Slim,
I will call you sometime this weekend and discuss your investments. I have  
done quite well lately and I'm willing to share my success with you.
 
Rummy
 
 
In a message dated 5/2/2008 4:02:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
stevenalm at gmail.com writes:

OK all  you financial experts, how about a little advice?  What are  you
investing in?

Since I'm self-employed I can buy anything I want  rather than the
limitations placed upon most employees' 401k plans.   I've been funding my
SEP (self-employed) IRA for about twenty years and I  started a ROTH about 15
years ago.  I have about 80% in mutual funds  from Vanguard and about 20% in
money markets from Oakmark.  I also  have a little in an ING annuity that's
turned out to be a real dog--I'm  very sorry I got talked into that one.  I
like products that I can  have for a long run so I don't have to fiddle with
frequent  rollovers.  I'm no day-trader.

I think I'm doing OK but every  April 15th I dump as much as I can into these
accounts leaving myself with  a frighteningly low pad.  Basically I spend all
my savings on that  illustrious day.  Then the next couple months are sort of
nail biters  while I rebuild.   In case of emergency I have plenty of  credit
including home equity but of course that costs interest.  I  have no debt
except my mortgage.  I'm 51.

So what are y'all  buying these days?

Slim

On Fri, May 2, 2008 at 9:27 AM, Herb  Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:

> Most people have  very little understanding of economics even at a basic
> level.
>  At my office, the owner of the company matches contributions to a 401k
>  program up to 3% of an employees earnings. A grand total of 2 people  are
> taking him up on it. That $20 into $40 that Brad was talking  about....
> right there. If your you're "long term", you'll need the  money later. If
> you're "short term", you can just take it all back  when you quit, pay
> your 15% penalty for early withdrawal, and you're  still way ahead.
>
> When I worked for him at his previous  company, he had the same program,
> but we had better participation.  I'll never forget one day when the
> market went WAY down. Two or three  of the folks were complaining about
> how much money the "lost" because  of it. I pretended to take them
> literally and said "you mean you SOLD  when the market went down? You're
> not supposed to sell low, you're  supposed to BUY low". Then I'd explain
> to them (this time without the  sarcasm) that when the market dips like
> that, it means that the money  you're putting into your 401k is buying
> more stock. You haven't "lost"  anything, unless you sell while it's
> down, but that long term, you are  coming out ahead, unless the
> investments you chose disappear  completely. A well rounded 401k doesn't
> get hurt by short term market  fluctuations.
>
> Rik Sandberg wrote:
> > Brad,
>  >
> > Yeah, we used to try to help some of our employees  understand where they
> > were going wrong with their personal  finances. Start talking about
> > compound interest and watch their  eyes glaze over. As concepts go,
> > supply and demand is an even  tougher one to get across. They'll bitch
> > about the price of gas,  but if they sell their house for twice what they
> > paid for it,  they have no problem with that. It's just amazing.
> >
> >  Rik
> >
> > "There's a reason why bankers drive Cadillacs  and the rest of us drive
> Chevies. Bankers collect interest,... The  rest of us pay it" .... Rik
> Sandberg
> >
> >
>  >
> > Brad Haslett wrote:
> >
> >> Hank &  Rik,
> >>
> >> Every time I go to work I have a good  laugh driving by the hub workers
> >> parking lot on the way to  the pilot's lot.  The hub workersry lot is
> filled
>  >> with brand new iron.  The pilot lot looks like a salvage yard  and you
> wonder
> >> how some of those beasts made the  journey. My youngest son just left
> for a
> >> five month  cruise on his USCG cutter and we had a long talk about what
> a
>  >> wonderful opportunity this was for him to save money.  Yeah  Right!  I
> may as
> >> well have been explaining the  time value of money to the remaining
> squirrels
> >> in my  backyard.
> >>
> >> Brad
> >>
>  >> On Fri, May 2, 2008 at 8:56 AM, Rik Sandberg  <sanderico1 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
>  >>
> >>
> >>> Ahhh .... to be young and  bulletproof again, eh.
> >>>
> >>> But hey,  they're having fun, that's the important thing .... right?
>  >>> Somebody'll take care of 'em if they fall on their face.  Someone
> always
> >>> has, why would they stop  now?
> >>>
> >>> Rik
>  >>>
> >>> "There's a reason why bankers drive  Cadillacs and the rest of us drive
> >>> Chevies. Bankers  collect interest,... The rest of us pay it" .... Rik
> >>>  Sandberg
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>
> >>> Hank wrote:
> >>>
>  >>>
> >>>> Rik,
> >>>>
>  >>>> What gets me is the kids (20 somethings) working for me that  are
> driving
> >>>>
> >>>>
>  >>> 40K
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>> beemers, lexus, etc.  They don't put a dime away, rent  an apartment
> and
> >>>> waste all their money on  fancy cars.  You can talk to them until you
> are
>  >>>> blue in the face and you won't get anywhere.
>  >>>>
> >>>> Hank
>  >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On 5/2/08,  Rik Sandberg <sanderico1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
>  >>>>> Hank,
> >>>>>
>  >>>>> Yeah I hear that.
> >>>>>
>  >>>>> I am just flabbergasted these days talking to people  about their
> credit
> >>>>> habits. How many do  you know who would buy that pair of shoes on
> their
>  >>>>> credit card, then, make the minimum monthly  payment?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Rik
>  >>>>>
> >>>>> "There's a reason why  bankers drive Cadillacs and the rest of us
> drive
>  >>>>> Chevies. Bankers collect interest,... The rest of us pay  it" ....
> Rik
> >>>>> Sandberg
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>> Hank wrote:
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>> RIk,
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I recently bought  the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>> bought.   $130
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>> for a pair of Johnston  and Murphy leather dress slip-ons.  I almost
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>  had
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>  a
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>> heart attack when they  were rung up.
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>> Hank
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>> On 5/2/08, Rik  Sandberg <sanderico1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>> Hank,
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Admittedly  interest rates are a bit slim these days.
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> But, the way  most people seem to think these days, if they found
> 20
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>> on
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>> the street, they would only have to borrow  another 100 to buy that
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>> cool
>  >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>>> new  pair of shoes.
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>> Rik
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>> "There's a reason why bankers drive Cadillacs and  the rest of us
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>> drive
>  >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>>>  Chevies. Bankers collect interest,... The rest of us pay it" ....
>  Rik
> >>>>>>> Sandberg
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> Hank  wrote:
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> Pretty  soon it would be $40?  What bank do you use?  I want that
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>  interest
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>  rate!!!
> >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>> Hank
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> On  5/2/08, Rik Sandberg <sanderico1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>  Ed & Brad,
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> Ha ha ..... yeah and if you found that  twenty dollar bill and
> said
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>  hmmm,
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> a  windfall and put it in the bank, pretty soon it would be forty
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>  dollars.
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> This  (saving) is apparently another foreign concept anymore.
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> I wunder sumtimes if koledge isn't  over-rated.
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> Rik
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> "There's a reason why bankers drive  Cadillacs and the rest of us
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  drive
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> Chevies.  Bankers collect interest,... The rest of us pay it"
> ....
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
> >>> Rik
>  >>>
> >>>
> >>>>>>>>>  Sandberg
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> Brad Haslett wrote:
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> Ed,
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> Good article.  I've watched a  number of smart accounting
> students
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  and
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> MBA
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> candidates struggle with the concept  of "sunk costs" because
> they
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> couldn't
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> remove emotions from the decision  making process.  One
> professor
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  used
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> the
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> example of finding a twenty-dollar  bill on the sidewalk.  Is
> its
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  value
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>> zero
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> because it was free or is it worth  $20?  If you paid $20 for a
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>> share
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>  of
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>  a
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> company that failed and went out of  business, is your share
> worth
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  $20
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>> or
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> is
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> it worthless?
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> You'd think that the fear mongers of  global warming would be
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  ecstatic
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>  about
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> $4 a gallon gasoline. And yet, the  same voices are crying for a
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>  solution
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>  for
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> high gas prices.  No problem,  let's start drilling!  No, we
> can't
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>> do
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> that
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> because of the "environment".   Fine, let gasoline go to five
> bucks
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>> a
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> gallon
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> and we'll slow global warming and  "help" the environment. The
> laws
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  of
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>  supply
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> and demand are pretty straight  forward provided you keep
> emotions
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  and
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>> "rights"  out of the decision making process.
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> Brad
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>> On Fri, May 2, 2008 at 7:06 AM,  Tootle <ekroposki at charter.net>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Brad stated, "Here's a novel idea  for the passenger airlines I
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>> learned
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> in
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> grad school - if it costs 4 cents  to produce your product,
> charge
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>> a
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> nickel."
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Then he followed with a question,  "Where do we find these
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>  people?"
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Brad, your question presupposes  that the readers either
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>  understand
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> business
>  >>>>>>>>>>> (aka economics) or give a  damn.  Remember you are asking that
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>> question
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> to
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> supporters of Hillary and Obama  and maybe even McCain.
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> And Michael M has already said  that we need to lay off the
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>  subject.
> >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Apparently the socialists among  us have been discretely given
> a
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>  green
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
>  >>>>>
> >>>>>>>>>>>  light
> >>>>>>>>>>> by Michael M.   One posts an obviously baiting citation of a
> Maine
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>> advocacy
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> of national health care.
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> I ask you how many understand the  following short article?
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>
>  
http://www.gmu.edu/departments/economics/wew/articles/07/economicthinking.htm
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Ed K
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Greenville, SC, USA
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> --
>  >>>>>>>>>>> View this message in  context:
> >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
> >>>
>  
http://www.nabble.com/Political---big-Al-delete---Brads-economic-question---However-Big-Al-have-considered-that-you-opinions-might-be-necessary-to-keep-t
he-young%27uns-in-reality--tp17017185p17017185.html
>  >>>
> >>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing  list archive at Nabble.com.
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
>  >>>>>>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org,  Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
>  >>>>>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?  www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
>  >>>>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?  www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>>  __________________________________________________
>  >>>>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?  www.rhodes22.org/list
> >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
>  >>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>
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> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
>  >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
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> >>>>>
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> >>>>>
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>  >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
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> >>>
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