Newspaper Page Text
Financial
Focus
Reported by Sonny Doehring
Scary Investment moves can lead to frightful results
As we approach Halloween, you’ll
spot many ghouls, ghosts and graves,
which you probably will find more
amusing than frightening. However,
whether it’s Halloween or not, you
can encounter things that truly might
threaten your future well-being - such
as scary investment moves.
Here are a few of these “terrifying
tactics” you’ll want to avoid:
• Investing too conservatively - When
most people think of making invest
ment mistakes, they’re probably wor
ried about investing too aggressively.
And, of course, you don’t want to take
unnecessary risks. But what you might
not realize is that “playing it safe” can
be just as dangerous to your long-term
goals. If you consistently put most of
your investment dollars into fixed-rate
vehicles, such as Certificates of Deposit
(CDs) and Treasury bills, you might
not even earn enough to stay ahead of
inflation, much less achieve the growth
you need to pay for a retirement that
could last two or three decades. Conse
quently, you will need some exposure
to growth-oriented vehicles, such as
stocks. While it’s true that stock prices
will fluctuate, and you do risk losing
some or your entire principal, you can
lessen this risk by purchasing quality
stocks and holding them for the long
term.
• Timing the market - Too many
people jump in the market when they
think it’s going up and get out when
they feel it’s going down. But it’s impos
sible for anyone to really predict market
highs and lows - and if you base your
investment decisions on this type of
“market timing,” you could end up hint
ing your progress toward your financial
objectives. For example, if you stop
investing when you think a slump is
coming, but the market quickly turns
around, you’ll miss the opening stages
of a rally, when the biggest gains are
often recorded.
• Over-reacting to bad news - Wars,
corporate scandals and natural disas
ters, among other occurrences, often
send investors scurrying to the side
lines, convinced that the bad news will
lead to a severe market decline. Typi
cally, though, any decline following a
significant, negatively perceived event,
is short-lived, and, in many cases, the
market recoups its losses and moves
to higher levels within a matter of
months.
• Chasing “hot” stocks - You can get
stock “tips” from everyone - friends,
neighbors, magazines, the Internet,
talking heads on television and so on.
Some of these tips come from well-
informed sources, while others do not,
but they all have one thing in common -
they’re essentially worthless to you. For
one thing, by the time you get a tip for
a “hot” stock, it may already be cooling
down. But more importantly, the stock
may not be appropriate for your indi
vidual situation. If, for instance, you
buy shares of a company that is very
similar to other companies you already
own, and an economic downturn affects
the industry to which those companies
belong, you will hurt, rather than help,
your portfolio by purchasing the so-
called hot stock. You’re much better off
by ignoring these tips and focusing on
building a portfolio that is suitable for
your risk tolerance, time horizon and
long-term goals.
By avoiding these “scary” investment
moves, you can help yourself achieve
some results that aren’t too frightful -
in fact, they may eventually be sweeter
than the best Halloween candy. □
Brunswick Family Dental
Ivan Goldner D.M.D.
"PRECAUTIONS FOR PARTIAL DENTURES"
A partial denture is a removable appliance that
substitutes for one or several missing natural
teeth. It is held in place by clasps that grip the
natural teeth adjacent to the partial.
Good oral hygiene habits are particularly
important for wearers of partial dentures. If
food residue and film are allowed to accumulate
on clasps (which are food traps) the important
abutment teeth may decay. Therefore, partials
should be cleaned after each meal and special
attention should be given to cleaning the inside
of the clasps. While you're at it, clean your regular teeth to remove
any food debris that could accumulate under the cover afforded by the
partial denture.
If a partial denture breaks or becomes damaged in any way, it should
be taken at once to the dentist for repair. Attempts to wear a damaged
appliance can be dangerous. A shift of a fraction of a millimeter in the
form of the partial can cause destructive forces on several teeth. Also,
an improper amateur adjustment could possibly render the partial
completely useless and irreparable by anyone.
Prepared as a public service to promote better dental health
from the office of Ivan Goldner, D.M.D.
159 Altama Connector (across from Wal-Mart) • Phone (912) 264-8408
Go to www.howarddentalgroup.com for new patient discounts
THE ISLANDER, OCTOBER 27, 2008, PAGE 3
Business Upda
'Tender’ your vote on Nov. 4 and
enjoy a free meal from Shane's
• Shane's nationwide promotes right to vote with free meal
Shane’s Rib Shack believes in the
American Dream, the pursuit of hap
piness, the opportunities available to
start a business and the right to vote.
This Election Day, November 4, any
customer of legal voting age who shows
up with an official “I Voted Today” stick
er will receive a Free ‘Vote America
Meal” from Shane’s in the Winn Dixie
Plaza on St. Simons Island or Shane's
in the Publix Plaza in Brunswick.
The ‘Vote America Meal” consists of
Shane’s hand-breaded chicken tenders
(a three-piece meal), fries and a 20 oz.
drink.
Of the 210,000,000 eligible voters in
America, a record 28% participated in
the Presidential Primary or Caucus,
a rate not seen since 1972. With eight
days remaining until Election Day,
local communities across the country
are reporting record turnouts antici
pated. That may translate to a whole
lot of chicken come November 4.
“While our country struggles in these
difficult financial times, Main Street
USA where I have lived my entire life,
needs companies and communities to
band together. Our franchisees, who
are small business owners living and
working in the Main streets of every
region in America, want their local
friends and neighbors to know we are
here for them,” said Shane Thompson,
founder of Shane’s Rib Shack. “So few
things are free any more; our only catch
is you must take advantage of one of
America’s most important freedoms,
the right to vote.”
The “Vote America” promotion
begins when the doors open at 11 a.m.
at all participating Shane’s Rib Shack
locations across America. Come for a
late breakfast, lunch, dinner or any
time throughout the day and bring your
“I Voted” sticker. Turn in the official “I
Voted Today” sticker to Shane’s and in
exchange receive an “I Voted Today and
ate at Shane’s for Free” sticker.
“We hope that once voters have
lined up at the polls, they will stop
by Shane’s Rib Shack,” said Shane
Thompson. ‘We’ll get them in and out
quickly so they can finish their day feel
ing good about fulfilling their patriotic
duty, and the small business owners
across America who make up our fran
chisees will feel good about thanking
them for participating in an important
American freedom.”
In continued support of the Ameri
can Dream and Americans during this
current economic environment, begin
ning November 5, the Shane’s Rib
Shack Tenders Special will be available
for a limited-time at all participating
Shane’s locations. The special costs $5
plus tax. □
Football Feast...
Illinois Prairie
Corn C
A Hearty Meal for six
to eight people with all
natural ingredients
Crowd Pleasing
Addition ingredients
• 2-3 White Potatoes
• 8 C. Chicken Broth
■ 2 C. Milk or Half & Half
For a meatier chowder,
try adding crabmeat
Instructions
• Peel and dice potatoes and place
in 4 qt. pot
• Add chicken broth and bring to
a boil
• Add contents of Illinois Prairie Soup
Mix and simmer covered for
45 minutes
• Add Milk or Half & Half and heat
uncovered on low until slightly
thickened for 30 minutes
• Remove bay leaf before serving
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THE STORE FOR CREATIVE COOKS
638-9545
2465 Demere Road
St. Simons Island, Georgia