Radical Insanity

June 15, 2016 charleskochelLeave a comment

Advocates of hate. My way or the highway. I’m right and you are wrong. Thoughts bouncing around diverse communities throughout. Radical insanity has no borders, no religion, no political affiliate.

She’s ugly and mean. Unpleasing aesthetics of egotistical terrorism dominate her culture. From within her circles she has devout loyalist praising her beliefs and capabilities. From outside, she’s just a bitch.

Why? Because St. Peter is at the gates of Heaven grasping his driftwood staff, confederate flag waving atop. This is our sacred space, righted to us by Almighty God. If you don’t get what we say, damn you to hell for eternal suffering.

Condemning Mohammad Ali, His Holiness – The Dalai Lama, Ghandi, and Mother Teresa. “They may be good people, but works don’t get you home. All will burn in hell.”

Faith plays the star role in radical insanity. He’s all we’ve got. Individuals, products of unique environments – our own history, education, hobbies, religious beliefs, friends, family, career and everything that shapes everyday life. It’s who we are. It’s all we know.

Simmered down from a stock to demi-glace it looks something like a theory of dirt. When we die, we either turn into organic matter, or there is more, both is hopeful.

This is not where most radical insanity begins, more somewhere in the middle web. Life after death, reincarnation, cats get 9 lives, people get 7. Whatever your faith, believe it with all you are and condemn no one. It’s not appealing.

“Can’t we just all get along?” ~Rodney King

Religion, government and hippies – the little competitions suck you into escalating cycles. Before you know it, they become oddly personal and somewhere along the way it slips into resentment.

Government elections are bad enough. Religion complicates and staggering numbers of hippies are screaming about GMO’s, and know nothing about what they are.

Relations between the opposing forces are chilling. Polar faiths, known for sure to be correct. It’s not surprising, an overwhelming number of people, most of us, are trying to “keep it in the middle.” Agitated at times, empowering the middle road towards radical insanity.

Society will gladly take you by the hand, leading you to scripted answers. Prospects of people yanked around by society will prove tempting. But for now, lack of tolerance is a form of control – the problem itself.

We’re all trying to get to the same place, following different paths of the spider web woven by each unique life. Acceptance and love – the ‘do right rule’ seems to ring true in my world.

“What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others remains and is immortal.” ~Albert Pine.

The only question I ponder is, “why not?” If I’m radical, I’m a radical pluralist striving to continuously improve the man in the mirror. Starting with self, we can make a difference in the quality of our own life, and the life of others through small actions of kindness.

Show up for yourself. Find or create the life you want. Do more of what you love. Catch your dream – a career you are passionate about, people you want to be around, hobbies you enjoy and make you happy. Ask yourself, “Self, What do I Want Out of Life? Will I look back, near the end of my days, and say … “at a boy, job well done”?

As usual, Wooderson (Dazed and Confused, 93’) has all the answers.

“You got to do what Randal Pink Floyd wants to do, man. The older you get the more rules their gonna try to get you to follow. You just got to keep livin’ man. L-I-V-I-N.

Charles Kochel sometimes writes a controversial blog. But, he fishes, so all is well. Wishing peace and love to all those suffering from mindless acts of terror.

Buying and Selling Stocks

April 22, 2015April 22, 2015 charleskochelLeave a comment

The difference in speculation and investing is not only risk and cost, but also common sense. It’s most likely due to lack of investment education by the public, but also preying investment professionals and whack media.

The two most disturbing mantras I’ve been associated with go something like this.

1. It’s a good investment, if and only if, it’s good for the company, good for the broker and good for the client…but 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.

This obviously calls for retribution, but nothing is ever done. What it means is that the client is the only one of the 3 taking risk, and if the brokerage firm makes money and the broker makes money, let’s only hope the client makes money, so they will come back for more. But if the client loses money, oh, well – 2 out of 3 making money is a win, win situation.

2. “YTB” – or Yield to Broker

This grossly used term describes when a broker makes astonishing commissions on risky investments. Yes, brokers get paid more to sell you higher risk investments., usually one too complicated for the average investor to understand. But, “if they like you and they trust you, they’ll buy it.”

The power of markets work. It’s been proven throughout history, it’s capitalism at it’s best. Speculation has a high degree of risk, at an even greater cost to the investor, both dollar cost and chance of losing the money they’ve invested.

The allocation of your assets, in other words, the proper mix of stocks, bonds, real assets and cash, determine your long-term expected return, not selection of each security.

Diversification, or spreading your investments over a wide array of asset classes in all sectors of the market is an essential counter measure in managing undue risk, without compromising performance. A diversified portfolio of smaller, undervalued companies with high profits will have a higher expected return. Investing globally, often provides a better return, at a given level of risk, than stocks and bonds alone.

This philosophy is based on Nobel Prize winning academic research and decades of practical experience, not speculation. A disciplined process, without stock selection, market timing, or Wall Street trends to guide decision-making, you can structure a diversified, low-cost investment portfolio to balance risk, lower taxes and maximize return.

So, why do most advisors take such a different approach. Is it not “sexy” enough? Is the profit margin too low? What happened to asking, “what matters most to you?” The fact is, too many corporations gorge on fear and greed and with a YTB (yield to broker) that pushes and pulls margins high enough to outperform every quarter, well, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.

Charles Kochel has been a wealth manager since February, 1999. He founded Yield Wealth, the first benefit corporation in Arkansas and leads the charge for core impact investing in the south.

For more information about how to align your investments with what you believe in, email info@yieldwealth.com. To learn more about Yield Wealth and our beliefs and capabilities, visit http://www.yieldwealth.com. The information in this blog should not be taken as investment advise.

Losing sight of What’s Most Important

April 20, 2015April 30, 2015 charleskochelLeave a comment

We are in the midst of an economy so focussed on short-term profits and quarterly earnings, to move share prices, excluding all else, humanity has been completely removed from corporate America. When did we lose sight of people and planet?

We shouldn’t treat people based on the size of their bank accounts, or how much their last pay check was, nor should we treat our companies this way. We have a double standard when it comes the way we value our businesses and it’s polarizing and threatening the society we live in.

Corporate profits are at an all time high, 12.5%…”yeehaw” if you’re a shareholder, but if you’re on the other side of that, like 90% of working Americans, it’s not such a good thing. If 10% of the population owns 90% of the stocks, then it only makes sense they take a greater share of corporate profits – leaving less for the rest of society. Income Inequality Is Not A Good Thing.

I referenced a chart today about the relationship between income inequality and social problems. There were 21 countries on the chart. As you move from bottom left to top right, the worse it is. Where was the US on the chart? The US was “off the chart” too high and far right to even make it on the page. Income Inequality Is Not A Good Thing.

History repeats itself. The gap between the wealthy and everyone else will close, it always does and typically happens in 1 of 3 ways:

Revolution

Higher Taxes

War

Income Inequality Is Not A Good Thing.

There is one other way. Increasing corporate social awareness of income inequality; moving the needle to better par the employees in corporate America, that is the CEO, corporate executives and everyone else. This would need tremendous changes in corporate behavior. It’s like an addict trying to solve their addiction – the first step is to acknowledge we have a problem.

So, are you supporting Inequality in America? Well, if you’re doing business with corporate America, and investing in companies that do not have initiative to impact more than just the quarterly earnings, than, yes – you’re supporting income inequality. It’s time to take a good look at the companies in which we invest. It’s time to look at more than just profits, but also people and the planet. Income inequality is not a good thing.

Charles Kochel is a second generation wealth advisor and third generation family farm operator. He is the founder of Yield Wealth Management, one of the first benefit corporations in Arkansas and one of the leading core impact investors in the south.

To learn more about Charles, Yield Wealth or set a time to visit, visit http://www.yieldwealth.com or email info@yieldwealth.com. The articles written in this blog should not be construed as investment advise.

Tag: generation x

Radical Insanity

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Buying and Selling Stocks

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Losing sight of What’s Most Important

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