Articles by A Raymond Randall on ArticleSnatch.com

Sub Prime Mortgages: Baseless Commitments

Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

"Waiter, I'll have a sub-prime steak; make it medium-rare". Order with those words and your waiter will check you for two heads. If you eat meat, you want the prime-cuts. In fact, no one wants sub-par unless you're playing golf. So what motivates mortgage loan officers toward sub-prime lenders? Money of course! Typical capital formula: the greater the risk the greater the return. Mortgage lenders weigh risk, return, and value. They risk loaning money that may or may not get repaid. They risk loaning money at a rate that falls well below fluctuating interest rates over 30 years. They risk loaning money on real estate properties that lose value. High risk loans recommend high rewards. Commissions are issued and the home buyer or refinance candidate gets or keeps their home. Suspicious lending practices put the buyer at risk. The loan document may bury the facts. "Just sign here. You can move into your new house next Monday." No reason to heed "truth-in-lending"; get the sale, "seal the deal" because the borrower pays no matter what. Predatory lending practices bring further harm to families hoping to fulfill their dream of home ownership. **End Summary** Topics: sub prime mortgages]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

Aggressive and Assertive: You Can't Be Both

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

During a girl's high school finals basketball game, I heard some spectators talking about the youngest player. "She's so aggressive for a small player." Another said, "She jumps so high when rebounding, and comes down with the ball." One watcher must have been to the previous play-off game. He said, "She was high-scorer in the last game. What do you think makes her so good? She's aggressive and fun to watch." Aggressive or assertive? Confident or angry? What motivates superior performance? What separates the one from the many? With two minutes and thirty-seven seconds left to the last quarter of the game, our team was losing by 7 points. A win means a day-off from school since the championship game is played at the TDBankNorth Garden in Boston on Monday. In the last minutes, the youngest player, praised at the beginning of the game, punched an opposing player. Sheer frustration, assertion or anger? Probably sheer frustration and disappointment tainted by aggression. Our youngest player and her teammates did homework Monday night. Obviously, aggressive behavior instigates disappointment and consequence. The "ref" gave the leading team an automatic two-point penalty shot. **End Summary** Topics: assertive]]> aggressive]]> self-confidence]]> self-improvement]]> assertive]]> aggressive]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

How To Watch a (Stock Market) Bottom

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Recently, Lisa and I were waiting to be seated at a Kittery, Maine restaurant. The hostess stood to our left; we sat waiting. I avoided looking in her direction until Lisa said, "I like those jeans." Well, we both acknowledged the jeans and the genes. I said to Lisa, "Now that's a bottom to notice." Stock market bottoms have some common technical curves that arouse investors. Unfortunately, what the investor sees often distracts them from what matters. On Tuesday,February 27, 2007 stock market watchers awakened to a surprise. On Monday night, stocks looked just O. K. However, there were some signs of concern within the shadows of a "Goldilocks" economy. Here is what happened. For a number of weeks prior to February 27th, markets bounced up and down on news. Neither upward moves in the market nor downward moves were driven by much conviction. Usually, this rings bells for a few market observers. "No fixed time can be set for the readjustment of values which always follows an era of extravagant expansion," writes Cuthbert Mills in his article, "Recent Movements of the Stock Market". [The North American review. **End Summary** Topics: asset allocation]]> stock market risk]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

Hey Buddy! Gotta Buck?

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500

On a Wednesday afternoon , a leased commercial jet landed at Bangkok International airport. Two hours later, a Thai bus driver for the Airports Authority of Thailand maneuvered narrow alleyways to Thailand's version of the Red Roof Inn. When getting off the bus, the first words I heard were, "Hey Air Force man; gotta buck?" Today kids are asking, "Hey buddy, gotta Euro?" Currently, the Japanese have no yen for the Dollar; the British may be metric, but they prefer pounds, and kids in Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, and Italy have a new toy called the Euro. Whatever happened to the U.S. Dollar? What does it mean to your investments? What does it mean to our economy, the way we live? The Dollar's performance against its peers on the world market is the worst in three years. The dollar lost 10% of its value as of December 13th 2006. Any nation's currency gets strengthened when interest rates go up. Europeans expect the Euro to go up as the European Central Bank (ECB) increases interest rates. When the Federal Reserve moves adjusts interest rates up, dollar investors like it, but moving rates up could set off a recession. **End Summary** Topics: dollar]]> currency]]> stock market]]> economy]]> trade deficit]]> budget deficit]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

Wall Street: Where Money Grows

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500

When working, I listen to Bloomberg Television. Commentators and guests banter about the stock market, the Federal Reserve, interest rates, corporate stock, and national news. The day changes, the news is similar, but never trumpery. As interesting as daily stock market news is to me, I often wonder if market reports matter when most investors are too busy and distracted to pay attention. Investors stay-tuned for the closing market averages; if the market is up, all is right with the world. If the market is down, "I'm in it for the long haul." If the market cascades unexpectedly, investors second-guess investment decisions. "Buy! says the Bull" "Sell!", says the Bear. Who is Right? Stock and bond trading is a tug-of-war between the Bears and the Bulls (similar to the Democrats and the Republicans): one group sees what's right, the other group sees what's wrong. Both are opportunists. If too many become Bulls, the suspicious Bears salivate; when the Bear corrals the Bull, the Bulls know their time is near. Bear traders see the glass half-empty; bull traders see the glass half-full. Together, they make a "market" where stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, commodities, and derivatives are traded. **End Summary** Topics: asset allocation]]> stock market]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

Frogs, Logs, And The Stock Market

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Last night, my daughter and I were up until 1:15AM completing a chemistry paper on the arguments for and against global warming. On our drive to school, we talked about the emotion attached to viewpoints. Debate becomes an "all or nothing" proposition. One side must be wrong completely with ad hominem invective. Each side sustains argument with seemingly logical evidence. I suggested to Emily that we fail to find the middle ground within controversy, and we forget the commitment required for action-steps by relying on "talking points". Most of us forget that debate is not a "zero-sum game". So what about the frogs? Emily writes, "Global warming could possibly lead to the extinction of many species. When the climate changes drastically, many animals cannot adapt...species are lost forever. If global warming is not stopped, more than a million species worldwide could be extinct by 2050...." Randolph Schmid and John Heilprin in their article, "Over fishing May Harm Seafood Population" do not address global warming, but their arguments against "over fishing" are strikingly similar. Schmid and Heilprin quote Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia who says the data about "over fishing... **End Summary** Topics: global warming]]> environment]]> stock market]]> investing]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall, Registered Investment Advisor, uses his expertise to help you formulate your goals, feelings, and purpose when you invest. Leave your comment for him on here.

Up One Day, Down One Day: Stock Market Trading

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Market closing prices run up and run down faster than summer lightning strikes and rain pours. One day, investors are encouraged; the next day, investors are disappointed. Does the market mislead investors one day to sucker the same investor the following day? Or, does the stock market inform beyond immediate perception? The difficulty facing investors involves delving below the obvious market numbers. When the market makes accelerated pricing moves is there a warning message underlying the number? All conversations involve the spoken or obvious message and the unspoken underlying message. Getting to the "what is really being said" challenges everyone listening to the language of the stock market. As someone told me once, "The real message is always the message behind the message." Here are some messages within the message of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Intra-day stock market activity Most investors ignore the opening, few glance at sidewalk tickers or hear intra-day TV or radio stock market reports. Markets drift or make wild intraday moves. In most cases, intra-day stock market price moves get their momentum from news. **End Summary** Topics: investing]]> stock market investments]]> stocks]]> bonds]]> asset allocation]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor . providing investment help and financial planning guidance. You may call Ray (617-275-5565.

Improvement is "All About You"

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Everywhere I look in my house, there are improvements to make, and I am not talking about the building where my family lives. By home, I mean where you spend most of your time. Our houses shelter us; our personalities and bodies are home, and sometimes home is not so sweet. Here are five recommendations that might change the appearance of where you live. The aisles of Lowes and Home Depot fill with homeowners seeking hardware and lumber to make home repairs. Often couples debate and argue about how to manage a project. Sometimes heated arguments take place at the service desk as clerks try to smooth over a consumer's anger. The irony is that the do-it-yourself homeowner has emotional leaking valves with a few loose planks. Their conversation recommends some repair projects on their true residence, where they really live. We all have unfinished home improvement projects (if you think you don't, ask your spouse). Home projects show up on a list. We check them off, and move on to the next one. We study, plan, construct, repair, and feel satisfaction with the project's completion. We also have many unfinished personality projects; **End Summary** Topics: self-improvement]]> quality improvement]]> self-help]]> how to have a better day]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

How To Measure The Stock Market's Gains And Losses

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

A former colleague at a major stock brokerage firm always confused "fiscal" with "physical". On June 30th, he would talk about the close of the "physical year". Just a mental block for an intelligent man. Fiscal year-end differs for corporations with most ending June 30th while others use December 31st. Fiscal is fancy jargon for "show me the money". Measurements connotes appearances men notice. Year-end fiscal measurements get the attention of both genders. A friend reminds me, "You cannot track what you do not measure". Many market watchers measure the stock markets performance by tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average. So, just what is the Dow Jones Industrial Average? The Dow Jones Industrial Average When Charles Dow, a journalist, devised his index for securities, most investors were bond buyers. Bonds provided predictable ownership with specific interest payment (coupon) and a promised return of your money (principle) on a specific date (maturity). Only a few investors wanted stocks; for most, stocks were too risky. Think you have trouble following stock prices? In 1884, investors read charts with prices up 1/4 point, down 1/8th point. All seemed rather perplexing (frankly, it is not much different today with newspapers printing decimal stock-closing prices. **End Summary** Topics: Dow Jones Industrial Average]]> fiscal]]> market index]]> market performance]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall: Ethos Advisory , for investment help. Echievements.com for self-improvement and money-making articles. Read more about market indices: http://www.ethosadvisory.com/articles/index.php?id=291

El Marketing, Das Marketing, Le Marketing

Fri, 16 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

While reviewing site stats, I noticed 18 foreign countries as domain origins. This prompts my curiosity. Should I hone my marketing efforts to serve these visitors effectively in their native tongue? My college age daughter studies French, German, and Spanish simultaneously. The Word "marketing" is an "American" word she informs me; distinguished in Spanish, German, and French with slight nuance. Although my daughter learns conversations in Spanish, German, and French, much more talk is in Chinese. Despite this fact, Kenji Kitao, a professor of English at Doshisha University in Japan, points out, "English is the major language of news and information...business and government...maritime communication and international air traffic control...." English headlines and text appear on more than half of the newspapers published in the world. Three thousand magazines publish in English for Indian readers, according to Kitao. If so many read so much English, what reason would a webmaster have for providing multiple language translations for web sites? Well, web marketing seeks global participation by its nature. Every villager, whether dressed in a Brooks Brothers suite or shorts and sandals may click a favorite URL, and each villager speaks a unique language. **End Summary** Topics: web site traffic]]> web traffic]]> marketing]]> promotion]]> web site translation]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

How To Flatten A Penney

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

My son slipped a penny in the slot, cranked the machine, and turned his (or was it mine?) penny flat. He can't spend it now, but who uses pennies these days? We have drawers full of them. Watching him made me think of Thomas Friedman's book, The World Is Flat: A Brief History Of The Twenty-First Century (an easy recollection since I was reading the book). Friedman writes for the New York Times editorial department. He has written Longitudes and Attitudes and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. The World is Flat completes a trilogy that validates Marshall McLuan's maxim, "We now live in a global village...a simultaneous happening." Friedman makes global observations with wise criticism and keen understanding. For example, listen here to Friedman talk about the Iraq War, "If you don't visit a bad neighborhood in a flat world, it will visit you, " and it did. 11/9 and 9/11 I won't give away the entire content of Friedman's book. I couldn't do it justice, and it is too long (471 pages). I will tell you that two events hinge the world for Friedman. **End Summary** Topics: Foreign investing]]> global investing]]> outsourcing]]> infosourcing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

The Three- Legged Investment Stool

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

My paternal grandparents were born near Lake Como, Italy. My grandfather learned how to farm, and he did just that until he died chopping wood at age 88. As a boy, I would walk into the barn where I watched him milking cows. Never got the hang of it, but I liked hearing the ping of fresh milk in the galvanized bucket. In order to get where he needed to reach, Popper would sit on a three legged stool. That wooden stool causes me to think of three investment legs for every household or business endeavor. As you know, lots of things come in sequence or synergy of three, even sneezes. First leg: Investment Portfolio Although debate continues about asset allocation, no one denies the impact and importance of diversification. Equally, all investors are aware of investment risk, even though many won't talk about it. Assets divided among a diverse group of assets adds further safety when money gets exposed to the unexpected. We may find ourselves within the matrix of major or macro economic changes. Observing the price of oil, the weakened value of the dollar, and the emergence of China recommends broad asset class participation. **End Summary** Topics: global investing]]> mutual funds]]> cash flow]]> asset allocation]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Before Spending Your Money-Visit Forums

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

"Click Here" on a secure server sets off a chain of events approving your credit card (you hope), dispatching an email to your inbox, and delivering your report or ebook. You never talked to the provider (and for all you know, they may be sleeping or on vacation). All this happens in a fraction of the time it would take you to research your motivation to purchase at a website forum. I've succumbed to this event with a few hundred dollars (probably a lot more) buying answers. However, prudence warns me to ask questions before buying. Asking questions (even dumb or poorly phrased ones) teaches more than remitting money for supposed answers. Paul A. Samuelson observes, "Good questions outrank easy answers." Most vendors provide plenty of free information, but often it fails to address your personal and specific question. Trustworthy answers elude us like Goggle's algorithms. Discovering answers to marketing and website management baffles and confuses many of us. Internet marketers don't resolve our muddling as they pop up on our desktop proffering offers and solutions. Each strives at convincing us they possess the right answer, when maybe there is no right answer, or commonsense already provides the solution. **End Summary** Topics: forums]]> webmaster resources]]> webmaster tools]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Do It Yourself Or Outsource

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

If you think you can do it all from writing website content to search engine optimization, you are wrong. It cannot be done, and you should not try doing it. Everyone tries to demonstrate multifaceted skill. In fact, some gurus encourage such behavior by recommending webmaster tools and resources. Some web companies offer tools to make website editing simple, and all webmasters should have a bit of html at their finger tips. I find the tasks of managing cgi scripts, website design, search engine optimization, and all those other webmaster tasks tedious. Sure, some would suggest that if I have a site, I should know how to do what a webmaster must do. I say, "Give me a break." There's got to be a better way, but I have not found it. Of course, people claiming they can do it all will disagree. For the rest of us, there must be alternatives. We need alternatives because it takes too long to learn the intricacies of running a website. That may not seem like a big deal. Just take the time, learn it, and do it. **End Summary** Topics: webmaster resources]]> outsourcing]]> webmaster tools]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Echievements is a self-improvement article library. Go here to read the articles cited in this article. Ray Randall, is a registered investment advisor .

Fedspeak: Polyglot Perspicacity

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

"Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe." Reading silently or aloud creates rhythmic nonsense, you might think. Humpty Dumpty explains, defines, and clarifies for Alice. Soon Alice sees meaning. As she does, the upside downs become the right side ups. Alan Greenspan often sounds like the Jabberwocky as much as Humpty Dumpty seems senatorial. Mr Greenspan's econoblab explained a lot without telling much. His Federal Reserve messages provide detailed economic data with vague nuanced economic outlook. Many Federal Reserve watchers hope Mr. Bernanke (Alan Greenspan's successor) tells us a lot so that senatorial Humpty Dumpty's do not seek explanations for economics "...that haven't been invented just yet." When the Federal Reserve Chairman presents the "Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress", it is called the Chairman's testimony. Testimony may be defined as "Evidence in support of a fact or assertion; proof." Statements must be lucid and transparent to the hearers to prove assertions or claims. Mr. Bernanke seems to do this with greater clarity. His sentences are brief, but not terse. According to a CNN Money. **End Summary** Topics: interest rates]]> federal reserve bank]]> mortgage rates]]> interest rates]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

You Can't Nail A Spider To Its Web

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Some planks need replacing on my back porch. Nailing each board makes certain it stays secure for years. However, when trying to nail down the Internet, search engines, email, or any marketing tool, you can't. Whether we like it or not, the Internet changes faster than New England weather, and with more subtlety than politicians. We'd all like to fasten our hopes to a few ideas that will work perpetually, and then sit back waiting for the fortune to stream to our bank accounts. Unfortunately, life just does not work this way. Although somewhat moralistic, recognizing that the easy way out does not exist softens expectations. Many Internet marketers suggest they work few hours to make huge sums. Frankly, I don't believe them. Working from your desk at home requires great effort, continuous focus, deliberate planning with plenty of creative adjustment. Yesterday, a colleague from India and I mused about whether or not Yahoo penalizes because Google Adsense Ads appear on a site. What options exist if this is true? We considered eliminating the Adsense Ads, but that cuts off any potential revenue even if it does limit the links from Yahoo. **End Summary** Topics: search engine optimization]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

"Health and Wealth" or "Wealth and Health"

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

On Wednesday at 1015AM October 13th, my body was intact with no parts missing. At two AM, Thursday October 14th, I awakened in someone else's bed. Lahey Hospital's. At 3AM, I sat in a large leather reclining chair (I tried wheeling it to my car, but the nurses stopped me) giving thanks for thoughtful and caring friends. Exactly 24 hours after the anesthesiologist put me under, I stood in my kitchen with a catheter and one rather important body part missing. Boy, that all happened rather fast! The sequence of doctor's visits, surgery, and follow-up force me to ask, "what matters?" Our wealth or our health? You might think, "Health, of course!" Someone else might reply, "Wealth; my health will take care of itself if I have plenty of money." Health never takes care of itself. All kinds of stuff goes on under the skin that needs attention. Overlooking, procrastinating, disliking doctors will not slow-down the creeping effects of cancer or other ailments. Prostate cancer kills. Men need to take careful steps to protect themselves. Actions may not ward off cancer (they did not for me); they will allow time to manage it quickly and wisely. **End Summary** Topics: healthy choices]]> wisdom]]> money]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

DORF Spells Doom For Detroit

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

The other day my wife and I talked about summer camps. We want our children in busy learning spaces when school vacates. For some reason the subject reminds me of a New Hampshire camp where I worked during the summers of graduate school. Every morning at camp, the grounds crew would empty trash barrels. Driving the old, dented pick-up truck made this job fun. As they drove past, I noticed that someone changed the chrome letters to read "DORF" instead of Ford. Dorf has no definition. It suggests goofy; for the camp pick-up truck, it described a poor-running, smokey, rusty, mechanical nuisance. Ford and GM have designed vehicles with mechanical panache. Corvette, Impala, and Country Squire were the cars of my youth. Their look made drivers proud when the price of gasoline did not matter. As a high school senior, I drove a 1950 convertible Chevrolet with Dynaflow. I loved the smell of the interior, the sound of the automatic transmission, and the convertible top that needed pushing and pulling during sudden down pours. My grandfather drove a 1954 Cadillac as did my father. Long, sleek American cars lined lanes from New Haven to Newport Beach. **End Summary** Topics: Dow Jone Industrial Average]]> US Stocks]]> International Investing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Gift Wrap Your Affection Without Bows of Debt

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Drudgery and debt can sour any holiday gift-giving. Holiday cheer can easily become dour commitments tied with bows of debt. Our grandparents paid for gifts with cash or created a gift with their hands. My grandmother crocheted the saying, "The gift is small but love is all." Today, the motto is "Give me more". My wife's grandmother remembers the year her gift was an orange for Christmas. She recalls that year and gift more than any of the other 91 Christmas days she celebrated. Gift giving becomes difficult when the recipient has expectations. Children do this always. "This is not what I wanted." "How come you got this one?" "I don't like the color." Parents burden their credit with purchases to keep children happy. Adults say a polite thank you while thinking about where to return the gift. An acquaintance looks for some value and purpose in the gift, puts it back in the box, writes a thank you note, and saves it for the yard sale 3 years later. Why do we let Mastercard and Visa loan us money for gifts no one wants? Three emotions seem to be the best guidance for gift-giving. **End Summary** Topics: credit cards]]> credit]]> interest-free]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

The Green Eggs and Ham of the Consumer Price Index

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

During February, our local librarian decorates her bulletin board with Dr. Seuss book titles. Many parents trip their tongues over Seuss stories like Green Eggs and Ham. "Do you like green eggs and ham?/I do not like them, Sam-I-am./I do not like green eggs and ham", nor do I like the cost based on Consumer Price Index records. Our son wields a wild spatula when making his April Fool's Day green eggs and ham. Sometimes his culinary skills warrant a cost per item analysis the same way the U.S. Department of Labor reports the Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI reports tell us what a "basket of goods and services" costs using a benchmark dating from 1982-1984 Importantly, the CPI becomes one of many components within inflation measurement models. The CPI "basket of goods" leaves out green eggs and ham, however, it includes breakfast cereal, milk, coffee, chicken, wine, full service meals and snacks. CPI reports account for 7 or 8 categories of goods and services in the U.S. economy. If you recall Psychology 101, each category coincides with Abraham Maslow's basic or physiological "Hierarchy of Needs". When the U.S. **End Summary** Topics: Federal Reserve]]> interest rates]]> mortgage rates]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Sticks and Stones Break My Bones, and Arthritis Always Hurts Me

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

On September 30, 2004, Merck & Co Inc (MRK) recalled Vioxx due to negative clinical trial results. Recipients of this drug seem to experience increased experience of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, or intestinal bleeding. Both the American Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine stress the dangers of this prescription drug. European and American cardiologists recognize the implicit dangers of this highly marketed arthritis prescription. This does not have to happen to you when safe natural and effective arthritis pain relief might provide relief! Did you know that pharmaceutical drugs have their history embedded in herbal medicine? Apothecaries offered medicines with medical care. The cost of medical help was expensive(sound familiar), so many families made home remedies. However, today's pharmaceuticals derive from the the medicines stirred and pounded by the apothecary in the mortar by the pestle. "The history of Merck & Co., Inc. can be traced back to Darmstadt, Germany, in 1668 when an apothecary named Frederic Jacob Merck opened a chemical firm." You may learn more about it here. Further historical proof is found in 1792, Alexandria, Virginia. Three Hundred homes nestled near the Potomac River; **End Summary** Topics: arthritis]]> vitamins]]> food supplements]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Speak up or Sit Down

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Last night the phone rang; my wife said, "I hope it's for you". When I answered, the caller asked, "Ray, would you speak to the Lions Club next month?" First my gut said, "No"; however, my head said, "Do it". So, one month from next Tuesday, I stand in front of 20 men and women as their evening speaker. They will have just enjoyed dinner with before and after dinner drinks. What a group: stomachs full and heads mellow. Just how will I do it? These guidelines help me prepare, and may guide you when asked to speak publicly 1. Know your audience. When in graduate school, a professor posed this question, "Why this message to these people at this occasion on this .subject?" What will I say to who they "are" about a subject they (and I) care about? The importance and impact of learning all you can about your audience and their reason for inviting you to talk cannot be overlooked. Their reason links you to what matters to them, and the trust they have in you to speak on a subject they care about. 2. Ask the question, "What made them invite me? **End Summary** Topics: public speaking]]> speeches]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Shop 'Till You Drop In The Warmth of Your Home and Save Gasoline

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Do you go to the shopping mall, or do you sit in your favorite chair with keyboard handy? In time, shopping malls may become unwanted landscape with aisles of vacant stores while online shopping increases annually. When Internet shopping you can enter your credit card securely (bank card companies cooperate with special shopping ID's), fair or free shipping costs, and friendly customer service. This saves you time, saves you gasoline, and saves you money. Shopping from your couch keeps you away from drivers racing from one lane to the shoulder, some painting their lips, others babbling or haggling. No need to play bumper cars when getting a parking spot either. Last Saturday, my family passed our local mall's parking lot. A full lot on the food court side suggests crowded aisles. Crowds challenge my shopping patience, but seldom dissuade the women in our family. In 1997, according to eMarketer, Inc. men and boys dominated the Internet. Today, women have the edge. The International Council of Shopping Centers predicts a 3.5% increase in holiday shopping at brick and motor stores. Large department stores, the anchor tenants of shopping malls, may see a 2% increase. How come? **End Summary** Topics: shopping]]> order on line]]> on line ordering]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Zero-sum Games

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

At about 10 o'clock in the morning the phone rang on the CEO's desk. His sister announced her promotion as Chief Corporate Counsel of another firm. Her brother complimented her reluctantly. They shared a few comments, and then she said, "I want to call Mom and Dad." Her brother stared out the window after the conversation thinking how he could get one-up on his sister. Years later he told a conference how his zero-sum views kept him from sharing his sister's excitement. Self-serving motivation instigates zero-sum behavior. Anyone seeking their own achievement or rank at all costs maneuvers each event with single-minded purpose. Zero-sum players parry condescending and pejorative opinions. Arguments never seek compromise or acknowledgement of the opponent's view. Every opposing statement is wrong without reservation or further research. Politicians demonstrate this expertise repeatedly: some Democrats will not accede to a Republican, and a Republican avoids conceding to a Democrat. Religious leaders take similar stances. Doctrine and dogma provoke schisms where there ought to be conciliation. Ultimate divisions between groups rest in the mind of God. God's distinctions will become known in time. Angry differences do not further the Kingdom of God anywhere in this world. **End Summary** Topics: stress management]]> personal motivation]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)

Alpha and Beta: The Romulus and Remus Investment Twins

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Romulus and Remus are the eponym of Rome as Alpha and Beta are the eponym of investing. Romulus and Remus are the mythical twins of Rome; Alpha and Beta are the non-fictional twins of asset management. Story tellers tell us that Romulus and Remus were suckled by a wolf. Analysts tell us that investors get chased by a bull (a lot of "bull") and a bear. Twins possess sibling personality with individual distinctions. Such is the case for Alpha and Beta. Alpha says, "It's all about me." Alpha goes its own way with selfish interests. Alpha does not care much about the crowd it travels with. Alpha gets measured by unique qualities. Investment jargon defines Alpha as A measure of a stocks price fluctuation Price change/fluctuation reflects corporate earnings increases Earnings momentum: it's all about money, corporate earnings Price momentum: a stock or group of stocks increase value above market or index averages A stock with an alpha of 1.10 may increase 10% annually above the broad market Ever play "Where's Waldo?" Finding Alpha is the same. Analysts love the search. Waldo hides in a maze of images. Stocks with alpha potential hide within a stock index. **End Summary** Topics: stocks]]> bonds]]> investment portfolio]]> mutual funds]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Ray Randall is an investment advisor. Ethos Advisory is an investment and financial planning service. Echievements.com is a self-improvement and money-making article library. Call Ray (617-275-5565)