Search found 141 matches

by SmallPotatoes
Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:08 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Funds
Topic: PERM vs. PRPFX - which is best?
Replies: 71
Views: 60285

Re: PERM vs. PRPFX - which is best?

Every time I read PERM it conjures images of curlers and hairspray. I used PRPFX until I got more comfortable with the HBPP and now I'm all in (gold bullion, long bonds through brokerage, cash in bank/mm/safe in basement, and a dozen Blue Chip company stocks with a little S&P 500 ETF for rebalancing...
by SmallPotatoes
Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:18 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Important News: A New Permanent Portfolio Book Is On The Way!
Replies: 116
Views: 52936

Re: Important News: A New Permanent Portfolio Book Is On The Way!

Interesting development, guys. 

I will be curious to see what of these forums (and others) becomes the content, and what new information will be published.  When this does become a reality I hope it will be as efficient as Harry's original, perhaps with a chapter devoted to Clive.
by SmallPotatoes
Tue Sep 27, 2011 10:12 am
Forum: Gold
Topic: Weather the Storm...
Replies: 40
Views: 19154

Re: Weather the Storm...

Sorry to sound so ignorant, but is something happening to the PP?

I am 100% PP and don't really check it but once a year, and I tune out market noise, so I'm not sure what's up.

Just living my life carefree as a provision of the PP. Should I be concerned?
by SmallPotatoes
Sat Sep 10, 2011 1:51 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Forks Over Knives
Replies: 29
Views: 13973

Re: Forks Over Knives

But don't animals eat other animals? And don't they eat them alive and screaming generally? I'm not sure I understand the morality angle. I've been to a slaughter house and I thought the way they killed the animal was quick and painless. Indices, next time you visit the zoo jump into the tiger pen,...
by SmallPotatoes
Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:05 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Frustrated with idiots
Replies: 73
Views: 31459

Re: Frustrated with idiots

ATTN All: Please don't consider me the final authority on anything, but do know that we (wife and me) have done and continue to do thorough research on our diet and lifestyle choices. Read the ADA's report on vegetarian diets,  read Foer's Eating Animals, read the China Study by T. Colin Campbell Ph...
by SmallPotatoes
Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:50 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Forks Over Knives
Replies: 29
Views: 13973

Re: Forks Over Knives

[Just in case anybody else is reading this thread: The documentary has nothing to do with animal rights, or even eating Vegan as a political statement.] I personally see nothing wrong-- from a moral standpoint-- with eating animals.  It's the law of the jungle.  Animals kill and eat other animals. ...
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:44 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Frustrated with idiots
Replies: 73
Views: 31459

Re: Frustrated with idiots

Bacteria in our guts would eat our flesh if it came in contact, but our many systems, organs, cells, and et al. all live (mostly) in harmony to power the human body.  Fascinating if you ask me.  Beyond incredible.
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:49 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Frustrated with idiots
Replies: 73
Views: 31459

Re: Frustrated with idiots

Great questions, and while I'm no expert on the matter I believe that answers to your questions are available in literature and video documentary. To try at a few... @MedTex: Yes, whole grains may trigger an inflammation response, and we do see people with a gluten intolerance.  My understanding is ...
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:03 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Forks Over Knives
Replies: 29
Views: 13973

Re: Forks Over Knives

We just watched this too, and have had our Jack LaLane Juicer for quite a while now. My wife was a chef by trade and I was the world's #1 meat eater, but we went vegan years ago and haven't looked back.  Animals have to suffer and die every day, so we can have heart disease, obesity, and things like...
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:57 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: New Macbook Air
Replies: 20
Views: 6812

Re: New Macbook Air

Macs are a great product, and a great investment as they do have a high resale value in any condition. I like the Air, but won't buy it.  I think a table would be just as good, perhaps better in some cases, and I have a MacBook Pro for portability.  Also, SSD it too expensive.  Go with a hybrid SSD+...
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:55 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Frustrated with idiots
Replies: 73
Views: 31459

Re: Frustrated with idiots

As I recall in reading about grains somewhere, the theory about them being bad for you is based upon the idea that grains trigger inflammation responses in humans just as something like poison ivy does, though in much more subtle ways. This defense mechanism is supposed to make us not want to eat t...
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:14 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Automatic rebalancing -- good idea?
Replies: 7
Views: 6440

Re: Automatic rebalancing -- good idea?

Historically, there have been only a handful of (annual) rebalancing events in the PP's 40-year life.  Perhaps when you're DCA'ing into the PP or transitioning it might be helpful, but once you're all in it really just works by itself. 
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Aug 26, 2011 11:04 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Why did you adopt the Permanent Portfolio?
Replies: 24
Views: 12474

Re: Why did you adopt the Permanent Portfolio?

After receiving a large sum as inheretence, I began researching in order to put my money to work, to grow and protect it.  Bogle's book Common Sense Investing came first after a local library search.  It was so transparent and logical that I was convinced and adopted the strategy straight away.  How...
by SmallPotatoes
Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:31 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Margins On Gold Hiked 27%
Replies: 23
Views: 7202

Re: Margins On Gold Hiked 27%

After watching the PP perform for a while dips like this come as no surprise and are of no consequence.
by SmallPotatoes
Sun Aug 21, 2011 12:32 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: The Anti-Science
Replies: 61
Views: 21493

Re: The Anti-Science

Toward the end of Jon Krakauer's "Under The Banner of Heaven", he reports on legal proceedings to try to determine whether someone who murdered several people because he believed God told him to meets the definition of insanity under Utah state law. Excerpts: Gardner [an expert witness and psycholo...
by SmallPotatoes
Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:04 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Funds
Topic: How much tax do I owe for sale of PRPFX
Replies: 11
Views: 7005

Re: How much tax do I owe for sale of PRPFX

I rebalanced the end of Jan 2011 on that date I increased my shares of TLT. Previous to that most of  my TLT holding in my taxable account consisted of shares bought around the middle of May 2010. Thinking back I remember TLT going up countering the drop in the stock market (VTI) then the stock mar...
by SmallPotatoes
Sat Aug 20, 2011 2:32 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: The Anti-Science
Replies: 61
Views: 21493

Re: The Anti-Science

Is America becoming anti-science? Does anyone get the impression that half of our country wants to turn its back on scientific progress? There seems to be a backlash against climate change, alternative energy tech, evolution, genetic research etc. in this country that doesn't permeate other western...
by SmallPotatoes
Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:48 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Inverse TSM Fund
Replies: 4
Views: 4030

Re: Inverse TSM Fund

dualstow wrote: Sounds like strictly variable portfolio fun.
Indeed. I guess it does.

Would a mod' kindly move/merge this to the VP section?

Since this is VP territory now, is it possible to create an inverse PP?
by SmallPotatoes
Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:52 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Inverse TSM Fund
Replies: 4
Views: 4030

Inverse TSM Fund

Do any of the inverse TSM etf's or funds have a place in the PP?  It seems that the principle is similar to gold or LTT; when stock are suffering these assets do well.  I'm just wondering if, for instance, you could do 20% TSM and 5% 2x inverse TSM or something, and rebalance within.  I know that 2x...
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Aug 05, 2011 3:50 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: At What Point Do You Make Your Own Index From Individual Stocks?
Replies: 11
Views: 7175

Re: At What Point Do You Make Your Own Index From Individual Stocks?

I plan to hold the few stocks I do own for some time (AAPL, CLX, CVX, etc.) and use a TSM fund for rebalancing.  If you keep an eye on your individual equities and buy/sell every year when you rebalance it works well enough.  However, I don't have enough time to micromanage my own TSM portfolio.
by SmallPotatoes
Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:51 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Timing the Permanent Portfolio (and Ivy, Swensen, Arnott, Bernstein…)
Replies: 34
Views: 19897

Re: Timing the Permanent Portfolio (and Ivy, Swensen, Arnott, Bernstein…)

Chart PRPFX against GTAA.

It's a loose comparison, but you will get the idea.  :o
by SmallPotatoes
Sun Jul 10, 2011 12:46 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Past Returns data
Replies: 10
Views: 5895

Re: Past Returns data

Slightly off topic, bit does anyone have a spreadsheet like the one appearing in the previous post? I use Vanguard tools to check %'s, however it would be nice to have a PP spreadsheet that J could plug the numbers into and know my rebalance price points.
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:27 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Why not individual equities?
Replies: 21
Views: 11657

Re: Why not individual equities?

Look at what others are doing in the index and buy those securities.  Not only can you weed out companies you are morally or otherwise opposed to, but you control everything on the equity side.  Am I missing something? The issue is that it's just so darn cheap and effective to buy VTI, SCHB, etc.  ...
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:25 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Holy Grail Portfolio
Replies: 2
Views: 3758

Re: Holy Grail Portfolio

Why would you hold VTI and SDS (ultra short S&P500) at the same time?  Is it like an options hedge? Re: SDS- ProShares UltraShort S&P500 (the Fund) seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to twice (200%) the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the S&P 50...
by SmallPotatoes
Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:53 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Holy Grail Portfolio
Replies: 2
Views: 3758

Holy Grail Portfolio

While it's still a long ways from being a HBPP, I found this to be an interesting setup...perhaps even a good VP for those interested. http://seekingalpha.com/article/275419-holy-grail-portfolio-revisited-etfs-and-stocks-that-form-a-winning-combination http://static.seekingalpha.com/uploads/2011/6/1...