I’d lay odds that Jones Concerns is Putsy/NASD.

[quote=anonymous]I'd lay odds that Jones Concerns is Putsy/NASD.[/quote]

Lay odds?  Is that the same as getting a little strange?

[quote=babbling looney]

What we say about Jones as professional advisors amongst ourselves is one thing.  To give advice to someone on the Internet that we don't know anything about is another.   

In reality,we are not supposed to be posting on "chat boards" or other forums. However,as long as we are not giving investment  advice or product information, I assume we are are on safe ground.  We do need to be careful since we know how many trolls (Nasd Newbie et al) seem to want to frequent this board.

Just a paranoid thought for the rest of you guys.

[/quote]

Thanks for a voice of reason.

[quote=noggin][quote=babbling looney]

What we say about Jones as professional advisors amongst ourselves is one thing.  To give advice to someone on the Internet that we don't know anything about is another.   

In reality,we are not supposed to be posting on "chat boards" or other forums. However,as long as we are not giving investment  advice or product information, I assume we are are on safe ground.  We do need to be careful since we know how many trolls (Nasd Newbie et al) seem to want to frequent this board.

Just a paranoid thought for the rest of you guys.

[/quote]

Thanks for a voice of reason.

[/quote]

Jones Concerns SCREAMS Put Nasty Easy.

Don't feed the trolls = No drama

[quote=Indyone]

No, Mike, I believe that the programs I use are
only available on my platform.  Are there similar programs out
there that you can buy?  Probably, but I can’t imagine them being
cheap.  I pay $100/month for the programs I referenced and I
consider that a deal.

Yes, you may get some overlap (duplication of effort) by splitting the portfolio and that's one thing I was referring to when I said it wasn't as eficient (the other has to do with better pricing for larger portfolios).

As far as I am concerned, there's nothing wrong with becoming better informed about what's going on with your investments as long as you realize that a class is no substitute for several years of experience in portfolio management.

Yes, the skills that be learned by people of reasonable intelligence.  That being said, it's a tough business to get critical mass in, and the failure rate is about 90%.  It's kind of a catch 22 situation.  When an advisor is new to the business, he/she needs lots of clients.  Unfortunately, not a lot of people are willing to sign on with a brand new advisor for obvious reasons.  Thus, early on it's a struggle and most advisors don't make it.

The programs I use are available by subscription for LPL advisors.  I guess that is "leasing" them in a sense.  Yes, I also believe that there is some very good technology available, depending upon what you are looking for.  I'm familiar with very little outside of what LPL provides me, as I don't have much need for additional technology, so I'm afraid I'm not much help there.

[quote=Jones Concerns]

[quote=Indyone]

No, Mike, I believe that the programs I use are
only available on my platform.  Are there similar programs out
there that you can buy?  Probably, but I can’t imagine them being
cheap.  I pay $100/month for the programs I referenced and I
consider that a deal.

Yes, you may get some overlap (duplication of effort) by splitting the portfolio and that's one thing I was referring to when I said it wasn't as eficient (the other has to do with better pricing for larger portfolios).

As far as I am concerned, there's nothing wrong with becoming better informed about what's going on with your investments as long as you realize that a class is no substitute for several years of experience in portfolio management.

[quote=Jones Concerns] [quote=Indyone]

No, Mike, I believe that the programs I use are only available on my platform.  Are there similar programs out there that you can buy?  Probably, but I can't imagine them being cheap.  I pay $100/month for the programs I referenced and I consider that a deal.

Yes, you may get some overlap (duplication of effort) by splitting the portfolio and that's one thing I was referring to when I said it wasn't as eficient (the other has to do with better pricing for larger portfolios).

As far as I am concerned, there's nothing wrong with becoming better informed about what's going on with your investments as long as you realize that a class is no substitute for several years of experience in portfolio management.

[/quote]

I did not mean to suggest that a class substitutes for several years of experience, but in reading these discussions it does seem that the skills can be developed by a layman.  If I wanted to become an advisor myself I assume it would not take more than a few months to learn to use the software and read the various research publications.  Then several years of making mistakes.

You mention that you pay $100 per month for the software.  Does that mean you are leasing it, or is it a service that can be subscribed to on the Internet?  I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?
[/quote]

Yes, I know a number of them by name.

Why?

 I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?

If you want to do it by yourself, you are most welcome to do so. 

There probably are packages available.  

Learn2google.

[quote=babbling looney]

 I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?

If you want to do it by yourself, you are most welcome to do so. 

There probably are packages available.  

Learn2google.

I love it.  We have Putsy being multiple people on the same thread. 

Anyway, nobody cares, but I am announcing my retirement of posting on this board.  Although it's been a fine way to pass a few minutes of time, it's been a waste since I've never picked up any useful info.

Take care, everybody.

[quote=anonymous]

Anyway, nobody cares, but I am announcing my retirement of posting on this board.  Although it's been a fine way to pass a few minutes of time, it's been a waste since I've never picked up any useful info.

Take care, everybody.

[quote=NASDY Newbie]

[quote=babbling looney]

 I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?

If you want to do it by yourself, you are most welcome to do so. 

There probably are packages available.  

Learn2google.

[quote=joedabrkr]

[quote=NASDY Newbie]

[quote=babbling looney]

 I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?

If you want to do it by yourself, you are most welcome to do so. 

There probably are packages available.  

Learn2google.

[quote=NASDY Newbie]

[quote=joedabrkr]

[quote=NASDY Newbie]

[quote=babbling looney]

 I have to believe that there are very powerful packages available for lay people who want to learn all they can.

Do you know any of them by name?

If you want to do it by yourself, you are most welcome to do so. 

There probably are packages available.  

Learn2google.

JOnes Concerns,

You sort of get the idea that it's important for you to talk to several people about your account.  Bottom, everyone has a level of conflict of interest to a certain degree.  Second, go with the Rep. that you feel the most comfortable with.  Period.  Who do you enjoy working with?  Technology will never make a sale for a broker.  All the color ink on the planet means nothing if you cant trust him/her.  Jones technology is adequate.  My client, the average Joe, could care freakin less if I have the most update to date system.  Heck, most of my clients are over 60 and dont even have a computer.  Footsoldier wants you to think JOnes is the only firm that has conflicts of interest.  I gurantee you he has different conflicts of interest that he is not telling you.  Two fo my best friend went to LPL last year and I know.

[quote=success]

JOnes Concerns,

You sort of get the idea that it's important for you to talk to several people about your account.  Bottom, everyone has a level of conflict of interest to a certain degree.  Second, go with the Rep. that you feel the most comfortable with.  Period.  Who do you enjoy working with?  Technology will never make a sale for a broker.  All the color ink on the planet means nothing if you cant trust him/her.  Jones technology is adequate.  My client, the average Joe, could care freakin less if I have the most update to date system.  Heck, most of my clients are over 60 and dont even have a computer.  Footsoldier wants you to think JOnes is the only firm that has conflicts of interest.  I gurantee you he has different conflicts of interest that he is not telling you.  Two fo my best friend went to LPL last year and I know.

[/quote]

Thank you for the honest points of view. I must admit that reading these things for the last week or so has been enlightening.

I can understand analyzing a stock. Paying attention to earnings, trends in the industry and other fundamentals. That is what you pay a mutual fund manager to do for you.

What I cannot understand is why I should pay somebody to choose funds for me. You never know for sure what a fund manager has bought or sold so you cannot measure its fundamentals. At best you can measure how the manager has done over time, but just because somebody has done good for several years does not mean they will do good this coming year.

The more I read what is said on this forum the more I think no-load funds make sense. Pick them with the help of magazines, internet research and advice from trusted friends. Buy them, reinvest everything, and hold on for the ride.

[quote=Jones Concerns]The more I read what is said on this forum the more I think no-load funds make sense. Pick them with the help of magazines, internet research and advice from trusted friends. Buy them, reinvest everything, and hold on for the ride.[/quote]

Mike, no offense, but based on that post, no intelligent investment advisor would touch you with a ten-foot pole.  Only time will tell if your approach is a good one, but with those thoughts in your head, you are an advisor's worst nightmare.  Unless you have tried on your own and done poorly, you'll always question whether or not you could do better than your advisor, so the best thing you can do is try your hand for real.  Best of luck to you.

The more I read what is said on this forum the more I think no-load funds make sense. Pick them with the help of magazines, internet research and advice from trusted friends. Buy them, reinvest everything, and hold on for the ride.

On the off chance that you are not Nasd Newbie and all of his other alter egos.(which I doubt)...I apologize for the rudeness. On the other hand if you are a legitimate civilian, then you should pay some attention to what we professionals in the field are trying to convey to you.

I agree with Indyone, you are not what I would consider an acceptable client and you would be a royal pain in the ass.  I'm not as nice as Indy, I guess.   No, I know I'm not.

You don't have to pay anyone to do anything if you don't want to do so.  Again, you get what you pay for or don't pay for.   If you want to do it yourself, feel free.  Be our guest.  You know what they say about a person who is his own attorney in a trial......

My husband has a service business, plumbing and electric.  I can't tell you how often someone will call up inquiring about information to fix a problem that my husband would get paid to correct.  When they ask....."Let me pick your brain."   They might as well be saying......"Let me pick your pocket."     I'm sorry (not really).... why should he give away his business information and expertise for free?   This is how he makes a living and it takes years of experience to be able to trouble shoot problems. The same thing goes for my business.

If the person calling my husband wants to do the job himself and burn down his own home, or flood the bathroom, they can go to Home Depot and buy the tools and turn the wrenches.   Feel free to do it yourself.  When they need him to come in to fix the mess they made, believe me it will cost much more than if they had hired him in the first place.

If you think that investing is just about picking mutual funds, then you are very deluded (delusional might be a better choice of words).  It is just the same thing as thinking that planning a safe electric system consists of picking out pretty light fixtures.  There are a lot more considerations than that.

Burn down your house.  Hope you have insurance.

[quote=success]

JOnes Concerns,

You sort of get the idea that it's important for you to talk to several people about your account.  Bottom, everyone has a level of conflict of interest to a certain degree.  Second, go with the Rep. that you feel the most comfortable with.  Period.  Who do you enjoy working with?  Technology will never make a sale for a broker.  All the color ink on the planet means nothing if you cant trust him/her.  Jones technology is adequate.  My client, the average Joe, could care freakin less if I have the most update to date system.  Heck, most of my clients are over 60 and dont even have a computer.  Footsoldier wants you to think JOnes is the only firm that has conflicts of interest.  I gurantee you he has different conflicts of interest that he is not telling you.  Two fo my best friend went to LPL last year and I know.