"News that's not known, or not known enough."
Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion.
|
"News that's not known, or not known enough." Helen & Harry Highwater's cranky weblog of news and opinion. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
FYI: A humanitarian email by Mr. Chuckles Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK This is infotainment, not "advice". Don't use this information directly. Do your own homework and figure shit out by yourself, and consult your own experts before taking any actions! We are not responsible for what you do. This info is given free of charge for your amusement and entertainment only. Most people who gamble lose money. There is no reason to expect that you would be a winner — and every reason to expect that you would lose heavily over and over again. I just wanted to give people a "heads up". The "GLD" ETF now has options: GLD GLD is an ETF in which one share equals approximately 1/10 ounce of gold: http://www.spdrgoldshares.com/sites/us/value/ So one hundred shares = 10 ounces of gold, approximately. With options it is possible to speculate on price moves up or down with small amounts of money. For example, the July 96.00 call option closed on 11-July at $1.52. Since one option gives the right but not the obligation to purchase 100 shares of the underlying security, purchasing one July 2008 96.00 call option costs $152 plus commissions. The standard lot size is 10 contracts, so an option on 1000 shares — or 100 ounces of gold — would cost $1520. If the price of gold rose $100 per ounce prior to the expiration date on 18-July, the price of the option would rise, approximately, to $10.52ish yielding a sales amount of 11.52 * 1000 == $10,520 — OR, a net profit of $9,000 (give or take, there are other factors involving length of time remaining on the contract, etc.) I don't recommend attempting this, as options are cut-throat and you will often lose 100% of your bet. But life is about learning and gaining capabilities so that if and when the moment is right, then the individual has the tool in hand and is ready to use it. In this case that means having a brokerage account and Level 1 options authorization (Level 1 is the "baby steps" level.) Also, given that GLD is now optionable, I expect much more retail interest in gold in the future, and it is possible that GLD itself will rise even more — OR NOT. Mr. Chuckles P.S. I'm watching Rachel Maddow standing in for Keith Olbermann this week. As far as I am concerned, he can stay gone. Did Rachel Maddow fill in for Olbermann all week? She was gone from the radio... Helen & Harry
Mr. Hanky goes to Wall Street by Pavel C. Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Listening to the politicians talk about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is like watching South Park's "Mr. Hanky", the singing Christmas turd. Singing turds, all of them. ... Click for more ... Pavel C. Helen & Harry
 Israeli military jets reportedly in Iraq by The Canadian Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Iraq denies that Israeli military jets are using its airspace
Not sure what to make of reports of Israeli jets landing within US Controlled airbases in Iraq, especially if Press TV is corroborating the stories. It is possible that this is occurring, and the landing/staging location makes sense relative to fuel/distance capabilities of Israeli fighter bombers. I am reserving my initial acceptance of this story due to the very fact that it has been made public. The Israelis and their allies took the Syrian's and the world by complete surprise during their last daring bombing raid. Why would they be so sloppy this time in revealing a potential new operation? Also, no-one defined "massive" Israeli presence. One would need a lot of hanger space to hide a lot of Israeli jets if they did not subsequently take off again the same night. Which begs the question, assuming this story is true; if they did not stay there, where did they go next? Also, the distance between Haditha, Iraq and Bushehr, Iran is over 1000 kms. I am not sure what airfield the commentator is referring to when he says the flying time from Iraq to Bushehr is 5 minutes. It is possible from Iraq, but not from Haditha. Flying into Iraq from Jordanian airspace is also possible, as it has been done before. Map of Asia and Middle East Still, I fear a decision for war has now been made. The Canadian Sounds ominous. Of course, it's intended to sound ominous. Helen & Harry Yes. You know, the good Dr Ruhs intrigues me. Insanity is a liquid and not a moral measure. EMP no longer requires a nuclear originator. E bombs are not new, but a lot better than they were ... much more focused on the e/m freq. spectrum. The Canadian "That mass-murderer Truman" by Anonymous Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Hiroshima cured me Anonymous replies My uncle was stationed near Hiroshima after World War II, and returned there later in life when he was a low-level aerospace executive. He was pretty much a Goldwater Republican all his life, but from his years in Japan he came to know some people who'd been profoundly affected by the bombings, and even speaking of Hiroshima made him furious at the man he called "that mass-murderer Truman" ... I don't know about high-altitude nuclearama, sounds like an odd pipe dream to me but I can't argue with Dr Ruhs because he's rather obviously brilliant. I will say, I don't think my uncle would be a Republican in this day and age. Anonymous A trillion here, a trillion there by SirJ Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Sex abuse controversy in Australia prior to pope's visit Ho, hum. Another case of sex abuse by a Catholic priest and lies by the clergy. The Cardinal is caught lying in writing and it's right before the pope visits Australia. Why can't these big shots learn that the days of covering up sexual abuse by Catholic priests are over? Fannie and Freddie shares under siege For the latest quote and news, I use this link for Fannie Mae. Mae has been ridiculously undercapitalized for years. If the value of its 1 trillion dollar assets drops by as little as 5%, it is insolvent. Oh, the fat cat advisors always note whether they own stock in the company they are reporting. I don't; sold it last year around 70, thank God! Foreclosures rose 53% in June, bank seizures tripled
"A trillion here, a trillion there and pretty soon you're talking real money." (I have adjusted for inflation this famous saying attributed to Everett Dirksen.) Text of Paulson statement on Fannie, Freddie The Secretary's non-statement of support for Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac doesn't help one bit. He totally avoids the issue of a federal bail-out, which is pretty much the same as saying one is in the works. I will stick my neck out and say a federal bail-out will happen. Fannie Mae alone owns about a trillion dollars in mortgages and backs another $4 trillion. There is no way the government can let either of these companies fail. It would cause the entire financial system of the United States and shortly thereafter the world to collapse. SirJ Nobody can say they didn't see it coming. I barely follow such things, but the coming Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac disaster has been pretty plain even to me for at least a couple of years. Helen & Harry The Fed has asked for more power so it can fu[k things up more than they are now. From Fed sees turmoil persisting deep into next year
A reprieve until next year. Thank God for elections!
Sell the company? Good luck with that! SirJ They'll sell IndyMac on Countrywide terms, at a huge loss to the feds, thus rescrewing the taxpayers. Helen & Harry
Condolences and congratulations by Angry Annie Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK First Jesse Helms dies, now Tony Snow. My condolences to their families, and my congratulations to America. Angry Annie Rekindle the fear by Sherri B. Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Petraeus confirmed as Centcom chief Holy freaking crap. One domino falls. I have to move into a smaller apartment this weekend but when I'm done I'm seriously considering some sort of media offensive against this man Waxman. He really bugs me. You're welcome. No worries about confusing Waxman and Wexler. I think they're often confused. I just know dumbass so easily because I live here. I pray that I am wrong. Sherri B. Well, I wish I could dissuade such fears, but all I can do is indulge them myself. We've seen nothing over the past seven and a half years to even vaguely suggest that Bush-Cheney et al are constrained by law, by Congress, or by morality or simple human decency. In short, there's no reason to dismiss your worries out of hand and frankly, every reason to worry. Helen & Harry
Drones and scumbags by Fazookus Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Bush v. Hitler Hitler had a pervasive and sophisticated propaganda machine that united his followers in their resentment. Bush has a pervasive and sophisticated propaganda machine that unites his followers in their resentment but his was outsourced to Fux News, hundreds of AM radio drones all across the country and the likes of scumbags like Limbaugh, Coulter, Malkin, etc., etc.. Advantage Bush, his propaganda people do a great job and pay their own way, any MBA would be proud. Fazookus Check your pulse by Jeffrey E T Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK Re Nothing but catastrophic choices I think what Dr. Ruhs is advocating is the use of EMP (electromagnetic pulse) effect of high-altitude nukes. This would quite effectively wipe out all carriers of modern technology - everything from power generation down to wristwatches - without directly harming people. As such, it would effectively leave civilized nations suddenly below the functioning level of West Africa. Whether this 'plowing under' of the old in order to make way for a new culture to flower is a good thing depends on whether one is willing to give up one's own life to starvation for a utopian future culture. Jeffrey E T And in urban areas where most Americans live, I expect most of us would starve in the absence of an industrial support system. Helen & Harry
Feels fine by MonkeyMan Saturday, July 12, 2008 PERMANENT LINK ~~We better enjoy it while we have it. ~~ REM — It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
If the world is ending, screw my cholesterol, I am going to go get a sausage dog! MonkeyMan |
|
