Funny thought about yesterday.......REAGAN, POKER, BASEBALL, LIFE....

[citizennobody]

Last night I took the family to a local AAA Baseball game and was treated to a free fireworks show afterwards. I was busy thinking about the usual problems while trying to wrestle with my four very young kids when it dawned on me how lucky I actually am, even though I am unemployed and poker hasn't been going especially well lately (I still can't figure out how so many people have hit their 2 out draws against me lately while burning through my entire bankroll at every limit and I am now broke, stuck on the rail.)

I couldn't help but remember the discussions/arguments that I had gotten into recently with some liberals at the tables and some fellow, yet foreign, Masters of Science in Econ grad students about US foreign policy and culture. While their points are all anecdotal in nature with no real basis in fact, they are part of the world community and need to either be educated or killed (just kidding) because they influence our lives too.

All of this brings me to my main point....THANKS RONALD REAGAN. Thanks for believing in this country. Thanks for being a guiding light. Thanks for your service. It dawned on me during the fireworks show on his national day of mourning that Reagan was elected in 1980 while there were 22% interest rates, 13% inflation, and 9% unemployment. Iran had taken our embassy personnel hostage due to the fact that we appeared so weak politically because our leaders, especially President Jimmy Carter, were saying that things would not be as golden as they were in the past and that this was the new reality and that Americans should get used to it (paraphrased).

Reagan (A True American) did not believe in the roll over and die French-like mentality of the New Democrats and immediately cut taxes from an amazing 90% at the highest marginal rates and increased fiscal spending even though some people said this wouldn't work, calling it Voodoo Economics. Reagan believed in his policies despite his detractors and brought down the USSR and started one of the longest peacetime expansions in US history that didn't end until 2000. BTW, I don't want get into a debate about the semantics of economic policy because I daytrade and have a BBA in Finance, a MS in Econ and I start my PhD in Econ this Fall, which means I have opinions based in fact and not rhetoric, so if you don't agree please keep it to yourself.

America is a country of greatness that has gotten where it is today because we are bold and diligent. I say so what to the rest of the world, because if we appear self-righteous it is because we earned everything we have. We could carpet-bomb your cities with gold, cellphones, and BigMacs but that would not solve your problems, just look where the wealth goes in Saudi Arabia. You need to stop listening to your leaders that blame us for your problems when they are actually at fault. Improve your public education systems, liberalize your business environments, clarify your legal systems, and reform your governments, only then will you be able to achieve success. If you had only one Ronald Reagan to lead you, your life would be better off. I also say to all the Americans too foolish to grasp what the price has been to give them the chance to live the life they live, get a clue. There were WMD's in IRAQ www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_1.html (http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_1.html). 3000 innocent civilians did die for committing the sin of showing up to work on time. So in other words, quit being a bunch of whining selfish pricks, because if your life was directly affected you would be squealling like a stuck pig. If you had to pay $5.80 a gallon in gas like the British, or $4 like the Canadians, or had fewer choices at the grocery store you might change your tune. You can't have your cake and eat it too, my friend, there is and will always be a price for your sloth.

Thanks to Reagan for showing us that we don't have to bend to be proud Americans...

[twang]

I think I know why you went broke.

[eastbay]

[ QUOTE ]
I think I know why you went broke.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol... amen.

eastbay

[Myrtle]

I'm ovewhelmed and so must clearly defer to your clearly superior expertise based upon your "wallpaper"...

When do you think you'll learn how to integrate "trickle down" economics in your game?.....

[Toro]

It was voodoo economics and I don't need a degree in Economics to have an opinion. He cut taxes but not spending and that resulted in deficits that spiraled out of control. His own Veep who succeeded him was forced to raise taxes even though we read his lips that he wouldn't.

The real prosperity occurred during the Clinton administration but he'll never get any credit because he was unable to keep his pants zipped.

Reagan was a good man and it's nice to praise someone upon their death but let's not go overboard.

[Myrtle]

Voodoo economics was the popular colloquial term used....but it was the same old, tired "trickle down" smoke & mirror bs polemic that has been foisted upon the general public from time to time over the past 50 years.

As far as him being a good man…..I don’t know because I didn’t know him.

I DO know, however, that he was an actor by profession.

What, by definition, do actors do?

I try not to engage in revisionist history.

Look at the facts of his two terms and how his administrations' leadership affected this country.

[cardcounter0]

Why is any one even responding to this chatter?

The guy has a college degree, a Masters, and is working on a PHD --- AND HE DOESN'T HAVE A JOB!

Yeah, thank you Mr. Reagan. If he could have served another term you would have had to pawned your computer a long time ago. Wake Up.

[Myrtle]

...my guess would be all who have replied have done so for about the same reason you have, and so succinctly stated.....

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[juanez]

You're right - we should deffinitly have given Carter another term. 18% interest rates were great, and that rediculous unemployment rate, gasoline rationing, hostages in Iran for 400+ days....ahhhh yes, the good ole Carter days.

Someone else needs to wake up.

[cardcounter0]

The high interest rates, etc. was the hangover from fighting a ten year war in Vietnam and putting a man on the moon at the same time. Remember Nixon and his "price controls"? Remember Ford and his "Whip Inflation Now"?

Imagine the flack the President in 2014 is going to catch when the G.W. "They tried to kill my daddy" Bush DEBT comes home to roost.

[nothumb]

...and the hostages were left in Iran because Reagan secretly negotiated to keep them there until he got elected. Funny how he supposedly got them back by 'negotiating' and then armed the entire Middle East under the table.

All this praise for him is election year junk and I for one wouldn't have pissed in his mouth if his face was on fire.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]


Imagine the flak the President in 2014 is going to catch when the G.W. Bush DEBT comes home to roost.

[/ QUOTE ]

No more flak than I am getting for the recession and stock market decline I inheriteed from from Clinton.

Of course a lot off that debt you mention is for national security needs that Clinton convenietly ignorred as well.

[Toro]

No mispelled words, must have used spell checker.

[cardcounter0]

"No more flak than I am getting for the recession and stock market decline I inheriteed from from Clinton.

Of course a lot off that debt you mention is for national security needs that Clinton convenietly ignorred as well. "


THAT IS FUNNY! If I remember pre-9/11, the republican's biggest concern was what to do with the massive SURPLUS that Clinton had built up. What to do? Bush finally cut checks for everybody to get rid of all that nasty extra money. Good Planning.

It would have been more efficient to have just given Halliburton and the Oil Companies the "budget surplus" money, and then have us cough up a couple of hundred extra each, instead of making us pay for overpriced goods, a bankrupt social system, and 800+ dead troops.

[rigoletto]

Hi Tony

Where have you been. Good to see you posting again!

[Bubbagump]

Wind'em up and what'em go.....

You guy's are too easy. Why are you wasting time responding to this?

Bubbagump

[Toro]

Same reason you're wasting your time asking why we are wasting our time. I have a lot of time to waste.

[Bubbagump]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a lot of time to waste.

[/ QUOTE ]

You must have a lot of time on your hands if you run every post you read through a spell checker. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Bubbagump

[Toro]

No, not me. I was inferring that GWB must have run his post through the spell checker, a not so subtle poke at Dubya's lack of intellect. Not a very good joke, I guess, if I have to explain it.

[citizennobody]

[ QUOTE ]
Wind'em up and what'em go.....

You guy's are too easy. Why are you wasting time responding to this?

Bubbagump

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, yall are too easy.

I would like to respond to your mass ignorance, but I don't even know where to begin. It is hilarious that you assume that some simple casual relationships define our economy. Have any of you ever thought about writing your thoughts into a paper and submitting them for publication so that you may become recognized for your great intellect and possibly win the Nobel Prize. I tell you what, next time I am faced with a great delimma, I will post my problem here and have yall solve it for me. I am sure that simpleton anecdotal answers will boost my career and help my trading...

[juanez]

[ QUOTE ]
Reagan secretly negotiated to keep them there until he got elected

[/ QUOTE ]

Another "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" huh? Gimme a break!

[cardcounter0]

So how is that unemployed grad student gig working out for you? Used to call them bums, but now I guess you can call them "day traders".

How big a bankroll you swinging on your trades, considering you busted out at poker and can't replace your roll, got 4 kids, no job, and going to a crummy AAA ballpark and seeing the free fireworks show is a big deal ...

Please impart some of your wisdom onto my ignorant head.

ROFL.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[citizennobody]

[ QUOTE ]
So how is that unemployed grad student gig working out for you? Used to call them bums, but now I guess you can call them "day traders".

How big a bankroll you swinging on your trades, considering you busted out at poker and can't replace your roll, got 4 kids, no job, and going to a crummy AAA ballpark and seeing the free fireworks show is a big deal ...

Please impart some of your wisdom onto my ignorant head.

ROFL.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Like I said a bunch of geniuses herrrre>>!!!!

I made $62,213 last year playing poker and about $35,000 daytrading. Besides the fact that I have a pretty big nut to earn every month for a single income household, around $3000, taxes took a real big chunk. My poker bankroll has never been more than $5000, which we know you can burn through pretty quick playing 10/20, 20/40, and NL. I purposely reset my options account to around $15,000 every quarter so that I can keep tight reigns on my trading, plus I am trying to avoid being classified as a PDT (pattern day trader, which needs a $25,000 min), which works well in with my models, right now, and keeps my trade volume down during this choppy market which is harder to predict. Of course I will change my account size when I see the market trend more frequently, either up or down.

I don't normally post that much here because the SKEPTICAL CHICKEN SHIZ CHOIR always sings their one note nancy and rips everyone and everything up because they have never accomplished anything other than sitting at home playing online and getting fat. If you want my advice, get a haircut, brush your teeth, loose some weight, and STFU because you don't realize how pathetic you look when you waddle out into society from under your double-wide rock...

BTW, normally I make more daytrading than playing poker, but the market has been funny and poker was great in 2003. I didn't even win any major prize money in tourneys last year. All of my profits came from live action. I usually make just enough in live action to cover my entry fees into tourneys where I occasionally snag some big prizes. 2004 has been a different story...down all around. And If anyone wants I will put my poker and investing record up against theirs, because I keep meticulous records. Then we can see who has a bigger weewee.....!

[cardcounter0]

"about $35,000 daytrading."

The guy that mows my grass hasn't been doing a very good job lately, I think I might have a way for you to double your money during the summer, if you want the job.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

You say you have a $3000 a month nut to support your family -- and your day trading works out to $3000 a month. Gee - you are exactly 1 day away from ruin -- that is if you aren't paying any taxes on your profits -- if you do pay taxes, then you are going broke at what? about $900 a month?

Boy, I'm impressed!!! Do you think I will ever be smart enough to be in such a precarious position?

[citizennobody]

[ QUOTE ]
"about $35,000 daytrading."

The guy that mows my grass hasn't been doing a very good job lately, I think I might have a way for you to double your money during the summer, if you want the job.

/images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif /images/graemlins/grin.gif

You say you have a $3000 a month nut to support your family -- and your day trading works out to $3000 a month. Gee - you are exactly 1 day away from ruin -- that is if you aren't paying any taxes on your profits -- if you do pay taxes, then you are going broke at what? about $900 a month?

Boy, I'm impressed!!! Do you think I will ever be smart enough to be in such a precarious position?




[/ QUOTE ]

You are a real moron. Of course, I am just one bad month away from ruin...thats why I am distressed and thats why I am in Grad school hoping to start my PhD in Econ soon so I can teach, work 9 months a year at a Univ and have poker and daytrading as a distraction. Maybe if I was Phil Gordon and had 100 million in the bank to fall back on it would be different. I can't even believe I have to explain this to you. Jezzzzusssssssssssssssss.

And I am in this precarious position because waking up everyday wondering what the day will bring is better than waiting tables at Red Lobster through grad school knowing what the day will bring. I guess I just dont have all the answers like you do...???? WTF????

[cardcounter0]

"You are a real moron. Of course, I am just one bad month away from ruin...thats why I am distressed and thats why I am in Grad school hoping to start my PhD in Econ soon ..."

Okay, let me get this straight. Pardon me, but I am a little slow. You are unemployed, one month away from ruin, and I'M THE ONE THAT IS A MORON. Did I get it right?

If you want to take some advice from a real dummy like me, get back to those Ivy Towers as quickly as possible. Hopefully you will get the job teaching at a University, sounds like the real world is just too stupid for a smart guy like you.

Then when you get tenure at your some what reasonable pay University job, you can lecture all us dummies making it big time out here in the real world, about what morons we are.
/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[eggzz]

In case some of you are not keeping score at home, I have it as:

CardCounter : 4 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors
CitizenDoughboy: 0 runs, 2 hits, 4 errors

Its only seventh inning stretch time Citizen, you still have time to recover, though I hear CC has some fresh arms in the bullpen. It is AAA ball after all, the talent in these farms systems nowadays are real hit and miss. Good luck.

[dogmeat]

Hey - I enjoyed your post. Most people that were not trying to buy a house (with interest rates at 13%) or paying any bills in the early 1980's probably have no appreciation for what Reagan's Administration did, and they certainly have no idea what he did while Governor of California in the 1960's - so, let em think what they want. Wait ten years and tell me what came from Clinton's Administration (my guess is nothing). Best wishes.

Dogmeat /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[Toro]

Don't have to wait 10 years. Simple answer: Peace and prosperity.

[citizennobody]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't have to wait 10 years. Simple answer: Peace and prosperity.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah your right,

I guess Clintons policies never laid the foundation for the problems we have today. I remember Clinton launching 440 cruise missiles into Iraq, claiming that it was a danger to national security enough to deplete 1/3 of out cruise missile inventory, during the Lewinsky scandal but even the Republicans back then were smart enough to support him unlike the Demos today. I remember Clinton talking about invading North Korea in 1994 because of Kim Il Song and his threat of Nuclear Proliferation but backed down after Carters envoy seemed to reach an impasse just before his death. I remember Clinton going into Somalia and the Balkan region for geostability-political reasons but not a Repub beeyatched because sometimes we have to bite the bullet. I remember Clinton letting Osama go because he couldn't find a legal reason to hold him other than the fact he was menacing to the US and had trained over 20000 Al Qaeda by that time, but I guess Clinton thought they would never strike.

Yeah, here come the Skeptical Chicken Shiz Chior (SCSC) again but that is OK. 3 strikes for me, whatever, morons, get a grip....there is a price for your freedom. You just dont have the spine to admit it.

[citizennobody]

One more thought...

Never argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

[Legend27]

You are a moron cardcounter0.

[TracyMiller]

Yeah, yeah. He was also a conservative actor-turned-politician from California (sound eerily familiar) who was anti-choice, pro-gun, and who swelled the deficit due to enourmous spending (which the right enjoys carping about the left), and under whose watch the income gap broadened a lot.

[lunchmeat]

I have no political axe to grind, as I hold both parties in equal disdain. I also don’t have much of an opinion on Ronald Reagan. I was 9 when he left office, and the main thing I remember about his Presidency was that on the nightly news he was constantly getting off of olive drab colored helicopters, which prompted me to ask my parents why we were at war. When I was in junior high I think I saw naked pictures of his daughter in Playboy…

Anyway, I just wanted to say that this was the best post I have ever read on 2+2, and that you are my favorite poster. I was so fascinated by what you had to say that I read your other 14 posts. Do you still plan on going to Reno? Please post more often.

I also went to college, but I didn’t emerge from the experience with the respect for my education that you have. In college I spent most of my time taking drugs and trying to trick girls into having sex with me. One time I got a fat girl to let me stick a lime popsicle inside her vagina. She hated it, but I managed to stick it in there long enough to make her labia turn green. When I went to get my disposable camera she took the popsicle out. It was dripping all over the place so I threw it out the window and then had sex with her.

[twang]

Dear dude,

your problem is neither that you think Reagan did a great job, nor that you are an unemployed semi-successful daytrader and poker player.

Your problem is that you say things that are plain out silly. You know, things like

"THANKS RONALD REAGAN. Thanks for believing in this country. Thanks for being a guiding light"

"Reagan (A True American) did not believe in the roll over and die French-like mentality"

"America is a country of greatness that has gotten where it is today because we are bold and diligent. I say so what to the rest of the world, because if we appear self-righteous it is because we earned everything we have."

and

"Thanks to Reagan for showing us that we don't have to bend to be proud Americans..."

When you back up statements like these with your "no need to reply 'cause I damn well know what I am talking about since I'm a daytrader and I have a degree in economics"-attitude, you just come off as just another...well, dumb**s.

Just my 2+2 c

[Toro]

You're right. What was I thinking?

[Myrtle]

............I would be curious to know what price you paid for my freedom?