Early Retirement Extreme Forums

<r>The federal government sees owner occupants as receiving a tax subsidy measured as imputed rent:<br/> <URL url="http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/11-2-2012-Taxation_of_Housing.pdf"><LINK_TEXT text="http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/ ... ousing.pdf">http://www.cbo.go...

<r>An interesting article in the Washington Post on the origins and problems of the MBTI and Big Five Factor personality tests:<br/> <URL url="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/myers-briggs-does-it-pay-to-know-your-type/2012/12/14/eaed51ae-3fcc-11e2-bca3-aadc9b7e29c5_story_4.html"...

<r>Thanks, it's a nice perspective. It reminded me of an old thread asking whether you would take $300,000 or a place to live forever. Sort of like covering your lifetime short <E>:)</E><br/> <URL url="http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?t=1261"><LINK_TEXT text="viewtopic.php?t=126...

<r>"Now what I'd like to ask is why a) b) and c) need such different amounts of money."<br/> Certain personality traits can explain the difference, but it's generally not a desire for drinks and tickets. I've seen some impressively frugal extroverts satisfy both with little money and without taking ...

<t>"A modest IRA and pension, plus Social Security paid the bills, but wasn't enough to cover big expenses like new tires for the car."<br/> What's a pension? <br/> She also worked a job until just recently. I think for many people here, the combination of 3 income streams plus years of extra job in...

<r>The chart would only help if you have a choice. The few times I've had woodburning capacity, there really wasn't any.<br/> The chart also doesn't rate my favorite fuel--junk mail and old files. Those produce a warmth that can't be measured in BTUs, and the sparking is a bonus, like a free light s...

<r>"Gold and silver are even worse, since the big banks can get away with naked shorting them until the futures market is 90% unsubstantiated paper. That's why people who use gold/silver as a long term inflation hedge tend to buy physical, it's the only thing that doesn't come with counterparty risk...

<t>@secretwealth,<br/> I didn't think the inteview disparaged expert knowledge in any way except for the ability to build predictive models. In other words, you would certainly want an expert heart surgeon to perform an operation, but not so much for building a predictive model of long term survival...

<t>Thanks for posting the article; very interesting. It is a career survival trait for experts of any kind to avoid being put to the test.<br/> "The nice thing about algorithms like the random forest is that you can chuck as many crazy ideas at them as you like, and the algorithms figure out which o...

<r>Amsterdam intends to set up shipping container villages, but not at all ERE-like:<br/> <URL url="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/abusive-neighbors-to-be-sent-into-container-exile-in-amsterdam-a-870976.html"><LINK_TEXT text="http://www.spiegel.de/international/zei ... 70976.html">htt...

<t>I won't use a debit card, mainly for reasons (1) and (3), with added concerns:<br/> Evergreens: Buy software online and find that they will bill your account for upgrades or updates "for your convenience" whenever.<br/> No cash back on debit cards, at least that I have seen.<br/> Having a bank ac...

<r>For those who heat with wood (or would like to) this chart may be useful:<br/> <URL url="http://thelograck.com/firewood_rating_chart.html">http://thelograck.com/firewood_rating_chart.html</URL><br/> The chart rates BTU output from various woods, and rates other qualities such as smoke and ease of...

<t>Thanks for the link! Small changes do have a big effect down the line; a function of compounding. As many here do, I have contingency plans for cutting back as well as earning more (housing would be the largest and most effective cutback).<br/> It's best to see the trends long in advance; as you ...

<r>@C40,<br/> <br/> Consumer Reports is probably best for research and recommendations. The Buying Guide is a good start:<br/> <br/> <URL url="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/water-filters/buying-guide.htm"><LINK_TEXT text="http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/wate ... -guide.htm">http://www.consum...

<t>"I always like how calm they are."<br/> I do too, but it's disturbing that this quality actually stands out in all the hysteria.<br/> I remember the Buffet prediction of a long sideways market with below 7% total market returns, but I heard it in a brief interview years ago. I remember him also s...

Daniel Suelo's blog is featured in the ERE blogroll:

http://zerocurrency.blogspot.com/

<t>Unfortunately, when a substance is labeled "non-toxic", it often means only that it is untested; there often isn't any knowledge to be had.<br/> Some good advice in the comments here, with the caveat that avoiding all toxins is akin to avoiding all germs.<br/> I add some avenues of exposure that ...

<t>@jennypenny,<br/> <br/> When misuse of a word becomes widespread, you get a quizzical post asking what people mean by "comfortable". And in the season of "Tidings of Comfort and Joy" no less (cheer). Or maybe "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (consoled). It's come to mean...

A BBC interview with Charlie Munger. Interesting perspective on idiot booms and Wall Street's locker room mentality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WkpQ4PpId4

Enjoy the $2 daydream and be thankful that I'm not playing--you'd just have to split the proceeds