Mike Jr | My thoughts on life, business & technology.

I hope Mark Cuban won’t get mad at me for repurposing his content. The post he made about Investment advice for 2006 is definately worth the read.

Mark Cuban’s blog is a great read. Out of about 10 blogs I skim daily using feedblitz, I have to say Blog Maverick is the only blog that I read every post word for word.

My Investment advice for 2006 – Blog Maverick: “So here is my investment advice for anyone who doesn’t have enough saved to walk away from their job and retire…

1. If interest rates stay where they are or go higher, look at 5 year or shorter maturity vehicles. It doesnt matter if its a bank CD, a money market fund, a tax free fund, treasuries or combinations there of. Bottom line is this, 4plus percent taxed, or up to 6 plus percent tax free equivalent (depending on your tax bracket), is not a bad way to go. If rates go down, do the same thing, evenif you earn a lower rate. At the end of the year, you are guaranteed to have more than you started with.

2. Evaluate your lifestyle. People forget that sometimes the best investment they can make is in wisely buying things they know they will use. If you track what you use and consume, whether its gas vs bus fare, buying bulk quantities or other discretionary spending, you can save more and earn a far greater return than you could in the stock market. If you can save 10pct per month on a hundred dollar per month budget, thats 120 bucks you can put in the bank. Thats the equivalent of earning 12 pct on a 1k dollar investment. If you can cut 100 bucks per month off 1k dollar monthly budget, thats like earning 12 pct on 10k dollars. Thats pretty darn good. Spend smart, put your savings in risk averse, interest earning offerings.

3. Invest in yourself. Do the things that can get you closer to your goals and dreams. It wont come from a brokerage commercial. It will come from preparing yourself , working hard and standing apart from your competition. You Inc is the best stock you can ever buy…if you are willing to do the work.”

How Bob Iger Saved Network TV – Blog Maverick: “Content has been available for download for years and years. That content could be played on any number of devices, from computers to DVD players to PDAs. Being able to playback a video from the new Video Ipod just like you can play a song from a current IPod, certainly is not a technical marvel.

It is a business marvel. Bob Iger has gone contrary to what every current and previous TV network head has and would have done had Bob not turned the industry on its head with his announcement with Apple yesterday. Bob Iger has saved Network TV.”

This article is a great read and I think Mark Cuban is right on with it.

I wish Joss Whedon, creator of Firefly, would produce “download only” seasons of the show. I would be one of the first to purchase the shows off of ITunes.

amy loves books: “The movie is absolutely beautiful: every snow covered branch, every red and gold, waving-in-the-breeze, lion-crested banner, every black-as-soot eyelash on every wide-eye of each one of the gorgeous children. My own kids really enjoyed it, but my husband and I were left feeling like something was missing.”

I saw the movie on Sunday and thought it was great; nonetheless, I totally agree with the review above. I recommend you read it!