The Bum(fuzzle)s Are Moving Afloat Again !

[smackdaddy]

Wow. I love these blue-collar=righteousness arguments. They inspire me.

I'm going to join the Occupy movement...on a charter....in the BVIs.

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by SS Little-Devil

"Like"

Please, allow me to introduce you to the *Thanks* button... our version of positive feed back.



; -)

[minaret]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Wow. I love these blue-collar=righteousness arguments. They inspire me.

I'm going to join the Occupy movement...on a charter....in the BVIs.

Plenty of white collar people actually produce and create. It's not a question of blue vs white at all. It seems like some people think that when traders make money it is magically produced from the aether. But actually for him to make money someone else has to lose money, because nothing is being produced. Just shuffling numbers.

[Hud3]

Willing buyer, willing seller. What's so evil about that?

Why so judgmental? You don't even know him.

[Target9000]

Soon they'll be calling for OBF... Occupy BumFuzzles.

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by minaret

Plenty of white collar people actually produce and create. It's not a question of blue vs white at all. It seems like some people think that when traders make money it is magically produced from the aether. But actually for him to make money someone else has to lose money, because nothing is being produced. Just shuffling numbers.

Okay. So then you must have a great deal of respect for the fact that Pat-The-Trader has become quite proficient with everything from mechanical diagnosis, marine diesel mtx and repair, auto mtx and repair, electrical mtx and repair, mechanical jury-rigging, parts design/machining, woodworking, etc.

Not much aether in those. He's just like you and me*!

(*Except he can also make a great deal of money in commodities trading.)

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Willing buyer, willing seller. What's so evil about that?

Why so judgmental? You don't even know him.

Nothing " evil " about it, I just personally dont respect that. That's all I ever said. Lot of people trying to make that something it isn't. Don't see why any of you would care about my opinion enough to mention it. Must be a lot of people who don't build anything on this thread. How about addressing some other points, such as the blatant ripoff that was the book, or the ugly American behavior. I don't know these people personally, I'm just going off the portion of themselves they've chosen to put out there, the book and blog. They could be perfectly wonderful people, it just doesn't seem like it to me. Never said anything remotely like accusing them of being evil, seems like histrionics from here...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by smackdaddy

Okay. So then you must have a great deal of respect for the fact that Pat-The-Trader has become quite proficient with everything from mechanical diagnosis, marine diesel mtx and repair, auto mtx and repair, electrical mtx and repair, mechanical jury-rigging, parts design/machining, woodworking, etc.

Not much aether in those. He's just like you and me*!

(*Except he can also make a great deal of money in commodities trading.)

Now you make me lol. From what I've seen his skills in those departments are nothing special. He certainly wouldn't get hired on my crew. The guy buys a boat sight unseen and shoves off in it with almost no shakedown or prep, then experiences repeated mechanical failures requiring a tow. Not very impressive to me.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by savoir

Commodities trading is no more and no less than a form of futures trading and hence a form of legalized gambling. Mr Bum does not and never did produce a single one of those beans, corn cobs or pork bellies that he trades. He didn't package, transport or store them either.

No, but he does participate in the system that creates a stable market for those commodities. The producer is guaranteed a price, the end user is guaranteed fixed cost. What happens in between is a function of weather, geo-political events and demands that may fluctuate. Traders like Pat attempt to read the "tea leaves" and buy and sell on those variables. It creates liquidity, and that may be VERY important to some firms.

Very soon a scandal will be exposed on massive shorts on gold trading so assurances of commodities market purity might soon prove ill founded.

Minaret makes a perfectly valid point.

Even if your right, so what? There is nothing fundamental about gold that will affect whole economies. It may cause a sensation in the press, and people may well lose money, but it is not the foundation of the economic system of the world. GDP is.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by minaret

It seems like some people think that when traders make money it is magically produced from the aether. But actually for him to make money someone else has to lose money, because nothing is being produced. Just shuffling numbers.

If only that was true ........the financial system wouldn't be in the current mess we are in. Admittedly they would have found otherways to f##k themselves (and us) up with (it's a cyclical thing ) - but not on the scale they have.

Not to say that I have any axe to grind with the Bumfuzzles (or anyone else) who made money and cashed in their chips whilst still ahead of the game (always a lot more luck in that than skill)........my take is that the Bums are simply a modern incarnation of the Pardeys / Hiscocks etc (and I doubt if those acheived their status without some careful thought).......whether they last as long is another thing.

[Celestialsailor]

A lot of flying judgements here and character assassination of someone you don't know. Sure...they learn as the go. What's wrong with that? It beats sitting in your sailor's chair in the living-room planning to leave....some day.
I have respect for anyone who just does it. Chances are they will overcome any obstacle that they face.

[detav007]

Ach, blue collar, white collar, they're both shirts, what does the collar color mean? People are people. We all work hard (either with our hands or our brains) to provide for our families. Corporations try to get as much out of all of as possible until they can throw us aside when they're done with us. The Bums are amazing people and I respect them both for their chosen life. I admit I'm envious and wish I could be doing the same with my family, unfortunately for me I won't be able to do it until about 25 more years. But I'm not going to hate on someone because they're doing what I wish I could. I say go Bums! You amaze me.

[Canibul]

Circumnavigating? aren't like, teenaged girls doing that all the time, dude?

[droquette]

why cant we all get along? you made your money breaking your back... the other guy inherited a fortune or got lucky... some dude that worked 2x as hard as you is now homeless... this is how life works. Be happy with what you have. dont be jealous of others as it will not bring anything positive. If you dont have anything good to say then dont say anything...

LIVE AND LET LIVE...

[Charlie]

The Bums have their own style. I don't have a problem with how they made their money. They learned along the way and are still learning. Cruising has always had different styles and different personalities. One person may love the Pardey's another the Hiscocks, another the Roths. My favorites are Beth and Evans and the Roths. I don't find the Bums that interesting but they sure seem to get a lot of coverage here and other places.