Hot Pick Of The Day

[New-born baby]

Runner

NB, I just have not been to excited about the markets the past week or so. Hope your doing well. I know you have been busy with other things. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Yes, I had a great Thanksgiving. I have been trading SWN, ACI, FDG and VKR.UN the past couple of weeks. You know me, I like the energy stocks.

I think oil is set to spike higher, maybe much higher, soon. The Oil Sands companies jumped today. No reason for that unless they are going to come into some extra dough, and it seems that somebody knows something.

[New-born baby]

Target

Just a note that readers might consider concerning TGT.
Target (TGT) is a French owned company that recently has drawn the ire of a group called the American Family Assc. It seems that Target has left Christ out of it Christmas promotions. AFA asked TGT to, next year, put Christ back into its Christmas promos. TGT refused. Therefore, the AFA has called for a boycott of TGT stores. It started just yesterday; 'just in time for Christmas.'

Now I am not one who subscribes to the AFA's ways. I do think Christ should be in Christmas. But I am posting this info because the last time the AFA boycotted a "big box discounter" by the name of K-Mart (over the issue of K-Mart selling porn through one of its subsideraries), it had disasterous results for the K-Mart: they went bankrupt. AFA boycotted them for perhaps 3 years. K-Mart was a viable entity before the boycott; it was a bankrupt piece of junk afterwards. So if you are looking to go short or long TGT, you may take these issues into consideration.

I am not asking anyone to boycott TGT. I am not asking anyone to shop TGT. I am not advertising for the AFA. I am just posting because I think AFA will hurt TGT sales by boycotting them. And I think the TGT numbers might be hurt this Christmas season--I'll be watching to see how they turn out.

[Lyehopper]

Yes, I had a great Thanksgiving. I have been trading SWN, ACI, FDG and VKR.UN the past couple of weeks. You know me, I like the energy stocks.

I think oil is set to spike higher, maybe much higher, soon. The Oil Sands companies jumped today. No reason for that unless they are going to come into some extra dough, and it seems that somebody knows something.

Hey NBB.... What Oil sand stocks do you watch? Thanks.

[Lyehopper]

Now I am not one who subscribes to the AFA's ways. I do think Christ should be in Christmas. But I am posting this info because the last time the AFA boycotted a "big box discounter" by the name of K-Mart (over the issue of K-Mart selling porn through one of its subsideraries), it had disasterous results for the K-Mart: they went bankrupt. AFA boycotted them for perhaps 3 years. K-Mart was a viable entity before the boycott; it was a bankrupt piece of junk afterwards. So if you are looking to go short or long TGT, you may take these issues into consideration.

In reality I think another "three letter" organization had a greater impact on K-MART's demise than the AFA.... It's called.... WMT.

BTW the AFA is also boycotting WMT, BBY, HD and a host of other large retailers who have made similar business decisions.

So would the AFA actually PROMOTE a company that advertised and capitalized on the largest, greedy retail season of the year and did so in "the name of Christ"? hmmmmm.... If so.... wonder how Jesus might view the AFA? Matt 21:12.... Something to ponder.... IMO there are better ways to glorify Christ than stiff arming companies into including "His" name and furthering their corporate holiday profits by doing so.... Romans 15:1-6

[ninner]

suncor

Yes, I had a great Thanksgiving. I have been trading SWN, ACI, FDG and VKR.UN the past couple of weeks. You know me, I like the energy stocks.

I think oil is set to spike higher, maybe much higher, soon. The Oil Sands companies jumped today. No reason for that unless they are going to come into some extra dough, and it seems that somebody knows something.

hey Newborn i was at the gym working out and i heard that Suncor ..which is a big player in the ALberta oil sands were spending more money and increasing their oil production ...that maybe a reason why they spiked


cheers

[New-born baby]

Hey NBB.... What Oil sand stocks do you watch? Thanks.

LYE-Baby,
I watch SU, and COS.UN on the TSX. COS.UN has been hotter than a firecracker.

[New-born baby]

Afa

In reality I think another "three letter" organization had a greater impact on K-MART's demise than the AFA.... It's called.... WMT.

BTW the AFA is also boycotting WMT, BBY, HD and a host of other large retailers who have made similar business decisions.

So would the AFA actually PROMOTE a company that advertised and capitalized on the largest, greedy retail season of the year and did so in "the name of Christ"? hmmmmm.... If so.... wonder how Jesus might view the AFA? Matt 21:12.... Something to ponder.... IMO there are better ways to glorify Christ than stiff arming companies into including "His" name and furthering their corporate holiday profits by doing so.... Romans 15:1-6

I think the AFA is supporting Walgreens, a company that agreed with their policy.

I do not subscribe to the AFA and its methods. And my view of Christmas is on this thread (I think). Last year Webs asked me and I gave a few paragraphs to the subject. I have to go right now, but maybe tonight I will be able to post a link.

FWIW: I just preached Matthew 21:12-17 last Lord's Day. I preach verse by verse through the entire NT, and right now, Matthew is our book we are studying.

AFA: I do think they have more power than perhaps your post allows. WMT certainly was a tough competitor for them, but they also had many subsidiaries that got crushed through the boycott: Builder's Square, and their bookstore chain that started the entire thing by selling porn. My viewpoint would be that I expect the boycott to impact TGT's bottom line, slowly at first, and gain momentum. This I am going to watch.

[Lyehopper]

LYE-Baby,
I watch SU, and COS.UN on the TSX. COS.UN has been hotter than a firecracker.

Thanks, NB-Baby.... Hey check out BMD, it's one I hold. This is not a "direct" oil sands play but BMD supplies the oil sands operators with something they can not do without.... Lime. Do some dd on them. IMO.... BMD is poised to be much more profitable than many of the oil sands leaseholders.

off topic.... I got your point about the ASA and TGT (I'll watch too)..... Look NBB.... I'm no "superior-holier-than-thou" fellow or anything like that.... but as a Christian (who's looked deeply into the origin of the holiday) I've just have some problems with Christmas that's all. Jesus did not start the celebration, he was interjected into "it" only a few centuries ago.... The first Christians did not celebrate jesus birthday at all (which btw was not Dec 25th, the winter solstice). I know this subject make many feel uneasy but I can think of no better thread than yours to discuss this on.hehehe

[ninner]

mscc

anyone have any comments on last couple of days action

cheers

[spikefader]

..this subject make many feel uneasy but I can think of no better thread than yours to discuss this on. hehehe

Doesn't make me uneasy unless a flame fest starts, then it's run for the hills!! hehe

Actually it's an interesting subject; AFA vs. Target. And I'll share my views for anyone interested. I get the AFA emails.........and I'm often motivated to sign up and send emails to people/organizations/knuckleads who need an uppercut. I think the AFA has done some good things, and often taken the right stance. My initial impression of Target's anti-Christmas stance (banning Salvation Army kettles from storefronts (good grief) and the absence of "Merry Christmas" from advertising (sheesh)) was one of disappointment. OK, fine, it's their right to do so. Fine........people want to be stupid, that's their prerogative. What does it matter to me as a Christian? And should any of that influence whether I shop there? It's a personal question. To which I reply yes, it should matter, and it DOES matter. OK, that's my personal feeling on it. But I think Christmas is a wonderful time of year; perhaps my favorite family time of all the year. We've already got the Christmas tree up, the lights on the house, the spirit of Christmas in our hearts, the spirit of giving, planning what we're going to do to help a poor and lost family who will (I guarantee it) be blessed by Christmas, brought closer to Jesus, touched by a gift freely and lovingly given for no reason other than Jesus loves you, and he's telling you through me. But where does THAT fit in with Target?

Well Salvation Army kettles and references to Christmas is where it fits in!! Those 2 things are just awesome things. Giving to the needy, and thinking about Christmas. 2 simple things, not expensive to Target (it's not like they pay the kettle holders!), no harm to us customers, except for the misers who walk past like walking icicles with hearts of stone. (Tangent: I challenge ever reader to give when the opportunity arises; give a quarter, give a penny, give a hundred; give whatever, whether you allow it to hurt your wallet or not. Just reach into your pocket, pull out some coins or notes, reach out to the kettle, and put it in; move slowly, purposefully, thinking about what you are doing, and why you are doing it. Don't do it cuz you're embarrassed if you don't, don't do it cuz you're trying to impress the person you're with, but give because it's Christmas and you intend for that money to touch, and make a difference for, those who need it. That's what Christmas is about. Not glittery advertisements, with glamour girls and shiny high-tech gadgets we don't need. It's not about marketing or making a buck, or the best sales, or the shareholders. It's not about doing what the crowd of the world might do; it's about doing what is right and good. And then if you do......maybe.........just maybe........ you'll spread the cheer of Christmas, the spirit of the heart, the spirit of the Lord, and make a little difference in a dark and greedy world).

And Target decided to be a walking icicle and a miser the day it started acting anti-Christmas on us. Do I care? You bet I care, and you should too. Shame on them. Am I overreacting? Perhaps. But my intentions are good....and I question their intent. See, bottom line is I have freedom of choice of where I shop. And anyone discouraging Christmas and refusing Salvation Army kettles is Satin personified in my humble view, and worthy of being boycotted. Why does Target do it? For what purpose? What's the intent? Who made the decision? Stand up please. Come to the microphone and tell all us Target shoppers why. It's my right as a customer to hear it. The silence is deafening and my decision was/is made.

Yep, it's a free country for Target to choose to do what it's already done, it's their business, and they owe me nothing. And it's a free country for me to decline to shop there because of their stupidity and their spoiling behavior. And 600,000 people agreed with me when I signed the boycott thing, and 4,000 new signups per hour says it's important to a great many others as well. Wake up Target.

Lye, this debate is not so much about promoting commercialism in the name of Christ, or even what Jesus thinks of the AFA, although I'm sure he cares. It's about the rightness of Target's actions, and whether it should be supported or reprimanded. Anti-Christmas stances and the refusal to talk about it when pressed, sends a clear message to me. And that message is they want to rob me and those around me from good clean family-like references to Christmas, and opportunities to give and perhaps be touched by Christmas spirit; the spirit of giving, of sharing, of serving, of loving thy neighbor, and inspiration and reason to think about the One who gave the biggest gift of all. And with that folks, I retire

[Jaws57]

Money talks!!! I bet most if not all retailers will be selling Christmas trees not Holiday trees next year. I heard on "The Factor" Bill O'reilly saying that Lowe's will call them Christmas trees again.

Most of my donations go to the Salvation Army so Target wont see me in any of its stores.

[skiracer]

I'm with you 110% Spike. Couldn't have said it any better. One other thing I know for sure is that when the situation is at it's bleakest, when it looks like there is no way out and you think for sure this is the end of the road and your life, every one of us will find ourselves down on our knees praying and begging God and Jesus for help and to just get us through that moment. All these people that want to change things will be the first ones in line when that time comes for them.

[RL]

Right on Spike you said It all for me. [I could not have typed all of that] Yes Target had refused to help our organization In a charity drive at Christmas time to help others not so fortunate. Not to advertise but I am a member of a Masonic organization and thats what we are all about helping others. As you can expect I have never and will never shop at Target. Walmart Is another story they have always helped. Hope we all have A wonderful Christmas season.

[billyjoe]

So it's not Religion vs. Retail , more like Reason vs. Stupidity. Target reminds me of the rotten neighbor that would take your baseball if it landed in their yard. I still remember after nearly 50 years. I've never been in a Target , but the walls of a new one are going up a few miles from here . Thanks for the warning . I'll tell everyone what kind of neighbor they are.

billyjoe

[Peter Hansen]

One Target Not In My Sights!

There is a Target nearby but I have never gone to it.....and after I read what happened there ......I don't plan on visiting anytime soon!