Search found 688 matches

by rocketdog
Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:38 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: What Happened to PP in 2013?
Replies: 21
Views: 13192

Re: What Happened to PP in 2013?

Kshartle wrote:
rocketdog wrote: I'm writing a novel, which is absorbing what little free time I still had left.  ;)
Would you share the premise?
Sorry, I never talk about my writing projects while I'm working on them.  Not even my wife knows anything about it.  ;D
by rocketdog
Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:37 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: What Happened to PP in 2013?
Replies: 21
Views: 13192

Re: What Happened to PP in 2013?

Which ETFs do you use for your PPs? Traditional PP returned like -2.5%. Did you rebalance at some point, or we're you a little bit stock heavy? Correction: I just went on Schwab.com to see how they calculated our 2013 returns for our Roth IRAs.  According to Schwab my Roth was up 3.82% on the year,...
by rocketdog
Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:59 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: What Happened to PP in 2013?
Replies: 21
Views: 13192

Re: What Happened to PP in 2013?

Hey PPers!  Long time no post!  The last few months have been crazy for me (boss left and still hasn't been replaced, dog had ACL surgery, then I got summoned for grand jury duty, then major projects have me swamped at work).  So I haven't even had time to lurk, but thought I'd post my 2013 portfoli...
by rocketdog
Fri Aug 09, 2013 3:29 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Update on me
Replies: 3
Views: 3135

Update on me

I'm still alive, just totally slammed at work and at home.  Was out of town for a vacation, then a wedding, then a funeral, then a string of 7 different house guest visits (sometimes as many as 5 people staying at once), then my back-up person at work went out on a leave of absence, then my boss qui...
by rocketdog
Sat Jul 13, 2013 9:20 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Foods to Avoid
Replies: 238
Views: 73121

Re: Foods to Avoid

Moderation in all things is the key.  Because too much Omega-3 can create its own set of health problems . Correct. Remember, fish oil is a polyunsaturated oil (PUFA). And PUFAs are highly unstable (as I have been arguing). Therefore, I agree that is better to lower Omega-6 than to raise one's Omeg...
by rocketdog
Mon Jul 08, 2013 4:09 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: HB PP wins in a portfolio shootout on Seeking Alpha
Replies: 3
Views: 2503

HB PP wins in a portfolio shootout on Seeking Alpha

I've been too busy to participate on the forums lately, but I came across this article and wanted to share:

3 Portfolios Inspired By Graham, Swensen, Browne: A Risk Vs. Return Analysis
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:14 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Seeking advice: Do I have the wrong approach in my attempt at the PP in my 401k?
Replies: 21
Views: 10261

Re: Seeking advice: Do I have the wrong approach in my attempt at the PP in my 401k?

TennPaGa wrote: GTU instead of SGOL (GTU is currently available at a 6% discount)
OK, dumb question:  how did you determine that GTU is available at a 6% discount? 
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:08 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: PP investors--stay the course
Replies: 282
Views: 123995

Re: PP investors--stay the course

Miners.  They go broke all the time.  Very volatile industry--which is why I play the sector and not individual companies.  Although, look at the largest miner in the world--Barrick.  5x earnings?  Absurd.  As a sector, the miners are nearing single digit PEs--levels we've only seen in the midst of...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:05 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2 months old PP, down -3%.
Replies: 87
Views: 42911

Re: 2 months old PP, down -3%.

I don't know about anyone else, but when I made my initial PP buy-in I told myself that no matter when I took the plunge at least one of the assets I bought was going to start losing money almost immediately.  But I was wrong... because two of the assets started losing money almost immediately!  :o ...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 1:59 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Finance and Investing Books
Replies: 38
Views: 17850

Re: Finance and Investing Books

I just read an interesting book called "How To Retire Early and Live Well With Less Than A Million Dollars."  It was interesting because it was published in 2000, so the author was unaware of what would be happening in the markets.  Allegedly the author retired in 1981 at age 29 with a portfolio wor...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:32 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: PP investors--stay the course
Replies: 282
Views: 123995

Re: PP investors--stay the course

All I can say is, "Thank goodness for my VP!"  :o Amen, brother! My VP is saving my bacon right now, +40% ytd. Makes me a little sick to think that I sold some VP and moved it into PP earlier this year, but whatever...  :'( please do tell about your VP What do you want to know?  My VP is equity-hea...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:01 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2 months old PP, down -3%.
Replies: 87
Views: 42911

Re: 2 months old PP, down -3%.

What do you mean?  If you buy a 5-year bond for $1,000 and hold it to maturity, you get your entire $1,000 back. I think what he's getting to is that if there's, say, 10% inflation during every one of those years, that $1,000 you get back will only have the purchasing power of $590. 10% inflation f...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:59 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2 months old PP, down -3%.
Replies: 87
Views: 42911

Re: 2 months old PP, down -3%.

This may not be the best spot for this after what Catacomb posted, but how is everyone tracking their rebalancing bands? Do you all just use a spreadsheet, and manually update the data based on the current day's prices? I've downloaded some of the spreadsheets on the forum previously, but I'm wonde...
by rocketdog
Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:51 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2 months old PP, down -3%.
Replies: 87
Views: 42911

Re: 2 months old PP, down -3%.

90% bonds? Unless they're all ultra short-term, you'll get crushed when interest rates normalize, which they will.  If you're smarter and faster than all the professional bond traders, financial "insiders," FED, ECB, etc, then.... You can avoid catastrophe with bonds by purchasing high-quality bond...
by rocketdog
Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:49 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: PP is WAY DOWN...:(
Replies: 30
Views: 18817

Re: PP is WAY DOWN...:(

Honestly, the time spent fretting over your investments is a tremendous waste of energy. If you index, pay low expense, and have wide diversification, that is 99% of the game. If you have a wife/husband, take them out to dinner or go for walk. If you like whiskey, enjoy a (small) glass. Drink some ...
by rocketdog
Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:34 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 2 months old PP, down -3%.
Replies: 87
Views: 42911

Re: 2 months old PP, down -3%.

Currently I'm considering some more solid investments like 10% stocks / 90% AAA bonds local mutual funds. 90% bonds? Unless they're all ultra short-term, you'll get crushed when interest rates normalize, which they will.  If you're smarter and faster than all the professional bond traders, financia...
by rocketdog
Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:24 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: PP investors--stay the course
Replies: 282
Views: 123995

Re: PP investors--stay the course

I think the thing that's been most disturbing over the past 6 months is watching bonds and gold behaving almost in lock-step.  Gold is down 25%-30% for the year (depending on which fund you track) and bonds are down about 11% YTD.  Stocks are up around 12%, which is enough to offset the loss in bond...
by rocketdog
Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:55 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: CA Passes Bill Requiring Permit to Buy Ammo
Replies: 1
Views: 1509

CA Passes Bill Requiring Permit to Buy Ammo

Just got back from a 10-day vacation last night (with no Internet access the whole time, hence my MIA status on the forums).  I'm swamped trying to catch up at work, but this story caught my eye so I thought I'd log in quick and share: http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/06/17/california-senate-passes-bi...
by rocketdog
Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:28 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Former "Plunge Protection Team" Member on Gold, Wealth Confiscation, Gov debt
Replies: 86
Views: 32445

Re: Former "Plunge Protection Team" Member on Gold, Wealth Confiscation, Gov debt

Now that I think of it, where does the constitution that we have to stay on a gold based currency?  It simply states the government has the right to "coin money," does it not? No State shall ... make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts ... (Excerpted from Article 1, Sect...
by rocketdog
Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:21 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Recipes--A Permanent Cuisine
Replies: 15
Views: 6419

Re: Recipes--A Permanent Cuisine

Good luck smurff!  Let us know how they turned out.  And don't be discouraged if they fall below your expectations -- they can be tricky to get just right, but when you do they're pretty awesome I must say.  ;D I made the Portobello for Tuesday dinner.  It was great!  I did not realize that Portobe...
by rocketdog
Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:36 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Update: "A Quantitative Approach to Tactical Asset Allocation"
Replies: 15
Views: 7377

Re: Update: "A Quantitative Approach to Tactical Asset Allocation"

MediumTex wrote: Nothing like a girlfriend to ease the mind and pull you away from an internet forum.
Nothing like a wife to trouble the mind and drive you to an internet forum.

(I'm joking -- my wife's totally cool with my internet usage :) )
by rocketdog
Mon Jun 10, 2013 4:03 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama
Replies: 16
Views: 6028

Re: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama

We were warned: “Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.”? -James Madison Federalist No. 10 - Federalist Papers (1787-1788) "In questions of power, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." -Thomas Jefferson Unfortun...
by rocketdog
Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:26 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama
Replies: 16
Views: 6028

Re: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama

To an increasing degree, we're counting on having angels in office and making ourselves vulnerable to devils. Bush and Obama have built infrastructure any devil would lust after. We were warned: “Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.”? -James Madison Federalist No. 10 - Federalist P...
by rocketdog
Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:22 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama
Replies: 16
Views: 6028

Re: All the Infrastructure a Tyrant Would Need, Courtesy of Bush and Obama

Benko wrote: The tradeoff of privacy vs security is not an easy one, but given what is going on now, I'll take privacy at the expense of the alternative.
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

- Benjamin Franklin (credited)
by rocketdog
Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:18 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Former "Plunge Protection Team" Member on Gold, Wealth Confiscation, Gov debt
Replies: 86
Views: 32445

Re: Former "Plunge Protection Team" Member on Gold, Wealth Confiscation, Gov debt

moda0306 wrote: Meanwhile, we have no examples of an Austrian model that works in the modern world. 
Does Estonia qualify?

http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-art ... ic-miracle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4f9SZiZ-azU