This is why privitization of SS is really bad idea. Glad you saw the light.

 

[Bob]

I never bet against the FED. What I do try to do is not buy assets during the bubbles they create. For example stocks look to be kinda "bubbly" to me based on P/E ratios. (S&P 500 PE Ratio Chart)

As far as financials go, we'll see. There's a milestone for the "too big to fail" TARP banks this month - another round of stress tests. Some may finally be able to raise their dividends. Some will not.

the entire game is tilted in the financial's favor, and you're in "we'll see" mode? dividends are mostly coming in 2012.

 

[30ashopper]

the entire game is tilted in the financial's favor, and you're in "we'll see" mode? dividends are mostly coming in 2012.

Dividends are what I'm concentrated on. They can pay my cost of living, growth tackles inflation.

I'm not in a rush because I think we'll see a retrenchment over the next year and I'd like to feel as if I've purchased at the bottom of the next wave, or close to it. I made some long term investments last year in a "first wave", that was a start. I'm still 2/3rds cash today.

I do have a little Morgan Stanley in my portfolio currently, and I'll probably pick up some BofA at some point, FWIW.

 

[30ashopper]

Wilshre 5000 chart:

Wilshire Associates

Show me 2010 "crash"

Investing isn't much different from taking a trip to Vegas at this point

MBS ended April 1st, QE2 was announced Nov. 3rd. That matches up pretty good don't you think? My Vegas comment related to the fact that the market is tied to FED action. We don't know what they'll do next, do we?

 

[30ashopper]

To promote a stronger pace of economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with its mandate, the Committee decided today to expand its holdings of securities. The Committee will maintain its existing policy of reinvesting principal payments from its securities holdings. In addition, the Committee intends to purchase a further $600 billion of longer-term Treasury securities by the end of the second quarter of 2011, a pace of about $75 billion per month. The Committee will regularly review the pace of its securities purchases and the overall size of the asset-purchase program in light of incoming information and will adjust the program as needed to best foster maximum employment and price stability.

Bob's "floor". But at some point, the artificial floor falls away. Either they replace it with a new floor, or market forces take over. 2011 is a repeat of 2010, IMHO, with a little added push from tepid economic growth.