Rome Wasn't Built In A Day

Neither Was "The Ticker"

You’ve all heard the old adage, “give a man a fish and he will eat for a day; teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I’m just now learning how to “fish” when it comes to Substack, LinkedIn, Twitter, Amazon, my webmaster and more. Never did anyone say it was easy. Anything that’s worth doing never is; what I’m doing is well worth it. Thousands of you seem to agree; I wish I could thank you each personally.

I listened and learned from the masters, Rosenberg and Spier, yes that’s right, a father and son-in-law team that were nice enough to take me under their wings and show me the ropes. Times have changed and so have the ropes but “listening” to anyone willing to give you the time, to show you the ropes is priceless. Both Jock and Eric, buttressed by my Dad, knew of my interest in securities; they just didn’t realize my desire.

Is that what you have? Do you have the desire to learn, to say “no thanks” to all others who want to teach you how to invest and trade the “wrong way”? More importantly do you have the innate ability to determine what the “right way” is to learn investing and trading? In other words, do you want to learn “how to fish”? I hope so, as I’m ready to teach you or at least I’m closer than I was when I first started.

Remember, it takes time. Learning how to simply invest and trade the “right way” is a marathon, not a sprint. Far too many I’m introduced to in today’s world treat markets as if they were Roulette wheels. Even though Roulette is the “best game” to play in the casino it’s also one that’s not going to make you rich quick. Neither are securities. The first thing you’ll need to decide is whether or not you’re willing to put the time in. The second step is doing it right. If you are willing to work with me, to learn the right way, then I’m all ears just give me a few more weeks to get it right, or at least a little closer.

Start With Thinking “Outside-Of-The-Box”

Have you ever been chastised for the way you think? I have, more so, I’ve often been critiqued for what I think about. Take for instance a comparison between what “The Wizard of Oz” illustrates to me versus what Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett said to me in his “Brain Damage” lyrics found in “The Dark Side of the Moon”. You may ask what the hell I’m talking about and why. Think about it, everyone needs to start “thinking” at some point so why not here, right?

Now remember, I’m a macroeconomic and geopolitical kind of guy. I like taking the long term perspective versus what’s happening over the next couple minutes. Let us start with out buddy Dorothy and her “little dog toto” and dissect a few of the longer term thoughts they evoke in me and why.

“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” was written by L. Frank Baum and first published in 1900. Baum was a political activist, a populist with a real monetary attraction to Teddy Roosevelt. The “Yellow Brick Road” was the “gold standard”, the famous “ruby shoes”, then silver, were just dancing down that road towards “Oz” a well known abbreviation for “ounces”. The “Tin Man” was meant to be John D. Rockefeller and together with a “brainless scarecrow” and “cowering lion” they were all going to the “Emerald City”, a “world of fraudulent greenbacks” and evils, the “Witch of the West”. Pretty good, eh? I think so but now what about Syd Barrett and the effect he had on Pink Floyd and why?

“Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” are illustrations of Syd Barrett’s hallucinogenic LSD experiments that brought about his early demise. Remember however that the album did not hit the charts until 1973, a year or two after Nixon’s fight against inflation hit Bretton Woods ending the system of fixed exchange currency rates established at the end of World War II. Gold was sitting at $35 an ounce; the dollar was overvalued and we didn’t have enough gold to cover the dollars in worldwide circulation. In essence, Nixon caused the dollar to collapse versus world currencies. The United States was off the gold standard; look where it’s trading today. So how does this relate to The Wizard of Oz, Pink Floyd and above all Glinda, the “good witch of the south” from Oz? Wait a minute, when did Glinda enter the picture?

Where the hell did that come from? No I’m not on Barrett’s LSD and I have nothing to do with Timothy Leary. I did however get you to think outside the box and no, I’m not going to tell you the answer, at least not the one I came up with, “politically speaking”, that solves this equation. I will however give you a few hints.

1. Think about Glinda as being a populist conspirator who influenced how everyone else thought about and interacted with each other. After all she killed the witch of the east, took Dorothy to the Land of Oz and arranged her departure, that is after she exposed the Wizard as a fraud and killed the wicked witch of the west. Pretty good work I’d say. What do you think?

2. Syd Barrett was Pink Floyd’s frontman. He, like Glinda, was well known, had a style of psychedelia, accented his singing and his stream-of-consciousness. He influenced and directed others down his own “Yellow Brick Road”, like Glinda and more than just Nixon did. She had a plan; she was right.

   Starting to see what I’m looking for? If you don’t, worry not. If you do, write it down, email me at david@thetickeredu.com and remember it because it’s going to change as your perceptions grow and change. I want to use Syd Barrett to take this trip with you but I want to be sure you’re onboard like the “Magical Mystery Tour”. The Beatles knew it, so do I; if your heart is in it, if you have the ability to think “outside-of-the-box” no matter what you think I’m going to take the time to learn from and think with you, the “right way”.

I could go on, ask you to incorporate Toto and the Munchkins into the total storyline but that’s not my objective. My objective is just to make sure you to have the ability to think “outside-of-the-box”. I don’t care what you come up with. I think about scenario after scenario every day. What is it that I’m seeing and why is it different every day? In essence, investing and trading “is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma”. It changes daily, so should you. Not your style, well heaven forbid it, but macroeconomic and geopolitical signals perceived then applied daily make learning how to invest and trade the “right way” possible and a fit between us will soon arise.

If you’re willing to take much of what has brought you here and question it please hop on board and start thinking. Are you profitable? Does your system work after there’s a change in the overall market trend? You don’t have to decide today. You need to keep an open mind as to anything and everything. I’m ready when you are. Take your time; it’s not always a timely and perfect situation for everyone. I understand and I’ll wait.

Thanks for letting me have some fun tonight. I’m serious about your taking your time. I have no choice. It has taken me more time than I ever imagined to get “The Ticker” started. Like I said, give me a little more time and thanks for your patience. Now go “follow your yellow brick road”.

Enjoy everyone, I’m going to have a late, late dinner. Remember, “outside-of-the-box” is the only way to learn. Take your time but keep an open mind and remember. Not only is the “lunatic on the grass” the “lunatic is in the hall” the actual “lunatic” is everywhere, “outide-of-the-box” even on the “dark side of the moon” and especially in your head. . . thanks for letting me be me and enjoy the ride; it’s well worth your time.