The Stock Market Roller Coaster

He's pretty easy to block. Blocking seems to be the best way to handle intolerant people.
— January 8, 2012 2:56 p.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Gringo, For the record, I'm not a fan of Nassim Taleb. His approach to investing and trading runs counter to what I was taught by my mentor.
— January 8, 2012 2:53 p.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

I'm not going to play with Fred any more. He doesn't want rational discussion, he wants a fight. Evidence that he wants a fight is that he even said that I don't know much about San Diego. What does that have to do with anything, but is evidence that he's just throwing stuff against the wall to see what sticks. It dawned on me that Fred is very angry at the 1% and I represent a convenient whipping boy. Since he's full of his own intelligence, he feels free to try to beat me up. It makes him feel good, or doing his part, or he wouldn't keep this up with 6000 character screeds. I'm not going to contribute or assist with his mental masturbation and he will get no help in the circle j**k from me. I answered his questions, and that's the last response he will get as my computer guy wrote some code that will block anything with his name in it. So Fred, I won't be seeing you any more. Hey Fred, my final word to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp0cg91rK2o&featur…
— January 5, 2012 1:02 p.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Fred, you need to get your panties out of a bunch. It's going to strangle you. Again, your cognitive dissonance has stopped you from understanding Adam Smith. I don't need any "educating" from the likes of you, and I'm doing just fine without you. Furthermore, I did not call you a "rent seeker," and did not direct my comment at you...Feeling guilty perhaps? But you are parroting democratic talking points as they always talk about "The Children." But enough of this absurdity.....I don't have time for sanctimonious types, and especially you. I'm too busy having a good year today to waste any time discussing market morality with second handers, third rate minds, and naysayers.
— January 4, 2012 9:14 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Show me a time when the markets were any different than today. 1989? 1929? 1874? 1857? 1812? Nothing has changed, ever, it's just that the easy money evaporates and the general public's investments go south, then it's gambling. People seem to get depressed when the market goes against them. Whenever there's a bull market with easy money, then nobody's complaining about gambling, it's the general public's market savvy that's making them money. Nothing has changed since the Rothschild play during Napoleon's defeat. Your mention of derivatives....are options part of what makes speculation gambling? The people buying the other derivatives like CDS etc, were the ones engaged in risky behavior, not the sellers. Furthermore, isn't it possible to hedge every derivative in the futures, cash, or options market? All are correlated in one way or another.
— January 4, 2012 8:43 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Hi Fred, I mean "Chance the Gardner." Your questions. 1. How is what you do different from gambling? When one gambles they create risk. When one speculates, they assume risk. In gambling, the risk isn't there until you get the bet down and spin the wheel. If I buy a wheat contract, the risk is already there. 2. Where and how does your "work" benefit society? We aid in price discovery which is a better system than any central planner can do. And contrary to your contention, I add quite a lot of liquidity as I have a solid bid and offer for at least 200 contracts of wheat during the entire trading session. If speculators aren't around, who's going to buy the farmers crop at harvest time? Have you studied agricultural market pricing before there were futures markets? I suspect not. Do speculators raise prices? Sometimes, but we also lower them. Irwin and Saunders wrote an interesting paper. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/16/59/45534528.pdf 3. Do you think morality and economics are separate, or connected? Explain your reasoning. If they are connected, how can you justify the way you get your money? I can't explain it to you as trying to get through to you would be like trying to explain the Mona Lisa to Helen Keller. Read, Adam Smith's "Theory of Moral Sentiments" http://www.ibiblio.org/ml/libri/s/SmithA_MoralSen… As Smith says, "Charity, while a virtuous act, cannot alone provide the essentials for living. Self-interest is the mechanism that can remedy this shortcoming. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we can expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest” 4. Why do you hold productive members of society in such contempt? Do you believe that being involved in finance makes you superior to those of us who create real things? That is merely your opinion. I don't hold productive members in contempt(that is your own delusion), I celebrate and admire them. However, I do hold people (especially people who do a lot of business with government and are rent seekers) in contempt who offer ad hominem attacks about my character, while being smug, self righteous, and sanctimonious. Finally, while beating up on speculators, remember that every time you go to the grocery store and buy that 99 cent special on sugar during inflationary times, you are speculating in food prices. The grocery store who's selling you that food is speculating that you will buy the product that they are carrying and will profit before it goes bad. When you top off your gas tank during rising gas prices, you are speculating in gasoline. And every time you get out of bed and drive to work, you are speculating that you won't get killed on the way to work so you can earn your wage. Show me real evidence that speculation makes children starve.....that children victim hood thing sounds like a real Democrat Talking Point. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo
— January 4, 2012 4:47 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Fred, you've lost the argument when you start calling me names. Your exhibited cognitive dissonance is treatable with modern medicine. I suggest that you consult your physician.
— January 3, 2012 9:57 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

xx
— January 3, 2012 8:39 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Well, one thing I'm certain of is that you are far more self-righteous and sanctimonious than I ever will be. Have a nice day sport.
— January 3, 2012 8:31 a.m.

The Stock Market Roller Coaster

Don, maybe you're behind the time, but the commodities pits are pretty well closed up and only account for 2-3% of volume at the exchange. Everything has gone electronic.
— January 3, 2012 8:28 a.m.