![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.technologyinvestor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/BackintoGold.jpg\" "\\"BackintoGold\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nBHP is flying. The mining and food businesses are increasingly enticing as the world’s economy warms up — especially China and Brazil. Check out names like MOS, POT, BTU, JOYG and ones on my column of favorites on the right.<\/p>\n
What would you do?<\/strong><\/span> I have a CD in Australia with Westpac Bank. The money is safe. I can renew for one year at 6.3%. The Australian dollar has now risen to par with the U.S. dollar. It won’t go any higher but may go lower. What would you do?<\/p>\n The Verizon iPhone is on sale.<\/strong><\/span> The technology press is full of endless burble as to which one to buy and why. My conclusion: Don’t get one, for now. Two reasons: First, Apple will have a newer, better, faster iPhone in July. Why tie yourself up in a two-year contract? Second, Verizon and AT&T are is about to intro phones on\u00a0 much faster 4G LTE. I’ve experienced the speed. It’s awesome. About ten times faster. You’ll want to use it at your home. Save on DSL, cable modems, etc. Stuff:<\/p>\n + Verizon’s phone calls are\u00a0 better than AT&T’s, for now. But it depends on where you are. I go to places where I can speak on AT&T, but not on Verizon. I am not unhappy with the AT&T phone calls on my iPhone.<\/p>\n + AT&T’s data is much faster today than Verizon’s.<\/p>\n + AT&T’s\u00a0 iPhone can multi-task — speak and surf. Verizon’s can’t. Being able to check stuff on the Internet while you’re speaking on the phone is very useful.<\/p>\n Get ready for the Muslim brotherhood.<\/strong><\/span>I love Egypt. I pray they get their mess solved quickly. I read all the reports. The best one is by Ayaan Hirsi Ali<\/a>, who works for the American Enterprise Institute. Click here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The hearing aid crookery.<\/strong><\/span> I need a hearing aid, according to my wife who speaks too quietly.\u00a0 I see this enticing ad.<\/p>\n I call the number, make an appointment with a local audiologist who loans me two of these things.\u00a0 I can now hear paper rustling, my bicycle’s squeaks and voices a bit louder. Should I decide to keep them — $6,000.<\/p>\n I eye the array of wondrous gadgetry on my desk — from my laptop, to my iPhone to my 32″ TV, to my digital cameras. Nothing — and I repeat — nothing costs $6,000. Or anywhere near. And all of it has electronics as advanced as these hearing aids. Maybe even more advanced.<\/p>\n I check the Internet. Nobody’s selling Oticon at a discount. There are no discount hearing aid stores. Sales are done by audiologists in sleezy backrooms loaded with mumbo technology that will “customize” my hearing aids to my hearing loss. My audiologist tested me, fiddled with a computer. I walked out with devices no more clear than my wireless $100 Sennheiser headphones or the hearing aids a friend once took out of his ears and let me play with for ten minutes.<\/p>\n Screw the “customization.” Screw the mumbo jumbo sales pitch. I’ll take simple amplification. That’s all\u00a0 I (and I suspect everyone else) needs.<\/p>\n What’s the\u00a0 solution? It’s not $6,000. But is it $1,000 for two NeutronicEars <\/strong><\/a>or two Melody A1s<\/strong><\/a>?<\/p>\n Anyone had any experience?<\/p>\n The health publishing biz is much improved.<\/strong><\/span> These three do a great job pandering to an old man’s obsession with his health:<\/p>\n What I’ve learned from all three:<\/p>\n + Avoid all drugs, if possible. No one has any idea what their long-term horrible effects are. Except that there are horrible long-term effects.<\/p>\n + Eat colors. Greens, reds, browns, white. What your mother told you.<\/p>\n + Exercise every day. Nap once a day. Don’t get stressed out because Mr. Market screwed your favorite picks, once again.<\/p>\n + If you get sick, see a doctor fast. Get on anti-biotics or whatever. New diseases multiply much faster.<\/p>\n + See a skin doctor regularly.<\/p>\n + Pray. Luck keeps you healthy.<\/p>\n The weather. It’s been fun. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> For Men’s Journal, click here.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>For Men’s Health, click here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> For Bottom Line Health, click here.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n