Sitting back and grinning like a cat that caught and ate the mouse here...

Didn't even look..

Me either 🥂

I refuse to look. Maybe next year I'll look. Oh wait....

lol, nope! I've been slaughtered. I'm not concerned though. I'll continue to collect dividends, make my regular purchases, and see where the market wants to go. I am thinking I will just let Vanguard manage my Roth IRA entirely from here on out though, or especially for now in this volatile market. I still have my Fidelity account that I manage.

Try crypto. Go to crypto.com and download their app, use the referral code 2MSAAO91KO and get a free $80 in crypto to play with or cash out. Don’t invest more that you are willing to lose!

Crossed back over another threshold the last couple of days... My investment accounts are back up to all time high values. :)

It's been pretty fun just sitting back and watching my Dividend Investment Growth strategy do it's thing.

Now I'll have to check mine...

I haven't fully recovered but I've definitely rebounded tremendously.

Anyone like NASDAQ: CRON for long term?

Ive got rail, oil, renewable energy, semiconductor, medical devices, and auto in my portfolio currently but am not in any organics per se.

I’ve got 9,000 shares of Canopy Growth (CGC) —- for no other reason than it’s Constellation Brands association.....

These are going to be very volatile — and who knows which one, or ones, are going to be take over candidates - or actually make it etc.

I think you “have to” be invested in stuff like this — in a relative way of course - and the younger (more time) you are the better.

If you look at the charts, pot stocks are like potheads: not all that trustworthy. They get sold off en masse on a daily basis. Try Ford, maybe after they go bankrupt from recalls . . .

If you don't have an eye on it every day, the pot stock will take your money and spend it on batteries and Cheetos.

You know that not all growers are for medicinal smoking right? I think with states considering it legalization that there is some potential but I agree its going to be volatile and who knows which ones will be the winners, like the next cryto craze.

But something that is happening quietly, imo, is the rise of CBD consumption. The rise of CBD consumption in the pharma industry would seem to indicate a demand. And with the talks of beverage companies coming out with CBD infused products, I dont want to miss an opportunity for good growth.

Idk. Could also just be a flash in the pan.

We never really know about “new” industries like this — all you can do is to be your own “brain” — is this something you see as having potential — can you “afford” to gamble with some portion of your investable assets and see it potentially go to zero - or can you stomach the assault that is surely going to hit you with every up and down?

Investing like this is NOT 101 —- it’s for more advanced investors who understand all the possible pitfalls and possible upsides.... In other words — who the heck knows??? I sure don’t. But I can afford to put some dough up and see where it goes. It’s not for the faint of heart.

The pot stock thing has already happened--many of us may have been too busy eating Twinkies to catch it (I was). The good point here is that the "legalized" version of the industry is new, as far as Wall Street goes. That said, the industry is by no means run like regulated industries (being that there is a lot of cartel involvement, not that they don't dip their toes in Wall Street's pool). They're still trying to figure out how to regulate it and so far, they have managed to make the illegal stuff more affordable and attractive all over again. Much like the crypto business, there has been a lot of scamming in the financial sector. Of course there is demand for the thing itself . . .

In getting back to the stock, since the stocks are still relatively new (and played out quickly), they trade like newer stocks, with lots of volatility (which is not a bad thing, so long as you actively manage your holdings). So long as you can ignore the cable-news version of volatility, like it's some kind of bad word, you can benefit from it, but you have to work with it. You cannot be passive.

While a lot of algorithmic trading (60%+ of the market's activity) sticks to large caps like Apple and GM, it also finds a home in the craps, like ACB and NBEV (popular pot stocks). So, if you look at a chart for Ford or GM, you'll see a trend line that goes for a year, but with a pot stock, the line on the graph will go for a week or two. The modern stock does not have a long-term brain.

An hour or two (or twelve) using the resources available free on Yahoo!finance (not the videos) can provide a great deal of helpful enlightenment here.

Term of the day: Average True Range

So I own a little bit of Garmin... GRMN

Had a real nice surprise when I downloaded quotes this am...

:) :trophy-1302:

With the Fed leveling out the rate hikes is it time to pull the money and run?

Serious question

I have been buying index funds vs individual stocks the past 8-12 months, and I had been thinking about stopping my positions (in my IRA) and putting it I the index funds

But if a recession is coming maybe hiding part of it in bonds?

This really has me feeling anxious like I haven't felt about my portfolio for a really long time

If I think the market is headed south —— I begin to stash cash vs continue to buy — and I WAIT for the market to come down and then I begin to BUY —- nibbling wait — nibble again....

Selling out trying to figure the market is going south —- that’s called “MARKET TIMING” — it never works well.

Here’s what happens to your mental state — you were thinking about selling because you were nervous — you don’t because you can’t make up your mind — then “whatever it is” you were waiting for does finally happen in some form - AND THEN YOU SELL....... losing money and licking your wounds.

Investing is like getting married — you should be in thru thick and thin - in sickness and in health....

When the market sells off — like a 2008/09 event — and stays down — it gives you an opportunity to average your costs down by buying MORE shares for less cost.... the longer that opportunity lasts — the more time you have to put money to work at lower costs.... by averaging down like this — the market has to come back “less” for you to break even - or begin to show a gain. It’s like — you always wanted a 56 Corvette but they were out of reach — and all of a sudden the market collapses the price..... by half. You buy one that was 100% better condition than you’d dreamed of and drive it and love it.... and you hold it and polish it for 7 years.... and the market all of sudden snaps back and your lovely 56 doubles in value back to it’s pre collapse value. You’re looking pretty smug now.

The reason I advocate DIVIDEND PAYING STOCKS — they keep paying you whether the market is up or down or sideways.

Thanks for the "chill pill" reality check haha

I appreciate it

I think I just need to pay less attention to the talking heads

You do have to place a little blind faith in to the “process”. The market goes up and down and sideways...... but that’s why I refer you to the OVERALL charts going out longer term!! Lower on the left - higher on the right.....

Now — the other thing is — people want to focus on their “mistakes” vs the ones they got right — That’s when you need to remain calm - examine the individual company (investment) and either trim it over time - or do you think it can stage a comeback —- think Chipotle (CMP)..... so is the downturn in the name a missed whisper number - or is it fundamental etc - you have to examine what’s going on - and whether or not it’s a buy - hold - or sell. And remember - the day after you sell - it will go up and the day after you buy it will go down.

Not always Gregg. A few years ago I had dumped a certain stock that varied from $60-80 a share at $105. The next day it went down and I was the smartest man around. Lol Well...3 years later it hovers around 300 a share, and I dumped six figures worth.

I have a long list of those....... Chipotle - Amazon - Microsoft - McDonalds.....

I was able - thru a friend - to get STARBUCKS at the IPO price.... bought 1000 shares — flipped it out a couple days later because it was up 50 cents - thought I’d skinned a fat cat making $500 in a couple days.....

Yeah - I was brilliant wasn’t I??

I had to go do some research on Starbucks (SBUX) to see what it’s long term price had done since I had my big flip and gain of $500’


If you account for splits - the 1992 price per share would be .45 (forty five cents) per share —- it’s current price is almost 16,000 % gain since inception (IPO)


So - I had 1000 shares at @ total cost of $14,000 (IIRC) —- X’s 16,000%

Just quickly — I think that would be worth about 2.2 MILLION today

[QUOTE=GregWeld
Just quickly — I think that would be worth about 2.2 MILLION today[/QUOTE]

Just think, you could have bought ten more piles of crap! Lol
(Too soon yet?)

I still can.......


Never too soon! I make more fun of the POS (Pile of Sauce) than anyone.

No regrets fellas... It's really easy to make decisions looking backwards.

None here Todd, and yes a crystal ball would be handy.

Saw a Warren Buffet quote on IG today, "the rear view mirror in business is much cleaner than the windshield"

Yet if we spend too much time looking back, we'll trip on what's ahead....

I spent too many years on the only if's.... I can honestly say I have not one regret and I've done some really stupid stuff. After all, mistakes are some of the best experience. I do think you need to be willing to learn and change your ways in the process.

I know I'm not supposed to do this, but it was so glaring I had to check. My investment accounts are up 5% since Jan 1 2019...

This last week has been crazy green for me....

This is why you can’t be a market timer — because if you sell every time you get worried — the market will snap back and run on you and then all you do is end up with cash that needs to be put to work - -and thus you buy at ever higher prices.... TIME IS THE GREAT MAGIC — Not timing.

At&t (t)
 

Watching CNBC this morning and all the discussion about “Streaming”.... Apple - Netflix - Disney - Hulu..... everyone wants you to sign up for their streaming service and cut the cable

Why mention this? Because I got to thinking that AT&T bought Direct TV (cable) for growth — and assumed massive debt for the purchase. My millennial children don’t have or want cable - they have streaming stuff.....

Just remembering “fundamental change” in your holdings — and is this one??? The death of a 1000 cuts — or was it a brilliant move? IDK — just saying to pay attention.

Yup, as soon as cable internet like speed is available elsewhere, the cable companies are toast.

I'm a cord cutter...been 2 years now without cable TV. So I'm experienced with that side of this discussion.

I also own AT&T and am a bit upside down in it since the DTV purchase. So also familiar with that side...

What I know now is that streaming ain't all it's cracked up to be. There is nothing free about any kind of good content and what you can stream is getting so filled up with ads that you can't skip that it's frustrating to watch. Hulu, youTubeTV and such are now all raising their subscription fees and the cord cutters are raising heck about it. Not only that but fast internet ISPs are raising their rates largely as well. My 100 mbps Cox connection just jumped from $69\month to $99\month.

I'm still not sure where it's going, but I know having a cable\Sat DVR with the ability to easily record and skip commercials on playback is still the best way to watch ANY TV programming. It's just not worth $200\month to this user. For now the Cable\Sat companies seem to be happy jacking up the rates to the subscribers they have left to keep their profit margins in line, the more subs they loose, the higher they jack rates. At some point one would think they will dial that back to get the Subs back that get tired of the unskippable ads and expensive internet the streamers are stuck with.

I suspect the build out of the 5G network nationwide will dictate the next move on both sides...and this part I'm less knowledgeable about.

I can barely watch cable TV. The commercials are ridiculous. I have to be really tired a looking for something mind numbing. I end up on Netflix most of the time.

On the flip side, I noticed Amazon is getting into prescription drugs. A to your door type deal. I'm a bit down on CVS and it makes me look to consider unloading it in the short term.

I continue to hold on to a couple hundred shares of Amazon (AMZN).

#1 — I buy EVERYTHING from them

#2 — The Web services biz is still growing

#3 — They seem to have smart people at the top

Spectrum (Time Warner) is now offering cell service and uses the Verizon platform and towers. I was paying $80 for Verizon and Spectrum was offering the same plan for $45. (However, you had to have either internet or tv through them and I already used them for internet) I actually jumped ship and now have a plan with Spectrum and have the exact same coverage. You can tell the Cable guys are moving trying everything they can to bring in new clients.

Buffett
 

Best advice ever —- what I’ve been saying since the first post — pick good well known names and places you shop or do biz with.... spread it thru sectors.... but he says it is broader brush stroke.... the KEY takeaway?? Don’t listen to the BS!!






Warren Buffett has some very simple advice for investors.

“All you have to do is just buy a cross-section of America and then never listen to people like me or read the papers or do anything subsequently,” he said in an exclusive interview with Yahoo Finance’s editor-in-chief, Andy Serwer.

I've been reading up on this a little too, more specifically who will come out on top in the wireless world... AT&T or Verizon. While AT&T's primary investment has been buying up other Telecom companies, Verizon's main investment has been their network in hopes of being better prepared for the coming 5G signal, which will better support the demand of everyone streaming everything.

Even though I've been a fan/customer of Verizon for many years, they both tell a compelling story in their theories of best growth practices. While AT&T currently has to work through a mountain of debt from all of their acquisitions, if and when they bring that to a zero balance, they could become the top contender if played right. But on the other hand, I think Verizon is poised to run away with the market by shoring up their foundation first. Just my .02 cents.

Two questions

A- do you think the stock (AMZN) will ever split? (i own 2 shares)
B- does it matter?