In Search of the Perfect Investment

Can we direct our trades to IEX? Apparently we can. At least that’s what Fidelity told me late last night. I need to check today.

You may want to direct your trades to IEX, which allegedly is the only “stock exchange” that doesn’t allow the high speed frequency traders to front run your trades.

Monday’s column talked about how high frequency traders hurt you (and me). All based on Michael’s Lewis’s new book, Flash Boys.

There are huge vested interests. Everyone and their uncle is getting a piece of the high frequency trading billions. The existing stock exchanges are being paid to send your trades to the high frequency computers before they’re executed.

There’s a lot of people who are feeling their livelihood is suddenly being threatened. Hence all the “fights’ on CNBC. But remember than CNBC has a real interest in promoting the controversy. It’s great for viewership. I believe they do. End of discussion. I now focus on getting clean trades.

You should re-read Monday’s column and read Michael’s book.

You should also watch Michael’s interview with Jon Stewart last night. Click here.

Also watch Charlie Rose’s interview with Michael last night. It’s not posted yet, but should be later today. Click here. Check Hulu also.

How do you compare to Harvard? Their FY is June 30.

Had Harvard simply invested in a Vanguard S&P 500 Mutual fund (symbol VFIAX), they would have enjoyed these results. Better five year. Worse ten year:

More useful tips:

1. LED bulbs don’t give off as much light as normal “equivalent” tungsten or halogen lights. I now have eight LED MR-16s track lights in my office. Before my switch I used six fixtures. Now I use eight.

2. Lacrosse Technology clocks that purport to work off a government wireless signal somewhere in Colorado don’t. The clocks are garbage. Their instruction manuals incomprehensible. Their “customer service” is a disgrace.

3. Eyeglasses remain among the biggest ripoffs on the planet. A friend paid $975 for a pair of prescription sunglasses. The cheapest place to buy glasses in Zenni Optical. Here’s a sample of men glasses they were offering yesterday. The prices include the lenses. You can buy the frames without lenses for less. Have your local optometrist install your own prescription. If your prescription changes, simply replace the lenses in your old frames. Save the money.

4. New LED TVs don’t always display the best image. You need to program your cable/satellite box to send a 1080p signal to your TV. Some cable boxes display the signal they’re sending. Some don’t. You need to check. The best way of finding out is to call your TV provider and ask them to walk you through. You’ll never figure it out yourself. Trust me. You’ll never figure it out yourself. You may need to adjust your TV to receive the better signal. Mostly not. Mostly it simply adjusts itself.

5. Don’t hang a lot of heavy keys and other junk from the key ring that contains your car ignition key. That weight can cause your ignition switch to shut down — whether you drive a GM car or not. Warn your kids. Best: Only insert one key into your car’s ignition.

6. If you drive a lot, put suntan cream on your left hand. The sun is not your friend.

7. If you’re feeling sluggish, give up gluten for a month. Experimenting with one’s diet is painless, but can produce remarkable results.

8. Your Internet speed makes a huge difference to your sanity. The faster your speed, the better your sanity. If you have a choice, go wired, not wireless. Here’s my Wi-Fi FiOS:

 

Here’s my wired  speed. Much faster.

9. You may get faster speed if your routers and cable boxes are ventilated — not stuck away in a hot closet. Vacuum the dust off them.

 How not to sell on the Internet.
These Nicholas Kirkwood designed shoes were in a 36-page direct mail catalog from Saks.com. They cost $1,240 — more than my laptop. When I went to www.Saks.com, the shoes were nowhere to be found.

Imagine spending all that money on a gorgeous 10″ x 10″ heavy, glossy catalog and then not having the shoes available to sell? Dumb!

They weren’t the most expensive shoes. There was one pair for $1,795. I like the look of these better. Fortunately they don’t have them in men’s sizes. Actually, they don’t appear to have them in any sizes.

There’s a lesson here on how not to sell on the Internet.

Harry Newton who bought more LADR yesterday. I was impressed with Cramer’s interview with the Henry Schein CEO.  Symbol HSIC. Three growth areas he mentioned  stuck in my tiny brain: veterinary dentistry, dental implants for humans and building crowns in your dentist’s office using 3D printing (i.e. not waiting a week for the lab). I’m having another implant. And I’ll need a new crown. It would save me a lot of time (and I guess money) if it could all be done in my dentist’s office.