Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

[pianodoctor]

I would address this question to paid iTulip subscribers and former paid iTulip subscribers. Since iTulip is no longer producing analysis, I was just wondering if anyone has been subscribed to similarly-priced The Solari Report, and do they find it useful in making investment/retirement managment decisions? I think there has always been a great deal of respect for Catherine Austin Fitts here.

[Milton Kuo]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

I have not subscribed to Austin-Fitts' reports because I am of the opinion that she is somewhat Alex Jones-ish. Specifically, I seem to remember a radio interview (maybe in the first half of 2011 on Guns and Butter), where she claimed that the U.S. government had a machine that could control the weather. There were a few other conspiracy theory ideas she had that I remember either reading or hearing.

I currently subscribe to two reports: Marc Faber's monthly commentary and William Fleckenstein's service. I've been a subscriber to Faber's commentary for three or so years and, had I actually followed the investment advice, I would have done quite well. Being that Faber is in Thailand, he sometimes recommends equities in emerging Asian markets which may be difficult for a regular person to invest in. The brokerages I use do not allow for trading on foreign bourses and I've been too lazy to open an account with Interactive Brokers, whom I believe allow trading in many, many markets.

I've subscribed to Fleckenstein's service for about two years but it hasn't yielded a lot of investment or trading ideas. Fleckenstein believes the market is artificially high and is just waiting for a disaster to occur, which is my feeling. I'm subscribing to Fleckenstein because it is inexpensive ($120/year I believe) and it's just another service that might warn me of any sort of impending dislocation. Fleckenstein is still rather long-term bullish on precious metals and the mining stocks so that's about the extent of any sort of long ideas you'll get from subscribing. He often has short positions and sometimes talks about those positions when asked.

In the past, I've subscribed to the Dines Letter and The Ruff Times. The Ruff Times, in my opinion, is a waste of time and money because Ruff spends more time complaining about the Democrats and pumping up the Republicans than giving good analysis for his recommended investments. I stopped subscribing to The Ruff Times before 2008 but when I let my subscription lapse, he was largely recommending mining stocks and physical bullion.

The Dines Letter is an interesting newsletter and I would probably still be subscribed if it were a lot less expensive or if its advice were a lot more actionable. The Dines Letter also recommends precious metals and, as of the time I let my subscription lapse, mining stocks. It also recommends, from time to time, stocks from a new investment theme. I believe Dines was one of the early ones to jump on board the uranium mining boom as well as the rare earth mining boom. The problem with Dines' recommendations, in my opinion, is that he never gives a clear call to sell (I believe he didn't tell people to get out of the markets in 2008) and a lot of the stocks for new ideas are penny stocks whose prices go up tremendously when his newsletter is published. Subscribers are left with the uncomfortable position of either buying the recommendations at a substantially higher price than what is recorded in the newsletter or sitting out and waiting for a pullback which may or may not ever occur except in a crash which is what occurred with the uranium and rare earth mining stocks.

[pianodoctor]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

Thank you Milton for a very thoughtful reply! The few times I have heard Ms Fitts she seemed super sharp. She wasn't talking about conspiracy stuff at that time. I'll give it a lot more thought.

[GRG55]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

I have not subscribed to Austin-Fitts' reports because I am of the opinion that she is somewhat Alex Jones-ish. Specifically, I seem to remember a radio interview (maybe in the first half of 2011 on Guns and Butter), where she claimed that the U.S. government had a machine that could control the weather. There were a few other conspiracy theory ideas she had that I remember either reading or hearing.

I currently subscribe to two reports: Marc Faber's monthly commentary and William Fleckenstein's service. I've been a subscriber to Faber's commentary for three or so years and, had I actually followed the investment advice, I would have done quite well. Being that Faber is in Thailand, he sometimes recommends equities in emerging Asian markets which may be difficult for a regular person to invest in. The brokerages I use do not allow for trading on foreign bourses and I've been too lazy to open an account with Interactive Brokers, whom I believe allow trading in many, many markets.

I've subscribed to Fleckenstein's service for about two years but it hasn't yielded a lot of investment or trading ideas. Fleckenstein believes the market is artificially high and is just waiting for a disaster to occur, which is my feeling. I'm subscribing to Fleckenstein because it is inexpensive ($120/year I believe) and it's just another service that might warn me of any sort of impending dislocation. Fleckenstein is still rather long-term bullish on precious metals and the mining stocks so that's about the extent of any sort of long ideas you'll get from subscribing. He often has short positions and sometimes talks about those positions when asked.

In the past, I've subscribed to the Dines Letter and The Ruff Times. The Ruff Times, in my opinion, is a waste of time and money because Ruff spends more time complaining about the Democrats and pumping up the Republicans than giving good analysis for his recommended investments. I stopped subscribing to The Ruff Times before 2008 but when I let my subscription lapse, he was largely recommending mining stocks and physical bullion.

The Dines Letter is an interesting newsletter and I would probably still be subscribed if it were a lot less expensive or if its advice were a lot more actionable. The Dines Letter also recommends precious metals and, as of the time I let my subscription lapse, mining stocks. It also recommends, from time to time, stocks from a new investment theme. I believe Dines was one of the early ones to jump on board the uranium mining boom as well as the rare earth mining boom. The problem with Dines' recommendations, in my opinion, is that he never gives a clear call to sell (I believe he didn't tell people to get out of the markets in 2008) and a lot of the stocks for new ideas are penny stocks whose prices go up tremendously when his newsletter is published. Subscribers are left with the uncomfortable position of either buying the recommendations at a substantially higher price than what is recorded in the newsletter or sitting out and waiting for a pullback which may or may not ever occur except in a crash which is what occurred with the uranium and rare earth mining stocks.

Faber's entertaining and that is why he spends too much time being interviewed on Bloomberg and Bubblevision. Bill Fleckenstein seems much more capable as a short fund manager than long. Howard Ruff was a doomer in the late 1970s (one of my engineering school classmates was a subscriber and used to pass his letter around the study hall) recommending storing food, junk silver and buying gold for the coming hyperinflation - he never saw Volcker in the headlights and still hasn't realized he got run over head-on.

Dines is the most interesting of the bunch imo, and has made some interesting early calls including uranium which I played at the time. He understands better than most the role that emotions and behaviour play in the markets. His selling rule is pretty clear - he's looking for 10-baggers and you sell 10% of your stake with every doubling of the stock price, no questions asked. Period.

[santafe2]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

I have not subscribed to Austin-Fitts' reports because I am of the opinion that she is somewhat Alex Jones-ish.

Other than the "somewhat" modifier, I agree.

[santafe2]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

Dines is the most interesting of the bunch imo, and has made some interesting early calls including uranium which I played at the time. He understands better than most the role that emotions and behaviour play in the markets. His selling rule is pretty clear - he's looking for 10-baggers and you sell 10% of your stake with every doubling of the stock price, no questions asked. Period.

With the sort of microcaps that produce 10X returns the more difficult, (not complex), algorithm is managing the losers. Unless one is a gambler, it's fairly easy to follow a profit taking scheme with the winners. Mine is more conservative as I approximate selling 10% on the first doubling, then 10% at 50% additional, then 33%, then 25%, etc. The more difficult situation is when one buys in too high and the equity halves. Do you double down? If it halves again? And again? I've a simple rule, if it halves, I'm out. My reasoning? I didn't understand the original value proposition so why would I stay invested? This is the stock market not metaphysics. Belief is a killer in this marketplace.

[thriftyandboringinohio]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

...I've a simple rule, if it halves, I'm out. My reasoning? I didn't understand the original value proposition so why would I stay invested? This is the stock market not metaphysics. Belief is a killer in this marketplace.

santafe I have a similar approach to trading.
I hate trading and don't do much, I prefer to be an investor.
But when I do trade I write down my expectations and my exit price, and act on that sell trigger.

For an amateur like me, my first loss is my best loss. I take it gladly and leave.
Your phrase is spot on " I didn't understand the original value proposition".

[Adeptus]

Re: Any NEWS on the value of The Solari Report?

I listen to Gordon T. Long analysis on youtube occasionally. He seems to do in depth analysis of market, but overall has a bearish slant - but nothing extreme, but just good to know. I find his analysis great, but just wished he did the "opposite" analysis to also explain why the market(s) haven't tanked yet. He also occasionally has some great guests that he interviews... all for free, and he pumps out 20 mins to 1 hour videos about once per week. My favorite types of videos is when he provides summary solo dialogues with lots of charts (see example below of a recent one):

Worth a gander :-)

All his videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/GordonTLong/videos

Recent Sample: