D_E_Solomon's recent activity
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Comment on Nvidia’s $589 billion DeepSeek rout is largest in market history in ~finance
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Comment on Nvidia’s $589 billion DeepSeek rout is largest in market history in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentInvestors look at the future price as well. So an investor is trying to maximize the difference between what they buy in at, what they can sell at, plus the value of the dividends, share buy...Investors look at the future price as well. So an investor is trying to maximize the difference between what they buy in at, what they can sell at, plus the value of the dividends, share buy backs, etc in that time period. If I expect NVidia to increase from $50 a share to $60 a share in a year, and I bought 10 shares, then I have enough to buy a desk chair ($60-$50) * 10 shares = $100.
Analysts are able to predict share price by using a lot of projections. So suppose that AI demand will mean that GPU demand will increase by 7% in the next year. That means 12% more revenue which means 11% more profit, which means a stock value increase of 8% (but much more complex obviously). Deep Seek suggest that GPU demand will not be 7% but 3% for example since the algorithm is more efficient.
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Comment on Nvidia’s $589 billion DeepSeek rout is largest in market history in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentIn my experience, successful public companies tend to treat their employees consistently pretty decently. Why? (1) They have deep pockets and don't want to be sued for them. (2) If they depend on...In my experience, successful public companies tend to treat their employees consistently pretty decently. Why? (1) They have deep pockets and don't want to be sued for them. (2) If they depend on human capital, they try to retain it. (3) They're usually big enough to get benefits at an okay price.
The flip side is that they have finance pressure and so they can't afford to stare through difficult times - they have to take layoffs and cost cutting measures. Otherwise, they'll get hit with an activist investor if they don't handle those pressures quickly.
I was on the board for a long time of a labor organization, and where we saw cases of wage theft and safety issues, it was almost always with a mom and pop organization or a fun shell game of holding companies.
I've also worked on the inside of a very large family held conglomerate, and hoo-boy. That was a shit show and the employees really got the short end. I'm stuck under NDA and other things there though.
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Comment on How to best navigate a career change, from a Canadian who was teaching mathematics internationally to ??? in ~life
D_E_Solomon LinkI have a good friend who transitioned from teaching English internationally to being in banking. He did that transition via an MBA. So, the transition is definitely possible. There are a couple...I have a good friend who transitioned from teaching English internationally to being in banking. He did that transition via an MBA. So, the transition is definitely possible. There are a couple things I could see your experience working well:
(1) Corporate Training - there is a fair amount of demand for people who can put together learning curriculum together for corporations undergoing change or who are trying to upskill their people. You have the curriculum design skills, but may need to upskill in change management.
(2) Project Management - you called this one out and I can see taking some of your existing background here. The danger is that it can be hard to PM something that you don't have a background in - I tend to hire PMs who have done technology changes before because they come in understanding the lingo.
(3) Data analysis - This one makes some sense with the math background. The key would be to build up skills on knowing some tooling and being able to demonstrate competence.
(4) Programming - if you have a math background, this one might be a possible transition. You would need to get some training to prove it, but jobs are usually available in this space.
I've spent a fair amount of time everywhere except China / Hong Kong, so not sure I'm helpful on how to get a job in that area.
I'm happy to get on a call if it would help.
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Comment on Donald Trump signs actions to pull US out of Paris climate agreement, intends to promote fossil fuels and mineral mining in ~enviro
D_E_Solomon Link ParentI suspect a lot of the conversation is going to happen behind closed doors. I also suspect that Trump is going to leave the EV credits alone but he's revoking the 50% target and charging fund....I suspect a lot of the conversation is going to happen behind closed doors. I also suspect that Trump is going to leave the EV credits alone but he's revoking the 50% target and charging fund. That lets Trump play to the base and say that he's keeping old cars, but still keep Elon in the mix. The slashing of the charging fund is also a net positive for Tesla since they already have their charging network built out.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentI’d you’re removing the units from the rental market regardless of whether the landlord is good , bad , or whatever - the price of rentals will increase. I don’t have a way around that.I’d you’re removing the units from the rental market regardless of whether the landlord is good , bad , or whatever - the price of rentals will increase. I don’t have a way around that.
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Comment on TikTok is coming back online after US President-elect Donald Trump pledged to restore it in ~tech
D_E_Solomon Link ParentThere's a difference with Brexit. Brexit was a consensus that the current situation sucked... but there wasn't a real plan that everyone agreed on. There's mechanisms in congress to prevent...There's a difference with Brexit. Brexit was a consensus that the current situation sucked... but there wasn't a real plan that everyone agreed on.
There's mechanisms in congress to prevent radical changes and ensuring that there is some level of agreement - multiple branches of government, separate house and senate with different election rules, and the dreaded senate filibuster - all of which tend to push in favor of the status quo.
Maybe it's splitting hair, but I think it's also dangerous to believe that voters are idiots - same as believing that Trump is dumb - it leads to bad assumptions about how people act and behave - and leads to poor political maneuver.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentSo then the landlords will sell the house to private buyers who don't want the house for a rental... thus, rents go up even further.So then the landlords will sell the house to private buyers who don't want the house for a rental... thus, rents go up even further.
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Comment on TikTok is coming back online after US President-elect Donald Trump pledged to restore it in ~tech
D_E_Solomon Link ParentBest way for any one left of center to continue to lose elections is to act as if or call their voters idiots. And elections and the frameworks we have for governing are the closest thing we have...Best way for any one left of center to continue to lose elections is to act as if or call their voters idiots. And elections and the frameworks we have for governing are the closest thing we have to a consensus.
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Comment on Seeking advice as a Frontend web developer in ~comp
D_E_Solomon LinkLike others have said, you need to have a conversation. There may be a good reason, there may be a not great reason, or there might be no reason. But you don't know until you have the...Like others have said, you need to have a conversation. There may be a good reason, there may be a not great reason, or there might be no reason. But you don't know until you have the conversation. My advice would be to roll play the conversation and use a structure to help yourself communicate the issue that you're seeing.
"I'm concerned that you're refactoring a bunch of code which is normally not like you. I'm concerned about that because it makes me feel that my contributions aren't worthwhile or I'm missing the mark. Could we talk about that a bit?" might be a good opening. And I would think about what he might say and how you would respond to those responses. Get a friend to roll play it a bit with you that way it takes some of the pressure off the conversation.
Last bit of advice is to take a moment to hear what he says - so take deep breaths and be uncomfortable as you digest. I've been on a lot of manager-staff conversations where both people are talking but one or the other hears only what they want to hear emotionally. That's usually not a good conversation.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentThey have... see SB9 in California. but they're not overcoming the people who already own housing want their houses to continue to rise in value due to government restrictions on zoning, etc.They have... see SB9 in California. but they're not overcoming the people who already own housing want their houses to continue to rise in value due to government restrictions on zoning, etc.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentThe article specifically calls for rent control and bans on people selling property. That causes an impossible situation for landlords - and probably further reduces the stock of buildings...The article specifically calls for rent control and bans on people selling property. That causes an impossible situation for landlords - and probably further reduces the stock of buildings available for rent.
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Comment on TikTok is coming back online after US President-elect Donald Trump pledged to restore it in ~tech
D_E_Solomon Link ParentI don't think this holds water.... people widely voted for Trump and a conservative, Republican government. There might be an argument that those people don't necessarily reflect the wishes of...divergence between the electorate and the public at large
I don't think this holds water.... people widely voted for Trump and a conservative, Republican government. There might be an argument that those people don't necessarily reflect the wishes of their voters, but I would be really hesitant to call voters ignorant.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentLots of landlords - are mom and pop - 65% of landlords are individuals and more than half of land lords own 1-2 properties with between 1 and 4 units. While there are some rich and giant...Lots of landlords - are mom and pop - 65% of landlords are individuals and more than half of land lords own 1-2 properties with between 1 and 4 units. While there are some rich and giant operators, they're not the norm and they're not the largest holders of property.
My father in law bought a building very cheap in the 90s, renovated it in his off hours mostly by his own labor. He kept rent affordable and ensured the stock was well maintained until he sold it to fund his retirement. My in laws are by no means even well off, but that building helped keep them afloat.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link ParentI'm pretty liberal... but the housing market is the starkest example of the failure of government intervention and poor policy leads to poor outcomes.I'm pretty liberal... but the housing market is the starkest example of the failure of government intervention and poor policy leads to poor outcomes.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon Link Parent"The studies all found that rent behaves a lot like the discussed bread: Scarcity drives the prices up, but the price doesn't really impact the production in any tangible way." This is a short..."The studies all found that rent behaves a lot like the discussed bread: Scarcity drives the prices up, but the price doesn't really impact the production in any tangible way."
This is a short sighted view of economics. Obviously, in the very short run, supply can be very fixed... but most business owners are smarter than thinking about how they price what's on their shelves at the moment. They look at what are their expectations are for the future and will set production tied to those expectations (and risk, etc). If there is a shortage of housing today, I can make a mint if I think the shortage of housing will continue by building housing and adding to supply.
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Comment on Considerations on rent control in ~finance
D_E_Solomon LinkThis sounds a lot like just taking housing from landlords. This sentence here was really galling: "There is also some evidence that landlords seek to avoid rent regulation by converting rental...This sounds a lot like just taking housing from landlords. This sentence here was really galling: "There is also some evidence that landlords seek to avoid rent regulation by converting rental units into units for sale. To avoid these kinds of unintended consequences, rent regulations should be as comprehensive as possible, and options to remove units from the regulated market need to be closed off wherever possible. "
That is basically saying that rent control works as long as we permanently stick the landlord with the ownership of the units that they can't sell and they can't raise the price on. And somehow that's going to solve the housing crisis??!?
The answer is simple - build more housing. When San Francisco is at a 12 year bottom for housing completions - all of the regulation, rent controls, and other interventions offer nothing.
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Comment on Prospect Medical Holdings files for bankruptcy in US after owners took hundreds of millions in payouts in ~health
D_E_Solomon Link ParentVenture capital is almost always for startups and startup like businesses. Private equity, not venture capital, is in some veterinary.Venture capital is almost always for startups and startup like businesses. Private equity, not venture capital, is in some veterinary.
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Comment on Prospect Medical Holdings files for bankruptcy in US after owners took hundreds of millions in payouts in ~health
D_E_Solomon Link ParentYup - most PE investments are fine or understand the high risk of failure - VC and turnaround in particular. This particular example though is a really shitty business from the hop and the PEs...Yup - most PE investments are fine or understand the high risk of failure - VC and turnaround in particular. This particular example though is a really shitty business from the hop and the PEs continued it that way.
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Comment on Prospect Medical Holdings files for bankruptcy in US after owners took hundreds of millions in payouts in ~health
D_E_Solomon LinkI don't usually agree with the narrative that all or even most PE is evil... but this one was cursed from the get go. From a case study: Yikes.I don't usually agree with the narrative that all or even most PE is evil... but this one was cursed from the get go. From a case study:
Alta started out in 1998 as an eight-hospital network of community hospitals in Los Angeles,
created by a hospital marketing executive, David Topper. Topper gained a $3 million investment
from private equity firm Kline Hawkes and financed the rest of the $34 million purchase price
through debt. A young employee of the firm, Sam Lee, oversaw the Alta investment, and by
2001, quit the PE firm to become a 50-50 co-president with Topper. Their business model
combined intense cost cutting with maximum, and often fraudulent, billing. According to a
former company CFO, Alta’s hospitals, “… were sort of war-zone hospitals. They were very,
very dirt cheap in every respect” (Elkind 2020). Lee and Topper were able to sell Alta to
Prospect Medical based on inflated estimates of forthcoming profits, which Prospect’s auditors
caught only after the company had agreed to pay off Alta’s debt and pay $50 million to both Lee
and Topper. Prospect defaulted on its loans, leading to millions in lender penalties, and was
delisted on the American Stock ExchangeYikes.
I think it hit Stratechery which is much more widely read on the finance side. Once it hit there, it got a lot more market reaction.