The latest complimentary issue of the Brinker Fixed Income Advisor (October 2012) is now on the website. That's only four months old, so I will review it.
The first thing I did was look at my last summary of Jr's prior complimentary newsletter which I wrote last year on March 13th: LINK and make comparisons.
ITEM: Firstly, I noted that Bobby Jr's economic forecast is identical to Brinker Sr's is in Marketimer and on Moneytalk: Fixed Income Advisor, Page one, Paragraph one, Jr wrote: "The economic indicators we monitor suggest subdued economic growth ahead. We project real GDP growth will be near the bottom of our range of 1.5% to 2.5% this year. The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.65% during the first half of the year and we estimate third quarter GDP growth to be around that level. Looking ahead to 2013, the GDP growth estimate is more difficult. Our initial estimate of 1.5% to 2.5% GDP growth in 2013 is based on Congress taking action to limit the negative effect from the fiscal cliff during the lame duck session which follows the November 6th election....."
ITEM: I noticed that like Brinker Sr.'s income portfolio, Bobby Jr. removed all stock holdings from all of his portfolios. Fixed Income Advisor, Page one, Paragraph two, Jr. wrote: "In light of the recent rally in both credit and equity markets, and diminishing prospects for accelerating growth in 2013, we are making a number of changes to our Model Portfolios this month....We are going to eliminate our exposure to equity prices by selling our holdings of convertible bonds and dividend yielding stocks. The proceed of these sales will be reinvested in safer fixed income securities."
ITEM: I noticed that several of the holdings that Bobby Jr. sold, and bought, were identical to Brinker Sr's. E.g., sell Vanguard Wellesley Fund (VWINX), buy DoubleLine Total Return Bond Fund (DLTNX); increase Vanguard Ginnie Mae Fund (VFIIX) holdings; buy Metropolitan West Total Return Fund (MWTRX)
ITEM: I noticed that like Brinker Sr., Bobby Jr. had sold all Vanguard High-Yield Fund (VWEHX).
Conclusion: Bobby Jr's Fixed Income Advisor and Bob Brinker's Marketimer might be viewed as the "Red and Black" pair of newsletters. Is it planned that way? I don't know. I report, you decide. I can tell you this, Jr. refuses to let me subscribe to his newsletter. Why? What is he afraid of? Surely he has nothing to hide, or does he?
Brinker Sr. keeps his Marketimer fixed income portfolio "off-the-books" -- and while Mark Hulbert does report its returns, he never includes it in Brinker's Hulbert Financial Digest performance ranking. While at the same time, Hulbert has covered Jr's Fixed Income Advisor from the first month it was published. (Based on what? the name? What else?)
Moneytalk callers often tell Bob Brinker on the air that they subscribe to "both of his newsletter," and he rarely corrects the misconception. Here is some commentary that was sent to this blog:
FrankC said...Honey, I never knew that there were two Bob Brinkers, father and son. Thank you so much for shedding light on this sham of a newsletter. Back when I was a subscriber (sucker) to his father’s Marketimer, I received several solicitations for this Fixed Income Advisor in the mail. I always thought that they were part of the senior Brinker’s newsletter because they both listed similar Colorado addresses. The formatting of the pages was nearly identical to make it appear to have come from the same organization. Now I’m wondering how the junior Brinker obtained my mailing address to solicit this rag of a newsletter? Perhaps his father gave him the addresses of Marketimer subscribers? Or did he blatantly steal the addresses from his father? Either scenario speaks volumes for the unethical business practices of the Brinker clan!
17 comments:
Honey,
Hope you waited on your AGQ position. Currently down 3.5%
Birdbrain,
I didn't. Oh well, bad timing. :(
The only good thing is that I didn't buy much and certainly can ride out dips, but sure not happy about it.
Sorry to hear about your loss. It is a very volatile fund and it can go either way very fast.
Perhaps treating this loss like Brinker would could be a help?
Put it on a hold for recovery, and never mention it again for 15 years.
cirkel_jerkloch
For those interested in today's update on gold and silver:
Weekly Gold and Silver Market Recap
I'm curious about not being allowed to subscribe to that newsletter. Is it full on antagonism when you get your check back? Or what?
In fact, why does the guy care WHO subscribes? Surely he realizes you could do a "straw man" purchase and get it that way.
As I mentioned a while back, there seems to be a weirdness in the Brinker Corp. If its not re-broadcasting old stuff, then its fill in hosts who are not qualified or interjection of political diatribes.
There is a song by the BeeGees that perfectly sums up the Brinkers, sections of which are presented below:
It's just your jive talkin'
you're telling me lies, yeah
Jive talkin'
you wear a disguise
Jive talkin'
so misunderstood, yeah
Jive talkin'
You really no good...
...With all your jive talkin'
You're telling me lies, yeah
Good lovin'
Still gets in my eyes
Nobody believes what you say
It's just your jive talkin'
That gets in the way...
...Jive talkin'
You're telling me lies, yeah
Jive talkin'
You wear a disguise
Jive talkin'
so misunderstood, yeah
Jive talkin'
you just ain't no good...
Love,
tfb
TomfromPv,
In order to answer your questions, you need to understand some of my background with the Brinker's.
My very first internet message board experience was on the Brinker message boards that used to be on his website -- Bobby Jr. was webmaster.
I was very naive so registered and posted with my real name. As the wipeout started to happen there -- mass bannings -- I began to see them in a whole new light.
That was back in early 2000. The reason for the mass bannings was because Brinker did not want anything except outright fawning on his boards -- if you even asked questions, that got you banned.
Enter Suite 101, where all the BB board refugees landed, including me. After I stopped drinking the Brinker Kool-Aid and became aware of his various shenanigans -- and writing about them -- I became enemy number one.
This is such long, but interesting story, I think I need to post an article on the subject and archive it so that I can link to it for those who are interested.
Long story short. I tried to subscribe online with my real name and ISP number. Bobby Jr. (an expert in high-tech) simply has it arranged not to accept my application and credit card.
Tomfrompv,
Also, Bobby Jr. has chosen ME out of his 6000 or so Twitter followers to BLOCK from his Twitter feed.
Bob Brinker Twitter Feed
Of course, it's fairly simple to get around his BLOCK, so I read the new Bob Brinker's Twitter when I want to, and I'm sure he reads mine. I must be very special to him. LOL!
BTW: My Twitter Feed is Honey Oakes
I guess the bigger question is - Why would you want to subscribe to a newsletter from an obvious charlatan?
Why? anonymous asks.
LOL! If that isn't obvious to you then you must be new to this blog.
I'm all about transparency, honesty and education.
I'm against deceptively selling snake oil. Doing it once is more than enough, but doubling down is absurd.
TFB,
I sure like your song.
Here it is on YouTube
Another thing I'd like to say to those who ask why.
It's all about the national radio audience and what Bob Brinker says from the bully pulpit to millions of unsuspecting "goobers and geezers" (thank you Will L.).
If Bobby Jr had started his newsletter and marketed without riding under the famous name, I would have no interest in it at all. It is mundane, repetitive and of little consequence. My only interest is that people are paying money for it while under false impressions.
Before the newsletter, Bobby Jr. was adamant that he did not want to be mistaken for his famous father, and that he had no interest in the "financial sector".
Note the date and note the misspelled words. It helps to marry a linguist:
To: Gary M. Reed who wrote (994)7/24/1997 1:01:00 AM
From: Bob Brinker, Jr. of 42823
Quite frankly, it never occured to me to go into the financial sector. I was extremely fortunate as a kid to be able to play around with computer and I was hooked as a young teenager. I remeber purchasing basic programming books & typing the programs into our brand new TI99/4a computer. I would save the programs by recording them onto a cassette recorder. Those where the days...we've come a long way. A few hours of typing in program lines, days of debugging typo-s (no debuggers back than, it either worked or it didn't!), and I might see a few characters jump across the black & white tv i had plugged in. It was a strange time.
Anyway, in college I was immediately hooked on Mgmt. Info. Systems and have never looked back. Now, with a Master's degree in the field and a few years of development/proj. mgmt experience I am doing just fine. I am perfectly happy (as many of us in the thread are) with getting my financial rewards through my own personal investing. But who knows what the future holds???? (of course I am always accepting offers if some company really wants to pay me mega-bucks as a mutual fund mgr. That seems like a great job! I would, of course, build a fund around high tech internet companies that are on the b-leading edge)."
Bob Brinker Jr's Posts on Silicon Investor
Here's another one by Bob Jr. on Silicon Investor. He posted there a lot. Now he may post there, but he does it anonymously. Ditto Brinker Sr.
Note the date:
To: Greg Luke who wrote (2188) 11/30/1997 4:08:00 PM
From: Bob Brinker, Jr. of 42826
Greg -
I truly apologize for the confusion. I am not Bob Sr. I am Bob Jr. This has happened on occasion before and I NEVER attempt to misrepresent myself as Bob Sr. From now on, I will always sign my name as bob jr. in hopes of avoiding future confusion. FWIW (For what its worth) I would not be surprised if Bob Sr. read your note to me anyway!
thanks -
bob jr!
Bob Brinker posted on that same Silicon Investor thread as Don Lane/Mister Topes. He and Jr had a lot of fun talking about golfing.
But if anyone said anything about Bob Jr., better watch out, you would be sliced and diced before sundown.
To: mister topes who wrote (2207) 11/30/1997 4:04:00 PM
From: Bob Brinker, Jr. of 42826
Well Don, you are right again. Brinker was indeed playing golf this past weekend. I'll be REAL interested to see whether or not he'll have time to squeeze in the announcement of the result of the Cactus Invitational held in sunny Scottsdale, AZ. It was a tough 36 hole tourney this year that saw some amazing 20+ feet putts and 250+ yard drives wowing the spectators. I look forward to hearing the trophy winner's name announced to all across the country. Let's just hope there is enough time in the 6 hour timeframe to squeeze it in to the busy schedule. If it does not get announced, this newsgroup will know who the winner was.
-bob jr. (tournament leader)
"That seems like a great job! I would, of course, build a fund around high tech internet companies that are on the b-leading edge)."
The quote posted by Miss HB, was from BB Jr. in a msg to Gary, in 1997. What is interesting about this, to me, is, it brings back the euphoria of the late 90's and the tech bubble.
I think I mentioned here, that I recently read Malkiel's book a Random Walk Down Wall St. Well the edition I read was published in 1999. I kept expecting something on tech in the book but it never appeared. This is not faulting Malkiel, but praising him for sticking with his lifetime of investing knowledge and presenting it to the reader, instead of the latest fad.
-- Frankj
It helps to marry a linguist:
Most women prefer to marry a cunning linguist :)
tfb
...he said with a grin
As he wiped off his chin...
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