In Search of the Perfect Investment

Few saw the last few months (from the beginning of September) and its huge rise, especially among hot stocks. Now they’re all trying to jump in — to make sure their end of year holdings look great and their stock-picking ability is sanctified.

My biggest percentage gains (all double digit) include BUCY, BHP, CAT, DD, SLV, SGOL, EWA, GOOG, KO. I’m losing a little on EWZ (Brazil) and my Pimco New York bond fund PNYIX, although its high dividend will esily cover the capital loss, so far. I’m actually still making small buys of hot stocks, including Nike.

The holiday spirit has struck. Christmas has the most humor of any celebration. This week we celebrate.

What would Christmas be like today with all our digital stuff?

For a totally charming video, click here.

Christmas for Mr Hurd. The SEC is poking around Mr Hurd and his “relationship” with Ms. Fisher. From yesterday’s Wall Street Journal.

But H-P’s investigation determined instances where Ms. Fisher was paid for events that never took place; expense reports that appeared to hide Mr. Hurd’s meetings with Ms. Fisher; and evidence that appeared to contradict Mr. Hurd’s initial claim that he didn’t know Ms. Fisher well.

Ms. Fisher didn’t respond Monday to a request for comment. Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, declined to comment.

Mr. Hurd reached a private settlement in August with Ms. Fisher after which she said her initial claim contained inaccuracies, which she didn’t specify.

Personally I couldn’t care less if Mr. Hurd and Ms. Fisher had an affair. I’m simply amused.

There is a web site called Finance Twitter. It’s raunchy. Click here.

Washington flights test  Santa. Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It was shortly before Christmas when the FAA examiner arrived.

In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer. Santa got his logbook out and made sure all his paperwork was in order.

The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He checked the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear and Rudolph’s nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa’s weight and balance calculations for the sled’s enormous payload.

Finally, they were ready for the checkride.

Santa got in and fastened his seat belt and shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying, to Santa’s surprise, a shotgun.

“What’s that for?” asked Santa incredulously.

The examiner winked and said, “I’m not supposed to tell you this, but you’re gonna lose an engine on takeoff.”

Harry Newton who loved The Important of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. He saw it last night on Broadway. Please see it.

That’s actually a man. He’s called Brian Bedford. He stars as Lady Bracknell. He’s brilliant. One of the great English stage actors of all time. For tickets, click here.

The cold weather.

With tennis, biking and the cold weather, my hands look like a battlefield. This stuff works.

Amazon, Costco, Walmart  and everyone else seems to sell it.