All things STOCKS

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Speaking of green power. I just read something really interesting about the EV concept. Rather than simply plugging in, drawing power to charge up, and then spending the energy to shuttle around in the car - the car can be looked at as more than just a vehicle. The stored energy can be put back into a house when the grid goes down. There are still issues to address, but I wish that the political extremes would work together to make it work instead of fighting over it. I’d like to see solar become much more viable - seems like a no brainer that when the sun is at it’s brightest and ACs are cranked up, that rooftop solar systems should be offsetting a lot of that energy burn.

I believe in the long term strategy of Tesla (but I’ve never owned a single share of TSLA directly). I’m not up to speed on the best investment opportunities. Seems like lithium is critical. The ETF for lithium is LIT (but I really dislike Global X as an ETF sponsor). Then, a pick and shovel ancillary industry is dealing with the waste. Spent panels and batteries. I have Waste Management (WM) and I don’t plan to ever sell it. I’ve owned FAN for a long time and it’s been trash. TAN probably would have been a better idea.

 

[Velo Vol]

Im not sure what your point is

It ain’t “priced in”

The finance world has been talking about the rate hikes for months. It should already be baked in.

Why single out student debt forgiveness as something the gov should avoid, but they’re handed out $billons to large corporations via the small business Covid relief program. Huge chucks to bail out financial companies in 2008. Huge tax cut 4 years back which always benefits the wealthiest. I’m retired and if there’s one hand out I’d be least against it is student loan forgiveness. Instead of these 20-30 somethings putting their money into buying homes or consumer goods to drive the economy, they’re paying off student debt with a big chunk of their earnings. They should reform the student loan process to where the academic institutions have to find employment for their grads or they are on hook for half the loan. What service in our nation has inflated their price more than colleges over the past 40 years and it was done squarely on the backs of student loan money.

This isn't a direct stock market issue. But the bold above is definitely an problem.

A blanket check writing/loan forgiveness program really isn't the answer, though. Too many short-term/long term issues. There are narrower, more targeted fixes that could make it more affordable.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

The finance world has been talking about the rate hikes for months. It should already be baked in.

This isn't a direct stock market issue. But the bold above is definitely an problem.

A blanket check writing/loan forgiveness program really isn't the answer, though. Too many short-term/long term issues. There are narrower, more targeted fixes that could make it more affordable.

How about a program to re-educate the poetry and gender studies majors to learn something useful and marketable? Like skilled trades. We could use more welders. Or including debt forgiveness as part of serving in the military.

 

[Velo Vol]

Speaking of green power. I just read something really interesting about the EV concept. Rather than simply plugging in, drawing power to charge up, and then spending the energy to shuttle around in the car - the car can be looked at as more than just a vehicle. The stored energy can be put back into a house when the grid goes down. There are still issues to address, but I wish that the political extremes would work together to make it work instead of fighting over it. I’d like to see solar become much more viable - seems like a no brainer that when the sun is at it’s brightest and ACs are cranked up, that rooftop solar systems should be offsetting a lot of that energy burn.

I believe in the long term strategy of Tesla (but I’ve never owned a single share of TSLA directly). I’m not up to speed on the best investment opportunities. Seems like lithium is critical. The ETF for lithium is LIT (but I really dislike Global X as an ETF sponsor). Then, a pick and shovel ancillary industry is dealing with the waste. Spent panels and batteries. I have Waste Management (WM) and I don’t plan to ever sell it. I’ve owned FAN for a long time and it’s been trash. TAN probably would have been a better idea.

To state the obvious, we really need better battery technology. Even if you accept the limited range of current EVs, we don't have enough battery production capacity if everyone started converting.

What's wrong with Global X ?

 

[tbh]

Speaking of green power. I just read something really interesting about the EV concept. Rather than simply plugging in, drawing power to charge up, and then spending the energy to shuttle around in the car - the car can be looked at as more than just a vehicle. The stored energy can be put back into a house when the grid goes down. There are still issues to address, but I wish that the political extremes would work together to make it work instead of fighting over it. I’d like to see solar become much more viable - seems like a no brainer that when the sun is at it’s brightest and ACs are cranked up, that rooftop solar systems should be offsetting a lot of that energy burn.

I'm not 100% sure if this is what you're referring to, but this article came out about Ford's EV Lightning truck a little while back. Pretty neat stuff. Gotta wonder what the life cycle of the battery cell is, though.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Can Power Your House, a Lot Else—for a While

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I'm not 100% sure if this is what you're referring to, but this article came out about Ford's EV Lightning truck a little while back. Pretty neat stuff. Gotta wonder what the life cycle of the battery cell is, though.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Can Power Your House, a Lot Else—for a While

That wasn’t it. But I really like the idea of integrating all of it. Power grids. Roof coverings that capture energy. EVs that do more than just take electricity to transport people. EVs have limitations, but they are excellent for many scenarios. Maybe not so good for long daily commutes or long vacations. But maybe perfect for those that only drive a couple of times a week for groceries, Walmart, or a movie.

My biggest concern is the waste that will be generated from batteries, wind farm blades, solar panels, etc. Internal combustion vehicles get crushed and are recycled very efficiently. Batteries could become a massive, toxic environmental problem if disposal/reclamation isn’t worked out in the early stages of development.

 

[Velo Vol]

Or including debt forgiveness as part of serving in the military.

In theory public service for loan forgiveness eliminates some of the hazards of merely cancelling the debt. We've already got some of that on the books, though, and the only place that it seems like it's working out is the military.

I can't remember the details, but I heard a segment on the radio recently about some teacher program that's supposed to pay off the loan, and it had only worked for an astonishingly small number of people. A bureaucratic mess.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

In theory public service for loan forgiveness eliminates some of the hazards of merely cancelling the debt. We've already got some of that on the books, though, and the only place that it seems like it's working out is the military.

I can't remember the details, but I heard a segment on the radio recently about some teacher program that's supposed to pay off the loan, and it had only worked for an astonishingly small number of people. A bureaucratic mess.

Maybe we have somebody that can write some poetry that we can deliver to Putin.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Poetry for Peace

 

[tbh]

That wasn’t it. But I really like the idea of integrating all of it. Power grids. Roof coverings that capture energy. EVs that do more than just take electricity to transport people. EVs have limitations, but they are excellent for many scenarios. Maybe not so good for long daily commutes or long vacations. But maybe perfect for those that only drive a couple of times a week for groceries, Walmart, or a movie.

My biggest concern is the waste that will be generated from batteries, wind farm blades, solar panels, etc. Internal combustion vehicles get crushed and are recycled very efficiently. Batteries could become a massive, toxic environmental problem if disposal/reclamation isn’t worked out in the early stages of development.

Same here, in terms of wondering about the waste generated from "green" enterprises...last I checked, all that stuff still takes up landfill space (and in some cases contains some nasty chemicals). It's good and all to be able to develop a widget that does a thing, but you are right that consideration of the entire lifecycle (and restarting that cycle at the end) should be a priority for development teams, otherwise they're solving one problem and creating one or more new ones.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Same here, in terms of wondering about the waste generated from "green" enterprises...last I checked, all that stuff still takes up landfill space (and in some cases contains some nasty chemicals). It's good and all to be able to develop a widget that does a thing, but you are right that consideration of the entire lifecycle (and restarting that cycle at the end) should be a priority for development teams, otherwise they're solving one problem and creating one or more new ones.

I don’t understand how fan blades have become such an issue. Maybe it’s largely made up. Seems like they could be repurposed in some way rather than just burying them. Perhaps for economic reasons it’s simply far more efficient to just bury them on-site rather than to transport them somewhere else. Wind farms tend to be in mostly rural areas.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I think that Elon needs to be in charge of dealing with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Maybe he can but Waste Management (WM), make them better, and solve it.

 

[kiddiedoc]

PPP is completely different than Employee Retention Credit. 2 different programs. Most super large corps didn't pursue PPP because of the relatively small limits and the fact that they couldn't double dip that and Employee Retention Credit at the beginning (this did get reversed in early 21 but the PPP money was dried up by then)

There was absolutely fraud with PPP. No arguments there. Very poorly drawn up legislation by the Rs without enough oversight.

I will say that the employee retention credit saved my office. We were able to keep our entire staff employed, with some cut back in hours that was offset by their stimulus checks. We were very open with the finances, and we are thriving at pre-pandemic stability despite the incredible hit we would have taken without relief. I'm very thankful for a committed, understanding staff, wonderful management, and an unbelievable patient base.

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I will say that the employee retention credit saved my office. We were able to keep our entire staff employed, with some cut back in hours that was offset by their stimulus checks. We were very open with the finances, and we are thriving at pre-pandemic stability despite the incredible hit we would have taken without relief. I'm very thankful for a committed, understanding staff, wonderful management, and an unbelievable patient base.

My spouse does consulting for Employee Retention Credit. (She did for large companies before she started on consulting business this year)..

With the restrictions in Shelby County, many doctors offices qualified well into 2021. I assume you are in.East TN so there was probably fewer restrictions there.

 

[Go aeiou]

I don’t understand how fan blades have become such an issue. Maybe it’s largely made up. Seems like they could be repurposed in some way rather than just burying them. Perhaps for economic reasons it’s simply far more efficient to just bury them on-site rather than to transport them somewhere else. Wind farms tend to be in mostly rural areas.

Wind Turbine Blades Don’t Have To End Up In Landfills

 

[mrorange211]

The finance world has been talking about the rate hikes for months. It should already be baked in.

feel free to put money into the market.

 

[Velo Vol]

feel free to put money into the market.

Stocks are green.

 

[Firebirdparts]

That was brief. Small caps still green, tho.

 

[Velo Vol]

This means it will eventually bounce back, right?

 

[Firebirdparts]

I keep thinking that, but it keeps proving me wrong. She was buying teledoc last Tuesday. down almost 50% since, so she's buying a lot more now, and selling Tesla.

 

[Russdaddy2027]

The finance world has been talking about the rate hikes for months. It should already be baked in.

This isn't a direct stock market issue. But the bold above is definitely an problem.

A blanket check writing/loan forgiveness program really isn't the answer, though. Too many short-term/long term issues. There are narrower, more targeted fixes that could make it more affordable.

I agree and am still holding some Student loans at the moment. I don't believe forgiveness is the answer. I do however believe the interest should be the target of any actions. If education is supposed to improve the standard of living of individuals as well as countries (piles information tying GDP to education rates) then lower the interest rates or go 0% if we want to really get crazy.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

I agree and am still holding some Student loans at the moment. I don't believe forgiveness is the answer. I do however believe the interest should be the target of any actions. If education is supposed to improve the standard of living of individuals as well as countries (piles information tying GDP to education rates) then lower the interest rates or go 0% if we want to really get crazy.

I like the idea of holding the schools accountable. Let them take on the risk of student debt and also allow the borrowers to have it discharged in bankruptcy.

 

[Firebirdparts]

One thing's for sure; the schools have a lot of pricing power when the free money is flowing. If they were responsible, they'd certainly have to make an effort to hang on to some money.

 

[Velo Vol]

One thing's for sure; the schools have a lot of pricing power when the free money is flowing. If they were responsible, they'd certainly have to make an effort to hang on to some money.

Yep. The real problem is that student cost increases have run well above inflation for years. One would think that technology would have helped reduce costs, but no.

 

[05_never_again]

Yep. The real problem is that student cost increases have run well above inflation for years. One would think that technology would have helped reduce costs, but no.

As long as the loans are guaranteed by the federal government, there's no incentive for any lender to do any due diligence. College tuitions rising way faster than the pace of general prices is the result.