Comments for DH Unplugged

Comment on DHUnplugged #136: Earnings Season Is Here, Whether to Cry or to Cheer? by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:39:14 +0000

I see that. Will be correcting when John awakes…

Comment on DHUnplugged #136: Earnings Season Is Here, Whether to Cry or to Cheer? by Andres

Andres — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:45:54 +0000

Not to complain too much, but I think you uploaded last week’s episode.

Comment on DHUnplugged #134: Lo and Behold! by Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:10:38 +0000

Prices

Comment on DHUnplugged #134: Lo and Behold! by paix

paix — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:34:21 +0000

John says the housing market has hit a bottom…Andrew did not seem convinced…what would be good indicators of the housing market hitting a bottom? Prices heading back up, mortgage applications, number of sales?

Comment on DHUnplugged #134: Lo and Behold! by paix

paix — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:26:03 +0000

Thank you both for doing the podcast. I really enjoy it.

You spoke about which country (Venezuela!) did the best this year and with 2 weeks left to go bespoke has this chart:

http://www.bespokeinvest.com/thinkbig/2011/12/16/year-to-date-stock-market-returns-by-country.html

Comment on DHUnplugged #134: Lo and Behold! by Pierre

Pierre — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:54:15 +0000

You guys were pretty off on the coffee capsule comment. Market share can be impacted by companies like Casino in France that make a killing by just copying the format and undercutting Nespresso by a few cents.
It is easy to do as John demonstrated because what’s inside is not complicated.
Hence market share is a big deal for these companies.

Comment on DHUnplugged #131: Zynga’s Zinger, Postal Panic and Facebook’s Faux Pas by Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:40:47 +0000

I realize that since one can’t buy stock in the USPS, it’s not high on your list for depth of research, but with all due respect John has no clue about the problems of the Post Office.

Here is a very quick and condensed look at situation:

Andrew really nailed the entire problem in that the USPS has had very little support in Congress, especially since John McHugh left Congress to become Secretary of the Army.

The Postal Service has seen the current problems coming for at least a decade, as the internet has grown, and mail volume has dropped, 20% since 2007. On top of that, the USPS has started each fiscal year since 2007 $5+ Billion in the hole because they are required to pre-pay their share of future retirees’ health benefits. No other government agency, and no other private company is require to do this.

They have tried many times over the past decade to eliminate rural Post Offices that lose money, but when the proposals reach Congress they get voted down because what Congressman wants to face reelection after letting their local Post Office close up shop?

Seeing the coming drop in mail volume, the USPS invested money in equipment to increase production, but this only helps temporarily if the volume continues to drop.

The Post Office “seems pretty crowded” to John because of reduced hours and reduced staffing at the windows, and an overall reduced workforce due to the increases in production.

Absolutely needed raises in postage rates create a vicious cycle of reduced volume.

So, to sum it up quickly, the Postal Service did see these problems coming, but with no support in Congress, the continued loss of revenue due to the internet (a MAJOR problem), and these retiree pre-payments, a major bailout has to happen if the US is to continue to have the best, and most reliable, Postal Service on the planet.

Comment on DHUnplugged #121: Incompetence, Stupidity and Waste (Just For Starters) by Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:29:36 +0000

I don’t think Pringles is going out of business. Not if Diamond is buying them for $1.5 billion.

Comment on DHUnplugged #130: Occupy or Tea? Also, A Wild Investment Idea… by Tom

Tom — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 02:30:15 +0000

One of the main goals of the “Occupy” movement is to get corporate money out of politics so that politicians represent the voters and not the corporations with the most donation. A constitutional amendment to get big money from speical interests out of our political system is being organized by Dylan Ratigan http://www.getmoneyout.com/ and TheYoungTurks http://www.wolf-pac.com/.

As an investor, I would like to have a level playing field so that I can invest in companies that I know are not being propped up by the government. I also want to eliminate any influence that Too Big To Fail Banks have on our government so that any criminal activites are properly prosecuted.

Comment on DHUnplugged #130: Occupy or Tea? Also, A Wild Investment Idea… by Surprised!

Surprised! — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:08:58 +0000

Thanks Chris. That info is all over the recent 8-k’s of P&G, I’m actually quite surprised that they wouldn’t know that! Especially on AH’s part. Sorry!

On another note, some time ago they wondered who had stock ticker “P” before Pandora, it was Phillips Petroleum. In Sept 2002 they became ConocoPhillips and their ticker changed to COP.