Search found 1416 matches

by Lone Wolf
Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:05 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Rebalancing... Hormones?
Replies: 142
Views: 41897

Re: Rebalancing... Hormones?

There are times when I naturally wake up at 4:00am, and when this happens I usually have had a Big Dream (as the Jungians call it) which is full of mythological images and meaning.  When I sleep all the way to 7:00am the dreams are usually stupid and/or boring (not the f-ing airport again!), but so...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:27 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Rebalancing... Hormones?
Replies: 142
Views: 41897

Re: Rebalancing... Hormones?

CONFIRMED!!!! See here... The author mentions the higher incidence of (lucid) dreaming in the "second sleep" as if it were common knowledge. Wow. Holy crap x2!! Holy crap #1: This confirms that with the "old school" segmented sleep practices you almost certainly got a radically higher incidence of ...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:42 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Rebalancing... Hormones?
Replies: 142
Views: 41897

Re: Rebalancing... Hormones?

Holy crap is right! I think you may be right. There is a very decent chance people were experiencing lucid dreams much more often back then. It almost implies that lucid dreaming is part of our evolutionary circadian rhythm!! That is really astounding if that's true. I know, man!  It's funny how th...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:59 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Rebalancing... Hormones?
Replies: 142
Views: 41897

Re: Rebalancing... Hormones?

But, historians and researchers have uncovered that before there was artificial (blue) light, people used to have two periods of sleep at night. It's known as " Segmented Sleep ". People would go to sleep shortly after sundown and wake up around 1-2am and then go back to sleep till the morning. You...
by Lone Wolf
Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:27 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: It's not the end of the world...???
Replies: 45
Views: 13838

Re: It's not the end of the world...???

Apocalyptic thinking is a normal part of the human condition.  We're all susceptible to it, it's not new, and it's nothing to be embarrassed about -- just watched for and tempered. Like MT said, personal, local apocalypses happen to people all the time.  Keep your finances in good order.  Have a lit...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Nov 19, 2012 9:17 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: The Shirtless FBI Agent From the Petraeus Story
Replies: 5
Views: 2318

Re: The Shirtless FBI Agent From the Petraeus Story

What a great photo. Funny you should post this.  When it came out that the photo of the "shirtless FBI agent" was actually an obvious (and kinda funny) joke, I was immediately reminded of your Aldous Huxley quote. It's funny how you can wind up with a better understanding of a story by actively ign...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Nov 19, 2012 9:02 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: 80-90% of your Total Savings in PP
Replies: 43
Views: 22512

Re: 80-90% of your Total Savings in PP

I'm just under 96%, which is as "all in" as I can manage.  (For simplicity, I include things like my checking account as cash.)  There are always a few pieces that don't quite fit, but that's okay.  I didn't find a good way to build a PP for 529 college savings plans, for example, so went with a 50/...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Nov 19, 2012 8:55 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail
Replies: 48
Views: 15635

Re: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail

That's not true today, though.  Interest rates are 0% but inflation is certainly >0%.  So the "whiners" are of course correct when they worry that their irreplaceable savings are being eroded by our current policies. How many other oddities do there have to be before the PP loses its safety appeal?...
by Lone Wolf
Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:40 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail
Replies: 48
Views: 15635

Re: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail

Typically, Short Term Treasuries and banks (via Short Term Treasuries and private credit instruments) have provided a relatively good preservation of wealth. Harry Browne discussed this a number of times. So, this idea that all our purchasing power disappears when the dollar weaken usually isn't tr...
by Lone Wolf
Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:30 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Chances of losing (and winning!) are close to zero.
Replies: 348
Views: 112179

Re: Chances of losing (and winning!) are close to zero.

It's great to have you here, Marc!  I remember reading about your European Permanent Portfolio waaaay back in the day on the Bogleheads thread. If you believe U.S. inflation is that high, how do you explain the fact that wages have definitely NOT risen by anything near 5.5% per year? While 5.5% is h...
by Lone Wolf
Thu Nov 15, 2012 4:35 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Obesity
Replies: 62
Views: 17603

Re: Obesity

It seems to me that if people simply eliminated sweetened drinks from their diets and dramatically cut down on the bread and fried foods they consumed, it would make a huge difference in public health.  This won't happen, of course, but it's important to remember that the solution is not complicate...
by Lone Wolf
Thu Nov 15, 2012 3:57 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: A PP Tweak with some Theoretical and Empirical Logic
Replies: 32
Views: 14560

Re: A PP Tweak with some Theoretical and Empirical Logic

I always enjoy insightful PP surgery like this. I do want to touch on the simplification angle.  What might appear to be a simplification (going to 3 types of securities rather than 4) often isn't in practice.  Most of us will keep some substantial portion of our money in cash-like instruments in or...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:51 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail
Replies: 48
Views: 15635

Re: Why The PP Will Eventually Fail

I understand your concern that we might not see prosperity anytime soon.  It's easy to see the current situation as dispiriting --  the U.S. rehired a balkanizing, statist epic fail of a President when we had a successful , pro-liberty executive like Gary Johnson ready to do the job.  If you've been...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:21 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Legalizing Marijuana: The View From Mexico
Replies: 24
Views: 13059

Re: Legalizing Marijuana: The View From Mexico

Captain Kirk: "Bones, in your opinion...as a doctor...what do you make of these people?  What they're doing to each other...over this plant?  I'm trying to grasp it, but I can't...quite...put the pieces together." Dr. McCoy: "Dammit Jim!  There's nothing to make of this!  These people are batshit c...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Oct 31, 2012 9:49 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Sandy
Replies: 50
Views: 14737

Re: Sandy

Reub, I'm so sorry to hear about all of that damage, brother.  But I'm glad that you and your dad are safe -- please stay that way!
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:22 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: The Poor Man's PP...
Replies: 14
Views: 7293

Re: The Poor Man's PP...

I'm poor.  After a horrible year, I'm finally beginning to get some traction.  I have no debt.  No mortgage.  No car payment.  No children.  I have $1,000 to put away, and I could arrange to put away around $300 a month from here. The average American has something like $47,000 in debt.  You have n...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:00 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Predicting the Presidential Election
Replies: 43
Views: 16023

Re: Predicting the Presidential Election

Based on this factor alone, I am going to predict that the election won't even be close--Obama will win comfortably. I agree with MT that Romney has no chance. Let's make this fun.  I predict a Mitt Romney win. Having at last accepted that Gary Johnson and/or Calvin Coolidge probably won't win this...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 29, 2012 2:06 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Sandy
Replies: 50
Views: 14737

Re: Sandy

You both sound well-prepared.  You gentlemen please stay safe!  I'm hoping that the lights stay on for you.
by Lone Wolf
Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:25 am
Forum: Stocks
Topic: Hoisington Quarterly Report Predicts Lower Long Term Treasury Yields
Replies: 37
Views: 17026

Re: Hoisington Quarterly Report Predicts Lower Long Term Treasury Yields

I think that since this interesting exchange has erupted more or less off topic in a pretty boring sounding thread title, no one else may even be reading our posts.  :D Ha!  I'm reading.  If this forum had some kind of "Like" button or whatever, I'd have been pressing it all over this thread. Great...
by Lone Wolf
Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:45 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Permanent Portfolio Book - Kindle Edition Now Shipping!
Replies: 89
Views: 34526

Re: Permanent Portfolio Book - Kindle Edition Now Shipping!

Any Amazon book reviews that anyone could take the time to write would be much appreciated. Done.  You've got a well-deserved 5-star from me in Amazon's queue.  You'll know it when you see it, for I was the only reviewer with the courage to mention leather chaps.  (Twice.) You gentlemen (and this i...
by Lone Wolf
Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:22 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Milestones to Financial Freedom
Replies: 77
Views: 22847

Re: Milestones to Financial Freedom

I really like the descriptions of these milestones.  That final "financial freedom" phase perfectly matches the criteria that I use.  While it's not the "last stop" (since you could always add a "filthy rich" or "more money than you know how to spend" phase), I think that this is the phase all of us...
by Lone Wolf
Tue Oct 16, 2012 8:11 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Permanent Portfolio Book - Hardcover and eBook Versions Now Shipping!
Replies: 43
Views: 21187

Re: Permanent Portfolio Book - Hardcover and eBook Versions Now Shipping!

Reub wrote: The book has been declared an "investment gem" by Taylor Larimore on the Bogleheads site. Congratulations!
That's great (and well deserved!)  As I've said all along, they may not like gold very much, but the Bogleheads are the good guys.
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:28 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Drop the Money Bomb on Monsanto
Replies: 171
Views: 48001

Re: Drop the Money Bomb on Monsanto

WiseOne wrote: The only correction I'd make to the above:  The modern Civic equivalent only goes 180,000 miles.  Life expectancy in the U.S. is dropping.
From what I see, life expectancy in the United States is clearly and consistently rising:

This is the chart that I was looking at.
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 15, 2012 3:14 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Early Retirement Extreme progress
Replies: 105
Views: 40292

Re: Early Retirement Extreme progress

Great topic!  I love that you've posted some hard data.  I won't try to compete with you because frankly you have wiped the floor with me in every category.  :D First, your power bill embarrasses me.  Granted, you live in the South Bay and thus enjoy the best weather in the world when I'm often usin...
by Lone Wolf
Mon Oct 15, 2012 2:58 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Skydiving from Space
Replies: 15
Views: 5330

Re: Skydiving from Space

It's remarkable how our two main approaches to getting that high are to burn a TON of rocket fuel or just let a helium balloon carry you up there.  It seems to me that a really elegant spacecraft would be taken to suborbital heights under a helium balloon and then fire the rockets from there. I thi...