Disqus - Latest Comments for tetsuotrees

Re: The Internet Is Alive And Well (As An Investment)

bernardlunn — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:58:19 -0000

nail on head. lack of good quality public internet stocks.

Re: The Internet Is Alive And Well (As An Investment)

MattCope — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:41:06 -0000

I think you nailed it Tetsuo.

JA's article considers the universe of publicly traded web companies. It's hard to stay innovative with a headcount of 10,000 and a 9-figure budget.

But Fred has the luxury of being able to invest in small groups of hackers with big ideas - and there's way more opportunity for disruption there.

Re: The Internet Is Alive And Well (As An Investment)

tetsuotrees — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:52:12 -0000

Great post, Fred. Of course, James is addressing an audience largely comprised of smallish (in the grand scheme of things) retail investors, and so focuses his critiques on businesses that are either publicly listed or are presumed to be coming public sometime in the not-too-distant future. But I don't think he quite realizes the disservice he does his readers by not considering the amazing amount of activity and innovation taking place just beyond their investable reach. Thanks for helping keep things in their proper perspective.

Re: Bill Ford more resolved than ever to not take federal aid

tetsuotrees — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:56:15 -0000

I can't say I've studied him thoroughly, but Bill Ford Jr.'s actions over the past few years strike me as extraordinarily mature. Relinquishing control of the auto-manufacturer and allowing Mulally to come in, and now this unwillingness to take on the Federal Government as steward - not your typical family magnate. I haven't favoured U.S. auto-manufacturing in quite some time, but it's hard not to root for Ford in this environment.

Re: Weekly Federal Reserve Balance Sheet Update: Week Of May 27

tetsuotrees — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:31:33 -0000

Do we think the Fed has taken over control of Treasury, or rather, that it has ceded its authority and independence to Treasury?

Re: The End Of The IPO Drought Is Coming

fredwilson — Mon, 04 May 2009 08:28:40 -0000

i will ask around. and hopefully someone will reply to this who has new information on these costs.

Re: The End Of The IPO Drought Is Coming

tetsuotrees — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:45:16 -0000

@Fred - great post and a very interesting take. RE: cost of Sarbox compliance, the last time I was involved in this sort of thing our estimated "Sarbox nut" was around $1.5mm (itself down from as much as $3mm in the beginning) - has this number come down appreciably in your experience, or does it still remain at about that level? (amount is 404 compliance only, not including audit fees...)

Re: The Ying and Yang of Public and Private Markets

fredwilson — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:23:20 -0000

I think a real secondary market is going to be increasingly necessary but I
am not sure now is the best time to start one

Re: The Ying and Yang of Public and Private Markets

tetsuotrees — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 08:36:19 -0000

Great post, Fred. I know you've recently written on the topic (re: Facebook and employee stock sales), but it would be interesting to hear some expanded thoughts on the attractiveness of secondary markets for private shares as a potential longer-term replacement for outright public listings, particularly in light of the current market environment's volatility. Anyway, good stuff.

Re: McCain in a Panic!

tetsuotrees — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:29:15 -0000

Why is it that Obama's "new" kind of politics based on "hope" "change" and more "hope" seems so...familiar?

Re: Trying To Make Sense of The Brokerage Bust

tetsuotrees — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:25:26 -0000

Fantastic post.

Re: Sarah Palin

Sethop — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:52:47 -0000

Huh? I was talking about Mr "Reality Check", who I was replying to, who I've directed a few recent replies to on this blog and on AVC, and who appears to be well known for his anonymous cowardism. Go work on your reading comprehension skills and maybe one day you too might be worth wasting some of my precious time on. For now I'll leave you to play with your straw men. Enjoy.

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:10:47 -0000

Given the left's penchant for associating the right, in general, and the Bush Administration, in particular, with Nazism, and given the nature of your comment and general tone (which is highly consistent with others on the left who frequently make such associations), I found the comment apt. It's about more than just you, and I apologize if it was above your head.

Your claim of moral relativism is about as ridiculous as your previous post. Using your claim of arrogance to justify your continued existence on this planet at the expense of others "obviously" less worthy is, likewise, ridiculous.

As for my being "too scared to use my real identity" - my name is Forrest Cox. If there's anything you'd care to discuss now that I'm finished being "too scared," I trust you'll message me directly with your suggestions.

Given the incredible skill with which you "called me out" (are you serious?), I'll take your claim about it being a minor skill at face value.

Re: Sarah Palin

Sethop — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:40:21 -0000

What does Godwin's law have to do with the price of fish? Morality is in the eye of the beholder. I'm arrogant enough to believe the world is a better place while I'm still functional. Calling out people like Mr Too Scared to Use My Real Identity when they're making idjits of themselves is really only one of my minor skills in life. I have vastly more important things to do, and seriously, don't you?

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:13:53 -0000

@Sethop - just remember not to call anyone else a Nazi. Ever. In fact, while you're being so sanctimoniously moral, why don't you just lead by example and off your own worthless ass. There are, after all, too many of us, right?

Re: Sarah Palin

Reality Check — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 12:15:21 -0000

Gotham Gal, I think its humorously ironic that women (feminists and otherwise) have been arguing for years that females can indeed hold jobs of influence and enjoy prosperous careers while also being a good mother and wife, yet as soon as this very type of woman that exhibits such positive characteristics comes up on the opposite side of those liberal Democrats within this movement, said female is all of the sudden a bad mother/wife/woman, etc.

f***ing hypocrites. you do women all over a disservice. you should perhaps listen to Hillary Clinton more ... even she won't attempt to discredit Sarah Palin and commends her for her work/motherhood balance.

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:33:31 -0000

Excuse me, but to make the claim that one represents the "typical" ANYTHING in a land of 300 million, one must either be: 1.) ridiculously delusional bordering on egomaniacal, or 2.) a politician. I don't know Tracey Hyams from Eve, but my guess is that she isn't a politician...

What a moronic letter.

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:27:08 -0000

That has got to be one of the most ignorant bits of drivel I've ever heard. I'm shocked you could seriously utter such a blatantly stupid thing.

So if I support Obama (I'm certainly no fan of John McCain), is this the kind of culture I'm throwing my lot in with? Is this the intellectual heritage that guides the policies I'd be casting my support for?

How did it come to this?

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:22:34 -0000

Wait, so when a woman not of your intellectual ilk has earned her way to a position of power, it THEN becomes her role to stay at home and raise a child? When the hell did anyone ever demand that of a MAN? Nice to know "family values" (what a friggin' joke) are so high on your list of electoral criteria.

You people simply can't help yourselves can you? The hypocrisy excreted from the left over the course of the past month has made me far more ill than did anything the religious right (of which I am NO fan, at all) came up with during the Bush years, or even during the Jerry Falwell heyday. It's been among the more disgusting displays of intellectual dishonesty and infantile rage I've seen - ever.

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:11:28 -0000

I won't get into the abortion part of your comment - there's just too much there to deal with.

But with respect to the bar being set high for Obama vis a vis Palin - I think you're missing the very same point that the Obama camp has missed (which explains the continual decline in poll numbers after the convention as a result of the Obama camp's reaction to her nomination). That point is this: Palin's experience outweighs Obama's - both objectively and, to most viewers, subjectively as well. Further, because VP picks haven't HISTORICALLY played a key role in determining who wins the general election, the knee-jerk reaction for most people is to look at her in a secondary role, discount the "one heartbeat away" issue, and then look at Obama in a primary role, and come to the conclusion that the attack's around her experience just make Barry's team look even more unexperienced, and bad too boot.

There are a host of substantive areas where the Democrats have a legitimate shot at handing Republicans their asses. Keeping the focus on Sarah Palin will hand the Republicans the biggest electoral gimme we are ever likely to see.

Re: Sarah Palin

tetsuotrees — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:57:15 -0000

So I take it you DID NOT vote for Bill Clinton? Give me a break - you people are starting to sound like the bigoted, racist, hillbilly republicans you so despise.

Re: Time to Decide, Johnny Boy

tetsuotrees — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:24:39 -0000

Interesting plug for Sarah - as my post indicated, I too see her as a compelling running mate for McCain. True, her list of achievements is growing, and she is a nice contrast to the senior GOP senator from her state, who was as corrupt as they come. She's also got some genuine personality, which could play quite well on the national stage. And, let's face it, SHE is a SHE, and given the strong likelihood that Mac will be a one-termer, selecting her would directly pave the way for the first female POTUS.

However, I am not convinced she can fire up the base enough to have a strong impact, and her state is simply meaningless from an electoral standpoint (it's going GOP in a big way come November).

Still, I'd be perfectly happy if John selected her as his running mate. So good luck to the Governor in the days ahead.

(But I really must say that the hours since writing my original post have really set my own "election marketing" gears into overdrive over the possibility of a McCain / Thompson Four Years of Cleaning This Pathetic Government Up blitzkrieg. Seriously, you could hit so many key points with that kind of a campaign. And in an already whacky election season...)

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:57:00 -0000

I don't think you could have described anything LESS Marxist, Fred. The fact that you CHOOSE to give your capital away is the ultimate expression of capitalism.

And just why "being Marxist" is such a fashionable thing confuses me to no end.

Anyway, Fred Wilson, hyper-capitalist (who knew?)...

Re: Thinking About Obama

fredwilson — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:20:05 -0000

I make money and then I give it away, basically

Re: Thinking About Obama

tetsuotrees — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:39:44 -0000

You have to remember here that the Democrats are virtually guaranteed to build on their majorities in both houses. It's highly unlikely that the court moves to the right during the next Presidency, even if someone MORE conservative than McCain were to win.

Also, I think if you look at the trend objectively you'll see that the past 8 years have been among the least "right leaning" of the past twenty-five. More conservative legislation was passed during the Clinton Administration than during the last four years of the Bush Administration, while GWB's first four years were littered with a mix of both very conservative and very liberal legislation. Given the length of the relatively "conservative" trend and it's debasing by the current administration, it's hardly surprising that the country seems to be moving left. But just how far left remains to be seen...