Many of us have seen the movie(s) and read the books on the DaVinci Code. It makes for very interesting reading, the movie is fast paced and asks interesting questions. There are multiple books about the DaVinci Code and one of them is Dan Burstein’s Secrets of the Code – the Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries Behind the DaVinci Code, CDS Books, NY, 2004. The book looks at the major claims by the DaVinci Code and asks are they true or could be true or maybe not. It is good for a book to do this because in all organizations are governed by principles, foundations and a constitution. The church is the same and similar to all constitutions or governance structures some things are put in and some are not. The organization does it for very valid reasons and overtime its public decides if the principles are the right ones. If they are, then the governance will change over time.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, the key is the governance will change, but the principles of the company have to remain strong with the public who buys the goods and services. If the governance goes off, so does the company until it decides what it stands for and what is good or not good. The easy method to do this is to read the President’s letters and the values and mission statement. Besides making money do you agree with them? If you do, then you can look at other financial aspects of the company.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions