Monday, December 16, 2013 Zeb’s VUE

General Information and Analysis

Let's try something different.  I will provide you with links to what I found as interesting stories to start the week.

• Here Comes the Dumb Money - Investing Caffeine  http://investingcaffeine.com/2013/12/14/2014-here-comes-the-dumb-money/ Good short insight.

• 20 Year Old Hotshots can be awfully dumb, but they have lots of time to recover.  Old toots like me are much more conservative; 'cause we don't have the time.  That is why we need YOUNG PEOPLE (and old toots as well for balance).  http://joefahmy.com/2013/12/13/stories-1999/

• Companies are using stock buybacks?  If you look I wrote about this, and how to take advantage of the trend.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/companies-turning-again-to-stock-buybacks-to-reward-shareholders/2013/12/15/58a2e99c-4aef-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html

• Gold Funds (Mutual Funds, ETFs, ETNs) see a 31% slump.  Gold Funds See Unprecedented 31% Slump With World Losing Faith  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-15/gold-funds-see-unprecedented-31-slump-with-world-losing-faith.html

• Mark Twain on Government Pensions (and GM labor Unions) - "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow".  Surowiecki: "In principle, providing for pensions isn’t difficult: governments set aside money every year to fund them, just as workers contribute a percentage of their salary every year. But that means raising taxes or spending less on things that voters like, so politicians often just let pension contributions slide, passing the bill on to future taxpayers. Politicians are adept at rationalizing such irresponsible behavior."  http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2013/12/23/131223ta_talk_surowiecki  Oh my goodness - this is really hard hitting.  enjoy

• Baltic Dry Index surges to 3 year high?  Did you read my newsletter on how to use this index to track the Global Economy?  http://www.bespokeinvest.com/economic-indicators/

That was entertaining, but the new me (I just wrote about the new me in my news update) is looking for positives.  Ha... It is very difficult to read economic (and social news) and not become very alarmed.  But I'm looking... :)  OK, with the exception of the Baltic Dry Index, the news is not very good.  But I'm looking... :)