Search found 458 matches

by Mdraf
Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:18 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

But did you pay in Bitcoins? My guess is no. If you did you would easily regret it in the not so distant future if Bitcoin continues to rise in value. That's my point. People aren't using their Bitcoins very much right now — they are mostly being hoarded for speculation purposes. No one actually kn...
by Mdraf
Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:04 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

Heh. I don't think so. If we both agree on something, there's a decent chance we may have a point. :) Right now this is a hoarders' currency. That doesn't make it usable or functional but that may or may not change. I think it would take a lot for it to become either. It started to be usable as PS ...
by Mdraf
Thu Nov 14, 2013 5:36 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

Heh. I don't think so. If we both agree on something, there's a decent chance we may have a point. :) Right now this is a hoarders' currency. That doesn't make it usable or functional but that may or may not change. I think it would take a lot for it to become either. It started to be usable as PS ...
by Mdraf
Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:57 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

Just finished watching. I'll summarize all 27 minutes... Marc has a lot of money that he can afford to lose, thanks to Bitcoin, and he will speculate with that money in a Variable Portfolio. I feel irritated when reading your comment. Likewise, I was irritated when you used a misleading headline in...
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:13 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

You seem to be into it pretty deep too. When did you take the plunge? And why? Were you resistant at first? I dabbled about a year ago but got in more when I decided on a whim to accept payments for my business in bitcoins. It proved popular since my customers tend to be tech nerds like me, so many...
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 6:09 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer
Replies: 10
Views: 4515

Re: Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer

Gumby wrote:  We must make banks be banks.  Of course, much of this would involve reversing the de-regulation that has occurred over the last 25 years and it appears unlikely that Congress has the gumption to do so.
Amazing! I actually agree with Roche on this :)
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 2:18 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

Thank you Marc.  I'm a Luddite about all this. I have a whole new subject to explore...from an initial web sweep it looks to me like the exchanges that allow one to buy bitcoins with money offer terrible exchange rates :(  Which ones do you favor? I'd like to drop a few bucks in there and see what h...
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:32 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer
Replies: 10
Views: 4515

Re: Andrew Huszar: Confessions of a Quantitative Easer

Gumby wrote:...  And as long as that banking oligopoly is a private for profit industry ...
Gumby, is Roche advocating a nationalization of banks? I didn't think so but I may be wrong.
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 1:16 pm
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

Pointedstick wrote: Oh, China. ::)

I don't use an online wallet for just that reason. It's less convenient, but safer.
Thanks.  Not knowing anything about it I thought an online wallet was required. After reading your post I found and downloaded one to my PC.
by Mdraf
Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:11 am
Forum: Variable Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Bitcoin giveaway! :)
Replies: 378
Views: 160265

Re: Bitcoin giveaway! :)

I know nothing about Bitcoins but followed this thread and created a wallet:

13iQ3FuyrhrU3f8wmBSm9WymKerNkh1ka4

Then I happened to read this today

A Bitcoin Exchange Holding $4.1 Million For 1,000 Customers Has Simply Vanished
by Mdraf
Thu Oct 17, 2013 10:53 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Back from Europe
Replies: 3
Views: 1887

Re: Back from Europe

...When they spot a late model Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari... Now Mercedes, BMW I believe, but Ferrari? It's Italy man!  :) Only foreigners own Ferraris and Maseratis in Italy! BTW, today's news about Chase limiting cash transactions and canceling international outgoing wire transfers is troubling...may...
by Mdraf
Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:18 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Back from Europe
Replies: 3
Views: 1887

Back from Europe

Noticed the MR discussion is still going on :)  Amazing.  Anyway a couple of points to report relevant to this forum.  Italy: all cash transactions above 1000 Euros  are prohibited. Financial Police (yes, it's a police force) have access to ALL credit card transactions and are filtering the large on...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 4:31 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

I leave the inflation discussion to Kshartle since I would be cutting and pasting what he already said. Well, he didn't say anything all that convincing — and he didn't back up anything he said with any evidence — so maybe we'll just leave it alone then. :) My beef is the other side of the "swap". ...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:11 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

These MR threads go so fast one has to stay connected to the forum 24/7 to keep up! Anyway Gumby, by "notes" I took it to mean a note as in promissory note, ie. bonds.  Not banknotes. Well, I am comforted by the fact that we seem to agree about 99% of the discussion. I guess it comes down to QE. Ca...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:58 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

These MR threads go so fast one has to stay connected to the forum 24/7 to keep up!
Anyway Gumby, by "notes" I took it to mean a note as in promissory note, ie. bonds.  Not banknotes.
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:49 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Rethinking Neville Chamberlain
Replies: 25
Views: 11269

Re: Rethinking Neville Chamberlain

1.  You are putting words into my mouth, that I didn't say, and don't believe. I hope I haven't done so.  What are you referring to here? 2.  " I totally agree that the US takes way too much action for reasons that best I can tell are not justified" That should give you some clue that I don't favor...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:17 pm
Forum: Gold
Topic: Government Shutdown equals Gold Decline?
Replies: 29
Views: 10295

Re: Government Shutdown equals Gold Decline?

We can also resort to comedy to avoid facing reality. Thats an option. Seriously, Bud, this is exactly the type of situation that the PP is designed for.  Stop watching the news for a month or two.  Don't check your portfolio for the rest of the year.  Just let some time pass and stop worrying so m...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 12:15 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

I agree with the statement above. But it contradicts your assertions that cash and bonds are equivalent. "The willingness of the consumers in the economy to use these notes is largely dependent....<snip>" He also contradicts himself  elsewhere where he states that government debt is the private sect...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:40 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

Yeah but I still want to know what happened to my $9.75 from the egg deal ! I told you there is no mention in the video about eggs. Therefore, it's not relavent. It really isn't relevant because we are taking about trading financial assets that don't enter circulation, not eggs. Huge difference. To...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:37 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

That is an interesting theory, corporal punishment is extremely common in Singapore, administered by parents, schools, and the government itself as an official punishment. Wouldn't you expect this effect to show up there even more strongly? It's just another factor. Singapore has no minimum wage, v...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:25 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

Yeah but I still want to know what happened to my $9.75 from the egg deal !
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 11:14 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

Correct. We agree. But where are we helicoptering beyond productivity? Ray Dalio is talking about helicoptering to reflate some of the lost private credit — not helicoptering beyond productivity. Debt to GDP ratio is increasing hockey-stick like It is? http://i.imgur.com/MiLHewa.jpg You left out th...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:37 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

I know what you guys think and you are wrong.  But since you always insist on having the last word, go for it.
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:08 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

<-- Ray Dalio's video - This is how money works --> Correct up to this point <-- Ray Dalio's video - Consequences of helicoptering without productivity -->  ignored by MR Correct. We agree. But where are we helicoptering beyond productivity? Ray Dalio is talking about helicoptering to reflate some ...
by Mdraf
Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:04 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum
Replies: 173
Views: 51341

Re: "Full Faith & Credit" when the inmates take over the asylum

<--Ray Dalio's video - This is how money works--> Correct up to this point <--Ray Dalio's video - Consequences of helicoptering without productivity-->  ignored by MR