[equalizer]

Heard debate on radio with running commentary on KFI. Funniest skit since Indecision ’96 on Comedy Central. Uncle Jerry may not have (any) great ideas, but he comes off as jovial, whereas Meg comes off as elitist robot that can’t connect with the masses by talking straight. This latest incident may further the perception (however unfairly) that Meg is cold as steel. American people don’t like to vote for nerdy smart people like Romney, just happy guys and prom queens.

Note to CEO’s and Billionaires: Just think about conducting a background search on your help. I heard you could do that online, maybe bid on a PI service on Ebay.

[equalizer]

[quote=Russell]For decades now our country looks like a terrible reality show called “Battle of the Welfare Queens”. The contestants are racketeers, pimps and prostitutes, who have to put bribes and arrange or pull tricks, to see who gets hit by the pain train and who gets hit by a delicious cream puff. The studio audience gets splattered with blood while the try to catch frosting.[/quote]
You just stay away from my cream puffs!

Tom Keene at Bloomberg Radio had a great discussion with a expert panel on How to Fix the Economy.

Panelists: Yale University professor Robert J. Shiller, Peter R. Orszag, former Salomon Brothers Managing Director Henry Kaufman, Professor Charles W. Calomiris, and Pimco Managing Director William H. Gross

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_39/b4196054741296.htm

Schiller is the lone outsider with no agenda and has summed up the mood of the country. He views may appear a tad idealistic, but he correctly identified the two bubbles of the last decade.

Shiller: “There are many dimensions to trying to restore confidence. A plan to reduce the national debt is a relatively small part of it at this point. The really big thing is, people are very upset. They feel that the country is not theirs, and that a small group of wealthy people who get bailed out and bribe the government are in charge.”

Not everyone can have cream puffs!

[equalizer]

[quote=Russell]For decades now our country looks like a terrible reality show called “Battle of the Welfare Queens”. The contestants are racketeers, pimps and prostitutes, who have to put bribes and arrange or pull tricks, to see who gets hit by the pain train and who gets hit by a delicious cream puff. The studio audience gets splattered with blood while the try to catch frosting.[/quote]
You just stay away from my cream puffs!

Tom Keene at Bloomberg Radio had a great discussion with a expert panel on How to Fix the Economy.

Panelists: Yale University professor Robert J. Shiller, Peter R. Orszag, former Salomon Brothers Managing Director Henry Kaufman, Professor Charles W. Calomiris, and Pimco Managing Director William H. Gross

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_39/b4196054741296.htm

Schiller is the lone outsider with no agenda and has summed up the mood of the country. He views may appear a tad idealistic, but he correctly identified the two bubbles of the last decade.

Shiller: “There are many dimensions to trying to restore confidence. A plan to reduce the national debt is a relatively small part of it at this point. The really big thing is, people are very upset. They feel that the country is not theirs, and that a small group of wealthy people who get bailed out and bribe the government are in charge.”

Not everyone can have cream puffs!

[equalizer]

[quote=Russell]For decades now our country looks like a terrible reality show called “Battle of the Welfare Queens”. The contestants are racketeers, pimps and prostitutes, who have to put bribes and arrange or pull tricks, to see who gets hit by the pain train and who gets hit by a delicious cream puff. The studio audience gets splattered with blood while the try to catch frosting.[/quote]
You just stay away from my cream puffs!

Tom Keene at Bloomberg Radio had a great discussion with a expert panel on How to Fix the Economy.

Panelists: Yale University professor Robert J. Shiller, Peter R. Orszag, former Salomon Brothers Managing Director Henry Kaufman, Professor Charles W. Calomiris, and Pimco Managing Director William H. Gross

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_39/b4196054741296.htm

Schiller is the lone outsider with no agenda and has summed up the mood of the country. He views may appear a tad idealistic, but he correctly identified the two bubbles of the last decade.

Shiller: “There are many dimensions to trying to restore confidence. A plan to reduce the national debt is a relatively small part of it at this point. The really big thing is, people are very upset. They feel that the country is not theirs, and that a small group of wealthy people who get bailed out and bribe the government are in charge.”

Not everyone can have cream puffs!

[equalizer]

[quote=Russell]For decades now our country looks like a terrible reality show called “Battle of the Welfare Queens”. The contestants are racketeers, pimps and prostitutes, who have to put bribes and arrange or pull tricks, to see who gets hit by the pain train and who gets hit by a delicious cream puff. The studio audience gets splattered with blood while the try to catch frosting.[/quote]
You just stay away from my cream puffs!

Tom Keene at Bloomberg Radio had a great discussion with a expert panel on How to Fix the Economy.

Panelists: Yale University professor Robert J. Shiller, Peter R. Orszag, former Salomon Brothers Managing Director Henry Kaufman, Professor Charles W. Calomiris, and Pimco Managing Director William H. Gross

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_39/b4196054741296.htm

Schiller is the lone outsider with no agenda and has summed up the mood of the country. He views may appear a tad idealistic, but he correctly identified the two bubbles of the last decade.

Shiller: “There are many dimensions to trying to restore confidence. A plan to reduce the national debt is a relatively small part of it at this point. The really big thing is, people are very upset. They feel that the country is not theirs, and that a small group of wealthy people who get bailed out and bribe the government are in charge.”

Not everyone can have cream puffs!

[equalizer]

[quote=Russell]For decades now our country looks like a terrible reality show called “Battle of the Welfare Queens”. The contestants are racketeers, pimps and prostitutes, who have to put bribes and arrange or pull tricks, to see who gets hit by the pain train and who gets hit by a delicious cream puff. The studio audience gets splattered with blood while the try to catch frosting.[/quote]
You just stay away from my cream puffs!

Tom Keene at Bloomberg Radio had a great discussion with a expert panel on How to Fix the Economy.

Panelists: Yale University professor Robert J. Shiller, Peter R. Orszag, former Salomon Brothers Managing Director Henry Kaufman, Professor Charles W. Calomiris, and Pimco Managing Director William H. Gross

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_39/b4196054741296.htm

Schiller is the lone outsider with no agenda and has summed up the mood of the country. He views may appear a tad idealistic, but he correctly identified the two bubbles of the last decade.

Shiller: “There are many dimensions to trying to restore confidence. A plan to reduce the national debt is a relatively small part of it at this point. The really big thing is, people are very upset. They feel that the country is not theirs, and that a small group of wealthy people who get bailed out and bribe the government are in charge.”

Not everyone can have cream puffs!

[equalizer]

For the short term (5 years) I would look at alternative investments for at least 25% of your portfolio, esp higher yield and emerging. Not lowest cost, but better risk management. Here’s a list starting with the least volatile:

Alpine Ultra Short Tax Optimized Inc Inv
ATOIX

Hussman Strategic Total Return
HSTRX

Janus Flexible Bond T
JAFIX

DoubleLine Total Return Bond N
DLTNX

PIMCO Unconstrained Bond D PUBDX

DoubleLine Emerging Markets Income N
DLENX

Permanent Portfolio (lots of gold, silver)
PRPFX

Matthews Asia Dividend
MAPIX

Harbor High-Yield Bond Inv
HYFIX

For longer term I would suggest variable annuity, but the benefits and guarantees by the Prudential’s and MetLife’s of the world have been greatly reduced since 2008.

From Financial Planning (Sep 2010), “VA’s Head for a Slowdown” – “Strong compensation and the continuation of guarantees, albeit somewhat more expensive and restrictive, are clearly appealing to the independent advisor.”

Damn, I just don’t know when to keep my mouth shut, that’s why I don’t have a Ferrari like the Grammy winning poster who was screaming about the value of VA’s earlier this year.

[equalizer]

For the short term (5 years) I would look at alternative investments for at least 25% of your portfolio, esp higher yield and emerging. Not lowest cost, but better risk management. Here’s a list starting with the least volatile:

Alpine Ultra Short Tax Optimized Inc Inv
ATOIX

Hussman Strategic Total Return
HSTRX

Janus Flexible Bond T
JAFIX

DoubleLine Total Return Bond N
DLTNX

PIMCO Unconstrained Bond D PUBDX

DoubleLine Emerging Markets Income N
DLENX

Permanent Portfolio (lots of gold, silver)
PRPFX

Matthews Asia Dividend
MAPIX

Harbor High-Yield Bond Inv
HYFIX

For longer term I would suggest variable annuity, but the benefits and guarantees by the Prudential’s and MetLife’s of the world have been greatly reduced since 2008.

From Financial Planning (Sep 2010), “VA’s Head for a Slowdown” – “Strong compensation and the continuation of guarantees, albeit somewhat more expensive and restrictive, are clearly appealing to the independent advisor.”

Damn, I just don’t know when to keep my mouth shut, that’s why I don’t have a Ferrari like the Grammy winning poster who was screaming about the value of VA’s earlier this year.

[equalizer]

For the short term (5 years) I would look at alternative investments for at least 25% of your portfolio, esp higher yield and emerging. Not lowest cost, but better risk management. Here’s a list starting with the least volatile:

Alpine Ultra Short Tax Optimized Inc Inv
ATOIX

Hussman Strategic Total Return
HSTRX

Janus Flexible Bond T
JAFIX

DoubleLine Total Return Bond N
DLTNX

PIMCO Unconstrained Bond D PUBDX

DoubleLine Emerging Markets Income N
DLENX

Permanent Portfolio (lots of gold, silver)
PRPFX

Matthews Asia Dividend
MAPIX

Harbor High-Yield Bond Inv
HYFIX

For longer term I would suggest variable annuity, but the benefits and guarantees by the Prudential’s and MetLife’s of the world have been greatly reduced since 2008.

From Financial Planning (Sep 2010), “VA’s Head for a Slowdown” – “Strong compensation and the continuation of guarantees, albeit somewhat more expensive and restrictive, are clearly appealing to the independent advisor.”

Damn, I just don’t know when to keep my mouth shut, that’s why I don’t have a Ferrari like the Grammy winning poster who was screaming about the value of VA’s earlier this year.

[equalizer]

For the short term (5 years) I would look at alternative investments for at least 25% of your portfolio, esp higher yield and emerging. Not lowest cost, but better risk management. Here’s a list starting with the least volatile:

Alpine Ultra Short Tax Optimized Inc Inv
ATOIX

Hussman Strategic Total Return
HSTRX

Janus Flexible Bond T
JAFIX

DoubleLine Total Return Bond N
DLTNX

PIMCO Unconstrained Bond D PUBDX

DoubleLine Emerging Markets Income N
DLENX

Permanent Portfolio (lots of gold, silver)
PRPFX

Matthews Asia Dividend
MAPIX

Harbor High-Yield Bond Inv
HYFIX

For longer term I would suggest variable annuity, but the benefits and guarantees by the Prudential’s and MetLife’s of the world have been greatly reduced since 2008.

From Financial Planning (Sep 2010), “VA’s Head for a Slowdown” – “Strong compensation and the continuation of guarantees, albeit somewhat more expensive and restrictive, are clearly appealing to the independent advisor.”

Damn, I just don’t know when to keep my mouth shut, that’s why I don’t have a Ferrari like the Grammy winning poster who was screaming about the value of VA’s earlier this year.

[equalizer]

For the short term (5 years) I would look at alternative investments for at least 25% of your portfolio, esp higher yield and emerging. Not lowest cost, but better risk management. Here’s a list starting with the least volatile:

Alpine Ultra Short Tax Optimized Inc Inv
ATOIX

Hussman Strategic Total Return
HSTRX

Janus Flexible Bond T
JAFIX

DoubleLine Total Return Bond N
DLTNX

PIMCO Unconstrained Bond D PUBDX

DoubleLine Emerging Markets Income N
DLENX

Permanent Portfolio (lots of gold, silver)
PRPFX

Matthews Asia Dividend
MAPIX

Harbor High-Yield Bond Inv
HYFIX

For longer term I would suggest variable annuity, but the benefits and guarantees by the Prudential’s and MetLife’s of the world have been greatly reduced since 2008.

From Financial Planning (Sep 2010), “VA’s Head for a Slowdown” – “Strong compensation and the continuation of guarantees, albeit somewhat more expensive and restrictive, are clearly appealing to the independent advisor.”

Damn, I just don’t know when to keep my mouth shut, that’s why I don’t have a Ferrari like the Grammy winning poster who was screaming about the value of VA’s earlier this year.

[equalizer]

[quote=flu][quote=Ren]Oil isn’t an issue. In fact, if we do run out of it, it will be at a time when it doesn’t matter. There will be no energy deficit. Hundreds of companies are pouring Billions of dollars into alternative energy and materials for everything from cars to home heating to tupperware. If you can build any substance molecule by molecule, power an engine with pure water, and store large amounts of sun/wind-produced electrical energy for years, where is the need for oil?[/quote]

I think the entire concern about oil is overblown….To bring about change, it needs to be consumer pushed. If if companies create viable altenatives, consumers aren’t going to adopt it unless it

1) at least has identical performance to the existing thing
2) it costs the same or less.

So either

1) companies need to figure out how to make these altenative “green” things as cheap as non-green and perform as well

…or
…
2) the cost of non-green things need to dramatically go up…

Companies have the ability to create 60mpg cars right now if they wanted to. Put a 2 cylinder engine, that cant go faster than 60mph, and remove a bunch of safety equipment. BUT, consumers would not buy it in the majority anyway. So what the company ends up doing is expending a bunch of resources producing “green” stuff that people don’t buy/use.

Now, I bet if all the sudden gas prices are $5-10/gallon, well then consumers will be demanding for alternative fuel products in the majority. So if we run out of gas. Great, at that point it will be prohibitively expensive, so that alternative fuels would be a viable solution at that time.

(Polution is another subject, but that’s not the point of this thread)[/quote]
It’s not a single choice between no safety and 60mpg and 60mph. Horsepower has gone up significantly in last 10-15 years in typical sedan while mileage has stayed same or even gone up! I’m sure you can pull up the stats. If gas prices go back to $5/gallon, then consumers will demand that future efficiency (over say 170HP for simple sedan) increase be transferred to mileage instead of horsepower. Knew some big guys who carpooled in Geo Metro from early 90’s with 3 cylinder engine with nearly 50mpg. Just don’t let anything hit you.

The greatest threat to auto safety besides the tyrannical DUI drivers is texting, game playing on that phone by teenagers. What we need is a tough new driving test similar to those in European countries. Flu, I bet you could come up with some ideas. What about taking written test on ipad while parallel parking? My only driving experience over there was in Madrid. Wow, that was tough cause I couldn’t figure out to put car in reverse with the manual stick. Had to stop at a gas station with someone who showed me the slider on gear that you had to pull up. He probably shaked his head, “American”. Got lost from Airport to hotel, but luckily on Sunday morning with no traffic, otherwise I would just returned to the Airport following signs!

[equalizer]

[quote=flu][quote=Ren]Oil isn’t an issue. In fact, if we do run out of it, it will be at a time when it doesn’t matter. There will be no energy deficit. Hundreds of companies are pouring Billions of dollars into alternative energy and materials for everything from cars to home heating to tupperware. If you can build any substance molecule by molecule, power an engine with pure water, and store large amounts of sun/wind-produced electrical energy for years, where is the need for oil?[/quote]

I think the entire concern about oil is overblown….To bring about change, it needs to be consumer pushed. If if companies create viable altenatives, consumers aren’t going to adopt it unless it

1) at least has identical performance to the existing thing
2) it costs the same or less.

So either

1) companies need to figure out how to make these altenative “green” things as cheap as non-green and perform as well

…or
…
2) the cost of non-green things need to dramatically go up…

Companies have the ability to create 60mpg cars right now if they wanted to. Put a 2 cylinder engine, that cant go faster than 60mph, and remove a bunch of safety equipment. BUT, consumers would not buy it in the majority anyway. So what the company ends up doing is expending a bunch of resources producing “green” stuff that people don’t buy/use.

Now, I bet if all the sudden gas prices are $5-10/gallon, well then consumers will be demanding for alternative fuel products in the majority. So if we run out of gas. Great, at that point it will be prohibitively expensive, so that alternative fuels would be a viable solution at that time.

(Polution is another subject, but that’s not the point of this thread)[/quote]
It’s not a single choice between no safety and 60mpg and 60mph. Horsepower has gone up significantly in last 10-15 years in typical sedan while mileage has stayed same or even gone up! I’m sure you can pull up the stats. If gas prices go back to $5/gallon, then consumers will demand that future efficiency (over say 170HP for simple sedan) increase be transferred to mileage instead of horsepower. Knew some big guys who carpooled in Geo Metro from early 90’s with 3 cylinder engine with nearly 50mpg. Just don’t let anything hit you.

The greatest threat to auto safety besides the tyrannical DUI drivers is texting, game playing on that phone by teenagers. What we need is a tough new driving test similar to those in European countries. Flu, I bet you could come up with some ideas. What about taking written test on ipad while parallel parking? My only driving experience over there was in Madrid. Wow, that was tough cause I couldn’t figure out to put car in reverse with the manual stick. Had to stop at a gas station with someone who showed me the slider on gear that you had to pull up. He probably shaked his head, “American”. Got lost from Airport to hotel, but luckily on Sunday morning with no traffic, otherwise I would just returned to the Airport following signs!

[equalizer]

[quote=flu][quote=Ren]Oil isn’t an issue. In fact, if we do run out of it, it will be at a time when it doesn’t matter. There will be no energy deficit. Hundreds of companies are pouring Billions of dollars into alternative energy and materials for everything from cars to home heating to tupperware. If you can build any substance molecule by molecule, power an engine with pure water, and store large amounts of sun/wind-produced electrical energy for years, where is the need for oil?[/quote]

I think the entire concern about oil is overblown….To bring about change, it needs to be consumer pushed. If if companies create viable altenatives, consumers aren’t going to adopt it unless it

1) at least has identical performance to the existing thing
2) it costs the same or less.

So either

1) companies need to figure out how to make these altenative “green” things as cheap as non-green and perform as well

…or
…
2) the cost of non-green things need to dramatically go up…

Companies have the ability to create 60mpg cars right now if they wanted to. Put a 2 cylinder engine, that cant go faster than 60mph, and remove a bunch of safety equipment. BUT, consumers would not buy it in the majority anyway. So what the company ends up doing is expending a bunch of resources producing “green” stuff that people don’t buy/use.

Now, I bet if all the sudden gas prices are $5-10/gallon, well then consumers will be demanding for alternative fuel products in the majority. So if we run out of gas. Great, at that point it will be prohibitively expensive, so that alternative fuels would be a viable solution at that time.

(Polution is another subject, but that’s not the point of this thread)[/quote]
It’s not a single choice between no safety and 60mpg and 60mph. Horsepower has gone up significantly in last 10-15 years in typical sedan while mileage has stayed same or even gone up! I’m sure you can pull up the stats. If gas prices go back to $5/gallon, then consumers will demand that future efficiency (over say 170HP for simple sedan) increase be transferred to mileage instead of horsepower. Knew some big guys who carpooled in Geo Metro from early 90’s with 3 cylinder engine with nearly 50mpg. Just don’t let anything hit you.

The greatest threat to auto safety besides the tyrannical DUI drivers is texting, game playing on that phone by teenagers. What we need is a tough new driving test similar to those in European countries. Flu, I bet you could come up with some ideas. What about taking written test on ipad while parallel parking? My only driving experience over there was in Madrid. Wow, that was tough cause I couldn’t figure out to put car in reverse with the manual stick. Had to stop at a gas station with someone who showed me the slider on gear that you had to pull up. He probably shaked his head, “American”. Got lost from Airport to hotel, but luckily on Sunday morning with no traffic, otherwise I would just returned to the Airport following signs!

[equalizer]

[quote=flu][quote=Ren]Oil isn’t an issue. In fact, if we do run out of it, it will be at a time when it doesn’t matter. There will be no energy deficit. Hundreds of companies are pouring Billions of dollars into alternative energy and materials for everything from cars to home heating to tupperware. If you can build any substance molecule by molecule, power an engine with pure water, and store large amounts of sun/wind-produced electrical energy for years, where is the need for oil?[/quote]

I think the entire concern about oil is overblown….To bring about change, it needs to be consumer pushed. If if companies create viable altenatives, consumers aren’t going to adopt it unless it

1) at least has identical performance to the existing thing
2) it costs the same or less.

So either

1) companies need to figure out how to make these altenative “green” things as cheap as non-green and perform as well

…or
…
2) the cost of non-green things need to dramatically go up…

Companies have the ability to create 60mpg cars right now if they wanted to. Put a 2 cylinder engine, that cant go faster than 60mph, and remove a bunch of safety equipment. BUT, consumers would not buy it in the majority anyway. So what the company ends up doing is expending a bunch of resources producing “green” stuff that people don’t buy/use.

Now, I bet if all the sudden gas prices are $5-10/gallon, well then consumers will be demanding for alternative fuel products in the majority. So if we run out of gas. Great, at that point it will be prohibitively expensive, so that alternative fuels would be a viable solution at that time.

(Polution is another subject, but that’s not the point of this thread)[/quote]
It’s not a single choice between no safety and 60mpg and 60mph. Horsepower has gone up significantly in last 10-15 years in typical sedan while mileage has stayed same or even gone up! I’m sure you can pull up the stats. If gas prices go back to $5/gallon, then consumers will demand that future efficiency (over say 170HP for simple sedan) increase be transferred to mileage instead of horsepower. Knew some big guys who carpooled in Geo Metro from early 90’s with 3 cylinder engine with nearly 50mpg. Just don’t let anything hit you.

The greatest threat to auto safety besides the tyrannical DUI drivers is texting, game playing on that phone by teenagers. What we need is a tough new driving test similar to those in European countries. Flu, I bet you could come up with some ideas. What about taking written test on ipad while parallel parking? My only driving experience over there was in Madrid. Wow, that was tough cause I couldn’t figure out to put car in reverse with the manual stick. Had to stop at a gas station with someone who showed me the slider on gear that you had to pull up. He probably shaked his head, “American”. Got lost from Airport to hotel, but luckily on Sunday morning with no traffic, otherwise I would just returned to the Airport following signs!

[Author]

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