Ask Doc

Let's be clear... I'm a bacon expert.

It's possible I've eaten more bacon than anyone else in the world.

The first and only Emperor of the United States was Norton I.

For roughly 20 years, Joshua Abraham Norton – or Emperor Norton – ruled the country from San Francisco. At least, according to his own decree.

"Now is not the time to panic."

That's what I told you last week, but it seems Wall Street isn't listening. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 800 points down, beating last week's plunge. The losses were mainly blamed on one indicator – the yield curve.

So much for Equifax paying up...

Last week, we updated you on the ongoing drama surrounding Equifax's 2017 data breach.

We're creating our own deadliest epidemic out of sheer stupidity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that by 2050, the number of deaths related to superbugs could surpass deaths due to cancer.

Sometimes that "hot new startup" really pays off...

You might not expect me to say that. When I recommend a stock, I focus on income and the company's long history of growing revenues... These businesses will help you generate a safe and steady income over time. They should make up what I call the "backbone" of your portfolio.

I'm an advocate of scouring the real world for information. I call it my "Cabbie Index." When I'm in a new area, I like to ask cab drivers how things are going. They always know where the construction is happening... who's getting laid off... and how the business at local spots seems to be. (Though I suppose I might have to rename it the "Uber Index.")

For example, when I stay at a Hampton Inn in Madison, Wisconsin, I mingle in the morning with folks enjoying the great breakfast foods. (I love the self-made waffles.) I might hear about a new pipe or valve company from a couple of engineers or hear thoughts on electronic medical record (EMR) systems from some visiting nurses.

"I lived there and I can tell you... Maine isn't the cultural capital of America."

That's what one of my researchers said after reading Bankrate's recent ranking of the best and worst states for retirement.

For decades, doctors have told millions of Americans with high cholesterol that they're at risk of heart disease...

It's exaggerated nonsense, of course. Longtime readers know cholesterol isn't the danger mainstream medicine wants you to think it is.

I can't stand Las Vegas...

The casinos reek of cigarette smoke. The din of bells and chimes as fools are parted from their money at slot machines is deafening. The waiters in phony French and Italian restaurants stare at you like extras playing B-movie zombies.