I think I did something pretty stupid the other day. In addition to cancelling my high-speed internet (which doesn’t work!), I cancelled my cable too. Now, I hate Comcast as much as the next guy (assuming the next guy really, really hates Comcast), but now I’m starting to wonder if this was a good idea. I mean, heroin addicts don’t just erase their dealer’s phone number from their speed dial. It’s reckless and impulsive.
In theory, this will give me time to finish up all those home improvement projects I have been putting off. I can catch up my reading, go to the gym more, and even find some type of cure for some obscure form of cancer. I know that sounds like of things, but I really do watch too much cable, so I would (theoretically) be able to do all that plus find time for other hobbies (like knitting, if I was gay).
I have Netflix , but that’s not even gonna take up 10% of my former TV time. Crap!
This new Ninja might be good for you readers though, because I could (theoretically) devote more time to Ninja Stock Picks. ™
Here’s how the S&P 500 index did in the last month and half since I made my picks.
Date S&P 500
July 27, 2006 $1263.19
June 12,2006 $1,236.40
Percentage gain 2%
So, if you had had invested some money in the S&P Index last month instead of my Ninja Stock Picks ™, you would now be 2% richer. If you had followed the Ninja Picks, here’s how you would have done:
AMERICAN HOME MTGE INVEST C (AHM) up 7.77%
EMBARQ CORP (EQ) up 10.96%
SMITH & WESSON HLDG CO (SWHC) up 0.90 %
MAaaaaaaaad Skilllllllllz!!!
Actually, I bought into Smith and Wesson at 7.55, but I broke my own rule and bought more chasing it all the way up to 8.72, so the average is 8.15, which still made money, and which I think is a good long-term investment.
By the way, if you search for “Embarq Invest” on Google, my blog ranks higher than Forbes. So suck it, Forbes! The people of the net have spoken and they know where they should come for the wisdom of the ancient ninja scrolls.
News on Embarq. I predicted a price of $70, assuming no loss of subscribers. The analysts were predicting a big loss of subscribers and gave it an estimated price of $46-49. Well, the quarterly numbers came out and they didn’t lose as many subscribers as predicted, and they blew away all the earnings estimates. I crunched the numbers again and got nothing but confusion. BUT. Assuming the correct price is somewhere between $49 (massive losses of customer revenue) to $70 (no losses of customer revenue), I think this puppy still has a ways to climb. Jus’ sayin’.
Here are the consensus estimates for the stock price (per Yahoo Finance).
PRICE TARGET SUMMARY
Mean Target: 48.71
Median Target: 47.00
High Target: 55.00
Low Target: 43.00
No. of Brokers: 7
And THIS article from Forbes says that Morgan Stanley thinks the stock price is cheap right now. If you'll remember, I recommended this stock before Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley, so SUCK IT, WALL STREET. You got owned by the Ninja!!!
Also, I really like a company I found on Investor Geeks called Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies (AERT). I bought some for myself, but I’m not recommending it in Ninja Stock picks because Ninja Picks will only be the ones that I find and recommend.
Now, since the stocks I recommended have already gone up some, you may want to wait for the next Ninja Stock Pick, dealing with FOOD and BREASTS (scheduled for September, unless I find something else sooner).
Hmmm, Coming next Week an HomeImprovementNinja.Blogspot.com:
1) A ninja plumbing post
2) Houston Update
3) Two posts in a week is plenty, don’t push it!
9 comments:
I fell asleep during the stock picks. But that's okay.
Comcast does suck some serious ass. It took them 3 hours to get my internet back up, and even then, they left with my cable picture still grainy. I'm ready to tell them to eff off too. Oh wait, can I swear here? I'm ready to tell them to fuck off.
DirecTV works for me for TV, and I use Verizon for DSL. I've not had any problems.
The Verizon DSL works fine for me. I still have Comcast for cable, but I have no choice in the matter. I'd dump them in a second if I could, and if it would get me the Nats games on tv.
I lived without cable for 4 years in DC because I don't watch that much television anyway. I learned to like broadcast TV, although there are only a handful of things I like to watch anyway.
You too could learn to like broadcast. ;)
You own Smith & Wesson?! Now I know why you really want to arm all the citizens of DC!
velvet: Yes, you can swear on here. As for sleeping through my blog posts: Unacceptable, unless you want me to paint your face, take pics and post them on the net/
twost: what's a blog for if not to vent and brag about your mad skillz?
amanda: I'm gonna go cold turkey and see if I can take it.
dara: I think we should all boycott them.
siryn: I don't think I could love broadcast. It would remind me of my childhood before cable was invented (yes, I'm that old).
mat: I'd support legalizing guns even if I didn't own the stock. But I'll buy a S&W myself if I make a lot on the stock (fingers crossed).
Now that you've cancelled your Cable, you need to upgrade your Netflix account.
I have no idea what you are going to do about the internet though. Maybe just hang out in some places with free wireless access.
When I moved into this house I tried to go without cable for a while...I watched every movie (including VHS!) I owned three times and realized two things:
1)I'm televisions bitch
2)I can only find but so many reasons to leave the house in the winter time.
jaime, I'm thinking of getting a laptop and just using it at my local (non starbucks)hipster coffee place that has free wifi. I'm thinking of upgrading netflix, or maybe ordering blockbuster (I notice that only BB has the original version of THe Professional).
amadeo, I feel you on the TV. I'm not only cable's bitch, but cable could sell me for a pack of cigarettes. I need to go through video detox.
i.t. I hope I can make it stick. As for S&W, there's a few catalysts which (I think) will help the stock price. They are up for a military contract (currently with Beretta) next year; and they may branch out into hunting rifles and shotguns to capitalize on the built in brand recognition(currently they only make handguns).
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