Blessings Darlings!
I love puns. In this case, I'm trading talking about soup stocks for talking about trading stocks. Or at least options on stocks. I considered using 'stocks and bonds' as a title, but more than a few of you would have thought I'd be posting on some BDSM stuff. Alas, this post isn't THAT interesting.
Anyway....
I've started back trading stock options. But only in a small way - I've spent most of the investment money to pay for frivolous things like rent and food over the past couple of years. So I'm only buying/selling one contract at a time and being very conservative ... even while doing investments where I can easily lose the entire investment if I don't do things right.
I didn't structure my last trade very well, but still made 5% in 4 trading days. Not a fortune - that was $55 in profit. But once I get more up to speed, I'm hoping that I'll double the return per trade while keeping my ASSets covered.
I like options because they take little up-front money (compared to buying stocks), don't risk more than you invest up front (unlike currencies), and can make money on either an up or down market. Right now I'd say that the market, using the S&P500 as a marker, is going sideways, and I can handle that, too.
My biggest problem is that I tend to cut my wins off too soon. I'm still working on that, among other skills.
Frondly, Fern
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economy. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
The More Things Change...
Blessings, Darlings!
So, the Spawn is working, after 9 months of job searching. He's the host at a family restaurant. On weekdays, which are slow, he makes more than the servers, since his salary is not dependent on tips.
Last night he got a call from another job he applied for recently, to see if he could come in for an interview. Too late, guys.
Two jobs calling in two weeks would seem to be an improvement in the economy. Except....
Yesterday at his job, a whole flock of folks from the big expensive supermarket across the street came in for job applications. So either that place is lousy to work for, or they are going to be laying folks off or closing. About 6 weeks ago that store had claimed they were hiring - Spawn applied, even took the 'psychological evaluation test' there, and never got called back.
Maybe the Spawn slipped into jobs that opened because people quit as the school year began. This is the same time he got a job last year, after several months of looking. But the group coming in for job applications seems to show that there are still WAY more folks looking for jobs out there. Even entry-level jobs.
Yes, new applications for unemployment benefits are slowly dropping. But today's job figures from the Fed were abysmal, even tho' they claim that the unemployment rate is unchanged. New jobs being created aren't equaling those destroyed, let alone new people coming into the job market from population growth. IF the unemployment rate actually IS unchanged, it's only because they consider those working part time (even if they need/want full time work) are 'employed' and because so many workers are 'discouraged' that they've given up on finding work.
Frondly, Fern
So, the Spawn is working, after 9 months of job searching. He's the host at a family restaurant. On weekdays, which are slow, he makes more than the servers, since his salary is not dependent on tips.
Last night he got a call from another job he applied for recently, to see if he could come in for an interview. Too late, guys.
Two jobs calling in two weeks would seem to be an improvement in the economy. Except....
Yesterday at his job, a whole flock of folks from the big expensive supermarket across the street came in for job applications. So either that place is lousy to work for, or they are going to be laying folks off or closing. About 6 weeks ago that store had claimed they were hiring - Spawn applied, even took the 'psychological evaluation test' there, and never got called back.
Maybe the Spawn slipped into jobs that opened because people quit as the school year began. This is the same time he got a job last year, after several months of looking. But the group coming in for job applications seems to show that there are still WAY more folks looking for jobs out there. Even entry-level jobs.
Yes, new applications for unemployment benefits are slowly dropping. But today's job figures from the Fed were abysmal, even tho' they claim that the unemployment rate is unchanged. New jobs being created aren't equaling those destroyed, let alone new people coming into the job market from population growth. IF the unemployment rate actually IS unchanged, it's only because they consider those working part time (even if they need/want full time work) are 'employed' and because so many workers are 'discouraged' that they've given up on finding work.
Frondly, Fern
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Egypt
Blessings, Darlings!
Yes, the Mubarek government has to go - they have a history of oppression and are the tool of the oligarchy. Yes, some coalition has to take its place that is not totally tied to the oligarchy (but, clearly, has to have the approval of the military).
I'm no policy or urban or economic development wonk, or an economic history buff (either professional or hobbyist). But SOMEONE out there must be!
How do you turn an oligarchy into something that allows for economic opportunity for everyone in the country? What exactly does a government to do promote job development in this case, when just a relatively few families hold all the assets and apparently only hire people they know?
Are they historic examples of this happening? If so, tell me about them, please!
Frondly, totally at sea Fern
Yes, the Mubarek government has to go - they have a history of oppression and are the tool of the oligarchy. Yes, some coalition has to take its place that is not totally tied to the oligarchy (but, clearly, has to have the approval of the military).
I'm no policy or urban or economic development wonk, or an economic history buff (either professional or hobbyist). But SOMEONE out there must be!
How do you turn an oligarchy into something that allows for economic opportunity for everyone in the country? What exactly does a government to do promote job development in this case, when just a relatively few families hold all the assets and apparently only hire people they know?
Are they historic examples of this happening? If so, tell me about them, please!
Frondly, totally at sea Fern
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Fresh Air
Blessings, Darlings!
Bob and I actually took a walk together today, our first time getting a bit of exercise outside in the new neighborhood. We immediately discovered that NONE of the houses here has a bad view - gosh, this area is beautiful!
We also got to meet one of our neighbors, and her puppy (and another neighborhood dog came by to visit as well). We all talked for a while, exchanged e-mail addresses, got a feel for each other. Had a good time!
Several of the houses in the subdivision HAVE gone to either foreclosure or short sales. The two now for sale have been for sale for a LONG time. At least one family homeschools, and I know from meeting another neighbor that he and his wife are looking into homeschooling their family (eldest child is not yet school age).
So I learned and did things already today. Another successful day! Yay!
Frondly, Fern
Bob and I actually took a walk together today, our first time getting a bit of exercise outside in the new neighborhood. We immediately discovered that NONE of the houses here has a bad view - gosh, this area is beautiful!
We also got to meet one of our neighbors, and her puppy (and another neighborhood dog came by to visit as well). We all talked for a while, exchanged e-mail addresses, got a feel for each other. Had a good time!
Several of the houses in the subdivision HAVE gone to either foreclosure or short sales. The two now for sale have been for sale for a LONG time. At least one family homeschools, and I know from meeting another neighbor that he and his wife are looking into homeschooling their family (eldest child is not yet school age).
So I learned and did things already today. Another successful day! Yay!
Frondly, Fern
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Growing Consultants
Yesterday's Washington Post had several articles on Defense Secretary Robert Gates' new focus in defense spending. The article above the fold http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/06/AR2009040601784.html explained that Gates is moving away from high-tech spending to a focus on lower tech weaponry. The article below the fold points out the impact it will have on jobs in our area: Contracting Boom Could Fizzle Out http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/06/AR2009040604049.html. We are in the DC area, in case anyone didn't know that - the Washington Post IS my local paper.
We own/operate a small engineering consulting company. We don't do govt contracting ourselves, but we get a sense of what's going on because we are active in the local IEEE (that's the Institute for Electrical and Electronic and all other Engineers) Consultants Network. When contractors "contract" (uh, shrink) that means engineers move from being employees to becoming unemployed or becoming consultants. Or both, because let's face it, saying that someone is "really good at marketing, for an engineer" is damning them with really faint praise.
Even before this military spending shift, the IEEE National Capital Area Consultants Network had been getting a boost in attendence because of the economic downturn. The Consultants Network started running a series on how to get started, called the Art of Consulting. In fact, the first session saw a record setting 60 people register for it.
Many, maybe most of those new folks, don't have websites. What websites they do have - hell, even the website for the consultants network itself! - tend to be just awful. The second page of the CN's website still contains that sample Latin "lipsum orem" text, for goodness sake.
All of these new Engineering/Programming/etc consultants need help. They have been thinking like engineers all their lives, and engineers are not known for their social skills, their communication skills, or their marketing skills. They have been employees all of their working lives, so they think like employees and not like owners/business folks. They 'get' Linkedin, sort of, but they don't get Facebook, professional blogs, or Twitter. They understand bullet points, but they don't have a clue about CSS, SEO, or Joomla!, or pleasing/professional looking graphics on a web page.
These newly and soon-to-be minted consultants need the help of the Consulting Network, its experienced consulting members, the greater IEEE (which has SOME articles on consulting on its web site ... with URLs over 200 characters long - I swear I heard Twitter laugh at them), and local resources such as Joomla! or Drupal web professionals, marketing professionals, basic business professionals. It would be great if they could join more expensive marketing education and support services such as Stompernet (we are getting incredible help from Stompernet ourselves).
So, if you are in ANY of the aboved named groups - how about attending the next Art of Consulting meeting? Tuesday, April 21, 2009, in Northern VA. Detailed information is at http://ewh.ieee.org/r2/capitalarea/eSCANNER/calendar.html#CONSULT.
I might even see you there - I've threatened to film the speaker!
We own/operate a small engineering consulting company. We don't do govt contracting ourselves, but we get a sense of what's going on because we are active in the local IEEE (that's the Institute for Electrical and Electronic and all other Engineers) Consultants Network. When contractors "contract" (uh, shrink) that means engineers move from being employees to becoming unemployed or becoming consultants. Or both, because let's face it, saying that someone is "really good at marketing, for an engineer" is damning them with really faint praise.
Even before this military spending shift, the IEEE National Capital Area Consultants Network had been getting a boost in attendence because of the economic downturn. The Consultants Network started running a series on how to get started, called the Art of Consulting. In fact, the first session saw a record setting 60 people register for it.
Many, maybe most of those new folks, don't have websites. What websites they do have - hell, even the website for the consultants network itself! - tend to be just awful. The second page of the CN's website still contains that sample Latin "lipsum orem" text, for goodness sake.
All of these new Engineering/Programming/etc consultants need help. They have been thinking like engineers all their lives, and engineers are not known for their social skills, their communication skills, or their marketing skills. They have been employees all of their working lives, so they think like employees and not like owners/business folks. They 'get' Linkedin, sort of, but they don't get Facebook, professional blogs, or Twitter. They understand bullet points, but they don't have a clue about CSS, SEO, or Joomla!, or pleasing/professional looking graphics on a web page.
These newly and soon-to-be minted consultants need the help of the Consulting Network, its experienced consulting members, the greater IEEE (which has SOME articles on consulting on its web site ... with URLs over 200 characters long - I swear I heard Twitter laugh at them), and local resources such as Joomla! or Drupal web professionals, marketing professionals, basic business professionals. It would be great if they could join more expensive marketing education and support services such as Stompernet (we are getting incredible help from Stompernet ourselves).
So, if you are in ANY of the aboved named groups - how about attending the next Art of Consulting meeting? Tuesday, April 21, 2009, in Northern VA. Detailed information is at http://ewh.ieee.org/r2/capitalarea/eSCANNER/calendar.html#CONSULT.
I might even see you there - I've threatened to film the speaker!
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