You stare at the screen, transfixed.
Everything you own — except SGOL and (of all things NLY) — is showing bright red.
All those months and months of hard work analyzing, mulling, and picking — all going down the toilet, minute by minute.
No sense in selling — not into yesterday’s maelstrom. And none of my disasters was showing an 8% loss, which would invoke my stop loss rule.
Sit there. Take my lumps. Take Rosie for a walk. Watch some tennis. Read a novel.
Pray that sanity ultimately prevails.
But it won’t. We know that. No one learns from history. Yesterday’s New York Times:
And in another time, not too long ago… Remember Colin Powell telling the U.N. how Sadam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and he, Colin Powell, had the evidence.
Senator John McCain (R) was on BubbleVision this morning rattling sabers:
America has no respect in the Middle East.
It’s trivial to send arms through a small corridor to the right people in Syria.
What I don’t get is it was only a few days ago that I reported that George Soros had bought a massive short position on the S&P 500. How did he know? And why didn’t I hedge my portfolio by spending a few shekels to buy some puts on the S&P 500? Heck, my day-day-day portfolio on Fidelity lost $75,000 yesterday. Put some of that — say $10,000 in PUTs — and it would easily have offset the $75,000.
When your portfolio rises by day, as it was doing earlier this year, your tendency is to assume the pleasure is forever. And there will never be pain.
And then came Syria. Are we really going to go to war against Syria because we think — maybe – they used chemical weapons. Heck, if I were running the rebels, saw I was losing, wouldn’t I use chemical weapons, blame it on the Assad regime, knowing that America would then ship me arms and turn my chances around?
Stratfor’s Robert D. Kaplan wrote this morning:
So far, Obama has handled the Middle East tolerably well. He has reduced and ended ground force commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq, while avoiding quagmires elsewhere in the face of regional change and chaos. This is in keeping with the leadership of a global maritime power that has serious military commitments in Asia and elsewhere, even as its energy dependency on the Middle East is on the wane. But Obama now faces a defining event that will test his commitment to keep America out of regional quicksand while being able to wield considerable power in the region at the same time. If Obama prosecutes a significant military operation, one thing is certain: Syria will be its own war for the United States with its own narrative, for better or worse.
I should never be all long. I should always own some puts. If this gets ugly, they could be my saving grace.
Sign of the times. The US Tennis Open allows you to bring iPads into the grounds, but not laptops.
Seeing again. I just noticed one eye is partly closed. Today, however, they’re both open and seeing.
The cataract operation is now a success (after a week recuperating and a million drops). Life is returning to normal. Maybe I can now fix that left shoulder rotator cuff “tear” with some steroids? The only lesson from all this: Make sure you accomplish your Bucket List, when you’re young — before your body falls apart.
We need to go into Syria and re-establish the U.S.’s domination. This is a golden opportunity to show that we are supreme. This could be a long, protracted conflict, with the U.s. forces suffering mass casualties from chemical burns. It is not only entirely appropriate, but likely necessary, that we bring back conscription and a national lottery to take young Americans away from their beloved video games and worthless business start ups and go to Syria and fight for their country.
Led by John McCain and Rush Limbaugh, we can win this war and restore American pride. Godspeed.
Hi Harry ~ Sorry for the dumb question, but if your cataract operation was a “success” then why are you wearing glasses in the photo?
Because I chose to have eyesight focus on reading and computer screens. Hence I’ll need glasses to see long distance but not for reading and for computer glasses. Also in the picture only one eye is “done.” The left undone eye has a lens to allow me to read with the left eye. In this picture, the right done eye has plain glass.
Harry, my lens choices were far more favorable: (1) 0 – 12 inches near-sighted, wearing glasses for the rest, or (2) one foot to infinity, wear glasses only for the really-close stuff. My focus is wonderful from reading to computer screen to infinity. Five years later, and I use my ‘in-close’ glasses very seldom. Please consider seeking a ‘second opinion’ prior to returning for your second cataract operation.
I remember a few decades ago when the US supplied an Allie Rebel at the time named Saddam Hussein with chemical weapons which he in turn used on our enemy (Iran) with a record to this day of casualties and death caused by these weapons. McCain and Kerry are fine examples how the Banksters and industrial complex buy and control these politicians. hypocrites, lies, smoke and mirrors…
I wonder where Syria got its chemical/biological weapons?……..I wonder if Colin Powell knows? Libs scream that Iraq had no WMD’s, but Syria has huge stockpiles of them.
I seem to remember reading… way back when …a thesis that Saddam’s chemical weapons were moved to Syria before we invaded… doesn’t seem so implausible now – funny no media asking where did these weapons originate – cause it might validate BUSH.
Another question worth asking…What’s the difference between gassing 1000 people and murdering 100,000 with bullets. mortars, rockets, etc??? Same results….
Last questions…Are there any good guys in this fight??? Do we know that the gas attack wasn’t perpetrated by the rebels???
We’re being played for fools if we enter this frey….
I’m a weapons guy, so let’s do some weapons planning: 1. Can’t kill a single “civilian” 2. Can’t hit Russian enclave & logistics areas 3. Ditto Iranian enclave & logistics 4. The “Enemy” has had a WEEK of warning to disperse assets into “civilian” areas 5. Command centers are hardened — yeah… this will be a REALLY effective “strike”. If you hit any utility infrastructure you are only harming the civilian population. About the only things you can hit are some military runways and truck parks. The only things you can destroy are some POL storage and whatever planes/trucks can’t fly or motor away. These are crappy targets and it’s a crappy plan.
Here is an excellent article from Reason.com: http://reason.com/blog/2013/08/27/8-reasons-not-to-go-to-war-in-syria By the way, the BEST reason not go intervene in Syria is because John McCain says it would be “quick and easy.” The man is a fool. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thinks this is a bad idea. He is not a fool.
Action in Syria is a true “Wag the Dog” crisis designed by the Libs to keep the focus away from the scandals, the economy, and (appropriate to today) the sad way Obama has advanced racism and setback the black community.
Seriously? Now Syria? Every place we’ve intervened since Korea we have left in worse shape while trashing our own economy! People come on!