Last week, I posted how there were almost no advertisements for people to spend the Economic Stimulus Rebate money. Now, the money is pouring in and the I stand corrected, the advertisings are coming out of the woodwork, as well. Heck, I got an email from a Telescope vendor to specifically use my Economic Stimulus money to stimulate my imagination and buy a real cool telescope. Then it's like someone opened the flood gates, because the ads just keep coming. I will go on record as saying they arrived a little late but they are here none the less.
Unfortunately, there is no more economic stimulus money here...it has been spent and it's stimulating the economy (I hope). Besides, I already have a real cool telescope.
Let's Tell Technorati To Tag This:
Dave Guerra, Economic Stimulus, Money, Economy, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity, TV Ads, Radio Spot, Web Ads
17 May 2008
05 May 2008
Another Missed Opportunity?
I don't know you or where you live, but where I live I have yet to see anyone do anything to promote spending the Economic Stimulus Money on any goods or services. No TV ads, no radio spots, no print ads, not even an online pop-up. If I am out of the loop, someone please clue me in.
I'm sorry but I just can't see why no one is taking advantage of all this money? During Tax season, here in the U.S., we have endless 30 second spots calling for people to bring in their W-2s and get a new car or in more recent years to use your tax return as a down payment on a new house. Don't forget about those nice people over at the payday loan place. They are forever, advertising on the radio.
Opportunity is knocking and yet again, no one is answering. This would be a prime opportunity for those mega-marts, that sell home improvement supplies and solutions, to get on the ball and take advantage of an opportunity. Think about it, using your Economic Stimulus check to buy stuff for around the house, fix things, or start a new DIY project. Personally, I am looking at tearing up that Berber carpet in the bedrooms and putting down laminate wood flooring. That way when it comes time to sell, I will not have to be scrambling to rip out that ugly Berber and scramble to put something down.
If advertisers around the country decided that it would be in bad taste for clients to promote their products and services during this state of economic noisy and confused activity then why didn't someone tell me? or was there just too much noise out there that the message got lost?
Let's Tell Technorati To Tag This:
Dave Guerra, Economic Stimulus, Money, Economy, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity, TV Ads, Radio Spot, Web Ads
I'm sorry but I just can't see why no one is taking advantage of all this money? During Tax season, here in the U.S., we have endless 30 second spots calling for people to bring in their W-2s and get a new car or in more recent years to use your tax return as a down payment on a new house. Don't forget about those nice people over at the payday loan place. They are forever, advertising on the radio.
Opportunity is knocking and yet again, no one is answering. This would be a prime opportunity for those mega-marts, that sell home improvement supplies and solutions, to get on the ball and take advantage of an opportunity. Think about it, using your Economic Stimulus check to buy stuff for around the house, fix things, or start a new DIY project. Personally, I am looking at tearing up that Berber carpet in the bedrooms and putting down laminate wood flooring. That way when it comes time to sell, I will not have to be scrambling to rip out that ugly Berber and scramble to put something down.
If advertisers around the country decided that it would be in bad taste for clients to promote their products and services during this state of economic noisy and confused activity then why didn't someone tell me? or was there just too much noise out there that the message got lost?
Let's Tell Technorati To Tag This:
Dave Guerra, Economic Stimulus, Money, Economy, Marketing, Advertising, Missing the Boat, Opportunity, TV Ads, Radio Spot, Web Ads
04 May 2008
Yikes!!! It's all about GOLD, again
Yes, it's time to revisit the latest happenings with GOLD. As of this writing, the closing price was $855.60. That sure is a long way from the $1000 high. Remember, my friend that wanted to ride the Gold wave as it was closing in on that magical 1K value. Good thing, someone knocked some sense into his head. Now he is putting his focus on finding the next big thing.
Good for him! What about you? Are you looking for the next big thing? I do hope you are. Just remember, that the next big shouldn't come at a price that you are not prepared to pay. Also don't forget, the economy is not what it used to be. So don't let the next big thing put you in a financial bind. As I am not telling you anything new, it does not hurt to say it again.
While I do not profess to know what the next big thing is, I do know that the only way to determine what the next big thing is is to do your homework. It is no secret that I am a big proponent of doing your homework, getting yourself informed, and taking responsibility for your actions. Take a little time and study the markets, they are not that difficult to understand once you get a few concepts under control.
Back to our topic. So Gold is down and has been going down since hitting it's high earlier this year. On the 1st of May, Gold closed up from what was a 30 day low. So where is the price of Gold going? Up or Down???? The popular theory has Gold going down to the $800 mark before any kind of notable up swing. Of course there are analysts that agree that the price of Gold will continue drop, however, not as far. They are favoring a $850 leveling off point (which we are close to now). I can pretty much believe this to be true. As I have written, it might be time to pull the trigger and get in on commodities trading (I mean if you ever were interested in doing so). However, there might be something to consider. Please read on.
Whether it's next week or next month, if you are planning to pull the trigger on a Gold buy, then you best be ready and the same thing can be said for Silver. Silver closed at $16.36/oz. which puts it up after closing April at the 30 day low of $16.15/oz. Does this signify a time to buy? Probably not. Historically, since the summer of 2002 and every summer since then Silver remains within the same price range at the end of August that it started off the beginning of May at. Check out this cool chart I made just for you.
Will Summer 2008 be any different?
I really don't think so. Then again, we did start May '08 on the upswing, so if anything we might just be able to make a couple of dollars. As for making the big bucks, if the lack of any real activity in the summer is any indicator, this may be the time begin creating a position in any commodity. By the way, here is the chart for gold.
Very Interesting, as Gold and Silver prices appear to be taking the summers off. They both start strong but lag throughout the summer months. I'll say it again this is a perfect opportunity to accumulate positions in securities thus building a strong portfolio exists and that is a good thing to do during the summer months?
Still not convinced?
Check out this chart which depicts the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing figures for the first and last days of May, June, July, and August of 2002 through 2007. By the way, these were the same dates used to create the Gold and Silver charts above.
I do hope you are bit more informed as to what might or might not be happening in the markets. Still, don't let this stop you from doing your home work. I know I will use these next four months to create a stronger portfolio.
As always, please know and understand: Past performance is NOT an indicator of future performance.
Let's Tag This With:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Silver, DJIA, Commodities, Stocks, Bonds, Economy, Portfolio, Money
Good for him! What about you? Are you looking for the next big thing? I do hope you are. Just remember, that the next big shouldn't come at a price that you are not prepared to pay. Also don't forget, the economy is not what it used to be. So don't let the next big thing put you in a financial bind. As I am not telling you anything new, it does not hurt to say it again.
While I do not profess to know what the next big thing is, I do know that the only way to determine what the next big thing is is to do your homework. It is no secret that I am a big proponent of doing your homework, getting yourself informed, and taking responsibility for your actions. Take a little time and study the markets, they are not that difficult to understand once you get a few concepts under control.
Back to our topic. So Gold is down and has been going down since hitting it's high earlier this year. On the 1st of May, Gold closed up from what was a 30 day low. So where is the price of Gold going? Up or Down???? The popular theory has Gold going down to the $800 mark before any kind of notable up swing. Of course there are analysts that agree that the price of Gold will continue drop, however, not as far. They are favoring a $850 leveling off point (which we are close to now). I can pretty much believe this to be true. As I have written, it might be time to pull the trigger and get in on commodities trading (I mean if you ever were interested in doing so). However, there might be something to consider. Please read on.
Whether it's next week or next month, if you are planning to pull the trigger on a Gold buy, then you best be ready and the same thing can be said for Silver. Silver closed at $16.36/oz. which puts it up after closing April at the 30 day low of $16.15/oz. Does this signify a time to buy? Probably not. Historically, since the summer of 2002 and every summer since then Silver remains within the same price range at the end of August that it started off the beginning of May at. Check out this cool chart I made just for you.
Will Summer 2008 be any different?
I really don't think so. Then again, we did start May '08 on the upswing, so if anything we might just be able to make a couple of dollars. As for making the big bucks, if the lack of any real activity in the summer is any indicator, this may be the time begin creating a position in any commodity. By the way, here is the chart for gold.
Very Interesting, as Gold and Silver prices appear to be taking the summers off. They both start strong but lag throughout the summer months. I'll say it again this is a perfect opportunity to accumulate positions in securities thus building a strong portfolio exists and that is a good thing to do during the summer months?
Still not convinced?
Check out this chart which depicts the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing figures for the first and last days of May, June, July, and August of 2002 through 2007. By the way, these were the same dates used to create the Gold and Silver charts above.
I do hope you are bit more informed as to what might or might not be happening in the markets. Still, don't let this stop you from doing your home work. I know I will use these next four months to create a stronger portfolio.
As always, please know and understand: Past performance is NOT an indicator of future performance.
Let's Tag This With:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Silver, DJIA, Commodities, Stocks, Bonds, Economy, Portfolio, Money
29 April 2008
In Defense of Food (or the Neverending Book)
Over the past two months I read Michael Pollan's book: In Defense of Food. It has been a great read. While lately I have been reading business books that are part of my MBA courses. I had to push back the leisure reading or snuck it in when I could.
Before I start, you should know that I have failed on my reading a different book each month New Year's Resolution. While I don't feel bad for failing, I do feel bad that at this point I will have 10 books under my belt instead of 12. Oh well, maybe next year.
Anyway, I read this book and found it to be quite interesting. At first I thought, this guy is going to give lip service to the modern fad diets and then sneak in one of his own. Well technically he does, he does in a very interesting and thought provoking manner. We are given a history of the current dinner table, Pollan does so in a way that allows us to know where to place the blame.
Now this is not to say that one person is guilty of the dietary situation of the citizens of the United States or the world for that matter. The blame goes to all of us. We are all to blame for this because we did it to ourselves and Pollan tells us so in a way that is in our face but doesn't make us want to runaway. Pollan offers us some great ideas on how to recapture what we lost the moment we our first sip of high fructose corn syrup.
On the cover of the book are seven words or three sentences that sum up the entire book: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's it, that's the book. Michael Pollan delivers a recipe for good food, good health, and good living that one wonders why didn't somebody else think of it before now?
Just because I took a long time to finish the book doesn't mean I didn't try things along the way. The first week of March I ate food exclusively from the perimeter of the supermarket. Think about what you will find in the perimeter of the supermarket. That is where you will find the fresh vegetables, fresh meat, dairy products, and eggs. Hmmm, this reminds me of a logic question I had in college "why are eggs found in the dairy section of the grocery store?" Eggs are not dairy products, cows don't lay eggs, and certainly eggs don't taste like milk. But I digress.
So how did my experiment go? I will have to say it was a great success. While I did not lose a lot of weight, I did start to feel better. You could say I almost felt lighter. It was interesting to eat salads as opposed to eating starches (Rice, potatoes, corn). After the first week, I was craving rice and potatoes, so I gave in. I did not completely submit but I did give in, in that I flipped my starches and vegetables. Meaning that when I would normally eat a lot of mashed potatoes I have now flipped that and eat more greens thus less of the starches.
The book is actually now helping me achieve other of New Years resolutions, that is to lose weight and lower my blood pressure (without medicine). Please understand that In Defense of Food, it is not a heavy read it does have a lot to offer. if you're looking for something to quickly sink your teeth into, then this is the book for you. Looking for recipes and quick fad diets this is not the book for you.
I can finally begin, microtrends by Mark J. Penn. You may recall microtrends was the book that I wanted to buy and read before In Defense of Food. However, an NPR interview with Pollan got me hooked and I bought his book first. Luckily, it was the good people over at 800-CEORead that had an awesome offer that I could not refuse. They were giving away three books for $20 which was donated to the Room-to-Read organization. Call it karma, I bought into the Mystery Box program over at 800-CEORead and when my box arrived right on top was microtrends.
Taking a quick peek of the books read so far:
Let's tell Technorati to tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food,
Green Leafy Vegetables, Microtrends, Mark J. Penn, 800 CEOREAD, Room-to-Read
Before I start, you should know that I have failed on my reading a different book each month New Year's Resolution. While I don't feel bad for failing, I do feel bad that at this point I will have 10 books under my belt instead of 12. Oh well, maybe next year.
Anyway, I read this book and found it to be quite interesting. At first I thought, this guy is going to give lip service to the modern fad diets and then sneak in one of his own. Well technically he does, he does in a very interesting and thought provoking manner. We are given a history of the current dinner table, Pollan does so in a way that allows us to know where to place the blame.
Now this is not to say that one person is guilty of the dietary situation of the citizens of the United States or the world for that matter. The blame goes to all of us. We are all to blame for this because we did it to ourselves and Pollan tells us so in a way that is in our face but doesn't make us want to runaway. Pollan offers us some great ideas on how to recapture what we lost the moment we our first sip of high fructose corn syrup.
On the cover of the book are seven words or three sentences that sum up the entire book: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's it, that's the book. Michael Pollan delivers a recipe for good food, good health, and good living that one wonders why didn't somebody else think of it before now?
Just because I took a long time to finish the book doesn't mean I didn't try things along the way. The first week of March I ate food exclusively from the perimeter of the supermarket. Think about what you will find in the perimeter of the supermarket. That is where you will find the fresh vegetables, fresh meat, dairy products, and eggs. Hmmm, this reminds me of a logic question I had in college "why are eggs found in the dairy section of the grocery store?" Eggs are not dairy products, cows don't lay eggs, and certainly eggs don't taste like milk. But I digress.
So how did my experiment go? I will have to say it was a great success. While I did not lose a lot of weight, I did start to feel better. You could say I almost felt lighter. It was interesting to eat salads as opposed to eating starches (Rice, potatoes, corn). After the first week, I was craving rice and potatoes, so I gave in. I did not completely submit but I did give in, in that I flipped my starches and vegetables. Meaning that when I would normally eat a lot of mashed potatoes I have now flipped that and eat more greens thus less of the starches.
The book is actually now helping me achieve other of New Years resolutions, that is to lose weight and lower my blood pressure (without medicine). Please understand that In Defense of Food, it is not a heavy read it does have a lot to offer. if you're looking for something to quickly sink your teeth into, then this is the book for you. Looking for recipes and quick fad diets this is not the book for you.
I can finally begin, microtrends by Mark J. Penn. You may recall microtrends was the book that I wanted to buy and read before In Defense of Food. However, an NPR interview with Pollan got me hooked and I bought his book first. Luckily, it was the good people over at 800-CEORead that had an awesome offer that I could not refuse. They were giving away three books for $20 which was donated to the Room-to-Read organization. Call it karma, I bought into the Mystery Box program over at 800-CEORead and when my box arrived right on top was microtrends.
Taking a quick peek of the books read so far:
- Join the Conversation by Joseph Jaffe
- Be, Know, Do: Leadership the Army Way, Adapted from the Official Army Leadership Manual by J-B Leader to Leader Institute/PF Drucker
- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Let's tell Technorati to tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food,
Green Leafy Vegetables, Microtrends, Mark J. Penn, 800 CEOREAD, Room-to-Read
20 April 2008
Mediocrity in Mergers?
By now, if you have not heard about XMRadio & Sirius Satellite Radio's planned merger, or the Delta Airlines & Northwest Airline two-step, or the proposed shotgun wedding between Microsoft and Yahoo then you must be living under a rock that does not have reception Sprint/Nextel's data service. While the news is exciting, especially when we hear about hot a proxy battle is on the horizon, or how the federal government has to give its blessing on a merger, or how two airlines will become the biggest airline in the world. That is the stuff of underdogs; you know that David & Goliath kinda thing. That makes for not only an interesting story but also keeps people on edge wondering how these mergers will play out.
In the end:
I don’t think so!
It will be the same old thing all over again, this time with a new name. It will be the same mediocre companies all wrapped up in new packaging, a new marketing plan, and a new image for the public to be blinded by. The flash of newness will last at least for a while and then when the SHINY NEW WRAPPER is tossed aside mediocrity will return to these organizations.
Will the newly merged organizations see the light; demand that great change, along with great innovative thought and great design be born out of these mergers? Unfortunately, I firmly believe that they will not see the light.
I MAY BE WRONG BUT I DOUBT IT!
let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Mediocrity, Merger, Innovation, XM Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Microsoft, Yahoo
In the end:
- will Delta/Northwest give us improved Customer Service and more on-time departures?
- will XMRadio & Sirius Satellite give us more reasons to turn off AM & FM radio once and for all?
- will Microsoft-Yahoo give us anything better than what little they give now?
I don’t think so!
It will be the same old thing all over again, this time with a new name. It will be the same mediocre companies all wrapped up in new packaging, a new marketing plan, and a new image for the public to be blinded by. The flash of newness will last at least for a while and then when the SHINY NEW WRAPPER is tossed aside mediocrity will return to these organizations.
Will the newly merged organizations see the light; demand that great change, along with great innovative thought and great design be born out of these mergers? Unfortunately, I firmly believe that they will not see the light.
I MAY BE WRONG BUT I DOUBT IT!
let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Mediocrity, Merger, Innovation, XM Radio, Sirius Satellite Radio, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Microsoft, Yahoo
19 April 2008
Mediocrity...yet again
In a blog post over at Fast Company's FC Experts Blog titled, Innovation for Beginners posted by Richard Watson. The post describes what makes innovation and change happen and how innovation and change can be stifled. As the blog mentions this is because things and people get old and settle for the "that's how its always been done" excuse as the way of doing business.
Over time, the organization's newbies become veterans and the veterans don't want to rock the boat. So what happens next is that resistance to change is born. The deeper individuals and organizations become rooted in what they do, the less chance for innovative production and change to occur. "In other words, when it comes to innovation, organisations can be disabled by experience and specialisation" and that is definitely not a good thing.
Thus reinforces the fact that "the longer you work for an organisation, the more you adopt groupthink and the further removed you become from real life (how customers think, feel and behave)" and that continues to be NOT a good thing.
So does this mean organizations and its staff, because they are no longer new (by new I mean FRESH OUT OF THE WRAPPER) are doomed to an eternity of MEDIOCRITY? Unfortunately, I'd like to think so.
However, not be all doom and gloom the Fast Company post does offer a few points to consider when trying to bring about change through the development of an innovation team. One of which I have to question: "Think like a kid yourself sometimes – keep asking why?"
My question: Why Sometimes?
Thinking like a kid should be all the time! Not when the mood fits or when it will make us look cool. It should be that childlike wonder that pushes us for more and more change. Constantly being Innovative. Continually seeking Improvement.
CONTINUALLY BUSTING MEDIOCRITY IN THE GUT!!!
let's tag this under:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, Mediocrity, Innovation, Change, Fast Company
Over time, the organization's newbies become veterans and the veterans don't want to rock the boat. So what happens next is that resistance to change is born. The deeper individuals and organizations become rooted in what they do, the less chance for innovative production and change to occur. "In other words, when it comes to innovation, organisations can be disabled by experience and specialisation" and that is definitely not a good thing.
Thus reinforces the fact that "the longer you work for an organisation, the more you adopt groupthink and the further removed you become from real life (how customers think, feel and behave)" and that continues to be NOT a good thing.
So does this mean organizations and its staff, because they are no longer new (by new I mean FRESH OUT OF THE WRAPPER) are doomed to an eternity of MEDIOCRITY? Unfortunately, I'd like to think so.
However, not be all doom and gloom the Fast Company post does offer a few points to consider when trying to bring about change through the development of an innovation team. One of which I have to question: "Think like a kid yourself sometimes – keep asking why?"
My question: Why Sometimes?
Thinking like a kid should be all the time! Not when the mood fits or when it will make us look cool. It should be that childlike wonder that pushes us for more and more change. Constantly being Innovative. Continually seeking Improvement.
CONTINUALLY BUSTING MEDIOCRITY IN THE GUT!!!
let's tag this under:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, Mediocrity, Innovation, Change, Fast Company
17 April 2008
Learning a Valuable Lesson
Over the past few weeks I conducted an experiment which came to an end today. The unpleasant outcome of the experiment came to me as a lesson, one that I welcome and one the I wholeheartedly value and appreciate that I learned the lesson now instead of later, certainly at a greater expense.
This is how it all started. Not so long ago, I do not recall exactly who wrote on their blog about listening and being heard, specifically about what to do if no one is listening or hearing?
The post got me thinking and I responded with "If all one hears is static, is it time to change the channel?" Well, needless to say I got no response. That silence spoke volumes and it helped me in deciding to launch my experiment. Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I have created multiple attempts at initiating conversation to a controlled number of individuals and organizations. Various approaches were taken to start conversations and only one method did deliver an effective response.
It was at this point I created another test group using that effective method to ensure that it was not a fluke. This group contained close to 3000 individuals and organizations, well, needless to say the response has been overwhelming. The lesson here is that learn your lessons early, find what works, and make the best of it.
So, Dave to answer the question that someone decided was not worthy of answering: YES, if all you hear is static, go ahead and change the channel or better yet create your own channel.
let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, static, Change the Channel, Change
This is how it all started. Not so long ago, I do not recall exactly who wrote on their blog about listening and being heard, specifically about what to do if no one is listening or hearing?
The post got me thinking and I responded with "If all one hears is static, is it time to change the channel?" Well, needless to say I got no response. That silence spoke volumes and it helped me in deciding to launch my experiment. Over the course of the past couple of weeks, I have created multiple attempts at initiating conversation to a controlled number of individuals and organizations. Various approaches were taken to start conversations and only one method did deliver an effective response.
It was at this point I created another test group using that effective method to ensure that it was not a fluke. This group contained close to 3000 individuals and organizations, well, needless to say the response has been overwhelming. The lesson here is that learn your lessons early, find what works, and make the best of it.
So, Dave to answer the question that someone decided was not worthy of answering: YES, if all you hear is static, go ahead and change the channel or better yet create your own channel.
let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Lessons Learned, static, Change the Channel, Change
15 April 2008
An opportunity missed?
Tonight, one of my favorite TV shows had its season premiere: The Deadliest Catch. If you haven't seen it, where have you been? It is a reality show focusing on Crab Fishing in the Bering Sea. The episode starts like as in previous seasons; documenting the opening of the King Crab Season.
In preparation for departure, Josh Harris, son of The Cornelia Marie's Captain (Phil Harris), purchased what appeared to be a Toshiba Regza 26" Flat Panel LCD TV. While the younger Harris said it was a 24" TV, the Toshiba website says different. But I digress.
This was the perfect opportunity for Toshiba to get on board with the premiere episode of what many consider the hottest show on Cable Television. However, this was not to be, the first LCD TV commercial was from Panasonic. Here was a prime time opportunity to exploit product placement and it was not to be. I wonder how many more missed opportunities will there be as the rest of the season unfolds? Guess we'll just have to wait and watch and I certainly will be watching.
let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Deadliest Catch, Toshiba, Regza LCD TV, Phil Harris, Cornelia Marie, Josh Harris, Marketing, Opportunity
14 April 2008
Mediocrity Strikes Again
This past weekend, Jennifer Navarrete of MorningBrewCast brought to the attention of many of us that someone was selling their Twitter.com account on eBay. For those that don't know what Twitter is; plain and simple it is a microblogging website where participants can post comments, remarks, questions, just about any text message provided it is 140 characters in length or less. These messages can be sent as direct message to other Twitter members, replies to general postings, and general posting. Participants acquire "followers" and they themselves follow others, over time and a lot of trust, the number of "followers" can grow into the hundreds and thousands.
Back to the issue at hand, Navarrete posted on Twitter "So @andrewbaron is selling his Twitter account on eBay. http://tinyurl.com/3zs6kl It seems weird to me. Wrong somehow. But is it?" At the time of this writing Andrew Baron's Twitter Account had a bid of $1525 and his "followers" which numbered 1397 followers at the start of the auction, now are at 1651. I wonder why the increase in followers?
My question is: Has Twitter reached a level of mediocrity that people must resort to auctioning their account in order to make it relevant or to gain a little notoriety (experiment or not)? Is there no more originality in regards to what Twitter is or can be? I fear that by selling the account, Twitter now takes its place beside the toast with the face of Jesus on one side or the corn flake in the shape of Illinois that sold for $1170 not too long ago. As people will see it as a opportunity to exploit the trust they have developed for a quick buck.
This is not a bash against Twitter. Personally I really, really like Twitter. It serves a purpose and a darn good one. However, I agree with Jennifer’s comments in a more recent Twitter post that it is time for the Twitter people to step in and act. Act before Twitter becomes another great idea that got beat down because of its own success.
Jennifer gave us her take on the of selling Twitter accounts on eBay, I invite you to read it @ http://tinyurl.com/5emcya"
let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Jennifer Navarrete, MorningBrew Cast, Twitter, eBay, Auction, Corn Flake, Trust, Mediocrity,
10 April 2008
A List....
Someone recently recommended that I throw in a list or two on this very blog every once in a while. So here I go my first list of 2008. It's almost the middle of April and I am still doing first somethings of 2008...Geez.
So tonight my friends, in Dave's ever continuing quest for you to get to know him, here are a few of my Favorite Artists/Group of ALL TIME and ALL GENRES in no particular order.
- Duran Duran
- Elvis Presley
- David Bowie
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Prince
- Richard Wagner
- The Doors
- Grace Jones
- Dave Brubek
- Sting (solo and with The Police)
Tag this:
Dave Guerra, Mozart, Duran Duran, Richard Wagner, Elvis, The Doors, Grace Jones, Dave Brubek, David Bowie, Sting, Prince
09 April 2008
Playing the course
Last night, I wrote the post about staying the course, which focused on buying into the real estate market. One option that I did not mention was another form of real estate investing: Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Investopedia defines REITs as "a security that sells like a stock on the major exchanges and invests in real estate directly, either through properties or mortgages."
This is not a bad thing. There are different kinds of REIT or better yet specialty REITs such as those that focus on Hotels, Apartments, Retail Centers, Health Care, Offices, and Shopping Malls. These REITs allow you to buy into an organization that buys and maintains facilities to either lease or sell to qualified operators within the specialty. The REIT gives the investor an option of buying into a larger operation without the headache of day-to-day management and operation. Personally, I will buy and manage the small properties but for the big stuff I would rather have someone else take care of it, so the REIT allows me to get in on the big real estate moves.
If this sounds interesting to you why not Google "Real Estate Investment Trust", do your homework, and when you are ready pull that trigger.
Of course with all financial transactions there are risks. Invest at your own risk.
DISCLAIMER: I do hold a position in a Health Care based REIT.
Let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Play The Course, Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT
This is not a bad thing. There are different kinds of REIT or better yet specialty REITs such as those that focus on Hotels, Apartments, Retail Centers, Health Care, Offices, and Shopping Malls. These REITs allow you to buy into an organization that buys and maintains facilities to either lease or sell to qualified operators within the specialty. The REIT gives the investor an option of buying into a larger operation without the headache of day-to-day management and operation. Personally, I will buy and manage the small properties but for the big stuff I would rather have someone else take care of it, so the REIT allows me to get in on the big real estate moves.
If this sounds interesting to you why not Google "Real Estate Investment Trust", do your homework, and when you are ready pull that trigger.
Of course with all financial transactions there are risks. Invest at your own risk.
DISCLAIMER: I do hold a position in a Health Care based REIT.
Let's tag this:
Dave Guerra, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Play The Course, Real Estate Investment Trust, REIT
Staying the course
By now you are more than familiar with my friend and his struggles to get into the Gold trading market in hopes of getting rich quick. While this might not be a bad idea, it's just not how I am built. Don't get me wrong, I will take advantage of a situation when I can. This by no means I am out to cheat anyone, what I do mean is that while stock prices are falling I will continue to buy because of the low prices. Remember that old adage, "buy low and sell high" well that's how I roll.
Unfortunately, my friend is still so enamored with getting in on the new Gold Rush that he is letting opportunity pass him by. He is not seeing the forest for the trees. Right now, his biggest complaint is that stock prices are down and his mutual funds are dropping in value and he needs to get into gold because it is rising.
I asked him if he was living off the return on the stocks or mutual funds.
He responded with a "No."
So why is he worried about the falling stock prices and the need to get in on the rising gold commodity? He is worried, because, the media is making him worry. They are all about doom and gloom...that is what sells newspapers. When was the last time a 3rd grader winning a local spelling bee made the front page of a national newspaper? Hmmm, maybe never...I may be wrong but I doubt it.
Lately, it has been all doom and gloom: who is sleeping with who, who embezzled money, who committed murder, and which celebrity is off to rehab, again. As well, almost daily on the front cover of any newspaper are stories about rising oil prices, falling stock prices, gold going through the roof and people losing their homes.
With headlines like that it is understandable for my friend to fall for all the bunk. He may never come to his senses and realize that it is best to stay the course, accumulate, and, above all, NOT panic. Now is the time for him to increase his mutual fund and stock holdings. Now is the time to scrape up some cash and buy some real estate, it doesn't have to be a house but it certainly should be some dirt. Dirt? Dirt as in earth, an acre, a farm, anything that is more dirt than development.
Why? Just like gold, there is only a certain amount of surface space on the planet. So, why not own a little piece of it? It makes good sense to own land. It can be used as collateral in future projects. Unlike gold, it is a little more difficult to steal. Carry your gold in a brown canvas bag, pretty soon a modern day Robin Hood will be helping himself to your gold. While, Robin will certainly rupture a disc if he plans on taking all your land, one tractor load at a time.
Right now, real estate is at a good place for investors. There are a lot of foreclosed properties and more on the way to choose from. While I understand that it may not appear as a good thing to profit from other people's misery, remember you are not the one who forced those people to get themselves into a situation they knew fully well they were not prepared to handle. If you can relieve a bank from holding on to a worthless property (it is worthless for as long as they hold it).
Trust me it is a liability for the bank to hold property, it only becomes an asset when they get rid of it. Just like the homeowner, no matter how you slice it, until the mortgage is paid off that castle is a liability.
I am certainly not saying anything new. I am just saying that there are still plenty of people out there that run for cover the moment someone cries that the sky is falling. That's why it's worth repeating every once in a while. Especially in these near uncertain times. My friend has been warned.
Let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Stay The Course, Stocks, Mutual Funds
Unfortunately, my friend is still so enamored with getting in on the new Gold Rush that he is letting opportunity pass him by. He is not seeing the forest for the trees. Right now, his biggest complaint is that stock prices are down and his mutual funds are dropping in value and he needs to get into gold because it is rising.
I asked him if he was living off the return on the stocks or mutual funds.
He responded with a "No."
So why is he worried about the falling stock prices and the need to get in on the rising gold commodity? He is worried, because, the media is making him worry. They are all about doom and gloom...that is what sells newspapers. When was the last time a 3rd grader winning a local spelling bee made the front page of a national newspaper? Hmmm, maybe never...I may be wrong but I doubt it.
Lately, it has been all doom and gloom: who is sleeping with who, who embezzled money, who committed murder, and which celebrity is off to rehab, again. As well, almost daily on the front cover of any newspaper are stories about rising oil prices, falling stock prices, gold going through the roof and people losing their homes.
With headlines like that it is understandable for my friend to fall for all the bunk. He may never come to his senses and realize that it is best to stay the course, accumulate, and, above all, NOT panic. Now is the time for him to increase his mutual fund and stock holdings. Now is the time to scrape up some cash and buy some real estate, it doesn't have to be a house but it certainly should be some dirt. Dirt? Dirt as in earth, an acre, a farm, anything that is more dirt than development.
Why? Just like gold, there is only a certain amount of surface space on the planet. So, why not own a little piece of it? It makes good sense to own land. It can be used as collateral in future projects. Unlike gold, it is a little more difficult to steal. Carry your gold in a brown canvas bag, pretty soon a modern day Robin Hood will be helping himself to your gold. While, Robin will certainly rupture a disc if he plans on taking all your land, one tractor load at a time.
Right now, real estate is at a good place for investors. There are a lot of foreclosed properties and more on the way to choose from. While I understand that it may not appear as a good thing to profit from other people's misery, remember you are not the one who forced those people to get themselves into a situation they knew fully well they were not prepared to handle. If you can relieve a bank from holding on to a worthless property (it is worthless for as long as they hold it).
Trust me it is a liability for the bank to hold property, it only becomes an asset when they get rid of it. Just like the homeowner, no matter how you slice it, until the mortgage is paid off that castle is a liability.
I am certainly not saying anything new. I am just saying that there are still plenty of people out there that run for cover the moment someone cries that the sky is falling. That's why it's worth repeating every once in a while. Especially in these near uncertain times. My friend has been warned.
Let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, Asset, Liability, Real Estate, Economy, Stay The Course, Stocks, Mutual Funds
31 March 2008
Sweating the Small Stuff...
In last Thursday's Wall Street Journal (03/27/08) a small article on the front page caught my eye. The article, titled "Freedom's Ring: Kosovo Covets A Dialing Code", is about how the newly independent country of Kosovo (formerly of Serbia, which is formerly of Yugoslavia) is quite adamant about getting an international dialing code. Right now they share it with Serbia.
At this time the only way to get an international dialing code is not by calling AT&T but by joining the United Nations. This might not seem like a big deal, it is when you have to wait to join the U.N. and your newly formed country's credibility hinges on getting all the T's crossed and I's dotted as fast as possible. Why does this matter to the new Kosovars?
Imagine something as little as an International Dialing Code being just as important as the Kosovar national flag, Kosovar national anthem, or the Kosovar Independence Day. All symbols of national identity, yet if one wants to call the Kosovar Parliament, they still have to dial a Serbian phone number. So much for true independence?
Yet, these new Kosovars are willing to endure just about anything for the opportunity of getting an International Dialing code. The WSJ story mentions an incident of Anton Berisha, chief telecom regulator of Kosova, along with his daughter and aunt came under gunfire by people he believes are part of a Serbian telecommunications company that lost a mobile phone license auction to a Slovenian company. That was not all, two weeks after the gunfire; attackers assaulted Mr. Berisha again, with one firing an RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) at him and his security detail, luckily it caused no grave damage or injuries.
So, for the foreseeable future, if you find yourself in Kosovo and want to order some of the local cuisine from the Pristina Grand Hotel Cafe in Pristina (Kosovo 's Capital) then dial the Serbian International Dialing Code of 381 plus the number (38-20211).
There you have it, when people tell you not to sweat the small stuff. Always remember in Kosovo's case, the small stuff is what countries are made of.
So sweat away!!!
Let's tag this with:
Dave Guerra, Kosovo, Kosovo Independence, Pristina, Kosovar, Telecom, Anton Berisha, International Dialing Code, United Nations,Wall Street Journal,Sweat the Small Stuff,Pristina Grand Hotel Cafe
21 March 2008
Gold (not that I told you so but...)
Just a quick follow up to my last post on GOLD and my friend. Well just when I thought I was going to have to eat crow out of a golden pie pan, I was denied. Seems that the quick upswing in gold prices (over $1000/oz) was just that: a quick upswing. Gold closed today at $916.35/oz.
So does this mean that the bottom is about to fall out on the gold market?
NO, it means that a chance for my friend to get into the game may be not that far off. Still anything over $900 is riding a wave that will crash. I say pull the trigger on your buy order when things start to stabilize and the up-swing returns. Hmmm, why does this sound a lot like channeling stocks? Uh, because it is.
In the end, I still say find the next wave and there is always another wave. Do your homework and don't let the media do it for you. 'nuff said.
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, channeling, stocks, commodity
06 March 2008
Always believe in, because you are GOLD!!!
Gold (another 80's reference)....a guy that I know came up to me on Thursday and said, "Gold!" and I said what? He then proceeds to tell me that the price of gold was close to a thousand dollars an ounce and how it is time to buy. I looked him right in the eye and asked him if he was serious and with a serious face he said "Yes."
It was with a heavy heart that I asked him why was he riding a wave that everyone else is going to ride? He gave me a puzzled look. I restated my question, why do you want to get in on something that everyone else has gotten in on? His response was a priceless puzzled look. I told him, "Right now you see the price of gold is at the top of a wave and like every wave it will come crashing down. Now, don't get me wrong GOLD will never be worthless but if you go in now with a minimum $10K block at the current price (approx. $980/oz.) and when the price corrects itself, it will be lower than the starry eyed price you see now and your $10K will be worth a lot less."
He responds, "but they say it will go up."
I say, "Just like 'they' said to the Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) holders that the interest rate will go down and now look at them," again another puzzled look, "What I am trying to say is that those that are talking are the ones that want you to dump your money into something so they can get out, make a profit, and leave you holding the bag."
So what did I recommend?
I recommend to my friend. Find the next wave and jump on while it is still growing and then get out just as the news media starts to leak the story to the public. He again gave me this look of utter confusion. I asked him if he had been tracking the price of gold or did he just happen to hear about the price of gold in the press? Reluctantly, he stated that he had just heard about it. Well my friend, it is time for you to start doing your homework and quit thinking like everyone else. Remember, $984 is the price of entry, the price to play. You have to give up $984 of your money just to get in the game, the last best time to have gotten in the game was on Monday, April 2, 2001 when Gold closed at $255.95. Guess what? That Gold ship has sailed!!!
I told him to look at other commodities such as foodstuff, other precious metals, and pharma. Find the next big hit, get in, and ride the wave for the long haul, get out just as it is starting to crash, which usually occurs when the media gets a hold of what is happening. Good Luck (after all isn't that what playing the market is truly all about?)!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I do not hold a position in Gold as a commodity. As of this writing, the closing price of Gold was $972.50 per troy ounce (London Fix).
and now the actual 80's reference:
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, markets, Commodities Trading, ARM, rates, Spandau Ballet
It was with a heavy heart that I asked him why was he riding a wave that everyone else is going to ride? He gave me a puzzled look. I restated my question, why do you want to get in on something that everyone else has gotten in on? His response was a priceless puzzled look. I told him, "Right now you see the price of gold is at the top of a wave and like every wave it will come crashing down. Now, don't get me wrong GOLD will never be worthless but if you go in now with a minimum $10K block at the current price (approx. $980/oz.) and when the price corrects itself, it will be lower than the starry eyed price you see now and your $10K will be worth a lot less."
He responds, "but they say it will go up."
I say, "Just like 'they' said to the Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) holders that the interest rate will go down and now look at them," again another puzzled look, "What I am trying to say is that those that are talking are the ones that want you to dump your money into something so they can get out, make a profit, and leave you holding the bag."
So what did I recommend?
I recommend to my friend. Find the next wave and jump on while it is still growing and then get out just as the news media starts to leak the story to the public. He again gave me this look of utter confusion. I asked him if he had been tracking the price of gold or did he just happen to hear about the price of gold in the press? Reluctantly, he stated that he had just heard about it. Well my friend, it is time for you to start doing your homework and quit thinking like everyone else. Remember, $984 is the price of entry, the price to play. You have to give up $984 of your money just to get in the game, the last best time to have gotten in the game was on Monday, April 2, 2001 when Gold closed at $255.95. Guess what? That Gold ship has sailed!!!
I told him to look at other commodities such as foodstuff, other precious metals, and pharma. Find the next big hit, get in, and ride the wave for the long haul, get out just as it is starting to crash, which usually occurs when the media gets a hold of what is happening. Good Luck (after all isn't that what playing the market is truly all about?)!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I do not hold a position in Gold as a commodity. As of this writing, the closing price of Gold was $972.50 per troy ounce (London Fix).
and now the actual 80's reference:
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Gold, markets, Commodities Trading, ARM, rates, Spandau Ballet
04 March 2008
Resolution Revisit
Yeah it's that time of the year again. OK, the third time out of twelve times. Today, here in Texas it is Super Tuesday and I do so hope you exercised your right as a citizen of the United States of America, that's all I am going to say about politics and the political process.
Now on with the show...Where do I stand on my resolutions? So far, I would have to say 50-50. I have been running and eating better still somehow managed to gain a few pounds (well 2) however, I am not discouraged.
As for the reading here is where I am at:
- January: Join The Conversation by Joseph Jaffe (which I started reading over the holidays in December)
- February: Be, Know, Do by Frances Hesselbein (Introduction), California School of Organizational Studies at Alliant International University Staff, Richard E. Cavanagh (Foreword by), Eric K. Shinseki (Introduction)
- March: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
I know that I said in February that Microtrends was on deck but when it came time buy the book, NPR had an interview with Michael Pollan and I was hooked, so Microtrends never made it into the shopping cart. Good thing for me, because two weeks ago 800-CEO-READ was offering something really cool. If I sent them $20, they would give the money to the ROOM TO READ organization, and 800-CEO-READ would send me three books from their vast holdings. Cool idea so they got my $20, well ROOM TO READ got my money. About two weeks later three cool books arrived at my door in the classic 8CR box. When I opened the box "with unbridled avarice" (to quote one of three favorite Christmas movies) what did my eyes see, right on top???? You got it...Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes along with The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, and Don't Gobble The Marshmallow...Ever!
So that pretty much sets me up, with reading, all they way to the end of June. None of this is taking into consideration any of my MBA reading requirements and I assure you they are quite hefty.
Enough about me, how are you and your resolutions doing?
A Nice Thank You Note from 800-CEO-READ
The books in my 8CR Mystery Box:
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, MBA, Reading, Join The Conversation, Joseph Jaffe, Be, Know, Do, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan, 800-CEO-READ, Room to Read, Microtrends, The Energy Bus, Don't Gobble The Marshmallow, 8CR Mystery Box, New Years Resolution
Now on with the show...Where do I stand on my resolutions? So far, I would have to say 50-50. I have been running and eating better still somehow managed to gain a few pounds (well 2) however, I am not discouraged.
As for the reading here is where I am at:
- January: Join The Conversation by Joseph Jaffe (which I started reading over the holidays in December)
- February: Be, Know, Do by Frances Hesselbein (Introduction), California School of Organizational Studies at Alliant International University Staff, Richard E. Cavanagh (Foreword by), Eric K. Shinseki (Introduction)
- March: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
I know that I said in February that Microtrends was on deck but when it came time buy the book, NPR had an interview with Michael Pollan and I was hooked, so Microtrends never made it into the shopping cart. Good thing for me, because two weeks ago 800-CEO-READ was offering something really cool. If I sent them $20, they would give the money to the ROOM TO READ organization, and 800-CEO-READ would send me three books from their vast holdings. Cool idea so they got my $20, well ROOM TO READ got my money. About two weeks later three cool books arrived at my door in the classic 8CR box. When I opened the box "with unbridled avarice" (to quote one of three favorite Christmas movies) what did my eyes see, right on top???? You got it...Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes along with The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy, and Don't Gobble The Marshmallow...Ever!
So that pretty much sets me up, with reading, all they way to the end of June. None of this is taking into consideration any of my MBA reading requirements and I assure you they are quite hefty.
Enough about me, how are you and your resolutions doing?
A Nice Thank You Note from 800-CEO-READ
The books in my 8CR Mystery Box:
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, MBA, Reading, Join The Conversation, Joseph Jaffe, Be, Know, Do, In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan, 800-CEO-READ, Room to Read, Microtrends, The Energy Bus, Don't Gobble The Marshmallow, 8CR Mystery Box, New Years Resolution
29 February 2008
Clock on wrist = Watch
This past weekend, something interesting happened. My son learned what a watch is. He turned three years old this week and he had previously known what a clock was and what it did. Of course, he cannot tell time but he understands the concept of what a clock does.
Well, this week my in-laws are in town and my son's grandfather was wearing a watch. My wife and I do not wear a watch as our cellphones have long since replaced a watch or the need to wear one. For almost all of my son's life he has not seen a watch on our wrist. Then when he saw it, he naturally said "you got a clock on your hand"
That's when it hit home. We are fast approaching a time in our history when wearable timepieces will be obsolete. Of course, when the long awaited and highly coveted “Dick Tracy Two-way Wrist Radio/TV” unit is finally made available things will certainly change but for now, they will never experience having to look at their wrist to tell the time. I sit here and wonder what else they will never experience, who knows maybe they will never experience owning an automobile.
I was reading something in today's (02/29) Wall Street Journal that mentioned in Japan, youth are leaning more towards not purchasing a car because they don't see the benefit of doing so. As they are more and more tied into the Internet, the need for a vehicle diminishes. They can order just about anything they want/need on the Internet and have it delivered. That along with their already cramped quarters pretty much anything they could ever want is within walking distance, so the need to own a car is quickly vanishing. What else is quickly vanishing from our kid's lives and being replaced with or substituted for?
Interesting times ahead for them and us.
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Wall Street Journal, Seiko watch, clock, Dick Tracy
Well, this week my in-laws are in town and my son's grandfather was wearing a watch. My wife and I do not wear a watch as our cellphones have long since replaced a watch or the need to wear one. For almost all of my son's life he has not seen a watch on our wrist. Then when he saw it, he naturally said "you got a clock on your hand"
That's when it hit home. We are fast approaching a time in our history when wearable timepieces will be obsolete. Of course, when the long awaited and highly coveted “Dick Tracy Two-way Wrist Radio/TV” unit is finally made available things will certainly change but for now, they will never experience having to look at their wrist to tell the time. I sit here and wonder what else they will never experience, who knows maybe they will never experience owning an automobile.
I was reading something in today's (02/29) Wall Street Journal that mentioned in Japan, youth are leaning more towards not purchasing a car because they don't see the benefit of doing so. As they are more and more tied into the Internet, the need for a vehicle diminishes. They can order just about anything they want/need on the Internet and have it delivered. That along with their already cramped quarters pretty much anything they could ever want is within walking distance, so the need to own a car is quickly vanishing. What else is quickly vanishing from our kid's lives and being replaced with or substituted for?
Interesting times ahead for them and us.
let's tag this post with:
Dave Guerra, Wall Street Journal, Seiko watch, clock, Dick Tracy
21 February 2008
...at my own risk
Who stands to win or better yet who stands to lose now that the Supreme Court has unanimously "upheld the right of workers to sue over losses in the 401(k) retirement-savings accounts in some circumstances..."? The Wall Street Journal reported in February 21, 2008 Personal Journal section that the issue in the case before the high court was "whether federal pension law, which allows lawsuits on behalf of a group of employees, also allows an individual to sue over losses in his own account in a 401(k) or similar plan" provided that those that run the plan do not carry out your instructions. The Supreme Court's intent was to (hopefully) head off any possible losses to the plan as a whole.
While this makes a world of sense, to me, this sounds like we are but a few trials away from individuals suing fund/plan managers because the market fell out from under a plan or mutual fund. Then this would ultimately lead to any investor suing another for not buying shares of XYZ Corp. (which would raise stock prices) or sue their broker for not offering advice to buy into Apple Inc. when it was at $5/share (November 28, 1986's closing price).
To me, there is just something fundamentally wrong when people are told to read the prospectus and still complain when things go south. Knowing fully well that "past performance is not an indicator of future results." Rest assured that I am all for catching bad guys when they do something wrong.
I am also sure that there are safeguards built in to this, but what was once thought impossible is now reality. This means that a door that was once thought locked is now left wide open for people to cry foul then of course there will always be someone who will cry a little louder than the rest. Unfortunately, he will be heard and he will win, but at what price?
And that's why I buy low and sell high...at my own risk.
let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, 401k, Supreme Court, Wall Street Journal, Fund Managers, Apple, XYZ Corp
While this makes a world of sense, to me, this sounds like we are but a few trials away from individuals suing fund/plan managers because the market fell out from under a plan or mutual fund. Then this would ultimately lead to any investor suing another for not buying shares of XYZ Corp. (which would raise stock prices) or sue their broker for not offering advice to buy into Apple Inc. when it was at $5/share (November 28, 1986's closing price).
To me, there is just something fundamentally wrong when people are told to read the prospectus and still complain when things go south. Knowing fully well that "past performance is not an indicator of future results." Rest assured that I am all for catching bad guys when they do something wrong.
I am also sure that there are safeguards built in to this, but what was once thought impossible is now reality. This means that a door that was once thought locked is now left wide open for people to cry foul then of course there will always be someone who will cry a little louder than the rest. Unfortunately, he will be heard and he will win, but at what price?
And that's why I buy low and sell high...at my own risk.
let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, 401k, Supreme Court, Wall Street Journal, Fund Managers, Apple, XYZ Corp
16 February 2008
At the sharp end of the view....
things are certainly as they appear. This week was truly a good one in all sense of the word good. I am about 99.999% over that two week cold/sinus condition and that is definitely a big plus.
That was not all that was good this week. I was excited to get into some of the new media activities that found themselves occurring this week. Joseph Jaffe over at JaffeJuice was part of the exciting MyOOVOOday event. It was where Jaffe in "9 sessions and 41 people in really awesome conversation" would get online using the oovoo software to make it happen. Technical difficulties prevented me from being the 42nd individual in the conversation. Not wanting to be left out I asked Mr. Jaffe if future myoovooday sessions would be made available and from what I have been able to pick up, there may be more on the way. So stay tuned kiddies.
However, that was not all that was going on. Noted author Seth Godin was promoting his latest book MEATBALL SUNDAE by way of a series of teleseminars through Elizabeth Marshall's "Author Teleseminars.com". So I spent my lunch hour this past Thursday listening to Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Meyerson, and Andrea J Lee deliver some great and valuable information. There was my "Chance to Hear Seth and Top Experts Without Leaving Your Office or Spending a Dime" and I took big time advantage of it.
To round out the work week, this past Friday I kicked off an idea that I had been toying with for quite a long time: The 12 o'clock Brown Bag Lunch Training series (12BBLT). The 12BBLT is a series of hour long software and hardware oriented training sessions from managing Email to creating strong passwords to installing/upgrading memory on your PC to installing and configuring a wireless adapter on your network. Right now, I have over 12 sessions ready to roll and with the first one successfully under my belt I have ask myself what took so long?
Well, no matter what I am glad that I did it and that people I heard speak this week continue to instill in others the idea that it is OK to do something you like. All the while giving everyone the tools to be successful at doing what they like.
As you can see it has been a great week, all the while being Dad, Hubby on V-Day, and an MBA student. See what can happen when you have 24 hours every day...wait a second you do!
let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, Joseph Jaffe, oovoo, myoovooday, Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Myerson, Andrea J. Lee, Meatball Sundae, Never Eat Alone, Mastering Online Marketing, Money, Meaning and Beyond, Elizabeth Marshall, Author Teleseminars, Training, 24 hours a day
That was not all that was good this week. I was excited to get into some of the new media activities that found themselves occurring this week. Joseph Jaffe over at JaffeJuice was part of the exciting MyOOVOOday event. It was where Jaffe in "9 sessions and 41 people in really awesome conversation" would get online using the oovoo software to make it happen. Technical difficulties prevented me from being the 42nd individual in the conversation. Not wanting to be left out I asked Mr. Jaffe if future myoovooday sessions would be made available and from what I have been able to pick up, there may be more on the way. So stay tuned kiddies.
However, that was not all that was going on. Noted author Seth Godin was promoting his latest book MEATBALL SUNDAE by way of a series of teleseminars through Elizabeth Marshall's "Author Teleseminars.com". So I spent my lunch hour this past Thursday listening to Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Meyerson, and Andrea J Lee deliver some great and valuable information. There was my "Chance to Hear Seth and Top Experts Without Leaving Your Office or Spending a Dime" and I took big time advantage of it.
To round out the work week, this past Friday I kicked off an idea that I had been toying with for quite a long time: The 12 o'clock Brown Bag Lunch Training series (12BBLT). The 12BBLT is a series of hour long software and hardware oriented training sessions from managing Email to creating strong passwords to installing/upgrading memory on your PC to installing and configuring a wireless adapter on your network. Right now, I have over 12 sessions ready to roll and with the first one successfully under my belt I have ask myself what took so long?
Well, no matter what I am glad that I did it and that people I heard speak this week continue to instill in others the idea that it is OK to do something you like. All the while giving everyone the tools to be successful at doing what they like.
As you can see it has been a great week, all the while being Dad, Hubby on V-Day, and an MBA student. See what can happen when you have 24 hours every day...wait a second you do!
let's tag this blog post with:
Dave Guerra, Joseph Jaffe, oovoo, myoovooday, Seth Godin, Keith Ferrazzi, Mitch Myerson, Andrea J. Lee, Meatball Sundae, Never Eat Alone, Mastering Online Marketing, Money, Meaning and Beyond, Elizabeth Marshall, Author Teleseminars, Training, 24 hours a day
12 February 2008
What happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?
I got to thinking about a National Public Radio news report, back in December. It was about the $1000 bagel in New York City. The reports mentions that within the city there also exists a $10K Martini and a $25K Sundae and not to be left out, the Westin New York at Times Square serves, with 24 hours notice, a $1000 bagel. According to the Westin's chef, it is made of a plain bagel, Mascarpone cheese, a wine jelly, the so rare and so expensive white truffles, and what seals the deal at $1K; Edible gold. Yep, there it is the 100,000 penny bagel. So what happens when the $1000 bagel goes stale?
Yes, I know it's a bagel, made of yeasted wheat dough that has been boiled then baked. Real simple. However, it does go stale. So what do you do with $1,000 investment of bread that no one wants to eat? Can you recover your investment by selling the $1,000 Penicillin mold? Good Luck.
Seriously, though what happens when you invest in something (remember baseball cards?) and then something occurs to cause the investment to go stale. What then?
Alright, let's take a look at a 1985 Topps #181 Roger Clemens (RC - Rookie Card) Graded in NM - Near Mint or Better condition which has gone from a high of $16.00 (08/11/2007) to a low of $5.50 (02/11/2008). Talk about flying a lead balloon (and it continues to drop). So all those kids, back in the 1980s and 1990s, that were going to cash-in when the Rocket went Hall of Fame are now left holding a shoe box full of cards that are fast growing stale.
Considering recent revelations about Human Growth Hormones, Needles, Trainers, and Hearings things don't look so good for the Rocket and neither does it for those kids, now adults, with stacks of Clemens Rookie Cards.
Unfortunately, bagels cannot become unstale but with rookie cards that's a different story. Remember Pete Rose / Charlie Hustle's 1963 Topps #537 (RC - Rookie Card) which has been hovering around the $400 to $350 range for some time now and everyone knows the troubles Rose has had.
In the end, what does this have to do with bagels? Well, let's just file this under "what seems like a good thing today might not be so good tomorrow", so hold on to those cards a little longer but throw that moldy bagel away.
tags: Dave Guerra, NPR, The Rocket, Pete Rose, $1000 Bagel, Westin Times Square, Baseball Cards, Rookie Cards
Yes, I know it's a bagel, made of yeasted wheat dough that has been boiled then baked. Real simple. However, it does go stale. So what do you do with $1,000 investment of bread that no one wants to eat? Can you recover your investment by selling the $1,000 Penicillin mold? Good Luck.
Seriously, though what happens when you invest in something (remember baseball cards?) and then something occurs to cause the investment to go stale. What then?
Alright, let's take a look at a 1985 Topps #181 Roger Clemens (RC - Rookie Card) Graded in NM - Near Mint or Better condition which has gone from a high of $16.00 (08/11/2007) to a low of $5.50 (02/11/2008). Talk about flying a lead balloon (and it continues to drop). So all those kids, back in the 1980s and 1990s, that were going to cash-in when the Rocket went Hall of Fame are now left holding a shoe box full of cards that are fast growing stale.
Considering recent revelations about Human Growth Hormones, Needles, Trainers, and Hearings things don't look so good for the Rocket and neither does it for those kids, now adults, with stacks of Clemens Rookie Cards.
Unfortunately, bagels cannot become unstale but with rookie cards that's a different story. Remember Pete Rose / Charlie Hustle's 1963 Topps #537 (RC - Rookie Card) which has been hovering around the $400 to $350 range for some time now and everyone knows the troubles Rose has had.
In the end, what does this have to do with bagels? Well, let's just file this under "what seems like a good thing today might not be so good tomorrow", so hold on to those cards a little longer but throw that moldy bagel away.
tags: Dave Guerra, NPR, The Rocket, Pete Rose, $1000 Bagel, Westin Times Square, Baseball Cards, Rookie Cards
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)