**OT** Steve, regarding the online brokerages:
I presently use Waterhouse, E*Trade, Tradestar and Jack White.
Waterhouse: Becoming dreadfully inaccessible lately, although prior to that I had cheerfully recommended them. Good fills and quite reliable once orders placed, limit orders frequently filled at better prices. Mine is an IRA account, and they only allow covered call writing and married put purchases.
E*Trade: Relatively good accessibility. Soon after I started using them, they gave me a garbage fill which cost me several thousand bucks. They did correct this when I brought it to their attention, but I'm still not sure how such an error was made. No problems since then and I'm thus regaining confidence. Options friendly, great web site (quite useful).
Tradestar: Probably the best of the bunch. Options friendly, accessible, reliable. At last check, they don't allow naked sales of index options, but all other option transactions OK. Good for penny stocks. Subsidiary of Fiserv.
Jack White: Good fills, reliable and accessible. Costs go up when trading over 1,250 shares, however. Options can't be done online (thus high cost) and $100,000 account equity required to write naked ones. Also, short sales are expensive and cumbersome.
I rarely use the margin features of my accounts, so I really don't pay attention to the rates.
Generally, online trading is not as clean and efficient as it was just six months ago. Volume is becoming a problem for the brokers, and traffic on the internet is skyrocketing which tends to slow things down sometimes. Suffice to say that, like everything else these days, its a fluid situation.
Hopes this helps.
Regarding the immediate outlook for Brazil and TBH, I'm starting to lose confidence quickly in the administration. They had once been the rock in the ocean. Certainly, the death of Motta was devastating and not surprisingly coincided with the onset turmoil. Bottom line, I have to reserve opinion as to whether we're near the bottom. I could easily see $35 or so for TBH.... treading very carefully for now.
Have read about some interesting ski huts on the U.P. near the shores of Superior. No turns, but lots of snow. May have to seriously consider it if winter don't come here soon.
Sounds like you've got a great set up there. Large field, lots of snow. Hope the kids enjoy going outside in it!
Best Regards. |
