In Search of the Perfect Investment

Yesterday I wrote T. Boone Pickens predicted $100 oil within 18 months. Turns out he’s made this prediction before, and was right.

CNBC trots him out whenever oil falls.

I always wonder why people go on CNBC, since it’s so time-consuming and they tend to treat you poorly, dismissing you peremptorily.  Some people go on because of their egos. Most go on because they have something to sell — usually investment in their fund — mutual or hedge. T. Boone now runs hedge funds. I bet he’s been losing funds as oil has dropped and his performance has suffered.

Still he’s always fun to listen to.

What’s even more fun is reading his biography on Wikipedia. Click here. Fun fact:T. Boone has been married five times. Did Carter have more liver pills?

I think it’s too early to buy oil stocks. Demand still weak in lots of places, e.g. Europe. And oodles of supply from the Middle East, and Russia.

Airlines benefit well from low oil:  AAL, DAL and LUV.

Deliverers also: FDX and UPS.

What we learned buying our new California house:

+ Check. Check. Check. Check every light switch. Check every circuit, including TV. We missed a few.

+ Check every door.  Check every appliance. Make sure they fix everything before you buy.

Easier for them to fix it all.

The big issue? Communications. TV. Internet. Phone. Especially boosting cell phone reception. No one calls on  landlines any longer. Easier to call on cell phones. Hence fix your reception.

Oh my, technology has really changed. How much? Try this fast quiz. 15 “technologies” that are now obsolete. See how many you can get right.

Take the test here.

My favorite is this one. It’s a washing machine with a mangle, an old-fashioned “dryer.”

Mangles are more than dryers. In the old days, fancy houses used to have huge ones driven by steam. The staff used them to iron sheets. Some top European hotels still have them. If you haven’t slept on ironed sheets, you’re missing one of life’s true pleasures.

Don’t stint. Buy yourself a mangle for Christmas.

It folds up and fits in a closet. Only $1999 from Amazon. Click here.

The “science”  of flying “stress-free” in the upcoming holidays.

+ Get to the airport later. We spend far too much time at airports.

+ Get the TSA to make you a “Known Traveler.” Speeds you through security lines. Don’t have to take off your shoes or your belt.

+ Choose a seat over the wing. Less turbulence.

+ Don’t take so much. Don’t check bags. If you must, send ahead by UPS or FedEx.

+ Buy extra legroom. Best investment in the air.

+ Watch a garbage movie on the plane. Makes the flight go faster.

+ Get yourself noise cancelling earbuds. Amazon has a bunch. Don’t buy earphones. Too hard to carry. Susan and I like the Panasonic RP-HC55, which don’t seem to be made any longer. These new ones should work: Click here.

 Read the Smithsonian piece here.

Favorite New Yorker cartoons from April.

Harry Newton who’s actually looking forward to going back to New York this Saturday. How much relaxation can one poor human (i.e. me) suffer?