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To: Dale Baker who started this subject9/19/2002 10:41:09 AM
From: Dale Baker of 114442
 
Cashed out MIHL for a nice 20% profit, OK in a weak tech market. Added more FLYR just over 10.

Still waiting for a few others to get cheaper before I dip into my cash pool.

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To: Dale Baker who wrote (31138)9/19/2002 12:27:05 PM
From: Dale Baker of 114442
 
OT - some humor to pass the time on another dull day....




>
> Two Arabs are in a locker room taking a shower after their racquetball game
> when one notices the other has a massive cork embedded in his ass.
> "If you do not mind me saying," said the second, "that cork looks very
> uncomfortable. Why do you not take it out?" "I cannot," lamented the first
> Arab. "It is permanently implanted."
> "I do not understand," said the other.
> The first Arab says, "I was walking along the beach and I tripped over an
> oil lamp. There was a puff of smoke, and then a huge old man in an American
> flag attire with a white beard and top hat came oozing out. He said, "I am
> Uncle Sam, the Genie. I can grant you one wish."
> I said, "No Shit."
> A very tall man walks into a bar, and a lady recognizes him as a basketball
> player. They start to talk, and eventually, go back to his place. They
> start to kiss, and the man takes off his shirt. On his arm, he has a tattoo
> that says "REEBOK".
> "What's that?" the lady questions.
> "Oh, I wear this so that when I'm on TV, people will see my tattoo and
> Reebok pays me." Then the man takes off his pants, and on his leg, he has a
> tattoo that says "NIKE".
> "What's that?" the lady questions again.
> "Just like the Reebok tattoo, I get paid when this tattoo is seen on TV."
> Then the man drops his underwear and on his penis he has a tattoo that says
> "AIDS".
> "You didn't tell me you had AIDS!" the lady screams.
> "No, no! Calm down," the man replies, "this will say ADIDAS in a minute."
> Only in America
> 1. Only in America......can a pizza get to your house faster than an
> ambulance.
> 2. Only in America......are there handicap parking places in front of a
> skating rink.
> 3. Only in America......do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the
> back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy
> cigarettes at the front.
> 4. Only in America......do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries,
> and a diet coke.
> 5. Only in America......do banks leave both doors open and then chain the
> pens to the counters.
> 6. Only in America......do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the
> driveway and put our useless junk in the garage. >
> 7. Only in America......do we use answering machines to screen calls and
> then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want
> to talk to in the first place. >
> 8. Only in America......do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in
> packages of eight. >
> 9. Only in America......do we use the word 'politics' to describe the
> process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and tics mean blood sucking
> creatures'. >
> 10. Only in America......do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille
> lettering.
>
> EVER WONDER
> Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin?
> Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed?
> Why don't you ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery"?
> Why is "abbreviated" such a long word?
> Why is it that doctors call what they do "practice"?
> Why is it that to stop Windows 98, you have to click on "Start"?
> Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made
> with real lemons?
> Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
> Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
> Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
> When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it?
> Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
> Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
> You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't
> they make the whole plane out of that stuff?
> Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?
> Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
> If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
>
> ------------------
>
> In case you needed further proof that the human race is doomed through
> stupidity, here are some actual label instructions on consumer goods.
> On a Sears hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping.
> (and that's the only time I have to work on my hair).
> On a bag of Fritos: ..You could be a winner! No purchase necessary.
> Details inside. (the shoplifter special)?
> On a bar of Dial soap: "Directions: Use like regular soap."
> (and that would be how???....)
> On some Swanson frozen dinners: "Serving suggestion: Defrost."
> (but, it's "just" a suggestion).
> On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom): "Do not turn upside down"
> (well...duh, a bit late, huh)!
> On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding:"Product will be hot after heating."
> (...and you thought????...)
> On packaging for a Rowenta iron: "Do not iron clothes on body."
> (but wouldn't this save me more time)?
> On Boot's Children Cough Medicine:"Do not drive a car or operate machinery
> after taking this medication." (We could do a lot to reduce the rate of
> construction accidents if we could just get those 5-year-olds with
> head-colds off those forklifts.)
> On Nytol Sleep Aid: "Warning: May cause drowsiness."
> (and...I'm taking this because???....)
> On most brands of Christmas lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only."
> (as opposed to...what)?
> On a Japanese food processor: "Not to be used for the other use."
> (now, somebody out there, help me on this. I'm a bit curious.)
> On Sunsbury's peanuts: "Warning: contains nuts."
> (talk about a news flash)
> On an American Airlines packet of nuts: "Instructions: Open packet eat
> nuts."
> (Step 3: maybe, uh ... fly Delta?)
> On a child's superman costume: "Wearing of this garment does not enable you
> to fly."
> (I don't blame the company. I blame the parents for this one.)
>
> A newly discovered chapter in the Book of Genesis has provided the answer
> to "Where do pets come from?"
> Adam and Eve said, "Lord, when we were in the garden, you walked with us
> every day. Now we do not see you anymore. We are lonesome here and it is
> difficult for us to remember how much you love us."
> And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for you that will be
> with you forever and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that
> you will love me even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish or
> childish or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you
> are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourselves."
> And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam and Eve. And it was
> a good animal. And God was pleased. And the new animal was pleased to be
> with Adam and Eve and he wagged his tail.
> And Adam said, "Lord, I have already named all the animals in the Kingdom
> and I cannot think of a name for this new animal." And God said, "No
> problem. Because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my
> love for you, his name will be a reflection of my own name, and you will
> call him DOG."
> And Dog lived with Adam and Eve and was a companion to them and loved them.
>
> And they were comforted.
> And God was pleased.
> And Dog was content and wagged his tail.
>
> After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said,
> "Lord, Adam and Eve have become filled with pride. They strut and preen
> like peacocks and they believe they are worthy of adoration. Dog has indeed
> taught them that they are loved, but perhaps too well."
> And God said, "No problem! I will create for them a companion who will be
> with them forever and who will see them as they are. The companion will
> remind them of their limitations, so they will know that they are not
> always worthy of adoration." And God created CAT to be a companion to Adam
> and Eve.
> And Cat would not obey them. And when Adam and Eve gazed into Cat's eyes,
> they were reminded that they were not the supreme beings. And Adam and Eve
> learned humility.
> And they were greatly improved.
> And God was pleased.
> And Dog was happy.......................................................
>
> And Cat didn't give a shit one way or the other.
>
> Olie and Lena were applying for a wedding license and were answering
> questions asked by the clerk. "Lena, how old are you?"
> Lena answered, "I am going to be tventy one in Yanuary."
> Next the clerk asked, "Lena, how tall are you?" Lena stated, "I'm yust
> about six feet tall."
> "And how much do you weigh, Lena?" was the next question. "I weigh yust
> about 235 pounds."
> "Wow," exclaimed the clerk, "You're big enough to play with the Green Bay
> Packers!!"
> "Oh no," answered Lena, "I yust play with Olie's packer."
> A Girl's Prayer:
> Lord, Before I lay me down to sleep, I pray for a man, who's not a creep,
> One who's handsome, smart and strong, One who's willy is thick and long.
> One who thinks before he speaks, When he promises to call, he won't wait
> weeks.
> I pray that he is gainfully employed, And when I spend his cash, won't be
> annoyed.
> Pulls out my chair and opens my door, Massages my back and begs to do more.
> Oh! send me a man who'll make love to my mind, Knows just what to say,
> when I ask "How big's my behind?" One who'll make love till my body's a
> twitchin, in the hall, the loo, the garden and kitchen!
> I pray that this man will love me to no end, And never attempt to shag my
> best friend.
> And as I kneel and pray by my bed, I look at the creep you sent me instead.
> Amen.
>
> A Boy's Prayer:
> Lord, I pray for a nympho with huge boobs who owns a beer store.
> Amen
> Did you hear about the teacher who was helping one of her kindergarten
> students put on his boots? He was really struggling, so she began pulling
> and him pushing. The boots still didn't want to go on. Finally, after
> several minutes the first boot was on. When the second boot was on, she had
> worked up a sweat.
> She almost whimpered when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the
> wrong feet."
> She looked and sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the
> boots off than it was putting them on. She managed to keep her cool as
> together they worked to get the boots back on-this time on the right feet.
> He then announced, "These aren't my boots."
> She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and scream, "Why
> didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. Once again she struggled to help
> him pull the ill-fitting boots off.
> He then said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear them."
> She didn't know if she should laugh or cry. She mustered what grace and
> courage she had left to wrestle the boots on his feet again.
> "Now," she said sweating profusely, "where are your mittens?"
> He said, "I stuffed them in the toes of my boots. . ."
> A pretty young lass had just joined the golf club, and Greg offered to give
> her some instruction. He stood close behind her and showed her how grip the
> club and how to swing back and forward.
> Their moving bodies caused the zipper on his fly to get caught in the
> zipper of her skirt. They were stuck fast together. Slowly they were
> moving towards the club house to get assistance, when suddenly a big brown
> dog jumped out from behind a bush and threw a bucket water over them.
>
> It can buy a House...............But not a Home
> It can buy a Bed..................But not Sleep
> It can buy a Clock................But not Time
> It can buy you a Book..........But not knowledge
> It can buy you a Position......But not Respect
> It can buy you Medicine.......But not Health
> It can buy you Blood............But not Life
> It can buy you Sex..............But not Love
> So you see money isn't everything.
> And it often causes pain and suffering.
> I tell you all this because...........
> I am your Friend, and as your Friend I want to take away your pain and
> suffering..............
> So please send me all your money......and I will suffer for you.
> CASH ONLY PLEASE
> Thought this was gonna be one of those "inspirational" ones, didn't
> you????
> 1. Andy Rooney on Vegetarians:
>
> "Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning 'lousy hunter.'"
> 2. Andy Rooney On Prisoners:
>
> Did you know that it costs forty-thousand dollars a year to house each
> prisoner? Jeez, for forty-thousand bucks apiece, I'll take a few prisoners
> into my house. I live in Los Angeles. I already have bars on the windows. I
> don't think we should give free room and board to criminals. I think they
> should have to run twelve hours a day on a treadmill and generate
> electricity. And if they don't want to run, they can rest in the chair
> that's hooked up to the generator.
> 3. Andy Rooney On Fabric Softener:
>
> My wife uses fabric softener. I never knew what that stuff was for. Then I
> noticed women coming up to me, sniffing, then saying under their breath,
> "Married!" and walking away. Fabric Softeners are how our wives mark their
> territory. We can take off the ring, but it's hard to get that April fresh
> scent out of your clothes.
> 4. Andy Rooney On Morning Differences :
>
> Men and women are different in the morning. We men wake up aroused in the
> morning. We can't help it. We just wake up and we want you. And the women
> are thinking, 'How can he want me the way I look in the morning?' It's
> because we can't see you. We have no blood anywhere near our optic nerve.
> 5. Andy Rooney On Phone-In-Polls:
>
> You know those shows where people call in and vote on different issues? Did
> you ever notice there's always like 18% that say "I don't know." It costs
> 90 cents to call up and vote and they're voting "I don't know." Honey, I
> feel very strongly about this. Give me the phone. (Says into phone) "I
> DON'T KNOW!" (Hangs up looking proud.) Sometimes you have to stand up for
> what you believe you're not sure about." This guy probably calls up phone
> sex girls for $2.95 to say, "I'm not in the mood."
> 6. Andy Rooney On Cripes:
>
> My wife's from the Midwest. Very nice people there. Very wholesome. They
> use words like 'Cripes'. 'For Cripe's sake.' Who would that be-Jesus
> Cripe's? The son of 'Gosh' of the church of 'Holy Moly'? I'm not making fun
> of it. You think I wanna burn in 'Heck'?
> 7. Andy Rooney On Grandma:
>
> My grandmother has a bumper sticker on her car that says, 'Sexy Senior
> Citizen.' You don't want to think of your grandmother that way, do you? Out
> entering wet shawl contests. Makes you wonder where she got that dollar she
> gave you for your birthday.
> 8. Andy Rooney On Answering Machines:
>
> Did you ever hear one of these corny, positive messages on someone's
> answering machine? " Hi , it's a great day and I'm out enjoying it right
> now. I hope you are too. The thought for the day is: "Share the love."
> Beep. "Uh, yeah...this is the VD clinic calling....Speaking of being
> positive, your test results are back. Stop sharing the love."
> 9. Andy Rooney on Research:
>
> Because over the past few years, more money has been spent on breast
> implants and Viagra than is spent on Alzheimer's Disease research, it is
> believed that by the year 2030 there will be a large number of people
> wandering around with huge br**sts and er*ctions...who can't remember what
> to do with them.

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To: Dale Baker who wrote (31139)9/19/2002 12:42:11 PM
From: Tim Davies of 114442
 
whew.. very funny.. needed a good laugh today..thanks
tim

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To: Tim Davies who wrote (31140)9/19/2002 12:56:22 PM
From: Sultan of 114442
 
So Tim, some one in Calgary must have a few ideas re. small resource based companies.. Anything you'd care to share here..

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To: Sultan who wrote (31141)9/19/2002 1:13:38 PM
From: Tim Davies of 114442
 
tdg on toronto is a drilling company turning into an investment trust.. looks to re value .. i do own a few
also there is a company in Australia that supposedly has a large hit..harwood petroleum .. i will try to ask around..most of my Shareholders are from the oil and gas sector.. i am in medical imaging
tim

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To: Tim Davies who wrote (31142)9/19/2002 1:20:41 PM
From: Sultan of 114442
 
Thanks..

Medical Imaging.. Now that is a hot field.. Couple of months back, a local vancouver company A.L.I. Tech (alt.to) was bought out in mid 40s.. a ten fold inrease in less then year..

Needless to say, I did not have any.. although I had looked at them couple of times..

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To: Sultan who wrote (31143)9/19/2002 1:27:31 PM
From: Tim Davies of 114442
 
its a good sector right now. we have a seismic company and are transferring that tech to medical , plus super computing..it will still take a year or two to finish.. just starting trials
tim

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To: Dale Baker who started this subject9/19/2002 1:40:20 PM
From: Dale Baker of 114442
 
The RSTN equation - rotten business but great assets:

Re: Where is the 387 cash?
by: dianalynn77000 09/19/02 01:18 pm
Msg: 33425 of 33434

I just received the response from investor relations:

"No discrepancy,

Here's the breakdown:

Cash & Equiv $97.4

ST Inv $134.8 (AA or higher marketable & govt sec)

LT Inv $155.1 (AA or higher marketable & govt sec)

Equity Investments $42.6MM (not included in cash)

And for net cash you'd want to strip out the convert which is face value of $175, leaving us with net cash of $212.4MM."


(I will admit, the response was extremely quick.)

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To: Dale Baker who wrote (31136)9/19/2002 1:56:02 PM
From: Ray Rueb of 114442
 
The MACD NEVER went positive on AKLM

I really don't like going long when the MACD is negative, and I'm not nimble enough to trade lightning strikes.

I kept saying AKLM was headed for 1.5 and viola! (mis-spelling intentional) here we are (this is as close as I'll get to an "I told you so").

True condolences to longs; I hate being on the wrong side of a lightning strike, always reminds me that I really don't know what I'm doing and that I'm just groping around in the dark.

I want to re-iterate that I was expecting a slow, but steady, slide rather than a lightning strike. Since it is a lightning strike, I wouldn't count it as a triumph of my MACD trading method.

From my Sep 16, 2002 review of Dale's portfolio:
>>Sep 15: AKLM (1.97) - 2.29 - Lightning hit (TV talk) after you bought. MACD is still negative. I still say this is headed for 1.5. Good buy, but I'd scalp it - SELL.

There are other posts out there where I was a little more arrogant and strident about my opinion about AKLM (I'd rather forget them, since I was acting like such a schmuck).

You all be careful out there
Ray

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To: alvik who wrote (31137)9/19/2002 3:35:09 PM
From: alvik of 114442
 
McDonald's CEO Under Fire

biz.yahoo.com 

CHICAGO (Reuters) - McDonald's Chief Executive Jack Greenberg has been delivering investors one UnHappy Meal after another.
As Greenberg, 59, enters his fifth year as CEO of the world's largest fast-food chain, criticism is growing from Wall Street to Main Street over the affable former accountant's inability to turn the company around.

The board should be asking what the real problems are at McDonald's," said Amy Kaser, an analyst at Loomis Sayles, which held 1.09 million McDonald's shares through June. "Management continues to focus on sales in the U.S.," she said, when it should be looking at tougher issues such as the company's heady expansion strategy and declining returns on invested capital.

Shares of McDonald's Corp. (NYSE:MCD - News) slumped to a seven-year low on Tuesday, in their biggest single-day slide since Black Monday in 1987, after the company lowered its earnings outlook for this year. The fast-food chain blamed weak sales in the United States and Europe, its two largest markets.

Until July, the company had reported six straight quarters of earnings declines, hurt by everything from consumers' aversion to beef following outbreaks of mad cow disease overseas to increased U.S. competition in a mature hamburger market and the slowing world economy.

Greenberg has pegged improvement on a "Dollar Menu" of discounted items in the United States that critics say reverts back to the margin-cutting Burger Wars of the early 1990s. He's also investing up to $400 million in improvements to restaurants that have suffered from poor service and quality.

But it's going to take a lot of convincing for Greenberg, once favored by investors, to win back Wall Street's support.

"I think he's (Greenberg's) in his final year," said one prominent executive recruiter for the consumer industry, who declined to be named. "He's not making the fundamental changes. Business as usual is not what's called for at McDonald's."

TURNAROUND SKEPTICISM

Restaurant analyst Mark Kalinowski wrote in a recent report that he "is skeptical about the turnaround plans the Golden Arches has made." Focusing on a nationwide discounting menu could cause gross margins to erode, he said.

Investors have watched in vain as McDonald's pinned its hopes on a range of initiatives including a new production system, management shake-ups, and marketing shifts. In addition, a host of non-hamburger concepts like Donatos pizza and Chipotle Mexican food have yet to become promising enough to garner big financial support from the company.

"I absolutely do think he's (Greenberg's) been a change agent, but the fundamental problems within the industry and McDonald's are larger than anybody realized," said David Kolpak, an analyst with Victory Capital Management, which owned 3.6 million McDonald's shares through June.

Plans to trim restaurant openings this year may not be enough, analysts said. They question the continued commitment to expansion, mostly abroad, that has boosted McDonald's overall store count more than 30 percent in the past five years to more than 30,000 stores, but yielded lower returns.

At the end of this year, average unit volumes in the company's international restaurants will have dropped 48 percent to $1.275 million from 1992 levels, while those in the U.S. will be down 4 percent to $1.5 million, analysts estimate.

MANY INITIATIVES, LITTLE PAYOFF

Greenberg, who ascended to the CEO post in August 1998 after heading McDonald's U.S. operations, appeared early on to breathe new life into McDonald's, mending a rift with franchisees disgruntled by standoffish management and pushing ahead with a new U.S. production system called Made for You.

Some still respect his hands-on style, which is marked by approachability and an ear toward the concerns of operators.

"Jack is genuinely admired and respected by the McDonald's system and franchisees," said Irwin Kruger, a Manhattan-based operator who runs seven McDonald's. "I think Jack inherited a system that was in trouble and was showing telltale signs."

But others said they have yet to see results from Greenberg's biggest ideas. The Made for You system, his most widely publicized project, cost McDonald's and its operators millions of dollars, with promises to improve food taste and provide the flexibility to introduce a host of new products. Some blame it for a slowdown in U.S. service.

"Made for You is the biggest problem in the U.S. system right now," said Richard Adams, head of the Consortium, which claims to represent 1,000 U.S. McDonald's franchisees. Adams said declines in speed are directly attributable to the system. "The franchisees are certainly fed up," he said.

Greenberg, a former Arthur Young accountant who joined McDonald's in 1982, declined to be interviewed by Reuters, but issued a statement on Wednesday through a company spokeswoman.

"As the leader of this great company, I am not going to mince words," he said. "No one is happy with our recent performance, most of all me. But let me assure you that our brand and our worldwide system are strong, and so are the plans to turn performance around."

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