The Writer's Life 8/20 - Taking Stock

Jonathon Trugman writes about Twitter in an article in today's NY Post. He wonders how a company that has 300 million users daily, that the President of the United States uses frequently, has failed to find a way to cash in big on its popularity. Its stock price continues to languish, last trading at $15.99. I too am puzzled. I bought 100 shares at 30 a couple of years ago. Chipotle, despite its recent and frequent salmonella troubles, last traded at $311. Tesla, which has yet to show big profits, last traded at $347. Bitcoin, which few people, including me, understand, last traded at $4110! Investors are snapping up shares of the latter two based on potential. I guess they see none in Twitter. I'll stay with it, as I did with Facebook, on which I earned a handsome profit. Another article in the Post cites the buybacks companies have been doing the past two years of their own stocks, which has contributed greatly to the current rally. It wonders what will happen when this practice slows down or stops. Whenever I worry about a collapse, I remind myself that interest rates are near zero. People who want a decent return are still buying stocks, as are pension funds and 401k plans. Bank account and CD interest returns are laughable at present. There's really no place else to put money other than safety deposit boxes or mattresses.

Here are the top ten stocks of all-time according to an article at fool.com by Sean O'Reilly: DuPont (NYSE:DD) trading since 1904, up 1,279%. (One of my winners.) General Mills (NYSE:GIS) since 1898, up 5,443%. Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK) since 1877, up 5,402%. ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) since 1882, up 4,132%. Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED) since 1885, up 1,078%. UGI Corp. (NYSE:UGI) natural gas company since 1885, up 1,897%. Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) since 1891, up 5,180%. Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) since 1893, up 4,806% (Another of my winners.) Colgate Palmolive (NYSE:CL) since 1895, up 7,814%. PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) supplier of paints, coatings, special materials and fiberglass since 1899, up 6,858%. The reason Microsoft and Apple aren't on the list is because they haven't been around long enough. Anyone who has a pension plan or 401K or a mutual fund may own all or several of these great stocks.

The floating book shop reduced some of its stock today. My thanks to the gentleman who kicked things off by purchasing a paperback thriller in Russian; to the woman who overpaid for 366 and More Questions and Answers, which is designed for kids; to the ever gregarious Carmine, who bought Nelson DeMille's The Gate House and two books by Kahlil Gibran; to the gentleman who bought Suze Orman's Women and Money; to the sweet Russian grandma who selected Stephen King's The Running Man and Jonathan Kellerman's Over the Edge; to the gentleman who bought a hardcover thriller in Russian; and to the gentleman who purchased a fantasy and a book on Feng Shui. I'd seen the latter term countless times and finally thought to run a search on it. According to dictionary.com, it is defined as: "the Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings that enhance the balance of yin and yang, as in arranging furniture or determining the siting of a house." Mr. Conspiracy told me he was once contracted to renovate an apartment. While discussing the project with the female resident, a limousine pulled up and two beautiful young woman got out and began strewing rose petals in a path for an immaculately dressed male. "Who's that?" said Mr. C. "Mister Woo," the woman replied, beaming. He was an expert on "Fong Shway," as Mr. C, aka Steve, pronounces it. By the way, ying and yang are defined as: " two principles, one negative, dark and feminine (yin) and one positive, bright and masculine (yang) whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things. Yes, Grasshopper. Here's an example of a Feng Shui designed room. What differentiates it from basic design is beyond me:

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