A question for any VC's or Angel Investors here: How is your $$$ working for you? Have you gone to ground, or are you still seeking projects?

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Permalink Reply by Paul on September 27, 2008 at 4:03pm

Either there are no investors, or they've given up... Let's give it a little time.

This is not about my project, although it can be if you wish.

I'm asking about investing in energy in general...

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 3, 2008 at 8:39am

With all the uncertainty, I'd say they've gone to ground. Anyone care to say otherwise?

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 13, 2008 at 8:35am

Is the bailout working? Or is it *way* too early to tell?

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 25, 2008 at 9:35am

Politics & Religion... Would somebody please post something meaningful... Please ???

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Permalink Reply by Paul on October 30, 2008 at 8:05am

I edited the title to specifically mention Venture Capitalists, and Angel Investors. I'm interested in the real risk takers...

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Permalink Reply by Philly on November 2, 2008 at 3:41pm

Paul,

Turn on CNBC, and watch the different shows for the day, and into the night.
Now is the time to invest in the market if you have money that you can afford to invest with.
Until the market stabilizes, your best bet is on solid companies that are paying a decent dividend yield of 5-6%. Avoid the companies that are offering a very high dividend (ie) Bank of Ireland at 17%, you won't see that amount.
Go to Yahoo Finance, and read the different news stories. There is no quick fix for this market, but we are better off than some of the other European countries.
You will also see articles from The Motley Fool, who make some good points. Below is a recent article I copied from The Fool:

Special Report: What Investors Should Be Doing Right Now
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/10/28/special-report-what-investors-should-be-doing-righ.aspx

Dayana Yochim
October 28, 2008


The Buffettisms are being trotted out by the dozens these days. A few of our favorites:

Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.

I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.

A market downturn doesn't bother us. As long-term investors it is an opportunity to increase our ownership of great companies with great management at good prices.

Unfortunately, these sane nuggets of investing wisdom are being drowned out by that other message dominating the news: "Global Meltdown!" "Big Weekly Wipeout!" "Bush Calls for Panic!" Worst of all, they're not an exaggeration. Well, except for that last one, which we lifted from humor news weekly The Onion.

Still, you get the gist. We've watched the S&P 500 plummet nearly 45% in a single year, economic indicators turn more menacing than the terrorism threat level, and iconic financial institutions kneel hat-in-hand before the Bank of Uncle Sam.

Historians coined the crisis "The Panic of 2008" mere days after it began. Sadly, the label has proved apt.

Hop off the emotional rollercoaster
Whether or not panic is truly justified remains to be seen. We do know that at times like these, history tells us that investors with nerves of steel make the most money, even if it takes a few years for them to be proven right. Financial deliverance comes only to those who are of sound mind and investment philosophy. Right now, most investors have a hard time getting into that head space.

So let's go back to Buffett -- the voice of reason with the record to back it up -- who recently wrote in the New York Times:

Fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10, and 20 years from now.

Spoken like a true investor. And, putting his money where his mouth is, Buffett's been on a buying spree of late, snapping up preferred stock in Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) and General Electric (NYSE: GE), and bidding on Constellation Energy (NYSE: CEG) outright.

Follow the Fool's rules for surviving and prospering
There is no better time than the present to be an investor. We mean it. To show you how to find profits in panic and opportunity amid chaos, we've put together this special report -- a Fool's playbook, if you will -- with four essential investing lessons to heed in every market, but particularly this one.

For more in our "What Investors Should Be Doing Right Now" Special Report:

Remain True to Your Core Investing Principles
Tune Out the Noise and Brush Up on the Basics
Rein In Your Caveman Brain
How to Profit From the Pessimism

Remember Paul, "Patience is a Virtue", and "If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen"!

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Permalink Reply by kelly on November 13, 2008 at 6:34pm

I am not sure if the "BAIL OUT" is working but the "BAIL IN" seems to be going great.!

Only Pickens and Ron Paul have confronted any of the LEAKING. I am sure the BAILING will need to continue until the leaks are plugged.

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Permalink Reply by Paul on November 19, 2008 at 9:26am

I wanna have a pool on the auto industry... $5 -- any takers? (if this is against any local laws then it was meant as a joke) -- if it's not in violation of any local laws then it's still a joke...

But we can still play the game :^)

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Permalink Reply by orren foster on September 28, 2008 at 11:04am

i agree with mr. feagin if we bail out any company the people of america [americans only] should own 51% of that stock and we should receive the dividends according to how much was invested when that company makes a profit . also the heads of these companies should have a reasonable limit on their salaries and not some ridicolous amount.

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Permalink Reply by Lou De Frog on September 29, 2008 at 5:09am

Forget about owning 51% of businesses - go for 51% of the banks. If the American public controlled the distribution of money/credit it would own 51% of all the money paid as interest, and instead of offering subprime mortgages it could offer zero interest mortgages/cedit to people below a particular annual income. No body should lose their homes to a flawed system controlled by private individuals.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Conlon on September 30, 2008 at 7:41am

You've just hit the nail on the head, Christopher!

The bankers hijacked the American Monetary System back in 1913. This happened when the congress passed the Federal Reserve Act. This act institutionalized and legitimatized permanent national debt and fractional banking, and a permanent ripoff of the American People. This is directly reponsible (and the men behind it) for a national debt in the trillions with no end in sight. Here's a little insight into fractional banking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional-reserve_banking
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rothbard/frb.html


This is the best book I've found explaining the precarious position of being a world in debt. Pay special attention to the chapter 'Planet Doom" Here is the book link:"Debt Virus" by Jacques Jaikarian

http://www.amazon.com/Debt-Virus-Compelling-Solution-Problems/dp/09...



Good Google video on the Federal Reserve that our government won't tell you.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-466210540567002553


We can start to take back our financial system by supporting Ron Paul's Competing Currencies Act which would put the power back in the hands of the American People by simple economics. Call your congressmen and urge that they support this bill!

http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2007/cr121307h.htm



Regards,
Bob Conlon

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Permalink Reply by South Dakota Wind Energy on December 28, 2008 at 8:58pm

Bob,

Salute, you are the first one I have heard of that even remembers the 1913 catastrophe.

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