Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Scam Sniffing, Ball Busting Vigilantes -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: kodiak_bull who wrote (192)	2/2/2002 4:43:37 PM
From: 10K a day	Respond to of 292

There is no incentive to stop the war. We just keep on the snipe hunt. We create more fear. We keep going. More Fear Creates more spending. We deflect the trickle down effects of Enron on California, P.G. And E...and the F#cked in the ass California rate payer.... Whoo Hooo....It's a party... Keep Bombin' Those Sand Pipers....

To: kodiak_bull who wrote (192)	2/2/2002 5:02:23 PM
From: Raymond Duray	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 292

Kodiak, I'm flattered that you would take the time to pen such a marvelous, cogent and well-considered response to my own rather more histrionic effort. Sort of reversing our roles from the early days after 9/11 when I chose not to respond to your hyperbole-laced invective about the prosecution of the war. Which was, in its own way also very well written. Let's just say, I admire your writing skills, and your thinking abilities. Now, why is it that you end up being so wrong all the time? ..... Just kidding, big guy. <vbg> Re: Condit - You are absolutely more correct about this than me. Of course, to my credit, I'll admit I was trying to be as dismissive of the subject as possible. I'm guilty of the sin of spin. You are far closer to the truth. I loved the line about toast, BTW. Re: Cheney and the GAO - Well, sir, we will agree to disagree. Sunshine is the best disinfectant. Cheney looks dirty. The angle on this is the quid pro quo thing. The investigators are looking for a pattern of inputs to the National Energy Scam (er, Plan) and the timing of corporate donations to the Bushistas. The obvious implication is "pay to play". I don't know if the case can be made. But Cheney, in spite of his bluster, sure looks scared about the prospects. This has little or nothing to do with Executive Privilege, per se. It has to do with trading money for influence. The Bushistas are just throwing up smoke. Re: Shorting ENE - Gawd almighty I wished I was the prescient. I'm not too good at putting my money where my mouth is. Here's an example: Message 14787142 Now, if I were eating my own cooking on the parlous state of the fiber optic industry at the time, I'd have shorted the lot, and been a lot richer today. But I never did. I'm too afraid of Wall Street's manipulations to have the courage of my convictions. I know that short squeezes are for real, and they can occur in the most tattered and tawdry of companies, let alone the darlings of the Street at the time. So, no, I haven't capitalized at all at ENE's demise. That's not my point. My point is that America is running off the tracks with its corruption and it needs to stop. End Run is just the kind of poster child for pornographic capitalism that can electrify the electorate and get some sensible reforms put in place. Re: ENE pensions - You are right. Certain employees of Enron remained in Defined Benefit Programs and thus were sheltered from the 401(k) disaster. I think the press is overplaying their hand on the black out period last fall. The stock didn't fall through the floor during that period, and the employees were forewarned. Those who chose 401(k)s should be expected to act as adults, and be vigilant about the risks they are taking. Many understood the risk of asset concentration, took the risk anyway and got burned. That's life. Re: the press has been marginalized since the grand twin events of the Vietnam War and Nixon, One of the very unfortunate developments of the last two decades is the appalling concentration of ownership of media outlets. We now are force fed the views of a very small number of companies, each with a profit agenda and none with a community basis. This is a sad development for American democracy. Re: one thing you are absolutely wrong about and that is the wag the dog thing. We will disagree about this. I am certain that the Bushistas are cynical enough to foment war for any number of purposes, the defense of the American public being very low on the list. First there is profit, then there is distraction, then there is control. Here's what I fear about the police state mentality that is taking over the administration: Message 17000471 Positively Stalinesque..... and completely unwarranted on the basis of actual threat. -Ray

To: kodiak_bull who wrote (192)	2/3/2002 11:00:37 AM
From: SGJ	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 292

<<Government can't function if every conversation, every forum is subject to a Congressman's whim. (Nor could Congress function if every meeting a C-person ever had with anyone had to be documented and given to the public. Our government is dysfunctional enough already.) We'll see what the courts have to say about executive privilege and the separation of powers.>> But our government is supposed to be open. That the present government can't function within its constitutional authority is not a valid argument for it to be allowed to do so. Its a red flag for the citizens to try to get the genie back in the bottle. Look at it this way. If a killer is let loose because of a lack of detention space, should he should be excused from killing because we can't lock him up? The solution, to me, would involve getting him back into prison, not allowing murder.