In Search of the Perfect Investment

I was kicking myself for not having jumped into European stocks. They’ve had a great run this year. But, here’s iShares Germany over the last two years. Timing is hard.

Here’s iShares England over the past two years:

In contrast, here’s the S&P 500 over the past two years:

In short, not being in Europe didn’t miss much.

It hasn’t been easy — even for the geniuses. From the weekend’s New York Times:

Hedge Funds Close Doors, Facing Low Returns and Investor Scrutiny.

For decades, nearly everything that the billionaire Julian Robertson touched turned to gold. Mr. Robertson, founder of the hedge fund Tiger Management, seeded a network of hugely successful “Tiger Cubs” — companies that in turn seeded more talent. It became the closest thing the hedge fund industry had to a dynasty.

Since the start of this year, however, the managers of three firms spun out of that gilded empire have called it quits after volatile performances and sometimes steep losses. They will return money to investors and focus on managing their own wealth.

TigerShark, Tiger Consumer and JAT Capital Management are just three examples among a recent wave of hedge funds that have closed their doors to investors in the face of choppy markets. They are a reminder that the hedge fund industry is not all spectacular returns.

In past years, titans like George Soros and Stanley F. Druckenmiller have also taken down their shingles, choosing to manage their own enormous wealth without the worry of pesky investors.

These days, bothersome investors who make too many demands are just one item on a long list of frustrations. Privately, and sometimes publicly, managers complain that it has become harder to make money and that regulation has raised the cost of business.

Add to that six long years of a bull stock market in the United States, and a coinciding six consecutive years of underperformance from the hedge fund industry. The average hedge fund returned 3 percent last year compared with a 13.7 percent gain for the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index.

For the full article, click here.

The most impressive new Apple product is not the Watch. It’s CarPlay. Think of it as iPhone for your car. It’s really neat. You see on your car screen what you see on your iPhone, viz:

Music:

Phone:

Maps:

You tell it what you want by voice (Siri), touch screen or weird control in your car, viz:

It seems to be available in some cars already. The new Mercedes SL 550 offers it as a $600 option. Here’s a screen shot from Mercedes web site:

If you can’t get it in the new car you’re buying, you may be able to get it via kits made by Alpine or Pioneer, though they could set you back as much as $1,400.

Nobody I know has CarPlay. No car salesman I know has even heard of it. Personally, I wouldn’t buy a new car without it.

Apple says “it will be available” from oodles of car makers, including Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Jeep, Mercedes, Subaru, Toyota, VW and Volvo. But it doesn’t say when or how much.

I haven’t bothered asking Apple public relations because I’m mad at them. I’m still waiting for my Apple Watch, despite my begging.

I think Apple’s stock is going to take a hit when investors find out Apple is having serious trouble trying to produce the Apple Watch.

For Apple’s explanation of CarPlay, click here.

You need these under your chairs. Otherwise you’ll scratch your nice wooden floor.

Do NOT install the pads with the metal spike. They break and the metal spike gouges your erstwhile nice wooden floor.

Trust me. I’ve scratching and gouging. Here’s the Home Depot link — click here.

Thoughts for the week

+ If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

+ I a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

+ Why is it called tourist season if we can’t shoot them?

+ If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

Harry Newton, who read the cheapest days to fly are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday.