On the Bright Side, it's about as bad as it's going to get (?)...

     I feel a sense of deja vu with the Dollar surging in value and our Markets just going to Hell.  In the last 5 months of '09, we'd look for bargains if the dollar surged and would look to Sell on the downgrade.  Well, yesterday, the dollar was Way Up against every other currency.  We don't trade them, but we sure as hell pay attention to the Currencies Market. 
     And what to do about Greece, the "Lower Middle Class Family" of Europe, overextended to the inth degree and defaulting?  In the U.S., the Family bought a house they couldn't afford, a new car, a flatscreen; Greece offered too liberal wages, pention plans,the best a Welfare State could offer and topped it all off with rampant tax evasion.  Hope Wahington is paying attention

    It's a real frustration to go shopping for bargains in The Market, only to find the share you won ARE the bargains.  But we'll find some...

(For Fun, learn more about that U.S. Family: LINK)

What the...

     WOW!

Today was one of those "what the Hell?" days which gives us an oppotunity to look for bargains.  That's the only positive spin I can put on it when I've a 2.76% Loss in my Portfolio Catalogue.  Even by last year's standards, that would have been considered a hit.  This year, it's a true "body blow" when one is struggling to make 8% per month gains. 
Taking Profits was a factor, but the absolute mess the Socialist Societies in the European Union have made of their financial systems was paramount in Our BAD DAY (are you listening Washington?).   Investor worries have grown beyond the speed with which any aid package for Greece can be enacted. Germany, in particular, has insisted on Greece's commitment to harsh austerity programs before agreeing to a loan, and Greece must repay a €8.5 billion 10-year bond on May 19. 
Even with the Euro Markets taking a much larger loss than we did; so What?, it's thier problem (really).  Unfortunatly, with the glabalization we must contend with in our large cap holdings, "when the European Market is laid up in bed with the flu, we must at least sneeze".
On a facetious note, maybe we should bail out Greece so Our Markets wouldn't need to worry. 

Place "Stop" Orders on All Volatile Stocks!!!...

     As much as I stress the importance of placing Automatic Sell Orders on your positions, I got caught (badly) on Monday.  To add insult to injury, it was re: CLWR!


CLWR went up to 8.55 on Tuesday.  I get a call from a Clique Member telling me our Port had Taken Profs @8.5.  This prompted me to go to a Scottrade Account to check my personal postition (350 shares)  --- 8.04!  I have 22 Ports I help manage as GP of GSI/DaTra.  122-157 stocks to track.  That's my excuse for leaving MY Account wide open????  Just because I don't think a stock will Spike, NEVER means I shoudn't have an Auto Trade put on it!  I, generally, pick a number the stock is nowhere near and make that the autosell price.  And with CLWR the whole strategy is to BUY/SELL HIGH/GO BACK IN LOW because of it's rollercoaster moves!  My horoscope (Leo) said yesterday a leader should follow his own rules...

Today, I stood on the sideline and watched the stock drop.  I will never lose money on CLWR, because I'm "playing with the House's money".  Albeit, not breaking even (without write-off expenses) IS losing!

Thanks for the rant.
Normally, this is where I'd write, "take the lesson",
but this was too "stoopid" a mistake for me to feel so
cocky.

"They've killed Kenny, those bastards"...

When I see these colors on the Holding screeen to my right and on the Working srceen to my left; then, swithing view, I see these in Cowboy... (knowing Green are the gainers...)

     I have flashbacks of the Rookie Days; the feeling just after Buying a "Sure Thing" in time for the  Bust or Holding shares 'til the wither.

I had to Calm Down, then, and I'm staying Calm, now...well maybe.  I'm not so cocky, nowadays that I say, "We're so far Up in The Market, WHO CARES what happpens" with abandon (although, I still say it...).

I'd, normally, save the following for my Viewpoint Blog, but its too apropos:

     Our REAL problem isn't today.  It's the investment quandry we're facing , in the months to come, when the Central Gov't Stimulus begins to run out.  The Leftist Congress and their crony in the White House have chosen not to create a real stimulus for job growth and prosperity through tax incentives.  They have given feel good money to the Masses (which may have well been free Crystal Meth) and propped up companies which should have been downsized years ago.  All this while giving Unions a new foothold in the 21st Century, and the American People looming deficits which are sure to cripple the Economy in the furture.

     The bright spot on the horizon is that 2010 is an election year.  The General Populace which put this Leftist Regime in power, either by their votes or lack thereof, will surely be awakened.  As for the leftist legistlation currently on The Hill; let's hope that, indeed, "The sight of the Gallows quickens a Man's Mind".

(Tim Geithner looks as though he's thinking, "How much longer do you expect the American Poeple to swallow this jive?"...)

I Should Have Kept Channel Surfing...

     This fellow was on HLN, today, saying the time to buy individual stocks is over.  Really?, what then?: "Get into ETFs".

    

     I say anyone who watches 5 minutes of commentary and thinks they know what Positions to take; well, they're not us.  I have advocated ETFs for Commodity Trades, but this low-rent version of the old Mutual Fund is not to replace our R&D and Due Diligence. 

    

     My views on "The Masses" is prominently known, but how stupid does somone have to be?...  Those people are satisfied with a 10% annual increase in their Portfoio.  I wouldn't waste a keystroke to Buy with that return...

This year has both spoiled us and made us more savvy.