Search found 1126 matches

by Greg
Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:51 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: New Tax Plan Deductions
Replies: 33
Views: 16891

Re: New Tax Plan Deductions

With the old tax system i would have started itemizing because i just bought a house and give to charity each year (almost entirely to the church). Now itemizing with the standard deduction so high only would make some of those charitable contributions into actual dollars that reduce my overall taxe...
by Greg
Tue Oct 10, 2017 7:26 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Bed/Frame Shopping Hacks
Replies: 35
Views: 22229

Re: Bed/Frame Shopping Hacks

Any thoughts on the Purple mattress? I've been looking into it lately. https://onpurple.com/mattress?gclid=CjwKEAjwsNfOBRCWl_HevZSJ2i0SJABiE2qWqi8bOly2HrU6U7YhMD_qTi4ZSn2U-XsrryHwv6wvBBoC-PLw_wcB P.s. they have the funniest mattress video ads I've ever seen LOL, those really were good. $999 for a b...
by Greg
Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:34 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Bed/Frame Shopping Hacks
Replies: 35
Views: 22229

Re: Bed/Frame Shopping Hacks

Any thoughts on the Purple mattress? I've been looking into it lately.

https://onpurple.com/mattress?gclid=Cjw ... oC-PLw_wcB

P.s. they have the funniest mattress video ads I've ever seen
by Greg
Wed Sep 06, 2017 2:32 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

Yes, I would take away my kid's freewill to choose to put his hand on a hot stove burner if he couldn't stop doing it. The Bible says that that those who are in Christ were chosen and predestined for it before the world was even created (excuse my paraphrase but I think it's pretty accurate from me...
by Greg
Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:05 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

I look at it from a probability standpoint. If you spend your whole life (say 100 years), and every day you touch the stove and it burns you but you go back to it every day for that 100 years, what is the probability that if you lived 200 years that you'd learn your lesson and that you'd stop touch...
by Greg
Tue Sep 05, 2017 4:48 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

5.) To your point above, you can tell your child to not touch the stove and if they don't believe you and touch it, they burn themselves and ideally learn. Sometimes suffering can be a way to learn. Boils down to Discipline looking forward to reform us and Punishment looking backwards for accepting...
by Greg
Tue Sep 05, 2017 4:45 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

Thanks for your response farjean2, here's some additional comments regarding your thoughts. When we are rebellious to the point of exhaustion, however, God has no choice but to deliver on His warnings." A child abuser could not have said it any better. Quote from the previous link: "Punishment need ...
by Greg
Tue Sep 05, 2017 3:30 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

I have a question for the orthodox believers who post to this thread (you know who you are). It's really very simple. The Bible says "God is love" so it must be true. Yet, according to orthodox Christian doctrine millions/billions will suffer the never ending torments of hell for all eternity becau...
by Greg
Wed Aug 23, 2017 11:37 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

I copied the post from the Charlottesville thread as my comments are getting into the religious understanding: EDIT: It is probably obvious, but I think any real and lasting change on what it means to truly love our neighbor as ourself has to come from within, a change of heart and mind. Imposing t...
by Greg
Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:17 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: The Google memo firestorm
Replies: 48
Views: 27256

Re: The Google memo firestorm

http://www.businessinsider.com/james-damore-may-win-nlra-legal-case-google-2017-8 Good article on this topic. - An expert in California labor law tells Business Insider that Damore has a better chance of winning his case than people may think. - That's because Damore's case is NOT about free speech,...
by Greg
Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:46 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: What's Happened To This Place?
Replies: 18
Views: 12596

Re: What's Happened To This Place?

The problem, Don, is that you forgot the eighth rule of fight club. And the eighth and final rule: If this is your first night at Fight Club, you have to fight. Thus... for this place to be the place you remember, you have to show up bare-knuckled. Not whining about how it used to be. Why are you s...
by Greg
Thu Aug 10, 2017 8:42 am
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: What's Happened To This Place?
Replies: 18
Views: 12596

Re: What's Happened To This Place?

Also a lot of people got bored with the investment aspect of the PP which helped facilitate it. My guess is if you've ever taken this personality test (pretty short but interesting) that most of the people here are some combination of green and gold. https://lonerwolf.com/true-colors-personality-te...
by Greg
Mon Aug 07, 2017 4:21 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

If interested Pointedstick (or to anyone else for that matter), I did a presentation on this to some members of my church last month on some of the historical data on Jesus. If interested you can take a look (hopefully this link works): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1SRhuV3eIXARkNiZFVOUU5mR1k....
by Greg
Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:08 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Figuring Out Religion
Replies: 4052
Views: 1385846

Re: Figuring Out Religion

What matters is whether or not they can help unlock spiritual power within yourself that's gotten locked away since you lost your faith in the kiddie cartoon religion you were practicing before. Ask yourself: is Jesus a figure worth listening to and emulating? Not Jesus the apocalypse preacher in y...
by Greg
Sat Jul 22, 2017 9:49 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Asset Allocation Ideas when you have a Mortgage
Replies: 15
Views: 13305

Re: Asset Allocation Ideas when you have a Mortgage

whatchamacallit, I read through your bogleheads link. Some of it as interesting information. Looks like there are a few things: If you didn't have it part of your portfolio, it still does put you in different life situations. For example, two people: Person #1 $300,000 in Investments (Stocks/Bonds/G...
by Greg
Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:09 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Asset Allocation Ideas when you have a Mortgage
Replies: 15
Views: 13305

Asset Allocation Ideas when you have a Mortgage

All, I've been digging through the forum while thinking about Tyler's Golden Butterfly portfolio. Tyler's Portfolio is 40% Stocks (20% Total Stock Market and 20% Small-Cap Value), 20% Long-Term U.S. Treasury Bonds, 20% Short-Term Treasury Bonds, and 20% Gold. I'm going to be getting a mortgage in a ...
by Greg
Mon Jul 17, 2017 8:45 am
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?
Replies: 8
Views: 7111

Re: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?

Thanks Pet Hog. I appreciate if someone calls out bad math. My question still stands though of a potential on what makes sense for a rebalancing band in regards to a 20/20/20/20/20 (especially if two of the 20s are both stocks).
by Greg
Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:27 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: YouTube Junkie
Replies: 1230
Views: 589413

Re: YouTube Junkie

Totally dumb but about 7 seconds (I find it quite amusing)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6TIMzUsOVg - Redneck Dream
by Greg
Sun Jul 16, 2017 6:29 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?
Replies: 8
Views: 7111

Re: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?

Yup, I ran some simulations comparing several different strategies for accumulation, and I remember comparing rebalancing strategies as well. 15/35 band rebalancing beat annual, and there was something on the order of 0.5% CAGR spread - quite significant. 20/30 bands did not perform as well as 15/3...
by Greg
Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:07 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?
Replies: 8
Views: 7111

Re: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?

Good question! The problem is mostly about data availability. To model most rebalancing strategies other than the simple annual method (bands, momentum, etc) requires data more granular than the annual numbers I use on the site. I actually have the ability to get monthly returns now, although I hav...
by Greg
Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:59 pm
Forum: Permanent Portfolio Discussion
Topic: Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?
Replies: 8
Views: 7111

Can Portfoliocharts describe optimum rebalancing bands?

Tyler et Al, https://www.gyroscopicinvesting.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3686&p=51581&hilit=rebalance+annually#p51581 This has been spoken about a couple of times of what the optimum re-balancing bands are. Within your Portfoliocharts.com website (which might I add is excellent, much appreciated f...
by Greg
Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:41 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Buying a house, crunching numbers, and saving on taxes
Replies: 13
Views: 9963

Re: Buying a house, crunching numbers, and saving on taxes

Greg, Make sure that your mortgage provides, in writing, that your PMI can and will be dropped once your equity reaches the 20% level. Since you mentioned that you are a federal employee, I assume that you are eligible for the Thrift Savings Plan. The TSP G fund is a Treasury- issued security with ...
by Greg
Sat Jul 15, 2017 3:10 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Re-discovering religion
Replies: 18
Views: 11497

Re: Re-discovering religion

By the way Desert and Greg, Ecclesiastes is blowing my mind right now. There truly is nothing new under the sun. :) *Thumbs up*. Technology keeps on improving, but strip that away and we're still just humans who desire pretty basic things: land, power, material goods, sexual partnerships, etc. Coup...
by Greg
Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:29 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Buying a house, crunching numbers, and saving on taxes
Replies: 13
Views: 9963

Re: Buying a house, crunching numbers, and saving on taxes

Another factor that's somewhat philosophical is the fact that debt approximates a negative bond allocation ... if you're routing more money into investments rather than paying down the mortgage, you're effectively borrowing to finance investing. And if a portion of that investment is bonds, it woul...
by Greg
Fri Jul 14, 2017 8:14 pm
Forum: Other Discussions
Topic: Re-discovering religion
Replies: 18
Views: 11497

Re: Re-discovering religion

Back in R0.0, I disliked most of Christianity, but somehow still liked Jesus and the Solomonic book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes describes 21st century modern life quite accurately despite its age. It's a very honest description of our lives on earth; I think it's a book that should be appreciated...