Plains All American (PAA)

Once again, http://www.cnbc.com/ has invited me to participate as a guest blogger on their "Million Dollar Buzz Blog." I've written about how profits can be earned by buying the pullbacks in momentum stocks -- such as the one shown above.

You can read this Blog at http://www.cnbc.com/id/17913140. However, you will need to register first with CNBC.

Here's my opening line: "You don't have to live in California or Hawaii to surf the stock market. And, you can buy the dips without worrying about consuming too many calories or grams of fat." I think if you have an interest in the financial markets, you'll enjoy this.

However, I must say that the CNBC people have modified my graphics to suit their own format. The images that they use, such as the chart above, are somewhat smaller and less distinct than the ones that I submitted to them. So, some of the points that I make are not illustrated as well as you would find in the Forecasting Systems Letter that I occasionally post on the web.

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Comex Gold

My most recent guest blog on CNBC's "Million Dollar Buzz" blogsite is about how mining companies can be even more profitable than gold -- as the price rises. And, in fact, I believe it very likely that gold will move up to test (and probably move beyond) last year's high price of about $730/oz. In fact, it's already taken a big jump up just today -- up $8.70/oz. as I write this.

Of course, to read my entire blog at www.cnbc.com, you will have to register with them. But, that's free. And, I think you'll find it worthwhile.

I was inspired, a bit, in writing this blog by a cartoon I saw recently in which a man and woman had discovered a big, black pot at the end of a rainbow. But, there was a big label on it that read "baked beans." You can imagine, they were a bit disappointed. But, I hope you won't be when you read my analysis of which gold mining companies are likely to be the most profitable.

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In an earlier post, I discussed an unusual encounter I had two years ago with a young psychologist named Brendan Engen. He introduced himself to me as someone who might have been a student of mine -- in a past lifetime! You can read about our exchange here:
http://jeff.zaadz.com/blog/2006/4/student_from_a_past-life



Now the article we have jointly authored about our experience has just been published in the Journal Of Humanistic Psychology. Here's what the journal's editor, Dr. Kirk Schneider, had to say about this article:

We move from play to the paranormal with our next fascinating feature on "Archetypal Synchronistic Resonance." Lest you put the journal down at this moment and run for the TV, I can assure you that you will be making a profound mistake. Jeffrey Mishlove (of ... TV's "Thinking Allowed" fame) and Brendan Engen's study is a ground-breaking inquiry into reincarnation (or what is more commonly called the "rebirth" experience); it is also one of the most riveting narratives we have conveyed. The story begins with the first of a series of uncanny correspondences between Mishlove and Engen regarding a past-life resonance with the Roman philosopher Seneca. Although neither author knew each other at the time, their shared resonance over this figure inspired them to investigate further. The result is Mishlove's archetypal synchronistic resonance theory, which methodologically provides a basis for the aforementioned phenomenon. Although I was skeptical about this piece at first, eventually I was won over. It is both provocative and phenomenologically restrained.

You can also read more about my intuitive connection with the Roman philosopher Seneca at this blog post: http://jeff.zaadz.com/blog/2006/3/my_inner_healing_advisor 

And, here is a blog post on the godhead archetype that takes the theory of archetypal synchronistic resonance even further than the journal article:
http://jeff.zaadz.com/blog/2006/4/the_godhead_archetype_manifests

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CNBC has been very generous in allowing me to post guest blogs on their new "Million Dollar Buzz Blog" site. This is in conjunction with the regular appearances I have been making on their "How To Win" show.

My latest post went up today. You can view it at:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/18021539

As before, you will need to be registered with CNBC.com in order to fully read my post. I think this is one of my most interesting financial posts, because I attempt to compare the "efficient market hypothesis" skeptics (who do not believe that market forecasting is really possible) with the schools of thought among traders and market forecasters -- who earn their living predicting the markets (if they can).

Also, I compare the debate concerning the possibility of making consistently accurate financial forecasts with the debate as to whether or not ESP exists. There are many interesting parallels. And, in the future, I hope to explore this area even more fully.

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Friday, April 13, was the final episode of the "How To Win" program (previously referred to as "On The Money") on which I have been appearing as a regular guest. However, I am continuing to post guest blogs on the CNBC website as part of their "Million Dollar Buzz Blog." What I will endeavor to do between now and the end of the contest is to post my daily picks, each day, and my rationale for those choices. My next post there should be up in the morning.

For me, this whole experience has been not only new and exciting -- but has also given me a chance to closely study the conditions that create large, single-day price jumps in stocks. This is something that has fascinated me since I was a child.

Of course, most of the time, these jumps are almost impossible to predict -- since they are based upon surprise news announcements. In order to create a level playing field for all investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission has developed careful rules that are generally quite effective in preventing select investors from getting an inside edge based on such announcements.

Still, in other instances, these large price pops are predictable. And, to my delight, I've predicted quite a few of them on the CNBC program.

I've been making careful notes on my observations, and regardless of whether anything further developes with CNBC, I'm sure I will continue to pursue this adventure in stock-picking.

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St. Agnes Hospital, Where I Was Born in 1946

I was born and raised in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. I lived there until I left for the University of Wisconsin, Madison, at the age of 18, in 1965. And, I realize -- although I've only returned a few times in the last forty years -- that Fond du lac has left its imprint upon me.

Here's an interesting fact: Fond du Lac was recently named the "Safest City in America." That designation also reflects my memory of a very wholesome and safe place to grow up. I'm grateful for the education I received there and for my fond childhood memories.

"Fond du Lac" is French for "foot of the lake" -- because the city is situated on the south end of Lake Winnebago -- one of the largest, inland, fresh-water lakes in the United States.


So, activities like boating, fishing and swimming in the lake were a normal part of my childhood. I also have memories of huge swarms of lake flies.

The city has changed a lot since I left. Population has grown from about 29,000 to 42,000. There is a new high school. (I believe that L.P. Goodrich H.S., from which I graduated, no longer exists.) There is even a new college, a branch of the University of Wisconsin. The old "Beer Hut" -- where I used to hang out -- was torn down in 1972.



One of my recollections of growing up in Fond du Lac was that it was almost a patriotic duty to drink lots of beer on weekends (and lots of milk during the week). We didn't have seatbelts then, nor airbags, nor headrests on our cars. I remember the day vividly when six students (in the class ahead of mine) were killed while driving to their senior class banquet.

Speaking of the senior class banquet, one of the highlights of my life in Fond du lac was serving (at the request of my friend senior class president, Lowell Louis) as the master of ceremonies for the class of 1965 banquet. I remember introducing the school principal by saying that "Mr. Nelson really isn't bald -- he just has a six inch part in his hair." I also served as an editor on the staff of the student newspaper, and wrote a column called "The Mishing Link."



My Dad owned a furniture store in Fond du Lac -- Hy Mishlove's Home Furnishings. He advertised widely on television's channel 2 (out of Green Bay), as the "Furniture King of the Fox River Valley." So, even though we lived in relatively humble circumstances, I sometimes thought of myself as the "furniture prince." I didn't see much of my dad, growing up, as he was something of a workaholic. He pioneered the concept of a furniture store that was open on evenings and weekends. Once I turned 16, however, and started driving, I worked for him delivering furniture.

I went to summer camp at Camp Shaginappi on Lake Winnebago. That was a Boy Scout camp -- and, at the tender age of 15, became a camp counselor there. Also, my sister, Pamela, and I both went to Camp Anokigic, "on the shores of Little Lake Elkhart."



As a Jewish youth, growing up in a small, Wisconsin city, I felt that I was living a double life. I had one identity, and one set of friends, associated with my public school. There were 500 members of my graduating class at Goodrich H.S. Only three of us were Jewish. But, I was also active in the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. And, spent a lot of time engaged in activities with Jewish youth from other small cities throughout the state. I became very active in this organization -- eventually becoming an officer of "District Six" that comprised six states and three Canadian provinces. This was a very vibrant life that my non-Jewish high school friends were, basically, unaware of.



In 1964, the country was going through a folk music fad -- and it became an important part of my life. A group of my high school classmates formed the Lindy Mike Singers (shown above). You can see me, at the tender age of 17, in the lower left, playing my baritone ukelele. Our high school band was invited to Washington, DC, to perform at the inauguration parade for Lyndon B. Johnson. So, to help them raise money for this trip, the Lindy Mike singers held our first and only concert in the auditorium of Roosevelt Junior High School. About 1000 people attended. It was another highlight of my young life.

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Regular readers of my blog will know that approximately two months ago, in a burst of creative energy, I wrote a Handbook for Contestants in CNBC's Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge. Many interesting doors opened as a results of this Handbook, including five appearances on CNBC's "How To Win" program, plus numerous guest blogs on CNBC's "Million Dollar Buzz Blog."

One of my goals, in this process, has been to become the living demonstration of the principles about which I had been writing -- by actually becoming (at least) a finalist in the contest itself. As of this point in time, I cannot say that this has happened. I can only report, as the picture above shows, that one of my portfolios in the contest has gained 112.98% this past week.

Those of you familiar with this contest will know that each week a winner is chosen whose portfolio has appreciated the most during the week. This is the eighth week, so seven previous weekly winners have been chosen. To date, the greatest weekly gain has been about 93% -- or nearly 20% less than my portfolio has appreciated this week. So, whether or not I am selected as the weekly winner, I am very happy with this result. I believe it clearly shows that the principles about which I have been writing are capable of producing real-world results. And, I am looking forward to continued application of these principles in my own future trading and investing.

There are now well over a million portfolios entered into this year's CNBC Portfolio Challenge. So the odds of my becoming the weekly winner are extremely small. Furthermore, I have every reason to think that other people have done at least as well. My name has not shown up on the "leaderboard" for the week. And, of greater significance, I posted all of my stock picks -- in advance -- on CNBC's "Million Dollar Buzz Blog." (I was one of three invited "guest bloggers" there.) Anyone could have simply read my blogs and made the very same trading choices.

If I am selected as the weekly winner, I will receive a $10,000 prize and will be eligibe to compete in the "finals" to receive the $1 million prize (actually an annuity, not cash). And, of course, that will be very nice. But, even if -- after doing so well this week -- I fail to become the declared weekly winner I am very happy to have had this opportunity to study the market so carefully.

My strategy for the contest has been to pick a different stock every day of the week. The specific details of how I have done this are published in my guest blogs on CNBC.com (part of the "Million Dollar Buzz Blog") and in my Handbook for Contestants.

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