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<\/a><\/div>\nHarry,
\nJust wanted to let you know that the stocks I recommended for your birthday are up nicely. SAM up about 6.5%, NFLX up about 10% and TSLA up a nice 16%. All since June 9th. You should run a contest and see who’s picks are up the most, say after 6 months or something like that.<\/p>\n
More on my Birthday Present Stocks tomorrow. I’ve finally figured a way to chart them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The insanity of investing in private companies. <\/strong>In 2011, I invested in a small biotech company. It recently went public. I gave my share certificate to Fidelity. I tried to sell the stock. Fidelity said NO. My stock wasn’t cleared to sell. Days later I’m still on the phone with Fidelity (six phone calls), the company’s CFO (two phone calls), the company’s lawyer (at least four phone calls) and two sets of paperwork I filled in — which said the same thing, namely I’d had the stock for eons, I wasn’t an officer of anything and I was a fine upstanding citizen. (The last one is open to question.) <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The lawyers have finally agreed to make my miserable shares kosher. Fidelity will now send my paper share certificate back to the share transfer agent, who will issue me a new, clean, share certificate and send it to Fidelity, who will then include it in my account. <\/span><\/span>And then, and only then, can I sell the stock.<\/p>\n This whole miserable process typically takes weeks. Meantime, my hot biotech company’s shares continue to fall. They are now substantially below what I paid for them in 2011. The only good news is that this insanity employs a whole raft of lawyers charging outrageous fees for a totally trivial task. Probably better than invading Australia.<\/p>\n I know why Apple bought Beats.<\/strong><\/span> The priciest Beats — called Dr. Dre Pro — are simply amazing.<\/p>\n I’ve never heard such thrilling sound from any headphone I’ve ever tested. The headphone has three disadvantages: They cost $399. They’re heavy. And your ears get hot. Try on a pair next time you’re in an Apple store. You can try the cheaper Beats. But they don’t hold a candle to this one.<\/p>\n Apple stores have free Wi-Fi. But how fast? I tried two tests:<\/p>\n Amazing how difference the tests registered — though my tests were a minute apart. Since Wi-Fi is shared in the stores, it shows how your speed can dramatically slow when someone else gets on. Good lesson for your home: Don’t leave browsers open on machines you’re not using.<\/p>\n More on cheap (but great) eyeglasses:<\/strong> <\/span>A reader writes:<\/p>\n Using Zinni or Eyebuydirect requires you provide the PD or pupilliary distance which is difficult to get precise, which is required to get glasses that work. Get the PD measuring tool here:<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n How dreams are made.<\/strong> <\/span>A 19-year old wild card from Australia called Nick Kyrgios defeated Nadal at Wimbledon yesterday. The last time that happened was when a 17-year old unranked qualifier came into Wimbledon and won his match against the reigning champion, Roger Federer. That qualifier was Rafael Nadal of Spain.<\/p>\n Said Kyrgios yesterday, “You’ve got to believe you can win the match from the start.”<\/p>\n Wimbledon continues, with the finals this weekend. I have my money on Kyrgios. Go Aussie. Read about Kyrgios in the Guardian. Click here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n