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Betting on the Engineers

dilbert.com

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Re: Betting on the Engineers

#11

Post by jbooth »

Note to self : don't take anyone who makes throwaway comments about the "liberal media" seriously.

It didn't add to his argument at all, and subtracted by implying that he's doing this more as an "f you" to liberals than out of any rational thought process.

EDIT: /me watches the downvotes prove his point about how some people's thought process can be entirely hijacked. Yes guys, the apparent devastation of the Gulf is entirely a product of liberal propaganda -- things are actually perfectly fine.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#12

Post by chrislo »

nrj wrote: post #6

Damnit. When I click on Dilbert links, I want to be entertained. The world is too depressing to read a serious blog entry from such a comedic genius.

I thought "I admire them in the same way I admire the work ethic of serial killers" was pretty funny. That probably says more about me than the article though ...

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#13

Post by RyanMcGreal »

sbierwagen wrote: post #7
brown9-2 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Up until today their stock price was down 25% from a month ago. He's pretty clearly betting that the short-term damage to the stock from the media coverage is just a blip in the long-term outlook of a pretty successful company.

One might quibble that the long term outlook of an oil company are perhaps not the best. Of course, they've got the alternative energy division, which had $5 billion in sales in 2008. Pity it operated at a net loss, costing BP one and a quarter billion dollars.

The more scarce oil gets, the more money oil companies will make selling what's left.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#14

Post by hnal943 »

sbierwagen wrote: post #3

Christ, Scott actually bought BP stock after the oil spill? I can see how his "buy stock of evil companies" strategy might work, but typically you do that when the company is actually doing well, and not, say, when they're about to be curb stomped by the US government. Also, his complaint about the "liberal media" is somewhat disingenuous, seeing as how he is part of the liberal media, what with the anti-corporate co…

I think the reference to the liberal media was tongue-in-cheek.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#15

Post by amalcon »

sbierwagen wrote: post #7
brown9-2 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Up until today their stock price was down 25% from a month ago. He's pretty clearly betting that the short-term damage to the stock from the media coverage is just a blip in the long-term outlook of a pretty successful company.

One might quibble that the long term outlook of an oil company are perhaps not the best. Of course, they've got the alternative energy division, which had $5 billion in sales in 2008. Pity it operated at a net loss, costing BP one and a quarter billion dollars.

That's just it, though: the long-term outlook is irrelevant. The relevant part is the difference between the long-term outlook and what actually happens in the long-term. This is what speculative investment (which is what he's doing here) is all about: capitalizing on the difference between what is expected and what actually happens.

This is also why non-professionals (like myself) should not make purely speculative investments. You really need to have a finger on the pulse of expectations, in addition to what's actually going on.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#16

Post by omouse »

Why would you admire them? This is one of the problems with our culture. For some reason, it's acceptable to admire and respect someone's behaviour even if it is bad behaviour and unjust behaviour. Why is that acceptable?? We don't admire Hitler for being so efficient at invading countries and killing millions of people, and we don't admire or respect the way that racists or fundamentalists insult and attempt to destroy other people.

Do you also admire the Wall St jerks and bankers for screwing people over with bad loans? Do you admire how 'clever' they were?

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#17

Post by pavel_lishin »

omouse wrote: post #16

Why would you admire them? This is one of the problems with our culture. For some reason, it's acceptable to admire and respect someone's behaviour even if it is bad behaviour and unjust behaviour. Why is that acceptable?? We don't admire Hitler for being so efficient at invading countries and killing millions of people, and we don't admire or respect the way that racists or fundamentalists insult and attempt to dest…

Well, he did say:

> I admire them in the same way I admire the work ethic of serial killers.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#18

Post by mirkules »

omouse wrote: post #16

Why would you admire them? This is one of the problems with our culture. For some reason, it's acceptable to admire and respect someone's behaviour even if it is bad behaviour and unjust behaviour. Why is that acceptable?? We don't admire Hitler for being so efficient at invading countries and killing millions of people, and we don't admire or respect the way that racists or fundamentalists insult and attempt to dest…

It is one thing to hate someone or their ethics, but an entirely different thing to respect their methods. Do not let emotions cloud your (engineering) judgment.

(edit: added word engineering)

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#19

Post by billpaetzke »

nrj wrote: post #6

Damnit. When I click on Dilbert links, I want to be entertained. The world is too depressing to read a serious blog entry from such a comedic genius.

Note: Do not take stock advice from cartoonists who want to have babies with oil companies.

I chuckled at that. Nice finish.

Re: Betting on the Engineers

#20

Post by mapleoin »

jbooth wrote: post #11

Note to self : don't take anyone who makes throwaway comments about the "liberal media" seriously. It didn't add to his argument at all, and subtracted by implying that he's doing this more as an "f you" to liberals than out of any rational thought process. EDIT: /me watches the downvotes prove his point about how some people's thought process can be entirely hijacked. Yes guys, the apparent devastation of the Gulf i…

Yes guys, the apparent devastation of the Gulf is entirely a product of liberal propaganda -- things are actually perfectly fine.

Is the Dodo bird also still alive and well?

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