Tax-Time came and went last week. Can you imagine all the calls
the IRS had to take from Tea-Party participants and other citizens.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=1fc612dc-0db1-497c-b596-2e3d088c9a0a)
-
Capitalogix Commentary for the Week of 04/19/10
At the end of the week, the markets were pretty much where they started. So nothing happened, right?
Sometimes weeks like this are important. The Japanese candlestick chart pattern this type of action produces is called a Doji. After a long up-trend, this pattern often marks a turning-point.
Here, there is a Doji resting on the recent up-trend line (drawn with the red arrow) and the support-resistance level (noted with the orange dashed line). This creates an easy decision-zone to watch.
From my perspective, a little pull-back would be welcome here.
Earnings Season Is Here.
During the past few quarters, companies have shown that they can cut-back and save money. Now may be the time investors want to see some sales growth.
The results are not as important to me as the market's response. Are people going to keep buying, or start selling the news? Here are a few items that caught my eye this past week.
- JPMorgan Earns $3.3 Billion in 1st Quarter, a 55% increase of Profits. (DealBook)
- GM Posts $4.3 billion Loss, Says 2010 Profit Possible. (Reuters)
- Intel Profits and Outlook Blow Past Expectations (DailyFinance)
Of course, the news that the government was suing Goldman Sachs also moved the market. How it ultimately moves Goldman is still to be seen. Again, though, what I'll be watching is whether this will become a buying opportunity or a trigger for further selling. That will likely tell us how healthy the rally remains.Banks Were Masking Risk Levels From the Public.
On a related topic, according to the WSJ, major banks have masked their risk levels in the past five quarters by temporarily lowering their debt just before reporting it to the public. Here is an interactive graphic to illustrate what happened.
More Banks Are Closing.
Also, Regulators shut down eight more banks last week; that makes 50 so far this year. Last year saw 140 bank failures, the highest annual number since the 1992 Savings & Loan crisis. In comparison, only twenty-five banks failed in 2007 or 2008. Another chart to put this in perspective is here.
Expect to
Hear A Lot More About the Need For More Regulation.
Business Posts Moving the
Markets that I Found Interesting This Week:
- Bernanke's Dilemma: Hyperinflation and the U.S. Dollar (SeekingAlpha)
- A Dangerous Omen Looms for Bonds. (Money)
- Three Ring Circus: Labor Statistics, Treasury & Commerce Dept. (Sutton)
- Firesales Being Held By Bankrupt
States: What Can We Learn? (BusinessInsider) - Innovation,
by Order of the Kremlin – Russia's Silicon Valley.
(NYTimes) - More Posts
Moving the Markets.
Lighter Ideas and
Fun Links
that I Found Interesting This Week- Twitter Predicts Box-Office Sales – Will It Soon Predict Markets? (FastCompany)
- Is the EMP the Next Weapon of Mass Destruction? (Time)
- Cosmic Archaeology – Looking for New Ways of Finding Signs of Life. (Economist)
- 21st Century Makeover: Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in Twitter
Twist. (Reuters) - Fighting Allergies by Mimicking Parasitic Worms? (TechnologyReview)
- More
Posts with Lighter Ideas and Fun Links.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=da9d7dfa-af7e-4332-b703-41d4c43aea27)
-
Capitalogix Commentary for the Week of 04/19/10
At the end of the week, the markets were pretty much where they started. So nothing happened, right?
Sometimes weeks like this are important. The Japanese candlestick chart pattern this type of action produces is called a Doji. After a long up-trend, this pattern often marks a turning-point.
Here, there is a Doji resting on the recent up-trend line (drawn with the red arrow) and the support-resistance level (noted with the orange dashed line). This creates an easy decision-zone to watch.
From my perspective, a little pull-back would be welcome here.
Earnings Season Is Here.
During the past few quarters, companies have shown that they can cut-back and save money. Now may be the time investors want to see some sales growth.
The results are not as important to me as the market's response. Are people going to keep buying, or start selling the news? Here are a few items that caught my eye this past week.
- JPMorgan Earns $3.3 Billion in 1st Quarter, a 55% increase of Profits. (DealBook)
- GM Posts $4.3 billion Loss, Says 2010 Profit Possible. (Reuters)
- Intel Profits and Outlook Blow Past Expectations (DailyFinance)
Of course, the news that the government was suing Goldman Sachs also moved the market. How it ultimately moves Goldman is still to be seen. Again, though, what I'll be watching is whether this will become a buying opportunity or a trigger for further selling. That will likely tell us how healthy the rally remains.Banks Were Masking Risk Levels From the Public.
On a related topic, according to the WSJ, major banks have masked their risk levels in the past five quarters by temporarily lowering their debt just before reporting it to the public. Here is an interactive graphic to illustrate what happened.
More Banks Are Closing.
Also, Regulators shut down eight more banks last week; that makes 50 so far this year. Last year saw 140 bank failures, the highest annual number since the 1992 Savings & Loan crisis. In comparison, only twenty-five banks failed in 2007 or 2008. Another chart to put this in perspective is here.
Expect to
Hear A Lot More About the Need For More Regulation. Business Posts Moving the
Markets that I Found Interesting This Week:
- Bernanke's Dilemma: Hyperinflation and the U.S. Dollar (SeekingAlpha)
- A Dangerous Omen Looms for Bonds. (Money)
- Three Ring Circus: Labor Statistics, Treasury & Commerce Dept. (Sutton)
- Firesales Being Held By Bankrupt
States: What Can We Learn? (BusinessInsider) - Innovation,
by Order of the Kremlin – Russia's Silicon Valley.
(NYTimes) - More Posts
Moving the Markets.
Lighter Ideas and
Fun Links
that I Found Interesting This Week- Twitter Predicts Box-Office Sales – Will It Soon Predict Markets? (FastCompany)
- Is the EMP the Next Weapon of Mass Destruction? (Time)
- Cosmic Archaeology – Looking for New Ways of Finding Signs of Life. (Economist)
- 21st Century Makeover: Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in Twitter
Twist. (Reuters) - Fighting Allergies by Mimicking Parasitic Worms? (TechnologyReview)
- More
Posts with Lighter Ideas and Fun Links.
-
The Internet Is Apparently for Porn
My Internet provider recently doubled the speed of service in our area. Seemingly everyone I tell makes a joke about quicker access to porn. In that spirit, here are two videos poking fun at that.
First, the Onion jokes that Congress passed the Pornographic Media Concealment Act, to hide this generation's porn habit from future generations.
Congress Announces Plan To Hide Nation's Porn From Future GenerationsAnd here is "The Internet Is For Porn", a number from Avenue Q. Here are the lyrics.
That was a funny show, and worth seeing if you get the chance.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=6366a327-851e-47f5-ad36-08549d559ee4)
-
The Internet Is Apparently for Porn
My Internet provider recently doubled the speed of service in our area. Seemingly everyone I tell makes a joke about quicker access to porn. In that spirit, here are two videos poking fun at that.
First, the Onion jokes that Congress passed the Pornographic Media Concealment Act, to hide this generation's porn habit from future generations.
Congress Announces Plan To Hide Nation's Porn From Future GenerationsAnd here is "The Internet Is For Porn", a number from Avenue Q. Here are the lyrics.
That was a funny show, and worth seeing if you get the chance.
-
I Played With an iPad, and I Liked it
The iPad is a revolutionary machine. I had a chance to spend time using one this weekend.Overall, the experience was impressive and compelling.
The screen was beautiful. Looking at a website was
better than expected. For example, reading the New
York Times online (using their iPad App) was, in many ways, a
better experience than with the actual paper. Likewise, the e-book interface was stunning, easy
to use, and also more compelling than paper.
An Incredible "Consumption" Device.At first glance, the iPad seems like an incredible tool to
consume media.- If you like to sit on your couch and read the paper or
magazines, the iPad will clearly make that better. Why? Because you will have
a much wider range of reading material available in one place, along
with access to multimedia, streaming video and internet links. - If
you play Sudoku or crosswords, again, the iPad will clearly
make that better. You will have access to extra games, more varieties of
games, and the ability to play against other people. - If you want to do research for something you're writing, it's the
perfect platform to browse through websites, blogs, or to launch a news reader to scan RSS
feeds. - You can even use it to watch videos and browse through pictures.
Here is a video review.
So, will I buy one? Not yet; and I do have some mixed feelings about this device.
So What Was "Wrong" With It?
To be sure, it is fast and powerful enough to do many of the things I do on a laptop.
However, I don't think that it's a great "creation" device (at least for me). In other words, I don't believe that I would want to use it to do extensive
writing, spreadsheet editing, or that type of "computer" work.Also, its big beautiful screen makes the device "too big" for me to imagine carrying around.
One of the primary benefits of my iPhone is that I have it with me everywhere. That means I use it at the grocery store, while I'm waiting for my car at the car-wash, and to look up something during a business meeting or lunch. That wouldn't happen with the iPad.
Instead, I'd want one in my briefcase, another one in the living room, and another in the bedroom.
Again, the iPad seems designed to be a "consumption" device for media. As the price point comes down, I believe that consumers will buy several of them (much the way they have
TVs in different rooms).
Even though it so impressive and compelling, I will probably wait for its next generation before buying.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=316fc233-ee35-4a4b-a801-84bfac5e82d1)
- If you like to sit on your couch and read the paper or
-
I Played With an iPad, and I Liked it
The iPad is a revolutionary machine. I had a chance to spend time using one this weekend.Overall, the experience was impressive and compelling.
The screen was beautiful. Looking at a website was
better than expected. For example, reading the New
York Times online (using their iPad App) was, in many ways, a
better experience than with the actual paper. Likewise, the e-book interface was stunning, easy
to use, and also more compelling than paper.
An Incredible "Consumption" Device.At first glance, the iPad seems like an incredible tool to
consume media.- If you like to sit on your couch and read the paper or
magazines, the iPad will clearly make that better. Why? Because you will have
a much wider range of reading material available in one place, along
with access to multimedia, streaming video and internet links. - If
you play Sudoku or crosswords, again, the iPad will clearly
make that better. You will have access to extra games, more varieties of
games, and the ability to play against other people. - If you want to do research for something you're writing, it's the
perfect platform to browse through websites, blogs, or to launch a news reader to scan RSS
feeds. - You can even use it to watch videos and browse through pictures.
Here is a video review.
So, will I buy one? Not yet; and I do have some mixed feelings about this device.
So What Was "Wrong" With It?
To be sure, it is fast and powerful enough to do many of the things I do on a laptop.
However, I don't think that it's a great "creation" device (at least for me). In other words, I don't believe that I would want to use it to do extensive
writing, spreadsheet editing, or that type of "computer" work.Also, its big beautiful screen makes the device "too big" for me to imagine carrying around.
One of the primary benefits of my iPhone is that I have it with me everywhere. That means I use it at the grocery store, while I'm waiting for my car at the car-wash, and to look up something during a business meeting or lunch. That wouldn't happen with the iPad.
Instead, I'd want one in my briefcase, another one in the living room, and another in the bedroom.
Again, the iPad seems designed to be a "consumption" device for media. As the price point comes down, I believe that consumers will buy several of them (much the way they have
TVs in different rooms). Even though it so impressive and compelling, I will probably wait for its next generation before buying.
- If you like to sit on your couch and read the paper or
-
Reminiscences of a Retreat
I just got back from a weekend retreat with a group of entrepreneurs.
It consistently surprises me how valuable it is to take time to get away from your daily routines, in order to focus on the bigger picture.
Part of the benefit is simply taking the time to do it. Another part is listening to others, and hearing a fresh perspective.
Having fun helps too.
I've watched my kids play Guitar Hero and Rock Band on their gaming systems; however, it was quite a different experience watching a bunch of middle-aged children play it at the retreat.
I was particularly embarrassed that I knew so few of the songs. And when I tried participating … I reminded myself more of my father, than of a rock-star.
Yet, for what it's worth, it turned out to be a great group activity to loosen-folks-up at the retreat.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=632bd965-8003-42b7-a575-ec2a9ee7a854)
-
Reminiscences of a Retreat
I just got back from a weekend retreat with a group of entrepreneurs.
It consistently surprises me how valuable it is to take time to get away from your daily routines, in order to focus on the bigger picture.
Part of the benefit is simply taking the time to do it. Another part is listening to others, and hearing a fresh perspective.
Having fun helps too.
I've watched my kids play Guitar Hero and Rock Band on their gaming systems; however, it was quite a different experience watching a bunch of middle-aged children play it at the retreat.
I was particularly embarrassed that I knew so few of the songs. And when I tried participating … I reminded myself more of my father, than of a rock-star.
Yet, for what it's worth, it turned out to be a great group activity to loosen-folks-up at the retreat.
