When we launched iBankCoin roughly 10 years ago, I was 31 years old. At 31, I behaved like a 20 year old drunk with success — shitposting on the internet — euphoric about the idea of having an audience to talk to each and every day about my stock ideas. We had some good times. Coming to the site has always been therapeutic for me, through all of my ups and downs — this was a constant. Although I am quite garrulous on here and I impart tidbits of my life here and there, I am mostly guarded with the details of my life. I think it’s better that way.
There are several things that I love to do in life, two are investing and writing about it. One of my passions in finance has been to create tools that will help self directed investors and advisors make better decisions for themselves. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You know the pitch.
As some of you read in The Option Addict’s comments section, Jeff is likely to play a limited role in blogging here in the future. He will, however, continue to service the After Hour’s Trading Service. He just launched his own fund, which was a life long dream of his, and wants to give it his all. Why the heck not?
A few things about Jeff.
He’s one of the best, if not the best, traders I’ve ever met. I will always remember our time in Vegas, when Jeff lost $300 in like 2 minutes flat to a snarky dealer at the Encore, just like Chevy Chase in Las Vegas vacation, and of course The Yale Club, where we enjoyed a magnificent spread in the nightcap gathering in the famed library room. I’ve been blessed to have such a rare talent at the site for all of these years. I wish him the very best and he’s always welcome here. The blog will remain open.
Back in June, I bought out the co-founder of iBankCoin — Jeremy, aka Vincenzo Illuminati. It was time for young Jeremy to head out into the world and make his mark. Although iBC is great — it kept young Jeremy a prisoner in his home, working off site, and was somewhat monotonous, not exactly conducive with leading a productive life. Since then, I’ve retained the services of our long term partner Cypress North and am still in search of dedicated tech for the site.
Over the years, we’ve gone through numerous changes at the site. If you recall, we started off with just me, Danny and Woodshedder, then quickly brought on Ragin Cajun — who is still with us today. On the matter of RC, he bought some of Jeremy’s stake in the buyout and is one of the best persons I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.
On the contrary, there have been so many fucking bastards come and go on this site, many of whom I had to fire, or foist onto other site’s. Granted, much of the discord might’ve been due to a much younger, energy soda’d up asshole of a boss, presiding over the site like it was his personal fiefdom. But I’ve changed since then, calmed down a bit, took the time to explore the world, intellectually.
My dream for the site has always been to have it survive for generations. Like the Pope, I will one day pass on the mantle of The Fly to someone else, who is young, deserving, and hopped up on speed. One thousand years hence, Fly XIII will blog via his Orbital Space Cannon (OSC), wishing all inter-planetary beings a merry Friday the 13th.
Starting November, heading into our 10th anniversary, I am going to launch some new blogs, from some fresh and familiar faces. I am tying to convince Jeff Macke to return; but it’s hard to negotiate with crazy genius. There are a few others I want on the site, one of whom recently agreed. But I’d also like to hear from some of you, lowly readers out there in the wind, sad and alone, afraid of the winter winds to come. Maybe you can be Fly II, Pope of iBankCoin when I decide to walk away. Email me (flybroker@gmail if you want a shot at blogging greatness and I will decide if you’re worthwhile. You might have to give me a massage while I am naked (extra Harvey).
Since inception, here are the top 10 traffic leaders in iBC history.
Fly 23 million
ChessnWine 4.4 million (he abandoned us)
Option Addict 3.5 million
Ragin Cajun 2.4 million
News (Greenwriter/Cronkite) 1.9 million (he’s now a NYC chef)
ZeropointNow 1.6 million (the natural)
Chart Addict 1.3 million (foisted)
Woodshedder 1.05 million (left to run his wife’s sweatshop)
Jakegint 682,000 (too busy to care anymore)
Raul 570,000 (is anyone more loyal than Raul? I think not)
Scott Bleier 500,000 (my favorite CNBC personality back in the day. I miss him here)
Cain Thaler 356,000 (he’s all grown up now, family, career etc)
Danny 350,000 (he’s a serious CFA now)
Gio 286,000 (this man remains a mystery. We met once in NYC and he soon after stopped blogging)
Bluestar 260,000 (just launched his own fund)
Alphadawg 177,000 (no idea what happened to him)
Jeff Macke 165,000 (hoping he’ll come back to crush Alphadawg)
Rhino 105,000 (married now)
Looking back at some old posts, I see that I gave Trump an Asshat of the Month award back in ’07. He might be due for another one.
And now he’s President.
And here was my launch post. I had tricked people into thinking I was going to stop blogging. This was at my old website, FlyonWallStreet.blogspot. The whole time, Jeremy and I were scheming a new site. It was hideous looking, but it was fun. Here was my inaugural post and video, which was edited by Danny.
kudos & all the best going forwards … u r a class act and a mensch
Interesting. In 2007 you were counting gold bricks. Now you’re trading ponzi, unbacked, 100x plus leveraged paper gold. Still eating porridge though.
You say that as if there were something wrong with porridge…?
IBankCoin has been the first page I open in the morning and the last one I check before sleep for more than 5 years. The content keeps improving, can’t wait to see where we are in another 10. A
Any chance of belie coming back? Foisted. That was a great episode
Fucking phone. Scott B
Love the site. Checking in is part of my morning routine. Love your no nonsense perspective on the World of finance. Really hope you can get Jeff Macke back on. I was first exposed to him on Fast Money…he is always entertaining while dropping knowledge. His chart art is priceless.
What happened to the dude who was building a house on an island in the middle of nowhere?
That guy started off cool and then turned psycho behind the scenes. I asked him to leave.
Dang I wondered what would happen to his house
http://stophavingaboringlife.com/night-celtic-manor-wales/
he still writes here. never anything market related though. does occasionally mention the house/island.
Oh that guy. Nah, he’s cool — just stopped blogging. I thought you meant the forex guy.
Stop having a boring life is iBC for life. He went to Puma Punku for me and bought me a souvenir.
WHO DOES THAT?
Ancient alien theorists do.
Houses are still there, little one rented all the time and big one will be on AirBnB hopefully this year. Probably going to try and sell the first house, the small one in the coming months.
Puma Punku was good times, so was the Peanut Gallery.
I wondered about that dude, that was some weird shit.
I’m still around, in the travel space I mainly make youtube videos now as that’s the present and the future. I still read iBC from time to time but spending the ~2+ years building changed a lot of things for me in the online world. That said, still traveling a lot and in Nice now. I was in Monaco yesterday and it’s worth visiting along with the medieval village of Eze should you find yourself on the French Riviera.
youtube.com/bloggeries
Fly. You are one demented individual. Your content is lurud and profane but on the nose. I dig it. Go fuck yourself, ok?
I want to write but life events (newborn, new house) preclude me from starting now.
Your day will come just keep at it.
How about another lifestyle blogger? What was that guy’s name again?
Rob the gregarious gentleman
No, this is going WAY back. He primarily wrote about fashion. It is an amazing blip in ibankcoin history if someone can dig it up.
Steve the neighbor?
LOL
I am humbled. Can’t wait to tell Steve, Jr.
Jason Treu!??
ahahaha yes there it is! Bring back the Champagne Lifestyle!
https://web.archive.org/web/20091208142728/http://ibankcoin.com:80/lifestyle/2009/07/24/welcome-to-your-new-lifestyle/
What a culture shock. iBC was at its most savage when I brought him on. The comments are hilarious.
Gold!
JASON TREU
Gio was the first guy to respond to me. Liked that guy.
Add spell check for Derp.
And a gay porn filter
OK.
Someone should say. OA is the man. He taught me everything I know about trading. Still trying to figure out “Fly Style.”
Circa Fly, Dec 9 2009:
“Believe you me, over the next 10 years, we will be tricked into believing some sort of lie. We will all buy into an asset class or an investment theme, thinking “this time is different”; but it always ends the same.
Tread carefully.”
Dec 11* oops
Been following your blog for 8-9 years. been part of the PPT for a good while too. I mostly come here for the shits and gigglez. I miss devil dogs antics. I miss the pass crazies. not so much the current ones. Too much bigotry involved. Jake used to be the taking care of that dept on his own. now he’s gone it’s been taken over by too many wannabe cement heads.
Scott was ace. Makee gold. There was an asian dude called john who was doing tech analysis. can’t remember his name. he was killing it.
what about chuck? our very own weinstein. I came here for the pics and his no nonesense disparage of women. Has ihe been arrested yet?
In real life, Chuck is a legend. Each day a different woman, a true Harvey Weinstein without the rape.
Bigotry came with the elections. It too shall pass.
How do you know?
Chuck Bennett for Neue Bloogaire
Sorry I’m late!
The Fly is God!
P.S.: I miss the Devil Dog days.
Bring back Devil Dog! Truth without compromise.
Best post ever went something like this……
Ack ack ack ack ack ack ack ack 40 points ack ack ack ack ack ack…..
Picture was the Mars Attacks guy.
Genius!!
Good luck, Fly. I remember Macke, used to watch him on TV as well. He ghosted IBC before ghosting was a Millenial thing.
In with one bubble, out with the next one?