Phantasmix

You can only lose 2 things: opportunity and capital. There will always be another opportunity, but not if you have lost your capital.

Louise Yamada

…skirt lengths are a predictor of the stock market direction. According to the theory, if skirts are short, it means the markets are going up. And if skirt are long, it means the markets are heading down.

The idea behind this theory is that shorter skirts tend to appear in times when general consumer confidence and excitement is high, meaning the markets are bullish. In contrast, the theory says long skirts are worn more in times of fear and general gloom, indicating that things are bearish.

Investopedia

Not sure how reliable this indicator is, but I noticed back in February that catalogs started showing full length dresses. Maybe I noticed it because I pay attention to the market, but it really is interesting.

The same companies haven’t carried a maxi-dress or a maxi-skirt for 2-3 year. Last year I wanted to buy a long summer dress and I couldn’t find one anywhere (except of the evening variety)! This summer daytime long dresses are everywhere. Now, there are still mid- and short length ones, but longer lengths are definitely creeping in. Another sign that consumers aren’t feeling very cheery. Though I must say cleavage is in, that’s gotta be another fashion-related stock market sign but what it means - I don’t know.

And some people call me paranoid… It’s all true.

Jim Cramer on Market Manipulation: In His Own Words

Why does “leaving money on the table” hurt more than even losing it?? Oh the greed!

I keep reshorting (FSLR: 236.01 -0.47%) here and there, and today I covered some of it. And then it just kept dropping. All I can do is repeat to myself:

• I made money
• 2.7% profit in 2 days is not bad!

Source: School of Psychology, University of Leicester

My comments are italicized:

The 20 happiest nations in the World are:

1. Denmark
2. Switzerland - figures
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. The Bahamas - I can see that (pretty much any island except maybe Haiti)
6. Finland - really? Finland is leading in suicides
7. Sweden - same here: they’re happy despite not even getting enough sunlight?
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei - no surprise there: sun and money
10. Canada - ooookay
11. Ireland
12. Luxembourg
13. Costa Rica
14. Malta
15. The Netherlands
16. Antigua and Barbuda
17. Malaysia
18. New Zealand
19. Norway
20. The Seychelles

Other notable results include:

23. USA
35. Germany
41. UK
62. France
82. China
90. Japan
125. India
167. Russia

The three least happy countries were:

176. Democratic Republic of the Congo
177. Zimbabwe
178. Burundi

Finding total happiness is the ultimate goal for many people — but should it be? New research suggests that if wealth and success are also at the top of your list, the two goals may be somewhat incompatible.

Diener and his colleagues used data from the World Values Survey, which measures the happiness of respondents on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 the happiest). They found that income did indeed increase along with happiness but not at the very top. The 10s earned significantly less than the 8s and the 9s. The latter were also more likely to have gone to college, have engaged in the political process and have saved money.

Why is it better to be happy but not euphoric? Diener’s take is that happy - but not too happy - people are strivers. They’re interested in making the sorts of changes necessary to get ahead in life, including engaging in competition (not always a happy pursuit), obtaining more education and changing their behavior when what they’re doing now isn’t working. The 10s, on the other hand, are too complacent to adjust enough…

Extreme optimists (those who overestimated their own life spans by 20 years or more), additional research shows, also behaved in other ways that weren’t good for their future. They accumulated debt and didn’t save. Moderate optimists, recognizing that their luck could run out, saved more than the extreme optimists did.

Source: CNN

In other words, happiness makes you complacent and lazy.

Hat tip to Duc for mentioning this.

Google Trends compares search term popularity. It can be used as a predictor of people’s behavior. Here’s the original chart that interested me:

And here’s a few others I checked out, all over the last 12 months.

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