Last week my wife and I had the opportunity to enjoy Thanksgiving with our son and his family in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had expected that with less attention and trading, the stock indexes would fall back a bit. But it was full speed ahead for stocks and lower [...]
I have been writing a Thanksgiving column long enough now to be a tradition. Since pilgrim time, and again since 1863, Thanksgiving in these United States is a great tradition itself. It is our best holiday now especially because, other than perhaps decorations and flower arrangements, there are no expensive [...]
Much has been written about the increasing waistline of the average American but not as much time has been spent on the state of our financial wellbeing. Just as food with saturated fats and our sedentary culture are harming our health, our consistently low savings rate with corresponding high debt [...]
Many people use the beginning of a new school year like the New Year’s holiday, as an opportunity to think about ways that they can improve their lives through new and changed habits. Let me suggest that rather than making a drastic change that you focus on some small things [...]
Monday the S&P 500 finally topped its previous high. Yesterday, it added another .7 percent to 2152. It has been a tumultuous fourteen months since the prior high of May 21, 2015. This large cap index dropped over 12 percent to its August low, rose over 12 [...]
As I write today I am listening to Fed Chair Janet Yellen say the same things she has said for several years now: Economic conditions are fairly good although growth is very slow, we can’t determine why things are not better, and we are petrified to let the classical economic [...]
Through Facebook, I enjoyed reading stories about military heroes this past week, particularly those who gave their last full measure of devotion for their friends, family, for us all. Many of us in the Midwest also use this weekend to reminisce and thank God for our family members who helped [...]
We are planning a vacation for later this summer in the Rockies. With the internet, there is too much information and too many choices. One could spend hours and days just trying to figure out what to do and see. The possibilities are all exciting and I’m looking forward to [...]
During the first quarter of 2016, stock ownership provided a roller coaster ride. Last week I railed against the Fed’s free money policy and its consequences. This week we examine whose ox was gored and whose geese were golden. In the short term, I think Mr. Market will continue to [...]
Some company has a nice advertisement on television right now suggesting that instead of asking What we are thankful for, that we ask Who we are thankful for. I like that idea because our relationships are so much superior in importance than the inanimate objects we use or collect. I [...]
