SD'S -'GET 'ER DONE' IN 2012

[bankedout]

Jan 21, 2012 12:33:23 GMT -5 dg said:

So the question becomes, how do we re-employ America? Perhaps we need to scrap the employment concept by large companies as the major means and instead employ ourselves. In many cases that may mean living more like our ancestors did 200 years ago. In other cases, it may mean setting up ma and pa stores and services. In still other cases, we may need to invent new forms of products and services that we can provide and barter, unique to our local community environment. Time for Americans to put on their thinking caps! Time to "get 'er done!"

I love it when people discuss possible solutions. It is so easy to point to the problem(s), but what we really need is to point to the solution(s). Thank you dg for thinking about this and sharing your thoughts.

[sd]

We're heading down a path of lesser choices, lesser benefits, more austerity in our personal lives.
One of our local towns has also instituted their own currency for exchange of goods within the community- And that ideally keeps the currency circulating locally.
In Hillsborough nc, the Orange County hosts local small farmers, gardeners, craft people to sell their goods to local residents.
Since a small business does not have the economies of scale large businesses can access (Walmart), it is difficult if not impossible for a small shop/business to compete with many products. Specialty goods may be one arena where a small business can garner a niche clientele, or where the buyer wants to have very Fresh and organic produce because it is important to their way of life.
My daughter came back somewhat discouraged from a trip there, wanting to support the vendors , she bought some goods and 2 free range chickens .
The 2 chickens cost $9.00 ea, and she is on a very limited food budget (as are most of us).

Our gov't needs to get rid of legislation that hampers business development and quit taxing them out of this country.
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy, and economic growth should be stimulated-
Taxpayer dollars should not be allowed to go to any business that does not have an E-Verify system in place. Unfortunately, the company I work for resists to implement the E verify program because it is not mandated.
The issue there is that businesses can hire employees that may be undocumented with false credentials.
Most of these employees will declare they have 6 or 7 dependants and therefore pay little or no Fed tax. This means they "take home" more money each week than the documented Americans that have to declare their actual dependants.
The gov't does not enforce the E-verify I assume because it is unprepared to establish a proper way to handle the temporary Visas. Also, these employees do have to pay Social Security, and that money goes into fraudulent account #s that will never see the expenditure of all the monies contributed-
Perhaps I should give them my SS # to contribute to my account!

The undocumented worker- he's only a minor symptom of the issues- The larger issue lies with our Gov't spending more than it takes in, throwing Billions into War, and supporting foreign dynasties that despise us with Billions in Aid. to Buy their cooperation.
Our system is indeed rife with graft, excess, that allows those with influence to take advantage and manipulate for their own ends.
It needs a massive overhaul, flat consumption tax, keep jobs in America, change Congress's compensation to match that of the typical American, and their medical and retirement rewards be on par with the majority. Limit the number of consecutive terms one can serve.....

Congress is not held to the same standards for Insider trading that sent Martha to jail for Crying out Loud!-
They need to be held as accountable as you or I would be.
Until the Top Side is Fixed, those small trickledown issues we may attempt in our own lives or communities is like building a sandcastle just above the edge of the tide, but knowing a tsunami is on it's way-

I'm very dissatisfied with the direction our Country seems to be slipping towards-
Hopefully, the public will usher in new electorates that can help right the ship as we go forward.

Easier to get preoccupied with a stock- At least I can Act on a decision to Buy or Sell!

Good Luck, SD

[sd]

let me note that I should have stopped out of AAPL on my raised stop to $423.00 except I failed to actually change my stop from the $418.00 where it rests-
I made the decision to raise the stop several days earlier, worked it up on the chart, and failed to look at my account/active position-pending orders following.
This was pure sloppiness on my part- no excuses- I'll hang the Cat-o-nines back up before I get off on a discipline Rant for myself.
On a prior reentry, I didn't jump in early, entering about $400 and followed price action up . On a first pullback a few days after entry, price broke the fast ema and pulled back. I raised my stop to B.E. , price moved higher hitting $426 and then weakened. I was giving AAPL a bit of room , but on a second day of weakness, I raised my stop and was taken out just below $422.00.
Price made further pullbacks, but it was obviously different from the prior new high pullbacks of the past months.
A bullish flag formation-multi days- developed, and i followed that development with a buy-stop to reenter set at $424-lmt 425.
it filled near $424.50, on what would be a textbook move out of the flag, pausing at the prior high.
It moved up the next day, but the following, price action weakened, rolled over after a higher open and closed Down from the prior day- That closing bar closed below the fast Ema, and had a par Sar stop @ $486.00 ( I didn't raise mine higher) The next day, Price sold off sharply, only pausing for a few bars at the "breakout/support level before finishing the day at the the low bar close.
I was very surprised to see the sharp downwards price action, and when I went to my trading account I was even more surprised to see I still possessed AAPL with the original $418 stop-loss waiting. .
I believe this price action tells the story that investors fear AAPL will dissappoint on Earnings- . If so, a large gap down will drag me with it- so I will be "correcting" my mistake by selling at the open on Monday- I don't want to 'Bet' on which way earnings go.
Posting multiple charts- I have accumulated-
SD

[dg]

In the old days, every family had their own product. One might own the general store. Another ran a libery stable for horses, etc. Yet another was a blacksmith. And others were farmers, offering dairy products, meat products and fruits and veggies. Some brewed beer. Some made cheese. Some made baked goods. Some operated restaurants and taverns. Some worked in brothels. Thus the community as a whole inter-related such that they together met the needs of the entire community.

I wonder what might happen in this country today if all the people out of work would just start making or growing things of use and begin bartering with others for meaningful exchange of goods and services. Would we suddenly all be employed? If so, why are we waiting for something to happen? Time to make or grow something and barter the excess for what you need to the extent that you can.

[sd]

Not a bad idea- the idea of community is a far cry different today-
As a youngster, I remember riding with my immigrant grandfather as he loaded the ford truck with produce from his brother's farm and stopped at a number of homes and passed out the produce. I don't know the terms of exchange, but it was a community mostly of 1st generation immigrants in Binghamton, NY.

I think I'd have to try to brew the beer- for several years I tried making wine from the grapes I grow- Let's just say the results were less than stellar! I still have some 20 or so vines remaining. Could put a sign out for a "pick your own"- but I'd be hesitant about what might come onto the property ....
Yup, if you could get past the old gym sneaker smell, the wine was almost worth a sip....LOL!

[sd]

recapping the epv trade- several days after-
it was good I took the stop out when I did, as price did drop that much further. After mulling it over, I know that I'm prone to make that impulse trade- but it looked to have some credible potential.
going forward, I'm going to reduce my entry size on any reversal of trend trade. I will add back to the position once the trade's stop is at B.E. (trade in profitable territory)

recapping the epv trade- several days after-
it was good I took the stop out when I did, as price did drop that much further.

[sd]

Making a change-
Tomorrow i have orders in for stocks, and some ETF's that are trending higher .
I will forego the reversal of trend trades -
I have buy-stop orders in ADP,Pool, UGL,XLK, SLV, and of course a position in AAPL.
Many of these trades are already well underway to a new high-
Sd

[sd]

recap the trade: 0n 1-24 I sold AAPL, and it bounced some 26.00 higher after earnings- I was leery of holding it into earnings, and while i wish I had seen the pop, I played it conservatively- The fear was being in a gap down position just isn't worth it.
I also Bot POOL that day $33.61 @ 10:53- selected from a group making new 52 week highs. It weakened, I sold for a minor gain. I have an order to reenter if price hits $34.41 - $34.51 with a stop @ $34.00
SLV is an interesting trade-I took a "Riskier" entry and got in on the pullback where price dropped below the flag pattern, and then moved higher. I did this with a buy-stop entry below the pattern, and a limit just above- I had a stop-loss attached some $.20 lower. Risky move , but it gave me a good entry.
very often on the 60 min, you can see price action drop below a consolidation range for a bar or two- taking out most of the stops I expect, and then moving up higher.
In trying to get a view of the Big Picture, SLV is rolling over lower on the monthly, In decline on the weekly, and is suggesting a bottom is being put in on the daily.
Price is approaching the prior 1st rally range at $34.00.
I expect this to present some resistance, and have a limit sell for 1/2 the position at $33.80, with a split on the trailing stops-
If it succeeds in breaking through $34, I'll look for a reentry.

Presently, the trade is up 7%, and I'd like to be able to continue to see it go higher. Last year I was able to trail several trades for a number of weeks, with stops on weakness and reentries when the trend continued.
Setting a price target- This is something I have mulled over but not really acted on with any consistancy- I usually have an attached Lmt sell that is considerably above price - hoping to catch that gap spike- I may try to apply that attached sell for 1/2 the position on future trades as well, if I see a level where price may be pushed back. If I can catch the chunk of the upside, and potentially reenter lower or-even slightly higher, it's locking in some profits- I would likely look for this upper level to be at least a 5% gain at least - Will have to adjust this over time.

Some charts attached of SLV- I noticed that PSar would get hit ever 2 days or so on the 60 min.

[sd]

FUL was a momentum trade off the new 52 week high list.
It has had a decent up trajectory, with one 'no warning' spike down on Jan 19 and immediately resumed the uptrend.
I took the entry, but the following day was met with a high volume sell off the last 1/2 of the day.
That high volume sell has convinced me that I should simply protect the entry with a stop raised right at B.E.

[sd]

Use a larger time frame to see the direction of the primary trend-
In this chart of UGL, note that the primary trend is UP, but there is also a trend within the trend as price oscillates within the trending channel, with periodic pullbacks.
Also within the weekly chart is the opportunity to study Volume changes, and to review what occurs when a volume bar changes from the prior bars.
In the case of the uptrending UGL, a bearish bar often precedes a multi-bar pullback- Climax bars often signifying exhaustion in the prevailing trend-
It is a worth while comparisom, particularly if one is trading on a faster time frame.

[sd]

1/2 the position stopped out, and I've raised the remainder, as well as adding a buy-stop higher @ $33.00

[sd]

[sd]

TQNT BROKE OUT OF A RANGE TODAY.- Chart attached-
Will test the breakout with a limit Buy and a stop with Sar for the entry. Chart attached-
PHO- Water ETF- also a month long uptrend-

This market is "melting up higher" as the pundits say-
Giving both a shot here-

My Slv, UGL, and FUL positions are gaining.

[sd]

I closed both my SLV and UGL positions today just at breakeven.
Market is moving higher, and I think that took the floormat out from the Gold and Silver trades.
I had been giving these some room, but today's price action just made me hit the sell button, not waiting for the wider stops to be hit.
My limit order for TQNT was never filled, as price moved higher-
I decided to Buy near the close and xlk, PHO as well.
With the market trending this past month, I'm giving more room as long as the trend can continue.
It's getting the trade past that initial entry level .....
We'll see. Modifying my approach to be better in tune with the larger market.
I also Bought the financials today- XLF.

Good Luck!
SD

[sd]

TQNT beat earnings but margins narrow in after hours-
This will be a gap down lower loss at the open.