Review

From The Wall Street Journal, November 22, 2005: “Whether you’re tracking pop culture, high fashion or health care, all things are connected, and economics is the tie that binds them all. For those who need to know more about economic trends and for those who haven’t the skills or background in the field, Mr. Baumohl’s book is the real deal. He miraculously breathes life into economic indicators and statistics.” From Library Journal: “Baumohl, a former economics reporter for Time magazine, has written a tremendously useful source on economic indicators. Baumohl considers a variety of factors when describing each indicator, such as what exactly it measures, how it is computed, where to find the relevant report on the web, the day and time this report is released, the source of the information, and how often the information is revised. He also discusses the market impact of these indicators on bonds, stocks, and currency. Bottom (more…)

Amazon.com Review

Personal-finance guru Andrew Tobias slams online trading and praises the Roth IRA in his newly revised The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need. This investment bible remains as stimulating and meaningful as it was when it was first published 20 years ago. It’s packed with ideas about stocks, living beneath your means, tax planning, retirement, and just about everything else in the financial world. And all of it is presented with Tobias’s trademark brevity and ingenuity. Last revised in 1995, the guide takes aim at a new game in town–online trading. By all means, use the Internet for buying a car or for research, Tobias says. But avoid cyberspace brokers, he says. Point and click enough and you will get slaughtered by commissions, spreads, taxes, and human nature. “It’s so easy to click ‘OK’ a few times and make a $10,000 bet,” he warns. “Look how mesmerized we become on a stool in front of a slot machine. Internet investing positiv (more…)