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GM/PFE ---- That is why I told René to fix yours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mine is fine - use that.
GM
Don't forget this is WEEKLY not daily.
The MACD was going UP (we are gathering "weeks" of MACD's that form the trend) - the downtrends were less and less -- then last week the "low" was lower than the previous set of lows. This week is moot.
Now if you look at the ">0" (EoDEC or BoJAN). Ok a buy could have been placed, and your stop protected your loss. Was that a bearish double top of the MACD? Now right after that - the MACD is back to "<0" -- but its trend is still LOWER than the previous lows. Then two more above zero - followed by what we have now - and yes, the pattern is broken to the downside.
Yes PRICES are always going down - with little ups - the I am referring purely to the MACD.
Now back to PFE...
For a buy via weekly, trend broke this week.
However, on the Mark Daly's - where I am guaging my sells, there were a few places I mentioned previously where the exit should have occurred. So in 24.80s .. out 26.10s - currency farked me + dividend + late exit = around break even but on the US only side (sans dividend), my first win. (And a special cuz Kirby49 made me do it - the stop was always in and adjusted up once).
1-0.
I like the weekly - gets me away from this panic stuff and into a relaxful - "do I have time" mode -- "does this picture look good" --- "does it make my hair tingle?" ---- "does she like me?" . For me I think there will be more than enough opts to make money. Just have to hone the skills. Currency is a problem on the short gains - but alas if I am only playing with single lots, there isn't much room for anything.
Limit my loses and rack the wins is my only concern right now.
B
People tried making money selling fish oil over the net.. so yes you could make money on anything - question is how to go about it. To me none of these are ripe for a picking. And no, the days of bottom fishing the likes of GM are (as they say in Kitchen Stadium) "O-VA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Finish your packin and get yer flock outta here!
B
Robert Blake? Well yes there is a relationship. You see my nephew, sold Fred C. Dobbs the winning ticket in the Mexican lottery! <vbg!>
Now lets first not mix apples and oranges. A chart for PFE or GM or AAPL may not work so hot on trusts that pay out every month. (I don't know and no I still am not fixed at following one set of charting paramters - though I like the weekly so far).
What I am seeing is this week it has climbed to hit the top of the bollinger band (I am looking at PRICE CHANNELS* too).
I am starting to move in the direction of "better value" investing - choosing to pick those stocks that are near the bottom of their "channel". That doesn't mean this is not a buy, but I have to choose my weapon - either I am buying near the bottom of a channel; buying as it hits an EMA; or buying as it breaks up - perhaps at the point where it climbs through the upper channel. (William O'Neill of IBD likes buying stocks making higher highs). I have to decide where I am going - today, I wouldn't buy this because it is at the top of the channel. Full stop.
(A) Based on the Histogram - 1st week of July 2004 - buy. YES we go lower price wise into last few weeks of August - but assuming at least a 5% stop (buy 11.50 -- stop at 10.92) - we would have held.
(B) Based on the MACD CROSS OVER - Between 2nd/3rd week of Sep - we would enter here too - but without checking the daily the swing was from 11.50 to 12.00. I am tired of chasing shit. If I want that I will hunt for penny plays.
In this example, (A) would be a nicer entry.
Now here is an example, that if it turned up for the week..
At the bottom of the channel. A turn next week - with a higher (closer to zero) MACD could move this from "not interested" to "watch" - then more positive moves the following week could make it a buying candidate.
Weeks 2/3 June 2004 - double "bottom" MACD is bullish.
Now to be realistic, I own trusts and would FIRST want to figure out how good they are. We buy trusts because of income/yield first, and growth (via stock appreciation) as a secondary factor (no?). As long as it grows the assets (of which the commodity we like), is well run, maintains the yield, the stock could, theoretically stay at the current price and we would be happy - happier still if outside of the RSP and of course paying us via ROC.
But a stock which doesn't yield anything and/or I couldn't care less about that - merely a swing trade - then the "setup" is all I care for.
The fact that GM is still going down, isn't saying to me "BUY!" But if the chart looked better and the general direction is UP then yes, it might be a buy.
Unless something changes tomorrow, the MACD is disconnected now. This week's histogram bar is now lower than the previous weeks - technically last week could be considered as a reversal of the trend.
I have to spend more time looking at these. I want the MACD to point up as well as the weekly prices.
So for GM, it would not be a candidate until things reconnect.
Daily - still like ADX and Fast (or slow?) Stochastics.
Need more time in looking at these kinds of charts - how the weekly fairs - then the dailies. The dailies will get me out - so for AVN - it didn't hit the lows of the channel back in June-Aug 04 - but was on the south side of the EMA.
If I would have bot first fiew weeks of July, how would I have handled August? Haven't - but looking at the dailies might have said sell. A buy back even say 3rd week of August - confirmed UP trend, would yield a nice return + INCOME going forward.
* Stockcharts is showing off their 2.0 version - includes a few extra charting indicators etc - Price channels as an example - which for example may simply capture 90-95% of the price action - instead of the more complicated bollinger bands. (still reviewing that myself though).
Doesn't seem to be a way to EMBED the charts anymore. One could argue "in beta" but to me a V2 product must do the same basic functions as a V1. So if I cannot embed today with a beta, I think they have decided not to allow it period. (not good business model in my books). They may lose the visual edge they have had.
LASTLY - lets not forget a point here friend -- over the past 3-4 mths, we are only talking an overall spread of up to 50 cents. Either it will continue to break up out of the range; or it will stay up for a bit and come back down to around 11.75. Time will tell - hope it breaks higher!
Cheers - and enjoy the skiing if you can find some!
Blake
GM: A little nicer.. but I am still waiting...
B
RESPS
With TD - at this point the account wasn't large enough to split (TD charges but the commissions eat into profits). As it gets bigger and my skills grow, I will split them up. I use to have a single joint account between wife and I - there you have to pay taxes on interest etc etc What a waste of time - so I split them up. Lot of work alright.
O/T Parking
As I mentioned yesterday the mall wasn't that full so parking was a breeze. We/I tend not to go shopping much during people hours (ie not Saturday/Sunday or weenights; but instead weekdays or during rushhour (5-7pm). At those times, you can walk into and out of Costco pretty quick compared to other times.
Cheerios!
B
RESP and Vaughan Mills Mall..
My kids RESP (currently combined) - have Acclaim; Viking (thanks too KC) and some ARQ. (As Rainman would say, ARQ definitely bad*). Even some FRIGGING stupid Nortel - well at least even with that (only about 95% of its value), I have managed to get the MKT value of the portfolio over the BOOK value.
Been a bit more conservative than I want with that account. But I think some of my new ideas and plans will grow it quite nicely.
*Managing all the various accounts, I am also looking at ensuring that no two accounts have the same securities unless conservative vehicles. Not sure how I feel about that statement with trusts - my RSP has it and my wife's non-RSP has Acclaim (where it gets the most bang for the buck). I want to cut down on the low priced "panic" selling stuff (like the PYR) and whenever that happens, the last thing I want is to go placing orders in accounts all over the place.
As for noise, I visited for the first time Vaughan Mills Mall. (not sure if it is calling itself the biggest in Canada or not). As Maya Angelou would say "As the mall is large, so I walk, so I walk." But not as big as I expected. Parking was a snap since not many where there.
Highlights:
#1 - Hands down - pleasant layout - essentially a long oval - with food court dead center. One floor.
#2- Bass Pro Fishing Shop - huge double sided aquarium with fresh water fish - all kinds - Large Mouth; Catfish; Sturgeon etc etc Massive fish - two feet long and a foot high! Almost (if not over) 20 aisles of fishing lures. Crappy tire would have - comparitive - 1/2 of one side of one aisles. Sell archery; golf; hunting; boating gear plus clothes etc. Even have some games - like target practice. Kinda big - can't see them making much money - wild women (maybe), but wilde game here around Richman's Hill? Doubt it. But we have nothing here so I guess it may fit the bill
#3 - Nascar store - sort of a cross between a store and Chuckie Cheese - games for the kids; even cart rides - two tracks for the kids. Plus some "amusement" ride - you sit in the cars
#4 - Good amount of various kinds of stores. Oprah had an entrepreneur on the show talking about "Build a Bear" - they have that store. Basically you go in - select the bear (or some other animals), you then personalize - heart; sounds - and you put them inside the bear - then you go to the stuffer and fill it as much or as little as you want; they sew it and you then get a box designed like a house.
#5 - Didn't skimp on walkways - very wide and various floor coverings.
Lowlights:
#1 - I can only assume they ran out of money building it - very few places to sit. The odd one - but none of the entrances had benches like other malls - will complain about that
#2 - Food court was very plain - KFC; NY Fries; Taco Bell - yeah yeah normal stuff. A few different ones. Just felt it was too plain.
#3 - No various types of parking spots (ie Pregnant; Family with Strollers etc) Cripes Walmart has that!
#4 - Supposedly most of the US stores pulled - so no places like Sax Fifth Avenue. However, how they would fit in alongside "Silver Dollar" is beyond me. The last time I saw such highend/lowend mix stores was at Promenade Mall - and that was a dismal failure - they all left and the mall had vacancy all over the place for years. We have a few malls that focus on fashion - but most stores follow the same high-end theme throughout.
Overall a good experience and will go back soon - not too far away. How would it be if the parking lot was full? Don't want to know.
Not sure what to think - part of me says this is 20years too late something of this size - people seem to like the outlet strip malls nowadays. But then again, first mall for Maple really and close to Wonderland (great for parents dropping off kids!) and again it isn't so big to discourage you. The layout is great - simply go around. Malls like Markville and Scarberia town - you are forced to double back. Design matters and quite frankly they got it right!
Located Jane & Hwy 7 (and no I am not a shill for the man; unlike the Fido guy now is a shill for Ted!)
Cheers!
B
AE/UN.TO: Thanks JW. Reading their annual report last year was definitely an enjoyable experience. Great achievements & goals and I like their management a lot.
My kids have a bunch in their RESP and I have some elsewhere.
My overall investment strategy is moving towards technicals - and like "management" and "products" isn't going to have much focus anymore. But the trusts have a certain purpose for me and hearing where they are going is very important - not increasing their assets and too high a yield is not good etc etc.
KC recommended them and I have been accumulating more over the years - even from pre-consolidation.
My dental hygienist asked about a trust (I fear a bubble from that alone) - I recommended Acclaim with "management" in the blurb being high on the list. Of course people like her are a dime a dozen --- they say:
1) "are you an investor?" (from a hunch comes the question)
2) "do you know much about xyz?" (where xyz equals current rave - which is trusts")
3) "what do you like?" (the massage - hook to prop up your ego - lets hear what the expert has to say)
4) "what about this?" (they want you to confirm what someone told them to buy regardless of who they are)
... oh sorry--- I missed the one between "3" and "4" it goes..
+) to themselves "I don't give a flying FCUK what you have to say, just shut the FCUK up so I can ask you my question"
Noise - I have to filter that out - which includes answering to #1 "I merely dabble" -- which skips #2 & 3 -- for #4 with #2 I just answer "no idea.. don't even know anything about trusts".
Improving my family's well being first. Chatting here with people that love the topic in general second. The rest - noise!
Thanks
S
PYR: Legacy holding -- totally out...
Sold balance today in the mid $1.70s. Oh well - about a 100% return though so I am happy.
Woulda coulda shoulda CPT.V and FCO.TO.. close though..
Sloppy
BOKF - Interesting Chart..
4th week of Feb would have been the week to look at the dailys for an entry...
assuming entry around $42.. $8 channel..
except for this one there really wasn't a down day since it exploded from $39 until yesterday... but still looking at entry methods (Elders et al)
B.
Anita is still hottt no matter what color she wears..
A little color goes a long way friend!
RDC
Bottom of channel - last May/June
Or from any EMA point. But yes overbought.
July "21.71" was a better at EMA buy over the 1st week of Jan EMA - wider channel..
Yes more of those I need to go over. Gonna start reading his thread from msg 1 very soon.
Thanks!
B
EDIT: If I didn't say, until it goes to and hopefully below the EMA, I wouldn't look at it myself.
FoxBox: When Trusts go Bad...
Watch how this unspecting grandmother tells her broker to "buy me some of those gassy high yield trusts sonny.. and step on it!"..
This coffee shop owner finds out about his customers' interest in trusts and begs for an opinion: "my son was suggesting cold storage.. but I am thinking a trust in sperm banks would be more profitable - both require refrigeration"..
Mary Murky asks "I want a trust that yields 98%, and is growing at 120% per year."
Dave American exclaims "I hear the shriners are looking at starting a trust. Those little cars are the bomb!"
Well Kastelco there is one song that comes to mind..
2 Unlimited - Here I Go Lyrics (some)
Oh, I can't escape, I'm trapped there is no safe place to go
And I do regret the things I did, but how on earth could I know?
Here I go!
Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go
R: Here I go
Here I go
A: Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go
R: Deep down below
Deep down below
A: Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go
R: Here I go
Here I go
Here I go
A: Here I go catch me I'm falling falling
How could I know?
R: Catch me, I'm falling
A: Catch me
R: Now let it flow
Here I go
R: Here I go
Here I go
A: Here I go
R: Catch me
Catch me
A: Here I go!
Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go!
Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go!
Here I go catch me I'm falling deep
Here I go
Here I go
Here I go catch me I'm falling falling
Could be KC.. could be!
B
Anita.. you could catch me anyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyytime!!!!
PGX/UN.TO: There is a place to see.. and a place to go...
Slight set back.. that's ok...
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit of volume here huh?
Where d stops go?
B
PFE/GM - Fo times a mady........
I tried my hand at this one and got in around $24.88 - following part of my new plan; investment ideas and rules. Stop in place. Single lot; First week of February.
Seriously looking at this next - a cover story on Business Week would be the icing... (the international/european version is AUDI though.. ha!).
The catch is - will an uptrend swing take it higher or just prepare for another tree lower..
B.
FCO: What the heck - Junk all around for my friends!
(three times the charm.. Nicki Charm... as Gene Rayburn would say "She is magically.. BLANK")
Definitely nice volume turn around since Feb 7
So out of curiosity to you penny players - any of you would add a stop to this - AQI or CPT and if so -- any rules of thumb? ie % down from last minor bottom etc? A $20 - I feel ok putting a stop - but these..
Am reading Technical Stock Trends by Edwards/Magee (name/author from my head) - they talk of the sensitivity indicator. Modern day would probably be the ATR but a different scaling system. Anyways Edwards/Magee - when the range was beyond 2.00, and the stock under $5, they would have stops about 15% down. I suppose that is about the range we would be looking at for these (CPT/FCO at least).
The other angle is set a profit target - sell half and play the rest.
Anyways.. interesting nonetheless.
If junk had wings, who would be there to see it fly away?
B
CPT: Le Junk, Part Deux
I know Kastelco has a bit of this. Me too (OUCH!).
Anyways the chart pattern - any thoughts?
I see a channel - using top of 62/70 and bottom of 41/51. Head and shoulders perhaps - except the right shoulder has the largest volume - to me that rules out H&S.
But interestingly, back to August the "wave" started - and basically has just widened over time.
Anyways average is $0.86 - whatever quantity I have - that in total is far more than I ever should have risked on this one.
Keep hope alive!
B
AQI: I am not a millionaire, but play one in my mind.
My cost is $1.30 - wee bit - but enough to kick my ass for not dumping before. Volume definitely looking good. Looking back a few years the spikes are not common but enough to give rise. (AQI directors having sex? could be donkey, could be).
I hope for anything but a loss.
B
AQI: 3rd time here for me.. hope it is the charm...
(no no not Nicki Charm....
S
ARQ: Please don't! :-O /eom
OT: Advertisting Standards Canada
(Absolutely nothing to do with making money - but - something I believe strongly in)
Last year I had the great fortune of going to Future Shop to pick up a starter kit for Rogers High Speed Internet. The ad claimed that if I signed up for 6mths, I would get the first month free and a gift card of $100. No price was mentioned for the kit.
I go to the store and (as I suspected) was told that the kit costs about $39.95. I stated to the rep that there was no price in the ad. Then went to the manager who cared not to show his face but told the rep to say that was a standard price and that they didn't have to show the price in the ad.
F-THAT!
It was a lark and wasn't a show stopper - I signed up for Rogers online - bottom line the Future Ship deal was nice - but forced me into a 6mth contract. With Rogers I got a reduced rate over 3mths and no contract. So I was ok with that.
But the ad was a problem. How to approach? A Google search later came up with the above named site. From there I was able to launch a complaint. I scanned in the ad - no price mentioned. I scanned in a Rogers version which showed a price; first mth free plus the free speaker system (same value as the $100 gift card). And uploaded the works to the site.
A little over a month later I got a letter stating that:
The requirement to purchase a starter kit was unintentionally omitted from the advertisement. Based on the acknowledged facts, Council found that the advertisement omitted an important detail.
.
I was given a contact for Future Shop - to call and get a free starter kit. Moot of course.
Today, the ad shows the starter kit price.
I am sick and tired of false advertising of this nature. If you live in Canada, I urge you to use this site anytime you feel that the company is misleading consumers. Not like you have to write a letter and mail it off somewhere - all can be done via the internet.
Check out the site:
http://www.adstandards.com/
Check out my full complaint: (#2) Future Shop division of Best Buy
http://www.adstandards.com/en/standards/report.asp
.. click 2004 4th Quarter -- scroll to #2...
A message from the consumers that ain't gonna take chit.
B
PYR: Sold about 40% of my holdings in the range of 1.52-1.60 .. >75% gain. Overall day was bad for the earls so I figured this should probably be liquidated.
One bright side - I don't own much, but I am above the minimum commission on this. So I can sell bits and pieces over days without being penialized (it is % based).
Will see tomorrow...
(legacy holding)
B
That was basically the jist of ROB - while they spend the money to expand, they are not spending on the improvements (hence the 1 in 4 only would recommend them).
Meanwhile, Bell is going to launch a TV service using their twisted pair - that strikes directly into the apartment/condos
The 60GB/year theory is Canadian Grade AAA Bullshit. Yeck! Takes aweful!!
Their problem appears to be the inability to figure out how to peg each user differently - a Lite user could get 10GB/mth. An Express could get 60GB/mth and an Extreme could get 100GB/mth. I mean you are paying for a level of service - yet the Extreme now are stuck with a Porsche on the 401 during peak rush hour.
On the one hand they can monitor my amount (38GB/60GB already) - but they can't slot me at a higher rate. The logic of that is not clear to me - either they don't want to or they can't --- if they can't how can they determine my actual usage? (catch 22...).
If I knew Extreme would get say 120GB/mth - I probably would pony up for the new modem. Instead I am going to just sit back and let ALL OF THEM bitch to the limits.
Bell still has the upper hand on the service - but they haven't seemed to offer VoIP yet. Now that alone boggles my mind - they seem to be the best suited to offer such services, yet they aren't doing it. My only take on that (A) Bell still makes mucho money on their LD with all the Bell customers that have no clue they can opt for another LD supplier (lots) - hence don't want to rock the apple cart; (B) Bell will make money regardless. If I subscribe to Vonage - I still need broadband - whether it be Bell or Rogers. Bell would be in a great position to come out with an ad campaign "While the other guy adds limits -- we aren't". OR will they just impose the limits as with Rogers?
When it comes down to it - anything unlimited fails - huge abuses. Now if they would charge you 0.25-0.50/GB that would solve all problems. Introduce a basic service plan with zero GB. Then tier it like Gas - first ## is $1.00/GB next level is $0.50/GB then finally rest is $0.25/GB. Simple right?
I got Bell when the GB cap was already off - but I seem to remember the per GB overage was high. To me $1/GB was a bit high.
During my last Rogers rant Friday, I told the guy that the quality of their Digital (based on compression levels) was the worst for Timeshifting -- the absolute worse was US stations followed by the Canadian. At the top of food chain - the best quality - was the Pay-Per-View ($4.99/movie) and of course the creme-de-la-sob-creme are the Pornos ($8.99/movie). Those are the gravy on top of the roast beast -- you require the monthly $ per box - those are huge markups. Not to mention their ToD - Ted on Demand - being able to pick movies when I want to.
In otherwords, they better make the services of Richmans Hill // Markham // Vaughan #1 -- WAY WAY WAY before Scarberia - cuz we gots money to burn!
Cheers!
B
Rogers CAP: Just occurred to me - they are working at improving the big pipe - as far as introducing VoIP. So let me ask this - how will they be able to tap into that market if they have imposed a 60GB cap? Interestingly read this:
Starting March 17, 2005, Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet services’ monthly bandwidth usage limit is 61,440 Megabytes (60 Gigabytes)* combined for both upload and download. This limit is approximately equal to the usage of a typical customer for an entire year.
A year... 5GB a MONTH. Now interestingly, I have been using off and on, an app called STREAMRIPPER - basically allows you to just rip streaming MP3 to your HDD. Pretty cool actually (di.fm, puredj.com - chitloads!). But that is being ripped in REAL TIME. So it takes 5 minutes to play a 5MB song, it takes that time to download. Sure VoIP isn't probably even 64k bitrate.
I have an audio book - even 32kbit is fine. A 21min file is about 5MB. So thats 14MB/hour. 342MB/day. 10285/mth. 1/2 is 350HOURS/mth. So probably a moot question. (then again .. for a family of 4..)
But I am sure they are going to introduce unlimited talking in NA for a fixed rate.
Interesting..
B
After reading about Teddy in the ROBM - his father died suddenly before his 6th birthday and with not enough insurance, they had to sell the communication businesses. Ted's mother said to him his goal is to get the family back into the communication business. I guess that explains why he owns the Blue Jays.
The negative option billing and constant pissing off of customers is why internally they know that only about 1/4 of Rogers' customers would recommend them.
I'll second that.
B.
Well they serve as two purposes yes. Both to buy and to monitor.
My bugaboo over the years with mutual funds - they would report their current holdings - and I bot one telecom fund based solely on that holding list. Say Qualcomm was in the top 3. Then when I looked 6mth to a year later, Qualcomm wasn't even in the top 10 -- yet I felt it should be. They would call themselves INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND - yet more than 50% was in the US. In relation to Canada, yes they are international, but to a thinker, they are nothing but Brown Sugar! At least I never got stuck with the 3rd hook (BACKEND WIDELOAD!). These are the three reasons why I never buy mutual funds anymore save perhaps MM.
Now these funds (ETF/HOLDRS/iUNITS) provide up to the minute changes - which is far superior - and AFAIK you can also short them.
Yahoo offers industry groupings - yet another list. Yes, all are lists - some may provide better info than others. I could monitor Yahoo lists for trends, then buy the ETFs accordingly. I am sure as they become more popular, more flavors will be created to satisfy the needs.
Then I suppopse the next step is to create your own index and choose an S&P Market cap weighted or DJ Price Weighted index. Elder also stated - once you build your own - it becomes your own - and that is where you start to gain your edge on the rest of the players.
But as Hammy Hamster would utter .... "but that's another story."
B
HOLDRS, iUNITS & ETFS - OH MY!
(Think hard everyone... when you really think about it, Dorothy was diversified with the men she kept.. and of course we all know good girls keep their shoes on!)
The nice thing on those holdings above - you can snap up a sector and/or industry grouping in one shot - at a very low expense (both in admin and commissions).
Biting bullets is one thing - buyt what is your version of a bite? 5% loss? 10%? 20%? A 30 cent stock - 5%=1.5cents - you gonna sell at 28.5 cents? That stock could easily swing 27-32 over months before the pop. I suppose there is some system one could adopt to handle those, but simple percentages alone would cost you too much - and you know how long it can take to accumulate those positions.
Where as a $20 stock - yeah 5% is $1. But that ain't moving $18-22 all the time - if it is time to buy, it will start to go up. If it doesn't, then dump and keep it ready incase you want to reload. At a 5% loss - your $ loss is minimal, your commission is probably fixed, and hopefully liquid enough to get out then back in without pissing in the wind.
That is shop talk. Now time to rant.
This month's cover of ROB Magazine (Report on Business from the Grab & Maul Newspaper) - they have a picture of my hero - Theodore "Ted Bundy" Rogers. What a prick.
I am paying a slight premium to get VIP services (you must have 2 or more Rogers services). I re-setup High Speed Internet in October. I am to get 10% off per month. So I get my bill in November, and sure enough it shows 10% - but it goes from the start of activity to a few weeks into November then they cancel it. To complicate things (muddies the water) - because I was off for a year, I was able to get a $60 rebate over 3 mths plus $10 rebate for ordering online. Well I got those. Now I figured the extra 10% off would technically be double dipping so I wasn't expecting to get that 10%. So I figured they cancelled the 10% because of the rebate (they gave me the 10% but determined that was in error - I thought). So I figured at the end of February when my rebate ended, I would get 10% off again. I spoke with "combined billings" and they told me "we do not offer 10% off High Speed Internet under VIP anymore". That is basically their hook to FYOU around and get you to LOCK INTO a 2 year agreement to get 15% off instead - of which I am not ready. So there I am - no 10% off. What a CROCK-O-SHIT!
Well I have learned that if you persist a bit, you usually get something back. On the DSLREPORTS site apparently people are still getting 10% off. My brother as well. So I called back and got a guy on the wireless (not COMBINED BILLINGS). He said "well, we have stopped the promotion, but since you signed up BEFORE THE PROMOTION ENDED you should be entitled to it (and I was until it was stopped -- that was the little bell in my head -- I wondered about that as leverage). He gave me a credit of about $15 for the first 3 mths and said he would escalate the call - and I would get a call back if there was an issue.
Today I got the bill - no 10% off for the Feb-March bill. So I called. A new rep - he looked into the matter after I mentioned the other guy and escalation etc. He stated "yes it was added back - about 2 days after the last bill (Feb 17th) and you received the credits for the first three months."
Now here is a crock if I ever heard one...
"You were with us back in 2002 correct?" "Well you had two bills then we combined them right?" "I was looking and found a credit of about $39 on your account that was not approved." I replied with "wow - so with interest I will get like $1 million dollars?". So he now has credited me an additional $39.
Plus I got the $60+$10 rebates
Plus I got the 3 mths of 10% off (double dipping)
Plus I supposedly (won't believe it unless I see it) get back my VIP 10% off.
I should be happier than pig in shit - but instead my depression meter rose considerably. I mean why do they insist on f'ing around with us like this? Business Week had a good article on the Cable/Bells in the US as they are cozy in their duopoly. From what I hear, Bell isn't necessarily better.
I mean it is one thing to create a promotion to COME TO US, but to constantly tinker and screw around with things. My Cell service gets 10% off - but what - if I change that I lose it? I dunno. The VIP makes NO MENTION of Internet nor Wireless anymore.
Meanwhile Rogers will institute a 60GB cap effective March 17th. Bell I am sure will follow suit. I still have Bell DSL - so I figure I will D/L news from Rogers and surf/email with Bell - solves "what do I do if one goes down" problem - the cost is high, but I do get the newsgroup stuff. Now for the punchline - since Feb 18th my new billing date, I have already d/l 28GB!!!!! No way to auto-stop using bandwidth, but account will be cancelled after third infraction.
Thanks Ted!!!!
B
Tick tick tick...
All those holdings are legacy for me - trying to master the stops on higher priced stocks instead of playing with knives.
If you're on the road and a road runner goes 'beep beep'...
Not exactly on your page - but I should evaluate accordingly -- will FCO go up from here? Maybe/maybe not. New me should take the money but not interested in a LT hold. Lost the opp on cashing out on AQI. FCO presents itself now - get out - breakeven.
A 10% loss on the rest would be acceptable - when they finally dig out of >25% loss.
My plan is to work on my plan (DOT) with higher priced stocks. If I don't want to buy under $10, why should I continue to hold it? Take the managable 5-10% loss and move on.
Let them all go to the moon the 69th second after I sell 'em.
B.
Progress Trust -- Doing well so far.
Looking weak here..
And the spinoffs of the Cequel/Progress deal..
B.
You stole my 69 grub.. but thanks for being the ever faithful contrarian indicator.. you sold all your CPST too?
Hmmm.. I wonder if CD you bot some ARQ back.. if he did, it would be swell if he could dump ALL of it RIGHT NOW!!! LOL!
BBBBoSSSS
FCO: Wow! I was writing that off with a >30% loss.. now I am even..
Last RTQ: $0.68
Nice moves on SU as well - not part of that anymore.
A close above the $1.45s.. would be a nice breakout of the "channel" its in. No huge volume since Dec - but a lower low.
Cheers!
B.
In Elder's book, he gave a good line from Warren Buffett
...when you sit down to a game of poker, you must know within 15 minutes who is going to supply the winnings, and if you don't know the answer, that person is you.
B.
Butterscotch!! HA! Thats a good one!
I will admit - a good shake and a burger go very very well together.
Thanks for the food tips... always on the hunt. The only Greek we like (good value; taste) seems to be Jimmy the Greek in the food courts. Mr Greek - they load you up with all those potatoes. Its ok but not great. Except for the chains, we tend not to frequent the burger places too much nowadays - but will try Golden Flame.
I went to Costco (Ellesmere) on Monday - I wind toward home but stop by Noodle Delight (Vic Park & Sheppard area) and pick up a few noodle dishes - then I head over to Warden & Steeles to pickup some Chinese at Sam Woo BBQ - Duck; Roasted & BBQ Pig; a Squid dish etc.
As I said Friday night, sort of tired with trying too many new places when the existing of the same theme are doing well for us. THe Sam Woo place - one of a few that I found that sell the BBQ selection (most are "orders within a restaurant" and nothing near here). Even though it is about 15 minutes away, good food for over 14 years we have been going there. I haven't been back to Vegas since 94, but since then there is a Sam Woo that opened up. I always have wondered if the menu is same or not.
I hear the Richmond Grill - d/t Richman's Hill - is very very good. We have tended to frequent the Octagon a fair bit (again it has been consistent). As with most restaurants they tend to taste fresher between M-W since that is when they get the fresh supplies in.
For Dim Sum - just west of Leslie on 16th - where the moo cow is at the Bank of Montreal. Regal 16. You get to choose your selection instead of having to wait for the cart. Going there for years - pretty good. They tend to flip the menu - removing items I like (eg Curried Baby Octopus [why I like OctoPUSS is beyond me ;->) but consistent.
But somehow -- not sure why -- I don't get the sense you would frequent such a place as Regal 16....... hmmmmm...
Take care and cheers!
B
PYR -- shes a strucka golda!!!!!!!
(Ed: Chuckle - en energy company.. that happens to be up big today..)
(At post time it was up $0.20)
B.
KKD + WMT = NO PROFITS FOR KKD // A beautiful thing
I have to say, since they opened (24hr) Dominion at Major Mac & Bayview, I have shopped there more than Loblaw (though typically everything I buy is on sale). I have always used No Frills exclusively (esp after we got over the hurdle that Veg/Fruit albeit mostly are better at Loblaw, but not always and not worth the premium at times).
I know Wal-Mart sold Krispy Kreme Glazed for quite a while. I heard that kind of sales (my canabal statement) hurt them. I don't eat that junk much anymore - last time was celebrating my son's ability at various skating skills (read: staying up; getting up on his own; and/or moving from A to B). We walk in there and they hand us all a donut. Well that solved the buying a bunch of donuts (except my wife wanted a premium one).
Jaded I guess. Why would I ever buy it in WMT when I can get it fresh up the street?
Brutal working in Hillcrest with them making fresh donuts.
Haven't been to any Harvey's in years. Reason: Stress.
(A) I know they show you cooking your burgers;
(B) I know they take UNCOOKED patties from the bag and put it on the grill;
(C) I know they take BUNS using the same "contaminated hand" and get them ready.
Not all do that but - they do. And yes KASTELCO, most Fast Food stores probably do the same thing - except WHAT I DON'T SEE MAKES ME FEEL A WHOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLE LOT BETTER.
Cooking MY steak to medium well is one thing - I can control that environment. But this is totally different. So to ensure I do not get worked up, I have started to walk away and stay away from problem areas.
I think Harveys still is #1, followed by BK; Wendy's and MCD. Use to like A&W but feel they are a poor mans version of MCD (except with the best onion rings). Licks is in a class all by themselves - I like their burgers but not as good (flavor wise) as Harveys.
Ever go much to the Steer Inn? They make a pretty good burger along with the Steak Burgers etc.
BTW - I still have a Harvey's winter hat from at least 20 years ago somewhere.
Blake
Feature or undocumented easter egg - either way..
I see where you are coming from (malicious code). I sometimes take a huge ugly tag and just nicely call it "Read this" or "Article: GM develops smart car" yadda yadda - just nicer looking. (buyer beware - I use them quite a bit so people already know about me).
Thanks Bob..
B
Technically yes if I go back and POST yes, it will post. I am merely saying, that if you use normal tags (bold; italic; underline; charts etc) it works fine if you EDIT once published. However, if you use the URL/TAG settings, it fails during edit.
Solution isn't -- what I gotta do to fix to work around the problem.
The solution is "this problem has been added to our bug list and we will review it".
Duck season!
Shoot'em now.. shoot'em now!!
Blake
Blockbuster Accused of Violating N.J. Law
Ed: I couldn't believe my MIND.. leap leap... thought this was very interesting.. somewhere in their ad there must have been the tiniest of fine prints..
N.J. Accuses Blockbuster of Violating Consumer Protection Laws With New Policy on Late Fees
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- The state of New Jersey claims Blockbuster Inc., the nation's largest movie-rental chain, has violated the state's consumer protection laws with its new policy on late fees.
In a lawsuit filed Friday, the state charged that Blockbuster failed to disclose key terms in the policy, including that overdue rentals are automatically converted to a sale on the eighth day after the due date.
The state is seeking restitution for customers whose overdue rentals were converted to a sale. It also wants compensation for people who were charged late fees by stores that were not participating in the new policy, but that failed to make that obvious.
State Attorney General Peter C. Harvey on Friday called the company's advertising and marketing "deceptive." He said state investigators began visiting dozens of the 170 Blockbuster stores in New Jersey even before receiving a complaint, and found that employees gave misleading or erroneous information on the policy.
To date, one aggrieved consumer has contacted the state, Harvey said, adding, "We will be flooded with complaints from people who will tell us this is their experience, too."
The lawsuit was filed in state Superior Court in Trenton.
In a statement, the Dallas-based chain said it has "taken a number of very thorough steps to let customers know how our new program works. Blockbuster has trained store employees on how to effectively communicate the program to customers, both on the sales floor and at checkout."
The stores also have free brochures explaining the program, the company said.
Blockbuster eliminated late fees on games and movies starting Jan. 1, although customers who miss a one-week grace period will be billed for buying the item or charged a $1.25 restocking fee. The company said due dates at its 4,600 U.S. stores would remain one week for games and two days or one week for movies.
Additionally, about half of 1,100 Blockbuster stores that are operated by franchisees are participating in the program, company spokesman Randy Hargrove said.
Harvey, however, said some stores displayed signs touting "The end of late fees" but were not participating.
Hargrove said that only franchise stores have the option not to participate. "I'd love to be able to know which stores he was talking about to see if he was accurate," he said.
Renters who keep the movies or games beyond the grace period will be charged for purchasing the DVD or tape at Blockbuster's full retail price, minus the rental fee, the company said. If they return the movie or game in the next 30 days, they will get a refund for the purchase but will be charged a restocking fee of $1.25, the company said.
Blockbuster shares rose 5 cents to $9.13 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Its shares are up from a 52-week low of $6.50 last fall. ------
I just bet good old Ted Rogers is rubbing his hands and drooling over this one..
B.
Problems with Url/Tags on iHUB
Was wondering if any work (I hope we know it is a bug!) was slated on fixing the use of URL+TAGS wrt EDIT a message?
when you use: <URL>yahoo.com</url><tag>Yahoo!</tag> (replace with appropriate brackets)
it works fine. But as soon as you try to EDIT after posting you cannot. It not only does not show it properly, but you lose the rest of the post. The only way to EDIT, I have to go BACK in my browser to the latest version - COPY it then EDIT - and PASTE and fix.
Cheers!
B.
Nano.. OLED.. LCD.. and Junk!
Nano Nano everywhere.. and no Mork to be found (thank goodness!)
(Re: Roni - wan't to separate the topics since you combined a better "lt story" than AAPL)
Business Week had a good article on Nanotech (check out few covers ago).
As far as stock plays - don't think we will see much "electronics" or "internet" style investments - more of "one word: Plastics". It will be more of "which companies are integrating this tech into their own business". The article talks about how they can improve the simplest things like Tennis rackets. Apparently some vulture is out there funding 30 start ups that deal with this area. The big bets, as with plastics, IMO are companies like cars, construction, manufacturers (3M etc).
What was interesting though was the "downsides". There are nanos running in the air now - they are concerned with changing that landscape. Very interesting.
OLED?
Music to my ears: The implications of "spray-on electronics" could be huge.
Now speaking of "plastics", here is a great article on OLED technology - thats the stuff that could turn our home into something like Total Recall (except we won't blab about Mars!). The theory (for me) - we will have two TVs - 4:3 and 16:9 and roll up/down accordingly. That to me solves so many problems.
Plus I have heard about the theory of a couple of sheets - then they keep updating. I have been using computers since 82 - dunno - to this day, why I don't know - something about a hard piece of paper - a magazine; a book; a newspaper. I think it deals less with what I am using and more of where I want to use it. You can sit anywhere and however you want with a magazine. Even with a notebook - you still have to sit a certain way. I take the subway from time to time and when I go home at night, not always a seat - with a mag - I can at least read it crunched up in the tightest of positions. The PDA's to me are still on the heavy side for the wrists. Perhaps this OLED "newspaper" will solve these issues. (long term thinking of course..)
Anyways not a new thing and I have heard about it and weally weally excited about it.
Article - http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4271878/
LCD
We have a local computer mag called HUB (formerly computer paper). They had a spread on LCDs. I haven't been on any hunt for them so it was all new to me. What blows my mind is how people want these POS. The refresh rates are becoming more resaonable - but at 6ms still too slow compared to tubes. (CPU is one thing but people are buying this stuff for TV watching??). Some have "white" and "black" balancing issues. You can have a great BLACK but cannot have a great WHITE. And vise versa. Then of course the bleeding colors on the sides, not to mention dead pixels. Well I am in no hurry. Why I would buy a 21" LCD over a 21" tube is beyond me. When you start talking HUGE TV tubes and compare them to alternatives - there you can make an argument).
(FP/Roni - please don't start on the Mac stuff - I am sure the Mac gear is above the quality of most of what is out there - I have never questioned - ever - the quality of the Apple stuff. With them it is "Price, Value, Quality - pick any two. Value has always lost - and that is fine as long as the Quality remains the same.)
Junk!
My Panasonic TV (circa like 2002) suffered from chip failure - the colors are all off now. It is only a 21" (I won't get into the details), but it was our latest TV - yet the 1995 Sony 21" is still fine and the 1996 Magnasonic 13" is fine, and the 1990 Electrohome (Mitsubishi OEM) although has a few issues, it still runs fine. All junk and shit! Next TV will revolve around "good color; good picture; cheap as hell" - maybe stick FutureShit with a warranty contract but I definitely am going in without any major purchase in mind. What GARBAGE! TV is literally on from about 8am to around 1130pm everyday. That usage burns them out so no point in getting some huge mother that sucks power and money from my wallet.
B.
She was my "Minor" Sexyniner!! :D Long Live 69! (Or was that the Summer of Sexynine?)
Zap2It and AAPL...
I thought you drove down the highway with those ipod plugs in your ears blaring beautiful noise.. whilst the radar detector is doing it's thang... just giving you some other songs.
(yeah I saw your 45.99999999999% position reduction of AAPL).
Less OT with AAPL and more OT with the message: Was watching a show on FOX today. (Bulls and Bears - 10AM Hosted by the vivacious Ms. Brenda Buttner formerly CNBC). They were going through the pans and one of the guys Pat Dorsey spoke of his former recommendation of KKR (Krispy Kreme). Apparently they are headed toward bankruptcy (talk about cannibalizing sales) - would've been a great short (eh Kirby?).
What was funny - he comes out with "what a bad call, I really screwed up, I missed all the signs on that one, and I apologize". Guy bot it at the top! Now that doesn't make me feel any better - just confirms, these are people managing our money when WE as in ME MYSELF AND I LOVE ME, don't. Unreal. More fuel for MY FIRE!
Finally, as a VALUE ADD to those devoted fans of the Sexmeister - for those couch potatotes that want a bit more to help in their viewing habits. Check out Zap2It. What is nifty is that it works across, I would think, most of North America (cripes Rogers Digital is included, and only Ted thinks he is all that and a bag of chips!!!!).
You can CUSTOMIZE your stations, you can then click on "Biz/Fin" and the GRID shows ONLY those stations that have a program that deals with "BIZ/FIN" - very easy to read and navigate.
Rogers' digital cable boxes from Scientific Mylanta (crap by the way) are brutal when it comes to "show me what crime show is on". Utter shit. Also, their IPG (not to say any other company would do things different mind you) shows EVERYTHING that is available, whether I subscribe or not. I guess they think that stupid SOB will finally dig into his pocket to spend money so his beloved family can watch OVER 100 SHITTY movies on the monopolistic (read: we have zero choice; canadian equivalent of watching alpo commercials) "The Movie Network".
Anyways, check it out!
Squire Blakith of Naughtyman...
A IZ4 AAPL; Pfabulously PFE; Germans GMs... so long as I am rich...
Apple: It May Be Too Late To Take A Bite
By Robert Barker - The Barker Portfolio
If the Bush Twins, Barb and Jenna, accessorize with iPods, as some gawkers said they had amid Daddy's inaugural celebrations, does that make the iPod more cool, or less? What about President Bush himself, who was seen iPoding late last year as he went for a bike ride? Did that spur iPod's monster holiday sales?
Silly questions, yes, but they are some of what now passes for investment analysis of Apple Computer (AAPL ), maker of the iPod line of music players and the stylish Macintosh family of computers. Lately hitting a new high above 77, stock in Apple is not just high-priced -- 37 times this year's estimated profit -- but high-fashion. Which got me wondering: Besides a reflected glow as part-owner of today's most glamorous gadgeteer, what does 77 a share get an Apple buyer?
Let's go first to the balance sheet. Impressively, 28 years since incorporating, Apple has no debt, long- or short-term. At last report, it had just $8.52 a share in total liabilities, mostly accounts payable. Those liabilities are easily covered by $22.34 in assets, including no less than $15.39 a share in cash and short-term investments. All in all, Apple's stated net worth is $13.82 a share. That probably undervalues Apple's real estate, which includes its Cupertino (Calif.) headquarters, plus plants in Sacramento and Ireland. Adjusting generously, we can guesstimate that one share contains $20 in net assets.
For a buyer of Apple at 77, that leaves $57 to wonder about. Business could hardly be better: In the past four quarters, sales grew 45%, to $9.8 billion, as net more than tripled, to $508 million, or $1.28 a share, according to the Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's (MHP ). With new products such as the $99 iPod shuffle and the $499 Mac mini winning rave reviews, bulls see Apple blowing away Wall Street's consensus estimate of $2.05 a share in the next four quarters. Suppose it does, earning $2.45, the mean estimate not for calendar 2005, but for 2006. That still leaves Apple trading at 31 times earnings, vs. 26 for Dell Computer (DELL ).
Does this mean investors won't keep paying 31 times extravagant estimates of future profits? No. But it's worth recalling what happened to eBay (EBAY ), another great company whose shares went in weeks from 118 to 80 on hints of slower growth. Were something similar to befall Apple, all the cash on its balance sheet would act as a cushion. But that cushion is not as cushy as it was. Apple closed fiscal 2002 with enough cash per share to cover 82% of its stock price. The next year, the figure was 57%, and it was 35% last September at the end of fiscal 2004. Today, cash per share comes to less than 20% of Apple's stock price.
There is a season when investors who appreciate risk get stakes in technology stocks. A case in point is Private Capital Management, a $25 billion Naples (Fla.) firm that since 1986 has rolled up annual average returns of more than 20%, vs. less than 12% for the S&P 500-stock index. Back in late 2000 (when Apple's cash covered 78% of its share price), PCM began buying Apple. It owned more than 6% a year ago. Then, as the stock took flight, PCM became a seller. CEO Bruce Sherman told me that PCM must show its year-end position in a public securities filing due in mid-February. Apple doesn't tempt me. If it did I would be more interested in that filing than the First Family's latest gadget.
http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_07/b3920125_mz026.htm
And For Steve Jobs's Next Trick...
The Mac Mini offers flexibility and style at just $499
http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_07/b3920035_mz006.htm
Sour notes
(BW-Feb 21-UP FRONT by Jay Greene)
Few of Microsoft's (MSFT ) battles are more pitched than the struggle to rule digital music. So far, it's getting pummeled by Apple Computer (AAPL ) and its popular iPod. No wonder Microsoft execs get a bit peeved when they see those telltale white cords hanging from ears on the Redmond (Wash.) campus. The iPod is popular enough at Microsoft that one worker sent an e-mail to colleagues notifying them about new shipments to a nearby Apple store. That drew a sharp riposte from Dave Fester, general manager of the Windows Media division: "I sure hope Microsoft employees are not buying iPods," he wrote. "We have great alternatives." Evidently not good enough.
(Actual Link: http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_08/c3921012_mz003.htm#ZZZ831KL05E )
((((( ----- CUT HERE --- FILTER OUT THE NOISE!!! --- IN DOLBY SURROUND WHERE AVAILABLE ---- ))))))
... impressive.. but I am sick of trying to catch a falling knife..
... much much much more impressive..
... tick tick tick tick.. TIME??
S.