Capitalogix

Augmenting Reality

Sometimes new technology seems like science fiction. Other times, science fiction introduces us to new technology.

I remember watching Minority Report and having a sense that I was watching a future closer than it seemed. There's a scene where Tom Cruise is walking through a shopping area and each time he passes a store there is a personalized ad; and in other scenes there is a "Terminator-Like" text that overlays the physically real world. That is called "Augmented Reality". 

Well, your phone may not be as cool as that, yet; however it's getting there pretty quickly.

The next picture doesn't look like much; but it's using the iPhone's built-in camera and GPS unit to recognize highly rated restaurants in real time. The application doing this is Yelp. This feature is currently hidden by default; but you can turn it on by shaking your phone vigorously, until the "Monocle" feature activates.

Soon, I imagine this will be enhanced further with a discount coupons and the ability to place orders before you walk in the door. Nonetheless, it's an example of what's coming.

Where Else Will This Be Useful?

Imagine what this could do to the real-estate industry (as price per square foot, tax rates, etc. overlay the properties as you drive by). Or, imagine traders looking at a chart displaying the most relevant indicators, patterns, setups, and triggers for the company or market they are analyzing.  It gives a whole new meaning to real-time business intelligence.

A Trend-Following Book Worth Reading

People often ask me which trading books I'd recommend. I've read a lot of books about trading; and though some of them are good, only a handful stand out.

Michael Covel wrote a couple of the trading books I consider worth reading. The first is called "Trend Following", and the second is called "The Complete TurtleTrader".

Many books are little more than marketing for their author or an attempt to sell a "magic bullet" to less experienced traders. In contrast, both of Covel's books are simple enough that a novice would gain valuable information from them; yet there's enough content and nuance that experienced traders also will benefit from the books.

I've always loved Jack Schwager's "Market Wizard" book series. Covel's books are different than these because they deal with a narrower subject ... more deeply.  Yet they are similar in terms of the value-added content they provide and how accessible they are; and that's high praise from me.

Covel has an engaging writing style. He keeps things interesting by telling stories rather than simply providing a mechanical "how-to" textbook.  You get enough narrative and detail about accomplished traders to give you a sense of their personality, thought process, and some of the key ideas and distinctions that help make them successful. In addition, he backs-up his research with lots of data, charts, and links to additional information.  This makes it easy for you to continue on your own.

What is In the Trend Following Book?

The "Trend Following" book:

1. explains the basics of trend following;
2. introduces you to the some of the great trend following traders;
3. explains the positives and negatives of the technique from a performance standpoint;
4. shows how trend followers did during big events, crashes, and panics;
5. and the later part of book focuses on the human-nature side of trading, decision-making and building trading systems.

I like how Covel segments his books logically, and in bite-size chunks.  That means I can pick it up and read something without feeling compelled to start at the beginning and read all of it at once.

For example, I just opened Trend Following (to page 253) and saw "Five Questions for a Trading System". In this section he lays-out things to consider when evaluating a system.  Examples include how the system determines which market (and how much exposure) to trade, as well as what constitutes entry and exit triggers? Then, in addition to explaining the basics, there are examples and quotes from other traders about the topic.  And he extends the discussion to include emotional issues like how much money you intend to make, the level of time and effort you intend to invest, and the strengths and weakness you bring into the equation.  Bottom-line, he goes out of his way to give you a thorough understanding ... while getting his points across in an easy-to-understand, informative, and interesting ways.

I found myself referring to both of these books several times in the past several months. If you're looking for something to read (or for some new ideas about trading and money management) I recommend you check out these books.

Other Links:

• Here is a link to Covel's Blog.
• Here is a link to Covel's Videos on YouTube.
• Here is a link to his TrendFollowing website.
• Here is a link to his new movie, Broke.

Here's a Movie Worth Seeing

What do you do when your wife and kids are out of town, and you find yourself alone?

Besides catching-up on projects that I somehow avoided until now, I like to watch movies.

TiVo now links to Netflix, and provides an instant viewing option. Upon opening that folder on the DVR, I saw a bunch of things I normally wouldn't choose to watch on my own. One of them was a movie called Saint Ralph.  And I chose to watch it anyway.

My Dad had an "interesting" belief. He didn't watch scary or negative movies, because he felt that life was enough of a challenge on its own ... and it was better to find things that raised our spirits. Well, I inherited that from him.

Don't get me wrong, I still I love drama and thrillers. But in the absence of compelling circumstances, I tend to prefer positive stories.

So a plot about a down-on-his luck Catholic High School student whose father is dead and whose mother is in a coma, doesn't sound like my type of movie. 

But Saint Ralph was my type of movie.  It made me think and I enjoyed it.  The movie was lighter, funnier, and better than I expected.

On one level, it's a coming-of-age story about perseverance and faith through uncertain times. On another level, it's a well-written comedy about a quirky 14-year-old boy who gets it in his head that the only way to save his mother is through a miracle (and the miracle he thinks will save her ... is for him to win the Boston Marathon).

It is a movie that asks, if you're going to dream for something, why not dream for miracles?

Hope you enjoy it.

Here's a link to the trailer for Saint Ralph. 

Here's a link to find it at Netflix.

Pixar's "UP" an Eye-Opener

I highly recommend seeing the new Disney - Pixar movie, UP, in 3-D.  It was terrific ... much better than I hoped or expected.

Frankly, when my son asked me to see it with him, I agreed reluctantly.  As he later reminded me, Pixar movies usually are better than you'd guess.

The animation was as good as I expected.  Yet, the 3-D effects were the best I've seen, because it seemed real and natural, rather than a gimmick.

On the surface, this adventure comedy is about an old-man trying to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America.  Then soon after setting-out, he learns he isn't alone on his journey, since a wilderness explorer -- 70 years his junior -- has somehow become a stowaway on the trip.

The story and underlying message were good and uplifting. And not just because the old-man choice of transportation was to tie thousands of balloons to his home.

It is worth the few extra dollars to see this in 3-D.

Happy Dance Postcards From Around The World

I found this strangely compelling and fun to watch. 

Been there, want to go there, hadn't even heard of there ... I've flown over 4 million miles, and enjoyed realizing I haven't even scratched the surface, yet.

Why watch a video of a guy doing his happy dance in various places around the world?  See for yourself. 

Here is a link to several of his videos and a link to his website.

Tough Times Call For Hope And Inspiration

The Red Ribbon is a fun video worth watching.  It is a reminder that Hope, Inspiration and Passion are important catalysts to moving forward, regardless of what you do for a living.

I hope you like it.

Here is the direct link on YouTube.

Luck is Pretty Good Too

Luck is underrated. Here is a fun video montage where the hand of fate wasn't so fickle.

Here is a direct link to the YouTube video.

What you focus on determines your life.  It has been said many times, in many ways.

It is easy to focus on what is wrong, what is missing, or what you want to change.  On the other hand, it probably serves us better to feel confident, grateful and loved.  So as we begin 2009, think of how many things went right, how much opportunity is in front of you ... and how even "terrible things" serve to put you back on the right track or start on a better path.

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Is It Bush, Or the Recession?

Today is July 4th.  And as my son and I were driving into our neighborhood, we noticed how few flags we saw waving.

A few years ago, at least two-thirds of the houses had flags.  Today I would get estimate that number being 15% to 20% of the houses.

In our neighborhood, there is a $75 per year service that provides flags for patriotic holidays (like Independence Day, Memorial Day, etc.).

So, did the economy make the $75 outlay feel too extravagant?  Or did the collective level of patriotism drop significantly? 

My guess ... a little of both; but it probably has more to do with the economy.  What do you think?

Movie Worth Watching - August Rush

I  highly recommend the movie August Rush (about an orphaned musical prodigy's search for his parents, and the unfolding of his talents).

Like many good movies, it is well made, has a nice message and great soundtrack. What set it apart, for me, was the way they showed the genius, the beauty, and the simplicity of his gift.

It was inspiring and uplifting.  A different way to say that is that it energized me to get back to my gifts.