It is my belief that the following simple graph holds an inherent truth that most of us prefer to deny. Whether the Earth’s carrying capacity for human beings is 1 billion or 12, it is obvious from this graph that something absolutely fantastic occurred during the past 150 years that led to a profou...

As a small satellite holding, I have a Roth IRA that I would like to set up as a high stakes variable portfolio.  I would like to put together 2-4 asset classes that are highly volatile and roughly uncorrelated. Similar in principle to the HB PP, gains would be captured by rebalancing. For one asset...

The answer is intuitive and implied in your posting, of course. Yet, isn't that what our debt-based economy is based on, particularly fractional reserve banking? While I certainly agree with MT about the timing, for me it is tempting to to estimate the probability of a collapse of our economic syste...

this is the reasons they (the bbb) gave for the rating... Accreditation This business is not a BBB Accredited Business. Factors that lowered this business's rating include: Failure to respond to 1 complaint(s) filed against business BBB does not have sufficient background information on this busine...

dualstow wrote: Now that I've heard good things about Tulving on this forum, I think I'm going to switch to them.

A bit off topic, but before switching to Tulving, look at the BBB rating (F). Anyone not concerned about this?

While such things as an International Asset Protection Trust does seem like overly aggressive overkill for all but the extremely wealthy, I think that several of the ideas in this article are very applicable to members of this forum. Most of us are already preparing for a “street fight,”? even if it...

Great thread. Thanks for starting, MT. Here’s my apocalyptic take. My concern is not that alternative sources of energy are possible, but rather whether we may not have the time and resources to develop them before a “perfect storm”? hits, triggered by decreasing flow rates and increasing costs of p...

You folks are amazing! You respond so quickly, and your answers are so consistently grounded in impassivity about future market conditions. Reminds me of asking my father, "Can I have a car?" "No, there is no need for you to own a car at age 18." "But what if I payed for gas...

Back to the original question, why LT treasuries now.  This question remains my biggest hang-up, as I am sure it is for many. You have provided sound advice about market timing Craig and MediumTex. But, for me, it is not as much a matter of timing as a concern about risk vs. reward, upside vs. downs...

Thanks for both of your wise (and consistent) comments. I will admit and clarify that I am already largely in cash (about 70%, largely out of paralysis rather than reason) rather than intending to market time out of other asset classes into cash. I am taking the first step out of such a paralytic st...

Like many of you, I hold a VP in addition to the PP. For the PP, I am committed to holding my nose and my breath and investing without regard to market sentiment or market timing. For the VP, I am more speculative and contrarian. I tend to think we are in a unique period in which many assets are ove...

A true depression? My parents grew up in a rural farming community during the 1920s and 30s, and they subsequently invested nearly exclusively in small rental properties. "Everyone needs a roof over their head," they would say. What other things do we all need when a large proportion of th...

Of course, I wonder whether gold (or any other money, including paper money) held overseas stacked and bundled in a safety deposit box could be regarded as an "account" for IRS purposes. I question the same thing. I have combed the internet looking for FBAR reporting of safe deposit boxes...

Thanks many times over to CraigR for creating and administering this site. Thanks as well to Clive, MediumTex and all other contributors for your posts and comments. This is truly an invaluable work of generosity. Thanks in part to this site, I am preparing to take back the management of my own inve...