Investing in Unicorn Futures

[sappstuf]

Didn't work out so well for CalPERS..


Joseph Dear, the chief investment officer of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), called its green energy investments “a noble way to lose money.”

The admission came shortly after CalPERS officials voted to divest from high-performing investments in companies that manufacture firearms, fueling criticism that the organization’s investment decisions are based on political factors, rather than a determination to maximize returns.

According to Dear, CalPERS’ $900 million green energy investment fund has produced an annualized return of negative 9.7 percent.

Hopefully the leprechaun bonds and pixie dust stocks will pull them through...

[olevetonahill]

Hell at that rate, I can see the whole dayumed State jumpin aboard that investment train.

[cleller]

I've been a pleased shareholder of Smith and Wesson and Sturm Ruger since December. Nothing political about it. Purely following the "price follows earnings" strategy.

That was easy. Its "when to sell" thats vexing.

[olevetonahill]

I've been a pleased shareholder of Smith and Wesson and Sturm Ruger since December. Nothing political about it. Purely following the "price follows earnings" strategy.

That was easy. Its "when to sell" thats vexing.

Sell Gun stocks If it looks like a Con is gonna win the White house. BUY if a Libs wins.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

The fundamental problem is having gov't bureaucrats making investment decisions for public employees. The employees should make the decisions, like ordinary Americans do in their traditional and Roth IRAs.

[Bourbon St Sooner]

That lady that's getting the $400K retirement should get stock in their Green Investment Fund instead.

[cleller]

The fundamental problem is having gov't bureaucrats making investment decisions for public employees. The employees should make the decisions, like ordinary Americans do in their traditional and Roth IRAs.

Are you talking about the employees making the actual decisions about the investments their retirement fund holds? As in, the employees deciding whether to buy this stock or that bond, etc?

Thankfully, many state pension systems have the insight to hire an array of private equity managers to run the investments, and keep politics out of it.

[KABOOKIE]

Liberals only know how to take money not make it.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Are you talking about the employees making the actual decisions about the investments their retirement fund holds? As in, the employees deciding whether to buy this stock or that bond, etc?

Thankfully, many state pension systems have the insight to hire an array of private equity managers to run the investments, and keep politics out of it.

That's fine, as long as the employees have good choices - like ordinary private sector Americans do with good 403b and 401k plans.

[diverdog]

That's fine, as long as the employees have good choices - like ordinary private sector Americans do with good 403b and 401k plans.

CalPers runs the state defined pension plan. Typically state employees also have access to deferred comp plans. The one in Delaware is 10 times better than the ones in the private sector.

[badger]

Liberals only know how to take money not make it.

Someone's making money here that's liberal. It just isn't the teachers (or rather their pension funds).

If the U.S. had money to blow I wouldn't mind investing it in the future a la green energy. It'd be like paying for a college education now so you could make more money the rest of your life instead of minimum waging at retail or whatever.

Problem is, we don't have money to blow, California especially

[KABOOKIE]

Someone's making money here that's liberal. It just isn't the teachers (or rather their pension funds).

If the U.S. had money to blow I wouldn't mind investing it in the future a la green energy. It'd be like paying for a college education now so you could make more money the rest of your life instead of minimum waging at retail or whatever.

Problem is, we don't have money to blow, California especially

Well yes money is changing hands. However I take the following as Calpers is at a loss of 87.3 million bucks. Hopefully this is just the green energy portion of their total investment and their overall fund is in the net positive.


According to Dear, CalPERS’ $900 million green energy investment fund has produced an annualized return of negative 9.7 percent.

[cleller]

That's fine, as long as the employees have good choices - like ordinary private sector Americans do with good 403b and 401k plans.


CalPers runs the state defined pension plan. Typically state employees also have access to deferred comp plans. The one in Delaware is 10 times better than the ones in the private sector.

It may be picking nits, but usually with a pension the participant has no control over how the fund's monwy is invested. The state/company agree to pay you a given amount/percentage of salary upon retirement. The participant is left to hope the system funds the pension wisely, and hires a reliable investment firm. About all you'd be able to do is complain, and vote occasionally for who goes on the board of directors.

So, its different from 401K, 457, deferred comp, etc programs that let you elect and manage how the money you've set aside is invested.

I looked at the CalPERS website, and it looks like they actually run the whole system in-house, rather than hiring it out to other professional investment firms. I guess since the system is so huge, they figure it is cheaper to assemble their own team.

The downside is letting California politics creep into the mix.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

CalPers runs the state defined pension plan. Typically state employees also have access to deferred comp plans. The one in Delaware is 10 times better than the ones in the private sector.

What do you mean 10 times better?

[SanJoaquinSooner]

It may be picking nits, but usually with a pension the participant has no control over how the fund's monwy is invested. The state/company agree to pay you a given amount/percentage of salary upon retirement. The participant is left to hope the system funds the pension wisely, and hires a reliable investment firm. About all you'd be able to do is complain, and vote occasionally for who goes on the board of directors.

So, its different from 401K, 457, deferred comp, etc programs that let you elect and manage how the money you've set aside is invested.

I looked at the CalPERS website, and it looks like they actually run the whole system in-house, rather than hiring it out to other professional investment firms. I guess since the system is so huge, they figure it is cheaper to assemble their own team.

The downside is letting California politics creep into the mix.

There's another downside. If the fund underperforms with guarantees made to the employees, the taxpayers get ****ed in the ***.

[diverdog]

What do you mean 10 times better?


Very flexible in investment options including brokerage accounts and access to ETF's. and lower cost institutional funds.

[Chuck Bao]

CalPers would occasionally send one of its fund managers to Thailand. Every dang single time they would request that I take them to see environment-friendly companies. And every dang single time, I would have to tell them that there is no such listed company in Thailand. I guess I could have suggested a hotel chain that promotes eco-tourism. Yeah, fly half way around the world to go tromping around a pristine rain forest and feel good about it, like that makes any sense.

[KABOOKIE]

CalPers would occasionally send one of its fund managers to Thailand. Every dang single time they would request that I take them to see environment-friendly companies. And every dang single time, I would have to tell them that there is no such listed company in Thailand. I guess I could have suggested a hotel chain that promotes eco-tourism. Yeah, fly half way around the world to go tromping around a pristine rain forest and feel good about it, like that makes any sense.

So it was off to the massage parlor then?

[badger]

CalPers would occasionally send one of its fund managers to Thailand. Every dang single time they would request that I take them to see environment-friendly companies. And every dang single time, I would have to tell them that there is no such listed company in Thailand. I guess I could have suggested a hotel chain that promotes eco-tourism. Yeah, fly half way around the world to go tromping around a pristine rain forest and feel good about it, like that makes any sense.

Was Al Gore with them? :P

[sappstuf]

So it was off to the massage parlor then?

Biodegradable baby oil...

[diverdog]

Biodegradable baby oil...

that chit never works...a few tugs???? Ah never mind.

[Chuck Bao]

So it was off to the massage parlor then?

What goes on in Bangkok stays in Bangkok.

[badger]

Maybe someday, history will look back at the Obama administration's investment in green energy as unpopular at the time, but for the betterment of the future... but that's probably unlikely to happen. If this was really the way to go, there would have been private investors by now, ones that weren't just in it to cash in on government handouts.