On Sat, 2003-02-08 at 02:28, Nathan E Norman wrote: > On Fri, Feb 07, 2003 at 08:16:31PM -0800, Paul Johnson wrote: > > On Fri, Feb 07, 2003 at 05:46:12PM -0600, Gary Turner wrote: > > > Where the hell do you think the money came from? If an investor can't > > > expect a return, why should he put himself at risk? > > > > It's basically gambling picking a stock that'll last long enough and > > perform well enough to create dividends. Furthermore, the payoff > > frequently is drastically disproportionately high relative to the > > individual effort put in to creating that wealth: I see it basically > > as tricking some stupid asshole into giving you a $20 for a $5. > > That's not working, that's being a crook. > > The market is full of staid but solid performers which return a few > percentage points (most) every year, which means overall you're doing > better than putting your money in a savings account or even a money > market account. I must be missing your point, or my view of the facts > is in dissonance with yours. > > The big problem I see with the stock market is the same problem I see > with the computer industry; it's full of idiots. Anyone who buys a > single stock because someone told them to shouldn't be buying stock at > all; they should be investing in mutual funds or index funds. > > Of course, if you just tax them to the hilt, they won't have to worry > about investing at all. What this has to do with user issues of implementing and maintaining a Debian GNU/Linux system, on whatever platform is selected, I would say has long been lost. From my days on Usenet, there are numerous areas where this discussion would be on-topic. Please, agree on one, and take it there. And a quick interjection: the stock market has the side effect of allowing companies to solicit equity funds from time to time, when they choose to issue some new shares. Beyond that, the market is an ongoing gambling game jumping on the latest rumour, trend, and sometimes even corporate performance where the only ones with reasonably safe incomes are the brokers who take their fees for every fidgety transaction their clients pursue. Unless you have the volume of $$$ (or other appropriate currency) to justify having your own seat on the exchange, doing anything other than sensibly researched placement of funds in an effectively secure business or group of businesses is a gift of your money to your favorite brokerage. Brokerages love day traders as the real money maker is the broker, at risk only if they are silly enough to extend unsupported credit to a client. -- Mark L. Kahnt, FLMI/M, ALHC, HIA, AIAA, ACS, MHP ML Kahnt New Markets Consulting Tel: (613) 531-8684 / (613) 539-0935 Email: kahnt@hosehead.dyndns.org
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part