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Steel_Magnolia's Account Talk
- Thread starter Steel_Magnolia
- Start date
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Norm, Malyla, Birch and Allie, thanks for stopping by. Thanks for all the good wishes!
And Malyla, thanks for the interesting tidbit. Not sure I'd feel nearly as safe in a nation where all the pharma and food corps are owned by the Chinese. But it seems that Whedon may have been prescient, doesn't it.
(For those of you who aren't Browncoats, Malyla and I are both fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly, a show no longer on the air, about a future where the Americans and Chinese have blended into one superpower, and blended languages and customs as well.)
Maggie
And Malyla, thanks for the interesting tidbit. Not sure I'd feel nearly as safe in a nation where all the pharma and food corps are owned by the Chinese. But it seems that Whedon may have been prescient, doesn't it.
(For those of you who aren't Browncoats, Malyla and I are both fans of Joss Whedon's Firefly, a show no longer on the air, about a future where the Americans and Chinese have blended into one superpower, and blended languages and customs as well.)
Maggie
Steel_Magnolia
Member
For the friends who have kindly asked to be kept in the loop on my progress, here's a report. Thanks to an excellent neuro-physical therapist and lots of practice and exercises over the last three months, I have regained much of the use in my right arm and hand, some of the use of my right leg, and enough use of the muscles in the right side of my face that my smiles don't scare the grandchildren anymore. I think I'm most happy about that last one. And we keep going.
Maggie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk
Maggie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk
Steel_Magnolia
Member
"Stocks opened higher Friday, extending September's big rally, as investors expressed optimism about the economy with the start of a new month and quarter...Stocks are coming off their best September performance in 71 years. Despite a topsy-turvy month, the Dow and S&P 500 posted their biggest September gains since 1939....."
http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/01/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm
Because I'm a trend trader, I'm 50% invested in the equity funds right now, and that's about as much as I ever risk these days. You know me ... retired, seed corn, and all that. :toung:
Have a good weekend, y'all.
Maggie
http://money.cnn.com/2010/10/01/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm
Because I'm a trend trader, I'm 50% invested in the equity funds right now, and that's about as much as I ever risk these days. You know me ... retired, seed corn, and all that. :toung:
Have a good weekend, y'all.
Maggie
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Favorite read of the morning was on seekingalpha.com:
9 High Yield, Managed Distribution Funds and 12 Dividend Stock Alternatives
http://seekingalpha.com/article/227...d-12-dividend-stock-alternatives?source=hp_wc
I'm feeling better than usual this morning so I'm going to make a crockpot favorite. Thick cut center cut pork chops, tomatoes, onion, colored peppers, mushrooms, Italian spices, and white wine. Yum!
Maggie
9 High Yield, Managed Distribution Funds and 12 Dividend Stock Alternatives
http://seekingalpha.com/article/227...d-12-dividend-stock-alternatives?source=hp_wc
I'm feeling better than usual this morning so I'm going to make a crockpot favorite. Thick cut center cut pork chops, tomatoes, onion, colored peppers, mushrooms, Italian spices, and white wine. Yum!
Maggie
alevin
Well-known member
good for you. I made smothered porkchops the other night. used homemade tomato sauce from homegarden tomatoes (coworker's excess tomatoes-freebies), along with my own homegrown hot peppers and farmers market Italian plums and a couple other ingredients I needed to use up. turned out pretty good if say so myself. Yours sounds even better.
Mmmmmmmmm ! Do you deliver ? I can smell the goodness all the way hear !
View attachment 10034
If not, I'm sure Pop-Pop will take me to your house !
The Woo !
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Oh wow, Squale, look at those eyes! She is SO CUTE!! Thanks for sharing, and give her an extra hug from us!
Steel_Magnolia
Member
An article in the latest Stockcharts.com newsletter made me literally sit up and read it more carefully. I greatly respect Carl Swenlin's opinion and this is what he had to say in the latest issue of Chartwatchers.
"...got me thinking about how the the traditional approach to risk is that we should be more aggressive when we are young, because we will have time to recover from any losses that result from high-risk investments. As we become older we should shrink from the risky antics of the younger set because time is no longer on our side. In my opinion, this is one of the many flaws in the buy-and-hold logic. Risk has less to do with one's age than it does with the context of the market trend. Being invested when the market is in a bull market significantly reduces the risk no matter how aggressive an investment may seem to be, and even the most conservative exposure will still generate losses in a bear market.
...It is interesting that over a range of bull and bear markets, the conservative approach had the best return since inception, but, when we separate the bull and bear market performance, the returns are appropriate (what we would expect) to each approach. For example, the aggressive (most risky) approach loses the most in the bear market, and gains the most in a bull market. The obvious assessment is that, in a buy-and-hold world, there is really no significant benefit of one approach over another, just that the aggressive approach results in more volatility.
While at first glance it may appear that, during the bull market, all approaches have regained slightly more than they lost during the bear market, remember that a 100% gain is needed to recover a 50% loss.
Bottom Line: Using a particular strategy (conservative or aggressive) is not as important as when it is used, and I don't mean whether you are young or old. It is most important that bear markets be avoided and that bull markets be exploited. Using an aggressive strategy during a bull market will carry far less risk than using a conservative approach during a bear market....." (Emphasis added.)
The article gave me lots to ponder while I was having 3 am board meeting with the voices in my head.
Maggie
"...got me thinking about how the the traditional approach to risk is that we should be more aggressive when we are young, because we will have time to recover from any losses that result from high-risk investments. As we become older we should shrink from the risky antics of the younger set because time is no longer on our side. In my opinion, this is one of the many flaws in the buy-and-hold logic. Risk has less to do with one's age than it does with the context of the market trend. Being invested when the market is in a bull market significantly reduces the risk no matter how aggressive an investment may seem to be, and even the most conservative exposure will still generate losses in a bear market.
...It is interesting that over a range of bull and bear markets, the conservative approach had the best return since inception, but, when we separate the bull and bear market performance, the returns are appropriate (what we would expect) to each approach. For example, the aggressive (most risky) approach loses the most in the bear market, and gains the most in a bull market. The obvious assessment is that, in a buy-and-hold world, there is really no significant benefit of one approach over another, just that the aggressive approach results in more volatility.
While at first glance it may appear that, during the bull market, all approaches have regained slightly more than they lost during the bear market, remember that a 100% gain is needed to recover a 50% loss.
Bottom Line: Using a particular strategy (conservative or aggressive) is not as important as when it is used, and I don't mean whether you are young or old. It is most important that bear markets be avoided and that bull markets be exploited. Using an aggressive strategy during a bull market will carry far less risk than using a conservative approach during a bear market....." (Emphasis added.)
The article gave me lots to ponder while I was having 3 am board meeting with the voices in my head.
Maggie
malyla
Active member
That is why I use the Business Cycle Buy and Hold strategy. It has me defensive during the Bear cycle of the business cycle and aggressive in the Bull cycle of the 8.6 yr business cycle. The problem is having faith that the business cycle will end (swing up) on the date predicted (June 2011). I use some other indicators to determine when to go aggressive, but with this extreme manipulation of the market by the fed and treasury, I'm just glad that I'm defensive now as a buy and holder. I wish I had the time and inclination to trade, but I didn't do well in 2007 trading, therefore the Biz_cyc strategy. Nice validation. Thanks Maggie.
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Thanks for the visit, burro and Malyla.
I'm not doing well right now. Nothing big. Just a lot of huge air pressure changes (enormous thunder storms) and that knocks me off my pins. Back in a couple of days.
Someone please take care of the ficus.
I'm not doing well right now. Nothing big. Just a lot of huge air pressure changes (enormous thunder storms) and that knocks me off my pins. Back in a couple of days.
Someone please take care of the ficus.
Frixxxx
Moderator
Mags,
Just take it easy, stay out of the game until you're back to "yourself."
I got the ficus...and the spider plant!:toung:
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Thanks, boss, the plants look just great!
My fluid filled holes in the spinal cord make me the world's best human barometer. And we were having thunderstorms of historic levels. Not fun.On to more interesting things. Here is the October 9 Zacks video:
http://www.zacks.com/commentary/15928/Profit+from+the+Pros+-+October+9,+2010
If you don't have time to listen to the whole thing here's a recap. The first three minutes talks about one expert's projection that the Dow will go to 12,000 and why. From minute three through minute ten, the video deals more with information of more use to people who buy ETFs and individual stocks. From about minute ten to minute fourteen the video teaches a screening method called the Peg Ratio. Starting at minute fourteen, a financial panel discusses the present financial situation and their views of what to look for going forward.
The panel projects that the September jobs report probably means more Fed easing but it may not have much effect on stocks. They point out that emerging market stocks are still the hot ones. (We can reach a few of those in I Fund.)
The thing that I thought was of the most interest is that the market experts think that stocks are the place to be.
Maggie
James48843
Well-known member
I'm with you there -Bad week.
Could be worse, though.
I could have had a headache too.
Could be worse, though.
I could have had a headache too.
Last edited:
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Thought for the day:
"Early in life I decided that I would not be overcome by events. My philosophy has been that, regardless of the circumstances, I shall not be vanquished but will try to be happy. Life is not easy for any of us. It is continual challenge. And it is up to us to be cheerful and to be strong, so that those who depend on us can draw strength from our example." - Rose Kennedy
"Early in life I decided that I would not be overcome by events. My philosophy has been that, regardless of the circumstances, I shall not be vanquished but will try to be happy. Life is not easy for any of us. It is continual challenge. And it is up to us to be cheerful and to be strong, so that those who depend on us can draw strength from our example." - Rose Kennedy
Steel_Magnolia
Member
Because I'm taking monthly payments out of my TSP account I have relied on my TSPTalk account tracker to tell me what my percentage of gain or loss has been. But since I haven't been on the tracker for the last couple of months, I started trying to figure out what my account has done this year. This is made much more difficult because of those aforementioned monthly payments.
I'm taking about 8% out of my account this year. Yes, I know, I know. Not smart. I'm taking out about double what I should be. But I always have huge medical bills and I've got to cover them from my account for one more year before another source of income will be able to help pay them. And my hospital bills for this year are going to choke a horse! ...Um, so to speak. :cheesy:
Anyway, back to the percentage of account gain. I've taken about 6% of my account so far this year. And my TSP account says
View attachment 10080
so I'm hoping that means that I've gained almost 12% in my account this year. All I know for sure is that I keep taking money out and my account balance is still what it was at the first of the year.
I'm still invested at 50% G (seed corn) and 13% C, 17% S and 20% I Fund. So I'll just keep on truckin'.
Maggie
I'm taking about 8% out of my account this year. Yes, I know, I know. Not smart. I'm taking out about double what I should be. But I always have huge medical bills and I've got to cover them from my account for one more year before another source of income will be able to help pay them. And my hospital bills for this year are going to choke a horse! ...Um, so to speak. :cheesy:
Anyway, back to the percentage of account gain. I've taken about 6% of my account so far this year. And my TSP account says
View attachment 10080
so I'm hoping that means that I've gained almost 12% in my account this year. All I know for sure is that I keep taking money out and my account balance is still what it was at the first of the year.
I'm still invested at 50% G (seed corn) and 13% C, 17% S and 20% I Fund. So I'll just keep on truckin'.
Maggie
Steel_Magnolia
Member
My favorite read of the morning was the ETF Prophet site's entire front page. I get a lot of insights from the blurbs and spreadsheets on this site. My favorite blurb on the page was
The more I learn about the markets, the more sure I am that they operate like a Las Vegas casino. You might hit it big occasionally but the house (da boyz) always wins in the long run.
For my TSP fund, the only edge I have is paying strict attention to the trend. I should take the first sentence in that quote above and emblazon it on my forehead!
Since it's Friday, y'all have a good weekend!
Maggie
"...Trading against the trend recently and against the momentum has been a sure way to get your portfolio killed. No sell off will come easy at the moment with the Bernanke put into November. ..." [Emphasis added.]
Read more: http://etfprophet.com/#ixzz12RDu9Xbu
Read more: http://etfprophet.com/#ixzz12RDu9Xbu
The more I learn about the markets, the more sure I am that they operate like a Las Vegas casino. You might hit it big occasionally but the house (da boyz) always wins in the long run.
For my TSP fund, the only edge I have is paying strict attention to the trend. I should take the first sentence in that quote above and emblazon it on my forehead!
Since it's Friday, y'all have a good weekend!
Maggie
