It all started with ORANGES

For some reason, I keep getting involved in actually interesting email threads from friends. The names have been changed to protect not only the innocent, but the absolutely idiotic and flabbergasted... This thing became a lot bigger than oranges. Notice how this starts really educated, but hard to comprehend, gets momentum, and then totally changes. I love it. Its like the game t-e-l-e-p-h-o-n-e , but ALOT better. My comments to the emails will be in red for drama sake. [Play the Law & Order sound]

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the one that started it all
From: Frank the Beginning Business MBA'er
Subject: Frozen Organes [great spelling here to begin with]
To: East Coaster
CC: All those on our friends list; despite the fact you may care or not
Hey East Coaster, I wanted to ask you about investing possibilities in Oranges. I heard on the news that groves in california have been exposed to cold weather which has ruined the fruit and prices for oranges will go up. Should someone invest in foreign oranges now because the prices are low or buy another fruit??

the first reply
From: East Coaster
Subject: Frozen Organes
To: Frank the Beginning Business MBA'er
CC: A free gift for the day back to those of us who haven't had time to project common sense into the conversation yet
Subject: Re: Frozen Organes
good, question Frank. I was looking for something to do anyway (can someone say JOB?)...I'll look into it.

the third email (yes, the answer awaits)
From: Frank the Beginning Business MBA'er
Subject: Frozen Organes [did you think the spelling would be corrected?]
To: East Coaster
CC: I give
Awesome. Let me know if you find something good. I have a few bucks I want to invest for the short term, and not put in CDs. Love the risk. Do they teach this in business school?

With that, the REPLY!!! And a reply it is.
From: East Coaster
Subject: Frozen Organes
To: Frank the Beginning Business MBA'er and East Coaster
Subject: Re: Frozen Organes
bad news Frank. I couldn't find any stock plays, although there may be some I'm not seeing. according to this Brazil is the largest producer of oranges. But the company that grows most of the oranges isn't publicly traded, so thats out. and even so, there are high tarriffs on foreign OJ to protect florida OJ. Tropicanna is part of pepsi, so that may dent their profits. One way might be to buy futures on OJ, trades on the NYBOT below. but they're already high and may have the cold priced in since they jumped in oct. and its much easier to lose money in futures than stocks. See the link: http://futures.tradingcharts.com/javachart/OJ/37?returl=w2

Ok, just when you think its all done...The movie is not over.

Encore.
From: The Voice of Reason
To: Frank the Beginning Business MBA'er and East Coaster
CC: Everyone who is as lost as me
Subject: DUMB - Referring to Frank and "Eastie" [I respect the straightforward approach]
Have you guys ever seen the movie Trading Places with Dan Akroyd and Eddie Murphy? In the movie they actually get a copy of the report on the oranges before it hits the street and end up buying and selling the commodity tricking the villains (great word) in the movie with a false report and making millions in the process.

Oranges.....Get a life!

- VOR [the sign off was better than I give him credit for]

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With that...I hope you leave here believing there is hope for all of those involved. I post this as a gentle message to parents that you need to give your children attention. Or, one day they will spend an afternoon acting like Dan Akroyd and Eddie Murphy from the movie "Trading Spaces". Where am I wrong?