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Scrambling. useful investment lessons, especially the virtues of walking

I don’t like the market’s strong negative reaction to Qualcomm’s China issues. I think they’re overdone. Fortunately we’re still up with QCOM. I need to mull more on this. Read the earnings transcript. Good that  we still have GLD, Visa and Nike, which are doing well today.

My friend is doing well with a tight eight-stock portfolio: Aflac, Berkshire Hathaway B., Canadian National, JNJ, Mcdonalds, Chevron, GWW. and McKesson.

The world is a minor mess:

+ Putin believes Russia should re-own land with Russians living in them and Russia should take care of them. It’s Russia responbility to them. He’s said that publicly eons ago. And he’s consistent. It’s a humiliation thing.

+ Europe is reliant on Russian gas, hence reluctant to annoy Putin by imposing more sanctions. Putin will continue giving the separatists money and arms.

+ Hamas had run out of money and out of supporters. It couldn’t pay Gaza government employees. It was desperate. War with Israel was the last card, only option. PR-wise, it’s hurting Israel. Hamas’ political leader, Khaled Meshal, doesn’t even live in Gaza. He lives safely in Qatar, miles away.

+ People are collateral damage when the goal is lofty — like keeping your popularity and hence, your job.

+ From the Economist, “El Al, which equips its planes with sensors to detect when radars lock on to them as targets.”

+ Most places are peaceful. But the media likes disaster stories, especially plane shotdowns. I see we have another one this morning. An Air Algerie  flight is missing.

+ The summer is a crazy time. We talked about that yesterday.

Investment learns:

+ Never, ever, ever use Interactive Brokers. They have more rules, regulations and idiocies than Carter had liver pills. I could give you examples of a thousand irksome recent irritations with them. But they’re all boring. They point to only one conclusion: don’t ever use Interactive Brokers. Personally, I find Fidelity to have great software — Active Trader Pro works fine — and Fidelity’s people are very helpful, and very friendly.

+ If you buy something jointly (husband and wife), always choose the option “joint tenants with right of survivorship.” Makes life easier when one of you dies. Taxes. Estates. All the good things. P.S. Most lawyers don’t know the difference between joint tenants and joint tenants with right of survivorship.

+ Call your Internet provider and ask if they can speed up your service, perhaps making it symmetrical — the same up and down. Speed really counts.

+ People who reply quickly to emails and voice mails make better managers. My most successful friends — no matter how busy they are — reply quickly. My less successful friends take eons. It’s a good test.

+ Be prepared to walk. Stick with your offering price. It’s the only part of the deal you can control. If you lose that deal, another, better one will pop up — often within hours.

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HarryNewton
Harry Newton who’s been scrambling night and day to finish the 28th edition of his dictionary. I want to get it all to the artist by Friday evening. My God, the world of technology is exploding. Oodles of opportunities for all our kids.

 

27 Comments

  1. tomy says:

    I’m with Joe, what, if any, is the difference between joint tenancy and joint tenancy with rights of survivorship. Over to you Harry.

  2. Cliff says:

    Harry, I had no idea you write a dictionary. I thought all you wrote was this blog and the newsletter you sell on here.

  3. Mike says:

    Harry,

    Love your writing and have enjoyed it as a VAR since the early days of technology through your magazines and trade show. After all these years of reading your writings, here is my takeaway: starting your own business is the most effective way to create wealth. If Harry was going to start his own business today, what would it be? I know there are plenty of opportunities today and you have mentioned many of them but if you were starting a business today and did not have the resources (your own $$$) you have today, what business will you start? Thoughts on this from other readers will be interesting too.

  4. joe says:

    I’m among those who don’t know the difference between joint tenancy and joint tenancy with rights of survivorship.

    • Lucky says:

      For goodness sake ask your lawyer today and while you are at it explore the many benefits of a Family Trust…it will save your family unbelievable problems down the road…include in the Trust, your wills, your living wills and powers of attorney if it is for both you and your wife so the survivor can take immediate action without the need for probate courts and many lawyers in most states. Attorney fees will eat-up most estates very fast.

      • joe says:

        appreciate the counsel, but it’s not particularly responsive. What’s the difference? Further, I suspect there are vast differences between JTWROS and the family trust. The provisions of the trust will determine who can take immediate action. May well not be the survivor. For goodness sake, maybe YOU should see your lawyer. . .