Readers Talk Back

Speaking of fares, when making comparisons between ticket prices today vs. 1980, you failed to explain to your readers the impact of Federal taxes on ticket prices. Taxes made up more than 22% of the price of a typical airline ticket in 2003. Due to soft demand, carriers can't afford to pass increased taxes to customers, let alone the additional cost of security (Terrorism insurance, new secure cockpit doors, etc.).

Taxes on fares in 1980 surely did not reach the proportions seen in today's ticket prices. Taxes on air travel today rival sin taxes levied against distilled beverages and cigarettes.

Is it reasonable for consumers and air carriers both to be burdened with such exorbitant taxes? It would appear the federal government is against the consumer and the airlines.

Something to think about.

Sincerely,

Bobby Carroll, Wendell, NC (Received Feb. 20, 2003)

Learn to Sell

Re: Don't Aim for the 10-Bagger

Dear Editors:

Dagen McDowell says "Don't go for 10-baggers." I say, do. In that piece, here are some things she forgot to mention:

Instead of hitting a 10-bagger, you bounce off the wall for doubles and triples. The rule is to learn to sell. It is more important than learning to buy. A lot of those dead dot-coms gave great returns, if one developed a rule (or rules) for selling. Most commentators avoid that, waiting for news, or preaching buy and hold.

By the way, eBay is still a great investment and wonderful to trade, especially since it is regarded as "overvalued" (LOL).

I look for stocks that commentators say are "overvalued" or "overbought." Bargains get to be bigger bargains (i.e., they go down more) and overvalued stocks tend to get more overvalued (i.e., they go up).

As the man once said, "The trend is your friend."

Martin Greenberg, Kalamazoo, Mich. (Received Feb. 18, 2003)