European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Observations to most somewhere in baffling world of High finance Laraine Etchemendy Bennett guest columnist one evening not too Long ago my husband announced that it was time to diversify our investment portfolio by which he meant lets do something with our Money besides paying off our visa card. Now i would like you to think that we Are fiscally mature people who sit around the dinner table saying things like a i hear Small investors Are really grabbing those intermediate term Bonds but in fact we do not discuss Small investors at All nor do we even willingly balance the Check Book except possibly at gunpoint. The truth is my Mother had just sent Cash for my birthday. Our children hoped to blow it All at Burger King. I proposed a Short term Low yield investment in a 220-Volt espresso machine. My husband insisted that we come to terms with the fact that our children a College education is imminent. Twelve years from now is a a imminent when you realize that it will Cost roughly half a million to Send our children to our Alma mater. We were startled when the phone rang. Living in Germany we have become unaccustomed to the Telephone sales Calls we used to get Back in the states at dinner time i answered and was surprised by who was on the other end. A a it a our personal investment Counselor a i whispered in Awe. The caller was responding to one of those Magazine a request for information forms my husband had filled out. It is a nervous habit of his that i done to want him to break fearing that it May be replaced by something far worse a blackout spending sprees for example. During the introductory 15-minute consultation freeze explained that we wanted to save Money for our children a education. We also perhaps this was a mistake confessed that we were total idiots about financial matters. In that Case said our personal investment Counselor for Only $399 he would prepare us a comprehensive personal financial strategy. Three weeks later our visa card was taken from us but we were the proud possessors of a Large Black Binder with 25 pages of computer generated numbers and also some writing that we read. The title Page read first National boo town life insurance policy. 1 called our personal investment Counselor. A a in a confused a i said. A this is a life insurance policy. We want to save Money for our kids a your life insurance needs Are not currently being met and you need to first ensure that you could even pay your rent much less your kids education should some god forbid catastrophe a but we have a life insurance policy Quot i said. A Well that a easily resolved. You simply cancel it and take our higher Quality More Cost effective a but we done to want to change it. We want to save Money for our kids education Quot i said beginning to whine. A you hired me As your personal investment Counselor did no to you if you knew squat about finances you be in the mess you re in a snapped our personal investment Counselor. A but last year a 1 interrupted a your Johnny handsome Quality Blue Chip life insurance fund earned 20% interest. Why should 1 switch to yours Quot a you want 20%? 1 can give you 20%. You want 30%? these computers can do anything let me just run these numbers through at 20%.�?T�?T i closed my eyes and waited for the excedrin to take effect. Then i called my Johnny handsome life insurance representative. A a in a thinking about changing my life insurance Quot i said. A a in a coming right Over a he answered. A slay Calm. Do not do anything until i talk with you Quot thanks to his patient tutoring on the nature of Stock investments Money Market funds and the fluctuation of the Dow Jones Industrial average relative to the preponderance of swampland in Florida i am restored to my original state of ignorant Bliss. Now i wonder which universities accept visa. Laraine Etchemendy Bennett is a family member living in Sand Hausen what traits do you Admire most in an officer or a supervisor spec. Russell Randolph army information systems come Synop Turkey i respect someone who trains people when they need to be trained without harassment. Spec. Robert w. Patterson co a 51st signal in ludwigs Burg Germany just being Able to put yourself in the place of enlisted people which our commander definitely does. Being. There to help you out not just being there when faults Are made. Master sgt. Steve j. Chechila c-5 flight Engineer with the reserves assigned to 326th military Airlift so Dover fab Del honesty. You expect a Man to be honest with you and Tell you the truth. If your life depends on other Peoples decisions this Cun be very important. Ray Scott cafes new car sales employee Rhein main a Germany a person who has the ability to make a decision and Slick by it. Someone who is aware of the needs of his people and uses the knowledge in decision making. Madeline Broadwater Post office supervisor at Kleber Cavern Kaiserslautern Germany in a a supervisor so 1 try to treat employees fair and not forget where i come from. Compiled by stars and stripes staf october 28,1990 sunday to plus c Page 3
