GoPro since going public:
Yesterday the Wall Street Journal wrote:
16:52 EDT – GoPro’s(GPRO) stock closes up nearly 8% today, hitting yet another all-time high. Closing above $78, the stock has more than tripled from its initial public offering price of $24 in late June and is the best-performing IPO of 2014. It’s unclear what is driving Wednesday’s price surge, but rumors that GoPro(GPRO) will release a new camera in mid- October have been circulating. Shares in GoPro(GPRO) have rallied more than 80% in the past month. Seven out of the ten analysts tracked by FactSet have hold ratings on the stock. And of the three analysts that have buy ratings on the stock, all of them have a price target that is below where GoPro(GPRO) is trading. (maureen.farrell@wsj.com).
I publish the above because I wrote in this column that I really liked GoPro. Hence, I got one right.
Alibaba since going public:
Mobileye since going public:
Alibaba is overpriced, but may still go higher. GoPro is overpriced, but may still go higher. I am convinced that Mobileye will go higher. I own GoPro and Mobileye, but not Alibaba. Maybe BABA will pull back and I can pick up a few? These stocks are dangerous. Only good for the small part of your portfolio you designate “fun.” Are you watching GILD?
The joy of being a landlord. Change the light bulb, please. I kid you not.
Today is the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Many Jews will attend schul (synagogue).
So what is the tradition?
During a service at an old synagogue in Eastern Europe , when the Shema was said, half the congregants stood up and half remained sitting. The half that was seated started yelling at those standing to sit down, and the ones standing yelled at the ones sitting to stand up.
The rabbi, though learned as he was in the Law and commentaries, didn’t know what to do. His congregation suggested that he consult a 98-year-old man who was one of the original founders of their temple.
The rabbi hoped the elderly man would be able to tell him what the actual temple tradition. The Rabbis asked, “Is it the tradition to stand during the Shema prayer?”
The old man answered, “No, that is not the tradition.”
The Rabbi continued, “Then it must be the tradition to sit during Shema!”
The old man answered, “No, that is not the tradition.”
Then the rabbi said to the old man, “But the members of the congregation fight all the time, yelling at each other about whether they should sit or stand.”
The old man replied, “THAT is the tradition.”
The Talking Parrot
Meyer, a lonely widower, was walking home along Delancy Street one day wishing something wonderful would happen in his life, when he passed a pet store and heard a squawking voice shouting out in Yiddish,”fQuawwwwk…vus machts du?”
Meyer rubbed his eyes and ears. Couldn’t believe it. Perfect Yiddish.
The proprietor urged him, “Come in here, fella, and check out this parrot…”
Meyer did. An African Grey cocked his little head and said: “Vus? Kenst sprechen Yiddish?”
In a matter of moments, Meyer had placed five hundred dollars on the counter and carried the parrot in his cage away with him. All night he talked with the parrot. In Yiddish. He told the parrot about his father’s adventures coming to America. About how beautiful his late wife, Sarah, was when she was a young bride. About his family. About his years of working in the garment district. About Florida .
The parrot listened and commented. They shared some walnuts. The parrot told him of living in the pet store, how lonely he would get on the weekends. They both went to sleep.
Next morning, Meyer began to put on his Tfillin, all the while saying his prayers. The parrot demanded to k now what he was doing and when Meyer explained, the parrot wanted to do the same. Meyer went out and had a miniature set of tfillin hand made for the parrot.
The parrot wanted to learn to daven and learned every prayer. He even wanted to learn to read Hebrew.
So Meyer spent weeks and months, sitting and teaching the parrot, teaching him Torah In time, Meyer came to love and count on the parrot as a friend and fellow Jew.
On Rosh Hashanah, Meyer rose and got dressed and was about to leave when the parrot demanded to go with him. Meyer explained that Shul was not a place for a bird, but the parrot made a terrific argument, so Meyer relented and carried the bird to Shul on his shoulder.
Needless to say, they made quite a spectacle, and Meyer was questioned by everyone, including the Rabbi and the Cantor. They refused to allow a bird into the building on the High Holy Days, but Meyer persuaded them to let him in this one time, swearing that the parrot could daven. Wagers were made with Meyer.
Thousands of dollars were bet that the parrot could NOT daven, could not speak Yiddish or Hebrew.
All eyes were on the parrot during services. The parrot perched on Meyer’s shoulder as one prayer and song passed – Meyer heard not a peep from the bird. He began to become annoyed, slapping at his shoulder and mumbling under his breath, “Daven!”
Nothing.
“Daven..parrot, you can daven, so daven…come on, everyone is looking at you!”
Nothing.
After Rosh Hashanah services were concluded, Meyer found that he owed his Shul buddies and the Rabbi over four thousand dollars..
He marched home, so upset he said nothing to the parrot.
Finally several blocks from the Temple the Parrot began to sing an old Yiddish song, as happy as a lark.
Meyer stopped and looked at him.
“Why? After I had tfillin made for you and taught you the morning prayers, and taught you to read Hebrew and the Torah. And after you begged me to bring you to Shul on Rosh Hashanah, why? WHY?!? Why did you do this to me?”
“Meyer, don’t be a schmuck,” the parrot replied.
“Think of the odds we’ll get on Yom Kippur!” (Ten days from now.)
Harry Newton, who promises no more Rosh Hashanah jokes for another year.
If you owned an S&P500 index fund or ETF this year, you’d be up nicely:
I continue to like these Vanguard ETFs — VXF, VTI, VGIAX and VBR. A mix of all of them is a good mix.
