Capitalogix’s Blog – Page 109 – Thoughts about the markets, automated trading algorithms, technical analysis, and lots of other stuff.

Thoughts about the markets, automated trading algorithms, artificial intelligence, and lots of other stuff

Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – November 4th, 2018
Reminder: election day is this Tuesday.

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links
- Radical Candor the Surprising Secret to Being a Good Boss. (FirstRound)
- 21 Lessons from Jeff Bezos' Annual Letters to Shareholders. (CBInsights)
- When the 80/20 Rule Fails: the Downside of Being Effective. (JamesClear)
- Stephen Hawking's Final Book Tackles the Big Questions. (BigThink)
- This Chart Shows How Everything Has Changed since Trump Became President. (CNBC)
Trading Links
- What Investors Can Learn from Gamblers. (Wall Street Journal)
- A Wealth Management Point of View on Blockchain and Bitcoin.(TheReformedBroker)
- Google Drops out of Pentagon's $10 Billion Cloud Competition.(Bloomberg)
- Bezos Sets New Wealth Record, Losing $19.2 Billion over Two Days.(Bloomberg)
- Godfather' of Chart Analysis Says Damage Done to the Stock Market' is Much, Much Worse' Than Anyone is Talking About. (MarketWatch)
November 4, 2018
The Secret to Lasting Success with the “Grandfather of Shock Rock” Alice Cooper

I spent this weekend at Genius Network's Annual Event … it's a great event with industry leaders, specialists, and apparently, the Grandfather of Shock Rock (basically heavy metal with highly theatrical live shows), Alice Cooper.

via Wikipedia

He is famous for the extravagant staging of his shows. He is a showman … with dramatic outfits, makeup, and attention getters like guillotines, snakes, and live sword combat.

This week, he talked about his history, his success, and what made him different than those around him. The answer may surprise you. Check it out.

"If you don't bake the cake, you can't put icing on it … you have to have the music before you can put on the theatrics"

A lot of today's common marketing/business wisdom is focused on creating your own space, and how to position yourself differently than your competitors. That's something Alice Cooper did very well.

That wisdom skips over the most important step … you have to have a kick-ass product. Music, sports, business, it's all the same game; can you outwork, outperform, outgive your competitors?

If you want to be a leader in your space or even just a lasting name, it comes from honing your craft and having a better offer.

It seems like common sense, but as we all know, common sense isn't always common.

It was the same when I helped coach my youngest son in Football. When he started, I only let him focus on his footwork. Once he had his footwork down we could focus on his hand position. Once his hand position was habitual, he could focus on his playbook. Once he knew the plays and how they changed his role, we finally focused on how to do extra, and differentiate himself from his teammates and his rivals.

It's the same in your business or your marriage. It's great when you can focus on the embellishments and displays. First, however, you need to master the basics.

Onwards!

November 4, 2018
Real or Fake? Data Science Debunks Internet Rumors
A French team, Escalenta, put together a series of debunking videos called "DATA SCIENCE vs. FAKE".

Here are five that are short, educational, and entertaining.
These days, it's easy to be confused by fake news, misleading statistics, and hyperbole.

Hope this serves as a reminder to check your sources and remain healthily skeptical of random factoids delivered through the intertubes.
October 28, 2018
Is the Market Sell-off Going to Continue?

October has been tough on equity markets this year.

For example, the S&P 500 opened to a sea of red this past early last week.

McDonald's was one of the few green spots on that heat map. Which reminds me, Mickey D's is becoming a little more modern by adding online and touchscreen ordering.

For some context, the S&P is on pace for it's worst sell-off since 2010 … while the NASDAQ hasn't been hit like this since post-Lehman in 2008.

Is it a correction or a blip?

Historically, midterm elections inspire uncertainty among investors that dissipates quickly as soon as they're over. Once that uncertainty is resolved, the S&P gains an average of 31% the following year.

Markets exist to trade … and confusion is a primary catalyst. As such, many people believe the market will rally … while others believe that the traditional midterm effect could be blunted.

For all the confusion in today's society, it's good to see that some things don't change.

Onwards.

October 28, 2018
Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – October 28th, 2018
Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links
3 Ways Entrepreneurs and Businesses Can Benefit from AI's 'Third Wave'. (Entrepreneur)

Jerry Jones Really Wants Jeff Bezos to Buy the Seahawks.(SI)

How to Transcribe Speech with Otter. (PCMag)

Dog Brains Reveal How Much Human Language They Actually Understand. (Inverse)

Everything You Wanted to Know about Blockchain in One Infographic. (Futurism)
Trading Links
Porsche Eyeing IPO as a Super Premium Spinoff from the Volkswagen Group. (Car&Driver)

Uber's Secret Weapon is Its Team of Economists. (Quartz)

This is the Richest ZIP Code in Americaand the Average Income is $2.5 Million. (CoastalLiving)

The U.S. Has a New Highest-Paid CEO and He Made $103 Million Last Year. (Fortune)

Jeff Bezos Has Lost about $22 Billion this Month, More Than Elon Musk's Entire Net Worth. Here's What that Really Looks Like. (Inc)
October 28, 2018
Vote, Vote, Vote!

It is election season again.

The process doesn't work properly if you don't vote.

Gandhi once said “Be the change you wish to see in the world." This wasn't exactly what he meant … nevertheless, one of ways you can impact the world is by impacting the choice of its leaders.

I have friends on both sides of the political spectrum, and I hear complaints from both sides. The one thing we all can agree upon is that not enough people (who claim to care) actually get out and vote.

It is one thing to whine about the status quo … It is quite another get up get out and do something about it.

Combat fake news and media sensationalism by doing some research choosing candidates you think will leave us better than they found us.

If you're not sure if you're registered to vote, check here. If you're not sure where your polling location is, check here.

October 28, 2018
The Superhuman Brains of High-Level Meditators
I'm a big fan of meditation. Being a CEO is stressful – and state control is an important tool in my arsenal.

I've previously written articles on two tools I rely on to help me meditate – Muse and Holosync.

And it's not just me … Joe Polish did an interview with Russell Simmons on the benefits of Transcendental Meditation, there are several other successful entrepreneurs that swear by daily meditation, and studies show a difference between the brains of people who meditate and people who don't.

But what about expert-level meditators? The ones that have put more than 10,000 hours in. The ones that don't just use it as a tool, but as a necessary part of their day.

Turns out, they literally think differently – their brainwaves show gamma waves all the time as a lasting trait just no matter what they’re doing. It’s not a state effect, it’s not during their meditation alone, but their everyday state of mind.

Check it out.

via BigThink

I like several guided meditation apps.
- Calm
- Headspace
- Pzizz
In addition, I like these too.
- Focus@Will (background music for different moods)
- Brain.FM (AI created music to enhance focus, relaxation, meditation, naps & sleep)
- Meditation Music (5-minute songs, inhale at the bell, exhale at the next bell … repeat)
- Zen Wellness (courses about meditation, Qi Gong, etc.)
- Muse (brain sensing headband and app to help you know whether you are relaxing)
I also recommend 40 Years of Zen. This is a 5-day program that leverages neurofeedback technology and guidance to help you unlock and expand your potential.

Lots of cool stuff here!

Onwards!
October 21, 2018
Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – October 21st, 2018
If you need to relax, taking a break from Facebook may be a good place to start.

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links
- Jeff Bezos Wants Us All to Leave Earth for Good. (Wired)
- Why Have Humans Never Found Aliens? (Economist)
- The 20 Best Whiskies You Can Buy Right Now. (RobbReport)
- What Does "Made in the USA" Really Mean? (Visual)
- After 50 Years on 'Sesame Street,' the Voice of Big Bird and Oscar is Retiring. (NPR)
Trading Links
- Apple's Steve Wozniak Joins Blockchain-Powered VC Firm as Co-Founder. (News)
- Don't Mistake the Stock Market for the Economy. (FinancialSense)
- It's Not Just You. the Stock Market Really is Crashing More Often. (Barrons)
- Uber Valued at $120 Billion in an IPO? Maybe. (Bloomberg)
- Amazon's HQ2 Announcement is Imminent. Here's a Look at the Final Contenders. (Re/code)
October 21, 2018
Farm Tank Podcast – AI Trading, The Cowboys & Pablo Escobar
I was recently on Jordan Van Trump's Farm Tank podcast.

On the podcast, we talked about artificial intelligence & trading, the Cowboys, my trip to Columbia, and a bunch of other things.

Worth a listen. Check it out.

Here are some highlights:
- "You have to really enjoy the people you do business with. It's important to know who's fun to be around, who's going to be a net add, who's going to create energy, and who's going to have ideas." (5:55)
- "I had a computer. Back then, only secretaries typed. I had a lot of people telling me it looked bad for a lawyer to have a computer, but I loved it and pretty quickly it became a competitive advantage." (15:20)
- "One of the most important business lessons I learned is you have to understand what you want. So much of what I see in business is people telling me what they don't want." (19:00)
- "I found that 10 times better is often easier to achieve than 10% better. If you're going for a 10% change, then you're bringing the past forward and you're trying to figure out what you can adjust." (20:00)
- "Learning and growing are huge. For me, it's about raising the standard, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, seeing the bigger picture, and creating breakthroughs. In order to do that I surround myself with people who think differently." (22:45)
- "There's a difference between good and great and that difference is infinitesimal. You have to find not only what you're excellent at, but also what gives you energy because every day you fight the good fight and compete with everybody else."(58:00)
I'll be at The Van Trump conference, in Kansas City, on November 28th. Hope to see you there.
October 20, 2018
Here Are Some Links For Your Weekly Reading – October 14th, 2018
via xkcd

Here are some of the posts that caught my eye recently. Hope you find something interesting.

Lighter Links
You'll Be Using Quantum Computers Sooner Than You Think. (Fortune)

How the US is Preparing to Match Chinese and Russian Technology Development. (DefenseOne)

50 Years Old, '2001 : a Space Odyssey' Still Offers Insight about the Future. (The Conversation)

Your Dog is Probably Dumber Than You Think, a New Study Says. (Time)

Michael Bloomberg, Former GOP Mayor of NYC, Announces He's Changing His Voter Registration to Democrat. (BusinessInsider)
Trading Links
US Adds Just 134K Jobs; Unemployment a 49-Year Low, 3.7 Pct. (AP News)

Follow the Smart Money into China. (SeekingAlpha)

More Than Half the World's Population is Now Middle Class. (FT)

By the End of the Year, Apple Thinks 60% of US Stores Will Accept Apple Pay. (BGR)

WhatsApp Founder Takes Most Expensive Moral Stand in History, Walks out on $850 Million. (CNW)
October 14, 2018