Gambling In a Good Way

1 - Our client Dinner and a Movie event Friday night was another winner. 44 clients and their invited guests all seemed to enjoy themselves immensely. Pat Strother's dinner was outstanding; North By Northwest was both suspenseful and fun. Michele and Juliet did a superb job as usual, and the three of us actually were able to sit down and watch the movie as members of the audience - a first, and a precedent which I intend to continue.

2 - Our next scheduled event is all business. On Tuesday, May 15, we will present the third (and perhaps final) event in our New Realities series, this one exploring the new realities of investing. (See full information in the Upcoming Events at our website: http://www.low-stress-investing.com/) This event will be open to the public; please come and invite a friend. Instead of the panel discussions that marked previous New Realities events, I will present the program myself.

3 - You don't often hear me compare investing to gambling, but this week's video does just that. Click on the video image below to discover one way in which investing can be compatible with roulette.

4 - Speaking of new realities, here's a great example. Eastman Kodak, the onetime technology leader and photography giant, which still has 17,000 employees, is mired in bankruptcy and is virtually worthless. Meanwhile, Instagram, a tiny company (just 12 employees) that makes a popular digital photography app for iPad, was bought last week for $1 billion by Facebook. There are all kinds of lessons in the juxtaposition of these two very similar, but very different firms. Read a full account in USA Today by clicking here.

Have a fantastic week!

-Andy

The Real Stuff

1 - All clients should have received their quarterly reports by now. The January-through-March period was a good one for the markets, and by extension, for our clients. If you have not yet received your report, please let Juliet know.

2 - Our clients-only Dinner and a Movie night is this Friday! The movie is Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller North By Northwest. Pat Strother and her fine crew will serve a delicious and healthy vegetable lasagna (with meatballs on the side). If you want to come but have yet to register, now's the time to let us know!  Click here, or call Michelle at 859-7001.

3 - With the exposing of several Ponzi schemers over the last few years, it's only natural for investors to wonder if their financial adviser is somehow appropriating client funds for his or her own use. This week's video offers three simple but important tips to avoid becoming a victim.

Have a jam-up week!

-Andy

Young-at-Heart

1 - Investing sometimes involves gut-wrenching decisions. In this week's video, we take a look at how hard it can be to stick to your guns when the going gets rough -- and the big rewards that can result. Click here to view the 3-minute example. (A side note: I have been working to tighten and improve the videos we present here. If you haven't watched one in a while, you might want to take a fresh look -- and give me your honest evaluation.)

2 - Reminder to clients: our clients-only Dinner and a Movie event is coming up in less than two weeks. The movie is Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller North By Northwest. If you're ready to sign up, click here. 

3 - I recently read a fascinating article on the New Yorker website about the world's oldest stockbroker, Irving Kahn, 106 (photo below). Mr. Kahn, chairman of the Kahn Brothers brokerage and money management firm, still goes to work every day at his 22nd-floor office on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. It's not an overstatement to say that Mr. Kahn's mind is still sharp as a tack: he reviews the firm's every transaction and supervises investment policy. He remembers working on Wall Street before the Great Depression, and still looks ahead to an exciting future. This guy is my hero! Click here to read the full article.

4 - Our office will be closed on Good Friday this week. We wish you a blessed Easter.

Have a young-at-heart week!

-Andy