The Investing Game

5K - 52 Weeks - 20 Penny Stocks

One Winner!!

 Current Status (-$3,462.34)

Week - 37/38

The Yin and Yang of Ageing!

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The Circle of life giveth, and sometimes taketh away..

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I work for a company which supplies fire alarm equipment to large commercial and healthcare institutions. Been in  the business for something like 40, maybe 45 years. I’ve seen them come and I’ve seen them go, so to speak! On Friday last Dave retired. There was a lunch provided in the office, he was presented a commemorative plaque with a golden smoke detector attached. I thought that last bit quite clever! A photo was taken of the presentation, our manager and the newly retired all smiling, a random co-worked haphazardly in the background with his mouth full of sandwich. That bit offended my artistic nature, composition is so important, care enough to frame your shot please. Even worse, the poorly composed photo was featured in the national weekly newsletter, very embarrassing! On Monday morning I received an email from that same manager to inform that another esteemed co-worker had suddenly passed away on Sunday. 

Dave is the second of our guys to retire this year. Andy, the second to pass away in the last four years. A close friend also retired earlier this year. I like to think about retirement, not so much about dying. I do plan on working for at least another few years. I’m in pretty good shape so I don’t plan on dying for quite some time yet! Still, life does have a random component to it. One thing that does concern me is, what to do when I finally do. Retire that is. Not really worried about the other, I suppose that will sort itself out on its own. When I do pass from this plane of existence I would prefer to do it in the Winter. It just seems the more traditional and appropriate time to lay down and give in to the cold embrace of eternity.

I will point out however that a number of my current investments are in the field of emerging biological research. The unraveling of the genetic code coupled with the more recent ability to precisely manipulate specific components of that code have opened a veritable yin and yang of potential advances/risks. An awful lot of sci-fi is becoming a lot closer to being sci-real! I have heard it said that the first human to live to one hundred and fifty years of age has probably already been born. Could it be me? It’s something I’ve thought about and written a few paragraphs on as well. What happens if we succeed in controlling the ageing process? Who gets to live an extended life time if the cost of treatment is too high for the merely ordinary? What if the costs are negligible and millions of bi-centarian retirees begin to populate the planet? Think the social security system is burdened now, just wait? Did you know the original calculations for social security assumed that very few people would live much past seventy years of age? At the time, it was a reasonable assumption. 

It’s a lot to think about! But fortunately, I have time...

Andy was 48. Rest in peace buddy, sorry you didn’t get your golden smoke detector...

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This is another two week combo post, they may become more prevalent as we come down the home stretch if the market remains as flat as it has been. I seem to have found a sort of quiescent energy state, a trough if you will. There have been a few blips but no steady gains and only minor losses. 

Among the leaders, there have been mostly a series of gains and losses. Psychedelic Mind Medicine (MNMD) surged back into the lead with an impressive gain this week after being briefly supplanted by Solitario (XPL) who fell back into its earlier third spot. High Tide (HITI) also posted a double digit gain this past week after slipping slightly in the prior week. Strike Force (SFOR) had the largest dollar gain in week 37 and the exhibited the largest drop this past week, in both cases remaining solidly outside the top 5 in the number 6 slot. Pairing nicely with the above, Cannabis sector Slang Worldwide (SLGWF) and cyber sector Smart Metric (SMME) also porpoised over the past two weeks. 

Next week will mark the three quarter pole in this endeavour. I am obviously looking for a strong finish down the stretch! Experience to date would suggest however that far more time than a single year may be needed to see these little seedlings bear fruit.

It’s a lot to hope for! But fortunately, I have time...

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Week - 38

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Week - 37