It’s Official:  I’m (Finally) Switching Data Providers

My Broker (AMP) has been switching customers from ZenFire to CQG data these last few weeks but I’ve been hesitant to change.

I’ve used ZenFire data for 4-years, or so, and like the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Well, this week ZenFire data seemed to “break” in the DAX two times . . . once really badly.

And since I trade the DAX, I shuddered as I imagined being short on Thursday around 12:00 noon EST when it suddenly and without warning gapped up 17-ticks ($12.50 Euros/tick = $280~).  I just happened to be watching for a trade and saw the volume on the DOM so a gap was, technically, impossible with so many orders in-between the gapped prices.

I understand that CQG actually provides true direct exchange connection to EUREX per user.

Also, and here’s something I didn’t know: commissions are lower for CQG data trades!

So as of Monday I’ll be using CQG data.

 

News

I posted a few stories and comments on my Blog

I hope everyone has a nice, relaxing weekend!

Chartsky

 

 

By: Chartsky

I’m really worried that angry mobs will break-out here in the U.S. any time like they have in so many other countries around the world.

I know the politicians understand it and are ready to protect their “royalty” status by imposing martial law.

They’ve been planning it for years . . . Do you still honestly believe all the 24/7 surveillance and Police State rules are to “protect us from the terrorists?”  NO!!!  It’s to protect the “royalty” from us citizens — when they finally push us too far.  In fact, they’ve passed laws calling US “terrorists” if we speak out too strongly or demonstrate like they did in the 1960s and 1970s!

The Beginning Of This Mess . . . Money Creation By the FED

As a result of the almost parabolic increase in the constant creation of more “money” dumped into the system (discussed in detail in Market News in January 2011) everything has continued to get more and more expensive . . . and now much faster.  As one small example, prices for cornbread mix at Wal-Mart have doubled (a 100% increase) in the last year.  This could be leading to what is called hyper-inflation.  Like in Zimbabwe, where it eventually took $1,000,000.00 Zimbabwe dollars to buy a loaf of bread.

People have been forced to pay almost everything they have just to put food on the table and keep gasoline in their cars . . . not to mention highway-robbery insurance premiums and taxes on everything (for example: gasoline, cable tv, electricity, phones, cellphones, toll roads, almost anything you buy – sales tax).

These days, if a family hits a bump-in-the-road (maybe just a temporary lay-off, or unexpected medical bills — even with insurance), they fall behind and can never again catch-up.  That results in them losing their homes . . .

So how bad has that gotten?

Yeah, But This Is Only A Minor Recession

During the Great Depression, home sales fell a staggering 80% from their peak to the trough (1928-1933).  Already in this “recession” they have fallen 82% from 2005-2011.

People just can’t afford to buy homes with everything costing more and jobs providing less.

That is, if you can find a job somewhere in this country.

Yep . . . we’re at catastrophic levels not seen since the worst days of the late-1970s and early 1980s.  But what makes today even worse, is that we’re looking at “dual-income” families now.  Families that MUST HAVE two incomes to maintain their standards of living.  And obviously there’s no way they can.

An unemployment rate that’s the worst it’s ever been since the days of the Great Depression.

I know, the chart says the early 1980s was worse . . . but the Government has changed the rules, cooked the books . . . not even counting people who have been unemployed for more than, say, 6-months.  Not counting those who have part-time, minimum wage jobs to go with their student-debt college degrees.  I say the real unemployment rate today is TWICE what the Government is reporting . . . and worse for minorities.

Enough whining . . . What can be done about it?

OK.

Second, stop listening to the Republican LIES about “tax increases kill small businesses and result in no jobs.”  We’ve had the enormous, UNFUNDED Bush tax-cuts working for almost 10-years . . . so where are the jobs?

The truth is:  Republicans pander to a small group of rich donors and sell us all LIES!

Third, force the Democrats to cut some discretionary spending and get off their butts and stand up to the Republicans and their corporate-controlled media propaganda outlets like:  NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, CNN, Fox Noise, etc. and actually do what they promise while campaigning.

Folks, we’ve got real problems in the United States.  SERIOUS, potentially nation-ending problems.

But, FIRST, learn the facts.  Gather the important information for yourself.  Read actual documents and look at actual graphs.  Stop listening to what the corporate-controlled media tells you to think.  Think for yourself.  Call them on their BS and force elected officials to answer the tough questions. Don’t let them get away with blathering talking points and re-framing the questions.

What is re-framing the question?  Basically answering a question that wasn’t asked with a prepared statement.

Question:  Why is unemployment so high in this country?

Answer:  I’m glad you asked that question because I’ve wanted to address this situation for a long time.  The (insert: Democrats or Republicans) behavior has been shameful.  We need real leadership in Washington.  Americans are suffering and we have to do something about that.  Unemployment is tearing families apart.  The (insert:  Republicans or Democrats) plan has clearly failed.  But I’m your voice in Washington and I’m doing all I can to bring jobs here to you fine folks.  So keep me in office so I can continue fighting for you.

Question:  But what about the cause of such high unemployment?

Answer:  Well, I just answered that and now we need to move on.  Next question?

Let’s all work together. Democrats vs. Republicans is nothing more than good guys vs. bad guys in pro wrestling! As long as we let them divide us by Black vs. White vs. Brown; men vs. women; rich vs. poor; Democrat vs. Republican; pro-life vs. pro-choice, Christian vs. non-Christian vs. Islamist, etc. we’re screwed! The only person you can find to agree with is someone who matches your demographic almost exactly . . . and the crooked, criminal politicians stay in power feathering their already comfortable nests at our expense!

Stand up for something. Start a blog and try to make a difference. Go on your community’s free access cable channel. Speak at local meetings of your City Council or County Commission.

But please don’t be fooled any longer!

Good Luck!

Chartsky

SEC Covers Up Wall Street Fraud

Yep . . . instead of investigating and prosecuting, it appears the SEC has DESTROYED documents from over nine thousand (9,000) Matters Under Inquiry. In other words, 9,000 documents from official investigation have been destroyed by the so-called Investigators themselves! Hmmmmmm.

This level of in-your-face corruption just blows me away.

How long are the American Sheeple going to sit on their lazy butts watching TV and take this crap?

Papers showing wrongdoing by J.P. Morgan in buying-up Bear-Stearns? Gone! Damning documents showing wrongdoing by Goldman-Sach$? Vanished! Bank of America evidence? Shredded!

That, it now appears, is exactly how the Securities and Exchange Commission has been treating the Wall Street criminals who cratered the global economy a few years back.

But it gets worse . . .

In at least one case, investigators at the SEC found their desire to bring a case against an influential bank thwarted by senior officials in the enforcement division – whose director turned around and accepted a lucrative job from the very same bank they had been prevented from investigating. In another case, the agency farmed out its inquiry to a private law firm – one hired by the company under investigation.

[Chartsky Note: Please see all of Matt Taibbi's infuriating, must-read story in Rolling Stone here].

I really can’t believe I once watched this joke of a “news” network.

Aside from the overt Republican propaganda and fundraising they do on air almost every day . . . they’re, well, not too bright are they?

Take just one of dozens of flat-out wrong screen overlays:

See . . . this “news” organization is so busy promoting Republican causes they can’t be bothered to look at a map.

Egypt is on the continent of Africa.

What they have marked as “Egypt” is really . . . Iraq.

You know, where there has been a war raging for awhile.

Jeez!

Chartsky

We’re starting the New Year great!

I began to worry in January 2008 — three years ago — when I first noticed Hedge Funds occasionally jumped into my Crude Oil market.  Prices spiked .10-.15 ($100-$150).  It got worse and worse.  Now it’s a regular occurrence.

This is a very hard time to try learning how to trade without the help of someone who’s been there and done that!

Luckily, we have a Trading Room where you can listen, learn and hear me call trades that (hopefully) make money. (Update 1/19: I’ll be honest: computer algorithm trading is making the American Session all but impossible to trade as the computers suddenly and literally double volume, spike prices up-and-down and just as suddenly vanish. But we’re still profitable for the month which is seeming more and more amazing to me.)

You can see what trades I’ve called so far in January here: January 2011 Trades

You can also hit the “Trading Room” link on the upper left and find out how to join us any day!

Good Luck!

Chartsky

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