Search found 72 matches

by alvinroast
Thu Mar 15, 2012 3:16 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: RV Living for Fun and Adventure
Replies: 38
Views: 11838

Re: RV Living for Fun and Adventure

Near Big Bend National Park? I may have to look into this. I loved that area on the trips I've been there. I was fortunate enough to see the Yucca blooming there. As for the RV idea I think I've pretty much come full circle on my ideas. Growing up poor living in a trailer park was the last thing I e...
by alvinroast
Thu Mar 15, 2012 2:02 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Do you insure your Gold?
Replies: 48
Views: 44943

Re: Do you insure your Gold?

I don't have enough physical to worry about at this point. More and more though I'm thinking that insurance policies should only be purchased after you've exhausted all other security options. First get the safety deposit box,etc then worry about the insurance. Unlike most people I've got earthquake...
by alvinroast
Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:57 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Taxes and IAU
Replies: 7
Views: 5317

Re: Taxes and IAU

Under current tax law, you pay 0% on { Long Term Capital Gains } if you are in the 15% bracket. I didn't even know this as I'm regularly in the 25% bracket. I seem to be just over the line. Maybe I should lower my income a tad! We're actually putting an extra $12k into my wife's lame 401k just to g...
by alvinroast
Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:19 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: I'm Done!
Replies: 327
Views: 144996

Re: I'm Done!

Budd, you may find it helpful to take a look at your comments the last time you got nervous... See: Sep 26, 2011: Weather the Storm... ...and: Sep 28, 2011: Hey Look... ...and: Aug 11, 2011: Nauseous We all remember what happened after August, last year. The PP turned out to be the one of the best ...
by alvinroast
Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:25 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: My Wild and Crazy Idea for 2012
Replies: 8
Views: 4647

Re: My Wild and Crazy Idea for 2012

I'm sooo disappointed. >:( I read into the third paragraph thinking you meant that you were keeping 25% in CASH. Finding that you really meant Treasury MMF was a letdown. I was looking forward to reading about your new high tech security system to deal with the cash. :P Seriously though, I'm becomin...
by alvinroast
Sun Mar 11, 2012 8:55 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: The 50/50 Option
Replies: 11
Views: 4882

Re: The 50/50 Option

More currency diversification makes sense to me, especially if you want to spend some time and money outside the US in retirement, or just ensure the option stays open.  Gold is 25% already.  If you use VT for the equity holding it is less than 50% US, so you have 37.5%+ in non-dollar assets.    Fo...
by alvinroast
Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:42 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!
Replies: 33
Views: 15494

Re: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!

However it's a little galling to maintain a house to a higher standard than the one that my family and I live in. I think that could be one of the worst things. It's much like the way people put a lot of effort into getting their homes fixed up just before selling them. :( I was originally looking ...
by alvinroast
Fri Mar 09, 2012 12:18 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: TLT - Why Is Income from Govt Obligations so LOW?
Replies: 95
Views: 48441

Re: TLT - Why Is Income from Govt Obligations so LOW?

I agree about the relative risk since ST rates are so low. (Although if they go negative that would get very interesting). I'm a bit biased since I have close to zero trust in Blackrock. When liquidating my wife's fund holdings I found that there was a whole lot of self dealing going on. The stock f...
by alvinroast
Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:32 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!
Replies: 33
Views: 15494

Re: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!

Thanks for the comments Craig. I completely get where you're coming from. Given the tax advantages and cheap borrowing there are certainly some advantages to buying in the US right now. That could change (which is where the speculating comes in), but there are many advantages. One of he last free lu...
by alvinroast
Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:53 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!
Replies: 33
Views: 15494

Re: Warren Buffet Hates Bonds and Loves Stocks!

Nice chart. A couple of weeks ago Buffett also said that real estate is a definite buy. I was looking to buy a rental property, but now I'm not so sure. :P If he says buy I think there's still a ways to the bottom. That horrible, unproductive yellow metal has had quite a run the last decade as well.
by alvinroast
Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:33 pm
Forum: Bonds
Topic: TLT - Why Is Income from Govt Obligations so LOW?
Replies: 95
Views: 48441

Re: TLT - Why Is Income from Govt Obligations so LOW?

I'm still awaiting more info on this, but meanwhile I'm feeling pretty good about my emphasis on EDV for the bond portion of PP. 8) At least with the gold portion I can buy coins (or bars) and bury them in the backyard, but in light of MF Global I'm really concerned about all the counterparty risk w...
by alvinroast
Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:30 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: IAU in taxable -- anybody figure out "Cost Basis Factor" on 1099-B?
Replies: 8
Views: 13867

Re: IAU in taxable -- anybody figure out "Cost Basis Factor" on 1099-B?

I've got some IAU in my taxable account as well. It was purchased in 2012. I was thinking it would be better to just keep it there permanently so I don't get hit with the higher tax rate for collectables. Now I'm thinking I should definitely sell before the end of the year so that I don't need to de...
by alvinroast
Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:26 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: open source
Replies: 36
Views: 8971

Re: open source

While in college I considered going into IP law. One course on intellectual property and observation of what was going on in the world around me convinced me to abandon that. It would be an incredibly frustrating field to be in. At the time I couldn't have imagined a company like Monsanto effectivel...
by alvinroast
Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:17 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: An Early Eco-City Faces the Future
Replies: 9
Views: 2805

Re: An Early Eco-City Faces the Future

We stayed there in the 'Sky Suite'. It was very interesting architecturally much like Taliesin West. It's a very interesting place with incredible scenery. We went on a tour with a guide who was an intern staying in the (very cold) worker housing at the bottom of the valley. He spent his days planti...
by alvinroast
Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:49 pm
Forum: Stocks
Topic: IMM Dates
Replies: 2
Views: 4496

Re: IMM Dates

Here's a link to another (longer term) chart you may find interesting.
http://elliottwave.com/freeupdates/arch ... nswer.aspx
by alvinroast
Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:42 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Saudi oil reserves
Replies: 49
Views: 16858

Re: Saudi oil reserves

Well Alvinroast there are lots of firsts when it comes to nukes, and most claims to be the first or the only have lots of qualifying statements about purpose and location. Arco was an experimental reactor used for peacetime development and design. The reactors I referred to were not experimental bu...
by alvinroast
Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:41 am
Forum: Bonds
Topic: New to PP - concerned about LT bonds
Replies: 17
Views: 7164

Re: New to PP - concerned about LT bonds

Here's a slightly different view of how to look at LT bonds. I don't agree with the author about everything, but he provides a slightly more conventional, but clear explanation for anyone trying to get their head around lending money to the government. http://seekingalpha.com/article/372301-long-ter...
by alvinroast
Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:51 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Saudi oil reserves
Replies: 49
Views: 16858

Re: Saudi oil reserves

In June 1954, the USSR's Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant became the world's first nuclear power plant to generate electricity for a power grid (closed 2002).  The world's first commercial nuclear power station was Calder Hall in Sellafield, England was opened in 1956 (closed 2003). The first commercial...
by alvinroast
Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:44 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Cold Fusion (E-Cat)
Replies: 53
Views: 16758

Re: Cold Fusion (E-Cat)

Today we think of him as this almost mythic figure, which would probably astonish all who knew him, and would probably surprise Lincoln himself the most. I see Lincoln as the godfather of the NeoCons.  He was the embodiment of the "American Empire" political vision.  As far as I'm concerned, Americ...
by alvinroast
Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:19 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: The Mayan Lord of Creation and 2012
Replies: 8
Views: 3071

Re: The Mayan Lord of Creation and 2012

I have to confess that I have very limited knowledge of this supposed 2012 end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it business, although I could easily believe we're about due for a pole shift. I have been to some Mayan ruins and found it quite amazing not only how much knowledge was there to be learned, but ho...
by alvinroast
Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:07 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: HB Fans and Meyers-Briggs Personality Types
Replies: 55
Views: 34207

Re: HB Fans and Meyers-Briggs Personality Types

"unremarkable in every way."  Sad At least in this forum. :P It's been a long time, but I think mine varied between INFP and INTJ. It was close. Someone in another forum I'm in ran a poll and the results were similar. I suspect that those who can read and write and sit at a computer are long enough ...
by alvinroast
Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:49 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Variable Portfolio Rebalancing Rules?
Replies: 14
Views: 7594

Re: Variable Portfolio Rebalancing Rules?

I agree with keeping it a one way street between the two portfolios. Personally I'm about 20% VP and comfortable with that for now. I'm giving it a year and if I'm not comfortable with the VP or I just don't want to bother either for a while or permanently I'll drop the VP. If I do better gambling t...
by alvinroast
Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:39 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Stock Market passes 13,000 pazoozas!
Replies: 20
Views: 6261

Re: Stock Market passes 13,000 pazoozas!

What's a pazooza? And are we talking about passing 13,000 on the way up or down?

I've been sooo tempted to get one of those Dow 10,000 caps. I'm sure I'll get a chance to wear it again. :D
by alvinroast
Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:42 pm
Forum: Cash
Topic: Does anyone buy treasurys directly in Vanguard?
Replies: 8
Views: 5429

Re: Does anyone buy treasurys directly in Vanguard?

I got it to work, but haven't actually bought anything yet. Today was really busy. I don't want to be market timing, but bonds took a hit today, so tomorrow might be the day to top out my portfolio. 8)
by alvinroast
Sun Feb 19, 2012 8:53 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: $100k Annuity + FL/TX Home = "Security"
Replies: 3
Views: 1434

Re: $100k Annuity + FL/TX Home = "Security"

You should keep us posted about whatever your plans are that will involve creditors coming after you. :D