Search found 141 matches

by Goldfinger
Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:14 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: Houston Chapter
Replies: 140
Views: 57820

Re: Houston Chapter

Sugar Land, TX member here. I attended the first 8-10 meetings when the Houston chapter was founded in 2007. Heights, Galleria, Energy Corridor, downtown areas work for me. Weekends are better time-wise.

I'd love to attend some meetings again.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Mon Jan 02, 2023 7:13 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: 2022 Annual Awards [Bogleheads forum]
Replies: 55
Views: 4534

Re: 2022 Annual Awards [Bogleheads forum]

I just added Rick Ferri to the list. Cannot believe I left him out since I’m such a fan of his On Investing podcast interviews. I Must not be drinking enough coffee. Annette, I love threads like this. What is discussed here on a daily basis can get a bit dry, but threads like this wrap the community with a layer of humanity. I nominate myself for funniest signature line. I'm a fan of Rick Ferri, too. Here's a funny and true story that I haven't shared (beyond the scope of the Houston forum). Rick was here in Houston around 2011-12 to discuss a new book "The Power of Passive Investing" with the Houston chapter. Very informative meeting, as expected. When it was time to sign autographs, I followed through with practical joke. I ste...
by Goldfinger
Wed Apr 14, 2021 2:48 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: C8 Corvette?
Replies: 45
Views: 5187

Re: C8 Corvette?

The lack of a manual and the fact that it is absolutely HUGE cross it off my list. The auto industry hasn't caught on yet that manual transmissions sell cars to enthusiasts. The R35 GT-R is a competition killer, but enthusiasts are awaiting the 25 year point to import R34's and are already paying nearly as much for R32's in good condition with a proper manual transmission as an 09 R35. A co-worker was invited for his dealer's introduction of the C8. He liked the car, but the lack of a manual transmission left him cold. He left the dealer with a C7 manual. The other problem with Corvettes compared to their competition is that although they are an absolute bargain to buy, once the restricted supply clears, they depreciate like a rock. "...
by Goldfinger
Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:13 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: What kind of car do Bogleheads like to drive?
Replies: 470
Views: 47155

Re: What kind of car do Bogleheads like to drive?

Gotta enjoy life when you're set. And I like nice cars. 2003 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (bought used in 2005) 2015 Porsche Macan Turbo (bought used in 2018) 2021 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum (leased) I buy used to try and pretend I'm a Boglehead in that way. 2018 Nissan Armada (purchased used in 3/19) - this is my "daily" driver. 7K miles/year. 2015 Corvette (purchased used in 10/20) - this is my pre-retirement gift. 3-4K miles/year. Retirement is 40 months away and counting...seriously looking at the 2022 Z06 in a couple of years, but very "unboglehead-like" of me. I may hold the record for driving vehicles with the greatest difference in ground clearance. Who knows? I definitely agree that you've got to enjoy life whe...
by Goldfinger
Sat Dec 28, 2019 12:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: CNBC Nightly Business Report cease production in Dec 2019
Replies: 123
Views: 10016

Re: CNBC Nightly Business Report cease production in Dec 2019

I've seen maybe 1 or 2 shows ever since Paul Kangas signed off a decade ago. Used to love watching him tear through his quotes with the speed and clarity of an auctioneer. Like another poster mentioned, he made reference to his used car - I believe it was a Caprice classic. "Oh, sure, I could afford more, but it's paid for and all I have to worry about is insuring it and putting gas in it." Re: Wall Street Week, my favorite guest was always James Grant. A quote (not word for word) I recall: "If one had simply purchased $10,000 of GE stock a year ago, such a person would've yielded the munificent sum of $113.00. With respect to the price of gold, I suppose I should've had a V8." Rukeyser's puns were always comedy gold, to...
by Goldfinger
Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:27 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: John Bogle has died at age 89
Replies: 856
Views: 81249

Re: John Bogle has died at age 89

I love this comment from William Bernstein in the Philly Enquirer piece:

“Jack could have been a multibillionaire on a par with Gates and Buffett,” said William Bernstein, an Oregon investment manager and author of 12 books on finance and economic history. Instead, he turned his company into one owned by its mutual funds, and in turn their investors, "that exists to provide its customers the lowest price. He basically chose to forgo an enormous fortune to do something right for millions of people. I don’t know any other story like it in American business history.”

Condolences to the Bogle family, and thank you, Jack!

--Mark
by Goldfinger
Wed Dec 26, 2018 12:32 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What have you learned this year
Replies: 90
Views: 9635

Re: What have your learned this year

AtlasShrugged? wrote: Wed Dec 26, 2018 7:33 am
I think this is the year when I came to believe that the goal in retirement planning should be inflation-adjusted income, not wealth (your "number"). While the two aren't entirely unrelated, they aren't exactly the same either.
Yes, I am coming around to this as well. Reading McClung's Living Off Your Money was a true eye opener for me. What I have not yet figured out is how to incorporate (or plan for) the tax hit. I am all over the track with that. I have ~10 years to figure it out.
Santa just brought me that book (and a few others) yesterday, and I very much look forward to reading it. Seems to be extremely well-researched from the accounts of those who have read it.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Sat Dec 22, 2018 1:52 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: My Christmas Present To You
Replies: 109
Views: 17638

Re: My Christmas Present To You

Taylor,

You represent America's greatest generation better than anyone I've ever known. Thank you for all that you do.

Have a splendid cruise and a Merry Christmas.

Goldfinger (Mark)
by Goldfinger
Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:54 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: [favorite] Boglehead quotes
Replies: 171
Views: 51960

Re: [favorite] Boglehead quotes

Most of these are attributable to Dr. William Bernstein:

"When you buy the market, you are hiring the aggregate judgment of the most brilliant and well-informed minds in finance."

"The market is brutally efficient and can be thought of as being smarter than even its wisest participants."

"Most brokers service customers the same way in which Bonnie and Clyde serviced banks."
by Goldfinger
Thu Jun 07, 2018 10:02 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: what to do if win some lottery money
Replies: 21
Views: 3871

Re: what to do if win some lottery money

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 5:49 am Save all your losing lottery tickets so you can counter your win with your losses. If you want to please lottery officials, do what many winners do......spend it all on lottery tickets. That would save you money on taxes because as many people do, you'll spend the entire $50k and then some, so look into whether you can use more losers against your winnings.
I believe this calls for a new acronym.

LLH = Lottery Loss Harvesting

:moneybag
by Goldfinger
Sat May 05, 2018 9:19 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: most compelling TV character ever
Replies: 260
Views: 32617

Re: most compelling TV character ever

Alan Alda from *MASH*. For me, nobody else even comes close. The episodes with Col Flagg were nothing short of priceless.
by Goldfinger
Sun May 01, 2016 1:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Numeracy and Wealth
Replies: 44
Views: 8436

Re: Numeracy and Wealth

I loved Innumeracy by Paulos. I have a natural ability to think along statistical / probability lines. I am not an engineering type, though. Calculus was something I really had to work at. Stats / Finite math were the exact opposite. Strange dichotomy.

I'm sort of OCD when it comes to numbers. I find my mind just wandering - and numbers dance through my head without any real conscious effort. I'm sort of an outcast at work when I think out loud and do quick calculations in front of my peers (teachers).
by Goldfinger
Sun Apr 24, 2016 12:23 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: how do people keep AA constant with ongoing contributions?
Replies: 23
Views: 3780

Re: how do people keep AA constant with ongoing contributions?

With my 403(b) and wife's 401(k), we've always slightly underallocated our contributions to equities relative to bonds according to our AA. The rationale? Since equities have a higher expected return, we will, in most years, not need to fiddle with contribution allocations. Our AA (using age in bonds) is 50/50, so we contribute at 40/60. Not perfect by any means, but it gets the job done.

We address smaller sub-allocations when making our year-end Roth contributions (incoming cash + dividends/capital gains directed to cash).

Works for us.

If one chooses to invest via TD/balanced funds, the adjustment is obviously automatic.
by Goldfinger
Mon Apr 18, 2016 10:27 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Experience with Honda airbag recall?
Replies: 154
Views: 45815

Re: Experience with Honda airbag recall?

Just saw this sad story in the news regarding Honda airbags. It was a 2002 model: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/honda-reports-10th-us-death-from-takata-air-bags/2016/04/06/6b74680a-fc2e-11e5-813a-90ab563f0dde_story.html Very tragic. This is not something to ignore, no matter how low you believe the odds are. I 100% agree. This is not the time to be concerned about some of the lesser issues mentioned. As risky as driving already is, this airbag issue is a substantial added danger. It doesn't matter how good or defensive a driver you are, either: if you have defective airbags, you seem at risk. The most recent death appears to be from a low speed collision. We might not know until later how significant the danger really ...
by Goldfinger
Sun Jan 31, 2016 1:51 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What is your favorite Financial Quote or Metaphor??
Replies: 179
Views: 21409

Re: What is your favorite Financial Quote or Metaphor??

"Quick buck" artists come and go with every bull market. The steady players make it through the bear markets."

Lou Mannheim (Wall Street)
by Goldfinger
Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: The Big Short
Replies: 196
Views: 33716

Re: The Big Short

I haven't seen it yet, but I am a big fan of Michael Lewis and do plan on seeing it. Read Liar's Poker and Flash Boys. He's an extremely gifted writer.
by Goldfinger
Sun Dec 27, 2015 12:06 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Tracking Net Worth, insightful and motivating
Replies: 45
Views: 6202

Re: Tracking Net Worth, insightful and motivating

So if I don't watch it, it doesn't happen? So BH should be oblivious to there balances, that would seem to make it hard to rebalance? If you are an actual believer shouldn't you have been moving into equities or at least pointing all your contributions that direction during that period. I guess I am missing how people can do the basic functions like rebalancing and maintaining an AA if they don't know their numbers? So if you don't look during bad times and you don't look during good times when do you check your balances? It just doesn't seem realistic to me to try to remain that deliberately oblivious. I think you need to re-read my original post to you.... Sure watch the numbers, just don't let them be "Very Motivating" (Your W...
by Goldfinger
Wed Nov 25, 2015 11:49 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Most important financial metric/calculation?
Replies: 39
Views: 5889

Re: Most important financial metric/calculation?

My favorite metrics?

(Pre-retirement)

1) NW of investable assets

2) LMP/projected annual expenses

3) RC/projected annual expenses

(Post-retirement)

4) 1/(95-age)
by Goldfinger
Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:41 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What are your 2 retirement numbers?
Replies: 260
Views: 42474

Re: What are your 2 retirement numbers?

I actually have had 3 numbers in mind since having begun investing 26 years ago: Minimum: 2.0M Midpoint: 2.5M Maximum: 3.0M Another way to name each level might be "good/better/best." If I teach another 8.5 years until age 59, I'll be getting a decent pension. If I retire between age 55-58, it would be a reduced pension (by about 45%). Estimated annual portfolio need is in the range of 70-80K beyond what the pension will cover. We haven't funded our 529s very aggressively, but have made moderate contributions. We have 4 kids ranging from 6-17 yrs old. The huge unknown variable is DW's future retirement date. I get the sense that she'll keep working well beyond my retirement date because she's so type A, but we won't know until it'...
by Goldfinger
Sun Sep 06, 2015 9:55 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Post your current employer retirement plan! (if any)
Replies: 94
Views: 13908

Re: Post your current employer retirement plan! (if any)

High School teacher: 1. Defined benefit pension plan equal to 2.3% of the average of highest 5 years salaries x # of years worked that is not indexed. 2. NO SOCIAL SECURITY so it is about a wash. One starts out with a higher pension than SS would provide but social security eventually catches up in 10 years or so and passes it. 3. Optional 403(b) plan with no match. We have a choice of over 20 providers mostly bad insurance companies but also Vanguard and Fidelity. I use Vanguard. All of Vanguard's funds are available and there are no management fees, the plan is administered directly by Vanguard. Like Texasdiver, I'm a teacher, too. Same deal for me, as I invest the maximum ($24,000) via Vanguard in a 403(b) which includes catch-up contri...
by Goldfinger
Sun Sep 06, 2015 12:14 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Damodaran on the FED and interest rates
Replies: 13
Views: 1727

Re: Damodaran on the FED and interest rates

Nicely written post - reasonably distilled down into plain English. A liberal arts grade would have no problem understanding it.
by Goldfinger
Sat Sep 05, 2015 12:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Question for the Bogleheads Millionaires
Replies: 372
Views: 76971

Re: Question for the Bogleheads Millionaires

Rule #1, for us, has always been "pay yourself first." For every $1 that was invested around 1988-89 (when we started), that same dollar is worth roughly $14-$15 on a compounded basis. What I would give to have been able to tuck away additional $$ during those years. Rule #2: Marry wisely. Having worked in finance/credit back in the late 80s/early 90s, I saw too many cases of financial mismanagement/irresponsibility tear families apart. Rule #3: Stay the course. No matter what. While I don't advocate going needlessly into debt, I don't think it's necessary by design to live on 20% of one's income. If one can save 20-25% every year, that should be more than sufficient. Look at consumption smoothing and make it fit your lifestyle. T...
by Goldfinger
Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:59 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What was the 2008 crash like in real time?
Replies: 221
Views: 56634

Re: What was the 2008 crash like in real time?

We were age-10 in bonds beginning around 2006 after carrying a 90/10 portfolio throughout the 90's and beyond. From that perspective, things were easier than they would've been. I do remember what it was like to see our balances dropping like a rock; however, it was at this time that we really began focusing more on our bond portfolio. I recall some posts by LANDY and a few others about maintaining a bond floor and really identified with what he and a few others were posting. Bill Bernstein crystallized this concept in one of his books, although I don't think it had happened until post-correction, if memory serves. Rebalancing-wise, we incrementally purchased equity positions in chunks of 2-3%. It was also obvious that we didn't need to tak...
by Goldfinger
Fri Apr 03, 2015 7:23 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Did you learn anything from 2008?
Replies: 105
Views: 16110

Re: Did you learn anything from 2008?

During 2000-2002 bear market, I had less capital at risk, although a much higher equity/fixed ratio. It didn't bother me at all. I learned that I was taking too much equity risk in 2008. I was age-10 in bonds. Rebalancing was tolerable, but I distinctly recall just how much I couldn't stand selling fixed assets. Buying equities didn't stress me out half as much as selling bonds did. So I rebalanced in manageable incremental amounts - maybe 4 or 5 exchanges. For the DW and me, age in bonds is just right. Fast forward 7 years with prodigious contributions, and we have more in bonds now than our entire portfolio balance in 2008. We have a high/medium/low "number" for our goal, so using the medium number with me 9 years from retiremen...
by Goldfinger
Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:23 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What are your 2015 Financial Goals?
Replies: 102
Views: 13121

Re: What are your 2015 Financial Goals?

Boost 403(b) contributions to 24k/yr (giving away my age here...) while saving as much as cash as possible in the brokerage account / 529 plans. Just became daycare free as of last spring with 2.5 yrs until college begins. Roth IRAs on autopilot w/spousal unit's 401(k).
by Goldfinger
Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:42 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is it possible to have a favorite movie
Replies: 82
Views: 7963

Re: Is it possible to have a favorite movie

I suppose so, but narrowing it down is just so painstaking. Depends on what kind of movie, I suppose. Scent of a Woman if I am forced to pick only one. Movies that start off with 2 (or more) characters that have a symbiotic relationship have such an automatic "tension" to them. I cannot recall feeling better about any movie once those credits roll than when I watch this movie. Wall Street (the original) has to be #2. It came along at the right time given my background. Favorite Bond movie: Goldfinger (no need to look past my avatar 8-) ) Comedy: Caddyshack and Airplane, although the funniest movie "moment" was Grumpy Old Men (the first) when Burgess Meredith's bloopers started...never in my life have I laughed that hard ...
by Goldfinger
Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:23 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: need a new home page [browser default page]
Replies: 25
Views: 3347

Re: need a new home page [browser default page]

www.refdesk.com

Probably more information stuffed onto one page than you'll find anywhere. Much more for those who prefer text than fancy shmancy.
by Goldfinger
Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Getting toddler to brush their teeth
Replies: 53
Views: 5157

Re: Getting toddler to brush their teeth

We've had the best luck by making brushing teeth fun. My youngest (now 5) loves this Charlie Brown video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPTxD8j0StM

Every time he watches it, he wants to go brush his teeth.

Something else I do is show them how daddy has fun brushing teeth. Gargling seems to fascinate my kids. When I pretend to throw up (in the act of toothpaste spitting), they laugh uncontrollably and can't wait to tell mommy and their older siblings. This is probably one of those "you had to be there" type things. (Think Jim Carrey)
by Goldfinger
Sun Jun 22, 2014 11:51 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: A day in Dachau?
Replies: 38
Views: 4157

Re: A day in Dachau?

Leeraar, I visited Dachau in 1996 and have very vivid memories. I visited Germany, Austria, and Italy during a 2 week period that year, and Dachau stands out the most. There was a former prisoner who would visit Dachau every day as part of his therapy to come to terms with what happened there. If memory serves, he was in his 70's at the time. He showed us (my group) several pictures of himself when he was there, the ovens, the unbearable conditions, as well as a few people he knew there who died. What I really cannot shake is the pictures on display of one particular prisoner who was subjected to some of the most inhumane experiments you could imagine. I couldn't tell you the first thing about transportation there, food, other things, etc.,...
by Goldfinger
Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:08 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: POLL: What Percentage of Your Retirement Portfolio is Roth?
Replies: 42
Views: 4615

Re: POLL: What Percentage of Your Retirement Portfolio is Ro

We're right at 19%. As a percentage of annual contributions, it's a bit higher at 25%. We had about 8 or 9 years of work under our belts when the Roth was introduced, and fortunately took advantage of the 4 year allowance to pay the taxes since we converted our trad IRAs in the year 1998, I believe.

I'd like our Roth balances to reach around 30-40% by retirement time, but this will no doubt require additional conversions - perhaps right around retirement.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Wed Jan 01, 2014 1:20 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: What types of year-end snapshots do you keep?
Replies: 34
Views: 3621

Re: What types of year-end snapshots do you keep?

I've been keeping everything in Excel since 1996, although retirement investing began in 1988 for us. At the end of each year, I use the "move or copy sheet" function to close out that year and create a new tab for the following year - plugging in contributions / NAVs when appropriate. Another tab is a rebalancing spreadsheet I dearly love. I keep a few separate tabs with misc projections by year, "hurdle rate" (how fast it takes to knock down the next 100K, for example), # of shares accumulated during year, and some other silly ratios worth nothing more than a closed-mouth chuckle or two. It's fun to track, and in no way a tedious task. The trick is keeping from getting too scientific or detailed beyond what is necessar...
by Goldfinger
Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:03 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How and when did you do it - to get to 1 Million
Replies: 129
Views: 31285

Re: How and when did you do it - to get to 1 Million

I'm 48 and spousal unit/DW is 46. Hit it a couple of years ago. Our formula: Started saving right out of school (piggy bank $$, savings bonds, 401(k), Roth IRAs, but didn't have much in taxable for a few years. Kept expenses low. VERY supportive and frugal spouse. Managed to tuck away several hundred grand prior to the runaway bull market of 95-99. Got rid of many (but not all) tech holdings prior to dot-com meltdown - this was pure luck. Always paid ourselves first. Banked nearly all raises. Stayed motivated even through 2000-02 and 2008-09. We had a fairly heavy equity portfolio (90%) until around 2006 prior to dialing our AA back to AIB (now we're 53/47). Even with this, we have 4 children (age range 14-4) and a McMansion. I've got 11 ye...
by Goldfinger
Sat Jul 06, 2013 5:16 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 25 years today (how long u been on the job ???)
Replies: 74
Views: 9121

Re: 25 years today (how long u been on the job ???)

Current job 10 years (2 previous jobs 7 years each)
Current home 6 years (2 previous homes 6.5 and 7 years)
Married 22 years (but together for 28 years)

-Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Sat Jul 06, 2013 4:55 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Anti-Boglehead book recommendations?
Replies: 35
Views: 6187

Re: Anti-Boglehead book recommendations?

The Market Wizards series is excellent. (Author Jack Schwager personally interviews each trader.) Market Wizards, 1988 The New Market Wizards, 1992 Stock Market Wizards, 2001 The books are so well written and entertaining that you'll find them hard to put down. Each chapter is devoted to the trading styles and history of the "super traders." Some familiar names - Jim Rogers, Ed Seykota, Michael Steinhardt, Michael Marcus, Marty Schwarz, Paul Tudor Jones, etc. A few notable excerpts from the chapter on Ed Seykota: Q: What is the most important advice you can give the average trader? A: That he should find a superior trader to do his trading for him, and then go find something he really loves to do Q: Why do so many traders fail in ...
by Goldfinger
Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:51 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Could bogleheads vote on Top 10 "asks" of Vanguard?
Replies: 100
Views: 10573

Re: Could bogleheads vote on Top 10 "asks" of Vanguard?

A national muni ETF. I'm one of those Fidelity brokerage people who would like to pay far less than the $75 it would cost to purchase a Vanguard muni fund. (Yes, I'm aware of the taxable / tax advantaged workarounds) 8-)
by Goldfinger
Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Your most intense movie scene
Replies: 155
Views: 19636

Re: Your most intense movie scene

tadamsmar wrote:
Goldfinger wrote: snipped
--Goldfinger
How about the scene where you tie Bond down to a sheet of gold and start to cut him in half with a laser beam!
I was hoping nobody would bring that up. :shock:
by Goldfinger
Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:27 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Washington Post Article About People Raiding 401k Accounts
Replies: 102
Views: 23806

Re: Washington Post Article About People Raiding 401k Accoun

As someone who used to work in a 401k call center for a major institution, i can confirm that lots of people raid their 401ks, and lots of people lack fiscal intelligence. Some people even referred to their 401k as their emergency spending money. The best was people who used the salary deferrals as a forced way to save for holiday presents. I can certainly confirm mack123's comments. I, too, worked as a relationship manager in a call center for a huge insurance company back in the mid 90's. In each of the 2 annuity distribution channels that I managed, the phone reps in our call center would share stories of clients raiding their accounts for the most trivial of reasons. From "We need to buy a kitchen dinette set" to "our da...
by Goldfinger
Fri Jan 18, 2013 11:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Your most intense movie scene
Replies: 155
Views: 19636

Re: Your most intense movie scene

Scary intense (1): the first "over the edge" scene in The Exorcist. "Leave her alone! The sow is mine!" And what Linda Blair did next with that cross... Scary intense (2): From The Shining, when Shelly Duvall started looking through page after page after page of Jack Nicholson's work ("All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" typed hundreds of thousands of times in a stack 10-12 inches high. Her expression upon realizing that after months of typing, her husband was going insane. The look on her face captured horror better than any scene I've ever watched - hands down. Good intense: the locker room scene in Miracle where Kurt Russell plays coach Herb Brooks of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team about to take on the...
by Goldfinger
Tue Dec 25, 2012 11:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How to avoid selling stocks at the wrong time
Replies: 6
Views: 1496

Re: How to avoid selling stocks at the wrong time

Thanks for the note, Larry. I know nothing about this new book, but find Jack Schwager an interesting author.

I've read his 3 "Market Wizards" books and have been very intrigued by them. The original book, "Market Wizards" was published in 1988. Even though the trader interviews were entirely based on active management, they were still highly entertaining. I remember one trader, Ed Seykota, who was very thought provoking. Tony Saliba, another.

I'll have to check this out.

--Mark
by Goldfinger
Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:47 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Your International vs. U.S. Stock Allocation?
Replies: 73
Views: 12624

Re: Your International vs. U.S. Stock Allocation?

[quote][/quote]



Victoria,

I like the elegant simplicity to that ratio as well. I also remember my AA of (being an AIB investor) 2/3 equities, 1/3 fixed, but that was a decade ago, so I now look forward to the 1/2 equities, 1/2 fixed AA that I'm scheduled to hit in 2.5 years.

The unintended consequence of approaching 50% fixed is that I'm less hung up on my domestic/int split now that less money (as a %age) is exposed to equity risk.

EDIT: Hmm, Victoria's post disappeared. No wonder my quote attempt came up empty. :confused

--Mark
by Goldfinger
Sun Nov 04, 2012 12:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What does it feel like to have $1M+ liquid?
Replies: 126
Views: 17189

Re: What does it feel like to have $1M+ liquid?

missybon said: There are lots of "well, it depends..." around this one; but for me, living in the D.C. area, I still need to work. What my $1,000,000 let me do was think about the work I wanted to do and not worry about the salary. I am a public school teacher and have been for long enough that I make about $75,000 a year. The million means I don't feel the need to take a second job over the summer as many other teachers do. When our pay was frozen for two? three? years I didn't lose any sleep-- and as you can see, I can't even remember the details of it. I can assure you I am one of the very few teachers who could take such a cavalier attitude towards our salary and retirement benefits. This money, properly cared for, has been a ...
by Goldfinger
Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: robbed by strong arm and pickpockets in Rome and Venice
Replies: 63
Views: 12512

Re: robbed by strong arm and pickpockets in Rome and Venice

The wife and I had a similar experience in Rome back in the mid 90's. (Southern Italy was an entirely different experience from northern Italy - almost 2 separate countries.) I always carried my wallet in my front pocket, so no issues there. During one of the legs of our Rome tour, my wife's backpack was unzipped. Fortunately nothing stolen, but to have been completely unaware of it until after the fact was a little unsettling. And I was behind her the whole time w/o noticing.

Interesting idea about the Stashsafe funny-pack mentioned by Serbeer.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:24 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Present Value of Pensions
Replies: 54
Views: 9958

Re: The Present Value of Pensions

Fully agree with Doc and unfundi. Would also add that you cannot rebalance with a pension, which has been stated here before.
by Goldfinger
Mon Apr 02, 2012 7:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your milestones?
Replies: 82
Views: 8325

Re: Your milestones?

I like milestones in terms of keeping score (me against me, really). The market is going to go where the market is going to go, so the 2 factors I can control are contributions and expenses. I keep a spreadsheet full of personal statistics just for the fun of it (a silly spreadsheet, as I've referred to it before). 100K: 7 yrs, 8 months 200K: 2 yrs, 3 months 300K: 1 year 400K: 10 months 500K: 6 yrs, 7 months 600K: 1 yr, 2 months 700K: 2 yrs, 11 months I'll stop there, because that provides a general idea. With a high equity allocation until 2007, you can easily tell when the bull/bear markets took place. I no longer feel the need to track 100K increments, but rather 250K. To me, it's important to stay motivated. What I like to focus on is #...
by Goldfinger
Sat Feb 18, 2012 7:07 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "Can you sum-up your investing philosophy in 10 words?"
Replies: 120
Views: 11475

Re: "Can you sum-up your investing philosophy in 10 words?"

For me, these 2 words say it all: "Stealth Wealth." Wrap the typical Boglehead comments around that, and that sums it up for me.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Sun Feb 05, 2012 8:51 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Save or Spend?
Replies: 19
Views: 2490

Re: Save or Spend?

I didn't see any mention of paying down debt (if you have any). As a mortgage could be considered a negative bond, one might focus on getting a guaranteed return by paying down the mortgage over a period of several years.

I like to focus on share accumulation when it's not beneficial to focus on dollar value. For example, if I have 5,000 shares of VGTSX (TISM) and 10,000 shares of VBIIX (Int term bond index) in my 403(b), I like to set short term goals and see how fast I can knock down the next hurdle. "By XYZ date, I'll have 6,000 and 11,000 shares..."

Just my way of distracting myself. :dollar

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:36 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Do you hold your age in bonds?
Replies: 133
Views: 11328

Re: Do you hold your age in bonds?

AA 54/46

I like age in bonds as a starting point, but in our case, age in bonds is our proper ending point.

Ages: 46 (me), 45 (dw)
Eligible for pension @ age 55 (me)

We were age-10 until '08/09. We just don't need to take on that level of risk anymore, given where we are.

--Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Mon Dec 26, 2011 11:18 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: interview with seeking alpha
Replies: 8
Views: 1617

Re: interview with seeking alpha

A superb interview, I must say. Notice how many times the interviewer tried to bait Larry into making predictions. It was almost comical by about 3/4 of the way through.

I rarely read comments, as they're about as valuable as Yahoo stock "chats" IMO, but these were simply classic - good rebuttals from Larry. And not one of those posters who magically found the secret formula to investing had the courage to make any forward-looking statements. Hilarious.

Goldfinger
by Goldfinger
Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Boglehead house size
Replies: 61
Views: 6132

Re: Boglehead house size

4400 sq ft (our 3rd home)

With 4 kids, we've grown into it very quickly. As much as I love the place, I do look forward to downsizing in about 5-7 years - once they start leaving the nest.

McMansions are very inexpensive here in Texas, as livesoft stated, so the temptation is much more tenable. I'd love to be mortgage-free, but that's not our primary nor secondary objective as of now.

Goldfinger