"Jim Stewart" <stewart@ceet.niu.edu> wrote in message 
news:codejo$jfn$1@usenet.cso.niu.edu...
>
> "MacHamish" <russj41@concentric.net> wrote in message
> news:jm3kq0h7vttdqaf444ro5hil17m83faogb@4ax.com...
>> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 03:55:35 -0600, "Jim Stewart" <stewart@ceet.niu.edu>
>> wrote:
>>
>> >
>> >"Nebulous" <Nebulous@pigtail.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
>> >news:41a9930f$0$16573$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
>> >>
>> >> "Jim Stewart" <stewart@ceet.niu.edu> wrote in message
>> >> news:cob5jo$fcc$1@usenet.cso.niu.edu...
>> >> >
>> >> > "Nebulous" <Nebulous@pigtail.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
>> >> > news:41a8e4b3$0$19154$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
>> >> > >
>> >> > > "MacHamish" <russj41@concentric.net> wrote in message
>> >> > > news:u4fhq0ddcl6djfvbqocv5a68fcj2obabs8@4ax.com...
>> >> > > > On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 17:30:36 -0000, "Nebulous"
>> >> > > > <Nebulous@pigtail.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>> >> > > > >Actually he should have bought Euro's.
>> >> >
>> >> > The fact that he did not places a shadow on his genusness. Hindsight
> is
>> >> > always easy.
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> It was intended as a joke Jim. If he got out of dollars and into gold
> he
>> >has
>> >> done very well, and much better than most people, although he has
>> >> contributed in his own small way to the demise of the dollar. I was
> trying
>> >> to suggest he should instead have done something (invest in Europe)  I
>> >felt
>> >> he would find difficult to justify to himself.
>> >
>> >My Aunt took her money and has bought gold for decades. She would have
>> >been much better in real estate or the stock market.
>>
>> You may be premature in that judgment.  As someone said, timing is
>> everything.  What if gold were to go to $3,000 the ounce.  In such a
>> scenario, the bottom would have fallen out of the stock market and your
> aunt
>> would be sitting prettier than just about everyone else.  Admittedly, 
>> this
>> is an extreme projection, but it's not totally out of the realm of
>> possibility.
>>
>> That being said, I take your point.  For the vast majority of people, the
>> best course of action is to buy blue chip stocks and hold them over a 
>> long
>> period.  Most people don't have the savvy or the time to give the markets
>> the attention they require.  It's better left to good advisors, most of
> whom
>> would agree with your position.  On the other hand, there's no sense in
>> riding corrections down if you see them coming.  Nor is there any sense 
>> in
>> ignoring a hot sector if you get in early enough, which means before it
>> becomes hot.  How's that for stating the perfectly obvious?
>>
>> MacHamish M