OSI model

"Be a Dividend Millionaire" by Paul Rubillo

Be a Dividend Millionare by Paul Rubillo is not just a book about dividend investing, there are a million of those. This is a book about personal finance management which shows you how to integrate dividend investing as a way of building wealth on top of a solid foundation that everyone needs to have.

I like Paul Rubillo's background, which he describes in details in preface of the book. He isn't some classroom educated CFP who analyzed stocks for thirty years and felt like putting out a book on dividend investing. He's a regular guy who worked regular jobs from delivering mail to collecting trash to running a successful deli in NYC. He started to learn about financial planning and investing, turning that expertise into dividend.com and now his book. These are lessons borne out of experience, not a textbook, he makes it easy for regular folks like me and you regular people.

When I looked at the book's name, my first impression was, "Oh another book about dividends and dividend stocks", but I was actually surprised to discover that it is much broader than that. It starts with more basics like day-to-day household finances and discussion of The Ten Step plan which establishes a strong financial foundation that anyone needs before you look towards investing in more general terms, how to watch Wall Street. Then he gets into stocks deeper in Chapter 5.

I really like the fact that it is written in very easy to understand language without monotony of million charts and tables that are old.

Overall, this book is a good guidebook for anyone who is starting to learn to invest or even manage your money smartly. You can learn how without building a solid financial base and you can't invest in anything. Actual book comes out on May 12, 2011.

Woman tries, fails to smuggle 44 iPhones into Israel

Sigh. We don't know whether to congratulate the enterprising spirit of this venture or to bemoan the sad state of a world where a 60-something-year old lady feels compelled to turn into an iPhone smuggler. Either way, Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport has given us a pretty good reason for the use of full body scanners, which revealed the woman in question was strapped with 44 iPhone 4s all around her body. Dressed in traditional Georgian attire, the lady had some struggles walking around, which raised suspicion and got the officials to run her through the machines. Guess this gives us a whole new definition to the phrase "stocking stuffer," eh? [Original image credit: buystoreshelving.com] Source: Haaretz

Second-gen Apple Peel 520 caught on video doing GPRS, looking like an iPhone 4

Last year's Apple Peel 520 turned your iPod Touch into an iPhone mostly, accepting a SIM card and allowing you to send and receive calls, texts, and even throwing a little extra battery life your way. Now we're looking at the next generation device and, which certainly looks a lot more sleek and less bulky than the previous model -- from a distance it could be confused for an iPhone 4. This version also allows the use of GPRS data, as you can see demonstrated in the video below. No mention of price or availability just yet, but review units are said to en route to other news sites, so hold that phone -- or iPod as it were. Source: engadget.com

BlackRock doubles profits with asset growth

BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager, more than in the fourth quarter as rallying markets lifted assets under management.

Boosted by the $13.5bn takeover of Barclays Global Investors in late 2009, BlackRock reported earnings well ahead of Wall Street expectations.

Net income jumped from $256m in the fourth quarter of 2009 to $657m in the last three months of 2010 as revenues rose from $1.54bn to $2.49bn.

Larry Fink, chairman and chief executive of BlackRock, attributed the improvement in operating margins for the year to a combination of the benefits of the BGI acquisition, improved markets and positive investment performance

Source: ft.com

Average Joe Shmoe says: Ughh, "Somebody" is making money! They must know a lot about investment banking?

Sure is Joe. Sure is. Just go to school and learn how to make some for yourself....

Economist Karl Case: U.S. Home Prices `Bouncing Around' Bottom

Today was the date to get Case-Shiller home prices since the last November of 2010. Case thinks prices are at the bottom and some are bouncing back. It is somewhat good "news" yet some of the major Blue Chip companies' earnings reports have disappointed and affected the market big time. Most of my valuable holdings are down, CHK($27.39); KOG($5.49);BAC ($13.55) GE($19.85) 3:24PM ET. Crude is down to 86ish. Good time to get right back in for some sitting on cash.

Of course if you look at fundamentals most of the market is overbought, but after the latest research on Global Investors confidence level being high on US mostly, is inspiring to daytrader/investor Joe Shmoes like us. :)

Visualized stats smartphone users

As AT&T's iPhone exclusivity reluctantly teeters on the brink of oblivion, it seems a good time to take one last look at the smartphone playground, the way it is before V-Day. The New York Times has handily done that job for us with the above chart, which simultaneously gives us a sense of scale when comparing US carriers and lays out the concentration of Android devices across those networks. It also shows a big fat bump of iOS on AT&T, making it the biggest carrier in terms of combined iPhone and Android users -- nothing shocking there, but the real fun will be in taking a look at this same data a few months from now. Will the iPhone fragment itself all over the four major networks? Will AT&T's Android stable ever be respectable? Tune in to your next installment of "fun, but mostly irrelevant statistics" to find out.

Goldman Sachs Bond Sale Signals Inflation Concerns Waning: Credit Market

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s offering of 30-year bonds, its first in more than three years, signals waning concern among investors that inflation is accelerating.

The fifth-biggest U.S. bank by assets received $9 billion in orders for its $2.5 billion of debentures sold on Jan. 21, according to Mizuho Securities USA. The 6.25 percent senior bonds yield 170 basis points more than similar-maturity Treasuries, at the low end of a 5-basis-point range marketed by the New York-based firm, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

“People aren’t too worried about inflation,” said Anthony Valeri, market strategist with LPL Financial Corp. in San Diego, which oversees $293 billion. “Goldman was noticing there’s some demand here and they could get that deal done.”

- One way or the other Feds are trying to keep the markets up by advising "biggos" to use different strategies to keep the dollar's value. I bet Hu Jintao's visit has something to do with it. America can't loose the number one spot in being the largest economy and strongest currency. Yen, or aka Renmimbi or something like that, would beat the crap out of the US dollar in no time since Feds don't stop printing the shit out of this currency. In my humble opinion, US dollar will weaken further and we will see some vivid points of irrefutable inflation in US.

Audi commissions four US universities to research urban mobility issues

Audi and 4 US universities tackle urban mobility challenges in 3-year research initiative

A new research initiative launched by Audi, its Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) in Silicon Valley and four top US universities—University of Southern California; UC Berkeley; UC San Diego; and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)—will develop technologies aimed at easing the congestion, dangers and inconveniences that often confront drivers in the world’s biggest cities.

Morgan Stanley Earnings Rise 35% on revenue!

Wealth Management

The global wealth-management division, which includes the brokerage joint venture, had $3.35 billion in revenue, up 7 percent from a year earlier, and a 12 percent pretax profit margin. The unit had $14.1 billion of net new assets, bringing the annual total to $22.9 billion and meeting Gorman’s target of more than $20 billion of inflows in 2010. - Source: Bloomberg.com

Good news today after the bad news the day before yesterday. Really?

Morgan Stanley had higher investment-banking revenue than GS for second time? or is it some kind of domino effect play by Fed regulation? To keep the US banking image up there not to loose any confidence, i definitely don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, just hard to believe that GS is loosing ground. MS CEO James Morgan has promised to reduce the portion of the compensation award in 2009, but it doesn't mean numbers would skyrocket to 35%+. But I guess good news for the market, but most of the investors are still skeptic after the yesterday's sell off.

Sentiment in the Market (01/17/2011)

Market sentiment is down today due to Mr.Steve Jobs' health. Hope he gets better soon.

We need more innovative thinkers like Steve in this world.

Text of his letter to his employees:

“Team,

At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s(AAPL 348.48, 0.00, 0.00%) day-to-day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

Steve.

I have a dream.... -MLK

Martin Luther King, Jr was not only an average American clergyman and activist but a person who changed lives of many African-Americans. It amazes me how one person can change societies and people by their perseverance, diplomatic communication and a great speech.

I have a dream that one day(soon) DJIA will reach 14K again!
I have a dream that oil will reach $115 soon (end of this year)!
I have a dream that everyone will be happy!

Happy MLK day everyone!

Is China Funding the US Debt?

Lately, I hear many news channels claim that China is funding US deficit spending.

It turns out to be only partially true — and by partially, I mean 7.5% true. But that means the statement is 92.5% false.

The biggest holders of US debt are American individuals, institutions, and Social Security. Americans own more than 2 out of every 3 dollars of US debt — about over 67%. Hence, US depends far less on the kindness of strangers than you might imagine if your listen to the intertubes.

Those viral animated bears may be clever, but they sure suck at math.

Total United States’ public debt was ~$13.562 trillion at the end of the fiscal year (30 September 2010). As of last week, January 4, 2011, the United States’ total public debt outstanding has surpassed 14 trillion dollars.

Political Calculations has whipped up a chart showing exactly who is holding US debt, and funding our deficit:

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click for bigger graphic

Summary of Week’s Events (1/14/11)

Positives:

1) Japan joins China in wanting to chip in to help Europe

2) Portugal, Spain and Italy all successfully sell debt and sets calmer tone for the week

3) US Treasury yields shrug off higher inflation readings and stay moderate (bond bulls should thank the Fed)

4) Stocks shrug off all the negatives below and continue to melt higher

5) Thailand, South Korea and China take prudent steps to cool inflation pressures

Negatives:

1) PPI, CPI (record high), Import Prices, inflation expectations in UoM, all point to upward inflation trend and JOC and CRB food indices hit record highs

2) Thailand, South Korea and China all tighten policy over inflation worries

3) Indian Sensex index falls to 4 month low after 8.4% wholesale inflation report and ahead of likely rate hike on Jan 25th

4) US Retail Sales a touch light

5) UoM confidence light

6) Initial Claims jump but seasonal issues

7) Muni’s break down.