Odysseusa, The Decision Moose intermediate timing, momentum strategy has been in TLT (actually BTTRX) for not quite a month and has been up about 3%. Since May of 2000, if you had followed DM's ETF switches to the letter, you would be up almost 1000% (a ten bagger! ;D) to date! http://www.decisionmo...

I wasn't thinking of a gold replacement Stone, more along the lines (see http://gyroscopicinvesting.com/forum/http://77.104.139.218/~gyroscop/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=28.msg30899#msg30899) of something perhaps like : 12.5% TSM, 12.5% SCV 12.5% long dated gilts, 12.5% long dated index linked gilts 12....

Currently, I'm:

20% VTI
20% IAU (no physical)
20% TLT/ZROZ (50/50)
20% CASH (ALLIANT; TUZ; STPZ)
20% Dry powder waiting for a good entry point into VXUS.

So, I'm 80%PP/20% VP

Maestro G

Best for most folks, and most professionals, to avoid considering any of that.  But then you'd have shorter and fewer threads! I look forward to the day when the only threads going on here have nothing to do with investing because nobody is worrying about their money and can talk about other things...

iShares has a ETF that focused on "residential renting" REITs... REZ. In it, the company Public Storage makes up 11%. I don't see the connection and will instead buy a few individual REITs from within this ETF. Hi Triple B, A very interesting idea and, btw, one of A. Gary Shillings invest...

Very interesting interview. Bass is clearly extremely bright. If he is correct about Europe and Japan imploding (and he makes a very compelling argument, actually more of a fait accompli statement), do you think money will rush to emerging market and US equity, or will there just be a domino effect ...

The SSO, SPY comparison looks about right to me Clacy. 2x leveraged funds look to provide twice the DAILY motions. Which means you both double the daily gains (or losses) and double the standard deviation (volatility). A 0% yearly average with a 20% standard deviation will typically annualise to -2...

I am not sure the season finale last night (season 4) could have been any better.  In fact, it's hard to imagine being able to top the craftsmanship in this episode.  The acting, the writing, the directing.  We expected a lot and the Breaking Bad team delivered.  Wow.  I expected to feel disappoint...

One part of the problem is that Osama bin Laden's strategy to harm the U.S. has worked better than anyone wants to admit. Look at all the blood and treasure that has been spent on chasing a relatively small number of non-state actors around the world these last 10 years. I agree somewhat.  But the ...

The chart is a predictably partisan piece seeking to obscure who spent the money and when.  I hope this doesn't become too political, but spin like this can't go unchallenged..... I think it's completely unfair to Obama to try to place debts for policies enacted under Bush on him.  The Bush tax cut...

It's interesting to me that, according to Morningstar, and after today's carnage, the YTD return for LTPZ (PIMCO 15+Yr. TIPS) is: 18.58%, outpacing both IAU (15.90%) and TLT (14.49%). I know that TIPS are generally anathema here on the PP discussion boards ("don't buy fire insurance from an ars...

Hi Maestro G In the first post in this thread, that paper I linked to indicates that its better to apply Markowitz on top of Talmud. As a 75-25 stock/bond blend can yield similar rewards to all-stock, but typically does so with less risk, then it makes sense to utilise that effect. That only applie...

If you consider the PP as a form of business (stocks), commodity (gold), and cash three way Talmud type split, with a 75-25 (Markowitz) split of the stock and commodity parts (that results in 25% stocks, 25% gold, 50% cash) allocation - but apply that same concept to a blend of home, gold and cash ...

FWIW,

Decision Moose has just switched to gold as of 4/29. Had been in domestic small cap since December.

Maestro G

Clive wrote: DM's current IWM position looks very close to stop-loss'ing out into cash (or perhaps a rotation into SP500) at around a break-even overall gain/loss level.

Since the 12/03/10 switch to IWM, DM is up approx. 12%!

Seems like the model is on an upswing.

Maestro G

MediumTex wrote:

Adam1226 wrote: Ann Coulter is always such a breath of fresh air : )

Who knows...maybe it's true, but I wouldn't make that conclusion based on the data presented in the article.

More like a breath of hot air. 

+1000!! 

In a show of solidarity, Wisconsin police have marched into the state capitol to support the protesters and vow not to expel them! http://understory.ran.org/2011/02/25/breaking-wisconsin-police-have-joined-protest-inside-state-capitol/ The clock is ticking on Walker! Boy did this backfire on him! H...

In a show of solidarity, Wisconsin police have marched into the state capitol to support the protesters and vow not to expel them! http://understory.ran.org/2011/02/25/breaking-wisconsin-police-have-joined-protest-inside-state-capitol/ The clock is ticking on Walker! Boy did this backfire on him! He...

Hi Heather, Your fellow employees are fortunate to have such an enlightened committee planning their 401K choices! With respect to the international equity exposure, I would opt for the newly reconstituted Total International (VXUS etf) rather than VEU. VXUS is cheaper and more diversified. Good luc...

The additional return was from using active mutual funds such as FAIRX AND GRSPX etc. for the equity slice. I have been able to add return with very slight mod to how the equity piece is invested I see. So, with respect to the equity portion of the portfolio, do you intend to continue to actively m...

Interesting MT.

Why not VTI @ .07? Even lower!

Maestro G

Hi Julian,

You mention on your website a total return of 6% for 2008. However, according to Craig's figures for the standard 4 x 25 PP, the return for 2008 was approximately 2%. What accounts for this rather large divergence

Enjoying this thread!

Maestro G

With respect to "tweaking", I thought I had made myself clear a few posts ago when I wrote: "that's it, no more tweaking." Ah, very good. Understood. Once you started switching things around, it wasn't clear if you were only done tweaking for 2011, and would then re-evaulate in ...

One can hold any portfolio "permanently" without it actually "handling every possible outcome" as you put it. Your definition of "permanent" refers only to your intended duration of holding your portfolio — so long as events play out as you expect them to. Whereas Harr...

MediumTex wrote: Maestro,

What are your rebalancing points?

Hi Medium Tex,

I've decided on at least 5% bands either way for each major asset class.

Maestro G