| The follies of marketing timing
Many investors try to "time" the market by "buying low and selling high." In theory, that's a great idea, but it's almost impossible to put into practice. If you try to outguess the market, you run the substantial risk of guessing wrong – of buying stocks too soon, before they get even cheaper, or of selling stocks too late, after they've fallen from their highs. But these are only the most obvious of the problems that can result from market timing. Here are some others to consider: You could lose your investment discipline. The best investors are the disciplined investors. They choose quality stocks and hold them for the long term, through good and bad markets. In fact, they have conditioned themselves to ignore short-term price swings in either direction, based on their belief that their patience eventually will be rewarded.
Checking out timeshares: They're not what they used to be
TWENTY years ago, a timeshare spiel nearly ended my marriage. I happened on the presentation while strolling down a street in Baja California. After sucking down three free industrial-strength margaritas, I was ready to sign on the dotted line. My husband, being less susceptible to strong drink, didn't share my zeal for plunking down $2,500 to visit Rosarito Beach every year during the third week of July for the rest of our lives. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed once the tequila wore off. But that was then. Timeshares are now "vacation clubs," and respected hotel companies with deep pockets, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Starwood and Wyndham, have jumped into the game. Sure, small companies still are selling a week at a time at tired properties to hapless tourists. But the old system, in which a buyer bought a specific week in a specific unit at a specific property, has been mostly supplanted by a more flexible product, with owners buying points that can be used for different weeks at various locations.
Blood on the big screen!
Movies are supposedly a reflection of society, which is why the fact that more and more violent films are making hay at the box-office is a scary thought! Take the current spate of Hollywood movies like Apocalypto, 300 and Babel, which are violent to the core. But while some chose to sit through these movies with their eyes shut, no one actually walked out of the screening room. Closer home, Bollywood has also displayed a strong shift in showcasing violence. Audiences have come of age, says director Anurag Kashyap, whose movie Black Friday faced flak for the true to life depiction of the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. The problem with our moral guardians is that they think whatever makes people uncomfortable should not be shown. Thats warped logic. Model-turned-actor Aryan Vaid says that though he has enjoyed movies like Silence of the Lambs, he does not enjoy watching violence on screen.
Financial Planner /Advisor Position
Gilbert Advanced Asset Management, Inc., a Premier-Financial Planning firm in the Tri-City area is seeking an ambitious, very intellignet, and self-motivated individual for the position of Financial Planner or Advisor. Job duties include meeting with clients and prospects as well as bringing in a new potential clients through various marketing methods. iIn addition, Advisor would provide ongoing financial and investment advice. Interested candidates must have experience in the financial industry as a financial planner, advisor, or consultant and have an entrepreneurial mindset. Also excellent communication, writing, and speaking skills are required in addition to a Bachelor's Degree or higher. Candidates must also possess a high level of professionalism to meet the firm's intrinsic values of honesty, accuracy and unparralleled service.
Zimbabwe: Best Performing Stock Market in 2007?
CNBC and other stock market tabloids are notorious for making simplistic linkages between the stock market and gross domestic product (GDP). They tell us that any event that stimulates GDP growth inevitably drives stock prices up, and any event that hurts GDP growth pushes stocks down. Since the largest share of GDP is consumption, consumer demand becomes the all-important figure driving growth. When the consumer gets too excited, the Fed must step in to cool them down with interest-rate hikes. When the consumer isn't spending, Fed interest-rate cuts stimulate demand. The tragedy currently occurring in Zimbabwe completely contradicts this sort of logic. Zimbabwe is in the middle of an economic disintegration, with GDP declining for the seventh consecutive year, half what it was in 2000.
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