Money Matters update- April 29, 2016

Jambo!

That is Swahili for hello!  I once read an article from an owner of a cigar company and as he hiked up Mt. Kilimanjaro (a torturous forced march initiated by his wife), he passed hiker after hiker who acknowledged little in exchange except this brief word. Each passerby uttered it without hesitation and since Kilimanjaro is a popular (as in very) hike, this gentlemen literally heard hundreds of “Jambos” as he huffed and puffed his way up the mountain. Remember this gentlemen owns a cigar company. Twice the tar and twice the nicotine as a pack of smokes (one cigar). So up he trots (well actually lumbering) huffing and puffing and thinking “man, how good would a cigar taste at the top” but then figures “not very”. Suffering in his reduced lung capacity as he goes higher and higher he eventually thinks about saying “the hell with this”.

Meanwhile “Jambo, Jambo, Jambo, Jambo” he hears from everyone and everybody.

It’s customary for each person to say hello in Africa and I guess it’s regarded as rude if you don’t so everyone that passed this poor puffing wretch said Jambo!  Poor guy, out of breath and driven crazy to boot.

So after hearing the word Jambo roll around in his oxygen starved brain for hours and never expecting to complete the many days it takes to reach the top (only 45% make it) he finally decided enough is enough and sits down. That stops the pain somewhat but the “Jambos” keep coming from the hundreds going down the mountain.

He doesn’t know what’s worse, being exhausted, hypoxic and out of breath or hearing Jambo so many times it starts to sound like a foreign word. Whoa, wait a minute, it IS a foreign word. Well anyway, it starts to sound like all garbled and nonsensical as any word does if you say it enough times (try saying the word “usual” 100 times).

He coughs and spits up a UBG (unidentifiable body goo) which is actually a UBGCBS (unidentifiable body goo caused by smoking) and decides this whole Kilimanjaro thing is not his cup of tea. (Yea that was pretty gross, my apologies to those eating).

So the hilarious story goes on but I will spare you more lurid details and just say Jambo to all you Money Matters fans!

Jambo!
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This radio thing gets me into a lot of cool stuff. First my southern states trip I told you about last week (and posted a few photos) due to an LA radio gig with some radio heavies and then into a Giants spring training game.

The real credit of course goes to God which always puzzles me. Me, being an imperfect Christian (aren’t we all) and thinking I am actually more imperfect then most others, I continually am blessed with amazing things and opportunities, of which have included everything from riding in the back seat doing flips and rolls and high G turns with Thunderbird pilot. Lt. Col. Dean Wright to being on ABC Television America’s Funniest Home Videos and winning the grand prize to a life of sports, music and radio, all of which has brought me both elation, success, some pain at times and a whole bunch of cool acquaintances.

So the hits keep on coming lately. Last week I was invited to a VIP dinner with an obvious “not so poor” group.

The organizer of this event apparently is a big fan of show and invited me to this dinner. I didn’t know what to expect but took my son Kyle with me for company. Turns out a whole bunch of elected officials were there including a Congressman and a Senator. Kyle and I were introduced to all of them.

Here is Kyle chatting with Congressman LaMalfa.

We both got to chat and swap stories with the Congressman. Kyle asked for a letter of recommendation because he is aiming for an Ivy League school or the Naval Academy which requires such things. The Congressman gave Kyle instructions of what he needs to do. Then wouldn’t you know it we then met an admission officer to the Naval Academy at the bar! Talk about a coincidence!

When it came time to sit down, the organizer had me at his table which was table #4 out of about 30 tables. The Congressman was right behind me at table #5 so go figure! The only people at my table were myself, Kyle, the organizer Mr. Rich Ulery and his lovely wife, their friend and Senator Gains with his aide. So I had a Congressman behind me and a Senator across the table.

Here is a photo of the table, the Senator is sitting directly across from me. The slightly portly fellow to his left is his aide.

It’s a bit blurry so sorry! It was a good day. Here is Kyle with the Senator!

After the photo the Senator continued chatting with Kyle and when Kyle returned to the table he gave me the aide’s card and said the Senator offered Kyle a Senate internship in his Junior year! Kyle and his proud father were thrilled of course. What an opportunity and all because of the blessings I have been gifted with. Thanks to all of you for your support!

In the next update I will show you what the next day held for us and it was a doosey! Kyle and Dominic get an hour long one on one lesson on shooting the basketball from a former NBA head coach!  I am dead serious. It happened this weekend and I have photos and the story for you next week. How many kids get one on one lessons from the coach of the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards!  Not many but it happened last weekend. Here is a sample picture with the former head coach!

Stay tuned for the incredible story and more photos!

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When a “risk-on” environment is upon us investors perceive the investing waters are safe and buy stocks. This is typically when the economic environment is perceived as normal and healthy and investor concerns about the world around them are placid and calm. A “risk-off” environment is when investors are nervous about what it happening around them. During risk-off periods, investors tend to flee most stock sectors and buy assets considered “defensive” or perceived as safer than the general stock market. These areas might include bonds or preferred stocks (typically called fixed income investments) utility sectors, foodstuff and staple sectors, government investments such as T-Bills, Treasuries or other government issued debt, Ginnie Mae funds (government mortgage backed securities) and other particular investments thought to be more stable in times of market duress. Ture to form many of these sectors rose during the January 2016 sell off.

Although there are other investments that actually are designed to rise in market sell offs, these types of investments (known as short or bear funds) can be a risk type of investment as they may also fall in value if markets rise. A diversified portfolio may hold both risk-on and risk-off types of investments in order to participate in rising markets yet offer some degree of safety in falling markets. A dynamic strategy which attempts to move in and out of assets depending on market conditions is also possible but timing is the key here. Many an investor has tried to time market movements only to be burned when markets moved in the opposite direction expected. To insure your portfolio is diversified, you might research what sectors and assets tended to rise during market upsets and which sectors just mirrored the markets. Although past performance is never a guarantee as to future movements, certain actions and reactions in markets tend to repeat themselves when observed over a larger time period and history can at least be a guide as to where to look for risk-on/risk-off areas to park your money.

Of course, always consult with a qualified investment professional when considering any investment and do your own research before investing. Since there are always degrees of good, better and best in all areas of human expertise, realize there are always strategies which may help smooth out market movements if one knows where to look.

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Money Matters airs next week, May 5^th at noon PST on KVMR. Tune in while we cover the markets and our economy. Who knows what stories I will have to tell by then!

Watching the markets so you don’t have to,

Marc

PS: Our website had some technical issues so we apologize. We are working on the issues.

PSS: Jambo, but leave early and allow 30 minutes. 

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:)