Search found 358 matches

by noyopacific
Fri Mar 11, 2022 4:16 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How do you shake the feeling to time the market and try to buy back lower?
Replies: 39
Views: 3657

Re: How do you shake the feeling to time the market and try to buy back lower?

It might help to shake the feeling by understanding some of the interest and motives of those who write the articles you are reading. In the best case it is in their interest to attract and retain readers/followers/subscribers. There is also a lot of incentive to try and push the market to serve the writer or their sponsor. They may be trying to encourage readers to sell when the writer's "source" wants to buy and visa versa. It's the classic strategy known as "Pump and Dump" and whatever the opposite of that would be. Any article predicting the future should be viewed with a lot of skepticism, that goes double if the prediction is about investments.
by noyopacific
Sat Oct 24, 2020 12:56 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Criticisms of Vanguard Rick Ferri Interview NewRetirement Podcast
Replies: 3
Views: 1440

Re: Criticisms of Vanguard Rick Ferri Interview NewRetirement Podcast

I did my own search and think I found the referenced podcast: https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/podcast-episode-20-rick-ferri-future-of-financial-advice/ I don't have the spare time to listen to a 70 minute recording in the hope of learning the context of Rick Ferri's comments. There have probably always been knowledgable people expressing various concerns about Vanguard's actions and decisions. Back in 2018, Jack Bogle wrote in the Wall Street Journal: "the share of assets held by index funds will almost certainly increase, and that could create problems for investors and the national interest." Mr. Bogle had also criticized Vanguard's decision at other times about getting into the business of operating Exchange Traded Fun...
by noyopacific
Wed Aug 19, 2020 3:13 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: How does one respond to this ethical/emotional critique of indexing?
Replies: 57
Views: 7555

Re: How does one respond to this ethical/emotional critique of indexing?

If index investors are freeloaders what would one call active managers who charge for a service that is almost always detriment to their clients interests and returns ? Very few active managers are able to deliver returns that can beat or even match the returns of index funds over ten years or more. Most active managers are little more than parasites, chisellers, grifters, frauds . . . take your pick. They can call me a freeloader if they want to. I'll consider the source and the motive behind the insult.
:D
I hope that this was the reply you were looking for.
by noyopacific
Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:37 pm
Forum: Forum Issues and Administration
Topic: Russian words in bogleheads.org Google searches?!
Replies: 14
Views: 2634

Re: Russian words in bogleheads.org Google searches?!

I did a search of the forum from the "bogleheads.org" web page using the box is the upper right corner of the page where you see: "Google..."
I entered the randomly chosen words: "bond index fraud wagon," I did not see any Russian words during my quick scan of the search results.

I can' explain your results. If you want to try investigating further you may want to try searching the terms I used to see what results you get. You might also reply here with an example of the search terms you used that produced Russian words in the search results.
by noyopacific
Tue Mar 05, 2019 11:49 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: " Vanguard doesn’t bare its finances. Should investors care?"
Replies: 25
Views: 2962

Re: " Vanguard doesn’t bare its finances. Should investors care?"

Paul, Jack Bogle wrote a book called: "Battle for the Soul of Capitalism." It was published a few years after Mr. Bogle's successor took control of Vanguard and forced him off of the board of directors. While I have seen comments from people who claim to have read the book, I have seen few that would suggest that many of them took any lessons from it. When I read "Battle for the Soul of Capitalism" I continually found myself wondering if it might have been intended as a warning to investors about the very company that Mr. Bogle had founded. I find Vanguard's lack of transparency about executive compensation very concerning. I wonder about the the way directors are recruited, nominated and paid. I am also curious about th...
by noyopacific
Thu Oct 11, 2018 3:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What did you buy today
Replies: 119
Views: 11813

Re: What did you buy today

VIPSX & VTIP, inflation protected bond funds. I hadn't moved any of the proceeds from my last rebalancing transactions from the settlement accounts into bond funds yet. I'd procrastinated finishing the job for too long. :P
by noyopacific
Mon May 07, 2018 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Fixing An Advisor's Suggested Portfolio
Replies: 4
Views: 981

Re: Fixing An Advisor's Suggested Portfolio

I don't have anything of merit to add to the previous comments except to say wow! You are asking the right questions and seem to be a fast learner. It is amazing how simple it is for an "amateur" to do this better themselves than to rely on a professional advisor. The difficult part is being willing to stick to your plan during market corrections. Bogleheads is also an excellent place to come for reassurance when you feel like you're ready to abandon a well thought out plan.
:sharebeer
by noyopacific
Fri Dec 09, 2016 3:25 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Do you think Slice and Dice makes it harder to stay the course?
Replies: 40
Views: 3694

Re: Do you think Slice and Dice makes it harder to stay the course?

As a long-time slice & dicer, I would agree that S&Ding does probably make it more challenging to stay the course. I think your concerns about drifting approaches based on recent performance, ideas and fads is valid. Your comments about the potential for underperformance due to changing ones allocations seems on the mark. My method for dealing with potential drift is that I do not make any allocation changes without incorporating them into my investment policy statement. Changes are only allowed once a year on my regular rebalancing date and the written change must be in place for at least six months prior to making any changes. It also helps that I am not inclined to try and chase past performance / returns. The choice for me is mo...
by noyopacific
Thu Dec 08, 2016 4:19 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Other investments?
Replies: 5
Views: 946

Re: Other investments?

It appears that you are in the "Develop A Workable Plan" stage. Mr. lack_ey has given you the most simple and obvious answer.
It looks to me like you might want to commit yourself to putting in some time into figuring out your goals and choose the path that best suits your situation and temperament. I wouldn't rush into anything yet. In the mean time I would not make any other decisions.
I would start right here: www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads®_inv ... philosophy
by noyopacific
Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:41 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: article of interest regarding Vanguard as a monopoly
Replies: 27
Views: 4296

Re: article of interest regarding Vanguard as a monopoly

...an opinion piece ... NY Times today ... argues that Vanguard, Blackrock, State Street, etc are anti-competitive monopolies that, on balance, harm the economy. Vanguard doesn't own the companies - individual funds do. If one of those funds is ever deemed to be too large by regulators, can't it just split itself in two separate funds ... [The author] ... ought to know better than claim that Vanguard and Blackrock are the registered owners, that is like saying that the trustee is the owner. .. In actuality, Vanguard and Blackrock are agents on behalf of beneficial owners who actually own an interest in the underlying shares. I think to understand the issues in the article one needs to understand some critical distinctions and interrelation...
by noyopacific
Wed Dec 07, 2016 11:09 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Retirement"
Replies: 6
Views: 3322

Re: "5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Retirement"

Good advice except that I'd add a warning to #4)
Being Too Generous with Uncle Sam
"You should also be paying attention to how to minimize your taxes . . ."
I've known several who seemed to believe that minimizing taxes was the primary goal and the target was the number $0. 100% of their income was from tax-free municipal bonds and their taxable income was zero for more than a decade. They could have ended up with more after tax income (with less risk) by including some taxable bond income in their portfolios.

Paying some taxes isn't the worst possible outcome. :D
by noyopacific
Wed Oct 05, 2016 4:53 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: any one planning to add precious metal in there portfolio
Replies: 21
Views: 3251

Re: any one planning to add precious metal in there portfolio

rambojani wrote: do you guys think it is a good time to . . . ?
The Bogleheads Principle #5 is: "Never try to time the market"

With that said, I have a very small permanent allocation in a fund that invests in gold mining stocks. The reason for this holding is that it is intended to serve as a form of insurance against a major unexpected market calamity. If there were a disaster this might provide a base to rebuild from. Keep in mind that the expected real returns from gold are zero and is probably negative after expenses.

It is very unlikely that this is a good time to invest in precious metals.
by noyopacific
Sun Apr 17, 2016 10:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Stock picking services
Replies: 39
Views: 4294

Re: Stock picking services

Good luck then.

I think that a stock picking service that had a true, demonstrable insight into identifying underpriced stocks would be far too valuable to offer that service for the mere price of a subscription.

If it doesn't work out for you, I'm sure you will be welcome back here.
by noyopacific
Fri Apr 15, 2016 3:03 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Lures More Funds Than All U.S. Rivals Combined
Replies: 12
Views: 1848

Re: Vanguard Lures More Funds Than All U.S. Rivals Combined

The thing that makes this most remarkable to me is that Vanguard didn't attract the biggest share of investment dollars because they had the top performing funds over the past X # of year(s.) An alternative headline might be:

Vanguard Funds Consistently Perform Slightly Above Average !

:wink:
by noyopacific
Mon Apr 11, 2016 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Having a well drilled - looking for advice/tips
Replies: 7
Views: 1549

Re: Having a well drilled - looking for advice/tips

Elsebit, I used to work occasionally for a friend who cleaned and serviced wells. We worked on both hand-dug & drilled wells. In most areas of the country, hand-dug wells are an anomaly and few people know anything about taking care of them. The comment about your service company that recommended a water softener got my attention. Water softeners are only used to reduce excess calcium and magnesium minerals. We saw many water softeners that had been sold to people to solve a problem that they didn't have. (The Seattle are is generally known for having very "soft" water.) I'd have the water tested before & after I put in a water softener. If the water doesn't have excess calcium and magnesium, I would assume that the people...
by noyopacific
Sat Mar 05, 2016 2:55 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: defined benefit plan + simple ira?
Replies: 1
Views: 454

Re: defined benefit plan + simple ira?

It is my understanding that in order to enjoy the tax advantages of the program, a Defined Benefit Plan (DBP) is generally required to cover all employees who work over 1,000 hours per year. This includes, all current employees (and all future new hires) that might work over 1,000 hours a year.

The description you've given sounds like you would like to find a way to exploit the tax advantages of a DBP without actually providing any benefits to your employees. Is this correct ?
by noyopacific
Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:46 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Active vs. Passive Management
Replies: 23
Views: 2884

Re: Active vs. Passive Management

You might want to review or consider handing out copies of this article. It's an eminently readable story aimed at an audience of people who are not investment professionals. It has been discussed before here on Bogleheads: The Best Investment Advice You'll Never Get: "As Google’s historic August 2004 IPO approached, the company’s senior vice president, Jonathan Rosenberg, realized he was about to spawn hundreds of impetuous young multimillionaires. They would, he feared, become the prey of Wall Street brokers, financial advisers, and wealth managers, all offering their own get-even-richer investment schemes."
http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francis ... -never-get
by noyopacific
Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:58 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Does Vanguard have an annual meeting?
Replies: 3
Views: 1275

Re: Does Vanguard have an annual meeting?

Vanguard does not have annual shareholder meetings because they do not have shareholders in the same sense as a corporation. As a mutual fund owner you are a shareholder in that fund, but a client of the Vanguard organization. I do agree, however, that if Vanguard had regular client meetings they might be quite popular. In the meantime the Boglehead meetings should suffice. :D I am going to assume that the question PATNMARY were trying to get an answer to is: "Do the open-end investment companies organized under The Investment Company Act of 1940 (commonly referred to as "mutual" or "exchange-traded" funds) that are administered by the Vanguard Group hold annual meetings?" I have been curious about this myself...
by noyopacific
Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I continue to postpone Social Security?
Replies: 27
Views: 3822

Re: Should I continue to postpone Social Security?

joebh wrote:
noyopacific wrote:(The calculated returns ignore inflation and possible inflation adjustments in SS benefits.)
Why would you ignore inflation? Seems like an odd assumption to make here...
Adding an unknown variable to the equation results in a result that is difficult to compute or for me to make much sense of. I suppose I could have inserted the word "real" into the returns but it wouldn't change the fact that inflation would still be an unknown variable. Perhaps someone with better algebra skills than I have could do it.
by noyopacific
Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Should I continue to postpone Social Security?
Replies: 27
Views: 3822

Re: Should I continue to postpone Social Security?

Cody, I did an analysis a few years ago. I tried to identify how long I would have to live to come out ahead by waiting to take SS. I also assumed that if I took SS benefits earlier, that the amount of SS I collected would have otherwise been withdrawn from my IRA. I then figured the amount that were left on my IRA would grow at various rates and based on the rate of return, how long I would need to live to come out ahead by delaying my SS benefits. Here is what I got. (The calculated returns ignore inflation and possible inflation adjustments in SS benefits.) At a 2% rate of return, it appears that I would need to live to be 87 years & 3 months old. At 3%, it is 91 ½ years. At 4%, I’d need to live to be 98. At a 5%, it’s 111 years. At ...
by noyopacific
Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:42 am
Forum: Non-US Investing
Topic: Need help with investing windfall - (Australian Investor)
Replies: 9
Views: 2229

Re: Need help with investing windfall - (Australian Investor)

Hello, Does anyone have any recommendations on how I should structure the portfolio to hold my inheritance for the next year ? Frazz, I did read your entire post. The phrase: "for the next year" was the key. You are not yet prepared for a long enough investment horizon to consider equities or bonds. That isn't a criticism, just an observation. Basically your best choices right now are a money market fund or in bank deposit account(s.) If there is a short term inflation-protected option, that might be worth considering too. Since I don't know any details about what is available, deposit insurance or possible tax considerations in Australia, I can't recommend anything more specific. I don't know how you found your way to bogleheads...
by noyopacific
Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:16 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Who's buying Oil stocks?
Replies: 168
Views: 29811

Re: Who's buying Oil stocks?

Why is the ER for VDE 0.12 and VGELX 0.32? Is active management really worth 0.2? The past 10 years performance seems to suggest maybe not. VDE has gained 4.51% annualized over 10 years, VGELX has gained 3.09% annualized over 10. This is not really a perfect comparison however. VGELX is a global energy fund and VDE does not have any foreign holdings. VGELX has outperformed its' benchmark (the MSCI All Country World Energy Index) by 1.23% over the past 10 years so based on that, active management doesn't appear to have hurt them. I've owned VGELX for 20 years or so. It has probably been the most profitable holding in my portfolio. This is probably due to my annual rebalancing efforts. The volatility of this fund has helped to deliver a dece...
by noyopacific
Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:00 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Who has the advantage, individuals or pros?
Replies: 29
Views: 4389

Re: Who has the advantage, individuals or pros?

During the pre-season the pros have the advantage.
They can generate operating revenue whether or not they play well in the second half.

During the playoffs the individuals have a better chance.
When total returns are counted, we don't need to carry the burden of fees the pros have to drag around.
by noyopacific
Mon Nov 23, 2015 1:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "Stock Index Not Going to Crash" vs. "Coming Stock Market Crash"
Replies: 11
Views: 2186

"Stock Index Not Going to Crash" vs. "Coming Stock Market Crash"

I was pleased to see both of these headlines in the past weeks news. http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article53045.html http://www.thestreet.com/story/13369789/1/coming-stock-market-crash-can-be-seen-in-this-one-chart.html I think both predictions are kind of silly and neither is especially significant. With that said, I'm wondering which headline is preferred by my fellow Bogleheads. Personally, I prefer the headlines warning of the coming crash. 1) These are always at least half right. Another crash will happen, we just don't know when it will be. 2) These help to maintain an appropriate degree of caution. Equities have greater risk. Rewards may be better but so can short term losses. 3) I look forward to corrections, even "crashes"...
by noyopacific
Fri Nov 20, 2015 2:34 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cinder Block Wall
Replies: 14
Views: 2770

Re: Cinder Block Wall

vested1 wrote: I would worry that a 5' or 6' wooden wall above mortarless blocks would become too unstable in the wind. We live near the coast and the storms can bring gusts of around 60 mph.
The blocks are reinforced with steel rebar and filled with concrete. This is really an engineering question though. I think that the issue of wind loads would affect the size of the foundation supporting the wall and amount of reinforcing steel required. The uniform building code may provide a standard. I seem to recall that block walls over 4' high may require engineering calculations in order to get a permit.
by noyopacific
Mon Nov 16, 2015 7:18 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Cinder Block Wall
Replies: 14
Views: 2770

Re: Cinder Block Wall

I recently installed a concrete (cinder) block foundation for a storage shed myself using mortarless block, aka: Concrete Masonry Units (CMU's.) I enjoyed the project and it was very simple. Mortarless blocks don't require mortared joints which require much more skill to form correctly. If you weren't willing to tackle it yourself, you might be able to hire a handyman to do it. I'm sure there are videos on YouTube. I'd guess that your materials estimate (for concrete forms, footings, rebar, blocks & grout) is reasonably close.
by noyopacific
Thu Nov 12, 2015 8:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Annuity pros and cons
Replies: 26
Views: 4223

Re: Annuity pros and cons

I have one (annuity) that I can add too and will not go below 3.5 interest rate and no fees required. "Will not go below 3.5%" sounds like some kind of variable annuity. Most Bogleheads dislike variable annuities. "no fees required" Sounds like you may have been misled somewhat. While there are probably no up front fees that need to be to disclosed, the issuer & any agent are likely taking a big bite, which will not be disclosed. Most Bogleheads prefer fixed, Single Premium Immediate Annuities (SPIA's.) SPIA's are usually competitively-priced so there is much less room for issuers to extract excessive fees. Agents selling annuities don't care much for them because they are more or less a commodity and the commission...
by noyopacific
Thu Nov 12, 2015 4:55 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Well Water - black residue
Replies: 31
Views: 27778

Re: Well Water - black residue

I used to help out a friend who had a well pump business. He serviced a few wells that would get a grey sludge on the pump and inside of the pipes. He had identified as some type of bacteria. It is messy to work with but harmless to humans. We would clean it out but the goop would return within a year. I wouldn't assume that this is your problem because there is such a vast range of factors that can affect water quality, even within a local area. My first step would be to contact the local agency that issues water well permits. (In California, would be the county environmental health dept.) I'd ask how to get your water quality tested. There is a huge range of things that can be tested for. Some tests are very expensive. Your local agency m...
by noyopacific
Wed Nov 04, 2015 12:58 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How to make finance talk for MDs sound interesting?
Replies: 24
Views: 2762

Re: How to make finance talk for MDs sound interesting?

One of my all-time favorites is still:
"The Best Investment Advice You'll Never Get"
http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francis ... -never-get

It might be worthwhile to try using nisiprius's announcement pitch above.
You can even suggest that you are offering and an
exclusive opportunity to share the secret sauce for high returns & low risk with a tax advantages !
Which is probably a more or less accurate description of the 10 Principles of The Bogleheads investment philosophy. :wink:
by noyopacific
Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:04 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Funds Sue Vereit REIT for 'Billions'
Replies: 4
Views: 1759

Re: Vanguard Funds Sue Vereit REIT for 'Billions'

I don't want Vanguard to start dabbling in activist investing practices but am very pleased to see that Vanguard is willing to "go to the mattresses" when they feel it is necessary to protect shareholder interests from apparent fraud. I wonder why Federal law enforcement has not stepped up to the job but applaud Vanguard heartily for its' decision to do so.

Here is another article with a slightly more colorful version of the story:
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq- ... sues-.html
by noyopacific
Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: short term investment options needed....
Replies: 3
Views: 603

Re: short term investment options needed....

Bank savings or CD's probably offer the best rates for a short term, liquid, low-risk option. If I were comparing bank interest rates, I'd keep in mind that it is often the weakest banks that are offering the highest rates. I'd want to make sure my account(s) are FDIC insured. Some banks have been known to sell bonds without informing the clients that they are not putting their money into an insured account. I'd also want to make sure that I did not exceed the FDIC insurance limits.
My personal favorite option is short term TIPS. I am willing to give up a few $ in the minimum returns for the protection they offer against unexpected spikes in inflation.
by noyopacific
Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: "Financial Advice Is Improving Across the Board"
Replies: 8
Views: 2229

Re: "Financial Advice Is Improving Across the Board"

As a lucrative industry with low entrance standards, financial advice has been and will be a refuge for ambitious frauds.
This comment gave me a good laugh !

But I'm not going to agree with this one:
Of course, financial advice is more complicated than personal training. It's only an analogy, my financial-advisor friends.
I think that good financial advice is often uncomplicated.
The complicated part is figuring out what is wrong with the multitude of bad investment products being aggressively promoted.
In my own experience, good personal training is significantly more complicated. :wink:
by noyopacific
Tue Oct 27, 2015 4:15 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: Congrats to Laura Dogu
Replies: 67
Views: 11900

Re: Congrats to Laura Dogu

Congratulations! :thumbsup I've been having this story come up again in my Google news feed because "Bogleheads" is one of my news search keywords. http://www.allgov.com/news/appointments-and-resignations/us-ambassador-to-nicaragua-who-is-laura-dogu-151018?news=857660 I looked to see that the last time Laura posted in the BH Forum was 1/10/15 and her viewing profile also shows no recent activity. Her signature tag may give a clue to why she might have wanted to reduce her visibility here: The views presented are my own and not necessarily those of the Department of State or the U.S. Government. I imagine that the promotion might also be keeping her busy. Assuming that she occasionally lurks in this area, Best Wishes, Good Luck &am...
by noyopacific
Mon Oct 26, 2015 2:54 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: How to Compare Rental Property vs 60/40
Replies: 7
Views: 1230

Re: How to Compare Rental Property vs 60/40

You might want to investigate using something like the "capitalization of income approach" to evaluate your expected / projected returns against value or cost. While this approach is most often used to estimate the value of an investment property or security based on the expected / projected returns, I have also found it useful in evaluating the returns expressed as an annual percentage of the potential sales value or amount to be invested in a purchase. For example, A property that is expected to produce returns of $5,000 per year net of all expenses and an expected rate of return of 5% on invested capital has a value of $100,000. [$5,000 / .05 = $100,000] Expressed another way, The property is worth $100,000 at a "cap rate&...
by noyopacific
Thu Oct 01, 2015 11:06 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: What to do with a lump sum?
Replies: 2
Views: 503

Re: What to do with a lump sum?

Brmprice, You might want to read the Boglehead's Wiki on this very topic: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Lump_sum_vs_pension Brmprice: With the recent correction and many pundits saying things may continue to slide, I am questioning the timing and direction of investing this money. Every milligram of research on the subject of timing we have ever seen indicates that timing the market is at best, a futile effort. I suspect obtaining the advice of a fortune teller would be at least as good as listening to the advice of most media pundits. Brmprice : Should I invest a percentage now and dollar cost average the rest over a period of time. If so, what percentage in stocks, bonds, or cash? This question can only be answered after accurately eval...
by noyopacific
Thu Oct 01, 2015 10:00 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: mid year SPIVA report, deja vu all over again
Replies: 3
Views: 784

Re: mid year SPIVA report, deja vu all over again

Some might say you are just "preaching to the choir," but that's okay with me.
There are very few stories I have heard so often yet enjoy so much as SPIVA's tale of:
"Mr. MarketIndex trounces Mr. HotShot . . . AGAIN !"
by noyopacific
Thu Oct 01, 2015 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Made the phone carrier switch out of AT&T!
Replies: 19
Views: 5124

Re: Made the phone carrier switch out of AT&T!

When you reinstated the account in order to port your phone # to AirVoice, should I I assume AT&T charged for this service?
After the account is reinstated in order to port the #, is it necessary to cancel the AT&T service again to prevent further charges?
Thanks for the tips.
by noyopacific
Wed Sep 30, 2015 5:17 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Difference between 500 Index Fund Admiral and Investor?
Replies: 12
Views: 2399

Re: Difference between 500 Index Fund Admiral and Investor?

Over the past 5 years, a $10,000 investment in the:
Investor class (VFINX) shares would be worth $19,728.77
Admiral class (VFIAX) shares would be worth $19.937.47
The difference is that for each $10,000* invested over the past five years, the Admiral shares would have returned $208.70 more.

* including multiples and/or fractions of $10,000.
by noyopacific
Thu Sep 24, 2015 4:52 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: As new folks like me start passive investing. . .
Replies: 10
Views: 2283

Re: As new folks like me start passive investing. . .

As shareholders we have a role in corporate governance. Vanguard acts as our agent in these matters. Collectively we have quite a bit of power, actually. So far as I can tell Vanguard shareholders, from a practical standpoint have virtually no opportunity to even nominate our Directors. It appears to me that The Vanguard Group administrators must be the ones who recruit and recommend potential Director candidates to the Board. (I believe that these nominees are the only choices we have been able to vote on) I don't understand how Directors that are recruited by Vanguard's administration can be reasonably expected to provide meaningful oversight and supervision of the folks who recommended them. It seems to me that this forum might be an ex...
by noyopacific
Wed Sep 23, 2015 2:24 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Talk me out of 4500 purchase [Camera]
Replies: 133
Views: 13802

Re: Talk me out of 4500 purchase

Closetoreality is asking for help in resisting the temptation to spend $4500 on a camera. It's interesting that so many are instead encouraging him to go ahead and get it.

Here is my effort to give him what he is asking for: If you invested that money instead and got a 7% return compounded over 20 years, it will cost you $17,413.58. After 30 years the cost will be $34,255.15. Does that make your decision any easier?

Temptation, justification, guilt & regret are a hard gang to satisfy.

Best Wishes!
:)
by noyopacific
Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:46 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Moving on from past mistakes
Replies: 21
Views: 2653

Re: Moving on from past mistakes

I have a couple of these little blunders that I hold on to as a reminder In case I am tempted to to it again. :oops: My only worry is that some day they could recover to the point that I might conclude that it was a brilliant move after all.
by noyopacific
Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:23 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Golf Cart Battery
Replies: 3
Views: 1180

Re: Best Golf Cart Battery

Surrette/Rolls batteries are considered the top by some, in both price and quality. In comparing deep cycle batteries, one way to determine quality is to weigh them. Heavier is better. Lead is expensive and lots of it what makes a deep cycle battery better.
by noyopacific
Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:14 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Question for the Bogleheads Millionaires
Replies: 372
Views: 76988

Re: Question for the Bogleheads Millionaires

ajacobs6 wrote:Many people are underpaid, and living paycheck to paycheck.
The first thing I'd recommend would be to figure out how to get beyond the notion that "many people are underpaid."
I subscribe to the idea that markets are mostly pretty efficient at setting prices. I believe that this applies when setting prices for securities as well as for labor.

I think you would do better if you can accept idea that your labor might be worth whatever an employer is willing to pay for it. This could enable you to:
Look for a better job
Start a side business
Work more hours
Work more efficiently
Get training & experience that will make your time more valuable.
by noyopacific
Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:56 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing without past performance data
Replies: 27
Views: 2253

Re: Investing without past performance data

In case you are not aware of them, Morningstar (M*) s a company whose business rests to a large degree on ranking mutual fund performance. They have frequently stated that costs and portfolio turnover are a better predictor of future performance than the (historic performance-based) M* Ratings.
How often did the star rating beat expenses as a predictor? Slightly less than half the time,
I don't know what further point there is in debating the predictive merits of past-performance after this.
http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/ ... ?id=347327
by noyopacific
Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:43 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: [spurned advisor purports there is a Vanguard] Class Action Suit?
Replies: 43
Views: 7403

Re: [spurned advisor pretends there is a Vanguard] Class Action Suit?

TinyElvis wrote:I thought it was a bit of a low-class move to make a statement like that unless he had actual proof to back it up. We'll see if he shares anything along those lines.
In the mean time, on behalf of other potential prey, I'd like to thank TinyElvis for keeping his advisor distracted and focused on quarry that he will be unable to catch. :beer
by noyopacific
Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:18 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Your First Job
Replies: 113
Views: 12542

Re: Your First Job

12 years-old, paper route, $50 +/- month (1968)
1st W-2, 15 years old, summer camp counselor, $25/week
by noyopacific
Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:30 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Would you look down on a co-worker for driving a beater?
Replies: 198
Views: 29068

Re: Would you look down on a co-worker for driving a beater?

Assuming that the vehicle were mechanically sound and reliable, then NO! I would more likely to admire a co-worker with an ego secure enough to not require a car that might bolster their self-image. I would also be more likely to trust the judgement of someone who appreciates the values of utility and economy over shallow symbolism. I confess that I am much more likely to look down on a co-worker driving an expensive car. If they had to get a loan to buy the car and especially if it is a struggle for them to afford it, my impression might turn to pity or, if they have an unpleasant personality, to contempt. My first car was an 8 year-old Triumph Spitfire. It showed some wear and wasn't particularly reliable but it was cheap, got unbelievabl...
by noyopacific
Mon Jul 20, 2015 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Energy Mutual Fund or ETF?
Replies: 12
Views: 2954

Re: Vanguard Energy Mutual Fund or ETF?

Rob5TCP wrote:I would have thought the two returns would be fairly comparable.
They are general in the same direction, but year by year there have been large variations.
The ETF, VDE tracks (MSCI) US Investable Market Energy Index (domestic energy.)
The mutual fund VGENX, is benchmarked to MSCI All Country World Energy Index (global energy.)

Domestic energy has outperformed, or at least had lower losses than global energy for the past few years.
Over the past 10 years, VGENX has returned 5.60% while its benchmark has returned 4.07% (Edited return figures. I had incorrectly copied the #'s when I originally posted this. Thanks to "Ourbrooks" for point out my error.)
VDE has returned 6.87% while the bench mark returned 6.81% over 10 years.
by noyopacific
Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is now a decent time to buy gold? [Portfolio help]
Replies: 88
Views: 11046

Re: Is now a decent time to buy gold? [Portfolio help]

In response to TMCD75's question, part of what you are asking a market timing question: "Is this a good time to buy gold?" :shock: The Fourth Commandment of The Bogleheads Philosophy is: "Never try to time the market." With that in mind, I view gold as one of the things that may have some utility in a portfolio as a form of insurance. I would not however expect it to increase ones performance under normal circumstances. Like any insurance, the odds of coming out ahead on this sort of a bet are low. It MIGHT provide some protection during times of market turmoil. Buying bullion or shares in a fund that holds bullion however does not appeal to me because gold produces no earnings and it has storage costs and not insignific...
by noyopacific
Thu Jul 16, 2015 2:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Getting rid of moles & voles (rodents)
Replies: 28
Views: 5522

Re: Getting rid of moles & voles (rodents)

Thanks for all the suggestions! There were a few ideas I'd never have thought of. Juicy Fruit gum was one. Explosive charges connected to a motion-switch was an idea I wouldn't have thought of. :D I do have some blasting caps that I found 40 years ago, I've been warned that the explosive in them might have become unstable by now. I also have some battery-powered, motion-activated sprinklers (to scare deer from the garden.) Maybe I can wire one of those up to activate the charge . . . :wink: Just kidding.
Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions !