Keeping up with the Joneses in the Era of Social Media
For generations, “keeping up with the Joneses” has been a national pastime. Because Americans seem to be naturally competitive, many of us feel the need to make sure we measure up to our peers. In the new age of social media our desire to see how we measure up to [...]
Cybersecurity Likely to See Long-Term Growth
Hacking into personal information, intellectual property, and government data has reached epidemic proportions. The Equifax data breach last month compromised around 145 million people’s personal credit information. HBO is struggling to protect their flagship programming from being viewed before they release it. Government and military intelligence is stolen almost daily, [...]
Ron Finke Named Advisor of the Year.
Saturday evening at the annual Toast To Our Towns Gala, Ron Finke was awarded the “Paul M. Thomson Professional Advisor of the Year” from Truman Heartland Community Foundation. The award recognizes investment advisors who share their time, talent, charitable contributions and leadership with the community. “I am honored and humbled [...]
Are You Doing the Right Thing?
Recently my mother and father-in-law purchased a lake house in which they took out a mortgage. Since she knows what I do for a living, she sought my counsel about the best methodology for paying off the mortgage as quickly as possible. She asked my opinion about pulling funds out [...]
Do I Need Long-Term Care Insurance?
There are two sides of the coin of living longer. We often want to live longer to have great relationships with our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. You know, those youngsters with whom we can conspire against our children? But then we don’t want to outlive our enjoyment either. When I can [...]
The Great Divide
Prior to the civil war, Abraham Lincoln said “a house divided against itself cannot stand” and I believe those words are no less true today. Although the division we see in our nation has existed beneath the surface for many years, recent events have shown a spotlight on the cultural, [...]
Two Thirds of 2017
At the end of the coolest KC area August of those I remember, it is difficult to believe that two-thirds of 2017 is now history. We have witnessed a veritable plethora of events and conditions about which most of us could worry. Meanwhile, Mr. Stock Market has plunged confidently onward [...]
Strange Dog Days
In case you haven’t noticed, this will be one of the coolest Augusts in my lifetime for Greater Kansas City. It is supposed to be Dog Days of August, which for some reason means unbearably hot. The stock market should be falling more, but it seemingly will not for now. [...]
Automotive Love Affair Over?
Many of us boomers grew up with muscle car fever in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Was there anything cooler than a ’64 GTO, a ’67 Shelby Cobra, a ’68 Road Runner, or any number of years of Chevelle SS? I think not! Many of us have also spent too much [...]