Castanza

Lol what? How were they diagnosed BEFORE being hospitalized? Why not? They come to the hospital, wait for 5 hours while infecting all other patients waiting in line (and being infected as well). Then they met the doctor, who asked the nurse to do a series of lab testing for them. Then results show positive. And doctor says sorry we don't have any beds for you today. Go home and try to come here again tomorrow to see if we have any empty beds. Your story sounds like a whole load of BS. There is absolutely no way the hospital is letting an infected victim just go home. They’ll house them in tents if there aren’t any beds and keep them quarantined. Are you from China? Have relatives. If China is capable of completely shutting down 15 cities, enclosing off-boarding passengers suspected of being infected in boxes, and building a 1000-bed hospital in six days you think they’d test someone, find out they’ve been inflicted and just say “you should go home and come back another day when there’s space”? Have you seen the videos of the hospitals? They are overrun. They probably don’t have enough tests and telling people to go home and stay inside is a decent way to contain something. Basically house arrest.

There was one video of the Wuhan hospital with bodies just lying around. Between Hong Kong and now this China has a lot of issues. All we need is for it to hit EU where nobody has any money.... Not going to lie....I didn’t think this would pan out into anything.

Lol what? How were they diagnosed BEFORE being hospitalized? Why not? They come to the hospital, wait for 5 hours while infecting all other patients waiting in line (and being infected as well). Then they met the doctor, who asked the nurse to do a series of lab testing for them. Then results show positive. And doctor says sorry we don't have any beds for you today. Go home and try to come here again tomorrow to see if we have any empty beds. Wow that’s crazy, hope they end up alright

Starter position PBCT

Absolutely agree. I’ll still most likely refrain from leverage. I avoid most types of debt in my life and choose to live with the loss of potential gains. I guess I mostly wanted to revive it to see what the mentality was alongside this ever increasing frothy market. Thanks You don't necessarily need debt to lever your position. The biggest leverage-fest that we've ever had on this board was probably the widespread purchase of bank LEAPs and Tarp Warrants. Lots of people on this board made lots of money from that opportunity. The LEAPS and warrants were objectively cheap, and it was nice to not be at risk of a margin call if the market temporarily moved the wrong direction. The second biggest leverage-fest on this board was when a smaller group made heavy purchases of FFH LEAPs back when they were objectively cheap. That one was one of my most expensive errors -- I bought the stock for less than US$100, which is all fine and dandy, but other guys harvested 40 and 60 bags off the the LEAPS. The third most significant leverage-fest was BRK options and LEAPs about 4 or 5 years ago. I think it was TWA's thread "The Mother of Easy Trades" that really identified how stupidly cheap BRK had gotten, and how even more stupidly cheap were the LEAPs. Once again, I was stupid and just added shares rather than lever the hell out of the situation... I need a painfully obvious opportunity before I use any meaningful amount of leverage (either debt or options). So far, my errors of omission have cost me a shit-load. SJ Wow that thread is full of interesting stuff. Thanks for the insights. I guess hindsight it always 2020 right?

Absolutely agree. I’ll still most likely refrain from leverage. I avoid most types of debt in my life and choose to live with the loss of potential gains. I guess I mostly wanted to revive it to see what the mentality was alongside this ever increasing frothy market. Thanks

Do you have general rules of thumb that you follow? Most people who I see use margin seem to limit their exposure to say 10% of their portfolio.

Not to bring this back from the dead, but I'm curious what everyone's appetite for margin is in the current environment? Personally, I don't use it, but I have seen a lot of discussion (inner circles) regarding it.

Got some CMCSA under $46

$WMB

Government debt will never be repaid. If any government on earth needs to repay debt, and can’t roll it over, they will default. This applies to the US as well. We are running 5% deficit as a percent of GDP in one of the hottest economy ever 10 years plus into a recovery, how would we ever repay debt? Give it a recession and we run at 10% GDP deficit quickly. Government debt is never repaid, it is only rolled over. Say the euro goes extinct. What does that even look like? What is the path forward from there for European countries? Italy will still have its issue regardless of the euro at this point right?

There are trade-offs wherever you live. This "dorm" feeling as Greg put is it the exact reason I chose to not live in a big city for any extended period of time. People are annoying all over the place. You're just much more likely to encounter them in a city due to proximity. Personally I prefer to walk outside every morning to see a few deer grazing in the field, over some meth addict sitting on my steps. My wallet also thanks me! But to each their own! Different strokes for different folks :P

Macro is so unpredictable and speculative. It's interesting to discuss for sure (everyone loves a good apocalypse thesis), but there is no sure way to effectively use any of this to your advantage. It's much more effective to hedge yourself on the personal finance side of things. Hedge your career with other skills outside of your current career path. Don't over leverage yourself with personal debt. Build a solid emergency fund. Take care of your body. One way or another, life will go on.

I would recommend never writing anything defamatory. Something like "Could you please stop smoking so much weed so I can sleep." is probably fine. Always keep it as hearsay. I don't know much about the laws where you are, but you never know how these neighbor spats can spiral to ridiculous levels. Last thing you want is to be sitting in some court where this guy is suing you for harassment and he has a pile of threatening letters as evidence.

+1

I really like Vanguard's dilapidated look (though sometimes I get the updated screen edition and it looks worse). I keep my core holdings there and the interface is so clunky it pains me to even think about trading on it. This is probably the reason why I haven't had many sell transactions on Vanguard over the years and that portfolio has been outperforming my actively managed account by a wide margin. I guess, I'm glad that the fees are now 0. :) The amount of click-throughs is annoying. Lack of solid mobile platform is also a bit annoying.

For those who care. Vanguard finally joined commission free trading on equities. Also looks like they will finally update their online experience (about time). https://pressroom.vanguard.com/news/Press-Release-Vanguard-Expands-Commission-Free-Platform-Beyond-ETFs.html

Adding to $DISCA, $BP, $WMB, $T

I hear this daily from my wife who’s specialized in Neonatal Intensive Care. :o

Stumbled upon this old thread. Discussion seemed relevant and interesting enough to bump. https://www.cornerofberkshireandfairfax.ca/forum/general-discussion/impact-of-low-interest-rates/50/

I guess it depends which core themes you find the most interesting. I simply liked the nihilistic theme in Demons. You could argue that some of his other stories are more entertaining, but if your're reading Dostoyevsky you're not really after a surface level story. I guess I shouldn't have assigned a favorite as I read them over a long period of time. I'm one of those people who will read 25 books at a time.

Took me three years to work through Fyodor Dostoyevsky's five main works. Very much worth the time and effort. - Notes from the underground - Crime and Punishment - The Idiot - Demons (Probably my favorite) - The Brothers Karamazov “Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering. That is a fact.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota. Most of the Hondas are great as well. Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them). Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc.. If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand. Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them. Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair. Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand? Size/shape(passenger/SUV?). I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market. Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension. The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue. I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence. Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability. There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis. My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them. Well the newest TRD Pro ships with Bilstein 4600’s. So a suspension failing has nothing to do with Toyota and everything to do with Bilstein. To say an entire vehicle is terrible because aftermarket shocks supplied by another company failed is a bit disingenuous. When it comes to brand reliability it’s always Toyota, Lexus at the top and Buick. All of the big 3 American brands are way near the bottom (cough cough Jeep). Toyota Tacoma’s, Land Cruisers, Tundras and 4 Runners often do last decades if they are properly taken care of. I’m probably a bit biased but hey everyone is with something they own :P But I’m also not a fanboy. I recognize the flaws. That’s why I bought the 10 year warranty :P The new Tacoma has more problems than just the suspension. It is rated the least reliable pickup Or the most reliable and the Tundra as #2. Guess it depends where you look. Though I didn’t see any reports with 2016+ Tacoma as being unreliable https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/the-most-reliable-new-trucks-on-the-market https://www.google.com/amp/s/repairpal.com/reliability/midsize-truck.amp

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota. Most of the Hondas are great as well. Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them). Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc.. If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand. Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them. Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair. Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand? Size/shape(passenger/SUV?). I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market. Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension. The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue. I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence. Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability. There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis. My point is that Scotty Miller said his son RECENTLY bought a New Tacoma AND expect it to last decades. Even non mechanics like us know the new Tacoma is no good. So I think he is paid by Toyota to advertise for them. Well the newest TRD Pro ships with Bilstein 4600’s. So a suspension failing has nothing to do with Toyota and everything to do with Bilstein. To say an entire vehicle is terrible because aftermarket shocks supplied by another company failed is a bit disingenuous. When it comes to brand reliability it’s always Toyota, Lexus at the top and Buick. All of the big 3 American brands are way near the bottom (cough cough Jeep). Toyota Tacoma’s, Land Cruisers, Tundras and 4 Runners often do last decades if they are properly taken care of. I’m probably a bit biased but hey everyone is with something they own :P But I’m also not a fanboy. I recognize the flaws. That’s why I bought the 10 year warranty :P

"They are endless money pits" - Scotty Kilmer If you want reliable, no-brainer cars and you like the design, I would go with Toyota. Most of the Hondas are great as well. Recent Mazdas are great value for money, reliable almost as the Toyotas, have very nice design(I love them). Also consider Hyundai/Kia - very good value/features etc.. If you are willing to spend more or want more premuim brands, check out Lexus/Acura/Genesis. Especially Genesis can be a great value second hand. Avoid anything German, specially premium German(Mercedes/BMW/Audi), unless you really like them. Also better avoid anything with CVT or Dual Clutch transmissions. They tend to have many problmes and are expensive to repair. Do you have any specific models in mind? What is your budget? Willing to buy second hand? Size/shape(passenger/SUV?). I wouldn’t trust Scotty Miller. I think he may be paid by Toyota. Toyota is very good at marketing it’s crappy cars through self media. I remember one day Scotty said his son bought a new Toyota Tacoma and expected to keep it for decades. If you check Consumer reports or other car review channels, you can see that the new Tacoma is one of the least reliable pickup truck on market. Its highest end TRD PRO off road trim is also a complete joke. Search for a YouTube video for Honda Ridgeline base model driving into Death Valley Race Track, with a Tacoma TRD as the support vehicle and see what happened. The Tacoma’s all four suspension exploded after 6 miles while the Ridgeline base model made it back in the end with tiny leaks in one suspension. The new Tacoma is still in the early stages of the model. If you go and look at the 2015 model they are basically tanks. I know a guy personally who had a 2015 Tacoma TRD and did 20k miles overland throughout the course of a year (he took a leap year). He went all over the states and ran some pretty difficult runs. Didn’t have a single issue. I have a 2017 Tacoma and it has been rock solid. I’m not a fan of the new auto transmission which is in my opinion not programmed correctly. At least not as refined as it should be. But the shift points don’t necessarily translate to poor mechanical durability. Both engines V6 and 4 cylinder are extremely reliable and have been proven over time. Toyota us also known for their extreme testing. Not to mention professional race results speak for themselves. Tacoma and Tundra win the Baja 500 and simply dominate the field I will agree that the TRD package is not worth the money you shell out. You could save yourself some money and just install some OME Coils paired with Bilstein 5100’s and OME Dakar leaf springs. That would take you anywhere in North America with confidence. Luckily if you’re in Europe or Asia you can get your hands on the Hilux which is legendary for dependability. There is also a huge difference between a Honda Ridgeline and a Tacoma. One the Honda is basically a Pilot with a bed. It has independent suspension (think car). It’s not a truck. The Tacoma has a solid axle and a truck chassis.