In Search of the Perfect Investment

NPR ran an interview with a sports figure who’d just written a kid’s book. NPR asked him, “Why should kids read?”

His answer, “Reading inspires imagination.“

He explained that it inspired them to fulfill their dreams.

That applies to all of us.

VectorVest’s Top Stock Of The Week:

Synaptics Inc, (SYNA) is a developer and supplier of custom-designed human interface solutions that enable people to interact with a range of mobile computing, communications, entertainment, and other electronic devices. Annual sales increased 25% over the last 12 months to $862.8 million. Leading 12-month forecasted earnings are $4.10 per share. Earnings are forecasted to grow at 25% per year. This stock closed today at $89.38 per share, up $35.33 since it first appeared as our Top Stock on October 18, 2013. We think it is currently worth $100.94 per share. With an excellent combination of upside potential and financial performance, this stock is suitable for Prudent Investors. There are 36.0 million shares outstanding and its ticker symbol is SYNA on the NASDAQ.

Much better research on Annaly:

I’ve recommended Annaly (NLY) recently because it seemed to hit bottom and was bouncing up. Which it did. And I’m up nicely:

But it may not be the best stock long term.  Maybe. The article is called “Is Annaly A Sleep Well At Night Investment?” and contains a couple of neat charts:

He prefers a company called Realty Income (symbol O).

The author, Brad Thomas, concludes:

The Net, Net, Net of Annaly is that investors should not be fooled by the Triple Net lease allocation. Until I see a more predictable earnings history, I’m not placing any capital on this security. By paying close attention to profit margins, intelligent investors can better predict the companies that could have a negative earnings impact. Based on its current price of $11.42 (and a dividend yield of 10.51%) Annaly could be cheap, but I prefer dividend momentum over stock price momentum.

Brad’s approach is different to mine. I bought near the low. He values long-term stability — be a SWAN investor. Read Brad’s full piece. Click here.

Your smartphone is a listening device — for others. Points:

+ Anything you do, speak, text or email on your smartphone can be seen by others.

+ The nasties out there can turn your cell phone on from afar and listen in to what you’re saying (though you’re not speaking on the phone) and can use the camera to take pictures.

+ The nasties out there can track where you go and where you are via the GPS skills on your smartphone. (So can your wife.)

Lesson:

+ Be wary of your smartphone –iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or Windows. Even if it’s turned off, it isn’t. If you have something to hide, leave your phone at home. It’s not your friend.

For more, read this piece from Wired Magazine: Researchers Find and Decode the Spy Tools Governments Use to Hijack Phones. Click here.

I wonder who thought of this, and exactly why?

Facebook has caused uproar among some of its 800 million daily users over reports that a 2012 study conducted by its data scientists sought to prove whether it could alter the emotional state of its users. For one week, the team used an algorithm to omit content containing words associated with either positive or negative emotions from the news feed of nearly 690,000 unwitting subjects. We report that the study was an attempt to test the common complaint that using Facebook and seeing friends having fun and doing great things makes people feel bad about their own lives. The Facebook scientist who led the study says that notion was debunked. Still, some users aren’t happy. One blogger said: “It’s a cool finding, but manipulating unknowing users’ emotional states to get there puts Facebook’s big toe on that creepy line.”

Buy this camera. I own three cameras:

1. My iPhone 5S. Remarkably good for still objects and banking checks. Harder for people and babies. Extreme wideangle lens not easy to zoom with. Slow stutter lag. But takes remarkably good photos for a phone.

2, My Nikon D7100. A digital single lens reflex which has no shutter lag and is the perfect camera to take photos of the kids or take on a photo safari, especially when paired with an 18-200 mm zoom lens. Downside: heavy.

3. My Canon G16. Pocketable. Reasonable shutter lag, but great zoom and great photos. It’s about the tenth camera in Canon’s G series. They finally got it right with a bunch of useful “tweaks.”

The G16 is a pleasure to carry. Gives more control and does much better pictures than your iPhone. $449 from Amazon. Click here.

Andy Rooney on Sex….Tasteless (but funny) definitions:

+ When I was born, I was given a choice – a big pecker or a good memory…. I don’t remember what I chose.

+ Impotence: nature’s way of saying, “No hard feelings…”

+ There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men – ‘don’t’ and ‘stop’, unless they are used together.

+ There are three stages in a man’s life: Tri-Weekly, Try Weekly and Try Weakly.

+ Virginity is not dignity, it’s lack of opportunity.

+ Virginity can be cured.

+ Having sex is like playing bridge – if you don’t have a good partner, you better have a good hand.

Harry Newton whose browsers pop up bad stuff. I’ve now subscribed to Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium. Cost $25. Click here. And I continue to use Norton Internet Security. My problem seems better, but not solved. Not sure what to do next. (Except switch to a Mac.) Meantime, I’ve turned Adobe Shockwave off. When I need it, I can turn it on. It’s much better if it’s off all the time. Thank you  Cliff and Mike for that suggestion.

Favorite email of last week. From Jim Cramer’s Action Alerts. (Nike, of course,  reported great earnings and bounced up. Who knew?)