Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
The Week in Charts (11/10/25)
The most important charts and themes in markets and investing...
00:00 Intro
00:19 Topics
01:18 Why Is Buffett Holding So Much Cash?
05:18 The Longest Shutdown in History Is About to End
08:09 The Highest Beat Rate Sin…
"Trump is moving to immortalize himself with his name etched into coins,
carved into pediments, and inscribed into White House marble.
He wants to glorify himself in the most permanent ways possible."
"This is what fascist dictators do when in powe…
Excerpts from Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American newsletter.
"The House got down to business this morning after a 54-day break to work on the Senate measure to reopen the government. Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and…
More good choices
A special cover of Warren Zevon - I appreciate the connection between Zevon, Vedder and Letterman
Beautiful song!
You may know that David Letterman delivered a heartfelt induction speech
for Warren at the Rock & Roll Hall of F…
Warren Zevon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame several days ago.
One of his lesser-known tunes titled "Mohammed's Radio" was captured live
on the Stand In The Fire album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N75XPsa6qY0
LOVE that one! R…
"ISTM Munger & Buffett liked to shift more into cash when markets seemed frothy.
A form of timing."
I can't speak for Munger and Buffet's cash strategy.
Some investors hold cash if they can't identify any investments which meet their criteria.
"FD, you came to OUR COUNTRY, used it to your advantage to make your money,
and are now enthusiastically cheering as Trump and his minions destroy everything
that this country has stood for for 250 years."
"FD, PLEASE JUST TAKE YOUR DAMNED MONEY AN…
"Interesting though, in that while some financial advisors insist that no one
should have more than a small number of funds, the M* 401k has quite a few."
Morningstar's 401(k) lineup includes Vanguard's entire Target Retirement suite.
Mr. Kinnel me…
Warren Zevon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame several days ago.
One of his lesser-known tunes titled "Mohammed's Radio" was captured live
on the Stand In The Fire album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N75XPsa6qY0
I previously owned RLBGX in my employer's H.S.A. plan.
CGBL is an interesting fund which is somewhat similar to RLBGX.
I may use CGBL in my H.S.A. account (now at Fidelity) sometime in the future.
But it's not really a global fund.
The following dat…
From Markets A.M. newsletter by Spencer Jakab.
On this day in 1999, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, or the “Financial Services Modernization Act,”
was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, essentially repealing the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933,
whic…
...Then you have the question of what quality is BBB nowadays.
This is merely anecdotal, but what I hear over and over is that even below BBB-rated Junk these days
is generally of better quality than it once was, particularly leading up to the GFC …
Forget about Bitcoin!
Don't bother with silver or gold bullion!
The Franklin Mint is proud to present The Donald J. Trump Sleepy-Time Commemorative Coin Collection.
Each magnificent coin comes with a certificate of authenticity and is available for …
"I definitely lean towards 'maximizer', up to the point where 'perfect becomes the enemy of good enough'".
I also tend to be a "maximizer."
I am trying to lean more towards being a "satisficer" but this is not easy for me.
LOL!
"Can he restore their credibility, reputations, or everything that they lost by committing those crimes? Nope."
This reminds me of a comment that David Brooks made on the PBS News Hour.
I'm paraphrasing here — President Trump degrades everyone that…
"Imagine anyone else blathering like him, and their supporters pretending not to notice!"
I don't have to imagine this — unfortunately there are plenty of examples!
FD1000's pathetic behavior exemplifies the situation.
President Trump has taken a liking to calling his predecessor "Sleepy Joe."
Yet, he is guilty of sleeping on the job much more often!
He's the "Dozing Don."
"He spent Biden’s entire presidency calling him ‘Sleepy Joe’. Still does.
But this guy nods…
President Donald Trump is obviously mentally incapacitated and incapable of leading this great nation.
Why has the media refused to discuss this crucial topic?
"When responding to a question about his mental acuity,
he confused a dementia screen…
There is ambiguity in how various people define maximizers and satisfisers.
The following information may provide additional clarity.
"A maximiser is a perfectionist who constantly strives to achieve the optimal outcome.
When faced with options a …
Vanguard's preliminary capital gains estimates as of October 31.
Vanguard plans to provide final estimates for all funds on December 9.
https://advisors.vanguard.com/tax-center/year-end-distributions
"I have been searching for a global balanced fund to be the single investment for our house."
If I was searching for a global balanced fund, I would probably select Vanguard Global Wellington.
It has low expenses, a well-resourced adviser (Wellingt…
"Memo From Turner." Stones.
Edgy, that's no surprise. On the one hand, "it's got a good beat, Dick, and you can dance to it."
On the other, the lyrics sound dark, and frankly, some of it is a bit beyond me.
I almost think this song was posted on ac…
It would not be surprising if these comments were made while the president was at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump has spent a considerable amount of time golfing or at Mar-a-Lago during the government shutdown.
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/01/nx-s1-5593444/trump-g…
"How stupid do you have to be to believe someone who lies everyday."
Very stupid.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_or_misleading_statements_by_Donald_Trump
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/list/?speaker=donald-trump&ruling=false
"In a procedural vote, senators advanced a House-passed bill that will be amended to fund
the government until January 30 and include a package of three full-year appropriations bills."
"If the Senate eventually passes the amended measure, it still…
It's wasn't a good week for millions of people in the U.S. who are going hungry!
From Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American newsletter.
“Saturday, Patrick Penn, the deputy undersecretary for food, nutrition, and consumer services
in the…
Telegraph Road.
If you have ever seen How The West Was Won (you should),
this reminds me of that very much.
Haven't heard this song in a while.
Very nice!
Busy morning! Good stuff. Love Edmund Fitzgerald. Good story.
Nils Lofgren has performed/toured with Springsteen since 1984. Great video.
Love Dire Straits - Mark Knopfler's guitar work is superb.
Another cover, you all know the original.
Nice …
