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Who Needs Terrorists...
Linda Goin
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...when we have dishonest corporate executives, inebriated pilots, and match-happy forest employees in our own backyard? That was the gist of the question posed by my daughter while we tooled along the expressway during the first leg of our vacation. Her reference was the smoke smothering views on the horizon and top news stories as we made our way back to old western stomping grounds.
We tried to avoid the media, but the effort was difficult. As wildfire smoke obscured once-familiar scenery, we had to tune to local news for our own safety. As the anchors droned on, we heard about fresh fires and updated evacuation plans, road closings and air quality levels. We also heard about disasters at various large corporations, and how they were stimulating sales of stock across the board. None of the information was conducive to a slaphappy vacation.
The only thing worse then listening to news on a summer break is viewing the results of the information. Blackened hillsides, burnt homes, and sinking portfolios aren't ingredients for a magical holiday. They are, however, great subjects for conversation. By the time we arrived at my brother's place, we had plenty to talk about.
The odor of burning pine tar and constant lack of taken-for-granted blue skies can alter conversation quality. When you add two born-to-be-cynical adults sweltering in record heat, you have to dig deep to find a speck of positive. After a few days, we made an effort to find some gems in the ash floating around us. This adjustment was made for Cora's sake, and for our own sanity. We eventually developed the following "anti-terrorist" checkpoints to help boost our investment morale:
•My brother is an advocate of buying into large conglomerates
to secure a voice in various movements made by these companies
(you
can read more here). Although many of his acquaintances
haven't joined forces to form an investment club yet, they have
followed his example. This movement to purchase stocks simply
to have a say in the issues surrounding corporate decisions
is a powerful way to use money, and a great anti-terrorist move.
•Listening to another point of view from a trusted friend or relative is eye opening. My brother is a hotshot in water rights and geology. Since I maintain a slim peripheral view on these subjects, it's great to listen to his knowledge. He pointed out several companies leading the way with water-treatment solutions to pollution problems. These stocks seemed to be doing well; incredibly, one stock's chart looked like the tech stocks we used to see about two years ago. It was climbing without a major hiccup in sight. Cora and I learned to look beyond our own scope of knowledge to learn about new companies - companies that aren't on the front page every day. Investment support of these efforts feels like another strong anti-terrorist movement.
•As cynics, my brother and I both don't trust government
officials. We can only pin hopes on our president's speech regarding
the new "Clean
Skies" legislation. My daughter is especially interested
in this "new deal," as it spells her own future. Although
she isn't capable of adding the announcement of this legislation
and the move of money from powerful pockets, my brother and
I understood the implications. Logic would dictate that stocks
in companies that promote alternate fuel sources could eventually
be on the rise. As we neared the end of our vacation, we heard
the California legislature ok their new greenhouse emissions
bill. Our cynicism seemed to take on a rosy glow as we pondered
which companies would give us good returns in response to our
investment. Support of these goals is a lofty anti-terrorist
move.
•When one lives in a concrete environment with little interaction between neighbors, it's easy to forget how the country-half lives. While Cora and I were traveling across Colorado, we learned how grass-roots level politics are affecting business on a national level. There's a huge movement in this state in opposition to methane gas drilling, and the public is winning the battle. This, we learned, was a lesson to pay attention to non-front-page news that will affect business in the long haul. If leases for methane drilling are halted, how will this affect these stocks and movement in the market? Further, what is the alternative and how can we support the effort with our portfolios?
•Along these lines, we learned that only part of the country is as tuned in as we are at times. There are many areas that still don't have cable TV, satellite dishes, and high-speed DSL connections - let alone computers. Not everyone heads to Disney World on vacation, and certainly not everyone is interested in the stock market. There's still a stigma that the market is for the rich, and that investing is for taking advantage of a situation, whether it's good for the our country or not. This is a huge obstacle that can be overcome if you let your friends and relatives know why you invest. My brother and I agree that it's still the best way for a return on our dollars as we support our favorite causes. We also agreed that sometimes it takes a while to see results. Most folks will buy a bond with the knowledge it takes more than one year to mature. It's no different in the stock market. Knowledge, skill, and patience are advantages in the anti-terrorist portfolio development. As we followed the news during our vacation, we kept searching for the silver lining in each story. By the time our vacation ended, Cora said she learned two major things: First, that greedy people are often very scary; secondly, that people who live together and work together can be stronger than any large corporation. Oh - and she learned that she really loves a good massage. Sometimes a vacation from a vacation is the only way to remember the world isn't filled with terror.
Until Next Week,
Linda Goin
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