4.01.2018

The Star Tribune's "Climate Change" Mania







Climate change in Minnesota creates septic tank headaches



Excerpt:

Frozen septic systems are emerging as an unexpected consequence of climate change in Minnesota — one that is bedeviling homeowners across the state and could soon cost taxpayers more for the repair and maintenance of fragile rural roads. The cause is a dramatic long-term decline in insulating snow early in November and December. Combined with still-freezing conditions, that drives the frost line deep underground — well below septic pipes and drain fields. As a result, thousands of the half-million Minnesotans whose homes, cabins or businesses rely on underground septic tanks are facing a costly solution: pump their tanks more often and use their showers, washing machines, dishwashers and toilets less. And this year isn’t the worst in a recent history of freeze-ups, septic haulers say. The problem grows especially acute in March and April because Minnesota imposes local road weight restrictions for heavy trucks like the massive septic “honey wagons.” That can leave homeowners stranded as they watch their septic tanks fill up with nowhere for the liquid to go. Except back in the house.
High water opens sinkholes, shifts foundations in south Minneapolis



Excerpt:

Jerry Mullin, who presented Wednesday night on behalf of the Lake Hiawatha area, said the problems there are similar to those around Nokomis. He cited sinkholes, settling houses and streets that stay flooded for days. “The common thread is that we have serious groundwater high-water table issues in this part of the watershed,” he said. “And it’s not well understood as to why these problems have arisen in the last five years.” In a letter to the DNR, Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis, said heavy rains will become more common due to climate change. She also highlighted a number of infrastructure changes affecting the water flow. “I’ve represented this area for a long time,” Wagenius said. “People are telling me this has never happened before. And I’ve never heard of it before, either. So I trust what I’m hearing.”
Duluth's hidden creeks, under buildings and roads, increasing cause for worry



Excerpt:

Greys Creek is one of 44 named streams trickling and sometimes gushing their way down Duluth’s steep hill toward the great lake. Early developers who valued land in the heart of the city simply built tunnels over parts of the streams, covering them up so they could erect buildings over them. “It was all about usable space and property a long time ago,” explained Todd Carlson, program coordinator in the city’s engineering department. But age and greater water flow caused by climate change and development up the hill have increasingly turned the tunnels into a maintenance worry for city utilities staff. If the wrong section fails during a storm, it can back up streams and cause flooding or undermine roads and create sinkholes. It’s a prominent issue during spring snow melt and heavy summer rains.
Comments: Image top is the cover of Steve Goreham's The Mad Mad Mad World of Climatism. The Star Tribune takes every opportunity to blame Climate Change! As Captain Renault famously stated Round up the usual suspects.

Posted by Jim Peet at 4/01/2018 10:15:00 AM 0 comments

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3.20.2018

"The ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box"



Frederick Douglass: a good revolver and a box of ammo

Excerpt:

The more I read about Frederick Douglass, the more I like him. His white master’s wife taught him to read. A literate slave was a danger to the institution of slavery, especially when a literate slave read the Bible and understood its message that the spirit and the body are free in Jesus Christ.

Douglass had begun to realize what his “master” understood: “There was power, indeed subversive, revolutionary power, in reading and interpreting the Bible for oneself, and that the institution of slavery, in fact, depended on controlling biblical literacy — who can read the Bible when and how.”

“I felt a delight in circumventing the tyrants, and in blessing the victims of their curses.” Yes, “circumventing the tyrants,” not with words alone but with the ability to defend oneself from being kidnapped, returned to slavery, or lynched:

The true remedy for the Fugitive Slave Bill is a good revolver, a steady hand, and a determination to shoot down any man attempting to kidnap.

He also said, “A man’s rights rest in three boxes. The ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.” The late Georgia Congressman Larry McDonald, who died in the shootdown of Korean Flight 007 by the former Soviet Union in 1983, added a fourth:

There are four boxes to be used in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Please use in that order. 

Here’s how the four boxes in the defense of liberty have been described:

The soap box represents exercising one’s right to freedom of speech to influence politics to defend liberty. The ballot box represents exercising one’s right to vote to elect a government which defends liberty. The jury box represents using jury nullification to refuse to convict someone being prosecuted for breaking an unjust law that decreases liberty. The cartridge box represents exercising one’s right to keep and bear arms to oppose, in armed conflict, a government that decreases liberty. The four boxes (in that order) represent increasingly forceful (and increasingly controversial) methods of political action. [Some add a fifth box: the mail box.]

Would you like to guess who said the following?

[V]iolence exercised in self-defense, which all societies, from the most primitive to the most cultured and civilized, accept as moral and legal. The principle of self-defense, even involving weapons and bloodshed, has never been condemned, even by Gandhi…. If you guessed Martin Luther King, Jr., you would be correct. The key qualifier is “self-defense.”
Comment: My blog (and Twitter) are my "soap box"



Posted by Jim Peet at 3/20/2018 02:01:00 PM 1 comments

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3.17.2018

DC schools are "dropout factories"!



A High School Diploma Ought to Mean Something

Excerpt:

A national push to boost high-school graduation rates began a decade ago, spurred by fears that urban high schools had turned into "dropout factories." The federal government made graduation rates a benchmark of schools' progress. In some districts, graduation rates affect the pay of principals and school administrators and determine whether underperforming schools are shut down.

By some measures, the focus on reducing dropouts has worked. Today, 84 percent of 17-year-olds graduate from high school, up from 75 percent in 2008. But federal investigators found that California and Alabama had miscalculated their numbers. And officials in Washington, D.C. -- one of the country's leading laboratories of education reform -- disclosed that one-third of graduating seniors in 2017 didn't fulfill the requirements for a diploma, but got one anyway.

In most rich countries, students finishing secondary school take national exams. Yet in the U.S., only 12 states require students to pass tests of academic proficiency in order to graduate. Exit exams are casualties of a misguided assault on standardized testing, to which members of both parties have largely surrendered.

Critics say exit exams disproportionately hurt low-income students and minorities, who are more likely to drop out if they fail. That's an argument for investing more in helping all students meet high standards. Policy-makers should emulate states like Massachusetts, which combines demanding graduation exams with targeted funding to assist students who fall short. The state's graduation rate has risen for 11 straight years, to 88 percent -- more than four points higher than the national average.

The goal of exit exams should be to ensure students are prepared for productive lives after high school -- whether in college or the workforce. High schools should set different "cut lines" on exit exams to distinguish between college readiness and basic proficiency. To promote career-oriented skills, they should give students the option -- as the state of Ohio does -- to fulfill a portion of their graduation requirements by obtaining an industry-certified credential.
Comment: Image from Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall"

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/17/2018 09:29:00 PM 1 comments

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3.14.2018

If GE drops to $ 10 ... I'm buying 1,000!



JPMorgan analysts see GE's earnings forecast coming in 'a step lower.'

Excerpt:

JPMorgan wrote in a note that it thinks General Electric's earnings per share will ultimately come "a step lower," as the $1 estimate isn't realistic. According to JPMorgan, the figure doesn't include continued restructuring or asset sales that will go to the company's balance sheet instead of its shareholders. "GE isn't a safety stock in a more volatile market," JPMorgan wrote. There is "zero" potential from cost cuts at the company and any possible breakup of the firm would result in "dis-synergies." Analysts cut their price target to $11 from $14, representing a 23.8% downside for shares from their closing price Tuesday. JPMorgan's new target is also well below Wall Street's average target price of $17.20, according to FactSet data.
J.P. Morgan Analyst Says GE Is Headed To $11. Here Are 5 Reasons To Ignore His Assertion
Excerpt:

  1. First, there was no new negative news. His new $11 target is a huge 20+% decline from his previous $14 target, set only last month. His rationale, like the flawed Barron’s article, is simply a regurgitation of what everyone already knows and what he has already said. (See “General Electric: Barron's Shouts 'Beware!' That Settles It - Time To Buy” for explanation about the Barron’s article.)
  2. Second, General Electric and its stock are in an area where contrarian investors and fund managers see potential. However, analysts, value investors and value fund managers see only risk. The value gauge to contrarians is high “negativity,” not some low fundamental ratio or two. A downtrend propelled by negativity reverses when a company and stock are at their worst. It can then rise when contrarian buyers have replaced selling value investors. That is where GE is now.
  3. Third, a good analyst, while important to the investment process, is not necessarily a good manager. Investment managers depend on the information that analysts evaluate, but then the managers must make the decisions of why, what, when, and where (price) to buy, sell, pass or hold. Tusa’s arguments and visions cross over into manager territory.
  4. Fourth, analysts are not doctors or lawyers – they are Wall Streeters. Therefore, we must always question what we hear/read. Their thoughts and suggestions can be sincere, but they do work in a fast moving, action-oriented environment that can get into an emotional mindset.
  5. Fifth, Wall Streeters sometimes rush things along too fast. Tusa’s timing, ahead of these three events (including his own firm’s conference the next day) means any relevant information they provide are not in the now widely publicized $11 price. He can certainly go lower, but what if $12 or $13 or staying at $14 appears to be supported?

Comment: Meanwhile .... Warren Buffet is in the hunt 



Posted by Jim Peet at 3/14/2018 11:07:00 AM 0 comments

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3.13.2018

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Comment: a helpful resource. Image source

Despite his opposition to the label, Camus addressed one of the fundamental questions of existentialism: the problem of suicide. He wrote, "There is only one really serious philosophical question, and that is suicide. Deciding whether or not life is worth living is to answer the fundamental question in philosophy. All other questions follow from that." Camus viewed the question of suicide as arising naturally as a solution to the absurdity of life. In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus seeks to identify the kinds of life that could be worth living despite their inherent meaninglessness.
His view is clear: Nice image but represents a worldview he denied:

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/13/2018 07:33:00 PM 0 comments

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Vikings clean house - 3 QBs to leave



Vikings to say goodbye to Case Keenum, Sam Bradford, Teddy Bridgewater

Excerpt:

The Vikings’ three free-agent quarterbacks are out of here.

According to multiple reports Tuesday, Sam Bradford will sign with the Arizona Cardinals, and CBSSports.com reported that Teddy Bridgewater is finalizing a deal with the New York Jets.

Case Keenum, Minnesota’s starter last season, agreed earlier in the day to a two-year, $36 million deal with the Denver Broncos; he is expected to sign Wednesday, the first official day of free agency.

The mass exodus by the three quarterbacks is logical considering the Vikings are on the verge of signing Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million contract. The Vikings have been after Cousins for several weeks and only regarded Keenum, Bradford and Bridgewater as options if a deal for Cousins fell through.

Bradford will sign a deal worth $20 million for 2018 with an option year for 2019. After making $18 million in 2017 and playing in just two games because of knee issues, he actually gets a raise that would bring his career earnings to $134 million for his first nine NFL seasons.

After entering the season with a 9-15 career record as a starter, Keenum went 11-3 as a starter last season for the 13-3 Vikings and led them to the NFC Championship Game.

Bridgewater was expected to be the Vikings’ quarterback of the future after being taken with the last pick in the first round of the 2014 draft. He was the starter in 2014 and 2015 before suffering a torn ACL in the final preseason practice of 2016, and has played in just one game since.
Comment: Broncos will be tough with Case!

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/13/2018 07:08:00 PM 0 comments

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3.09.2018

Sherwin-Williams: Not cheap but a bargain





SHW: A Bargain in Disguise

Excerpt:

Sherwin-Williams (SHW) is almost never cheap, at least compared to the benchmark legendary investor Peter Lynch gave us (a P/E ratio of 15 or less), but with a P/E of 22.9, it’s well below its five-year average of 26.9.

That’s a solid entry point for the paint maker, which is set to close its $11.3-billion merger with Valspar (VAL) in the first quarter. That will make it the world’s biggest paint company, with revenue of $15.6 billion.

It’s a big buy for Sherwin, whose market cap is $25.0 billion, but VAL will start chipping in to EPS right away (it earned $4.35 a share in the last 12 months), and Sherwin expects to wring $280 million in savings out of the combined firm in the first two years, rising to $320 million a year thereafter.

Sherwin should also cash in on US construction spending, which jumped 3.4% in October, and Donald Trump’s infrastructure plans; the new firm will get about 75% of its revenue from North America.And don’t worry, none of this should drag on Sherwin’s soaring dividend, which has more than doubled in the last five years: SHW’s payout ratio (or the percentage of earnings paid out as dividends) is just 26.7%
Comments:

  • The article is from 12/2016 so is a bit dated.
  • They've closed the Valspar deal (a Minneapolis company)
  • The dividend is low at .88%
  • The payout ratio is also low at 17.79%. 
  • Kathee likes their paint - used for our bathroom remodel last year and our den remodel this year
  • Pricey at $ 415, but I bought a couple of shares
  • I've loved their logo since I was a kid


Posted by Jim Peet at 3/09/2018 10:32:00 AM 0 comments

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Nvidia - the "other" Cryptocurrency play






Bitcoin and Nvidia Prices Soar in Sync

Excerpt:

Nvidia products and Bitcoin seem to be interrelated. Both are key elements that are powering the world’s transition to the 4th Industrial Revolution.

“Technology is changing the nature of relationships between industries and creating a new range of challenges. For example, technology is now interconnected with retail, healthcare, and banking,” according to a PWC report.

In this connection, then, is there some degree of correlation between the price trajectories of Nvidia stock and Bitcoin? Nvidia stock is hovering at its highest-ever stock value.

As of writing [Sep 5, 2017], a share of Nvidia is over US$170, up from less than US$20 in 2014. As shown in the chart below, Nvidia’s stock price climbed significantly when Bitcoin miners started to order graphics cards specifically tailored for cryptocurrency mining, causing Nvidia shares to jump in value.
Comments:

  • Pays a small dividend (chart below)
  • Nvidia chips are also used for autonomous driving 
  • James Cramer renamed his dog Nvidia
  • I dipped my toe in ... had some free cash and bought all of one share



Related:

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/09/2018 09:55:00 AM 0 comments

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3.05.2018

SpartanNash - SPTN - my small-cap dividend investment

SpartanNash - SPTN

Comments:


  • Beaten down (down 45% over last 52 weeks)
  • Forward P/E ratio of 7.73
  • Dividend rate of 3.92%
  • S&P SmallCap 600 component
  • History: It is an American food distributor and grocery store retailer headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan. In terms of revenue, it is the largest food distributor serving military commissaries and exchanges in the United States. The Company’s core businesses include distributing food to military commissaries, independent grocers, and corporate-owned retail stores in 44 states, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. SpartanNash operates 167 retail stores. In 2013, Spartan Stores and Nash Finch merged and formed SpartanNash company. They supply groceries to stores in 44 states, seven countries and to many of our US military commissaries and exchanges
Comment: My oldest son is an accountant there.




Posted by Jim Peet at 3/05/2018 12:41:00 PM 0 comments

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3.03.2018

Tyson - My "Chicken Run"

Why I used my tax refund to invest in Tyson:
  • While the dividend is low (1.6%) (beats what I'm getting at the bank)
  • The payout ratio is also low - 11.84%
  • The forward P/E ratio is 10.64
  • It's not currently in our portfolio (so some diversification)
  • It rules the roost: " The company is the world's second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork after JBS S.A. and annually exports the largest percentage of beef out of the United States. Together with its subsidiaries, it operates major food brands, including Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Sara Lee, Ball Park, Wright Brand, Aidells, and State Fair. It supplies Yum! Brands chains that use chicken, including KFC and Taco Bell, as well as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Wal-Mart, Kroger, IGA, Beef O'Brady's, small restaurant businesses, and prisons". Source
  • Chicken is growing in popularity: "Today chicken is cheap, and it has become America’s favorite meat. In the land of the hamburger, we eat more of it than beef. And while we enjoy turkey at Thanksgiving, over the course of the year we will consume five times as much chicken."
  • I like it myself: This past week I had a chicken sandwich for lunch once, and grilled chicken breast once for dinner


Comment: The movie "Chicken Run" is a real hoot! Think "The Great Escape" on claymation! As an investing aside: CALM did not turn out well for us.

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/03/2018 10:05:00 AM 0 comments

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3.02.2018

Common sense Gun Control


  • Tighter security: Why Inner City Schools Don't Have Mass Shootings Excerpt:

    High School students aren’t confident about much, but my ad hoc focus group of black, Latinx, and Arab-American students are very confident about their safety in our school building on the Detroit’s west side. Every morning students arrive an hour to thirty minutes in their uniform before the first bell to wait in a line to pass through a metal detector, have their backpacks searched, and get patted down by security guards. It is just not students — every parent, guest, even the postman walks through those metal detectors, gets their photo taken, and is greeted by a security guard who escorts them to the main office, right by our deputized police officer’s desk. Our Detroit school is a fortress. Every door is locked from the outside and equipped with sensors. Leave it open too long and the alarm screeches through the hallway like a cat in heat. All the windows have bars, and thick glass with wire mesh running through it. Shooting it out would be a waste. Only one of the metal six front doors can be opened without a pass-card or a key. And none of the side doors are ever unlocked. There are cameras at every intersection, and patrolling security guards. The main throughway doors have magnets which can be tripped by an alarm and instantly shut and lock, quarantine whatever part of the building you need it to. If there were a shooter, he would not be able to freely roam the building if that particular alarm was tripped. This isn’t The White House, this is inner city schooling.
  • Raise age to purchase rifles like AR-15 to 21: Lawmakers, raise age to purchase rifles like AR-15 to 21 Excerpt:

    Washington lawmakers still have a few more days this legislative session to make a decision that would save lives. Passing a bump-stock ban, as they did on Tuesday, was a good start. Raising the age limit to 21 for purchasing semi-automatic rifles, like the AR-15, and strengthening the background-check requirements for those purchases would be a great next step. The Senate is considering a bill to do just that this week. Lawmakers should approve Senate Bill 6620, which also includes some school-safety measures, before the Legislature adjourns on March 8. The bill would not prohibit 18- to 20-year-olds from purchasing bolt-action hunting rifles and shotguns. It would also start a grant program to help school districts improve emergency-response systems. And it would give students and others a new way to anonymously report violent threats.
  • Ban bump stocks: Bipartisan group of senators introduce bill to ban bump stocks Excerpt:

    Citing the Las Vegas Strip shooting, a bipartisan group of Western states’ senators, including Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, filed a bill Thursday to ban bump stocks, which increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic rifles to nearly that of fully automatic weapons. President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to finish a review of bump stocks and write regulations that would ban the use of the devices like machine guns. The senators applauded that move, but said they would take it a step further. “I am encouraged by the president’s directive to the Department of Justice to regulate these devices, but a temporary regulatory fix is no substitute for permanent law,” said Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
  • FFL checks for gun show purchases: (this article questions the value - here for a counterpoint): The Facts about Gun Shows Excerpt:

    Despite what some media commentators have claimed, existing gun laws apply just as much to gun shows as they do to any other place where guns are sold. Since 1938, persons selling firearms have been required to obtain a federal firearms license. If a dealer sells a gun from a storefront, from a room in his home or from a table at a gun show, the rules are exactly the same: he can get authorization from the FBI for the sale only after the FBI runs its “instant” background check (which often takes days to complete). As a result, firearms are the most severely regulated consumer product in the United States — the only product for which FBI permission is required for every single sale. Conversely, people who are not engaged in the business of selling firearms, but who sell firearms from time to time (such as a man who sells a hunting rifle to his brother-in-law), are not required to obtain the federal license required of gun dealers or to call the FBI before completing the sale.
  • I'm ok with this - but will be challenged in court: Trump says take guns first and worry about 'due process second' in White House gun meeting Excerpt:

    President Trump said Wednesday he favors taking guns away from people who might commit violence before going through legal due process in the courts, one of many startling comments he made in a rambling White House meeting designed to hash out school safety legislation with a bipartisan group of lawmakers. "I like taking guns away early," Trump said. "Take the guns first, go through due process second."
  • Arm some teachers: (Counterpoint article): Opinion: Idea to arm teachers with guns to avoid school shootings? That gets an F Excerpt:

    The legislation being proposed by the Florida State Senate says a voluntary Florida Sheriff’s Marshall Program will be put in place, and teachers “may carry concealed, approved firearms on campus. The firearms must be specifically purchased and issued for the sole purpose of the program. Only concealed carry safety holsters and firearms approved by the sheriff may be used under the program.”
    Comment: My nephew is a school teacher (Nevada) and former USMC Captain. A perfect candidate!
  • Require a Character Reference for a Gun Permit: How to Write a Character Reference for a Gun Permit Excerpt:

    In many cities and townships, applicants must provide at least one and as many as three or four character witnesses alongside their application for a gun permit. There is no one effective format for a character reference letter, since every city and town is looking for slightly different information. Generally, you're reassuring the police department that you've known the applicant for a long time and consider him to be of good moral character.
  • Require ethics training: The components of an ethics training program Excerpt:

    In business, ethics is equal to standards of conduct. Most companies have a code of policies and procedures relating to compliance with standards of conduct by employees. A comprehensive training program that defines and explains this policy is absolutely essential for your company
    Comment: I'm thinking of an eight hour class. Religious organizations (and others) could offer
The next monster:
Perpective:

Posted by Jim Peet at 3/02/2018 12:43:00 PM 5 comments

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2.23.2018

Bitcoin, Gold, Cash, or Equities


Let's start with a hypothetical $ 10,000 (that I don't have). But upcoming the hypothetical investor is about ready to receive $ 10,000: perhaps from a bonus, an inheritance, a tax refund or pennies from heaven. What would I do?

Bitcoin? 

This expresses my view perfectly: Bitcoin and the Incredible Power of Fiction
"When the history is written, cryptocurrencies will likely be described as one of the most brilliant scams in history." ... "We all laugh at primitive tribes which used large stones (or pigs) as currency. Well, laugh as you will, but a stone or a healthy pig is something. Cryptocurrencies are nothing except the marketing power of inventors, financiers and others who love the idea of buying a black box (which is obviously empty) for the price of a Kia and dreaming that it will turn into a Mercedes. There have been times recently when this dream has materialized within hours. This is not just a bubble. It is not just a fraud. It is perhaps the outer limit, the ultimate expression, of the ability of humans to seize upon ether and hope to ride it to the stars."
As an aside, I have .0039 in Bitcoin. I "invested" a dollar 3 years ago.

You'll need a bit (no pun) more than $ 10,000 for 1 Bitcoin today





 Gold? 

 A metals broker I have used: Apmex
Negatives:
  1. Must be stored (safety deposit box)
  2. No dividend
  3. While there is a market, there's no ready market: to sell you have to box, insure and ship
  4. Some view Gold the same as Bitcoin: "“(Gold) gets dug out of the ground in Africa, or someplace. Then we melt it down, dig another hole, bury it again and pay people to stand around guarding it. It has no utility. Anyone watching from Mars would be scratching their head.” ... "Whereas, you know, Coca-Cola (KO) will be making money, and I think Wells Fargo (WFC) will be making a lot of money, and there will be a lot — and it’s a lot — it’s a lot better to have a goose that keeps laying eggs than a goose that just sits there and eats insurance and storage and a few things like that." Warren Buffett
Positives:
  1. If the sky ever falls ... (remember ... if the world "ends" the Internet will be down!)
  2. Beauty
  3. Makes a nice gift to grandkids when they turn 18 (my plan!)
  4. You can buy an ETF 
  5. To counter Warren Buffett:

At today's rate, $ 10,000 will buy you this:


Cash? 

Have an solid emergency fund: How to Build an Emergency Fund When You're Counting Every Penny - There are ways to save money even when money is tight
You’ve heard it time and again: It’s important to set aside three to six months’ expenses for an emergency fund. Easier said than done, right? If you have a lot of debt, live on a fixed income or have unpredictable expenses, putting aside that much money can seem nearly impossible. The good news is you don’t have to do it all at once - even a little money in savings can go a long way.
Comment: $ 1,000 isn't enough! If you have none, use that $ 10,000 for your emergency fund!

Image source


Equities?
I'm going with Warren's view expressed above. I have an emergency fund. I've got my couple of coins. I would go with a solid dividend stock like sleepy General Mills (in the news today because they are acquiring Blue Buffalo). 100 shares of GIS (which pays a 3.6% dividend) for about $ 5,400 and 100 shares of Coca-Cola for about $ 4,400 (pays a 3.6% dividend as well) 


Comment: If interested in Bitcoin, Coinbase is a good place to buy. But it's funny money








Contrarian view: Bitcoin is a better gold





On ICO's


I don't either!





Posted by Jim Peet at 2/23/2018 10:36:00 AM 0 comments

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2.20.2018

The Filthy Streets of San Francisco



Diseased Streets

Excerpt:

The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit surveyed 153 blocks of downtown San Francisco in search of trash, needles, and feces. The investigation revealed trash littered across every block. The survey also found 41 blocks dotted with needles and 96 blocks sullied with piles of feces.

How dirty is San Francisco? An NBC Bay Area Investigation reveals a dangerous mix of drug needles, garbage, and feces throughout downtown San Francisco. The Investigative Unit surveyed 153 blocks of the city – the more than 20-mile stretch includes popular tourist spots like Union Square and major hotel chains. The area – bordered by Van Ness Avenue, Market Street, Post Street and Grant Avenue – is also home to City Hall, schools, playgrounds, and a police station.

“The contamination is … much greater than communities in Brazil or Kenya or India"
Comment: Nice!

Posted by Jim Peet at 2/20/2018 11:56:00 AM 2 comments

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Jim's Tax Tips



Back to Basics: What You Need to File Taxes

Excerpt:

Prep the proper paperwork. Gather up all your income statements from the previous year and find the right forms so you can report all income and claim every credit or deduction by taking advantage of every available deal.
My tips:

  • Do your own taxes. I've been doing my own taxes for 40+ years. By doing your own taxes, you will understand how the tax system works.
  • Use a tool like TurboTax (there are many other products but I've been using TurboTax almost exclusively for decades). The product that I prefer is the client version (versus the cloud or online version). We discovered that the cloud version doesn't handle Federal estimated taxes). Another advantage of the TurboTax client version is that you can go directly to the form(s) if needed
  • Download and be prepared to use the official IRS instructions for the current year. This year we used it for the issue of Foreign Dividends.
  • Have a filing system: Ours is a hanging folder for current taxes. After we file, we move the contents of this to a manila envelope, seal it and write on the outside "Taxes" + the year
  • I also have a folder system (Microsoft One-Drive)

  • This year we scanned every document to PDF and saved in the cloud
  • Have a checklist. Because we are retired, we are done with W-2's but we receive 1099-R's so for 2018, my document checklist looks as follows:

  • I key in the data from the documents as they arrive (the 1099-DIV from Wells Fargo is imported). We have a "two set of eyes" rule. We review (screen share) as the data is entered. Upon filing we review again (a double check)
  • Retain: receipts from HSA purchases (we have a separate file for this)
  • Retain: all receipts from charitable contributions 
  • Celebrate the privilege of paying taxes!



Posted by Jim Peet at 2/20/2018 11:19:00 AM 0 comments

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