Remembering TEOTWAWKI and Learning from It

Its only been about 5 years since we had major scares in the marketplace regarding Y2K. You might recall that many computer systems were not programmed to be able to understand the change from 1999 to 2000. There was a tremendous amount of panic created by those who were convinced that as the clock hit midnight on on New Years Eve 2000 that we were going to enter the Dark Ages.

By my analysis this never occured....unless I slept through it and nobody bothered to wake me up! (Note to self: Make sure Staff wakes me up when Y2K occurs!)

The word we are supposed to learn from and understand is; TEOTWAWKI....(The End Of The World As We Know It ) It was a word created by the Y2K scare.

I think there is a very profound lesson to be learned from the Y2K scare. That being that forecasting is pretty much worthless. The real issue with trading as with life itself is to manage risk. Risk can be defined many ways but usually it involves not being prepared for the future and embracing an opinion.

The one advantage of living in a free society is that we are fortunate enough to be exposed to numerous viewpoints on a daily basis. As traders we must learn to constantly differentiate the difference between FACT and OPINION and determine how new data can affect us.

For those who never learn to do this, The End of The World As We Know It will reflect itself in their portfolios. For the rest of us all we can learn to do is MANAGE RISK. It is the only trading secret there is.

There are two schools of thought in trading.... TEOTWAWKI and Risk Management. You make the choice.

The only constant in life is change. Don't forecast. Manage your RISK.

Dowjonesfully,
-Harald Anderson
http://www.eOptionsTrader.com.

Harald Anderson is the founder and Chief Analyst of eOptionsTrader.com a leading online resource of Options Trading Information. He writes regularly for financial publications on Risk Management and Trading Strategies. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.eOptionsTrader.com.


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

In The News:


Maktoob Business (press release)

CIC Head Wary of Investing in Western Banks
Wall Street Journal - 23 hours ago
Lou Jiwei, who head's China Investment Corp., said the uncertainty surrounding Western banks and the policy decisions that may determine their fate makes it ...
UPDATE 1-China wealth fund lacks stomach for financial buys Reuters
Head of China's biggest government investment fund says not ... In-Forum
China reluctant to invest in foreign banks The Associated Press
FinanceAsia - Channel News Asiaall 242 news articles

Toss your stock-investing assumptions, Bill Gross says
Los Angeles Times, CA - Dec 2, 2008
So says Bill Gross, noted bond guru at Pacific Investment Management Co. in Newport Beach. Perhaps not surprisingly, Gross argues that it’s “better to own ...

ETF Investing: 5 Pitfalls to Avoid
U.S. News & World Report, DC - 2 hours ago
By Kirk Shinkle Security, transparency, low costs: It's the mantra of the exchange-traded fund industry, and by and large, most ETFs do live up to the ...
Building a Portfolio Using ETFs U.S. News & World Report
all 5 news articles

Ziegler Exchange Traded Trust Announces Change to Previously ...
MarketWatch - 9 hours ago
Prospective purchasers of the NYSE Arca Tech 100 ETF should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. ...

Oyak Cement says investing despite shrinking market
Reuters - 15 hours ago
ISTANBUL, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Turkey's Oyak Cement Group said on Wednesday it was pressing ahead with investments despite an expected 10 percent decline in ...

Maktoob

Recessions Are Perfect for Currency Investing
Seeking Alpha, NY - 12 hours ago
One thing that I love about the currency market is that there is always a currency or two going up at all times, even when stocks and commodities are ...
Yen Gains on Concern Recession Will Spur Repatriation of Funds Bloomberg
Market Overview by Forex Yard Forex Hound
Weekly Forex Wrap-up Forex Factory
istockAnalyst.com (press release)all 492 news articles

Your Once-in-a-Lifetime Investing Opportunity
Motley Fool - 6 hours ago
But it was investment banks and financial institutions -- the largest and fiercest players on Wall Street -- that were literally ground zero for this ...

Research and Markets: Wall Street's Buried Treasure: The Low ...
MarketWatch - Dec 2, 2008
BILL KRAFT, trader, speaker, trading coach, and author of Trade Your Way to Wealth "Investing without Wall Street's Buried Treasure is like trying to live ...
A Blitz of Funds Reopen for Business U.S. News & World Report
all 46 news articles

A slow and steady investing strategy
CNNMoney.com - 12 hours ago
Investor Daily: During the flat market of 1966-1982, investors who kept investing every month earned better returns. By Adam Lashinsky, senior writer SAN ...

ProFunds Group Names Todd Johnson Chief Investment Officer
MarketWatch - Dec 2, 2008
Mr. Johnson, formerly with World Asset Management, will oversee all investment operations for ProShares ETFs and ProFunds mutual funds. ...
investing - Google News
Your Ad Here

Games at Buy.com

Holiday Home Store at Buy.com

The Key Ingredient To Increase Preconstruction Profits By Over $20,000

One of the greatest preconstruction investing issues that I hear from individual investors is that they can't get access to what they believe are good projects. Regardless... Read More

The Perfect Mutual Fund

The Perfect Mutual Fund is the one you build yourself!The perfect Mutual Fund you build should have the objective of owning no more than 12 to 15... Read More

An Investment Real Estate Strategy Unknown To Most Is A Negative Amortization Loan

If you want to make the most of your personal or investment real estate, you should consider a negative amortization loan. Mortgage amortization is basically mortgage balance... Read More

Online Trading Options Strategies - Rolling

Rolling is defined in options online trading as moving a position from one strike to another either vertically in the same month, horizontally to another month or... Read More

Stock Market Leaders and Laggards

Leaders are stocks that breakout immediately when the market confirms a new rally. In the first several weeks, strong stocks with leadership ability will breakout on volume... Read More

Asset Location ? Increase Investing Returns & Reduce Your Taxes

Location ? Once the holy grail only for real estate investors is fast becoming the mantra for every stock, bond, and mutual fund investor. Experts and studies... Read More

Success Trading: Yet More Basic Terminology for New Traders

In this day and age of online brokers for virtually every market out there, there are some very useful tools that will help protect your account and... Read More

Are You An Investment Dummy Like Me?

I am good at a few things. I can certainly market well and I consult with others about how to bring more attention to their products and... Read More

Stocks: Reduce Risk Yet Maximize Profits

It is important to note that every smart investor wants to minimize risk while maximizing profit potential. Yet conventional investment theory tells us that in order to... Read More

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 6)

Pre-1933 Gold Outperforms Today's Gold Bullion...Since 1970, an investment strategy that included Pre-1933 gold has been proven to outperform modern gold bullion, gold bars, Krugerrands, Canadian Maple... Read More

Angel Investors: Who They Are & When Are They Appropriate

Angel investors are individuals who invest in emerging business ventures. Angels typically provide both capital and know-how to companies who are in either their start-up or expansion... Read More

Investing Pointers for Neophyte Investors

If you know next to nothing, how do you go about the business of investing? The first thing you need to know about investing is, how much... Read More

Sell Discipline for Investors: Importance and Execution

Investors usually don't have an aversion to buying an asset. The real gut wrenching decision is when - and if - to sell. What most don't realize... Read More

Investing in Car Dealerships: How to Do It Right

The financial characteristics of the automobile dealership are attractive:". . . moderate growth and risk and high returns. Franchised new car dealer revenues have grown at a... Read More

Easily Finding A Good Stock

There is a tremendous amount of software, complicated high priced newsletters, radio and TV stock pickers and Internet web sites that will help you find a stock... Read More

Index Trading Weekly Update

Here is a sample of the last newsletter:SP500 Last Signal Comment We just had a new sell signal last friday on june 10th 2005. As expected... Read More

Investing and the Fear of Regret and Greed

People tend to feel sorrow and grief after having made an error in judgement.Investors deciding whether to sell or buy a security are typically emotionally affected by... Read More

Part II of Day Traders and Swing Traders and Options? Maybe!

Before every protective put trade it is possible to calculate your anticipated maximum loss. Use the formula: (stock price minus strike price) plus option price. For example,... Read More

Investing: Do You Want To Make Money, Or Would You Rather Fool Around?

It always amazes me how much stock market investors resemble horse track bettors. Some are very conservative, willing to trade low returns for relative safety. Others bet... Read More

Planning for Retirement

Almost without exception, people don't start planning for their retirement early enough in their lives. Young people leaving High School or College and going into their first... Read More

Press Release Scams and Successes: Reading Between the Lines

Press releases are a means through which companies can keep the public up to date regarding their recent affairs. It is the duty of every public company... Read More

Short Selling for Investors

Shorts. Let's see. If there are shorts there must be longs. Which is best? Longs or shorts?If you are trading in the stock the stock market experts... Read More

Consolidation Period

The economic data reported Fri showed continued above trend growth with disinflation (at the core level, excluding food and energy) in the second quarter. Real output growth... Read More

Creating Momentum with Options - Pro and Cons of At-the-money, In-the-money, and Out-of-the-money

To create momentum in your options trading you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages of at-the-money options, in-the-money options and out-of-the-money options.An at-the-money option has both... Read More

The Power of Small Numbers: Trading Success is Based on Consistency, Not Home Runs

Online trading is so seductive - just sit, click, and rake in the profits! But as anyone who has ever seriously attempted online trading will probably tell... Read More

What My Horse Had For Breakfast

Let's see, he had some oats, fresh alfalfa and his vitamins. I know from the mixture that is great food and he will win the seventh race... Read More