tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79077064367817526982012-01-03T12:33:14.246-06:00Do what you love and the money will followSsembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.comBlogger4041100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-78170437767901567652010-05-19T09:20:00.001-05:002010-05-19T09:35:59.409-05:00

I'm reading a lot of chatter on the web about an impending stock market crash. It is tempting to dismiss this talk but against the backdrop of the world economy, it looks like we are about to relive the post-Lehman stock market downturn. The symptoms of the failure of capitalism couldn't be worse. Governments and citizens alike, are indebted to their eyeballs. The unemployment situation is

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-65401228602218188092010-04-29T15:56:00.001-05:002010-04-29T16:06:46.143-05:00

Here is the scenario; You are 70 years old and suffering from advanced prostate cancer. The doctor tells you that you have 22 more months to live, but if you pay $75,000, you could live for 26 months instead of 22 months. An additional 4 months. What would you do?Spend the $75,000 enjoying the next 22 months or pay $75,000 to prolong you life to 26 months?If you are wondering what this is about,

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40425709263042542712010-04-13T07:05:00.001-05:002010-04-13T07:05:00.475-05:00

I wanted to share some of the experiences I have had from running a business. As some of may know, I went on to start my business a while ago and I have been at it for at least 2 years. The first year involved setting it up before opening the doors. I will not go into the details of my business for obvious reasons but some readers who know me offline are fully aware of my venture.Before I start

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-63169492541965252342010-03-23T20:43:00.006-05:002010-03-23T21:02:21.964-05:00

If you've been following the news in America, then you must be aware of the Health-care bill that just got signed into law. In the days leading to the legislative battle, emotions have been rising and they reached fever pitch on Sunday night when the Democrats got their way in the House of Representatives.You would think that Sunday night would have been the end of it but it seems the dust is yet

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-43975587508354728992010-03-02T19:13:00.003-06:002010-03-02T20:04:35.537-06:00

Two weeks ago, I got a call from a mortgage broker from my bank. He told me that he was going through my accounts and he thought he could do something to lower my monthly payments. Naturally, I was interested with his offer and went to to inquire of their current mortgage rates.As it turned out, their long term rates were hovering around 5% and having learned from the sub-prime debacle, their

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-5084488436787031052010-02-24T19:01:00.003-06:002010-02-24T19:12:37.991-06:00

I have noticed over the last few years, Nairobi has played host to a number of interesting conferences. This is unlike in the past when government, non-government organizations and donors dominated major conferences in Kenya.This Wednesday and Thursday, there is a COMESA Banking and Mobile Money conference taking place in Nairobi. Of interest to me are the slide decks which have been posted on

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-1205032492505369252010-02-14T08:42:00.004-06:002010-02-14T09:01:27.328-06:00

Happy Valentines day to all my blog friends and readers. As Maishinski said, in one of his comments on this blog, let us take the time to smell the roses in our lives. Appreciate and treasure what you have got.Enjoy this timeless classic by the Jackson 5.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-17283018446453765542010-02-11T21:24:00.001-06:002010-02-11T21:25:03.366-06:00

Ten years ago this week marks a very important event in my life. My wedding anniversary. The 10th year to be precise.Back then, I had graduated from college five months before and I was juggling 2 to 3 jobs in a bid to raise enough money to cover for the wedding, honeymoon and something extra to get us started as a couple.Five years before that, I had met my then sweetheart whom I dated for the

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-23685823860695654132010-01-30T18:41:00.000-06:002010-01-30T18:42:42.505-06:00

A few weeks ago, towards the the start of the year, my life came to a crushing halt. Not sure if it has anything to do with my age, mid life crisis and all that but let me just say that I hit rock bottom.Since then, I have been slowly putting my life together and I have tried to maintained a state of normalcy. In hindsight, I had it coming but all that is now water under the bridge and my focus

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-9504074200797136222010-01-13T14:53:00.000-06:002010-01-13T14:57:47.485-06:00

It has been with good reason that I have not been actively blogging in the last few weeks. Towards the end of last year, around November, I made a decision to take a break from investing. Why so?Although last year was a good one in the stock market, there is still a lot of uncertainty about the equity markets owing to the state of the economy. Coupled with the low interest rate environment, I

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-35808390838079028732009-12-21T10:04:00.001-06:002009-12-21T10:04:00.323-06:00

Not to be outdone by Obama's award for the Nobel Peace prize, Time magazine named Ben Bernanke as the 2009 Person of the Year.Honestly, I don't think he deserves an award for anything and I would not like to see the confirmation of his renomination as the head of the Federal Reserve. Why so?The job of the Fed is clearly spelled out. Achieve maximum employment and keep prices stable On the first

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-12483840921142683832009-12-17T18:30:00.005-06:002009-12-17T18:44:33.621-06:00

I'll do this post in the characteristic Tweeter fashion of less than 140 characters.Must read and by far the best Tweeting guideline out there - http://bit.ly/MUtC9 [by internet guru Jakob Nielsen] via @NNgroup

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-10648104502891447032009-12-10T19:45:00.006-06:002009-12-10T20:22:59.962-06:00

This may not be news to many out there, but I recently came across a website that allows you to manage your finances in one place. I had heard of Mint.com before and more recently when they got bought out by Intuit, if I am not wrong, but only got to try it out this week.Basically, when you sign up, you link in all your financial information (checking, savings, credit cards, investments, loans,

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-76988867557768957322009-11-30T19:58:00.000-06:002009-11-30T20:17:25.818-06:00

In September 2007 I did a blog post on funding a start-up, which was basically a mash-up of data from the Entrepreneur magazine feature and my thoughts on the data. During that time, I concluded that the best way to fund a new business was through personal savings followed by borrowing from kin and kith, before finally seeking a loan from the bank.Fast forward 2 years later and I have gone

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-46223646265547734182009-11-26T10:27:00.006-06:002009-11-26T14:03:43.753-06:00

The countdown to the biggest shopping day in America, and probably the world too, has began. At the stroke of midnight, or 5 am for most stores, charged shoppers will throng malls doting all over the country in search of the best deals. Not to be left out, here is my black Friday wish list. DVDs - I collect DVDs, never mind that the Blueray is touted to replace DVDs. Over the years I have built a

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-52896029495693894302009-11-15T21:10:00.000-06:002009-11-15T21:10:00.451-06:00

I was reading in this week's BusinessWeek that Americans average over 200 meals at restaurants in any given year. That is how much big business eating out has become although these numbers include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and thanks to drive-thrus, in-between meals. During the day, adults will mostly frequent the casual diners which usually have a cheap lunch time menu, while those with kids are

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-43295126364442060042009-11-12T20:42:00.000-06:002009-11-12T20:44:35.847-06:00

In 2006, just as the US real estate market was peaking, a local commercial developer announced an ambitious plan to put up a $3 billion investment consisting residential, retail and commercial components in my locality. The plan was approved by the city hall and in May of the following year, the company held a ground breaking ceremony that involved the reconfiguration of the roads in readiness

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-53088770399369986892009-11-09T19:55:00.000-06:002009-11-09T20:20:32.363-06:00

I suspect I am going to be kicking myself a few months from now when I look back to this week. I've decided to offload some of the equities that I have been holdingFirst to go is Walgreen's. I bought this one 2 years ago and it has been painful holding onto it during the just ended crisis. Thankfully, the swine flu has propelled it back to just over my buying price. I had intended on selling it 2

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-1200560095948469452009-10-27T20:38:00.000-05:002009-10-27T20:42:26.510-05:00

There is this friend of mine who I have known for a better part of my life. Through the years we have kept touch and we have become confidants as we matured. We have both seen each other during ups and downs.Sometime in the 90’s, he hit a dark patch in his life. At that time, almost everyone ran away from him and I was one of the few people who stood by him. Even then, our friendship was tested

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-79695431604579788912009-10-20T06:55:00.001-05:002009-10-20T06:55:00.112-05:00

It's now official. Swine flu is here!According to 60 minutes report this weekend, the number of flu infections being witnessed is not only higher than expected for the month of October but as high as it gets during the peak in February. All this while the fall temperatures are mildly warm in what is expected to be a very cold winter.Closer home, two children at the pre-school where my son attends

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-26416429589691345232009-10-18T18:46:00.004-05:002009-10-18T19:04:17.883-05:00

It is that time of the year again. The football season is with us. American football and not British soccer. Though the English Premier League is also driving Kenyans crazy if the facebook status' and the twitter updates are anything to go by. I have never been a football fanatic, save for the super bowl which has the best half-time show not to mention the accompanying ads. I'm usually a passive

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-65134989091845285252009-10-14T19:54:00.002-05:002009-10-14T20:22:17.622-05:00

The big news of the day is the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above 10,000, up roughly 50% from the March lows. Lost in all the hullabaloo is the worsening unemployment levels, rising oil prices and a weakening US dollar.Frankly speaking, I don't know what to make of today's close. This happens to be the third time the DJIA has crossed the psychological 10,000 points barrier. The first time

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-52778922559294092622009-10-03T12:53:00.000-05:002009-10-03T12:59:53.512-05:00

This past week I received a letter from my employer's 401(k) plan manager regarding changes to the company's savings plan. Usually this types of letters are very boring to read but one of the changes caught my attention.The savings plan manager, Fidelity, has subjected 4 international funds to an excessive trading policy restriction. From the verbiage contained in the letter, it seems that

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-43558980246928950532009-09-30T21:58:00.001-05:002009-09-30T22:17:41.504-05:00

Today marked the end of the third quarter and ushered in the final quarter of a year many would like to forget. The summer has been characteristic of the equity markets only that we have had low trading volumes despite the ascension to this year's highs.I have not been very active in the market save for minor buys in the commodity sectors, all whilst lightening the load that I picked up earlier

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-31636187499415141852009-09-27T12:46:00.001-05:002009-09-27T12:52:37.008-05:00

They say those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Well, according to Investment Company Institute, investors have poured $240 billion into US bond mutual funds so far this year. But wait. US Stock funds, despite a big rebound in stock prices since the March lows, have taken in less than $15 billion. After being burned for the most part of last year and earlier

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40788973419147818372009-09-24T15:23:00.000-05:002009-09-24T15:26:01.927-05:00

There was this one time we booked a hotel for an overseas vacation through the web. I used the hotel star rating as a decider and we didn't bother checking the reviews on trip advisor. So you can imagine our shock when we checked into the hotel and found that it was nothing like we expected. Had I been alone, I would have let it pass. But there was no way I would have compromised when it comes to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-5252877215089021222009-09-19T11:51:00.004-05:002009-09-19T13:27:08.426-05:00

This may come as a surprise to some people, but not all internet hits are equal. Ever since I started my own business, one question that keeps popping up is "how many hits does your website get?". You will also find other businesses, especially those who sell advertising space, boasting of the number of hits there websites command in a bid to lure advertisers.Lets take for instance YouTube. Users

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-65136809885328145642009-09-17T20:14:00.001-05:002009-09-17T20:15:52.043-05:00

Just when you think that the market has topped and the higher it continues to run. From May everyone has been saying that the market is due for a correction but the bulls have disproved us.Ironically, trading volumes have been low and continue to fall with every advancing day. All this means that very few investors are participating in the bull run. You can't blame the masses for sitting out

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-26985371480909775332009-09-15T19:53:00.004-05:002009-09-16T23:40:21.444-05:00

This week marked the 1st anniversary since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, which turned out to be the hallmark of last year's financial crisis. While many people would like to forget 15th of September of last year, I think it is important that I reflect my investment activities around this time.In the days leading to Lehman's bankruptcy, I remember eying a couple of financial stocks. Everything

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-4306605573658322352009-09-13T17:44:00.000-05:002009-09-13T17:45:08.640-05:00

It certainly feels very weird. The more I travel to Kenya, the more I feel detached from my motherland.In the weeks leading to my travel to Kenya, I am always anxious and optimistic but after a few days stay in Kenya the excitement is usually replaced with frustration.On the surface, Kenya is a beautiful country. I couldn't help but wonder as we drove from the airport in the quiet of night, the

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-15603449588860826402009-09-05T12:53:00.002-05:002009-09-05T13:14:29.690-05:00

This past week I met an individual who runs a Business Process Outsourcing company in Nairobi. Unlike your usual BPO, which consists of a company premises with computer work stations in a room full of personnel, the operations are run from a cyber cafe in downtown Nairobi.The said individual, 'rents' work-stations in a cyber cafe and has 3 employees who use the work-stations everyday from 10 am

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40162521942522788052009-08-31T13:35:00.003-05:002009-09-05T13:05:43.817-05:00

I used to think that traffic in Nairobi was bad until last Saturday. It so turns out that this was the last Saturday of the month and Kenyans, known for their peculiar behavior took to the road in droves. It so seems at the end of the month, everyone with a car in Nairobi heads to the city.My day started with a drive to South C and then on to South B to drop my sister and cousin, respectively. As

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-57263227488047048212009-08-27T15:58:00.000-05:002009-08-27T16:14:42.019-05:00

Earlier in the year, I wrote about the mushrooming of signage on properties in Nairobi declaring that the properties were not for sale. Little did I realize that I would one day fall prey to this kind of real estate fraud.It so turns out that our property in Nairobi was put up for sale without our knowledge. Fortunately, we got wind of the scheme before money changed hands.We had 'given' out the

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-9966621360064706652009-08-25T21:31:00.000-05:002009-08-25T21:31:00.383-05:00

Our head of department forwarded to me an email from another head of department with an explicit instruction not to forward it to anyone. Soon after that, one of the bosses from our division, which encompasses both departments, asked that I forward to him that email because he was privy to the information although he was not cc'd by any other departmental heads.A week after he asked me to forward

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-48387907232502379192009-08-20T08:35:00.000-05:002009-08-20T08:35:00.151-05:00

Sometimes it's hard to imagine how life used to be without the internet. You have to ask yourself how we survived without simple pleasures like a cell phone, GPS and even the Tivo.Take for instance printing pictures.In the past, the exercise would involve purchasing a roll of film and taking photo judiciously as you had a limited amounts of shots. Only after you have exhausted the film would you

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-89412782570284698352009-08-17T07:24:00.006-05:002009-08-17T07:27:42.420-05:00

I was going to write up something about patriotism and then I came across this article by Andrew Mwenda, the outspoken journalist from Uganda.Like Kenya's Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, Mwenda is tired of listening to lectures from the West. Never mind that he is one of the harshest critics of Uganda's Yoweri Museveni's government.The part that I am yet to understand is why Africans, or Kenya to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-36477284323788805262009-08-13T21:22:00.005-05:002009-08-13T23:59:34.604-05:00

One of the most debated issues among the Kenyan communities in the United States is the number of Kenyans living in America. From the conversations I've had with other Kenyans, the figures are all over the place depending on who you ask.This month, the Department of Homeland Security released a comprehensive report (pdf - 110 pages, 2.8MB) detailing the numbers of legal immigrants from 1820 until

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-29311289092105810272009-08-10T20:07:00.005-05:002009-08-10T20:48:58.834-05:00

One of the many things my wife and I planned when we were newly wed was our return to Kenya after a couple of years living abroad. The plan involved getting all the education we needed, saving as much money as we could and having a place that we could call our own in Nairobi.Six college degrees later, money to get us started in Kenya and a Nairobi home, the tune seems to have changed. While we

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-1965027852167234712009-08-05T11:23:00.004-05:002009-08-05T11:45:43.779-05:00

I came across this argument in my Google reader this morning?It turns out that the last place you want your money to be in is in anything but U.S. dollars. "As the dollar hits new lows for 2009, the S & P 500 makes new highs for 2009" - Art Cashin, director of floor operations at UBS financial Services.The stock market is way over-bought and this may persist for as long as we continue to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-31499479006460011092009-08-04T21:37:00.004-05:002009-08-04T21:51:02.646-05:00

I shouldn't be saying this but I think the stock market has over-shot on the upside. I had a look at my 401(k) and it looks like I have recovered my losses and then some.I have to say that I am very skeptical about the current bull market. I know I should shut up and enjoy the ride but the macro-economic indicators don't seem to match the stock market appreciation. I can't say what role

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-71039891925042191012009-08-03T17:55:00.003-05:002009-08-03T18:03:20.813-05:00

I've been studying Twitter from a far and I predict it will end up in disaster like MySpace, while Facebook will survive. #dysfuctional (140 words)

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-19790287685949904612009-07-28T19:57:00.001-05:002009-07-28T20:02:17.593-05:00

I'm not sure what to say about the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange. I recorded the Wide Angle's The Market Maker documentary last Friday but only got to watch it today.First off the bat, I have to say that I was impressed by Eleni Gabre-Madhin's effort to start ECX, as it is commonly referred to. Going into the documentary, I was sceptical about the whole commodity exchange idea because I thought

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-56878540090100357572009-07-23T11:51:00.004-05:002009-07-23T12:20:36.582-05:00

It's not big business news but Bristol-Myers Squibb offered to pay a 90% premium to Medarex’s Wednesday closing price. Mederax was one of my holdings and I was certain that they will one day be bought out. It so turns out that I was right. And with today's news I dumped all my MEDX shares for a tidy profit.I'm not sure when I bought the stock but I've had it in my portfolio for at least two years

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-84927550072203802972009-07-15T14:15:00.002-05:002009-07-15T14:18:20.539-05:00

I just put in an order through Amazon and as I was going through my account I noticed that they have a record of my purchases going back to my first order. When I first started shopping in Amazon, my purchases were mainly DVD movies of titles that I could not find off-line. Later on I started buying books and now it's mostly small electronics and a mixture of books. In total, I have spent $365.08

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-20424412738564265462009-07-12T16:21:00.004-05:002009-07-12T16:45:33.417-05:00

A lot has been said about the issue of food security in Africa. Take for example the situation in Ethiopia. Despite a surplus of food in the Southern side of Ethiopia in 1984, nearly a million Ethiopians died from famine in the same year.Personally, I do not support the idea of middle men in commodity markets because they end up 'eating' from both sides of the transaction. Producer's get poor

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-42489194547196960732009-07-06T09:54:00.002-05:002009-07-06T10:06:55.540-05:00

I believe we are now at the point where the boys will be separated from the men (no offense to the ladies). The stock market seems trapped within a narrow trading range while the economy is getting worse, albeit more slowly.Those who bought in the winter can thank their strong guts for one of the biggest stock market gains in recent times.My bet is that the U.S. dollar will determine the

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40144177033706974412009-07-04T08:59:00.000-05:002009-07-04T08:59:27.790-05:00

Until as late as two years ago, 4th of July independence celebration included a dazzling display of air force jets, a lot of fanfare and the grandiose fireworks display lasting for 2 to 3 days. Last year all this changed. As housing prices began to tumble and job losses started to mount, cities have scaled down the 4th of July celebrations. In my locality, all that is left is the fireworks

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-57551819293801238432009-07-03T18:09:00.000-05:002009-07-03T18:17:09.826-05:00

Until I started my business, I used to be very skeptical about advertising. Now I understand why advertising is a billion dollar industry. Even with well known companies, like Wal-Mart, the best way to reach out and keep your customers is through advertising. It is worth noting that there have been a few great companies that do not advertise. I think Amazon is one of them but this may have

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-20723213002643798952009-07-02T23:02:00.002-05:002009-07-02T23:04:56.551-05:00

I have to give it up to ATT for taking customer service to a whole new level. I've been having problems with my wireless connections at home. When we signed up with Uverse, ATT provided us with a wireless router that is situated downstairs next to the cable DVR in the family room. However, my home office is not on the main floor. At first I had my desk in the basement and then later on I set up

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-55465411749118761162009-07-01T13:33:00.003-05:002009-07-01T13:41:54.922-05:00

Apparently, the good people at Blogger think I am a spammer. I got an email from Google, notifying me that my blog had "been identified as a potential spam blog". My last post about the netbook could have triggered Blogger into thinking I am a spamblog. What I don't understand is why it took Google more than 2 years to realize that I'm a spamblog.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-65219510943287214842009-06-29T22:08:00.001-05:002009-06-29T23:22:28.502-05:00

I've finally got myself a mini laptop. I've been looking for a netbook for the last few weeks and every one that I saw didn't suit my needs. Basically, I wanted something light that I can carry during my travels, mainly for email and light work.As far as features are concerned, I wanted a full keyboard and an optical drive. It so turns out that there is no netbook out there with a DVD drive. Not

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-26636511047185462532009-06-27T05:52:00.002-05:002009-06-28T15:39:23.446-05:00

Several events in the last few months are beginning to define the internet as the most powerful force on planet earth. As millions of people are getting connected to the internet, the power of the web has morphed into something that can never be contained.I think the turning point of the internet was the election of Barack Obama as the first African American president of America. Although

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-29817300163284999822009-06-21T20:57:00.003-05:002009-06-21T21:00:36.140-05:00

For the last several years, I've been renting out a commercial carpet cleaner from Home Depot for cleaning our carpets. Every 2 to 3 months, I go to Home Depot, usually on a Friday evening and rent out the cleaner for the minimum duration, 4 hours. Because they close at 9 pm, they let me keep the cleaner overnight till 9 am the following day. When we first bought our house, the plan was to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-64374036345483271682009-06-15T20:49:00.001-05:002009-06-15T22:19:13.536-05:00

If there is one thing that I like about all the junk I receive through the postal mail, then it has to be the discount coupons. For a country that prides itself in consumerism, discount coupons are the norm rather than exception when it comes to advertising. While most of the coupons I receive are unwanted, there are several types of coupons that I have come to rely on.The first one is the hair

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40194550305703356562009-06-12T11:27:00.009-05:002009-06-12T12:18:12.231-05:00

Development seems to be the only meaningful recurring theme. Overall, the reception has been positive going by reactions from Ka-Investor's live blogging. Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta's 2009/10 Budget Speech via Wordle.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-71393360598393463442009-06-07T17:41:00.004-05:002009-06-07T18:22:31.781-05:00

I was in one of my local supermarkets this weekend when I noticed a Blockbuster DVD/BlueRay rental vending machine. For the last 2 years, I have mostly rented movies from the Redbox vending machines machines also found in some of the supermarkets. Instead of paying $5 for unlimited DVD rentals, I normally rent the DVDs for up to 2 days for $1 per day. I usually select my movies online and pick

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-22412531306326290192009-06-04T19:14:00.000-05:002009-06-04T19:21:36.711-05:00

On the surface, there is a feeling that everything is alright with the American economy. The headlines have turned away from doom and gloom and it would take a lot of digging to find out how the economy is fairing.GM finally throwing in the towel and filing for bankruptcy is to me a confirmation that the economy is still in a decline. Housing, the genesis of this recession, is still in a fall and

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-64819408677389552002009-05-31T15:52:00.002-05:002009-05-31T16:52:38.529-05:00

There is now an African Exchange Traded Fund (AFK) on the NYSE. It launched in July last year but I only found about it after receiving a prospectus from my stock broker in the mail last week. According to the prospectus, the fund's objective is to replicate as closely as possible, the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones Africa Titans Index.This index was also launched last year and

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-74727456298224008492009-05-30T10:22:00.000-05:002009-05-30T10:30:01.815-05:00

It is not the norm for me to get a letter from my electricity company. I've signed up for e-billing and therefore my bill is usually delivered to my online banking account where I arrange for it to be paid. Although the payment information is available in my online banking portal, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a detailed statement of my electricity consumption from January 2007.As I

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-34355873572615776662009-05-26T21:26:00.003-05:002009-05-26T21:37:09.348-05:00

Is it just me or has WordPress taken over the web? Almost every other Kenyan website is based on a WordPress template. I think WordPress is fine if you are a blogger but how do you explain when a website design company has its website built on the WordPress template.The folly of this is that all the websites are starting to look the same. At this point, it becomes hard to distinguish professional

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-18820042785679851752009-05-25T21:28:00.003-05:002009-05-25T21:54:53.603-05:00

Every Sunday, I like to buy the Sunday edition of The New York Times. Rather than subscribe for their weekend package, I buy my copy from Borders, usually after the church service. This past Sunday, I missed church as I was not feeling well. When I left home later in the afternoon, I completely forgot to buy a copy. And it was not until this morning when I remembered.My first instinct was to call

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-44408327643242537402009-05-24T22:55:00.003-05:002009-05-24T23:08:02.836-05:00

Seeing what has happened in the last few months, whereby companies that have been in existence for decades have gone bust, I sold off the last remaining company match shares in my 401(k). As of September last year, my company match shares stood at 33% of my total 401(k) holdings.I sold almost two-thirds of it, to bring my matching shares down to 10% of my holdings. As of two weeks ago, the

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-85535695778014668722009-05-18T12:08:00.005-05:002009-05-18T12:18:40.315-05:00

The US stocks are way too expensive. I know the stock market is forward looking but there is no way to explain the current lofty valuations. If you take out the 'profits' from financials, you are faced with grim reality of how bad the situation is.The chart below does a good job at pointing out the folly of the current sentiments. Right now I'm trying to exercise patience as I think there will be

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-89126218469432389262009-05-08T11:58:00.001-05:002009-05-08T14:49:35.508-05:00

It so turns out that every stock purchase that I made during the stock market lows over the past few months has appreciated considerably higher. A quick glimpse at the stocks I follow shows that the stocks have appreciated between 48% and 837% from their 52 week lows but most are still a far cry away from their 52 week high. Basically, I could have bought anything back then and made lots of

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-57885047702635551072009-05-04T19:48:00.008-05:002009-05-04T23:30:24.631-05:00

I'm not sure if I can explain what is happening in the stock market. Against the back-drop of one of the worst economic slowdown, the market has rallied very strongly from the March lows. Considering the over-bought conditions, today's volume in the NYSE was huge. The 12 billion shares traded certainly caught my attention.I thought we were due for a pull-back and then we explode upwards.I knew my

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-52674087628381391262009-04-22T21:16:00.002-05:002009-04-22T21:32:56.017-05:00

When it comes to trading socks, I have found out that making the decision to sell is usually harder than the buy decision. I guess this is because investors are a bunch of optimistic people. They always expect that the stocks they hold will appreciate higher. And when their position is under water, they hold on with the expectation that they will at least break even some day.With this in mind, I

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-15423988126396175442009-04-20T21:53:00.002-05:002009-04-20T22:03:08.619-05:00

Here is a video of the late James Bett being interviewed on his organization's efforts to buy land in North Rift. I find his views on land ownership to be very insightful.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-54306115088260954002009-04-20T20:35:00.005-05:002009-04-20T21:09:01.267-05:00

The last few days have been very interesting in that I have received several emails, one of them threatening, regarding my business ventures. In all instances the emails were from my competitors who may have realized that I am taking away their lunch. It did cross my mind that I may receive this kind of reception but they all seem to be coming at the same time.I'm not sure what to make of it but

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-76473994317342397262009-04-20T12:51:00.001-05:002009-04-20T21:08:15.952-05:00

I received an email yesterday notifying me of the death of my friend, James Bett. I've known JB for probably close to 15 years and the news came to me as a shock because he died suddenly. For all the years that I have known JB, he has always traveled to his upcountry home during the Easter holidays and also on other extended holidays. This time round, as he traveled back to Nairobi their car

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-85206131677255521832009-04-19T00:40:00.001-05:002009-04-19T00:40:45.164-05:00

I've not been keenly following the market during the current bull run because I think that this is a classic bear market rally. The economic slowdown is decelerating but I believe we are still not out of the woods.High unemployment and falling house prices means that we still have some way to go before the situation improves. For these reasons, I believe the stock market way over bought and ready

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-85312035953623087412009-04-15T21:20:00.003-05:002009-04-15T22:49:02.607-05:00

Even though we think that we know it, it doesn't hurt if one is reminded that focus is the key to success.I couldn't help but share this timely blog post from one of the blogs that I follow.Entrepreneurs are known as crazy people running around with ADD. They jump from one idea to the next. They cannot pay attention to details. They are hyperactive and get distracted easily. They find it hard to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-61626024934421002372009-04-13T20:18:00.000-05:002009-04-13T23:26:26.704-05:00

I'm at it again. Looking for an internet address for my next business venture.With online sales, I think you have a 50% chance of a success if you get the right url. For this reason, I will not attempt to start to work on my business plan until I have found a good name.Everything that I have thought of, are already taken up and are legitimate businesses outside the area that I am thinking of

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-64800901397572290552009-04-10T23:34:00.000-05:002009-04-10T23:39:48.798-05:00

As someone who is starting out in the world of business, it would prudent for me to find out why America is the most successful country in the world if I want to succeed. I'd be hard pressed to find any nation that comes close to this country when it comes to making money. I can pin point so many things that make this country great but I think everything stems from the people in this country. And

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-57197881763215490442009-04-09T22:42:00.005-05:002009-04-09T23:04:52.444-05:00

The last few weeks we've seen the best run in a very long time. Everything seems to be on an upward trend, except for profits.Those who bought when the stock market was at its worst, the pay-offs could not have been better. Seeing the way the market has risen, I can only wish that I deployed most of my cash into stocks.Knowing that very little has changed in terms of the deteriorating economic

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-66692947867322507192009-04-04T10:19:00.001-05:002009-04-04T10:19:55.378-05:00

I have recently noticed that many of Africa's most vocal opponents of foreign aid run not-for profit organizations that are funded by Western aid.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-53849191560533469012009-03-22T21:21:00.000-05:002009-03-22T21:21:00.551-05:00

Whoever invented the Blackberry is definitely a genius. In the fast paced world that we live in, I can't imagine anything better than the BlackBerry. It's no wonder Barack Obama refused to let go of the device when he became president. And if you have several email addresses, then the Blackberry is for you. If you want to do some real time facebooking, you got it. Real time tweets, no problemo.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-19399690201577944342009-03-16T09:50:00.002-05:002009-03-16T11:33:00.815-05:00

This weekend's real estate article in the Nation newspaper is a confirmation that the property market in Nairobi and its environs is in a bubble. Going by the Magazine cover theory, media headlines are usually contra-indicators. The said theory states that by the time an investment class is on every ones lips, chances are that you are in the last innings of the upward cycle. It is during this

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-61573579312110562642009-03-03T22:45:00.006-06:002009-03-03T22:52:47.781-06:00

Trying to run my own business is turning out to be a roller coaster.Some days are exciting, and other days can be depressing. In the morning I could be feeling low, only to retire at night on a high note.Sometimes I sit back and wonder what I was thinking when I decided to start my own business. Time will tell.Signed,Incorrigible Optimist

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-88459659947883986502009-03-03T22:35:00.000-06:002009-03-03T22:38:56.514-06:00

I had planned on buying some shares during yesterday's last hour of trading but it totally slipped my mind. I only remembered after the market was closed.Even with the current sell-off not every stock has been thrown out with the dirty water. I couple of companies are still standing strong. At this point in time, it is worth mentioning that both the fundamentals and technicals don't count. We

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-40571974031018166762009-03-02T09:42:00.001-06:002009-03-02T19:22:55.888-06:00

I wish I could say you heard it here first but AP beat me to it. According to this Yahoo headline, DJIA is now trading below the 6,000 level. On a serious note, we just breached last years lows. I forgot to check the volume of Friday, but last Thurday 8 billion shares were traded on the NYSE. If the trend continues, we are looking at a full blown crash.At this levels, I am hard pressed to find

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-8434105180935456492009-02-28T21:44:00.001-06:002009-02-28T21:51:07.120-06:00

What comes to your mind when you think about innovation? For most people the focus in innovation is always on products while for businesses, it is core processes and product performance. However, innovation encompasses much more than these.While people have no problem defining innovation, it would come as a surprise that innovation encompasses much more than products and processes. The chart

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-1200584302505044232009-02-25T20:01:00.003-06:002009-02-25T23:24:02.849-06:00

It's now almost 5 years since we moved into our current home and in 2 months time, my mortgage rate will re-adjust. We had planned on staying on the property for a maximum of 5 years but with the U.S. economy on it's knees, we have not only decided to stay put but also not to trade-in my missus' 5 year old car which we also bought then.My current interest rate, which expires after my April

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-24737781150824720952009-02-23T20:46:00.000-06:002009-02-23T20:51:22.053-06:00

This has got to be one of the most painless bear markets. Just when everyone had about given up on the bulls, then comes the most marauding of all bears. Not many would have thought that we would be revisiting the 1997 highs 12 years later. The DJIA closed today at May 7, 1997 levels.Trading volume was on the mid high, still short of last year's super selling levels. I didn't get a chance to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-89611777248121832512009-02-23T12:50:00.000-06:002009-02-23T12:50:55.394-06:00

According to Google, or is it my laptop, I am currently not at my desk in the United States of America but somewhere in Europe. I am in the Kingdom of Belgium to be specific. I've got Google homepage book-marked as my start page and it is opening up as Google Belgium and the text is in German. The same applies to Blogger but not my Google reader or Gmail services.A quick check of my IP fails to

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-49530510863185993562009-02-17T21:04:00.001-06:002009-02-17T21:06:49.421-06:00

You'd expect a better day in the stock market than today because it's not everyday that you get the President to sign into law an Economic Stimulus Package as Obama did today. As they say, no good deed goes unpunished. It certainly takes more than $787 billion to impress Wall Street.Today's trading volume at the NYSE was on the lower end of the upper range. And if you consider that the markets

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-64657791986062364612009-02-16T21:26:00.001-06:002009-02-16T21:41:16.082-06:00

As you travel around Nairobi, especially in the suburbs, you will come across empty parcels of land bearing a sign that the piece of property is not available for sale. Unlike the 'For Sale' "For Lease' or 'To Let' signs that are a common feature in cities across the world, this new type of signage may be a sign of a property bubble in Nairobi.Not many people of my age realize that real estate in

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-76220132240674756902009-02-11T08:59:00.000-06:002009-02-11T09:04:11.110-06:00

It seems like forever since I last blogged. Unlike previous years, this year started on a high note for me. With my business off the ground, I've been spending most of my free time on my venture. Little did I realise how time consuming moonlighting can be.Even worse, most of what I'm doing involves new technology which has seen me join two professional groups in my locality with a view to getting

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-64972897018189103452009-01-31T20:57:00.002-06:002009-01-31T21:02:21.557-06:00

Sometimes it is hard to figure out if the U.S economy is really in a recession. Take tonight, for instance. Like every other Saturday, we headed out to the strip mall for dinner. Before we left home, we agreed to eat out at LongHorn Steakhouse and so we drove 10 miles to the nearest location.The first surprise was that we couldn't find any parking. No problem. That is usually the case on

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-39447817609812194972009-01-26T15:34:00.000-06:002009-01-26T15:34:00.825-06:00

Thanks to Safaricom, I returned from vacation to find 311 emails waiting for me and another 614 items on my Google reader service.Prior to subscribing for the Blackberry service, I spoke to a Safaricom agent who re-assured me that their Blackberry service was top-notch and even offered to set it up for me. However, my troubles began as soon as he activated the service. It turned out that I could

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-3399084937085425662009-01-25T14:19:00.004-06:002009-01-25T15:04:34.420-06:00

I saw an advert in the dailies for the above titled DVD and headed straight to NuMetro to get myself a copy. The fact that it is co-produced by Hillary Ng'weno made it a must buy item. Even though I also bought several other local productions, my priority is to watch the 14 part half hour documentaries that detail Kenya's political landscape from 1959 to 2007. The 2 part DVD is an invaluable

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-70465643089532813372009-01-22T12:54:00.003-06:002009-01-22T13:01:41.721-06:00

In what has become a routine, I was 'arrested' by traffic police. As is the norm, the cop asked that we drive to the police station where I can be issued a ticket after I refused to part with a bribe.The last time I was in similar position, I ended up spending a few hours in jail.Once bitten, twice shy. Not wanting a repeat, I told the cop to impound the car and keep my driver's licence as I was

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-48214513380031775722009-01-20T11:49:00.004-06:002009-01-20T11:58:15.043-06:00

I couldn't be more proud of the United States of America. Barack Obama's ascension to the presidency has made it cool to be American once again. God bless America. God bless Barack Obama.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-20860064841685548162009-01-20T08:59:00.001-06:002009-01-20T09:06:25.879-06:00

Once a investor trader, always a investor trader.Banks are on the chopping board once more thanks to a worsening U.S. economy. Foreclosures are still on the rise and account for a significant proportion of housing sales. News of Citigroup's break-up can only mean that financials are still in stormy waters.And with that, I'm back into the market. I made my first trade today and will be buying a

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-73659967635116043052009-01-09T01:11:00.005-06:002009-01-09T01:41:55.928-06:00

I had a chance of watching Sengeni Ngethe being interviewed this morning on the Power Breakfast Show of Citizen TV. The interview focused on his online shopping store and was very informative. What struck me is that 80% of mamamikes.com customers are women living in the U.S. (or was it abroad?)I'm not sure what this means but I would have thought the majority of the clients were men. I have not

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-21239531534188465412009-01-07T11:52:00.002-06:002009-01-07T11:52:01.471-06:00

For as long as I can remember, my parents always wanted me to be a doctor. I guess this must have been something common at around my high school years because I was not the only one who's parents wanted them to be a doctor. Even after making the grade, I went against my parents wishes and took on a different career.Over time I have also seen similar situations whereby individuals end up doing

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-25379955536804923452009-01-01T23:38:00.003-06:002009-01-01T23:52:43.732-06:00

Happy new year it is indeed. The end of 2008 couldn't have come sooner. Other than the election of Barack Obama, 2008 was certainly a difficult year for many people. As is the norm, the new year calls for new resolutions which in many cases are the same as the previous years.Top on my list is the launch of my business. I spent the better part of 2008 laying down the foundations and now it is time

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-681663706813947922008-12-23T03:40:00.002-06:002008-12-23T03:40:00.506-06:00

Wishing all my blog-friends/mates a Merry Christmas and a bail-out free 2009. Here's to another year in the blogosphere.Normal blogging will resume after the festivities subject to availability of connectivity in Kenya.

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-88993082860645087342008-12-16T19:56:00.000-06:002008-12-16T19:57:28.163-06:00

Someone should have told the Federal Reserve bank that when they got into the hole, they should have stopped digging. As of today, the FOMC ushered in a new era in borrowing money. They cut the Fed Funds overnight rate to nil. Never mind the language of the rate cut. Instead of the usual verbiage, they established a target range of 0 to 0.25%. Whatever that means because the rate before today's

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-44778285932784614342008-12-12T20:49:00.000-06:002008-12-12T20:49:56.507-06:00

I'm not sure if it's worth second guessing what happened today in the equity markets. What started as a huge down day turned out to be an uneventful day for both the bears and the bulls. How else can one explain the disconnect between Senate rejecting the $14 billion auto bail-out and the lack of direction in the market. Either all the bad news has been priced in, or investors expect some sort of

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7907706436781752698.post-63946787103752645732008-12-11T18:01:00.001-06:002008-12-11T18:02:00.850-06:00

At times it's necessary to take a step back from the equity markets and wait. So what exactly I'm I waiting for? I'm waiting for the market to come back to my level. Even though I believe we have bottomed, there is still a lot of uncertainity out there. Credit and money markets are still dislocating and the rest of the world is trying to figure how they can move forward without the U.S.I'll

Ssembongehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13093261923557991519noreply@blogger.com2