BUS-123 - Introduction to Investments - Spring 2026
Looking Forward to a Great Semester!
Study and work every* day!*

Free Textbook

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Tell your Friends, Family Members, and Colleagues
We Gonna' Teach Y'all How to Become Rich!

Southwestern Community College
Instructor: Frank Paiano - Email: fpaiano@swccd.edu

To enroll in our class, visit Southwestern College Self-Service.
Choose "Spring 2026" for [Select Term].
Choose "Business" for the [Subject].
Enter "123" for the [Course Number]. (The section number is 502.)
Finally, select [Search]. Add yourself to the Waiting List if the class is full.
(We take all Crashers. Shhh. Don't tell the Faculty Union, okay?)

Visitors, All Are Welcome!
You don't need to enroll if you are only here for the knowledge. The material is freely available to everyone. Welcome! We wish you the best of success in your investing adventure!

Zoom Meeting Room for Office Hours

*News Flash! Please thank Dr. Mink Stavenga, our Dean, for online access to The Value Line!*
Southwestern College Students Now Have Online Access to The Value Line You will need your Southwestern College account number and password. (Contact me if you have problems.)

Textbook: Introduction to Investments
PDF Version (Approximately 30 Megabytes) - LibreTexts.org (mobile-friendly)

Group Based on BUS-123, Introduction to Investments
Thank you, Abe!

Announcements for 8-Week Session, BUS-123-502

Announcements (Announcements also available in Canvas)
Week #0 - Presemester Announcement - Video - Audio Pre-semester announcement for students already enrolled Pre-semester announcement for students on waiting list

Chapter Presentations, Handouts, and Assignments

Commentary

Part 1: Introduction including Mutual Funds
Part 1:	Syllabus: BUS-123-502 Short Format - Audio Commentary of Short Format Class Syllabus - Long Format Long format also in Canvas Support for English Learners and Multilingual Students Add your personal email to Canvas This will ensure that you receive all important communications. And you get 2 extra credit bonus points! Your Humble Professor Introduces Himself Your Humble Professor Introduces Himself with just audio A Guided Tour of the class website - Audio Ah, it's what yer lookin' at right now. Office Hours -- We are here to help you! Zoom Room Online Office We will have at least six online office hours this semester via Zoom. BUS-123-502 -- Thursday evenings from 7:00 pm to 7:55 pm Thursday, April 9th (first week of semester) Thursday, April 16th (coincide with exam #1) Thursday, April 30th (coincide with exam #2) Thursday, May 7th (coincide with exam #3) Thursday, May 21st (coincide with exam #4) Thursday, May 28th (coincide with final exam) Please let me know what days and times are good for you and we will schedule an office hour for you.
Chapter 1: Introduction, Overview, and Risk versus Return	Chapter 1: Introduction, Overview, and Risk versus Return Chapter 1 in textbook on LibreTexts.org Presentation file Every chapter has a Google Docs slide presentation that can be read with Google Docs, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or PowerPointless Study Guide - Video - Audio Discussion of the chapter study guides and how to use Google Docs Assignment - Commentary The process is more important than the information and answers. Enjoy! Short-Term Investments Assignment - Commentary TreasuryDirect.gov Assignment - Commentary TreasuryDirect.gov Your Federal Tax Dollars at Work! Cetes Directo El TreasuryDirect.gov de Mexico - Miralo - Una tasa de interes mas grande que los Estados Unidos How to Submit Assignments - Commentary Discussion Forums Assignment Everyone post! We need your input! Don't worry about what you will say! Just write something! - Commentary Add your picture to the discussion boards! We want to see your smiling face! Work-Based Learning Work-Based Learning Extra Credit Bonus Assignment - Commentary Two points for every BetterInvesting.org seminar or event you attend! Better than a poke in the eye, eh? News Flash! First Fridays are now the first Four Fridays in each month! Security? But I'm not an Administration of Justice Major! No, not that type of security! Security Types Matching Handout - Commentary - Answer Key *Memorize for exam! You must know these!* Investopedia: What is a Security? Kind of a dumb name, huh? "Security." Sample Portfolio Class Project - Commentary Create Your Own Portfolio: Video - Audio (Check back often to see how we are doing.) Bibliography - Books to Read (Eventually) - Commentary Sixteen Rules for Success According to Sir John Templeton (We will see him in chapter 6.) The World is Global This is Rob Lovelace, one of the grandsons of Jonathan Bell Lovelace, the founder of Capital Group / American Funds. Visualizing the World Economy, December 2024 August 2023 December 2022 December 2021 Visualizing the World Economy in 2050 Prediction is difficult, especially about the future. Nonetheless, the world is changing. The Value of Long-term Investing Future Value Worksheet - Commentary - Answer Key Future Value Tables Do you want to be an Investor or a Speculator/Trader? Psst! If you want to be an Investor, you have come to the right place. If you want to be a Speculator/Trader, sorry, we can't help you. Wise Advice from Mike Gitlin, President & CEO, Capital Group / American Funds - Full interview Liar's Poker Story - Slide 47 Are you a Speculator/Trader or are you an Investor? Investopedia on the Difference between Investing and Speculating/Trading The Difference between Investing and Speculating/Trading according to Forbes Jack Bogle Interview with Forbes Aha! I found it! In this interview, Jack Bogle nails the difference between investing and speculating. Scroll down to [06:09] Emotion Is The Enemy Speculative Booms of the Past The History of Capitalism is the History of Booms and Busts, Manias and Crashes Schwab's advice on risk versus return Love the part that shows that checking your portfolio more often makes you more nervous and risk averse. Typical speculators, aka traders It's stressful! Typical investors Wouldn't you really rather be an investor? Scams They want to take your money! Turn $33,000 into $7,000,000 in just 2 years! - Rates of Return - Commentary Yet another scam -- Turn $500 into $650,000 with no risk! When you see get-rich-quick advertisements like these, please send them my way. Thanks! Whoa! 66% per year since 1988! This Porter Stansberry guy has been scamming for over 20 years! At 66% per year, $100 would have become $8,392,496,512 by December 2023. Sure, buddy. Investopedia article on recent stock scams Advice from a Scam Expert on How to Spot a Scam The same kind of illegal behaviors go on in the world of weight loss supplements Some weight loss supplements have Prozac and Viagra! Short-term Securities Investments Short-term Securities Examples: Video - Audio T. Rowe Price Cash Reserves Money Market Fund Interesting. This fund can have securities that mature in up to 397 days but the average is 60 days. Fidelity Money Market Fund Annual Report -- April 30, 2024 Vanguard Municipal Money Market Fund Municipal money market funds are tax-exempt at the Federal level U.S. Government Money Market Mutual Fund Annual Report 2024 Example: Annual Report (new format) - Portfolio Holdings 2023 Example: Fall 2023 2022 Example: Fall 2022 2021 Example: Fall 2021 2020 Example: Spring 2020 2019 Example: Spring 2019 2018 Examples: Fall 2018 - Spring 2018 The Federal Reserve Bank started raising short-term rates in 2015 2014 Example: Fall 2014 - Before 2015, short-term rates were close to zero! Interview with a Dyed-in-the-Wool CD Investor Jeanne tells you why she will only invest in short-term investments Investopedia: An Introduction to Commercial Paper Why Brokered CD's Offer Higher Rates Investopedia's discussion of Brokered Certificates of Deposit Bankrate.com/banking Popular Internet site for researching short-term investments The Federal Reserve Bank and the Money Supply How Does the Federal Reserve System Work Kiplinger's Magazine discusses the goals and inner workings of the Federal Reserve Bank Unusual and Foreboding Change in the U.S. Money Supply Is this a dangerous indicator or simply a reversion to the average after Covid?

Text Book

This is an Open Educational Resources - Zero Textbook Cost (OER-ZTC) textbook. (Ah, that's the fancy-schmancy academic way to say that it is free to read.) Introduction to Investments: A Free Manual for Building Wealth PDF Version (>30 Megabytes) - LibreTexts.org (mobile-friendly)

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