The Gig Economy
Despite being financially comfortable and gainfully employed myself, one of the things I find myself becoming increasingly opposed to is the growing ‘gig-ification’ of work and/or what I see as the increasing abuse of workers (which are sometimes the same thing and sometimes two separate issues). So much has been said about this in the …
Pushing the edge of credulity
One of my biggest investing edges, I think, is the fact that I come from a working class background. It has also been a drawback more than once, but you have to make your weaknesses work for you to succeed in investing. Fear not, this is not a ‘plebeian kid makes good‘ cliche where I …
Fascinating accusations against Activision Blizzard, Inc.
I was looking at Activision Blizzard, Inc (NASDAQ: ATVI) this afternoon. After browsing a report, from curiosity I began looking at the games it makes, trying to evaluate whether this company has a market-beating product offering and process, or if it’s just a customer-led retailer. In the course of my research, I came across the darnedest accusations against the …
A quick 50% jump for Automotive Solutions Group
New news is good news? Automotive Solutions Group (ASX: 4WD) shares are up 50% since last week. Smash repairer AMA Group (ASX: AMA) took an 18% stake in it this morning, and there was an update to the group’s strategic review announced on Friday. CEO Tanya Mason will step down. With shares now up 50%, I …
Investing lessons from the scrapyard
In another lifetime, I was a labourer at a scrap metal yard. And when I was there, I met a bloke we’ll call ‘Dave’. I’ve always wanted to write about him but have never quite had the platform or the context. Now I do, and a little piece of Dave will be immortal forever. He …
Movie reviews?
I have a tiny side hobby reviewing movies on Facebook about once a month. I typically try to sum up a movie in a Facebook status, say 100 words or less, in a way that is funny and engaging. I have been doing it for a while and would really like to immortalise my reviews somewhere …
On Advertising
I was thinking about advertising today. As a rule I don’t like it – tv ads are avoidable but Youtube ones send me batty, and I think Google ones (the Adsense ones that appear in websites) look trashy and cheap. However, I have been scouring finance blogs over the past few weeks just to get a …
Copying other people’s research
I wrote in the The Rules that I wouldn’t copy other people’s research (and I won’t). I felt that my RNY Property Trust (ASX: RNY) purchase was stretching the boundaries a little, although I did all my own research and was able to convince myself that that research and subsequent buy decision are legitimately my intellectual property. Today another …
Swinging for the fences
I was thinking about the portfolio today. I wrote after my Thorn Group Ltd (ASX: TGA) and RNY Property Trust (ASX: RNY) purchases that they were ‘singles’ or perhaps a ‘double’ for RNY in cricket terms – one run, or two runs. You can do well with singles in the stock market. 5% share price growth per …
On Auditing
I am passingly familiar with an investor and online presence who is a regular poster on some forums and social media websites that I use. She/he/it uses a nom de plume, never has anything constructive to say, and the things that she/he/it does say are usually designed to reinforce his/her/its (i suspect manufactured) persona as …
