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.

Pastimes : Ask Mohan about the Market -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (9639)	11/27/1997 9:41:00 PM
From: Joseph G.	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 18056

Haim, well may be. I know people who argue that a cheaper or better computer contributes to productivity, or standard of living not more than a cheaper or better TV set. There is a culture here on SI that computers are something special. But they are just as special as radio was 50 years ago, or TV was 30 years ago. Just a product that was new very recently. And just as they pumped mainframes in 1960s, and promissed that they will take care of everything, now they pump PCs. Remember disco?-g- Joe

To: Haim R. Branisteanu who wrote (9639)	11/28/1997 2:12:00 AM
From: studdog	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 18056

Haim; >>> Next decade "hot commodities" will be "Columbus Gold" - corn, rice etc. lumber, dirt and potable water.<< I am in complete agreement with you on this. China is now a net importer of grain. The initial grain price rise was countered by usual market forces but I think we are running up against natural barriers to production in all the "hot commodities" you list and won't be able to rely on "market forces". Part of the reason natural resources are now so cheap and inflation is low is we do not take into account the true cost of commodity production, i.e. water pollution, ground water depletion by agriculture, species diversity loss due to logging, fish stock depletion, greenhouse gas, on and on ad nauseum. These are not just faddish enviro/greenie issues but but very real problems. If we don't confront them and find ways to live and work more sustainably then it won't matter one iota if IBM is up a point or not. I believe that these problems are a very real threat to the stock market as all debts will be payable at some time in the future. IMHO, the Great Kahuna many are waiting for will be be secondary, at the most fundamental level, to mankind banging up against the natural barriers to growth inherent in living on a finite planet. We had better be pretty damn smart and figure out how to do it right. Karl