Let's talk debt and what we pay versus another country. Let's talk about working with a degree, without a degree, an playing games. And what about that steady 50% figure that doesn't pay and won't plan, is there a connection?

How did the S&P 500 do in the 4th quarter?

How did the S&P 500 do in the 1st quarter?

What did most investors do?

The impact of the big 3% on the full S&P 500 index.

Buy baby buy back that stock.

Institutional versus retail investors.

Income Inequality, The CEO is an Employee, Rubber Room Boards, Voting No, Confidence & Thomas Jefferson. We answer a few questions and talk about excessive compensation. The power of voting individual shares of stock in a world that is controlled by large institutional investment advisors, banks, brokerage, pensions, and insurance companies. The little guy needs a voice. We also talk about Thomas Jefferson and relate his views on the press to public surveys. Legit or not, who knows for sure.

Will we have a rational discussion about nuclear energy? United States Senator Lamar Alexander opens the discussion by including climate change as a reason to talk.

If China cannot stop the exportation of illegal drugs that is killing tens of thousands of Americans each year, then why should we waste time negotiating with them. The effect on business isn't funny. Then there's the political incoherence in the nation is sad, especially when it includes Members of Congress. And then we have Jamie Dimon who just work up to the power of a homogeneous society, which happens to be China.

Walmart and Amazon are fighting for space in the voice-ordering space. Walmart is connected to Google and Amazon has Alexa. Apartment growth and international investments shifted a bit and affordable housing continues to be a problem in many dense urban areas. As for jobs, manufacturing continues to hold its own.

This episode of Connecting Dots is a Deep Dive into the history and current environment involving variable annuities. The discussion expands into fixed, immediate, deferred, equity index, pensions, charitable trusts, emotional based selling, and professionalism. Instead of attending a lunch and learn seminar where the goal is to sell you a high commission insurance product, stay home and pour your own coffee while listening to the dots being connected.