@Mfo Members: Actually there's is evidence that investing in the four "B" Booze, Bets, Bombs & Butts has paid off over the years. In fact Dan Ahrens former Vice Fund manager has written a book about investing in sin.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.amazon.com/Investing-Vice-Recession-Proof-Portfolio-Booze-ebook/dp/B003E4CYYO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537279123&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Dan+S.+Ahrens
M* Snapshot VICEX:
https://www.morningstar.com/funds/xnas/vicex/quote.html

@Catch22 - Point taken.
However, as I noted earlier, storing a few years supply of your favorite single-malt or blend is one investment to consider. I think a case can be made that the product, along with associated tariffs and taxes, will appreciate in value more quickly than cash. Heck, it might even do better than a 10-year treasury yielding 3%. In addition, many noted investors (like Peter Lynch and Warren Buffet) emphasize the importance of investing in something you know. Indeed, Buffet has long invested in his favorite beverage, CocaCola. Why should scotch whisky be accorded any less favorable treatment?
The linked article discusses 5 ways in which investors may profit from Scotch Whiskey. And, despite your preference for wine, I’d venture to guess that at least one of your mutual funds has exposure in some form (debt or equity) to Diageo.
Invest in Cask Schemes
Buy and Hold Rare Whisky
Buy Shares of Diageo
Invest in a Whisky Investment Fund
Treasure Hunt for Individual Bottles
“ Brands like Macallan, Glenlivet, and Highland Park are popular, as are lesser produced Scotches such as Mortlach, St. Magdalene, and Glenfarclas. While there is no guarantee it will continue to appreciate, The Rare Whiskey 101 Icon Index increased about 350% between 2008 and 2016.”
https://unusualinvestments.com/5-ways-invest-scotch-whisky/

I suspect this will be a lesson to all to properly frame the subject line.
Technically, @hank and @davidrmoran ; have not violated any thread drift rules; although I sincerely do not tolerate thread drift period.
You two are off the hook with me this time, within the subject line of this post being, "any-buy-ideas".
Lastly, I've had my chances years ago at the best of the best for scotch; and "NO", I'll have a decent wine any day.

1) The author of the linked article wrote
" The only thing that will cash a bond fund’s price to increase is declining interest rates. This means in an extended period of rising rates; bond fund investors will see their principal decline without the possibility of a recovery."
I assume that the 5th word "cash" is a typo for "cause". But even when the typo is corrected the sentence does not square with what I've observed over time. When interest rates rise the bond fund will invest in the higher yielding bonds that appear. The investor in the bond fund gets a higher interest rate on these bonds. While there have been years of loss ("negative return") I have never had my principal decline in a bond fund. For one thing all interest and capital gains are being used to automatically buy more shares in the fund. I invest in bond funds as a counter-balance to investments in stock funds. I'd be wary about using a bond fund to generate income. For that I have bought single bonds through a reliable broker.
2) The title of this post was sufficient for me to get an inkling of what the linked article was about. For me, unattributed replication of the first lines of an article is not more helpful than no blurb at all. Ted copies and pastes the first sentences of the linked articles. As often as not these first sentences have been written to establish a basis for understanding the main thrust of the article. They are not a synopsis of what follows.
3) None of the above should be taken to mean that I have not benefited from some of the articles linked by Ted, John, or others. I have. And I appreciate the public service, and the time & effort . It would be even better if when someone posts a link they write a few words of their own about what the article is about and why they find it worthy of attention.

John, you have been asked before over the years by several on the board, but please try to be like Ted if you are going to post links. Meaning, give a brief synopsis of what the link is about. Otherwise, thanks for your efforts In ferreting out news worthy stories.

Very nice, very nice; standard Dewar's has gotten rather smokier (peatier) over the years, like JW Black.

More single-malts. ;)

Ditto (But in my price range I prefer some of the better blends.)
Loading up on your favorite brand will probably pay-off better over the next few years (due to price inflation) than many investments folks seem to favor. The gain is tax-free (long as you consume it yourself). I can almost guarantee a good cache of scotch will perform better over the next few years than cash yielding 1-2% will.
I’m studying adding to the miners - especially if p/m prices stay low or continue falling.

@jerry, I like your idea of AAPL at 180, but that is a 20% drop from todays price. It would probably take a pretty good market down-turn, but anything is possible, so that would be a great entry point if you can get it. I actually sold my shares at about 140 a couple years ago, dumb, dumb, dumb...
If we are talking individual stocks, sold my remaining BABA, Alibaba shares last week and put a limit order in for DWDP, DowDupont @ 64.9 with the proceeds. I own EVGBX and I regard that funds management very highly. They talked about their recent purchase of this "value" stock in their latest communication to share holders.
Alibaba has probably been the most lucrative stock I've ever owned, but the continued China tariffs have put it in a steady down trend since June. When all this nonsense ends, I may buy back in.

If you click on a members name you will see his/her role either just member or member premium. Premium means that at some point $100 was contributed to MFO.

@Ted. Hate to say you are wrong (again). But you are wrong again. Like many, I’ve made several contributions to MFO since its inception, including the contribution tendered January 18 of this year as documented by the attached cut and paste from my Pay Pal account. Although curious why my member designation didn’t change from “member” to “premium member”, it hardly seemed worth mentioning to anyone (and I didn’t) - until you raised the issue.
-
Paid with
VISA x-****
You'll see "PAYPAL *MUTUALFUNDO" on your card statement.
Category
Donations
Transaction ID
*****************
Seller info
Mutual Fund Observer
309-794-7581
http://www.mutualfundobserver.com
[email protected]
Purchase details
Access to Group: NonRecurring (1 year)$100.00
Item #Temp
-
Likely, a great many others have contributed financially to MFO over the years in accordance with their means, needs and situation without receiving special recognition. And it is blatantly inaccurate of you to in any way suggest otherwise.

Okay so first, we don't marry our funds or fund managers. I thought I was the last one to get divorced but perhaps it would seem I'm not. It took my YEARS to convince myself NO ONE is that good.
Frankly I focus more on whether to be invested in equities or not. After that I go with fund / or keep fund that's doing well. If that stops being ARTMX so be it.
I briefly owned Parnassus Midcap. However after their immoral love affair with Smells Largo, I stayed with ARTMX.
I've gradually sold all of my Artisan holdings. I've moved them to balanced funds. I will trade Artisan funds just I will trade other funds. Yes I trade funds, not stocks because I'm better at doing that. Sue me (but it will get you nowhere). I keep my toe in Artisan because they are mostly closed - the only reason. In strong markets Artisan will do well.
Bottom line, if I was fretting so much about ARTMX as you seem to be, I would be out already. Not worth it frankly. Just hope you have a alternate place to go.

Translation: Insanely-priced OEFs are not a good investment. Not exactly rocket-science there, Forbes reporter.
Want to talk about bad investment funds and lessons learned? PAUIX holders who stuck with the fund despite Arnott's ongoing 20% short position in the S&P during the past 10 years, simply because his models said to. When the markets change, in an actively managed fund like that, you need to at least be open to the possibility of changing your strategy. (Of course PAUIX folks could switch into his other tactical fund that didn't have the short position, but IIRC the performance wasn't that much better.)

I confess I own one of these funds (peopx) for the reasons suggested(I owe taxes) and in most years it does not do worse than several of my other funds)

Although POAGX is similar to ARTMX as both are mid-cap growth oriented, POAGX has been closed to new investors for several years. The larger cap version, PRIMECAP Odyssey Aggressive Growth Fund, POGRX is still open.

I’ve owned it for decades but have reduced pct over the Years.
I’m inclined to sell all shares. As previously stated it runs hot and cold AND there are better options I believe.

Sharing this for what value it may hold.
(September, 2018)
Dear Investor:
We are writing to inform you that after 25 successful years with the firm, David Lee has shared his intention to retire at the end of this year. Mr. Lee established our real estate franchise with the inception of the Real Estate Fund (TRREX) in 1997. He is a respected investor and mentor, and we are grateful for his many years of dedicated service to the firm and our clients.
Nina Jones will succeed Mr. Lee as portfolio manager of the Real Estate Fund on January 1, 2019. Ms. Jones has 10 years of investment experience, all of which have been with T. Rowe Price covering the real estate sector. She joined the firm in 2008 from Columbia Business School, after serving as a summer intern in 2007. Ms. Jones amassed a very strong track record as an analyst in the real estate sector before assuming her current responsibilities as portfolio manager of the Global Real Estate Fund in April 2015.
We are confident that Ms. Jones’ deep industry knowledge, strong analytical and portfolio management skills, and support from our global research platform will position her to carry on the success of the Real Estate Fund. Ms. Jones will continue to manage the Global Real Estate Fund and serve as the leader of our real estate sector strategy team.

Still own it for many years (think it is closed to new investors). Also keep POAGX as a back-up.

FYI: If Hollywood decides to produce a movie about a government official who finds himself mired in the middle of a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, Hank Paulson could easily be cast in the lead role. He’s tall, bespectacled, ruggedly handsome, and still has pretty much the same athletic physique he had when he started 50 years ago on the varsity football team at Dartmouth. (His nickname was “Hank the Hammer.”)
He is also the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of course was the Treasury secretary, under President George W. Bush, during the 2008 financial crisis.
Regards,
Ted
https://www.barrons.com/articles/hank-paulson-looks-backat-the-turmoil-of-2008-1536759000?mod=hp_highlight_2

Sold ARTKX 2 days ago after 9 years in portfolio because of gradual decrease in performance over the past 10 years. When things get less frothy ,funds will go into FMIJX,PGVFX and VMNFX which I also hold. Artisan today is very different from 10 years ago and it was time to move on.

You will perma-bears like Marc Faber and other saying the same thing going back at least ten years ... so listen w/a grain of salt. They'll be proven right EVENTUALLY ... but being early and right is still being wrong for economists and market pundits. But anyone who offers a market-timing timeframe for their prognostications is, generally, imho, to be ignored. Nobody has a crystal ball.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4188407-bill-fleckenstein-market-crash-within-6-months-podcast

So where are you guys who are selling ARTKX/ARTGX moving your funds to? I've owned ARTKX for 12 years or so, it's been a fabulous fund, but all these changes are disturbing.