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All posts for the month June, 2015

No TWTRThe stock and option volatility are in the middle of ranges that show no clear direction for me.  I just can’t find myself to be able to hold onto the stock near 36 when I feel a drift to 30 is possible. The July options series is trading at mid 30s vol which isn’t fat enough for me to write against and isn’t cheap enough to buy to hedge the stock. There might be some money for day traders who want to splash around within the recent ranges if that’s your style but that sort of thing is not my bag baby ( in my best Austin powers voice).

Earnings will come out August 4 and this is a real crucial quarter for them. It’s not really the numbers that will be the main focus, but the look forward. When Dick Costelo stepped down a few weeks back, the stock had a knee jerk reaction to almost $41 and snapped 4 points down immediately and did the slow bump and grind back down to lows in the following few days ($33.50). A whole new generation of bagholders were created on this move which will slow down any upside move from here. Lots of others who held onto the stock missed their window to get out thinking” It’s the big one lisbeth” ( in my best Redd Foxx voice) and rode the roller coaster and are still trapped.

Anything is possible from a terrible earnings announcement and forward look which could send the stock grinding as low as $25 or takeout play by Google or Yahoo which could send the stock to $45. I think the latter is unlikely now as there’s no rush to either company to rush to get into this space at this valuation. I see them waiting longer and would rather pick over the carcass of Twitter if things continue to sour.

Seems like there’s easier money to be made elsewhere.

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Cannonball Adderly

The Buckinghams

For me, it depends on my mood. I was familiar with The Buckingham’s cover first and had always thought it was theirs. They turned the original instrumental version into a fun, light pop song that they made their own. I remember hearing it often as a child on the radio on 77 AM WABC  for all those who are local to the NYC area. In 1967 when Mercy Mercy Mercy was released as a cover , it was the year that music morphed from the lighter, brighter sounds into the heavier, darker sounds like that of The Doors and Jimi Hendrix . This song feels like the earlier part of the 60s to me since it had that more innocent, non- psychedelic sound rather than what had started to emerge on FM stations like 102.7 WNEW.

There are times though , I feel The Cannonball Adderly version is perfect and should have never been touched. I know there are jazz purists out there that feel the same way but everything is open to interpretation. The original instrumental version can definitely take you somewhere in your own head and words are just a distraction.

The Buckinghams managed to get the song to #5 on the charts while original went to #2 on the Soul chart and #11 on Billboard. Some other fun facts about The Buckingham’s version is you will notice the Union Jack in the background of the stage. The producers thought the band was English because of their name and their look. Everyone was emulating The Beatles and the producers even went as far as to provide them with fish and chips backstage. The band was from Chicago and their name came from a fountain located in the city. So much for due diligence.

The soulful jazz version  you may also recognize from the Martin Scorcese film Wolf Of Wall Street from last year.

Two very different versions of a great song, which do you think is best ? Click on the links above and watch the videos and judge for yourself.

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