Free Republic

One of the greatest technicians of all time was a man named W. D. Gann (1878-1955). He had tremendous success predicting market moves much in advance. Legend has it that he occasionally sent notes to The Wall Street Journal, which accurately predicted tops and bottoms in grain markets months ahead of time. There are two Gann principles that I have always respected. They are that historical prices alone aren’t predictive unless paired with time; and that the “birth dates” of contracts are of major significance. The birth date is the first day a contract, stock, or grain begins trading. And...

<p>Gov. Schwarzenegger and his team have done yeoman's work on the budget. But in simply trying to slow the growth of spending, they have been caught in the "liberal flack" budget trap. Has anybody else noticed how much of every newscast is devoted to stories of the "taking wheelchairs from invalids" variety? In his effort to merely halt spending increases, not actually cut spending, the governor is tarred as Simon Legree.</p>

California taxpayers are celebrating a silver anniversary, as 2003 is the 25th year since the enactment of California's Proposition 13, whose landmark victory in 1978 sparked a national tax revolt. It passed in a landslide vote, with some 65 percent of Californians favoring the measure. The proposition slashed property taxes by limiting property-tax rates to 1 percent of the sales price of a home, and it limited subsequent increases to 2 percent per year -- a radical concept at the time. Previously, tax rates were based on a valuation established by a county assessor. Moreover, voracious local politicians determined the...

<p>Twenty-five years ago, as Californians debated the merits and madness of Proposition 13, neighbors soaking at a block party in Sunnyvale nearly came to blows over the property-tax revolt.</p> <p>It happened to be in the neighborhood of Larry Stone, now the Santa Clara County assessor and a staunch foe of the tax break that changed life forever in this state.</p>