To Guzzo the Contrarian...

If you wish to return from your slumber, you are always welcome to write here. Hope you are ok out there.

Social Security...

Here’s the thing about Social Security. As long as you are working, granted there are certain requirements to be eligible etc, you have been paying in. I started “working” when I was 14 and believe I started paying into the system when I was 16, I am now 31 years old and have put in $18k into Social Security or so my little yearly handout I get from the government says. So to put it nicely, if we get rid of the system, I want my mother f^#&ing money. $18k is $18k and I want it back, if it were $10 I would want it back. I’m pretty sure everyone else wants it back as well.

Social Security is like a gift card from the government. The system hopes you don’t use the entire balance on the card, aka you expire before your contribution/deposit runs out. That allows a surplus that goes back to the government and/or Social Security, just like Walmart hopes that you don’t use the entire balance on the gift card leaving them a leftover surplus. Better yet, sorry to use mortal terms, it would be even better if you expired before you get to withdraw, or in gift card terms, you lose your card.Yes, there are specifics that I am leaving out here, but I am not the best source for facts anyway.

Honestly the system while just okay at creating a minimum balance to retire and distribute as a payout, is in fact brilliant in that it forces people to plan while giving them money to balance budgets (I never agreed to that part). Granted some people don’t agree with government just taking your money, but some people don’t agree with Fluoride in the water. Fact is it’s there, a lot of us contribute, and it should remain for those whom have paid in.

The argument is that too many people will retire (boomers), pulling out too much money, without a greater input of cash going in. I understand, more people retiring than ever before, and if they live as long as they might live, OMG for GOV’T. The thing is there is quite the growing population in the US; however the employment opportunities seem to keep dwindling down. Manufacturing, customer support, engineering, and supplies keep getting sourced to other countries, thus less people inputting into the social security system and with the jobs left, inputting money at a much lesser rate. I don’t know when it became popular to look down on these trade jobs, vo-tech education, and service industry, but it is hurting the society as a whole because now everyone wants to be a rock star or computer programmer over being a carpenter, plumber, and electrician. I digress, but I am really just saying government, society, and American companies need to create more employment opportunities for Americans and then your cash recovery for Social Security I would think occur.

So please, when you can, buy American. Write your congressman to create more jobs here and do what you can to help out, because someday I want my mother f^#&ing money.

What is a return...

..or what is there to return to?

The bug is back in me slightly, so I will write some.

This past year, was more difficult than the one previous. Which is hard to believe, considering I was broke, unemployed, and selling/repairing bikes to make it. This year I luckily regained employment in February, then my future brother in law and now my real brother in law was diagnosed with Hodkins Lymphoma. He's doing great, full recovery pretty much an afterthought now. A sister in law just had her first child too. So started nice, rough middle, and is ending beautifully.

Most importantly, the girl I love (and have been with for nine and a half years) and I got married. Just great, great, great.

So I have been away, but busy. I think I will start to write again. Don't really know if I care or if anyone cares.

This just in....

...MJ gets a job!

Haven't posted in awhile...

...thought I would chime in with a couple of thoughts. Despite thoughts to the contrary I think the market is acting scared right now, it may be appropriately fragile but I am unsure. I think solid value investing of solid straight forward companies with large cash savings are the way to go. ABB and PM come to mind. VTI has almost recovered my Roth completely and I think proven that is the "safest" place for money, so props to Bogleheads.

As for me, I am still unemployed. Manufacturing in KC is down, and engineering jobs are then. I don't plan on moving and I don't see a turnaround here coming soon. Thus, I am working towards opening my own bike store, hopefully can put something together by February. In other words, when times are tough, I am going to invest in myself.

Good luck out there, more to come when I feel like it. Happy holidays...

From Sinfest...

Great little comic called Sinfest can open your eyes at time...

Beware the 4th quarter...

I have been around some cable TV as of late (not mine), and have been noticing everyone saying that they should be prepared for the sky to fall. While I do think that some pullback is inevitable soon, I don't know if it will be drastic.

What I do suggest you look out for is fourth quarter earnings which in the coming months will be reported for a great deal of business. Despite what you believe about how truthful the first three quarterly reports are, I will tell you that typically the fourth quarter is as legit as it will get. This is due to companies having to report the official earnings to the government. They scrutize themselves thoroughly at this time and you will often find that major adjustments to the other quarters. I've seen GM and Goldman Sach's do this just this past year.

If you are a long term investor, often times you will follow stocks over a longer period. Notice the companies that do and do not have major adjustments after each report. Those that do not swing numbers around wildly likely chance of having both a straight forward business structure and more importantly honest business practices. I can think of a few examples, Trane before it was acquired by Ingersoll-Rand and while it was under American Standard's portfolio was extremely well honest with its practices, and has Baldor over the past 4 years or so (that I have seen).

So be careful and keep a watchful eye on your stocks, the fourth quarter is coming...

Awesome

Maybe you shouldn't speak up about the government or speak at all or move to California.