Now the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston) are prescribing meditation to deal with weight and health issues. You have work up to this process it seems. “Five minutes a day, twice a day, and then gradually increase” says the Assistant Medical Director of the Harvard Medical School affiliated Cheng & Tsui Center for Integrative Care – really, that was the name.
While these articles say the technique helps with symptoms and not the cure, it still causes me pause. I stop to meditate about my weight, and suddenly burst out laughing. I cannot help myself, and inadvertently lose a pound.
I regroup and start working on my investment plan again now that I laughed myself into shape. You have heard of my beer and bourbon investments capitalizing on investor’s depression from their financial losses. My latest inspiration comes from marketing types at Wharton Business School who study sales stats to see how the economy is doing. So it seems men are buying more socks now, so it is the time to buy stock. Sales at e-retailer Jack & Threads were up 165% in 2012 says one buyer. This means people are spending on things like socks and worn thin underdrawers, says consumer psychologist Adam Ferrier. I did not even know there were such people, but apparently the holey socks and underwear are okay during lean times, but you want to feel good about yourself when times are better.
So, the overall sock sales were up 12% and the underdrawers were up 13% in 2012 against only 1% in men’s general apparel sales. At the horse or dog track, I still recommend the watch them before the race method of betting. However, if you are investing, perhaps ask people around you if they are wearing new underwear too measure how your local economy is doing. Let me know how that is working for you.