Are you investing in public US companies?

I had a stark realization today. I thought I'd take a bit and share it with you.

Are you working at a company that is under SOX regulations? Have you noticed that HALF (or more) of everything your company does is to satisfy the requirements of SOX? Do you realize that your company's productivity has essentially been cut in half because of SOX regulation?

Here's the thing. If you take a public company, and you line it up next to a private company that does the same thing, the private company will always be ahead. No amount of investor funding can change this dynamic. If you are looking to invest in a public company, just don't. There's no point. There is a private company doing the same thing that is going to kick your publically held company's ass in the market, and if you go investing in the private company, there is a chance that your actions will only cause it accidentallly to fall under the provisions and regulations of SOX!

Got investment dollars? Invest in something you can touch, feel, hold. Invest in yourself, your family, a business you've always wanted to start. Investing in your IRA? Given the market's plumet, how is that working out for you?

I know that "over the past 200 years" blah blah blah, and the market always recovers. But that doesn't mean squat if you find yourself needing to retire when the market is off by 75%. You won't live long enough to see the rebound!

The fact is, the FED is going to screw you, and congress is going to screw everything it touches, on your behalf. So if you're involved with anything congress is touching (public companies, for example) or the FED is touching (that "Dollar*" in your pocket whose value is dropping faster than a $10 hooker.)

You know what is going UP in value pretty consistently? Food and clothing. There is a lot of food that will store for some time, and clothes only go out of style, so my investment advice** is to take your Dollars and convert them to something you're going to buy anyway, and that is only going to get more expensive.

That's my 1/2 cent. (2 cents 10 years ago, adjusted for inflation)

* - It's not a dollar in your pocket. It's a "Federal Reserve Note" -- just an IOU from the FED. IOU what? Nothing. They aren't ever going to give you anything for that piece of paper.

** - taking investment advice from me? That'd be nearly as stupid as putting your money in the stock market. Or the bond market. Or treasuries. Or gold***.

*** - Here's the thing about gold. (1) it has never become currency in societies that have a "crashed" monetary system. Barter for goods and services always prevails. Buy/plant/grow some food and learn how to make something with your hands. (2) gold is near $1000 an ounce now? adjusted for inflation it was over $2100 an ounce 30 years ago. Sure, it's never been worth "nothing", but it sure hasn't done very well over the long haul has it now? Did you know that once the gold is in your hands it's lost 20% of its value because it isn't Good Delivery any longer? Did you know that unallocated gold in a bank's valut is not yours and you'll never see it when the bank fails? What else didn't GoldLine(r) tell you?