FYI. Brett Arends, on CBSMarketwatch.com makes a case for owning 50 individual stocks as opposed to, say, VTI.  Maybe like buying gold coins rather than SGOL. Buy stocks for $500, the cost of a new i-pad!  He suggests a better return, too. Let me know.  I have learned much here since September. If ...

Moda, it seems that if I could boil down your objection, it would be, "Where is the moral legitimacy of using violence to hurt people--some of whom may be innocent of any crimes committed on their behalf (e.g. children of illegal immigrants born in the USA)--to enforce the made-up borders of a...

We can either forcibly remove families from the communities that they call home so WE can be a bit more pleasant

Put me down in favor of this, the "Eisenhower Option".

"The economy as we know it is facing a lethal confluence of four critical factors – the fall-out from the biggest debt bubble in history; a disastrous experiment with globalisation; the massaging of data to the point where economic trends are obscured; and, most important of all, the approach o...

INTP.

It's the smart thing to do, but will the old rich white elitist Republicans in the Establishment allow it?  Otherwise, Rubio would have to pull a JFK to go against everything to win.  He is trailing right behind Bush.  Does he have a rich daddy and political connections in his pocket? A nitpicky is...

I've been following this thread off and on for months and am curious how the 2x and 3x funds would react to rising interest rates.  Would decay increase dramatically should interest rates rise? Sorry if this sounds elementary but I'm trying to recap my understanding of the 2x and 3x funds in the man...

Life Insurance and Annuities, if built correctly, can be swee tax-free growth vehicles, and currently, distributions from LI policies in the form of policy loans do NOT get counted in ANY way shape or form on taxes, unlike "non taxable" roth distributions, which could be an easy change. D...

I wouldn't trust my life with a .22; a home-invader might not even know they're being fired at and "press on". A lever action in .357/.38 has the power, practicality, and frugality needed for a home defence gun.  Indestructible, cheap to shoot thus easy to gain familiarity with, can be top...

I'm anti-cast iron because the non-chelated, free iron is neither dietary and is a significant pro-oxidant stressor, increases free radicals and accelerates aging.  It will make you more prone to getting sick as bacteria thrive on free iron, which is why the body tries to keep it tightly binded up ...

Alden 405 "Indy" boots and heel savers ( still surviving after 8 years of being worn nearly every workday and made in America ) Pic of boots 1992 F-150 w. 4.9L straight-six and manual transmission ( 291,000 miles and still reliable ) Marshall and Wendell grand piano circa 1928 ( still pla...

FYI: It appears that GTU's premium was ~29% in April of 2009: http://performance.morningstar.com/funds/cef/performance-price.action?t=XASE:GTU&region=usa&culture=en-US&cur= ...the discount was -6% in July of 2004, shortly ahead of the 2008 débâcle.  The fund looks like a winner with the ...

I would be weary of holding a position in GTU through a brokerage window in an employer's plan; should one leave employment one may be forced to sell at a lower discount than at purchase.  Otherwise, IRAs or personal brokerage accounts would be a great places for holding GTU provided balancing bands...

Jan Van wrote: So what exactly would be the problem if those 34M people became green card holders?

A lifeboat is only so big.

Three-hundred and ninety-four years from the Plymouth landing till today, and all built in the span between, all those wars and trials and what grew of them, from today's now neglected free-spoken town-hall to the pinnacles of the greatest works known to man---once, when there was still the will to ...

America needs to shut of the computer get back to work.  The future isn't frappachinos and iPhones, banana-shaped shoes, rectangular glasses, and Facebook, rather, its a toolbox, a thermos, and an exhausting days work to look back over with pride. What if you're wrong? What if the world of the futu...

Steward, I've rolled over this in my mind many times.  Non-dividend stock seems to be an example of "I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today". Companies earn.  Investors seek earnings on investments.  The marriage of investor and company springs from expectations. With dividend s...

Thanks for replying.  This is a PP account, Steward. I'm questioning conventional market-cap indexes because of concerns over the malinvestment.  I realize that the ranking implicit in market cap weighting comes about by what is in effect a "vote" by the market, but frankly, I see index in...

Would any here care to share their thoughts or experiences with mutual funds, ETFs, or CEFs tracking alternative stock indexes? Equal-weight indexing (e.g. Guggenheim's RSP) seems intuitive; buy an equal share of each company that passes the S&P's market cap threshold.  This prevents toy compani...

America's health care industry was over-insured well before ACA.  The ACA, by mandating private insurance enrollment, will only make the corruption worse. There is a reason one can buy a new face from a plastic surgeon for a couple thousand dollars and yet pay tens of thousands of dollars for a rout...

>I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who thinks that the whole "Mandela the Saint" narrative is a bit contrived. Mandela's lionization fits perfectly well with the Baby Boomer generation's worldview, IMHO.  Boomers, raised in the stable 1950s, seem to believe that the shrill tantrums lev...

Thanks. My "needs" budget is roughly $1,500 per month, including mortgage.  The $9,000 onhand already covers six months worth of essential living expenses.  Extra emergency fund savings will go into a new PP account.  By the way, I'm padding our emergency fund because of my wife's multiple...

Hello, Background information: Age: 37 Wages: $70,000 pre-tax Emergency fund: $9,000 - Cash and T-Bills Roth IRA: $27,000 - Independent PP through Vanguard 457b: $101,000 - Independent PP through Schwab brokerage window I'm considering creating a separate PP in a taxable brokerage account just for m...

I'm interested to hear what you find out what you learn about Brokerage Window/In-Service Rollover. I called ICMA and found that they offer a "VantageBroker" product which allows access to TDAmeritrade products through the 457b, however, my employer has not elected to enroll in this servi...

within your 457b, do you have access to a Brokerage Window I couldn't find anything on the 457 provider's website regarding this.  I will check into this with the benefits coordinator come Monday. You may want to list your 457b fund list that you have available to pick from, although feel free to e...