Free speech be damned --- Curt Schilling fired

[KJ Duke]

But over the long-term equities have generated compound rates of growth in that range

Duke - We both KNOW those days are over.

There are many well-run, innovative companies with great business models generating nice returns even in a lackluster economy that have much greater return prospects than historical averages. Media BS and short-term owner/trader commentary is there to distract you and drive volatility, but the underlying value of these businesses is more stable which gets reflected over time.

Of course if everyone instead just buys ETFs full of junk, index funds, past-their-prime darlings, or mega-company funds with great salesmen but mediocre PMs and analysts ... you certainly don't want to expect those returns. And most will, since the investment business is going down the same dumbed-down path as the mortgage market.

[BK METS]

..

[Gekko]

[edited due to fire and brimstone clause]

[KJ Duke]

Now I feel compelled to intercede. GG and Alan, I see polar opposites in style here but probably with comparable values. Shock value vs playing it straight. Aside from that it seems like honest opinions from different perspectives. Meet me in Vegas and I'll be happy to moderate the debate over the sad state of our economic/political affairs and get everyone on the same page over a couple of drinks.

[Gekko]

Alan - This morning I edited my comments that you didn't like. Both of us think we are right and think the other is wrong. When talking politics, economy, etc, it brings out the "fire and brimstone" in me due to the frustration of real world leadership (or lack-thereof). In the end, you and I are likely on the same team; however disagree about some of the ways of solving problems. If someone (you) is honestly getting upset with back and forth on a MB, it's probably best for it to stop.

As for you Duke - it all comes down to money. point me in the direction of a company that will triple in value in the next 12 months while the world continues it decay and all will be good.

PS - I'm available to moderate a Duke vs Chad S Vegas steel cage match

[TOXIC ASSETS]

ZERP (Zero Interest Rate Policy) causes companies/people to do things that they would otherwise not do because they are, at their core, uneconomic.

ZIRP causes bbbbbbbbubbles in:
1. ASSETS. think your house is worth what is says on Zillow, etc? Nope that's the price with ZIRP. Once rates go back up, the value of your house (asset) goes back down and probably much more than you think
2. STOCK MARKET. ZIRP implicitly forces Joe Citizen to "gamble" with their savings, since they can't earn much in a savings account or a CD. in other words, the equity market gets "gamble" money that has nothing to do with the performance of companies
3. HOUSEHOLD DEBT. If you are being honest, you know most families are in debt up to their eyeballs, fueled by ZIRP. if you are in debt once rates go up. BOOM!
4. COLLEGE TUITION. look how affordable college is!!!! let's get all these mostly young kids to take on massive amounts of debt (fueled by ZIRP and government backing) and then make it illegal for them to discharge it via bankruptcy, IE FINANCIAL SLAVES AND LOTS OF THEM. man, these banksters really are smarter than all of us. nice revenue streams baby!!

in summary, the country is 20 trillion in debt with years of ZIRP and countless rounds of QE. these fucking politicians and fiscal/monetary experts don't know jack shit about how to run an economy. all they are doing is kicking this big fucking ponzi scheme of an economy down the road as long as they can. once Joe Citizen has endured enough pain, there will be a "change", maybe as graceful as BREXIT or maybe something a bit more sinister. my vote is on the sinister lever

Yep.
Stock market down huge again today.

Here's some advice for all of you. I have been holding a ticker called HDGE for months. Before Friday I was down about 20%. Since Friday it has had some nice gains. I intend on holding it until the DOW gets several thousand points lower.

[KJ Duke]

Yep. Stock market down huge again today.

Here's some advice for all of you. I have been holding a ticker called HDGE for months. Before Friday I was down about 20%. Since Friday it has had some nice gains. I intend on holding it until the DOW gets several thousand points lower.

Shorting is a tough business, especially an entire short-only portfolio with a 3% fee tacked on top of it. Not only has HDGE lost money every year they've lost more than the SPX has gone up over every reported time period ... doesn't look they have the skill to do. Might as well use the lower-fee market-oriented vehicles if all you're trying to do is lean against the wind during periodic high-risk times.

I'll do individual securities or indexed bear ETFs at times, or in the case of heading into Brexit I was in the leveraged gold miners as a hedge. But I use those in a trading nature. Owning a short-only fund as an investment ... good luck with that, you'll need it.