Today the Dow and the S&P 500 went up.
Nasdaq went down 0.20%.
Our portfolio was down 1.18%.
I expect this variance between our portfolio and the indices since the indices are artificial constructs, put together when there were far fewer publicly-traded companies.
If you had to put a name to our portfolio, you could say that it’s made up of FAANG (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google), stay-at-home stocks (Peloton, Roku, Shopify, DocuSign, Etsy and Zoom), solar electronics (Enphase Energy and SolarEdge), and cloud stocks (CRWD, Zscaler, Qorvo, Twilio, Okta, and Hubspot) and some I stole from Robinhood investors, (like GE, Ford, Norwegian Cruise Lines).
As I wrote the paragraph above, I realize it’s confusing. The main descriptor is probably “opportunistic” — what made sense at the time — with a major sprinkling of “buzz.” In short, what’s getting press, what people are talking about. And what seems to make sense as a viable business.
Not easy. (As if picking stocks was ever easy.)
Last night Cramer listed today’s hottest stocks — ones in alternative energy, battery and hydrogen cars — and then shook his head since he found it hard to justify owning, let alone buying any of them. Here’s his list.
My friend Steve, who makes a handsome living trading non-crazy stocks sent me this chart. How crazy is this? Tesla is more valuable than all the world’s leading car makers combined.
Tesla was actually up today, another 1%. Go figure.
Daimler owns Mercedes. We actually bought a Mercedes that doesn’t have a spare tire. I now have several cans of Fix-A-Flat, which is alleged to work. Patching doesn’t.
Today’s favorite scam
The $40 tickets on the bus are non-refundable, if, God forbid, some thing goes awry. Like someone else being inaugurated.
More beautiful places to visit virtually
Courtesy Conde-Nast Traveler:
Puez-Geisler Nature Park
Italy’s Puez-Geisler Nature Park is located among the striking Dolomites, the jagged mountain range that runs across part of northeastern Italy. Look out for St, Johann Church, a charming, blink-and-you’ll-miss it site nestled among the mountains.
Mont Saint-Michel, France
Rising up from vast sandbanks and powerful tides, the rocky island of Mont Saint-Michel off of Normandy on France’s northwestern coast gives off an otherworldly appearance. The island’s crown jewel is undoubtedly the Benedictine Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, which was built in 708 A.D. and served as inspiration for the castle in Disney’s Tangled.
Cappadocia, Turkey
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cappadocia, a region in Turkey where entire cities have been carved into the rock, is pretty awe-inspiring on its own; just look at its “fairy chimneys,” the tall, curious-looking rock formations that dot the landscape. But whenever hot air balloons dot the sky, a popular area attraction, its beauty levels rise right along with them.
The Tulip fields of Holland, The Netherlands
Nothing says “springtime” quite like tulip season in Holland. The flowers bloom all throughout the region, but we suggest heading to Hillegom in the western countryside, which is a quieter alternative to the popular Keukenhof gardens, to take in views of the magnificent blossoms.
Borgund Stave Church, Norway
Built around 1180 A.D., the Borgund Stave Church is one of Norway’s finest examples of a stave church, a wooden structure defined by its corner-posts and timber frames. Although it’s no longer used for religious purposes, the landmark now serves as a visitors’ center and-fun fact-inspiration for the artwork in Disney’s Frozen.
Hallstatt, Austria
There’s something special about Hallstatt-it’s clear when you pull up by ferry on the glassy lake of the same name, with mist rolling down from the surrounding Dachstein mountains. Within the UNESCO World Heritage town, you’ll find churches that date to the 12th century, along with a buzzing market square and plenty of cozy, candlelit restaurants.
Lake Kussharo, Japan
Travelers can find this beautiful caldera lake in Japan’s Akan Mashu National Park, in eastern Hokkaido. In winter, it becomes even more picturesque, when hundreds of whooper swans fly south from Russia to enjoy the hot spring-warmed waters around its edges for the season.
For the full collection of fairy tale places to visit, click here.
Useful advice
This is my favorite:
This makes huge sense. Keep reading.
Sunset in Columbia County this evening
The view from my office, a few minutes ago.
Happy Birthday Bob Kantor. Have a great evening with the family.
See you all tomorrow — Harry Newton
