Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
Unfortunately, polls show that a majority of Americans approve use of force and that they "enjoy" seeing our military use the big hardware. If you are a leader polling 37% approval, does it not make perverse sense to drop a couple of MOABs to "encou…
@Old_Skeet: I watched parts of the press conference with Dr. Dao's lawyer. One of his adult daughters also spoke. I think the lawyer is sharp and he gave a good performance. Dr. Dao has a concussion, a broken nose that may require surgery, and two f…
Here's an interesting take on the airline industry and its lack of technical innovation as a possible cause for Sunday's massive screw-up:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/12/technology/how-technology-has-failed-to-improve-your-airline-experience.htm…
I know a therapist who treats, as part of his practice, substance abusers. He told me recently that the marijuana currently available is so much more potent than what the Boomers may remember from their college days that he is implacably opposed to …
Those are good points @msf, delivered considerately. I think you are right about moving assets into TIAA for them to manage. It could be a good idea for the day when I'm not able to manage my accounts well, especially since I'm the only investor in …
I'm grateful for the insightful and complimentary comments. I try to remember that this is truly a high class problem and that many of our compatriots deserve better than what our economic system provides them. My forebears and those of my wife took…
Pie-in-the-sky solution: All the horrified passengers should have stood in protest and blocked the aisle to prevent the cops from removing the man. An act of peaceful civil disobedience, carried out in solidarity by passengers who were all adversely…
I am confused @LLJB. Are we talking about the same fund? GLFOX has an ER of 1.22% and a turnover ratio of 35% and throws off modest amounts of dividends and capital gains. I don't see anything there to criticize.
Here's a recent M* article:
http://…
Many moons ago, our family of five was going from Detroit to Phoenix on PanAm. In St Louis passengers were asked if they'd be willing to fly to Dallas-Ft Worth and then on to Phoenix instead of non-stop to Phoenix. We said OK as it added only a coup…
Good points @davidmoran. Interesting you mention the mortgage because we have one and could pay it off if we saw the advantage to doing so. It's one query I want to put to someone able to analyze our situation.
My thoughts exactly, @Sven. Where was the outrage among the passengers when the jack-booted thuggish looking police assaulted the helpless passenger? I kept hoping one of them would stand up kick a cop or take him down. Remember the ditty from the …
You have to admire the performance of GLFOX measured against any global or international fund I admire. I own ARTRX and FMIJX, and like them. The Lazard fund, however, with its small number of seemingly boring companies that run toll roads or build …
@davidmoran: If I consulted someone brand new I would be willing to pay a fee for advice, but I do not want an on-going "wrap-fee" relationship, nor do I want to deal with someone who works on commission. I think it was Zweig's column on Saturday in…
Thanks @Ted. I googled the topic and noticed that the MF companies all came up with offers of advice. I plan to reduce number of funds but don't want to generate CGs all at once. @Derf: I am a serial contributor.@msf: your point is well taken. No pr…
A quick look at FTHNX, and I've never seen it before, suggests that the 194% turnover ratio and the out-sized distributions for 2014-2016 mean that this is no fund for a taxable account or for an investor looking for tax efficiency.
George Putnam b…
@MikeM: There are differences among Panera and I like the traditional ones. Where I live in Ann Arbor, there are no fewer than five, whereas Bloomington, IN, another Big Ten town had only one when I was there about five years ago. Panera "hosts" a l…
My favorite hangout; sure hope they don't change it. As I said on another thread re: DPZ, PANR since 1999 has shot the lights out, now it's over the moon. Do I still own it, of course not!
While it is not free and is not "crowd" created, I have entrusted all the info Catch suggests to the Kiplinger organizer:
https://store.kiplinger.com/family_records_organizer_download.html
I, too, have been met with "glad you're doing that, good to…
Agree with @dstone42 about advantages of 529 investing. TIAA manages Michigan's plan about which I have no complaints. There's a state income tax credit on up to 10k per year, but only in years you put in and don't take out. As to the issue of how …
Your mileage will vary is the required caveat. One reason for taking SS earlier than 70.5 is the matter of dependents the oldsters might have. We have two adoptees, the younger of whom joined the family as an infant when I was 56, the older when I w…
Thanks @00BY. The 529 idea is great and I have used the Michigan plan already for my kids. This kid will have a hard time resisting the effects of the wolverine breast milk she's getting now with more subtle and overt pressures to follow. Where my p…
@Ted: that KISS is one great fund. I just needed someone to remind me that I can help myself. Thanks to other commenters. I left out one key factor, at least in our family. My wife does not participate in "our" investment decisions, by her choice, …
UConn started to make reputation in 64-65 with a player who eventually made it to the Celtics bench; the court was laid over the dirt floor of the Field House and the university was just emerging from its past as an ag school and teacher training in…
Today's men's game would be a lot less acrobatic if the rules were properly enforced. Almost every "dribble" these days is a carry and the refs seem to never count the third step which in my day was a travel. You cannot begin a big swing across the …
Why didn't Trump make other promises to industries that have seen their day? Wouldn't someone benefit if we brought back the tanning industry? Iron miners are disappearing; why not mandate a high percentage of cast iron be used in our cars? I often …
As a retired faculty member, my perspective may be at odds with that of other participants here. I don't know K-12, despite having strong opinions,so I'll limit my comments to higher education. I believe our country has succeeded in creating a massi…
My useless advice to @VintageFreak is don't saddle any kid with a career aspiration that is really your own. "My son, the doctah," is all about Mom, not the kid.
Longtime residents of Michigan, not by choice but because of the job market in my field. I am ashamed that we're now a "Right to Freeload" state. I just penned a primer on our family's union heritage to my daughter at U-M where her graduate student …
Pick the right restaurant stock and you can be happy. Panera IPO'd in 1999 and has been a great investment. DPZ's performance is stunning; but there are a lot of crashes and burns in the sector. Don't eat dairy, so no opinion on pizza.
Agree with @VintageFreak, but realize I provided no % because I thought the original task didn't fit my circumstances. Most of my equity holdings are in TIAA and I don't manage those accounts. I do have $ outside TIAA that I do manage and for which …
What @msf so rightly said about 401/403b plans is true in my case. Due to reorganization at my employer and a 457 plan I started late in my career, I ended up with five different accounts requiring five separate RMDs. When our mortgage lender insist…
I have been home recovering from shoulder surgery, so I have not looked at this thread until today. I read fast and I am fairly knowledgeable, but this thread caused me to throw up my one good hand in frustration. Please, MFOers, don't try to argue …
Andrew Ross Sorkin's column today about Sears Holdings adds yet another dismal view of traditional retailing.
https://nyti.ms/2mOQ63C
We shop at Aldi, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Kroger, Meijer, Dollar Tree, and TJX stores regularly and could not do …
