(Note to Traders: Check out my trading blog and BackTesting Report too)

The 2005 Trader’s Camp with Dr. Alexander Elder officially ended on Friday.   Saturday turned into a bonus day with an impromtu invitation from Alex to sit in on his weekly top-down analysis of the markets, a.k.a. “homework”.    Now its one thing to be told how to do market analysis, a better thing to get ready-made spreadsheets for it, and best of all to look over the shoulder of a seasoned expert who can articulate his thoughts in real time.    We got all three as best-selling author Dr. Elder sorted through over 130 market indices and 237 sub-industry groups to find candidates stocks for the trading  week ahead.

Looking over Dr. Elder's shoulder

(more…)

Tags: Alexander Elder, cyprus, Sell and Sell Short, top-down market analysis, trader's camp

Please join me this Sunday for a hike on the lovely Tanbark Trail among the redwoods in Little Basin.  I’ll be bringing up the rear of this leisurely 2 mile jaunt with a Sempervirens group.   You get to see the beauty of Little Basin before it becomes a state park.  Right now, the only way to get in is to come on one of these hikes — or join Sempervirens, POST, or HP.    The hike is free, parking is $6 per car.  Click here to sign up and get more details.

Tags: hiking, little basin, preservation, redwoods, Sempervirens Fund

(Note to Traders: Check out my trading blog and BackTesting Report too)

“Don’t take pictures of the checkpoint.”   “Watch out - its under military occupation.”   “You’re only allowed in for one day.”   In 2005, at Dr. Alex Elder’s Trader Camp in Cyprus, we knew these rules when we voted to venture, as a group, to Northern Cyprus, a territory controlled by the Turkish army and unrecognized by the United Nations.  A few campers had strong opinions about the unfortunate Greek vs Turkish conflict that cost thousands of lives on each side and declined the trip.  They spent their free day on the Greek side of the island.   The rest of us chipped in for the motor coach that took us for an unbelievably action-packed day.  

Kyrenia Castle, Northern Cyprus

(more…)

Tags: Alexander Elder, cyprus, Green Line, Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus, St Hilarion, trader's camp

(Note to Traders: Check out my trading blog and BackTesting Report too)

At Dr. Elder’s Traders’ Camp 2005, the class hours were time for serious study and the dinner breaks were time for serious fun.  With 30 people total, it would have been far easier for Dr. Elder to just turn us loose to eat on our own or have the hotel buffet each night.   Instead, he arranged for us to indulge in the best of the local villages, which meant some wonderful meze feasts!   We set out in daylight to enjoy the sights on the way.

Alex Elder and Class Strolling Before Dinner

(more…)

Tags: Alexander Elder, cyprus, Greek food, meze, Paki Pedi, Pini, Platres, Taki's, trader's camp, Travel, Troodos, Viona

(Note to Traders: Check out my trading blog and BackTesting Report too)

In Sept 2005,  I attended a week-long stock and commodity trading camp by Dr. Alexander Elder and Mr. David Weis on the island of Cyprus.  I learned two vastly different methods of technical analysis for trading, plus money management and all-important trading psychology.   The camp structure and side trips also helped me to meet other traders and create friendships that last to this day.   This post in the Cyprus series focuses on the seminar itself.

(more…)

Tags: Alexander Elder, cyprus, David Weiss, Investing, learning to trade, stock trading, trader's camp, trading, trading camp, trading class

(more…)

Tags: Alexander Elder, beach, cyprus, Darrell, diving, Elder, Larnaca, learning to trade, trader's camp, trading camp, Travel

Upon finding that Amazon offers a huge set of widgets and store-builders for their Associates, I did what anyone would do: I built a Led Zeppelin Store. When Led Zeppelin announces their Reunion Tour, I will be ready!!! And besides, I’m tickled to see that Amazon carries a Jimmy Page statue! My store loads all your selections into an Amazon cart for safe checkout for everyone. Click here for the store.

Tags: hiking, home business, Internet, investment, MLM, preservation, stock trading, Travel, wildlife

Last weekend in Windy Hill Open Space Preserve we saw a baby rattlesnake, two birds of prey, rabbits, lizards, and stellar (blue) jays.  I’m on a personal mission to identify the birds — one may be a young golden eagle, the other a ferruginous hawk.  I’m inspired to find out even though I’ve never been much of a birder before.  We also saw the oak-studded golden hills of the open space and panoramic views of Portola Valley (follow link to see view in 2nd pic).   Its very dry now as we near the end of summer and it hasn’t rained in months and months.   Here’s a pic from last spring:

Oak at Base of Windy Hill

Critter notes: (more…)

Tags: birds, ferruginous hawk, golden eagle, gull, hawk, hiking, land trust, open space, portola valley, rattlesnake, wildlife, windy hill

Reprint of my Amazon review of a great new cat product, Pill Pockets.  Includes link to the old joke which Amazon won’t let me post.

  (more…)

Tags: cat, Humor, medicine

That is the path of a most remarkable woman, Pearl Sofaer, who has come to be my neighbor.   I got to meet her because I am around during the day, working from home.   I was immediately struck by her positive attitude.   You may be too when you read her memoir, Baghdad to Bombay - In the Kitchens of My Cousins.  It chronicles her Jewish family’s flight from persecution in Iraq to growing up a British subject in India to ultimately alighting in the US.  It also tells the stories of her cousins spread around the world and shares family recipes.  Parts of the book remind me of one of my favorite college reading assignments: Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje of The English Patient fame.
(more…)

Tags: baghdad, bombay, english patient, memoir, michael ondaatje, mizrahi, pearl sofaer, spiritual music