Year: 2023
Chess Saga Continues
With Hannah’s passion for chess growing and the lockdowns easing, we discovered the wonderful world of chess meetups.
Me, My Boy, and Warren Buffett with 2023 Postscript – Ep 187
The fourteen-year-old Jonah could not sit through the annual meeting; he was preoccupied with anything and everything but Buffett’s and Munger’s wisdom. After coming with me to Omaha eight years ago, Jonah never asked to go back, until last year....
Me, My Boy, and Warren Buffett with 2023 Postscript
The fourteen-year-old Jonah could not sit through the annual meeting; he was preoccupied with anything and everything but Buffett’s and Munger’s wisdom.
Libertarian’s (Unexpected) View on the Bailout of the Banking System – Ep 186
Bailouts of the banking system create social tension. Eventually, bailouts introduce so much risk into the system that failures and bailouts become too costly for the society to bear, government creates draconian rules trying to prevent them in...
Silicon Valley Bank’s Downfall: A Cautionary Tale of What’s to Come – Ep 185
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) may be an extreme example, but it gave us a preview at a 100x magnification of what many banks are facing today. SVB is also a sad demonstration of how volatile deposits are. SVB was awash with deposits from its customers,...
Should I be worried about the safety of my Schwab account?
Many investors, including our clients, have been worried about their Schawb account safety. Are they right to be worried?
The Stock Market, The Economy, Possible Outcomes, How to Invest – Ep 184
This is part one of the winter seasonal letter I wrote to clients, sharing my thoughts about the economy and the market. I tried something I’ve never done before. Instead of conveying my message through storytelling, I tried to compress my...
Libertarian’s (Unexpected) View on the Bailout of the Banking System
Bailout of the banking system create social tension. Eventually, bailouts introduce so much risk into the system that failures and bailouts become too costly for the society to bear, government creates draconian rules trying to prevent them in future, which in turn kills innovation and the formation of new businesses, and the result is a stagnating economy.
What to Expect After the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse
The Silicon Valley Bank collapse may be an extreme event, but it gives us a preview at a 100x magnification of what other banks are facing.
The Hidden Costs of Switzerland: What It Takes to Be Swiss – Ep 183
I recently traveled to a Swiss investment conference. The beauty, safety and serenity of Switzerland all come with embedded costs which I uncover in discussing the contrasts of India vs Switzerland, and seeing a country as a visitor vs a resident. You...
The Stock Market, The Economy, Possible Outcomes, How to Invest
This is part one of the winter seasonal letter I wrote to IMA clients, sharing my thoughts about the economy and the market. I tried something I’ve never done before. Instead of conveying my message through storytelling, I tried to compress my thoughts into short sentences…
The False Sophistication of Sophists – Ep 182
The words we use matter more than we think. While we have a tendency to use words that can inflame a situation, make it worse or more extreme, by deliberately choosing our words, we can craft our perception of things, people, and events. I explain...
Each Day is a Separate Life – Ep 181
In the hopes of gaining and keeping perspective on what truly matters over the Holidays, Vitaliy draws an excerpt from Seneca on treating our most precious commodity, time, with the respect it deserves. You can read this article online here: This is...
The Real Country of Contrasts: Our Unforgettable Trip to India – Ep 180
Vitaliy and his daughter Hannah visited India for a CFA society event. The journey opened their eyes to the contrasts between the West and the sub-continent both in culture and India's potential investment merits. You can read this article online...
Why we’re confident in our Charter investment – Ep 179
Vitaliy gives an update on IMA's investment in cable company Charter. After being punched in the face by a declining stock price, Vitaliy and his team did an extensive amount of additional research on the business and industry. He believes IMA's...
Hidden costs of living in Switzerland
After a recent trip to India, the contrast with Switzerland was stark. But there are hidden costs of living in Switzerland as well.
Stock Market Roller Coaster: Prepare for a Decade or Two of Disappointing Returns! – Ep 178
Vitaliy outlines how the conditions are ripe for a sideways market, something he knows about, having written two books on the subject. He shares how to invest in sideways markets, and what to expect overall. You can read this article online here: ...
Why we’re confident in our Charter investment
The CHTR decline may have kicked us in the face, but our extensive research is telling we’re not wrong about our Charter investment. Here’s why:
Herr Schadenfreude Is Not a Friend of Ours – Ep 177
Vitaliy is embarrassed to admit that he has at times felt Schadenfreude, "shameful joy", upon seeing growth stocks decline. But his stoicism and decency quickly kicked in, and he banished this destructive feeling. Here's how. You can read this article...
The Real Country of Contrasts: Our Unforgettable Trip to India
My daughter Hannah and I went to a trip to India. We visited a small part of this large country, the most populous in the world.
Stock Market Roller Coaster: Prepare for a Decade or Two of Disappointing Returns!
Investors who own index funds have likely strapped themselves into a giant stock market roller coaster which, to this point, has only gone up.
