Joshua Kennon is a Managing Director of Kennon-Green & Co., a private asset management firm specializing in global value investing for affluent and high net worth individuals, families, and institutions. Nothing in this article or on this site, which is Mr. Kennon's personal blog, is intended to be, nor should it be construed as, investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell a security or securities. Investing can result in losses, sometimes significant losses. Prior to taking any action involving your finances or portfolio, you should consult with your own qualified professional advisor(s), such as an investment advisor, tax specialist, and/or attorney, who can help you consider your unique needs, circumstances, risk tolerance, and other relevant factors.

The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Lake Vista

We Are Embarking on Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

My brother-in-law told me about the Elder Scrolls games, which I had never played. The new Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released on 11/11/11 and I had it pre-ordered for Playstation 3 back in September so it would show up on release day.  Given the insanely great reviews for the series, it seemed like a good franchise to take on faith, just like we did with Fable II, Uncharted 2, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, etc.  The critics don’t always get it right but game players normally do.  In this case, both are thrilled with as near-perfect ratings as you can get.

Joe Paterno and Penn State Mental Models

Using Mental Models to Understand the Joe Paterno and Penn State Scandal

We often talk about avoiding wipe-out risk on this blog.  In fact, avoiding wipe out risk is one of the main reasons to study mental models because it takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only a few minutes to destroy it.  I can think of no better real-world case study than the Joe Paterno and Penn State debacle that has dominated the news cycle (and rightly so) for the past few days.  

Mental Model by Joshua Kennon

Mental Model: Cui Bono

Mental Model: Cui Bono Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla was a famous Roman judge, who, according to Marcus Tullius Cicero, was regarded as an “honest and wise” man.  He was known for a habit of constantly asking the question, “Cui bono?“, which roughly translates into “who benefits?”. In a crime or a political scheme, Lucius Cassius…

Legend of Zelda Red Ring

The Red Ring Problem – Getting Rich Too Late in Life

his article deals with people who want to be rich.  Not just financially independent or reasonably well-off, but actually rich relative to the average American; the folks who want to be able to write a check for a Lexus or live in a nice house, in a neighborhood with great schools, without worrying about it, while watching their net worth climb year after year, decade after decade.  The strategy involved for that type of success is slightly different in that it requires you to often build off a foundation that I call your primary economic engine.  But I’m getting ahead of myself …

Mount Olympus Awards X-Factor Varsity Jackets for Marcus Canty

Tonight, 13 to 18 Million Viewers Watched Marcus Canty Share the Stage with Mount Olympus Awards Varsity Jackets and Varsity Letters During the X-Factor Live Show

Last week, Simon Cowell’s new show, X-Factor, called one of my companies, Mount Olympus Awards asking if we could outfit the varsity jackets for Marcus Canty’s performance of Bobby Brown’s hit “Every Little Step I Take” on tonight’s live show.   Most of the time, letterman jackets with custom chenilles take 4 to 6 weeks, but…