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Strategies & Market Trends : The Residential Real Estate Post-Crash Index-Moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Smiling Bob who wrote (62840)	3/16/2012 3:17:18 PM
From: John Koligman	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 119360

Bob, it's 80 here in Chicago and with that kind of weather my trading day is done and I'm going to hit the beach for a few hours. I'll post a response later tonight... Regards, John

To: Smiling Bob who wrote (62840)	3/17/2012 8:08:47 PM
From: John Koligman	3 Recommendations Respond to of 119360

I guess I'll give you one of my 'rambling replies' <gggg>. First, perhaps you are talking to the wrong person about 'investing', as I sit in front of one of these during the day elitetradingcomputers.com and get in and out pretty quickly if I'm wrong, and let things ride a bit if I'm right. Are individual stocks manipulated? Sure. Can entire sectors be manipulated? I think so. Can the entire market be manipulated for years? Not so sure about that one, aside from the argument about easy money and low interest rates juicing long side buying... As for SHLD being manipulated, should that keep one out of the market? I can list a bucketful of companies with billions in cash on the balance sheet, strong market positions, and stock prices that have been stagnant for a decade. They are finally starting to move. I read this thread because I want to understand and hear both sides, but some of the commentary and 'sticking to my guns' doesn't make much trading sense. I recall one pretty bright guy posting here during the collapse that SBUX might be a nice short when it was between 8 and 9 bucks. The comments about the 'big bad burrito' and CRapple go on and on, but the 'big bad one' is now north of 400 bucks, and the other when, well, no comment necessary. So, the point is, why fight instead of trying to capitalize? Trading is more work, but it keeps one out of long term losers (if discipline is followed), and can make one nice percentage gains. I got 30% in GM in a couple of weeks, and as I mentioned, when certain groups catch fire, why not try to ride them a bit? (Like the banks and homies) Finally, as a trader the only thing that really scares me and might be able to hurt me is another 'flash crash' type event. If it happens overnight and into the morning I would be okay, but the last one had me sweating. I still remember that day well, I had picked up a sizeable position in MU after the market had been down around 150-200, just before the event, betting on a quick pop. Instead I was down something between 40 and 50 thousand bucks on the position in minutes, and ended the day by selling it out for a couple thousand in profit on the rebound, but I was sweating... Last thing - if you look at market history, we have had a couple of these decade plus down periods. Seems to me that improves the chances for a better stretch, for the true investors... Also, for those 'investors' with the fortitude to buy big when Kass and Haines 'called the bottom', they have to be smiling... Regards, John