Blog Archives

Deep Domain Knowledge - Finding Your Calling

niece Dr. Wolf - May 2017

A few weeks ago I referenced Bob Dylan’s recommendation that we find our calling. I saw this in action last week and had this supplemented by some of the things I read. I had the pleasure to go to Philadelphia to attend the graduation of my niece from the University of Pennsylvania where she was awarded a Ph.D.

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Dynamic Disequilibrium - New Era in Retail REIT's and Housing

Housing Retail REIT

Key economic data and stock prices almost always change before the narrative does. Although the housing meltdown didn’t really come into force until 2007, new home sales had already peaked in 2005 and this corresponded with the stock price of home builders hitting all-time highs. The first chart shows new home sales topping out in July 2015 and the same for Lennar’s stock price as the second chart depicts.

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Shifting Into Reverse - Where is The Auto Market Headed?

Auto

Auto sales have been one of the real bright areas of the economy ever since the “Cash for Clunkers” program ended and sales dropped back down to recessionary levels. The following chart shows how they have grown by approximately 100% from trough to peak.

Auto Sales

US Total Auto Sales

Unfortunately,

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How Strong Are Older Families' Financial Report Cards?

Report Card

Last week I discussed research showing the correlation between wealth and education. The Federal Reserve followed up with additional research about wealth and demographics, the subject of this post. More specifically, wealth and age. Not surprisingly, the older a household is the more wealth has been generated since people have had more time to save and invest.

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Another School Tragedy…..1927

School tragedies are not a modern affliction yet they have been on the rise since the Columbine High School massacre April 20, 1999. The Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown was absolutely horrifying and a tragedy of unspeakable proportions yet the worst school tragedy in American history was 80 years earlier it took place at an elementary school in Bath Michigan in 1927.

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It's Got to Get Better in a Little While...Or Does it?

better

Jamie Dimon and Ray Dalio have both come out and said that despite America being such a strong country and performing well economically, not all is right when looking under the hood.

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You Gotta Serve Somebody - Who is the Fed Serving?

Fed Serves

Bob Dylan said, “You gotta serve somebody.” The Federal Reserve is no exception. The Fed has the mandate to use its policy tools granted to it by Congress to help achieve full employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates (most people are not aware of the third mandate).

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The Manipulative Function: George Soros Theory of Reflexivity

I recently re-read George Soros’ lectures at Central European University from October 2009. He gave five of them and they will be something I return to over time. Soros’ most formative experience was as a 14-year-old in 1944 and having escaped the Nazis out of Hungary.

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I Don't Buy It So I'm Selling It

Selling

I probably should have written this two weeks ago but I wanted to finish my Munger trilogy. I dislike when hindsight bias is used and prefer when people tell me when they are going to do something or just did and the reasons for it so that the decision can be evaluated objectively.

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Man Up! Munger On The Benefits Of Diversifying Investments

Diversifying

This is the last in my three-part series excerpting what were the highlights for me from Charlie Munger’s extemporaneous comments and responses to questions at the Daily Journal shareholders’ meeting. Most financial professionals recommend diversifying your investments to avoid being wiped out financially and/or emotionally.

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