Day: July 28, 2012

Missing Earnings Estimates

Missing Earnings Estimates

Missing earnings estimates hurts in the short run, but it doesn’t mean much if there is no indication that the overall earnings trend has changed.? If the overall trend in earnings has turned down watch out.? Prices can fall as for Zynga and Facebook.

Then you have something like Reinsurance Group of America [RGA].? It recently missed earnings by 12 cents. $1.77 expected, $1.65 actual.? You should want your companies to miss estimates every now and then.? It raises the probability that the accounting is honest.? With a company like RGA, earnings comes down to how many/few large value life insurance policy deaths they have in a quarter.? You are subject to the “law of small numbers” even with the second largest life reinsurance block in the world, because it is the big policies that matter.

Even this does not qualify as a bad quarter for RGA.? Can’t remember a time when they lost money, but they have missed by far more.? Often I have bought shares on such a day; I did not get any on the brief lousy open after the earnings announcement.

With RGA, I hope the price goes down.? I will buy more.? Why?

  • It rarely misses earnings.? The company is conservative with guidance, and usually beats.? Cumulatively, over 2 years it always beats.
  • Life Reinsurance is an oligopoly.? It is one of the less competitive areas of the insurance industry.
  • It is valued at less than 8x current earnings, which are expected to grow, and less than book value, and even book value less AOCI.
  • You have actuaries running the place.? Actuaries have an ethics code.? I’ve met the management; talked with them on the phone.? Occasionally been on their conference calls.? They seem honest and competent.? I have worked for dishonest and/or incompetent insurance management teams occasionally.? I know what they feel like.? One thing dishonest insurers do is always make earnings by shorting reserves, and then, when the reserving imbalance is too great, deliver a lollapalooza of a bad quarter which more than erases the seeming excess earnings.

That RGA would deliver a slight miss is encouraging to me.? The accounting is honest.? RGA is the #2 or #1 firm globally in what it does.? Unlike the deceased Scottish Re, it was conservative in M&A.? It let Scottish Re overpay for deals, while it sat back and saw an undercapitalized competitor cobble together a life reinsurance block nearly as large, but one that was unprofitable, because of the high prices paid to get it, and the opaque holding company structure (worthy of AIG in miniature).

More generally, when a company misses earnings:

  • Does it revise current guidance?? If it doesn’t it may be temporary, and a fluke of accounting rules.? Look at the accruals to give you a clue.
  • How are industry dynamics?? If everyone is missing estimates, there is a reason to mark future prospects down.
  • Analyze where companies in similar industries have been taken private.? That serves as a ground floor for where valuations could go.

And with that, I leave you with RGA.? I have argued for years that Buffett should buy it.? Excellent company, does not need guidance.? Could take over his inferior #5 position in life reinsurance which has lost money and become #1 … and then the life reinsurance industry will have no more pure plays.? Kind of sad, but logical, because larger P&C reinsurers benefit from the diversification.

So RGA missed earnings.? Who cares?? A little lower and I load the boat.

Full disclosure: long RGA

Book Review: Visual Guide to Financial Markets

Book Review: Visual Guide to Financial Markets

This is a good book and I recommend it to certain people.? Thus when you see the number of stars I give it at Amazon, know that for those whom the book is good, it is really good.? But there are some who will get less out of the book.

The author, David Wilson, is an excellent explainer of markets to those who are just learning.? He frequently does “The Chart of the Day” at Bloomberg, giving considerable insight to neophytes and professionals as he boils down complex topics into one graph.

As I began to read the book, I noted to myself, “Oh, in a number of places, they are using Bloomberg Terminal formats without mentioning it.? At the end of the book, they give a list of Bloomberg Terminal codes that would be useful to those who subscribe to the ~$2,000/month service. (Yeh, it costs that much, and it is worth it if you can afford/use it.)

I say this partly because I was a rare Bloomberg user that had expertise with all of the “yellow keys” of Bloomberg.? I’m intellectually curious, so when I first used a Bloomberg terminal back in late 1992, I played around with it to see what it could deliver.? It could deliver a lot, and it has expanded exponentially since then.? It is one amazing system.

But what if you could cobble together the most important 50% of what you get on a Bloomberg terminal, ad pay nothing?? That’s me.? It takes extra work, but you can do it.? I miss my Bloomberg terminal, because I can’t afford it now, but for those that can afford it, it is a wealth of information.

Thus, back to the book.? The book reads like one who imbibes both Bloomberg’s editorial ideals: “keep it simple. explain, give them the facts,” and teaching beginner users of a Bloomberg terminal on how to think about the markets.? Note that the terminal never gets mentioned until an appendix at the end.? But those that use a Bloomberg terminal to a high degree understand how the market is segmented.? We don’t ask the same questions with municipal bonds as we do with stocks.

This book is a very good book for beginners in the markets.? It explains a lot of things well, with reasonable detail.? It is not a good book for experts — you know all this, but if you want to get an introduction to some tangential areas you might not know, this could still help you.? This book brings you up to an intelligent beginner level in a wide number of areas.

What areas does it cover:

  • Stocks
  • Bonds (of many sorts — corporate, government, municipal, mortgage, etc.)
  • Money markets
  • Indexes
  • Commodities
  • Derivatives (options, swaps, futures, forwards)
  • Mutual Funds (open-end and ETFs)

The book highlights at the edges of its pages the main ideas, processes for using the information described, and definitions of financial terms.

Quibbles

When the book gives definitions, it is white on a vivid green background, and is hard to read.? The text should have been black against the vivid green.

The book implicitly assumes that people get quotes from a Bloomberg terminal.? Aside from professionals, few people do.? Until Bloomberg markets a retail service for individuals, offering the basics for 5% of the cost, there is little utility from explaining the nuances of a Bloomberg quote.

The title is slightly misleading, because the the book is no more “visual” than most.? There are a decent amount of graphs, but for a book that calls itself visual, I would have expected more.

Who would benefit from this book:?? This book is best for those that have access to a Bloomberg terminal, but are not expert in using it. Second best, it could help those without a Bloomberg terminal, but want to learn the basics of investing.? Dave is a good teacher.? Finally, for those with experience, this book is redundant.? If you want to, you can buy it here: Visual Guide to Financial Markets (Bloomberg Financial).

Full disclosure: The publisher asked if I wanted the book.? I said ?yes? and he sent it to me.

If you enter Amazon through my site, and you buy anything, I get a small commission.? This is my main source of blog revenue.? I prefer this to a ?tip jar? because I want you to get something you want, rather than merely giving me a tip.? Book reviews take time, particularly with the reading, which most book reviewers don?t do in full, and I typically do. (When I don?t, I mention that I scanned the book.? Also, I never use the data that the PR flacks send out.)

Most people buying at Amazon do not enter via a referring website.? Thus Amazon builds an extra 1-3% into the prices to all buyers to compensate for the commissions given to the minority that come through referring sites.? Whether you buy at Amazon directly or enter via my site, your prices don?t change.

Sorted Weekly Tweets

Sorted Weekly Tweets

 

LIBOR

 

  • Six ways big banks screwed Grandma http://t.co/ltisCJ2P Poorly argued. It’s as if LIBOR could be manipulated without reaction. $$ Jul 28, 2012
  • Fidelity Joins BlackRock in Weighing Libor Action Against Banks http://t.co/9DKR48NY This isn’t as easy as it seems; much 2 prove $$ Jul 26, 2012

 

Eurozone

 

  • Draghi Said to Hold Talks With Weidmann on Bond Purchases http://t.co/SunXLadO If the Buba plays ball, the sky is the limit. $$ #inflation Jul 28, 2012
  • Draghi Says ECB Will Do What?s Needed to Preserve Euro http://t.co/xc4iQ9ji Uncertain that the ECB will buy lots of Italian & Spanish debt Jul 26, 2012
  • Europe Is Cheap?So Why Can?t I Pull the Trigger? http://t.co/yHGHjmoN Wait until things stop getting worse $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Spanish, Italian Notes Rise on Bets for ESM Enhancement http://t.co/3CBLXOmK ?The idea of making the ESM a bank is a game changer,? $$ #no Jul 25, 2012
  • Spain to struggle to fund 2012 debt crunch http://t.co/iOefCfxz How long until the next last minute rescue? 10-yr yields over 7.5% $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Europe Stymies Private Equity as Corporate Buyouts Stall http://t.co/QXNGEnQj If the banks won’t lend, private equity deals don’t fly $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Hollande Transaction Tax Drives Investor Quest for Loopholes http://t.co/hDvZnQfL New trans tax drives investors2use contracts4difference Jul 24, 2012
  • Euro-Zone Government Debts Hit Record http://t.co/o9lXW7f1 Govt debt / GDP 4 whole E-Zone goes from 87.3% @ 12/11 -> 88.2% @ 3/12 $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Greece Back at Center of Euro Crisis as Spain Yields Soar http://t.co/GLCWfi9e IMF/Core begins to doubt ability to hold it together $$ Jul 23, 2012
  • YIKES: Spanish Yields Are Surging To Record Highs http://t.co/qIQhvlUE Time 4 the Germans to buy summer homes in Spain $$ #evercloserunion Jul 23, 2012

 

US Politics

 

  • There. MMF reform that works, fit into a single tweet. $$ 🙂 Jul 27, 2012
  • Let MMFs keep a stable NAV, pass through losses thru unit reduction if real NAV<.995, reset real NAV @ 1.0025. Runs would strengthen NAV $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Why Investors Are Dumping Money Market Funds For Short-Duration ETFs http://t.co/TNEpH9F9 My point: treat MMFs like modified ETFs $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Maryland Governor Defends ‘Millionaires’ Tax’, Denies Job Losses http://t.co/yqfVRYCB Can bend rules, since MD is next 2 DC, which slurps $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Drilling Strains Rural Roads http://t.co/2tUr6bJY Simple solution: tell energy companies you will not repair roads. They will do it $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Treasury Eyes Funds Hidden Overseas http://t.co/g38s8z1c IRS goes after foreign trusts, seems 2ba piddling amount of money 2 go after $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Wrong: How2Break NRA?s Grip on Politics: Michael R. Bloomberg http://t.co/I9vm6KKg The Ethanol lobby is a lot weaker than the gun lobby $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Estate Tax: Ezra Klein is Wrong! http://t.co/1o5sumfN Never trust anyone whose profession starts w/an “A.” 😉 Accts, Attys, Advisors &c $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Making the Rich Poorer Doesn?t Enrich the Middle Class http://t.co/fvsUgDfk The govt exists to grow itself until we die. Sad but true $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • The gender wage gap is a myth http://t.co/cNpTi1uZ Diana Furchtgott-Roth makes the same case that many economists have since the 70s $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • New Geithner disclosures further cloud his record http://t.co/heblaDAH Geithner was point man 4the Fed on derivatives. Dropped ball $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Justice Scalia Disputes Accuracy Of ‘Leak’ http://t.co/OMVCtlAg Wide-ranging interview of Scalia, whose juridical impact may outlive him $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Former Citigroup CEO Weill Says Banks Should Be Broken Up http://t.co/zftFGEQ6 Good, he changed his view, my view changed on that also $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • 10 Everyday Items That Cost Way More Because of US Taxes http://t.co/KjXUu8Im Interesting list, mostly comprised of protectionist taxes $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • The hidden Mitt Romney http://t.co/rPVcQR7C Romney & Obama have one thing in common: the more you know about them, the less you like them $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Romney to Attack Obama on Leaks, Defense Cuts http://t.co/hiCrTCtX ?the greatest force for good the world has ever known? US naivete $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Scalia Offers Up 57 Varieties for Interpreting Legal Texts http://t.co/sSdqUE1m His manifesto on originalism/textualism $$ Jul 23, 2012

 

China

 

  • Lies, Damned Lies, and China’s Economic Statistics http://t.co/Fqpn8YMS I have some skepticism to US statistics, how much more China? $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Xi Jinping Millionaire Relations Reveal Fortunes of Elite http://t.co/iFz7e6dg Communist Party members have access2loans & IPO allocations Jul 27, 2012
  • Capital Outflows Chime With China?s Bears http://t.co/GIaMbM8g “any currency exchange >$2,000 needs to have a prior reservation made.? $$ Jul 25, 2012

 

Companies

 

  • Alierta Abandons Dividend Penchant to Save Telefonica http://t.co/AHhbFucX Now more interested in $TEF, good cashflow, div shld resume $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Unilever Warns of Worsening Economy http://t.co/wscXplAV Global economy is weak, even for staple goods. $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Zynga?s ?Draw Something? Isn?t a Pretty Picture http://t.co/nSrHWTG3 Always be wary of fads that have no balance sheet $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Sanofi Dengue Vaccine Is Promising http://t.co/7EFL5ioC Good news. Perhaps Dengue Fever may be conquered for the good of mankind $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Industrias Bachoco Announces Second Quarter 2012 Results http://t.co/n0amblWp Tough read, Q looks good, US acq prob paying off FD:+ $IBA $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Assurant Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results http://t.co/jdaB09Kh FIring on all cylinders, & shrinking share count FD: + $AIZ $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Warren Buffett: Great Investor, Lousy Insurance Salesman? http://t.co/4KfZNNP3 Poor article; Buffett is very intelligent insurance exec $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • link 4 last tweet: http://t.co/sj75tC5q You could short the 2.6% bonds and go long default protection for an almost risk-free profit. $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Someone Is Getting Really Nervous About HP?s Debt http://t.co/Zqj1xEhp If you look at bonds vs CDS, bonds aren’t panicking. FD: + $HPQ $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Contra: Campbell Chases Millennials With Lentils Madras Curry http://t.co/MBdpXGsJ @ $3/pouch I don’t c a mkt 4 gourmet instant soup $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Google buys Sparrow for ‘new Gmail project’ http://t.co/q0i3TfZv Sell your company 2 $GOOG 4 $$ . Get new tasks while old technology dies Jul 24, 2012
  • Iraq blacklists Chevron for Kurdish oil deals http://t.co/23opiYYs Not as big as it seems $CVX has no biz in Arab Iraq $$ FD: +CVX Jul 24, 2012

 

Rest of the World

 

  • North Korean Mystery Woman Is Leader Kim Jong Un?s Wife http://t.co/CK8seZPc I find it optimistic that he wants to live a normal life $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Global economy?s cure is worse than the disease http://t.co/isJuL3rn Indirectly suggests the best policy would be benign neglect $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Cyber Attacks on Activists Traced to FinFisher Spyware of Gamma http://t.co/ZITxw1bu Practice safe computing; scan for rogue processes $$ Jul 25, 2012

 

Public Radio

 

  • Public Radio International acquired by Boston public broadcaster WGBH http://t.co/Mck9Gx0n Interesting when a non-profit corp gets bought $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • If it is the same, could NPR or the Corporation 4 Public Broadcasting sell out also? Buffett could give them a good home. Or the Kochs 😉 $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Grew up in the insurance world, so I’ve seen non-profit (mutuals) buy another mutual or stock company, but is it the same w/WBGH buying PRI? Jul 26, 2012
  • Renaming 2 Private Radio International 😉 RT @timjeby: Big Public Radio News: WGBH in Boston to acquire Public Radio International #pubmedia Jul 26, 2012

 

Municipal Bonds

 

  • For further reading consider: Some perspective on the recent California bankruptcies by @munilass aka Bond Girl $$ http://t.co/2jwUeNOX Jul 26, 2012
  • Muni Blues Worry Investors http://t.co/r4VvKP4g Municipalities aiming4 strategic default face challenges in courts; favor bondholders $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Some perspective on the recent California bankruptcies http://t.co/RFAgUt5u @munilass on how unusual wud b4 muni bonds 2not pay principal $$ Jul 24, 2012

 

Federal Reserve

 

  • Bernanke the unready http://t.co/6ppUDOMl Fed is impotent, but can’t admit it. Bernanke is wrong on monetary policy near 0%. $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Fed strives to replenish depleted toolkit http://t.co/Yhy4pMy2 Doing the same thing, over & over again, but expecting different results $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Fed Sees Action if Growth Doesn’t Pick Up Soon http://t.co/2TddWIZz Doing the same thing over&over again&expecting different results $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Coming: The End of Fiat Money http://t.co/jHhnlPs0 Nice try. Lot of good stuff 2 read here, but no clincher 4 the return of gold $$ Jul 23, 2012

 

US Housing

 

  • By October of 2005 the prices of residential real estate peaked, which led to most of the leverage unwind that was about to happen. $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Office of Financial Research Annual Report http://t.co/w9Xm4i9J Pp 8-9, first difficulty: by 2005 it was too late to stop the crisis $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Is This What a Housing Bottom Looks Like? http://t.co/pSwtryX4 Lazy recovery, as people sell when they can avoid losses $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Wrong: Reverse mortgages as popular as IRAs in 10 years http://t.co/pp7qoG63 Must have equity & creditworthy rev mtge lenders. Complex 2 $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Home Values Post First Year-Over-Year Increase Since 2007 http://t.co/VHFnG83k Prices rising on the low end; higher priced problematic $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Subprime Rally Building as Dealers Sop Up Supply http://t.co/s7BVK0v2 Combination of yield lust & rising housing prices drive up bonds $$ Jul 24, 2012

 

Miscellaneous

 

  • Pig Tissue Seen Fixing Injury That Sidelined Lin http://t.co/ys0kWDNb New tech uses pig tissue undoes painful damage from torn meniscus $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Can a Food for Cows Make Healthier Snickerdoodles? http://t.co/o8vF4h5e Adding some DDG 2baked goods adds protein & fiber, good yes? $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Closing In on a Cure for Vision Loss http://t.co/QCNZohN7 Testing “gene therapy, stem-cell therapy & a modified version of vitamin A” $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Will the world’s greatest startup machine ever stall? http://t.co/R1wFzGsM Long interview w/President of Stanford re Silicon Valley ties $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Breadbaskets of Last Resort See Once-in-a-Lifetime Prices http://t.co/A0AePuJx Focuses on upper Midwest; great time to have good corn $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • MIT Researchers’ `Cool’ Idea http://t.co/SMPitSjO Way cool, allowing 4 cheaper, better milk in rural areas where power is spotty. $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • Contra: The One Capitalism That Dare Not Speak Its Name http://t.co/jaZfeluf State Capitalism more prone 2 bubbles than laissez-faire $$ Jul 24, 2012
  • America’s Energy Situation In 15 Maps http://t.co/lw0vOwnc Refining, production, prices, intl concerns, natgas, crude, coal, solar, wind $$ Jul 23, 2012
  • THE DEFINING DECADE: Why You Can’t Afford To Waste Your Twenties http://t.co/8gl9RqGG Early success compounds; so does early failure $$ Jul 23, 2012
  • Lobbying Works! Big Spenders Reap Big Stock Gains Says Trennert http://t.co/2vsJyEXB But what happens if the US Government has to shrink $$ Jul 23, 2012
  • Who Really Invented the Internet? http://t.co/LkvW1xwM Many did, & they were standing on the shoulders of giants. $$ #ittakesavillage 😉 Jul 23, 2012

 

Market Dynamics

 

  • Fidelity Targets Securities Lending http://t.co/stEvATII The buyside is beginning to fight back against the trust & investment banks $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Study: High-Speed Trading Hurts Long-term Investors http://t.co/ZhMhkiCG This probably affects those w/higher turnover more $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • Currencies: from Nullifying to Negative http://t.co/lxqwZZKw What is the game? To make money, or avoid losing a lot? Neg int rates a pain $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • Bond Trading Loses Some Swagger Amid Upheaval http://t.co/l93Vp7xL Except 4 the most liquid corporates, need broker2find liquidity/bonds $$ Jul 25, 2012

 

Comments

 

  • Our Olympic Gold in Wit $$ RT @TheLondonWhale: RT take a bow @ReformedBroker: Switzerland tough to beat in gold vaulting Jul 28, 2012
  • “Cultural change cannot be achieved by outsiders, in 1 generation, no matter how much $$ gets spent.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/5eBdsBlO Jul 27, 2012
  • @brettsimonson Think the direction I would have headed was public policy, which involves a finer view of asset/liab mgmt, run avoidance etc Jul 27, 2012
  • @brettsimonson Hi Brett, no part 2 from what I can see. Very disorganized that week — no power for a week Jul 27, 2012
  • Ditto, well-deserved $$ RT @ReformedBroker: we love you, simone RT @SimoneFoxman: Yay, 5K! Thanks for following, everyone!! Jul 27, 2012
  • @munilass Also, if a kid was disconsolate for a while, before 2AM it was mine. After, it was hers. Jul 27, 2012
  • @munilass When the family was young, my wife & I had a deal. I took midnight feedings, she took the early morning feedings. Jul 27, 2012
  • @munilass My house works like this: I work late b/c it is quiet. My wife who homeschools the kids gets up early b/c it is quiet. Jul 27, 2012
  • @munilass I know many classes of bonds and other fixed income instruments. But I only know enough about munis to be dangerous. Thus I ask. Jul 27, 2012
  • @munilass Decided to review the book “Investing in the High Yield Municipal Market” by Triet Nguyen. If I have Qs, can I ask you? Jul 27, 2012
  • @e_d_sanders Both parties stand for different shades of nothing. They give rhetoric to their bases, do little, and cling to power. $$ Jul 27, 2012
  • RT @Convertbond: Sell the US equity rally hard when Spain’s 2s \ 10s curve starts to re-flatten #Government #Bonds 2 year & 10 year … Jul 26, 2012
  • “”Of course this food is organic. We used Organic Chemistry to create it.”” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/CvYhIQ7p $$ $DF Jul 26, 2012
  • Happy 2b your 1st subscriber $$ RT @SNLFinancial: Follow SNL Financial reporters so you?re always in the know: http://t.co/Rbwi9Jn3 Jul 26, 2012
  • “Why we need to dismantle the Democrat & Republican parties: the national budget slaves for local interests” Merkel http://t.co/gllFMcec $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • A weather forecaster for either WBAL or WTOP said that Maryland gets a derecho once every 5-10 years. Two in one year? Hope not. $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • Just what we need, another derecho $$ RT @BloombergNews: Severe storms, possible derecho forecast for Northeast US http://t.co/XPGdJQoC Jul 26, 2012
  • RE: @bloombergview Not worthy to be read $$ http://t.co/TsRQZdTI Jul 26, 2012
  • RE: Loads of 12% coming out mean that only 88% of the money is going to work for the investor.? Doesn’t matter where ? http://t.co/hJgSPGrT Jul 26, 2012
  • Commented on The Economist | Monetary policy: Bernanke the unready http://t.co/rsqLZm7A Jul 26, 2012
  • “Marriage civilizes, & gives us some hope that he will normalize N. Korea. He lived outside NK 4?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/uxDl62iM $$ Jul 26, 2012
  • RT @ReformedBroker: RT @jamielissette: *MOODY’S CHANGES OUTLOOK ON 17 GERMAN BANKING GROUPS TO NEGATIVE Jul 25, 2012
  • “For what it is worth, that’s the way Canada does it. Income taxed @ FMV @ death. No estate tax.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/lQx4RjYN $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • RE: @CSMonitor The book “Hungry Ghosts” documents The Great Leap Forward very well. Worth a read. $$ http://t.co/LQ5dChjQ Jul 25, 2012
  • “It would be cleaner to tax unrealized capital gains at death, and eliminate the estate tax.” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/GqPiMZ5r $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • “Rating agencies are supposed to be behind the curve. They rate over the full credit cycle?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/z80RTQCv $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • @e_d_sanders He could have included 1 or 2 more words & it would have been crystal clear. I think the ambiguity was deliberate. I cud bwrong Jul 25, 2012
  • “Don’t open suspicious attachments. Use procexp to review processes. Disable processes you can’t?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/PUaCZKOf $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • “When computers screen applicants, a skills shortage emerges. Computers seek current perfection, not?” David_Merkel http://t.co/HVRm6HOP $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • “A case where so many things went wrong, it is amazing that they almost won. Really, they were?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/hJcw4tCX $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • @e_d_sanders I’m voting third party; I don’t like the GOP either; it’s obvious that no one man builds infrastructure; not a point 2 make Jul 25, 2012
  • @e_d_sanders It’s not a misquote. Read the two paragraphs in context; he is downplaying individual initiative. Jul 25, 2012
  • @havocp I copied the quote from the WH website. Given what O said in the above that, both interpretations are legitimate. Could b clearer. Jul 25, 2012
  • @havocp and I appreciate your comment. I like those that comment, and even those that disagree with me highly. Jul 25, 2012
  • @havocp Doesn’t matter to me. Concentrating effort is significant and deserves a reward, not condescension. $$ Jul 25, 2012
  • RT @pdacosta: Crisis contained, to inhabited areas. RT @SJosephBurns: “The Subprime Crisis will not affect the economy overall.” – Ben B … Jul 25, 2012
  • RT @ritholtz: WSJ reporting ?Federal Reserve moving closer to action to spur growth” Bond buying, rate guidance, lower reserve rate amon … Jul 24, 2012
  • RE: @bloombergview You’re still going to need LIBOR, however calculated, for existing contracts. Replacement will be ? http://t.co/smOdgXbd Jul 24, 2012
  • “Ethics comes before competence. Doesn’t matter how good you are, if you are unethical. The?” ? David_Merkel http://t.co/6bgcT6nT $$ Jul 23, 2012
  • RT @AmityShlaes: “The post office ought to be self supporting. At present business men are deluged with useless mail.” — Calvin Coolidg … Jul 22, 2012
  • @niubi No, b/c many babies do not sleep through the night @ 3 months Jul 21, 2012
  • If I could ship the rain in Maryland 2 the Midwest, I would. But Maryland farmers r having a good year. Corn looks normal & prices r high $$ Jul 21, 2012
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