iShadenfreude defined. Cramer makes money from charity?  Warren Buffet Rap. Investing in taxable accounts. XBOX 360 gets Netflix movies. Lew Rockwell laughs at Bernanke. Frontier Market ETFs. Mark Hulbert looks at stock pickers. Zweig vs. Cramer in guru smackdown. 

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 MMM-120: iShadenfreude [40:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (3271)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com

  Topics in this week’s show include:         

• An iShadenfreude story about waiting in an iLine for my iPhone.
• Are you having fun watching Bill Miller shadenfreude?
• Gold bugs relish the dollar’s pain.
• Michael emails to say that Cramer has other flip-flops such as the one on Amazon last fall. He reaffirmed his love for the stock one day then decapitated a hobby horse to signify his rejection of Amazon the next day.
• Also, Michael exposes Cramer’s exploitation of his charitable fund to make money on subscriptions.
• How do I inform newcomers of the basics while not boring the old-timers? 
• Warren Buffet rap.
• Warren Buffet answers a Girl Scout’s question about new investors. (hat tip CrossingWallStreet.com)
• The Learning Earning segment sponsored by Index Funds Advisors explores the silent partners in mutual funds. Be careful when investing in your taxable account to choose a tax-efficient fund.
• Philip emails to say that the Dave Ramsey course was helpful.
• My XBOX 360 is going to get more valuable this fall. The are going to redo the dashboard to look more Wii-like and Apple coverflow. Also, it will be able to play Netflix streaming movies. Need to be a Netflix subscriber and XBOX Live Gold subscriber to get it.
• Lew Rockwell laughs at Ben Bernanke.
• Frontier Markets ETFs are appearing.
• Mark Hulbert points to a study showing that stock picking ain’t possible.
• Guru Smackdown! Our Guru is Jason Zweig who writes in a recent article, “TV pundits [e.g. Cramer] who shriek out trading advice as if their underpants were on fire.” Here is Cramer’s response.

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Money Control - Voide
Runaway Train - Under Feather
Who Are You - Ola Onabule

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Bank failures. iPhone Day. New Learning Earning segment sponsored by IFA.com. SplashID password locker for iPhone. My theory of death. Teaching money in school. Tool is Deluxe Fund Screener. Your feedback. 

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 MMM-119: Learning Earning [27:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6681)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com

  Topics in this week’s show include:         

• Does this sound familiar:
  Starting in July …, the government and the [banks] began to see what dire straits they were in; the enormous inflation of money and credit…, had put the [banks] in danger of going under and illegally failing to maintain… payments.  Over the next year, the [banks] began a series of enormous contractions, forced curtailment of loans, contractions of credit… The contraction of money and credit swiftly bought the United States [a] widespread economic and financial depression. The… Nationwide “boom-bust” cycle had arrived…
  The result of this contraction was a rash of defaults, bankruptcies of business and manufacturers, and a liquidation of unsound investments during the boom. [Rothbard - The Mystery of Banking, pp 204. He’s talking about 1818 not 2007.]
• Today is iPhone day. ITunes 7.7 upgrade is released, giving the ability to download software applications to the iPhone.
• I’m eager to install SplashID to keep my web logins.
• Had any Jalapeno peppers recently. Uhhhh, I don’t feel so good.
• My theory of death: as we baby boomers get older, we are going to recognize a lot more names in the obituaries every week, not just local folks, but people all over the media. (And now, sadly, Tony Snow.)
• Frank in Vancouver says money should be taught in high school.
• Brian says he had a pretty good course about money in college. Here’s the textbook he used.
• Learning Earning: Silent Partners.
• A USL team is guaranteed to make the finals of the US Open Cup.
• WALL-E is worth seeing multiple times.
• Adam Curry has theories on oil and the dollar.
• EconTalk where Russ Roberts talks with Michael Munger about public transportation in Chile is worth a listen.
• Our Tool helps you find mutual funds. It is the MSN Deluxe Screener for Mutual Funds.
• I go through some of your suggestions about how I should change the MMM. Thanks for taking the MMM Survey.

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Money Control - Voide
Runaway Train - Under Feathers

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Avoid non-systematic risk. Where money comes from… you will be surprised. Inflation… then deflation. Lunch with Warren. Online outline tool. Stocks are on sale.

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 MMM-118: Where Does Money Come From? [30:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (6941)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com

  Topics in this week’s show include:         

• Mark Hebner explains William Sharpe’s definitions of systematic and non-systematic risk. The difference is that the risks inherent in owning individual stocks are not rewarded to investors.
• Where does money come from? Simply, it is created when someone takes out a loan. It did not exist prior to that event. And when the loan is paid back, the money disappears.
• So, because of fractional reserve banking, when money is created, what is it that you are paying interest upon anyway? And why are the banks so sad when loans go into default?
• With all of the credit expansion of recent years due to low interest rates, lots and lots of money was created. More money means inflation. Inflation results in higher prices. But now that money is being destroyed through tightening credit, will we experience the effects of deflation? Lower prices. Maybe a few years down the road. Maybe stocks are being deflated currently while other things take longer to feel the effects.
• Lunch with Warren Buffet. Cheaper to read his annual report.
• Our Tool this week is LooseStitch.com an online outliner. Something I’ve been seeking for years now. Would be great to merge Natara Bonsai with LooseStitch and have them sync with each other.
• Are you glad June is over? 10.2% loss for the DJIA. Congratulations to those of you who are still in the accumulation phase of investing!
• WSJ: How to Buy and Hold (And Sleep at Night)
• WSJ: Five Lessons from a Wild First Half
• A review of the Lazy Portfolio Smackdown
• The Investing sub-category is back at iTunes!
• Richard writes to say he is going to try the Couch to 5K running plan.
• Please visit IFA.com and take their Risk Capacity Survey.

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Crazy on You - Heart
Dead Not Quick - XRAY DOGS
Runaway Train - Under Feathers

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Yikes! Where do we put our money? Warren Buffet says inflation is bad. Myrtle Beach stories. Survey results. Tool: Google Spreadsheet stock quotes. Suze Orman says get active. Russ Roberts buys a new car. Style Drifters. 

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 MMM-117: Run to the Hills [24:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4569)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com

Topics in this week’s show include:         

• Our Guru is Iron Maiden. They suggest running to the hills.
• Fama and French say the best time to invest is when economic conditions are worse.
• Warren Buffet says inflation and stagflation are getting bad. And if he were Fed Chairman, he’d resign.
• The DJI is back to where it was in September 2006.
• DOW Chemical to raise prices again by 25%.
• Myrtle Beach stories. On the Wealth of Nations by P.J.O’Rourke. The Singularity by Ray Kurzweil. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris. Lights out. Get some sun.
• Chick-Fil-A had individually wrapped coffee stirrers!
• What happened to the iTunes Investing category?
• I toned down the colors. Less orange.
• Survey results: you guys are old.
• Cramer’s flip-flopping
• PTO has had a tough few weeks.
• Tool: Google Spreadsheets and the =GoogleFinance() function to get stock quotes.
• Happiness = Reality / Expectations
• Passengers leave $1 million in change to the TSA.
• Russ Roberts buys a new car.
• Suze Orman says do active investing. hahaha
• Step 6: Style Drifters

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Runaway Train - Under Feathers

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Like a weathervane, Cramer points toward where the winds are blowing.

Like a chameleon, Cramer adapts to the current environment.

Like a stock picker, Cramer follows today’s trend and picks what worked.

Like a cheetah, you should turn and run from his advice as fast as possible.

Here’s why…

I’ve witnessed this flip-flopping so many times, I’m just tired and weary of it. Please just take the Risk Capacity Survey, select an appropriate portfolio of Index Funds, buy and hold them, and then invest and relax.

(via The Kirk Report via Crossing Wall Street via Felix via Don Harrold - can you believe that chain?)

133 People have taken the MMM Survey so far. If you haven’t taken it, please do so now.

But here are results at this point:

So nobody’s interested in soccer? C’mon dudes, it is the one true international sport. Get globalized (before it is too late). Anyway, you guys (and I do mean guys… see next chart) liked talk about money, inflation, index funds, ETFs, lazy portfolios, and Warren Buffet but sadly not Paul Boyer, XBOX, Libertarianism, iPhone, or Ron Paul. I guess this is an investing show after all.

When I say “dude” I really mean DUDE.

Folks generally aren’t interested in DEFINITELY subscribing to another podcast, but a daily, news-oriented one would be most considered.

Again, you listen for investing tips, economic insights (and a little humor thrown in). Mostly nobody is just listening to check out the competition (or will admit to it).

Hey, this isn’t a music show, so Paul please don’t play full songs.

Almost everybody makes over $50K a year.

The average age is 40. Wow, I had no idea you guys were so old. (Hahaha, me too.) But obviously these surveys are what they call “self-selecting” meaning that the results of the survey are skewed toward those who are willing to volunteer to take the survey. Maybe young people aren’t willing to volunteer to take it? Maybe really old folks aren’t willing to volunteer to take it? Maybe women don’t like to volunteer? Yeah, that’s it. And where are all the teenagers? Oh, playing DS.

But I like that Age vs. Index Portfolio chart. It kinda shows the general tendency to take less risk as one gets older, doesn’t it? The chosen Index Portfolio is on the left axis with Portfolio 100 at the top. Age gets higher going from left to right. Nobody will admit to a less than 25 index portfolio.

Well, do it then! And tell them Paul Douglas Boyer from the Mad Money Machine sent you!

I have more results from the survey that aren’t as easily shown on a graph, such as what you are doing while listening and the general comments question. I’ll try to cover some of these on upcoming shows. I do want to thank you for all the kind words and even for the critical words. Doing this show is great fun for me. If you want to see everyone else’s entries, click on the survey link again and they are at the bottom of the page.

Thank you for taking the survey!

Saw an article highly Dugg entitled How to Go From Sedentary to Running in Five Steps. Great read for those of you still on the Couch.

The Mad Money Machine podcast is proud to be rated one of  the TOP 10 Investing Podcasts by U.S.News & World Report. Katy Marquardt, an associate editor there and author of the New Money column, says:

Whether your work commute involves driving, riding the bus, biking, or running (like me), it’s a great chance to improve your investing know-how through podcasts. You’re a captive audience, after all. Below are podcasts that cover investing from 10 unique perspectives:

and then goes on to include Mad Money Machine as one of the Top 10. (I think she should have included Sound Investing there also.)

Thanks Katy for recognizing the MMM! And I hope you especially like the Couch to 5K episode while you are running.

Get physically fit as well as financially fit. You’ll be running a 5K in only 12 steps. Great music to get you physically functional and timeless words of investment wisdom to get you financially free. Put this one in your playlist to keep forever.

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 MMM-116: C25K [40:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4779)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com.

Topics in this week’s show include:

I’m interested not only in your financial fitness, but also in your physical fitness. Get off the couch and get running or jogging with the Mad Money Machine Couch to 5K Running Plan in 12 Steps based upon the plan originally described at Cool Running. That’s 12 graduated running plans starting with Step 1 that alternates between 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking. The plan moves you all the way up to Step 12 where you will achieve a full 30 minutes of continuous running.

I’ve put together some great music to make your jogging effortless. Just listen for my cues on when to start and stop running for each step. Keep running on the same step until you feel comfortable that you can move up to the next one. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes you to get to step 12, as long as you’re up off the couch!

To help you spend your time, in addition to enjoying great music I’ll also give you an overview of each of the 12 Steps for Active Investors. You’ll not only get in physical shape but also in financial shape at the same time. Learning while running! These timeless tips worth memorizing provide an overview to Mark Hebner’s book, Index Funds: The 12-Step Program for Active Investors. You’ll learn what it means to be an active investor and why you don’t want to be one! By the end of these 12-Steps, you’ll be a 5K runner and a couch investor.

Music from music.podshow.com:
Money - Tems
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
The Pop Culture - DJ Top Shelf
Money - Theory in Motion
Proof Remixed - Diet Slyce and On the Money - Trap Door
Money Control - Voide
Money - AbaNDa SHAKE
Coz They Invented Money - Gravitator
Cashbox - Big Head Todd and The Monsters
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Get your A-shirts on and move into your double-wide trailer! Frugality. Splits. Journey Revelation. Google Spreadsheets Forms. Buffet’s Big Bet. 3 candidates. iPhone. MMM Survey.

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 MMM-115: Fashionable Frugality [34:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4678)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com

Topics in this week’s show include:         

• I was going to call this episode “A Wifebeater” but thought better of it. 
• Scott Burns says old folks should share a double-wide trailer.
• Please take the MMM Survey!
• Better than having to live in a double-wide trailer, have Index Funds Advisors help your plan your financial freedom.
• 12 New Necessities that drain your cash.
• And buy cheap electronics too.
• The iPhone 8GB will be $199 (ah, but the ATT monthly plan will be $70 at a minimum).
• The Stock Chartists are getting dizzy as the S&P 500 keeps bouncing above and below its moving averages.
• Are there just two men running for president?
• TrueOhioPlaya wonders about the Vanguard ETF splits. And is it time to write covered calls?
• Jason out of Muscatine says please, please, please try Linux.
• Jason out of Muscatine says his friend hasn’t taken the Risk Capacity Survey because he doesn’t have enough money. BAH! You don’t need to invest with IFA in order to review the survey results. And here is the link listing alternative investments, such as Vanguard.
• Caller tries to snare me in a snake pit and answer whether spending time on a real estate business or just buying a REIT would be best. hahaha
• Our Guru this week is Journey. Get their latest 3-disc album Revelation. Arnel Pineda can out-Perry Steve Perry.

Amazon.com: Revelation ASIN: B0018OAP7K

• I compare Perry and Pineda on Who’s Crying Now? Perry will be in your left ear. Pineda will be in your right ear. Or was it the other way around?
• This week’s Tool is Google Spreadsheets that allows you to create Surveys for free.
• Next week’s show, MMM-116, is my interpretation of the Couch to 5K Running plan which I break out into 12 Steps (naturally). Create a playlist in your iTunes software and add MMM-116 into the playlist so that it doesn’t get deleted.
• Buffet has placed a big bet that Vanguard’s S&P 500 index fund will beat a collection of hedge funds over 10 years.
• What should we stock up on at the grocery store?

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Runaway Train - Under Feathers
Music from Wal Mart:
What It Takes to Win - Journey

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Warren Buffet. Zune. Inflation. Vonage. Bogleheads.org. Backtest Spreadsheet. Sharpe Ratio. STDEV. Efficient Frontier. Box of Cash. Working on MMM-116… its gonna be a runaway hit.

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 MMM-114: Expert Predictions [28:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (4882)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com.      

Topics in this week’s show include:      

• Warren Buffet’s Expert Prediction is for a long, deep recession. 
• I’ve heard from at least SIX Zune listeners!
• Please take the MMM Survey!
• Warren Buffet paid 19% tax in 2006, same as the 19% tax of GDP rate, write Brandon.
• DOW Chemical hikes prices 20%.
• If we assume prices will go up, then it makes sense to buy large amounts of non-perishable products now. What should I buy? Email me.
• Skwiggs says Vonage is even more expensive than Skype and Magic Jack. Yeah, but they don’t do existing number transfer.
• Diehards.org has now officially become Bogleheads.org. And gotten rid of that clunky old Morningstar forum.
• Our Tool this week is a backtest spreadsheet that Simba worked up over there at Bogleheads.org. You can enter your favorite allocation of Vanguard funds and it will calculate back-tested performance returns and Sharpe ratio going back as far as 1972 through the end of 2007. Use it for the fun of it.
• I explain the Sharpe Ratio. And also Standard Deviation. And I explain how the line from lower left to upper right on a returns vs. risk chart is the Efficient Frontier.
• I review the Lazy Portfolio Smackdown results thru May.
• Man unearths box filled with old cash. Unfortunately, they put it in a box instead of in Index Portfolio 100 because it would be worth $19,861,409 today. 
• Show MMM-116 is something I’ve been thinking about doing for over a year now. This one is going to be a keeper for you. Listen to it on your iPod or Zune or iPhone.
• Our Guru this week is Barton Biggs who thinks we need to be ready for breakdown of civilization. But more significantly, he cites Philip Tetlock in saying that Experts should be ignored as random blather because they are less accurate than even non-specialists as to what is going to happen. They are worse than dart-throwing monkeys.
• Nouriel Roubini’s Expert Prediction remains bearish.

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

Cramers says do index funds. Take the MMM Survey. More predictions realized. Inflation. Global interplanetary warming. Vonage. Comparing asset class performance. Where to invest in a 65-year IRA?

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 MMM-113: Regular Money Machine [29:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5316)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com.      

Topics in this week’s show include:      

• Cramer says, “I think individual stocks are too risky.”  Yes, he really said that. I play it on this show. And he also said, “The best way to get to mad money is to start with regular money.” That’s what this show is all about. That helps Prediction #1 on its way.
• Do you listen on a Zune?
• Take the MMM SURVEY!
• More predictions results: #9: David Beckham scores a 70-yard goal. #4: Ron Paul does better than expected with 24% in Idaho. #6: A Fed governor resigned.

• Seattle Sounders will have “XBOX 360 Live” on their jerseys. DC United’s say “VW.”
• What is the deal with soft drink prices at restaurants these days? $1.95? $2.50? Holy cow. Ice water, please. The gobmint says there is no inflation.
• Scientists discover global warming not only on earth, but also on Jupiter and Mars.
• New book coming out The ETF Strategist looks promising.
• Paul calls to say do get a Mac and don’t go Vista
• Dave has the MadMortgageMachine.com show
• Douglas says go Ubuntu Linux.
• Why don’t they put a RFID chip in golf balls. Call it the iBall. Then use your iPhone to track and locate it. And play a song when found. (Looks like someone already has.)
• Vonage seems to work well so far… Will Verizon up my bill?
• Which asset class won over different rolling time periods?

• David from TheFastMoneyMachine.com wonders where to invest for his daughter’s IRA, planning for 65 years from now. I think this is a good time to take on some additional risk in the beginning. Tilt more toward small, value, emerging markets, and REITS, or maybe just buy PTO and be done with it. Or how about half VGENX and half VGPMX?
• The musical interpretation of Step 5: Manager Pickers

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Too Far Gone - The Dogs Divine
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

I have created a 20-question survey for you the listener and reader to  help me make the Mad Money Machine better. Would you please take a few moments to completely answer each of the 20 questions and let me know what you’re thinking?

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE MMM SURVEY NOW!

Thank you. You can click the link again at any time to view continuous results that other people have posted.

Answering all questions via iPhone. Prediction #8 comes true. Beating the market explained graphically. Emails and calls. Please prove market timing works. Lots more meat…

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 MMM-112: Full of Meat [33:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5170)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com.      

Topics in this week’s show include:    

• An email from Paul in San Antonio is what it is all about for me.
• Got a question? If I had an iPhone (well… the new 3G one at least) I could answer that for you. I’m cutting expenses in hopes of saving for iPhone service.
• Prediction #8 came true. I review the new ETFs of ETFs from PowerShares.
• Why have an advisor when you could do it yourself and save paying their fee? Because:

• An advisor can evaluate and re-evaluate your risk capacity and make sure you are invested properly.
• An advisor can perform tax-loss harvesting.
• An advisor can make cash flow decisions when you put more money in the account and take money out of the account.
• IFA has sophisticated reporting of your performance which takes into account cash flow.
• IFA is a safe haven for regulatory compliance; they are looking out for YOUR best financial interest not trying to maximize some sales commission.

The take-away of this graphic is that small-cap and value stocks have a higher expected return than the total market. You want your portfolio to be above and to the right of the dashed diagonal line.

• Tax revenues will be 19.5% of GDP no matter what the rate is, so why not make the rate low and the tax laws simple?
• David from Fast Money Machine says I should look at trends and Fibonnaci lines and know when to sell. I say, show me proof.
• Dominik wants to know if he should trust new index funds in Germany. I recommend going with iShares or Vanguard.
• Take our your cellphone and look at the number 4. Then dial 206-734-4763 and leave me a message.
• Going to be near Irvine CA on June 3rd? Definitely don’t miss IFA’s Lunch and Learn seminar. Please tell them I sent you. Please call or write me and tell me how it went for you.
• Why am I not a customer of IFA? Regulatory compliance. I’m taking one for the team.

Music from music.podshow.com:
ALTA PLAZA - XRAY DOGS
Radio Caroline - Jonny Dongel
9.5 Beats - Infallible
Sexual Tension - Infallible
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

I made ten (really eleven) predictions on show MMM-092: Predicting the Future for 2008. Prediction #8 was:

8. A one-stop-shop ETF portfolio fund will appear that gives complete exposure to risk, reward, and diversification all for a low fee. It will include all of the SMILER components as well as some bonds, commodities, and even private equity and possibly even some selected shorts (A short of a bear fund, perhaps??)

That prediction came true today as I learned from IndexUniverse.com that PowerShares announced three “ETFs of ETFs“, their so-called “Autonomic” portfolios. All of the SMILER components (Small, Micro, International, Large, Emerging Market, and REIT) are in these plus some bonds and commodities. Even currencies, gold and oil funds are in these. These are the laziest possible portfolios; buy one ETF and you’re done! (Hmmm, maybe I’m not really recommending that. We’ll see…)

The funds are named “PowerShares Autonomic [style] NFA Global Asset Portfolio” where [style] is either Balanced (PCA), Balanced Growth (PAO) or Growth (PTO).

The total expense ratios for each of these funds include the expenses of each of the component ETFs plus another layer of management fees and are 0.82% for PAO, 0.75% for PCA, and 0.86% for PTO. Yeah, you might be able to do it cheaper if you bought each of the ETFs yourself. Then again, maybe not with all the trading costs.

The table below shows the percentage of each of the ETFs that are included in each of the new ETFs.

I intend to track these funds to see how well they compare against our Lazy Portfolios. I may even try to backtest a portfolio of the individual ETFs to see how well it would have done in the past, including the average annualized returns and Sharpe Ratio. The problem will be that some of the ETFs themselves aren’t that old.

I’ll be talking about this on show 112 and letting you know more as I know more. This is fun. By my count, that is 4 down, 6 to go. (Predictions #3, 4, 5, and 8.) I still stand by the rest. And we’ll see if Apple announces a tablet PC on June 9th for prediction #2.

And since I’m here, have you noticed that Jim Cramer has been talking more about “portfolios” recently? His “Kevlar” and “Stability” portfolios come to mind. This makes prediction #1 even more likely. #7 is a slam dunk. And hey, for #9 there are more international stars in MLS this season too. Go Beckham!

Warren Buffett’s advice. Don’t try to beat the market, BE the market. Little money to invest? My recommendations. Magic demystified. New look. No WSJ. Millionaire secrets. LOST Time Loop. More…

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 MMM-111: Triple Witching Ambivalence [28:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5409)

The Mad Money Machine is proud to be sponsored by Index Funds Advisors at ifa.com.      

Topics in this week’s show include:    

• Which is the best active manager for your investments?
• Here’s help for overcoming your active trading addiction.
• Market returns *are* superior returns!
• Warren Buffett says buy index funds. Will you listen?
• Roshan wants to know where someone with little money can invest in index funds.
• I finished Biography of the Dollar by Craig Karmin. Nice read. Get a copy from your local library.
• I recommend listening to EconTalk podcast interview with Craig Anderson talking about his upcoming book FREE.
• The LOST Time Loop Theory
• The Magic Formula hasn’t been so magical after all…
• Does this web site’s new look work for you?
• My last issue of the WSJ has come and gone. I’m doin’ OK so far.
• Keith wants to know if mutual fund companies go out of business, do they take my money with them?
• Tired of paying PayPal 4% of the money you get? Try RevolutionMoneyExchange.com (and let me know how well it works).
• The Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires
• Triple Witching defined. Bottom line: don’t worry about it.
• Listen to the Giant Pool of Money episode of This American Life.

Music from music.podshow.com:
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

NP (Nick Pardini) interviewed me on his RR (Rational Rants) podcast (Episode 9) asking me about the FED, the gold standard, and active vs. passive investing. Get it at CommonSenseMag.com or thru his feed.

I kinda forgot to finish my answer to his question about “what got me to this revelation about passive investing and don’t I have the urge to do active trading?” I went on about the recent credit crisis and forgot to mention that at that time I did sell some of my ETFs and mutual funds. I’ve kept track of how much those funds have gone up since I sold them and it isn’t pretty. But thanks Nick for the interview.

I just listened to an hour long podcast from This American Life that explains the current credit crisis by talking to some of the guys in the chain of the crisis. From the guy with No Income No Assets taking out a half million dollar mortgage, to the guy selling it, to the guy buying it, to where they are today. From $1000 bottles of champagne to asking daddy for money.

The episode is 355: The Giant Pool of Money and if you’ve got an hour, I definitely recommend it. You can either listen on your computer or thru iTunes. 

As you can tell, I have given the web site a new look today. Does it work for you?

Steel pennies, really? Ten WORST GAMES. Budget tightening. Photo Story. Negative comments! Symbiosis. Planned Obsolescence in investing?

I ENCOURAGE you to Download this show thru iTunes!

But, if you just cannot deal with that then go ahead and
Play the new show right now

 

 MMM-110: Planned Obsolescence [37:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (5069)

Topics in this week’s show include:     

• Congress doesn’t have the cents to get rid of pennies.
• Out of 4461 (and counting) games, what are the Top Ten WORST BOARD GAMES? How do you think Monopoly and Battleship rank? Try a highly-ranked game.
• I’m tightening our budget. Gone to Vonage instead of FiOS. Dropped the sports package. And even dropped the Wall Street Journal. Can I survive? I’ll let you know.
• Also planning to eat in a lot more. Both to save money and to save health. Tell me some place you can go and order kale.
• Did you look at the previous posting? Still think the market has no where to go but up?
• Our Tool this week is another money-saver. Coupons.com.
• Next birthday or retirement party, use Microsoft Photo Story. to create a movie from a collection of old photos. It is easy.
• I review the Lazy Portfolio Smackdown thru April.
• Tim sends me and email with two negative comments. I LOVE IT. Send me yours at Feedback [at] MadMoneyMachine [dot] com.
• Realize the Google ads here are not hand picked by me. Click at your own risk. But do click if you want to help support the MMM!
• IFA and MMM have a symbiotic relationship.
• IFA doesn’t make their money by trading in your account. They are there to help you. Let ‘em!
• And yes, I do like DFA over Vanguard.
• Razors. Toothbrushes. Mutual Funds. What do they have in common? Planned Obsolescence!

Music from music.podshow.com:
Alta Plaza - XRAY DOGS
Runaway Train - Under Feather

Email me: feedback at Mad Money Machine dot com, or comment, or Call me on the Mad Money Machine voicemail line at 206-734-4763

I have a question for you trend followers. You chart watchers. You technical traders. Have a look at this chart and tell me if it is time to buy or time to sell.

Looks like the momentum is up on this baby right? Time to buy? Here’s how it worked out for you…

The first chart was from roughly May 1998 thru April 2001. The second chart was from about April 2001 thru March 2003. The trend definitely wasn’t your friend if you thought we had bottomed in April 2001 and were headed for nothing but up.

Now take a look at this chart:

Anything familiar-looking about this chart? Is it the same chart as the top one?

Nope. This chart is from April 2006 to present. For everyone who says we’ve seen the bottom. Revisit chart #2.

I wish I’d never seen a stock chart and I wish I didn’t have easy access to charts like I do now because I get sucked in to thinking that there must be patterns in prices like there are patterns in nature. I am always wrong when I think that. Studies have shown that there actually is *some* momentum, but I really don’t think anyone can consistently profit from it. Here’s a better chart if you must look at charts.

Twenty years of Index Portfolio 100 from IFA.com.

I’m just sayin’. Set it and forget it. For twenty years!