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.

Healthcare Question:

Do you feel like the govenment is tackling the second greatest issue with healthcare instead of the first? Am I the only one that thinks that tort reform would be the single greatest affect on the healthcare system? Don't you think if we could streamline and better manage health related court costs, then insurance, doctor's well being, patient care, and overall outrageous costs associated with the system could be eliminated. Seems to me we are saying that is too hard, and instead let's give healthcare for all, creating a massive government insurance company that will then find the need to push tort reform.

Whereas, tort reform could be pushed first and thus private insurance could be reachable for all. If not private insurance then at least paying for the procedures would be in a more realistic price range and then government insurance plans would become more economical for the nation.

Why am I seeing it this way?

What's Happening With MJ

MJ's been kind of "hush hush" about his job situation. But, that's only online. He has no problem sharing his stories with his friends and colleagues in person, especially when he's out partying. So to keep everyone updated to his situation, I videotaped his last night out with his friends before he went on vacation.

New Healthcare Bill...

I am still out traveling the Rockies, but I think healthcare reform is important and will end up affecting us all.

So before everyone makes an opinion about some heresay on this or that try checking out PolitiFact.com website. It is a sight that is supposed to be non-partisan and show the real truth to rumors making the rounds.

Click here to check out the healthcare section of Politifact.

Hitting the road for awhile...

...I am going on the road for a couple of weeks. If anyone is interested in following my travels click here.

Have a good couple of weeks. Below is a picture of where I am headed. (Hint: It rhymes with lacier ational ark)

Ahwww

Now Monday is really going to suck.

Where I want the whole bike shop thing to go...

Sometimes people who get their bike repaired by me or stop by to look at parts wonder where I would like to go with this, really I am not sure but every once in a while I get a little bit of a dream going. One of my favorite cycling blogs Copenhagenize visited a place in London that is similar to what I would like to do here in Mission.


Take a look here. Mission is one of the areas in the city that could easily become a more mobile bike community. Everything from restaurants to grocery stores to hardware stores are less than a mile a way from a large residential and rental areas. It just seems like it would be a prime place for something such as this. Maybe I will step forward, don't know yet, it is nice to dream about it.

A particularly bad habit of mine: Article of the week

Swearing, unfortunately I do it often. I have sweared in the most inappropriate of times, in front of my parents, in front of children, churches, etc. I am not proud of it, but man is it easier to get your frustration out. Now science (or is it just psychology) has proven me right. Read on:

Swearing Makes Pain More Tolerable

Stop...

Hammer Time

Busy at Home

So a few ads on craigslist and a website later and I am making some pocket money. I am busy, so busy in fact that I haven't posted anything here. It is hard for me to give financial advice when I myself don't really have the money to invest. Not that I don't have money (Thank you Missouri and craigslist), I just don't have anything extra. Nothing is tapped out or in despair, but nothing is gaining so to speak.

If I had money, I would be watching ABB. If the the green boom is really going to occur this company is going to make lots of money. They make electic motors, PLC controls, robots, and most importantly transmission lines. If the US is going to go green, the power grid (ie transmission lines) is going to be overhauled. ABB has some promising technology that will likely make it happen. Last time I looked the stock was around $15 but I think it will go a little lower again. Long term, it looks fabulous.

If this whole bike thing continues at a steady pace and the current economic situation remains dire, I may make a bike store here in KC. I just don't know, maybe I am just cheap labor and have basically no overhead. But I have been pulling a small but decent amount of cash from the work, so if that was added with sales it may be okay, I just don't know.

Anyway, all is well. Sorry to all that have followed wondering what is going on, inspiration and time just isn't here right now. I will continue to post but it just may be in spurts for forseen future.

Appropriate for BBQ town USA

9 Days of Green: Borrow, Share, and Be Neighborly

The hardest concept for new America to grasp I think is the idea that we don't need everything. I have to fight it myself a lot. It comes from my mother, she is somewhat of an artist, but she is even better at preparing to be an artist. Whenever she starts a new project she becomes a collector of all the stuff needed to make that project happen. She was into making her own soap for a while, but I think she collected enough forms, molds, and equipment to give Dial a run for there money. When she was younger, she had all of the supplies to be a great painter, tool leather, and die shirts. For me, I gathered every tool I ever need to fix bikes, string lacrosse sticks, and work wood. Reality is that not everyone of us is Norm Abrams and we don't need everything for everything. Know what you like and then be able to share and borrow with others.

For instance, snow blowers are not a necessity here in KC but can be real nice to have every 3 years or so. So if you have one great, but don't be afraid to let someone borrow it or if you are that afraid of someone hurting themselves then do it yourself. I borrowed my neighbor's non-working mini-tiller for a week while I redid my side yard, I fixed it and returned it in better order than it came to me in.

Both of these examples are good to point out how it is good to be neighborly as well. Sure you may not get along with everyone and that is fine, but you would be amazed at how cool it is to find out about the people around you, share desserts and vegetables from gardens. Call it living the Golden Rule or just call it being nice, it can save you a lot of money and increase your self worth significantly. So share what you have, borrow what you can, and always be nice to your neighbors.

Here's a clip of my neighbor recorded yesterday:





Yes, this is actually what my neighbor sounds like. The "two chicks at the same time" guy is his name in our household.

Looking to Save Money

MJ has been working hard with his new business, so he hasn't really had the time to focus on ways to save more money and share with us. But luckily, his girlfriend has been working on finding ways to reduce household costs with her friends, and has unveiled her own stimulus plan.


Nation's Girlfriends Unveil New Economic Plan: 'Let's Move In Together'

However, I'm not too sure that MJ is fully behind her plan.