The Flinchum File

Thoughtful Economic Analysis and Existential Opinions
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Welcome to The Flinchum File

I am an Accredited Investment Fiduciary at Bay Capital Advisors, an investment firm headquartered in Virginia Beach, VA. After retiring from Truist Bank, I started this firm to work more closely with a smaller number of clients, and it has been great! Our client load is about 25% of the national average.

Writing is not for the shy or the meek. It exposes a person’s mind and character. I hope you enjoy the view.

The opinions expressed in The Flinchum File are those of the writer, Jim Flinchum, and do not necessarily reflect those of Bay Capital Advisors, LLC

Art versus Science

There are many types of financial advisors, some certified like CFPs and some more suspect like “financial professionals”. Among the most respected advisors are “trust officers,” as they are removed from the sales process and have expertise in the mysterious world of trusts. For years, I have agreed with that distinction, because the world of trusts is so large and fascinating. Because trusts are so…

Black Sea Alamo

When I lived in Texas, I was both amused and gratified that the Texans still revered the loss of the Alamo and the brave men who died there.  Someday, the people of Ukraine will remember the men of Snake Island.  Believed to have a temple to Achilles, it is less than half a mile square and twenty miles from the Ukraine coast, near the Danube…

Discipline 007, Discipline

That’s a line from the iconic 1964 movie “Goldfinger.” My work of shepherding the assets of others requires me to watch financial networks, like CNBC, Bloomberg, etc.  During a crisis, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it is tempting to take advantage of CNN’s superior international coverage, but I don’t recommend that.  That just encourages hysteria.  Stay focused! At this hour, it looks like…

The Shifting Sands of Truth ?

In 2001, I visited Ron Ziegler  in his high-rise condo on Coronado Beach outside of San Diego.  Looking out over the Pacific, we talked of many things . . . but NOT what he said on April 17, 1973, when he was the youngest-ever (age 29) Presidential Press Secretary, working for Richard Nixon. Reversing course on the endless questions about Watergate, reporters questioned him closely…

Words Matter ?

My television viewing is pretty much limited to CNBC or Fox Business.  To check general news, I often alternate between the CNN and Fox apps on my phone.  Some months ago, there was a short discussion on the Fox app suggesting that the hero of the iconic 1995 movie “Braveheart” was a Republican.  If you recall the ending of that great movie, he screamed “Freedom”…

The Sweet Sound of War ?

Nathan Rothschild gave good investment advice in 1810 when he said “buy on the cannons, sell on trumpets.”  This is often re-stated as “sell on the rumors of war, buy when you hear the cannons fire.” The notion is that an investor should actively “time” the market by selling early and buying back early.  In today’s situation, an investor would be wise to invest any…

Age Has Advantages . . . who knew ?

There are some people who believe that Fox News is actually “fair and balanced.”  I agree . . . during daylight hours anyway! Unlike Fox, I don’t think it is fair to blame every single bad thing on the mass media. Of course, mass media can indeed cause mass hysteria.  Case-in-point:  the current coverage of our inflationary spike is downright scary! If you can remember…

Go Home . . . the Party’s Over !

It is embarrassing to show up at a party late, when everybody is getting ready to leave. That’s the way I see this “Freedom Convoy” in Ottawa, Canada, where truck drivers are literally occupying the city and even aggravating US supply chain problems.  Of course, they’re protesting omicron restrictions.  (It’s all about the mandate, baby!) Unnoticed by the truckers, the weather in the US is…

Ungodly Combination

It is sad when you cannot show the respect you have for certain people. When I was a skinny thirteen-year-old boy, I fancied myself as a Olympic-quality high jumper, but  the reality of BMI eventually convinced me otherwise.  Still, I enjoyed watching the competition on television and always looked forward to the next Olympiad.  Even when the slime started dripping from the International Olympic Committee…

Laboring In Confusion

In my last column for Inside Business, I wrote that I have never had less confidence in economic reports on employment.  No, it is not some conspiracy inside the Bureau of Labor Statistics to deceive the American people.  Instead, the pandemic has scrambled our workforce, and that is reflected in our economic reports.  For example, the latest monthly “jobs report” indicated that we produced 467…

Vision Problems ?

Democrats see former President Trump as evil incarnate. Insurrectionists see Trump as their messiah. Traditional Republicans see him as a vulgar party-crasher. Existentialists see him as another delusional old egomaniac who, like everybody, can’t live forever.