Previous Columns
8:30 AM EST, Tuesday, October 2, 2007: The theory is that the market predicts nine months ahead. So it's discounted subprime contagion, record oil price problems and talk of a recession. It thinks we're in for some great economic times. I'm not arguing.

Yesterday it soared, hitting peak.

Email exchange yesterday between Harry and his favorite hedge fund manager, Dennis Mykytyn of Modern Capital:

Harry: How did we do for September?

Hedge Manager: Can’t complain.

Harry: Who said I’m complaining? I'm on cloud 9 with daughter's wedding.

Hedge Manager: How much would you have liked to make in September?

Harry: 1.8%

Hedge Manager: I don’t have the exact number yet, but it starts with a 5.

Harry: Mother. I don’t think I want to hear such good news.

Hedge Manager: OK, then we’ll credit you with 1.8%.

Harry: I guess I fell right into that hole – all of my own making… I’m brilliant.

Garmin got clobbered yesterday by news of Nokia buying Navteq. Also Yair Reiner of CIBC World Markets lowered his rating on Garmin from outperform to sector perform, or neutral, on Monday, citing concerns about "the long-term threat" posed by the buyout of Navteq. Garmin uses Navteq maps in its beautiful, hot-selling navigation devices.

I think the whole gefufil (pronounce it) is overblown and presents us with an opportunity to pick some Garmin before they bounce back -- as they will.

Next weekend is long:
A man and his wife were celebrating 50 years together. Their three kids, all very successful, agreed to a Sunday dinner in their honor.

"Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad," gushed son number one. "Sorry I'm running late. I had an emergency at the hospital with a patient. You know how it is, and I didn't have time to get you a gift." "Not to worry," said the father. "The important thing is that we're all together today."

Son number two arrived and announced, "You and Mom look great, Dad. I just flew in from Los Angeles between depositions and didn't have time to shop for you."

"It's nothing," said the father. "We're glad you were able to come."

Just then the daughter arrived. "Hello and happy anniversary ! I'm sorry but my boss is sending me out of town and I was really busy packing so I didn't have time to get you anything"

Again the father said, "I really don't care. At least the five of us are together today."

After they had finished dessert, the father said, "There's something your mother and I have wanted to tell you for a long time. You see, we were very poor. Despite this, we were able to send each of you to college. Throughout the years your mother and I knew that we loved each other very much but we just never found the time to get married." The three children gasped and said, "You mean we're bastards?"

"Yes," said the father. "And cheap ones, too."

Today's column is short. Spent yesterday recovering from the wedding and sorting through nearly 1,200 photos. Should be some good Kodak moments. Pity Kodak didn't benefit. Remember yesterday's column about how fast things change? I put myself through college shooting weddings on Kodak Tri-X. No more. Now I use SanDisk (SNDK) memory cards. Wait till they replace twirling hard disks in laptops with ultra-quiet, ultra-fast, ultra-reliable SanDisk flash memory. You ain't seen nothing yet.

This column is about my personal search for the perfect investment. I don't give investment advice. For that you have to be registered with regulatory authorities, which I am not. I am a reporter and an investor. I make my daily column -- Monday through Friday -- freely available for three reasons: Writing is good for sorting things out in my brain. Second, the column is research for a book I'm writing called "In Search of the Perfect Investment." Third, I encourage my readers to send me their ideas, concerns and experiences. That way we can all learn together. My email address is . You can't click on my email address. You have to re-type it . This protects me from software scanning the Internet for email addresses to spam. I have no role in choosing the Google ads. Thus I cannot endorse any, though some look mighty interesting. If you click on a link, Google may send me money. Please note I'm not suggesting you do. That money, if there is any, may help pay Claire's law school tuition. Read more about Google AdSense, click here and here.
Go back.