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Post by denisdman on Feb 3, 2018 13:52:54 GMT -6
I just finished reading through Sears’ most recent regulatory filings. I don’t see how they make it through the year. Normally retailers go down when vendors stop shipping product. I keep wondering what Lampert’s end game is with Sears.
At the end of January, they entered into another debt agreement. They are paying Libor plus 12.5%. That says it all.
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Post by denisdman on Feb 3, 2018 12:33:19 GMT -6
The Libertarian in me hates the FISA court because there is no advocate for the accused. And the proceeding and evidence are secret. It is really hard for me to see the government machine as anything but trampling over due process rights.
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Post by denisdman on Feb 3, 2018 12:31:34 GMT -6
I’ve seen the complaints about the slow moving free agent market. In past baseball labor negotiations, the union reps have argued that no salary cap is needed. Their rationale was that owners just have to show restraint. But now that the owners do, and after getting burned time and again with long, bad, guaranteed contracts, the agents are pissed.
If the restraint is the product of collusion, then the owners should be skewered and penalized. Short of that, I applaud them keeping contract offers shorter and more reasonable. Arrieta can barely throw 90 anymore, so why give him five years?
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Post by denisdman on Feb 3, 2018 7:05:57 GMT -6
Yeap, my self control is not putting that kind of temptation in my house.
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Post by denisdman on Feb 2, 2018 19:39:53 GMT -6
Exactly, the trajectory is non sustainable, and the current valuations aren’t supported by cash flows. The market will either have to go sideways to grow into the valuations or correct to more rational levels.
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Post by denisdman on Feb 2, 2018 19:15:52 GMT -6
In a break from my mostly worthless thoughts, I figured I should chime in on something in my wheelhouse. The market had a rough week. It appears that rising interest rate expectations have finally spooked some people. There is also chatter about crypto currency fraud and manipulation. All that aside, equity values are at wholly unsustainable levels. And it’s easy to convince ones self to jump on the train. We have global growth, a better corporate tax regime, loosening regulation, attractive commodity prices, low unemployment, and really no evident risks to the system. But, it’s about valuations. There is still a price where things are too expensive even though times are good.
I don’t think this is the beginning of the end. I bet the market shakes this off and starts hitting new highs. I am not sure how or when this bubble bursts. It’s not ready to burst.
I took my trading positions off the table in December. Missed a big piece of the Kohl’s rally, which was my screaming buy of the year on the other board. All of my long term money remains passively invested in equities.
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Hey all
Feb 2, 2018 16:40:23 GMT -6
Post by denisdman on Feb 2, 2018 16:40:23 GMT -6
Kegerator would doom me to alcoholism.
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Post by denisdman on Feb 2, 2018 15:51:27 GMT -6
I don’t know what to make of the memo.
I generally think secret courts are just a bad idea. I suspect the spies just violate the law anyway when they want to snoop. I am so jaded about government.
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Hey all
Feb 2, 2018 15:48:45 GMT -6
Post by denisdman on Feb 2, 2018 15:48:45 GMT -6
Howdee. Any chance you’re drinking Icehouse tonight?
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 20:10:58 GMT -6
We’re all exhausted with the state of the media, the gridlock and the orange leader.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 14:38:22 GMT -6
Oh god, this is bringing back bad memories. Why am I doing this to myself?
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 14:00:04 GMT -6
Ok, I finally went back to the first post in this thread to figure out why this thread exists. NOW I get it. God, I can be so dense sometimes.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 13:58:00 GMT -6
I just get upset with all these red lines. We need more understanding of the other side, not the constant name calling and labels. I love to see intelligent arguments that counter my own opinions. At an absolute minimum, it allows me to sharpen my argument. In certain cases, I have completely changed my mind including on supporting same sex marriage and not letting my son play tackle football anymore. Despite having strong convictions, I try to remain pragmatic and open minded.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 13:51:03 GMT -6
I normally don't give B&G a listen until my way home at 4:30 in the car. But today I decided I wanted to get their take on some MSU stuff given that there had been a ton of chatter earlier in the day on several talk radio programs.
So I tune in just now, and they are doing the Indians stuff. Now much like their take on the Anthem protests, they continue to be surprised that people get upset that players kneel (anthem) or are the removal of the logo (Indians). Now regardless of which side you are on in each debate, it's not like there is only one side to this. I am really quite sick of both sides acting like the other is not entitled to their opinion on the matter.
They continue to question and make light of all the people on the other side of the issues. To Goff, it's blatantly racist. I dunno maybe. It's very true that a lot of whites don't see racism in things that afflicted groups so often do. And it's even less of a leap for folks to be upset about people kneeling during the anthem. It breaks long "standing" tradition. My opinion- on the Indians thing, it's probably the right move, and I don't have a strong opinion on it either way. On the ovation thing, I view kneeling as a perfectly acceptable form of protest and free speech. But I think it does the cause a disservice because it turns so many people against you in the process.
Oh well.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 8:04:59 GMT -6
There's a touch more meat to those shows than the panels that appear on CNN. Of course, it's all spin doctoring, but there are quality guests on those shows. I just don't know where to go to get my news. I can't watch Fox or MSNBC, and CNN is low quality now too. The PBS News Hour and Chicago Tonight are high quality, and I enjoy those shows. I also read the WSJ. I still have a thirst for what is going on, and it has been tough to quench with this tabloid styled media.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 30, 2018 7:49:01 GMT -6
I'll probably avoid the State of the Union address. I love politics and follow it on PBS and the Sunday Morning Talk Shows. But if the politicians wanted to make America disinterested, they have done a fine job with me. It is tough to stomach the garbage going on especially at the Federal level.
I think there's a Hawks game, so I'll torture myself with that.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 29, 2018 12:08:34 GMT -6
The day has finally come. My youngest turns 16 today. We are finally done with driving the kids all over the place. Their school does not have bus service, so that has always been a burden. But sports and nights out with friends are the bigger drag on our time.
Speaking of sports, I am quite excited for the upcoming baseball season. His freshmen year was a bit derailed by arthroscopic surgery to remove bones chips in his knee. He was able to play some summer ball, but he had been away from the game for too long by the time summer rolled around. He looks poised to be hitting mid-80's on the radar gun, and our pitch trax equipment show him hitting the ball over 350 feet.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 28, 2018 18:39:21 GMT -6
Red wine. Some bottle with a plunger on a guy’s head. No clue where it came from, probably a remnant from the Christmas party at my house.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 28, 2018 8:54:42 GMT -6
Took the family to see Molly's Game last night. I like true stories and have personally logged thousands of hours of live Hold Em action. It was decent, a bit long, but worth it. I suspect the book would be great.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 26, 2018 10:59:39 GMT -6
Mac's podcast was released today. Parkins featured plus lots of Rush stuff with some guest I don't recognize.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 25, 2018 16:00:32 GMT -6
I can't stand Moody's Economist Mark Zandi. I only thought of him today because of MarketWatch articles quoting Moody's that the tax cuts won't help with growth. In any case, Zandi made so many bad predictions in the midst of the subprime crisis, and he is one of those media whores like Diane Swonk. You would see his uniformed comments all over the financial pages, and much of it complete nonsense. I honestly can't believe this guy is a doctor....just wow. For those that are left leaning, you will enjoy his thoughts in the article below. My dislike is not because of his obvious politics. It is more from reading endless predictions from him that mostly turned out to be false. www.economy.com/dismal/analysis/commentary/299138/US-Macro-Outlook-A-Plan-That-Doesnt-Get-It-Done/
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Post by denisdman on Jan 25, 2018 15:10:54 GMT -6
Hmm, no Danny Mac podcast today. Monday did sound a bit like a farewell show. Just thinking aloud.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 25, 2018 8:00:32 GMT -6
It's getting easier and easier to just go to bed even though the Hawks are still on. I turned it off as a tied game with ten minutes to go, around 9:30. The team just doesn't seem to care all that much, so why should I?
Brent Seabrook is an absolute waste of space. Despite his early PP goal, he was lazy on a non-icing call that let the Leafs tie it. And later on he takes a stupid tripping penalty because he's too slow to position himself properly in the defensive zone. Hey Brent, scream at the refs all you want. You're the problem, not them.
I don't mind sub par teams. I just like energy and effort. Not seeing it with my Hawks.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 24, 2018 15:08:21 GMT -6
I am a massive advocate for Free Trade, so I would never argue in favor of tariffs. However, it was two domestic solar companies, Sunvia and SolarWorld, that pressed the case for the tariffs due to unfair (dumping) allegations against Chinese producers. These producers are accused of selling at below cost to grab market share and/or have government support that makes their trade practices unfair.
That is the basis for the solar tariffs. Of course the installers are pissed because they know the tariffs will reduce the demand for their services. It's always a tangled web when you talk about Free Trade or subsidies.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 24, 2018 11:08:49 GMT -6
Love baseball, but that movie never did it for me. I know, I know, that is a terrible thing to say. I'd actually watch For Love of the Game over Field of Dreams. But my favorites are Major League and the Natural. I am so-so on the Sandlot. And the Enrico Pallazo (sp?) scene in Naked Gun, National Anthem, etal is some terrific stuff. I also like the ending in Trouble with the Curve.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 24, 2018 7:46:39 GMT -6
It's way to early to judge the political climate for 2020. Will Trump even run again? Will the Republican Party nominate him? Will the economy dip into recession by then which seems likely since we're already in the second longest expansion in U.S. History.
I know the 2018 elections look very dire for the Republicans right now. But November is a long ways away, and if the economy and unemployment) keep trending positively, and people like their cuts (new IRS withholding tables just released), it could surprise some people the other way.
Politics is a game that changes weekly. Plus Trump/Biden/Sanders are all very old.....just saying.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 23, 2018 12:28:16 GMT -6
A few minor consumer related annoyances in life:
1) The little stickers they put on fruit. I get it, cashiers don't know it's an apple or a pear unless there is a hard to remove sticker on it. Duh 2) The small remnants of what once a productive bar of soap. Do you just throw them out? No matter how much you lather, it barely produces anything, but its half life seems like days. 3) Why do dogs eat stuff that make them pukes or clog up their bowels? My older dog swallowed so much of her new bone last night that she threw up chunks this morning. 4) I can't stand the loose grapes at the bottom of the bag. I know they're fine to eat, but something about the ones that fall off the vine that makes them less appetizing. 5) Speaking of loose stuff at the bottom, I am likewise annoyed by the bottom 10% of the box of cereal. It's mostly crumbs. Much like the bar soap, it is tough to just throw out something that still has value.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 23, 2018 9:05:24 GMT -6
Sure. The weekend challenges are fun. I am just plowing through orange walls and trying to get the King to 50.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 23, 2018 7:30:40 GMT -6
Glad I went to bed early. Looks like the Hawks didn't show up in the 3rd, and the Bulls ended up blowing a big lead. I got to work ahead of any weather related traffic, so I'll count that as the win our Chicago teams coulnd't produce.
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Post by denisdman on Jan 22, 2018 21:13:10 GMT -6
Hawks outplay Bolts by a wide margin in the second of a scoreless game. Give up a goal while on the pp. dat Hawks.
Finish this one Bulls.
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