cryptocurrency

December 2, 2017

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-explainer-2017-11

From a ‘castle’ full of bitcoin millionaires to the initial coin offering (ICO) craze, it’s hard to escape the chatter about how some people are building their fortunes off the new world of cryptocurrencies. But behind those cryptocurrencies sits a technology called blockchains, which some people believe could fundamentally rewrite how transactions are handled online. With analysts at UBS estimating that blockchains could be a $300 billion to $400 billion global industry by 2027, it’s clear that regardless of what happens in the bitcoin bubble, blockchain technology is here to stay. Here’s what you need to know about blockchains, the technology that’s set to disrupt the world of contracts, finance, shipping and countless other industries. This article is filled with detailed information regarding blockchain technology.  A blockchain is a digital ledger that is distributed across the internet. This ledger is linked through cryptography, and are bound in a way that can’t be edited. Inside each block is transaction history for every transaction that’s ever occurred on the block. Blockchains are good for two things: recording events, and making sure that record is never erased. Blockchains in essence can remove the middle man through a smart contract or a self executing contract. What makes the blockchain unique is that the network is distributed as illustrated above. With a distributed network there is no one central server to attack. Ethereum is popular with startup companies, and Hyperledger Fabric allows large corporations to create blockchain projects. This article is a pretty in-depth analysis of blockchains, and I believe this technology will ultimately end up changing our future.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gingerdean/2017/06/30/3-ways-to-start-living-on-half-your-income

Living on half your income. Impossible? No. Daunting? Yes. How do we accomplish this? With willpower made of steely determination and making major sacrifices. Add to that a dash of honesty, and you’re on your way. Easy, right? All joking aside, the obvious first step is to cut back on your spending, and the way you do that is by taking a hard look at your expenses. But first, let’s take a look at why anyone would want to save half of his or her income. The author advises that if you’re married pick one income stream to live on or save half of your combined income. If you’re single you’ll want to save half of your income. Three steps to take are: track your spending for 30 days, go on the no spend diet, and automate your savings. The no spend diet involves spending money on only the essentials, and not spending money on anything unnecessary. Should do this diet after tracking your spending for 30 days. After doing the first two steps, automate your savings to deduct bi-weekly or monthly. The author also recommends examining the amount spent when it comes to home, car, and children. Doing little steps can have big returns in the end. It’s important to manage your finances, and it begins with knowing how much you get paid per month, how much you have to pay, when you have to pay it, and how much is left over. When money comes in, go ahead and have a plan for it. What is your long term goal? Does it line up with your vision? What does retirement look like for you?

This week, I’ve included Wake Up Early|End Laziness|Motivational Speech Compilation |Morning Motivation|Success Motivation from the Be Inspired – Daily Motivation YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

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October 28, 2017

 

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/sell-these-5-scary-stocks-now-2017-10-27
This year has been a treat for investors, and it could end up even sweeter. The S&P 500 SPX, +0.31%  has tacked on 14% so far — and that’s before year-end rebalancing and hopes of a “Santa Claus rally” that could push the index even higher. Even if stocks do little from now on, it could be the best annual gain for the index since 2013. Still, that doesn’t mean you can just pick stocks out of a hat and hope for the best. This earnings season has created plenty of losers along with the winners, and there are a number of high-profile companies right now that have downright spooky outlooks. So which high-profile names have more tricks than treats in store for shareholders right now? Here are five particularly scary stocks I’m avoiding: Tesla, General Electric, Snap, J.C. Penney, and Valeant. The author’s opinion is valid, and it’s good to listen to different points of view to make a more educated decision. Even if you don’t agree with the opinion, listen and ask yourself, what does this person see that I’m not seeing? Take in the information, and make your own decision. Tesla isn’t a company that trades based on its profitability, but rather on sentiment and expectations. But it’s hard to see what the catalyst is to push sentiment, while there remain some very real downside risks. Case in point: Even as the car recently announced a deal to build cars in Shanghai, a move that should objectively be good for investors, the stock closed lower on the day. You may see Tesla as a good buy. Ask yourself am I investing for capital gains? If so for how long?  In the case of GE, I spoke with a friend of mine who was in the brokerage business for many years, and his opinion is that if you have enough liquidity and a long time horizon, buy GE. This blog is for education purposes only, so I suggest you do the research and make your own informed decision. Even if you have faith that things will work out in the long term and that GE will turn things around, the dividend is very much at risk. Beyond paying out more in dividends than earnings (under GAAP accounting, not its adjusted numbers), GE is sitting on a staggering $31 billion shortfall in its pension liabilities and will have to pay the piper eventually. All that adds up to a very real case against this stock. Don’t be foolish enough to think the deep declines of 2017 can’t continue for GE in 2018, too. Make time every day to gain new information in an asset class you enjoy, and find ways to execute your investment strategy.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/kyle-bass-says-once-the-stock-market-starts-to-crack-this-will-be-the-first-sign-2017-10-18

The stock market may never go down again. Maybe not such a far-fetched notion, when you consider the Dow industrials yesterday nailed its 50th record close of the year and paid a visit to the 23,000 milestone, which it looks set to revisit and maybe stick to today. To be sure, being in the trenches of this market since the election has been a bit crazy-making, even if it has made investors some money. And naturally, there is discomfort out there over the speed of gains, such as how the DJIA has overcome a pile of worries to gain 4,700-plus points in just under a year. Given that, taking a step back and a look around is never a bad idea. That brings us to our call of the day from Kyle Bass of Hayman Capital Management, who has a timely warning on an “air pocket” that’s coming as we near the 30th anniversary of Black Monday. “If you look at the all of the different constituencies of the market today, it resembles the portfolio insurance debacle of 1987 on steroids,” he says an interview with Real Vision TV released to YouTube today, but recorded a few weeks ago. The key metric to watch for is when a 4% or 5% decline in equities becomes a 10% or 15% decline. What’s adding concern to this situation is the massive switch from active to passive investing. That means risk is “in the hands of people who don’t know how to take risk,” the hedge fund manager says. The message overall was clearly to cut back on a bit of risk, look at cash, and peel back a bit on where there have been some good runs. In this type of scenario, what is your experience with paper assets? Do you know how to short? Do you know how to use options? How can you profit from a market that falls? Do you have enough in liquid reserves or are you completely in one asset class? If you find yourself getting tunnel vision. Ask yourself what is your legacy and how does this impact eternity?

A few blogs ago I had mentioned adding a self-improvement and technical analysis section. Due to my growing interest in the cryptocurrency industry, I’ve added a cryptocurrency section also.

This week, I’ve included Why is this THE MOST MOTIVATIONAL TALK EVER?? See for yourself from the Video Advice YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

 

 

 

 

 

May 17, 2017

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-bitcoin-using-coinbase-2017-5

A year and a half ago, the idea of buying the virtual currency bitcoin was laughable. After a rapid rise in value in 2013, the cryptocurrency’s value more than halved by mid-2015. At its lowest point, one bitcoin was equal to about $230. But now Bitcoin is at an all-time high, and rising. Within the last month, the price of one bitcoin has climbed from $1,280 to around $1,480. Given the currency’s covert nature, the average person still may not understand how buying and selling actually works. Using the app Coinbase, which lets anyone trade bitcoins for a small fee, we decided to find out. A brief warning: If you’re going to do this, tell your bank you’re about to buy bitcoin. More on that later. This article provides a step by step process of buying Bitcoin, so I recommend reading the article if you’re interested in purchasing it. The author also has his reservations about using Coinbase, however I personally am going to use this site to buy Ethereum. It is another cryptocurrency. If you’re interested in forming an investment group with me, then contact me.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/7-money-making-lessons-from-the-richest-man-who-ever-lived-2017-05-02

Jacob Fugger was a German banker who financed kings, explorers, bishops and popes — and along the way made the biggest fortune ever amassed by a business person. The grandson of a peasant, he persuaded Leo X to legalize for-profit lending. One of his money-making schemes provoked Martin Luther to write the 95 Theses and kick off the Reformation. He played kingmaker in the 1519 election for Holy Roman Emperor. Jacob (Jakob in German) Fugger and his money gave the vote to Charles V of Spain and put Charles atop an empire as big as Napoleon’s. Fugger was worth about $400 billion in current dollars at the time of his death in 1525 — or 2% of Europe’s GDP at the time. (John D. Rockefeller was close in dollar terms, but his wealth equaled a smaller part of the U.S. economy.) Here are some of his secrets: invest when others fear, be indispensable, know the facts, know the numbers, get a good education, keep cool, and give something back. It’s best to not let fear or analysis-paralysis stop you from making a move when it comes to investing into your future. Do you have a vision? Do you have a mission? Do you have it written out? Be indispensable not just in your work place, but in your life. If you have integrity then people will trust in you and be willing to help you. Do what you say and say what you do, but make sure you think before you speak. Knowing the facts and the numbers will help you stay grounded. Getting a good education will help you draw out the person you are destined to be. Study what you love even if it’s for free, but think about how can you turn it into an income generating asset. How can it generate passive income or any form of income? Keep cool and use your will to stay focused on your plan whatever it may be. However, in the end, look at everything through the lens of eternity and legacy. There’s no sense in amassing great wealth with no plan on how you can help humanity. Fugger is best known as the creator of the Fuggerei, the world’s first affordable housing project. He thought anyone who worked deserved to have a roof over their head. Rent came to one quarter the market rate. The Fuggerei remains in operation and is the largest tourist attraction in his home city of Augsburg. Greg Steinmetz is the author of “The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: The Life and Times of Jacob Fugger.” I encourage you to read a book on a topic that interests, and a topic that is challenging to read to keep feeding one of your greatest assets: your mind.

If you need are interested in creating a budget, then contact me for a financial checkup in the contact me section. Also, learn more about the self-lending principle in the mustard seed section.

For this week, I’ve included MOTIVATIONAL VIDEO – LIVE LIKE A KING from MulliganBrothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG