I have been blessed this week as I took some time with Launa and our daughter Jaimee, who is my illustrator, to do book readings at local elementary schools. We wanted to share the special message of my new book, but after each reading we found that we were the ones being educated. I began an…
DetailsIn a report this week on public school financial education, my home state of Utah was the only state to get an A+. We’ve come a long way since the 90’s when several states began to mandate financial education in their public school system. I applaud these efforts, having seen first-hand the ruin that can…
DetailsWhile flying home from Salt Lake City yesterday a fellow pilot taught me a valuable lesson in investing. First of all, it’s important to understand that airplanes do not typically fly in a straight line. There are roadways in the sky to facilitate the organized flow of traffic. But like most of us, pilots love…
DetailsMy dad was an orphan and spent his youth in the St. Francis home for boys in Detroit. The home was a safety net for boys, but it was far from an ideal upbringing. The trials, loneliness and sometimes abuses of that home left indelible marks on his life and taught lessons he worked tirelessly…
DetailsA couple years ago the Department of Labor issued the Fiduciary ruling. The purpose of the ruling was simple; to require financial advisors to act in best interest of their clients. Unfortunately, the politics involved took a reasonable idea and created a confusing policy that is still tied up in the courts. I support regulations that…
DetailsI have been concerned about the messages being delivered to the youth of the rising generations. Many young people live in a “virtual” world, a world of fake reality. It is a world where there are no losers because everyone gets a trophy, and where self-worth is determined by social media “likes” and “shares.” It…
DetailsLet me take you briefly into the cockpit of a modern airplane. Most can picture the massive array of instruments. As a young boy flying commercially I remember looking into the cockpit and thinking that pilots must be the smartest people on earth. I have seen the eyes go wide when people fly co-pilot with…
DetailsEvery airplane owner is familiar with the annual inspection. Required by the FAA to promote safety, every airplane must be taken annually to a qualified shop to be inspected. The procedure is quite involved, and can be a little discomforting when viewed for the first time. During the process the shop essentially opens the whole machine…
DetailsWe took the kids to Disneyland one year and gave each child $20 to spend on non-food items. When we returned home all of the kids had spent their money except for Natali who reported that she had $22 left. Thinking she needed a math lesson we asked her to explain. She told us that…
DetailsMost lifelong investors have had the opportunity to hit a home run or two. Most have also experienced a few strikeouts in their investing career. Sometimes the timing is just right, and sometimes it can be really bad. As is human nature, I suspect most talk more about their home runs than their strikeouts. Yet,…
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