Avoid Undue Complexity

I recently attended an investor conference in NYC hosted by a large money center/investment bank.  While I rarely attend such events, I was particularly interested in the topic of “alternative investments” and how they may be used to either increase the return and/or reduce the volatility in a portfolio. At the risk of over-simplification, equity … Continued

Germany’s Problem With Greece’s Debts

J. Paul Getty (1892-1976) provided an excellent summary of Germany’s problem with Greece’s debts.  “If you owe the bank $100, that’s your problem.  If you owe the bank $100 million, that’s the bank’s problem.” With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out over time. All comments and suggestions … Continued

Walmart, Wages and The Fed

Walmart, the largest private employer in the country, recently announced that all its U. S. workers would earn at least $9 per hour by April and at least $10 per hour by next February. In the opinion of the author, this is the right thing to do.  “The workman is worthy of his hire”. This … Continued

Greece is Stuck

A great deal of speculation surrounds the financial and political crisis gripping Greece.  The country’s politicians have mismanaged government finances for years and while a brief reprieve was given by the European Union a few years ago, the problems continue to crop up.  In simple terms, the country has been spending more than it takes … Continued

Don’t Bet the Farm

Two recent articles suggest that we may be seeing a return to riskier home financing.  Friday’s Wall Street Journal carried an article by Anya Martin asking “Tempted to Put Home Equity to Work?”  Sunday’s Detroit Free Press included a commentary by JC Reindl highlighting the return of Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac insured mortgages featuring … Continued

The Automobile of the Future

Falling gasoline prices, mandated fuel economy standards, media coverage of low volume, innovative vehicle power trains and concern over the environmental impact of fossil fuels, has raised questions regarding the future of gasoline powered motor vehicles. Most car buying decisions are probably based on the purchaser’s requirements relating to affordability (both initial cost and continuing … Continued

Dave Bergman Tribute

The Detroit area baseball and business community lost a man of true grace and grit yesterday with the passing of Dave “Bergie” Bergman.  Best known for his exploits as a first sacker with the 1984 Major League Baseball World Champion Detroit Tigers, Dave was a regular fixture in the investment and philanthropic communities following his … Continued