TWX Reverse Stock Split

Got a proxyvote email this morning about the Time Warner (TWX) Board of Directors recommending a reverse stock split. Here's the proxy statement.

I voted yes. What the heck.

Dividend Record

Ok, so the numbers aren't really high. But the direction of the graph is one that I like.

Money as Debt Video

I just sold HPQ

Not too bad of a total return over the entire investment, but it's only making 0.84% dividend return, and there are any number of investments that will do better, even in this market.

I've held the stock for around 7 years. This is the second time I have ever sold a stock. Now that I'm focused on dividend returns, it was time to cash out.

Hearing on Retirement Security

Committee on Education and Labor Hearing, October 7th, 2008

This page includes the statements presented by the witnesses, and a video of the hearing itself.

A delightful quote

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tongan_pa%CA%BBanga

If money were made of iron and could be converted into knives, axes and chisels there would be some sense in placing a value on it; but as it is, I see none. If a man has more yams than he wants, let him exchange some of them away for pork. [...] Certainly money is much handier and more convenient but then, as it will not spoil by being kept, people will store it up instead of sharing it out as a chief ought to do, and thus become selfish. [...] I understand now very well what it is that makes the papālangi [white men] so selfish — it is this money!

The chief of Haʻapai, Fīnau ʻUlukālala

Federal Reserve research

http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp?formname=inst

I think it's time to buy. We haven't hit the bottom yet, I know. But if we wait for "the bottom", then the private capital investors with lots of spare pocket change will swoop in and claim "their share" of all of these companies.

Want to nationalize the Federal Reserve? Right now it is "owned" by 871 different banks around the country. I say buy shares in those banks and hold those shares hostage. Let the people, either through the government or as individuals, buy controlling interest in the Federal Reserve, or we buy controlling interest in the banks and do this the hard way.

Maybe I'm just raging against the machine...

Hit 'em where it hurts!

Now this is what I'm talking about!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/speakout/advertisers

Contact companies advertising on these stations and tell them to take their money elsewhere.

Our online tool will help you share your voice.

Microplace, invest change for change

Just found my way to Microplace, a website set up by Ebay to provide investment opportunities into the Microfinance financial industry. I hope this is the beginning of a huge change in how we invest for change. That's fantastic.

Steve Greenberg gets it right.

(click here to view)

Steve Greenberg Ventura County Star Aug 2, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

Dividend research links

I'm starting to peel back the layers of the onion, and I'm finding quite a few people who have been doing research on Dividends for a while. Here are a few links that I'd invite you to follow:

The DIV-Net

The Dividend Growth Investor

I will add more as I find them.

Warren Buffett

Found a lecture by Warren Buffett that I wanted to keep handy.

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



Part 5



Part 6



Part 7



Part 8



Part 9



Part 10

Ching. Ching. Ching.

I've heard some people liken the concept of dividends like coins dropped onto a pile of money. Every three months, or every month for some, a little bit more change falls onto the pile.

I like to think of it like the hammer of a blacksmith, continually shaping the future, one strike at a time. The higher the dividend amount, the harder the strike, and the more stocks paying dividends, the more blacksmiths working. After enjoying reading the Elfquest saga over the last week or so, it's like I'm hearing the Trolls down in the depths of the mountain, pounding out their future with hammers, anvils and forges.

How many blacksmiths do you have working for you? Are they getting stronger? Are they training future blacksmiths to strike when the iron is hot?

T: $22.18. Holding the iron firm.

Open source investing

I've just realized that I haven't really been that open with what I'm doing as far as my investments go. So here's a link to the Google Spreadsheet that I'm using to track my research into high dividend stocks. If you have questions, please comment on this post and I'll do my best to answer them.

Dividends

I've been working on a way to focus my investments into the highest possible dividend yield, and just discovered that Sharebuilder has upgraded their Dividend Reinvestment abilities. We can now change how dividends and capital gains are reinvested down to the individual stocks. That's really cool.

The list I'm collecting has some stocks that are currently paying up to 40% yield. I don't have a lot of money to put into them, but the money I am putting in is growing fast. I'm also focusing on monthly dividend stocks so they compound faster. As long as I keep my eye on things, they'll be growing pretty fast.

Let me know if you want to know more.

Citadel Broadcasting, 2008

Class II directors are up for reelection:

Michael J. Regan has been a Director of the Company since 2007. Mr. Regan (age 65) is a former Vice Chairman and Chief Administrative Officer of KPMG LLP and was the lead audit partner for many Fortune 500 companies during his 40 year tenure with KPMG. Mr. Regan is a member of the board of managers of Allied Security Holdings LLC and serves on its audit committee. He also is a director of Scientific Games Corporation and serves on its audit committee. Mr. Regan is a member of the Board of Trustees of Manhattan College.

Hard to narrow down on OpenSecrets, since it's a popular name. Approve.

Thomas V. Reifenheiser has been a Director since 2007. Mr. Reifenheiser (age 72) served as Managing Director and Group Executive for the Global Media and Telecom Group of Chase Securities Inc. (“Chase”) from 1977 until 2000. He joined Chase in 1963 and was the Global Media and Telecom Group Executive since 1977. Mr. Reifenheiser is a member of the board of directors and also serves as a member of the audit committee of Lamar Advertising Company, Mediacom Communications Corporation and Cablevision Systems Corporation.

Donates to Republicans. Deny

Herbert J. Siegel has been a Director since 2003. Mr. Siegel (age 79) was Chairman of the Board and President of Chris-Craft Industries, Inc. and Chairman of the Board of BHC Communications, Inc. until July 2001, when the two companies were acquired by The News Corporation Limited. Mr. Siegel was a senior advisor to The News Corporation Limited. He is currently a consultant to News America, Inc. Mr. Siegel is also a
director of IMG Worldwide Holdings Inc.

Donates to Republicans. Deny

Deloitte & Touche LLP: Approve

3M Proxy Votes

2008 3M COMPANY Annual Meeting of Stockholders
MEETING DATE: May 13, 2008
For Holders as of: March 14, 2008

Research on OpenSecrets.org shows the following:

Linda G. Alvarado - Gives to mostly Democrats - Approve

George W. Buckley - 3M Co PAC only - Approve

Vance D. Coffman - Mixed, but Rep Senatorial Committee stands out. - Deny

Michael L. Eskew - All Republicans - Deny

W. James Farrell - Mixed. Ted Stevens and Dick Durbin? Interesting combination... - Deny

Herbert L. Henkel - 15K to RNC. - Deny

Edward M. Liddy - Donates to Hillary - Approve

Robert S. Morrison - Donated to Mark Kennedy (R) - Deny

Aulana L. Peters - Mixed, mostly D - Approve

Robert J. Ulrich - Massive Republican Donor - Deny

Mr Ulrich is a new nominee, and was the CEO of Target. I'm not interested in rewarding that anyway, but he has given 176 times, nearly all to Republicans and Republican PAC's for a total of $201,827. No thank you.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Auditor - Approve

Long-Term Incentive Plan - Approve

Pfizer, Inc. Annual Meeting - My Votes

Dennis A. Ausiello
No records on OpenSecrets
Michael S. Brown
No records on OpenSecrets
M. Anthony Burns
No records on OpenSecrets
Robert N. Burt
No records on OpenSecrets
W. Don Cornwell
No records on OpenSecrets
William H. Gray III
John Kerry,
Constance J. Horner
No records on OpenSecrets
William R. Howell
No records on OpenSecrets
James M. Kilts
No records on OpenSecrets
Jeffrey B. Kindler
Mixed, mostly Democrats
George A. Lorch
No records on OpenSecrets
Dana G. Mead
No records on OpenSecrets
Suzanne Nora Johnson
No records on OpenSecrets
William C. Steere, Jr.
Mixed, mostly Republican

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REGARDING STOCK OPTIONS
Voted against

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL REQUESTING SEPARATION OF CHAIRMAN AND CEO ROLES
Voted for

Veterans Family Fund

http://www.veteransfamilyfund.org/

This is fantastic!

Friday, January 18, 2008

http://seattle.bizjournals.com/

With the goal of securing $300 million in deposits by the end of 2008, the Veterans Family Fund CD was conceived by Jane Jacobsen, a resident in Vancouver, Wash., with help from Mike Worthy, CEO of the Bank of Clark County. The two wanted a way to provide quick and flexible assistance for veterans in need of financial assistance.