diff --git "a/reddit_finance_43_250k_189.txt" "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_189.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/reddit_finance_43_250k_189.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,10000 @@ + +# Who are the developers? Who are the competitors? Are funds safu? + +The initial liquidity has been locked in a contract on BSC for a minimum period of 6 months, this contract can be viewed [here](https://bscscan.com/address/0x7f8a7e4b7066790fcec0ab13bbf935c647236293). Also, $BOG's contract is open source and readily available for anyone to inspect [here](https://bscscan.com/token/0xd7b729ef857aa773f47d37088a1181bb3fbf0099#readContract). + +There are 2 co-founders and one contracted developer working for BogTools at the moment. One of the co-founders is fully doxxed, his name is Luke Martinez and you can find him on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/LukeBogTools), LinkedIn or in the BogTools Telegram and Discord. All 3 of the developers are very active, both on Telegram and on Discord and give constant updates on new features, when they are expected to be deployed and are always on the look-out for community feedback. An very recent example includes the process of choosing the new logo for the project's website scheduled to launch this weekend, [BogTools.io](https://BogTools.io). + +$BOG's main competitor is Berry Data ($BRY). They have an \~4 times larger market cap at around $15M, they have been around for more than twice the time $BOG has been around and are only just now releasing their first product. The fact that the token's contract is almost identical to the contract of an ERC-20 token's contract sets the $BOG dev team even further ahead from their competitors; they have developed the project's infrastructure from the ground up and have asked for the opinion of the community for a lot of decisions so far. + +TL;DR, funds are safu. + +# This is all I really care about, when moon? + +$BOG is not even 2 weeks old. Its initial supply was set to 2,500,000 BOG. All transactions incur a 4.5% fee: 4.4% is redistributed to the $BOG stakers and 0.1% is burned, which has brought the current supply down to about 2,380,000 BOG (the fees are bound to be reduced as the project develops). + +It's current market cap is less than $3.5M and its price is \~$1.43, which imho makes it insanely undervalued for its potential. I first got involved at about $0.60 already thinking I was late to the party, but if you consider the market cap value that other projects on BSC reach without even having a useable product, + +I can easily see this doing a 20-50x, in the **short-mid term**. with far greater expectations for the long-term. If I'm going to be honest, half of the coins created on BSC don't even last a month and the vast majority of the ones that last for longer do not have the technology to back their value; enter BogTools. + +TL;DR, moon soon. + +&#x200B; + +Tech aside, one of the things I really appreciate about $BOG is that its community is far more positive and helpful than any other small market cap coin community I've been in before, and if you have been on small market cap coin Telegram groups you know what I'm talking about. + +# How do I get involved? + +You can follow the main [Twitter account](https://twitter.com/bogtools), read the [lightpaper](https://boggedfinance.medium.com/the-bogged-protocol-lightpaper-16c7394e250f), the [press release](https://pastebin.com/ApskT8LU) and definitely join the Telegram and the Discord channels (links on [bogged.finance](https://bogged.finance)). + +Also, there are guides on [how to buy](https://imgur.com/a/xKRwCIN) and [how to stake](https://imgur.com/FJmLvDq) $BOG. Before staking, I'd suggest you do some research on what impermanent loss is and how it can affect your money. + +&#x200B; + +This is a very, very exciting project and I think it's pretty obvious why. +First post here. I have a 3 family home and just bought a 2 fam. I have security cameras installed in the 3 family but am not quite happy with the product. I’m looking to add cameras to the property I just purchased and was wondering what everyone was using for the cameras on their investment properties and if they were happy with them. Ideally I’m looking for something that is WiFi and battery powered with no monthly subscription fee, I’ve looked at the products available and the reviews are very mixed. What do you guys use and how do you like them? + +Edit: I should have specified that the cameras are on the outside of the property surveilling the perimeter, pointed at the driveways to make sure nobody’s messing with the cars. Just was looking for a reliable brand people are happy with. +There was a great post over on r/BATproject about why BAT is the next big thing and I think it's important more people see it. + +BAT is from the inventor of JavaScript and founder of Mozilla & Firefox, Brendan Eich. + +BAT is an Ethereum ERC20 token, which means you can use common hardware wallets like the Ledger Nano, MyEtherWallet, etc. + +BAT is backed by Silicon Valley VCs like Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, among others. + +Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong tweeted on March 30th, 2017 that BAT is “exactly the sort of token we'd like to support on Coinbase and GDAX over the coming year, make it easy to buy/sell these with gov currencies.” + +One of BAT's close advisers is Ankur Nandwani, who is/was Product Manager at Coinbase. He was the one who announced that Litecoin was added to Coinbase. + +$BAT was recently added to a spate of exchanges, including big Chinese exchanges like Binance and Huobi. + +You will be able to get paid for choosing to view ads with the BAT Ads program. Users receive 70% of ad revenue. Yes, 70%. + +Brave & BAT have been covered in a lot of mainstream news recently, including Bloomberg, NASDAQ, CNET, Engadget, TechCrunch and more. It has also been promoted by Ubuntu Linux (on their FB page with 1.3m followers) and Rocket.Chat (on their official blog). + +BAT is not limited to the Brave web browser but will be extended to other browsers via extensions (where APIs permit) and other attention-economy apps like chat messengers, podcast apps, games, etc. + +Brave Payments, which utilizes $BAT, currently supports YouTubers. Support for Twitch, Reddit and Twitter, etc. have been confirmed. Brave Payments allows you to easily tip your favorite publishers and content creators, Patreon-style. + +Over 1000 websites and over 600 YouTubers have been confirmed as verified publishers with the Brave Payments program—and counting. This includes big channels like Phil deFranco who has 6 million subscribers. (You can still tip/donate to your favorite sites/creators even if they aren’t yet verified since the $BAT will be held in a wallet for them to claim.) + +The Brave web browser has over 1 million active monthly users. On the Android store alone, Brave has 1-5 million downloads. Brave is available on all platforms (iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux). + +Other notable figures on the development team include Yan Zhu (Forbes top 30 under 30, Tor Project, W3C, EFF), Marshall Rose (inventor of SNMP, Internet Engineering Task Force) as well as many others who’ve worked on major projects. (Look at team on website.) + +The Brave browser has one-click support for Ethereum dApps with Metamask. Brave is officially listed on Metamask’s website alongside Google Chrome. + +You will be able to purchase $BAT with your credit or debit card directly through the built-in BAT wallet in Brave. This is a first priority for the team. + +And more... + +Edit (additions): + +BAT officially partnered with privacy search engine DuckDuckGo, and they recently revealed more details on their relationship. + +Brendan Eich said in a tweet yesterday that he heard Mozilla was potentially interested in natively integrated BAT. https://twitter.com/BrendanEich/status/942115844087169024 + +The supply of BAT is fixed and limited. No new BAT will ever be mined or created. Total supply is capped, like Bitcoin. + +CEO Brendan Eich announced the other day that BAT/Brave is partnering with a Top 3 media company in the world. +Last year, I bought a $75k home with 20% down. Mortgage at $600, which was half my rent. But then over the course of 8 months, the house needed surprise repairs (kitchen, furnace, roof). Someone stole my laptop, had to get a new one. My really old car broke down a couple of months ago, and repair cost as much as a down payment on a used car. So I got one for <$10,000. Drove it for a couple of weeks, and someone crashed their car into mine. Insurance declared it a total loss, other driver is uninsured. Had to get another car, with 13% interest on the new loan, but still on the hook for about $3,000 for old car. Even though I live frugally, I’m struggling to get ahead. I’m worried that another expense will hijack me (someone tried to steal my iPhone). And in a couple of months, if work doesn’t get my work visa renewed, I’ll be jobless. Another part time job is out of the question. Yes, my luck has been fantastically bad this year. I net $4000/mth. How do I stop the bleed? +Might be better suited to fattravel but this sub has a lot more traction. My wife and I are getting a week fully away from the kids (3 yo twins) for the first time the first week of August. + +Price isn't a factor, what would you do with one week finally free with no kids. We are coming from NE US and the one week is travel time included, we can't choose the week has to be first week of August. +If anyone is thinking about going back to school, I just got my final tuition bill and it was $1100 (for 12 credit hours) due to these savings. I honestly can't believe it. They're doing these programs because they got government money for the pandemic. I am not receiving any financial aid (I already have a bachelor's degree) so this makes it a lot easier to pay. + +Look into a local program!! +Ever since i heard that we might be in a bear market i did some research on bears and bear attacks. + +So apparently Grizzly bears will be rather aggressive and attack you, the solution is then not to run or fight but to lay down cover your neck and play dead. + +It seems to me like BTC is utilizing this technique to avoid the grizzly bears. Its playing dead by ranging in the 30s and once in a while makes a pump as a way to fight back against the black bears. + +Interesting to see this technique live on my screen. + +My research is based on this article : +https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-survive-a-bear-attack/#:~:text=Fight%20back.,ll%20usually%20just%20give%20up. +Hello everyone, + +I'm 25, been saving for years and haven't really done anything with the money saved and don't really plan to do anything with them in the near future(so basically I'm losing based on inflation). Decided to start investing, so I have a Trading212 account and already transferred 12k euros to said account and will get my portfolio ready soon enough. My income is around 3.5k euros a month and I could easily save up to 1.5k monthly. + +Was hoping for a second opinion for the ETF portfolio I've been thinking about: + +\- [iShares Core S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)](https://www.justetf.com/de-en/etf-profile.html?isin=IE00B5BMR087) \- 65% + +\- [iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI UCITS ETF (Acc)](https://www.justetf.com/de-en/etf-profile.html?isin=IE00BKM4GZ66) \- 10% + +\- [Shares Global Clean Energy UCITS ETF](https://www.justetf.com/de-en/etf-profile.html?isin=IE00B1XNHC34) \- 10% + +\- [iShares Core MSCI Europe UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)](https://www.justetf.com/de-en/etf-profile.html?isin=IE00B4K48X80) \- 5% + +\- [iShares US Aggregate Bond UCITS ETF (Acc)](https://www.justetf.com/de-en/etf-profile.html?isin=IE00BYXYYM63) \- 5% + +Up to 5% I would keep to buy shares in companies I personally believe in: Netflix, Disney, Sony, etc. + +Will start with only 12k and probably add more as I feel more comfortable with everything. Would really appreciate someone else's view on my portfolio, I find it more than diversified enough(I'm not sure if I really want Europe ETF over there but I still have time to adjust), but am not entirely sure of the procentual allocation. Started from a 3ETF portfolio and found out that there's no IXUS/VXUS equivalent for my broker so replaced that with emergin markets/europe ETFs. Clean energy is something that in my mind is more risk/reward and I suppose i'd be at the right age to add that. + +&#x200B; + +Any opinions/tips are highly appreciated! + +&#x200B; + +L.E. : After receiving some feedback, changed everything just a little: [https://www.reddit.com/r/eupersonalfinance/comments/ld5387/my\_first\_portfolioetfs\_update/](https://www.reddit.com/r/eupersonalfinance/comments/ld5387/my_first_portfolioetfs_update/) +*Some personal background:* + +I'm a 21M Spaniard, getting a Vocational Degree in Logistics. + +Currently I am living with my parents and have no financial obligations of my own. + +Last month I got to intern at a local railway company, for which I got paid 1000€. + +*** + +I know almost nothing about investing or what I should do with that money. + +The only thing I'd want to buy myself with that money is a new PC, but my old one is fine for now. + +One thing that's clear to me is that I want nothing to do with Crypto. I won't dwell into this too much, but from a personal standpoint I don't like it in general. + +*** + +Should I get started on the stock market? Should I keep that money in my bank account? + +I am probably not going to earn another 1000€ until next year. But as I said before, my parents pay for my every single other expense (for which I am very thankful and lucky for), which means I am neither broke nor bettering myself from a financial POV. + +*** + +Any advice is appreciated! +Hi folks, +trying to educate myself here after a life lived in financial illiteracy. +I'm a 38 oddjobber/artist based in Germany, haven't saved any money ever or paid to any pension plan, but don't have any debt either and know well how to live frugally. I keep thinking, it's time to put something aside, and being selfemployed it's all on me to figure it out, and it's somewhat daunting. I keep hearing about these magical passive index funds that eventually amount to something if you don't touch them for a really long time, but I wonder if I should have a more traditional retirement savings plan first like it says in the FAQ...I mean I can't really sock away more than €100 a month in the near future at least, but I figure I gotta start somewhere! +Hey guys, I have been lurking in this subreddit for a while and this is my first post. I have finally decided to start investing after a 6-8 months of reading books/watching youtube videos and following communities such as this one. + +I am 21 years old, recently (this year) moved to Vienna,Austria. Right now I am working at store but next year I will apply for univesity. My income is 1200 euros/month,of what I am saving 500 euros pro month and 700 goes to all of my life expenses. I already made a 5 months savings fond before my investing, as recommended. + +I want to investing in mid to long term (10-25 years). I would like to invest 75% in funds and 25% in stocks. I will invest 500 euros every month. I have already made Degiro account but I am open to new suggestions. Now,as a begginer,I have a few questions. If one of these questions have been answered,please put links in comments. + +1. What app/broker to use? As I understand, Degiro is good for stocks, but Trading212 is better for ETF. In last few years there have been some new better options with lower fees,but not as much trustworthy. Since I am in Austria,I have heard that Flatex is adding my taxes for me so it is easier. Also Flatex bought Degiro? What does that mean? + +2. When I started my journey, all tips were for USA. Why is not smart to invest to S&P 500 from Europe/Austria? What is the best equivelent to that in Europe? A1JX52? Of what is that fond even made? And what about stocks? I would like to invest in Apple,Tesla,Facebook,Amazon and Google,but is there any differnce becouse they are all american companies? + +3. No 401k roth IRA equivalent to account in Austria? Or am I missing something? I could not find anything like that. + +4. Taxes in Austria. I have seen many different answers to this question. Is it 25% on invesment? Please excuse my ignorance I am at very start and I want to cover all bases,and tax is the most confusing one. + +**I dont expect this post to get many traction becouse I assume that for you guys these things are basics,but any answer would be much appreciated! Thanks a lot in advance!** +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH). +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH). +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH). +Your markets are run by bots. Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/EKU2tVBp9u) +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH). +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/EKU2tVBp9u). +**A "self-hosted" wallet is just a wallet.** Please do not use the term "self-hosted wallet". "Self-hosted" implies that holding your own money is improper or subversive. The dollars in your purse are not "self-hosted", they are just yours. Please use the term "wallet". + +**A "hosted" wallet is not a wallet. It is an account.** Please use the term "account" or "custodial account", or "hosted account" if you are stuck on the word "hosted". +E-commerce giant has hired more than 100,000 people in full- and part-time jobs over past month. + +[https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-seeks-to-hire-another-75-000-workers-11586789365?mod=e2tw](https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-seeks-to-hire-another-75-000-workers-11586789365?mod=e2tw) +Almost everyone here has at least once scratched that itch when they saw high Volatility stocks with thick ass juicy premium. It's almost too hard to avoid and we've all done it at least once. So I ask, what's that once time your weakness consumed you and you shot up on the BTH, and did it give you a great high or actively resort you to working behind a Wendy's? I'd love to hear it. +In short; I'm about to turn 29, full time job earning £40k after overtime and I've just accepted an offer for a second full time job earning another £40k with the aim of using the second income to work towards some form of FIRE and/or general saving for the future. + Earning £80k means I'll be paying 40% on the top ~£30k. Is it too ridiculous to put all of that amount in to the company's pension scheme to avoid all 40% tax or should I be taking the hit on some or all of it to have more control and accessibility over the (albeit lower) amount? +Dont be a selfish motherfucker and be like oh im gonna sell 1 share at 10k to get my money back. If thousands of people do that, the peak of the squeeze will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower hence, fucking everyone over. I AM going to wait until I see that the peek is PASSED to SLOWLY sell a FEW shares. I AM doing it so the X apes also have life changing $. + +**NOT A FIANCIAL ADVICE, MY OWN OPINION** +Dont be a selfish motherfucker and be like oh im gonna sell 1 share at 10k to get my money back. If thousands of people do that, the peak of the squeeze will be SIGNIFICANTLY lower hence, fucking everyone over. I AM going to wait until I see that the peek is PASSED to SLOWLY sell a FEW shares. I AM doing it so the X apes also have life changing $. + +**NOT A FIANCIAL ADVICE, MY OWN OPINION** +Taxpayers who owe tax and file their federal income tax return more than 60 days after the deadline will generally face a higher late-filing penalty. Ordinarily, the late-filing penalty, also known as the failure-to-file penalty (FTF), is assessed when a taxpayer fails to file a tax return or request an extension by the return due date. This penalty, which only applies if there is unpaid tax, is usually 5 percent for each month or part of a month that a tax return is late. + +If a tax return is filed more than 60 days after the April due date -- or more than 60 days after the October due date if an extension was obtained -- the minimum penalty is either $210 or 100 percent of the unpaid tax, whichever is less. This means that if the tax due is $210 or less, the penalty is equal to the tax amount due. If the tax due is more than $210, the penalty is at least $210. The late-filing penalty will stop accruing once the taxpayer files a complete and correct return. + +The FTF penalty does not apply to the Taxpayers who met this year’s April 15 deadline to file their individual tax return. It also won’t apply to the Taxpayers who asked the IRS for a six-month extension of time to file, as long as they file by Oct. 15, 2019. + +In addition, the IRS urges Taxpayers to pay what they owe to avoid additional late-payment penalty and interest charges. The late-payment penalty, also known as the failure-to-pay penalty (FTP), is usually 0.5% of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month the payment is late. Interest, currently at the rate of 5 percent per year, compounded daily, also applies to any payment made after the original April 15 deadline. + +After a return is filed, the IRS will figure the penalty and interest due and bill the taxpayer. Normally, the taxpayer will then have 21 days to pay any amount due. + +If you are *claiming a refund* on your federal return and filing late, there is generally no penalty or interest charge. + +[Common penalties for individuals Taxpayers](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-penalties-and-interest), at IRS.gov + +[Source, at IRS.gov](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-warns-of-higher-penalty-for-some-tax-returns-filed-after-june-14) +I remember a while ago taking a look at Guy Spier's portfolio and finding it very interesting he owned Ferrari stock. Luxury brands are known to be well resilient to bad economic periods (and sometimes even grow) despite other companies struggling. + +I've just watched a review of a brand new V12 Ferrari and the reviewer mentioned that it was one of 500 built and they all cost 2 million pounds. That's a billion pounds in revenue with one car line. I'm not gonna act like I'm an expert in supercar margins but according to Yahoo finance they have a 20% profit margin which is roughly double what traditional car manufacturers do. + +What would you say is a fair P/E for such an established and sought after brand? I think it probably has to fall in half for me to be interested but I'd like some different opinions to help me value it. +The sub is flooded with meme crypto right now so I want to present you something with an actual user case. It was here on cryptomoonshots before, so I will reuse some of that content. + +The thing is - most coins presented here are in the middle of a huge price surge and it is very risky to buy them. iFund/UniFund just went through a very strong price correction. This is the best time to buy now, while the price is low and it shouldnt go anywhere lower. + +**Total Capitalization** \- $4,838,536 + +[https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/unifund](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/unifund) + +[https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/unifund/](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/unifund/) + +>[On the Unifund platform, which I wrote about earlier this week:](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoMoonShots/comments/lzojtn/unifund_ticker_ifund_is_a_platform_that_allows/) it is possible for anyone with brain and a little bit of collateral to protect against downside loss, to create a fund. UNIFUND is a *Decentralized Cryptocurrency Mutual Fund Trading Platform for the open creation of trustless social trading groups.* +> +>**What does this mean?** +> +>Well, Right now there are several people, many of them bigbrained DeFi geniuses, who are offering to manage your ETH for you, and by collecting several peoples ETH in one fund, they can employ different strategies to earn money on DeFi. +> +>**Why is this better?** +> +>Well, if you have 1 or 2 ETH and want to try out 5 projects that each have a chance of doing 100x over the next month, you will have to do so many transactions that during high gas events on Ethereum can significantly cut into your profits +> +>Also, there are autists in this market who are just waaaaaay better at trading than you. Put your ETH in their collateralized hands. +> +>**But couldn't I lose my ETH?** +> +>Yes, that risk always exists, however on Unifund, your ETH is backed by deposits in $iFUND, which protects against downside risk. Read more at their website. +> +>There is always crazy risk, this is DeFi, but if you don't ape all in on one project or fund, you're probably going to be OK. Basically, this is what we were promised by #DeFi, a way to build a trustless mutual fund, able to leverage pooled money and increase the rewards, reduce transaction fees, and let small fish come together and be sharks. +> +>Unifund is the reason that in 20 years there will be no such thing as **Vanguard**, **Fidelity**, nor **Franklin Templeton. The future is trustless decentralized creation and management of wealth.** + +[https://www.dextools.io/app/uniswap/pair-explorer/0x0054c61a19e307ddd3ff81746487d7526f8c4a76](https://www.dextools.io/app/uniswap/pair-explorer/0x0054c61a19e307ddd3ff81746487d7526f8c4a76) + +[https://unifund.global/](https://unifund.global/) + +[https://t.me/UnifundGlobal](https://t.me/UnifundGlobal) + +Quoted content thanks to /u/Ellikabindo +My goal is to FIRE in hopefully ~10 years. My mortgage is ~$3200 with a 5% interest loan ($2350 principal and $850 tax) and is still close to 30 years. + +I know normally it makes financial sense to avoid paying off your home early. I'm curious in the case of retirement though. If I were to FIRE today with my house paid off my expenses each month would be 2.3k lower and so would my "income". With a lower income I may qualify for cheaper insurance and potentially other government benefits. + +Any good tools to help figure this stuff out? If it makes sense to pay it off early then that's something i'd want to start doing now since my goal is 10 years. I have *no* idea if it actually makes sense though or where to begin with figuring it out. Any advice? +Anyone here poor, depressed, and living on their own? How are you able to survive? I feel like I'm just barely hanging on. The moment I muster up the motivation to figure out one thing, something else pops up. + +The first time I massively fucked up financially was when I failed all my classes, lost financial aid, and used credit cards to pay for my next semester. Then, I waited too long to go to the doctor last winter, and ended up with a $350k hospital bill. I was out of work for 2 months, and didn't qualify for short-term disability due to an error (that I have yet to correct). I filed for unemployment months too late and missed out on a shit ton of money that would have saved my ass. + +Now that the $600/month benefits have ended and my weekly benefit amount is less than $100 (possibly an erroneous calculation due to the work I missed), I can't get the extra $300/$400 I'm supposed to be getting per week. Right now I have food stamps, but I have no idea how the fuck I'm supposed to live off of just $280 a month. + +I'm looking through guides to help me get aid anywhere I can, but my eyes are just glossing over the words. I can't take anything in. I started school again, and I need to stay sane, so I can have the motivation to do my classwork. But my anxiety is through the roof right now. + +I'm thankful that I was able to qualify for MediCal, Food Stamps, and get my financial aid back (only after dropping out of my original college), but I feel so overwhelmed right now. + +The worst part is how I know this is all my fault. I feel like a baby whining about my situation when there are so many resources out there to help me. Whenever I do have money, I blow it on dumb shit. I self-medicate with shopping and fast food. There are weeks where I'm able to spend $5 a week on groceries, and weeks where I just blow it on fast food. I feel ashamed to admit this. + +Anyone in the same boat? +[Link here](https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/apra-tightens-lending-rules-to-target-property-boom-20211006-p58xlh?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nc&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2KDIHWjQAWKHd26cUi6-JEHKe_2qvzgi2g8XOhWmH8V0RhVPtuPog3tp8#Echobox=1633470703) + +Apparently APRA is going to raise the serviceability buffer from from 2.5% to 3%. + +Is it just me or will this hurt the average FHB? Increasing the buffer decreases the amount you can borrow. Which is great except major cities like Sydney/Melbourne have one bedders starting at 600k in most suburbs (and yes I know there is more to Australia than the major cities but a lot of people still live there)... +On yesterday’s AMA Dr. Trimbath suggested we reach out to local regulators through NASAA.org. + +&#x200B; + +**What is NASAA?** + +The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) represents state and provincial securities regulators in the United States, Canada and Mexico. + +NASAA members are the closest regulators to local communities, small businesses and the investing public throughout North America. Members of NASAA have a multifaceted mission of protecting investors from fraud and abuse, conducting investor education, providing guidance and assistance via the established regulatory framework, and ultimately helping power the North American economy by ensuring the integrity of the financial markets. + +&#x200B; + +**EMAIL TEMPLATE** + +I drafted a brief template you can use in an email or phone call to your local regulator. Feel free to adjust or ignore at your own discretion. + +&#x200B; + +Subject: Help stop naked short selling + +To whom it may concern: + +Recent market activity involving GameStop stock has shed light on misbehavior by hedge funds and other financial institutions involved in a practice called **naked short selling**. + +Though naked short selling was made illegal after the 2008 financial crisis, loopholes exist that allow for this practice to continue. (More details here: [https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nakedshorting.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nakedshorting.asp)). This includes fraudulent activity involving Shorts, Borrowed Shares, and Failures to Deliver. + +This strategy essentially allows market participants to flood the market with phantom shares, drive the price of a stock down, and prevent public companies from raising capital at fair-market value. + +Through this strategy, market participants are financially incentivized to bankrupt public companies. + +This is **financial terrorism**. + +Market participants that seek a fair and just financial system demand an end to this insidious behavior, and advocate for **Strict-Settlement**. + +We must completely outlaw naked short selling ASAP. + +Thank you for your time. Please feel free to contact me for further information. + +Regards, YOUR NAME or ANONYMOUS + +P.S. + +Here are a few resources that provide more evidence of the negative economic consequences of naked short selling. + +Naked, Short, and Greedy: Wall Street’s Failure to Deliver, by Dr. Susanne Trimbath, a former DTC employee + +Lessons Not Learned: 10 Steps to Stable Financial Markets, also by Dr. Susanne Trimbath + +A 90 minute documentary on YouTube called Wall Street Conspiracy that highlights this issue: [https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kpyhnmd-ZbU&feature=youtu.be](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Kpyhnmd-ZbU&feature=youtu.be) + +————————— + +**TLDR** + +This seriously takes two minutes max if you use the email template. + +1. Go to NASAA.org and click Contact Your Regulator +2. Choose your state/region +3. Call your regulator. OR, if you’d rather send an email, click on “Visit Website” +4. Browse webpage for Contact Us +5. Copy and paste email template into your message, and edit to your liking + +DONE + +&#x200B; + +If you think this template can be improved, please share your ideas and suggestions! + +If we want to make a difference, we must TAKE ACTION. + +🦧🦧🦧🦍🦍🦍💎💎💎 + +&#x200B; + +**EDIT:** + +Link for lazy apes [https://www.nasaa.org](https://www.nasaa.org) + +1. Some apes have suggested removing the CAPS and using less emotive language. +2. Some have suggested adding info on dark pools and other sketchy shit that has been happening. I personally decided to keep my email succinct and focused on naked shorting. So decide for yourself how comprehensive you want to be. I will prob call my regulator at a later time to discuss these and other topics related to GME. +3. For apes outside US/Canada/Mexico: you can help too!! Just choose a random state/region and send them an email. +4. I updated some of the language to call attention to Shorts, Borrowed Shares, Failures to Deliver, and Strict-Settlement (more encompassing than the term naked shorting). Also, many said to use the term Phantom Shares instead of Counterfeit Shares. +5. u/patty8mack reported the word “naked” might be getting flagged by some spam filters and preventing emails from getting through. +Hello, + +If I spent a few months properly educating myself and then began to invest actively off the back of this knowledge, am I likely to get better returns than sticking my money in a managed equity fund? + +Surely I’m never going to be more clued up than managers of the big equity funds, so why could I expect higher returns? Am I missing something? + +Thanks! +Edit: u/WSBdickhead has informed me that the Bloomberg terminal data for 4/22 is likely incorrect. + +>Change your Custom Condition Codes to match quoteline and you'll get the right numbers. +> +>VWAP screen: Settings>Edit Custom Condition Codes> 2 (Set To)> Match Quoteline> 1(Save)> Back + +**Since I do not have access to a Bloomberg terminal, I am completely relying on the screenshots provided by others to be accurate. Once I have an updated screenshot of the terminal data from 4/22, I can amend my post for correctness.** + +Edit2: Below is the screenshot u/WSBdickhead provided for me for 4/20. The data for 4/20 aligns much closer with my data from Fidelity, showing that Bloomberg is not misrepresenting/falsifying data. **Bloomberg is working as intended, the screenshots being provided were not configured properly. I am sorry Bloomberg and thank you** u/WSBdickhead. + +[4\/20 - Bloomberg data thru 8pm](https://preview.redd.it/2rhhgud8f1v61.png?width=763&format=png&auto=webp&s=12b9952a81699098403546287feacdfbceb2e01c) + +[4\/20 - Fidelity data thru 8pm](https://preview.redd.it/gr2jb5k0c1v61.png?width=1073&format=png&auto=webp&s=d75b7bba300c345873e32f26122b3f344f4d55e2) + +Also please see [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mx60cw/got_em_423_fadf_dark_pool_data_bloomberg_data/gvn17jw?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) from u/nayboyer2. His work is leagues ahead of mine. Please check [his post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mx4j9p/dark_pool_dd_summary_and_a_quick_update_on_all/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) Thank you everyone for the support, and please keep focusing on the dark pool transactions. + +For the past 2 days I have been compiling Finra ADF dark pool transaction data for analysis purposes. My posts have been vastly overlooked and I have been trying to get some traction for big brain help in figuring some discrepancies out. ~~Well, I think I figured out the discrepancies - Bloomberg has been misreporting or falsifying data.~~ I need more Bloomberg terminal data from previous days to compare to data sets I am currently compiling for further verifications, ~~but at least for now I think I caught them with their pants down.~~ + +I am retrieving Finra ADF data through Fidelity using Time & Sales and running it through some spaghetti code I threw together. As always, if you notice any errors in my data please point them out as **I am prone to making mistakes and I'm no wrinkle brain**. + +&#x200B; + +https://i.redd.it/weayhfswf0v61.gif + +[Here's my post from yesterday observing the discrepancy](https://new.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mwfowb/fadf_data_drop_422/) + +[Here's my post from 2 days ago beginning to analyze the data (without BB comparison but will return to perform)](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mvwdc8/adf_trade_data_42121/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +I will not be performing a control analysis against other stocks today unless popular vote requests it. It's time consuming as hell to extract the data from Fidelity, especially if the transaction volume is massive. I think the control analysis from yesterday does a sufficient job of showing the buttfuckery happening through the dark pools for GME. + +**~~This post is just to call out Bloomberg on their shenanigans and to jerk myself off for potentially revealing it.~~** **Looks like I owe Bloomberg a juicy, apologetic handy-j.** + +Let's start by reviewing yesterday's data. + +[4\/22 - GME data thru 8pm](https://preview.redd.it/7gjz1tf0g0v61.png?width=1414&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c853e91a82437f2ed67cae279761c1e534f89e0) + +[4\/22 - Corrected Bloomberg Terminal data](https://preview.redd.it/ha3rbv9fk6v61.png?width=764&format=png&auto=webp&s=be32b37f77aa3e18a7d7da01c3e095acb04658dd) + +[ 4\/22 - Fidelity vs Bloomberg data comparison ](https://preview.redd.it/jvvmx4rrk6v61.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=b9340a7159b83ecb1ece652a35818ca022854395) + +**With the corrected Bloomberg terminal data, everything aligns much closer. My sincerest apologies to Bloomberg and to anyone that the incorrect data may have misled.** Thanks again, u/WSBdickhead. + +Now let's look at the data for today. + +[ 4\/23 - Gamestop data thru 4pm ](https://preview.redd.it/pz41uue7g0v61.png?width=1492&format=png&auto=webp&s=ec3aa35539b120b525c4c4280f63b44132689c98) + +[ 4\/23 - Bloomberg terminal data ](https://preview.redd.it/bqyrnae9g0v61.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=d97fdcde2dd7f24063b55d3a0e606e1b09818c55) + +[ 4\/23 - Fidelity vs Bloomberg data comparison ](https://preview.redd.it/e2o34o1bg0v61.png?width=233&format=png&auto=webp&s=c0b29b72b1530da2fca3450f58923be69064dd19) + +Edit: **The data discrepancy appears to be due to the terminal that was screenshot wasn't properly configured to detect odd-lots.** I have an updated image for 4/22 and corrected this post. I wish I could change the post title for correctness. **Bloomberg did not misreport data.** + +**~~There's a possibility it was a 1 time fluke,~~** ~~but for now I'm saying Bloomberg be a lying~~. **I need additional screenshots of the previous 30 days from Bloomberg terminals of trade volume by exchange to verify. Please help if you can.** + +Please check [my post from yesterday](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mwfowb/fadf_data_drop_422/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) because there are still some significant data points that need further examination. Fuckery is afoot. + +~~I'm gonna go rub out a massive celebratory load now.~~ Gotta put this load back in me, because **Bloomberg was not incorrect**. Please continue paying close attention to the dark pool transactions though. Thank you everyone for the support, but I'm sorry there is nothing to see here in regards to Bloomberg. There's still a lot of dark pool fuckery going on, though. + +Edit: Updated post to remove incorrect Bloomberg Terminal data from 4/22 with the updated screenshot containing odd-lot data. Everything is much closer aligned now. +Hi fatFIRE! I think like a lot of us here, I can’t talk fatFIRE topics with just anybody. Also I’m a woman and this group (I believe) skews male. I’ve noticed comments from other women on here and it seems like we have a lot in common! I’d love to chat fatFIRE womens topics with you all! Would any other women in this group be interested in starting a discord or WhatsApp group or whatever to talk fatFIRE women-centric issues? Or maybe I should just post those questions here? Either way, I need someone to talk spring fashion with! +[Beyond the Bitcoin Bubble](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/magazine/beyond-the-bitcoin-bubble.html?referer=https://www.google.com/) + +This article does a great job of tackling what is the blockchain. This is about a month old, however very relevant. The price of the various cryptocurrencies (more formally known as "cryptographically secured digital assets" which don't all behave like currencies at all) is mainly that which we see rather than the underlying tech we want to see. +[NYT article here](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/06/nyregion/secretary-fortune-donates.html) + +This is the other side of financial independence. A good number of people have FIRE dreams because they're working at a job they hate. As an alternative to retiring once you reach your SWR and pursing hobbies/passion projects, might I suggest looking for a different, more personally amenable career? We all want to help people in one form or another with the limited hours we have each day; rather than turning off the money spigot outright, why not continue working somewhere else with the aim of donating the earned income to charity? This has three benefits: the first is that you're working at place that you want to work, the second is that explicitly working with the intent of furthering a charitable cause generates warm fuzzies, and the third is that you always have the option of stepping away from employment because you're already FI. In fact, you could even go one step further and work directly for a charity that is close to your heart; many of the skills gained in the corporate world [transfer over](https://80000hours.org/career-reviews/working-at-effective-altruist-organisations/#what-roles-are-there) to the non-profit sector, where they are [desperately needed](https://80000hours.org/2017/11/talent-gaps-survey-2017/#key-figures). +...and doesn't it really take away from the hard work we all put in school to get these jobs? I mean, I worked my ass off to get my position and I'm happy for White, but still, it made me wonder how common this is. + + +Like, have you heard of people in completely unrelated fields messaging a hedge fund manager and getting hired on as an analyst? Anything like that ever happen at your organizations? +Finally got pre qualified this week and during the application the broker asked me, "How much do you want to put down?  The minimum required is 3% of the home’s sales price.  Many put 20% down to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), which can be $100 - $200/month. " + +I figure that i use around $15k-$20k for my down payment rather than paying PMI which over the live of a 30 year loan equals $32,000 -$72,000. + +I am interested in multi-families in the $100k-$120k range and currently reside in CT. + +&#x200B; + +I guess my question is, is it too much to money to have tied up in my first deal. I have no problem living in a unit for a year, but at the same time i'd be saving money in the long term not having to pay for PMI. +See the recent mod's post ["Reminder, this is "The Subreddit for Investors"](http://www.reddit.com/r/economy/comments/sk33a/reminder_this_is_the_subreddit_for_investors/) where he goes on at some length about this being for "investors" only. + +Really? + +There are a limited number of general-usage words -- why should [/r/economy](/r/economy) NOT be simply about the ECONOMY -- (and I'm not talking about just "economic theory" that is [/r/economics](/r/economics) {and a dozen other economics subreddits} but rather news about the economy). + +And given that [/r/investors](/r/investors), [/r/investing](/r/investing), and [/r/investments](/r/investments) are all in existence, why in the world should THIS subreddit be constrained to "investors" -- that just makes no sense whatsoever. + +**What does everyone else think?** + +--- + +EDIT/UPDATE: The **mods are proposing changes (relevant to this topic) to the sidebar (see [this thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/economy/comments/smbry/proposed_sidebar_changes/))** -- if you haven't already done so, I would strongly suggest [/r/economy](/r/economy) readers post their thoughts (even if just an Agreed/Disagreed) in that thread. + +Anyone saying dark pools are necessary is completely full of bullshit! They are not necessary at all, they are a tool used by the rich to stay rich. Why should rich people have access to something that retail does not? The rich use dark pools to benefit themselves, NOT retail! Anyone telling you otherwise is an idiot. As long as dark pools exist they will continue to be misused, abused, and take advantage of the little guy. EVERYONE, RICH OR POOR, SHOULD PLAY ON THE SAME FIELD WITH THE SAME RULES, PERIOD! + +End of Rant, now lets all enjoy the weekend. +I see an increasing number of posts spreading FUD about the sub becoming a cult, which is spreading unnecessary bad vibes. +So this right here might be the best opportunity to spread some love ❤️ ☮️ + +In my eyes, this subreddit is more like the “Woodstock Festival” (which was held in ‘69, nice) + +https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock + +Please have a look at the Wikipedia article, and you might be surprised about the similarities. Even the number of participants is eerily similar. + +We have some first-class organizers (mods) and some first-class acts: AMA guests, apes providing high quality DD and probably the best entertainment the entire internet could possibly have. +Some even perform the act of love with a banana, and apes are just cheering… + +This is a once in a lifetime event, and this time, I’m glad I didn’t miss Woodstonk! + +https://youtu.be/iZB8XXYePy0 + +EDIT: 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 +I have been a fan of Jon Stewart for a very long time. The man is articulate, hilarious, inquisitive, and from what I have seen, all about the little ape. He has interviewed hundreds of important and powerful people, asked hard-hitting questions, and generally refuses to back down. Imagine the wealth of information he could provide! + +Obviously, this process starts by asking apes if it is something they would be interested in, and if it is, it would be up to the mods to decide if it is appropriate. THEN someape would have to try to get ahold of him to see if he would even be up for it. Maybe it's just a pipe dream, or maybe I don't know as much about his character as I thought I did, but I figured I'd at least put the idea out there for apes to discuss. After all, it is these very discussions that have gotten us this far! + +What say you, fellow apes? + +E: John-->Jon. Can't change the title though. Stoopid auto-correct. +We have worked out we are spending about $3000 on gifts every single year. This seems like a ludicrous amount, however my wife insists it's necessary to fit with social expectation. + +We are expected to give birthday, Christmas and holiday gifts to every family member. I have no problem spending for gifts for children. But majority of the spending goes towards adults who simply want things like gift cards. + +Is this truly an excessive amount to spend or is an expected amount for most? +I have seen the asset allocation ETFs VGRO/IGRO and VEQT/IEQT be widely +recommended for long term investing. The Canadian Couch Potato blog made some projected returns for asset allocation ETFs +([here](https://cdn.canadiancouchpotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CCP-Model-Portfolios-ETFs-iShares-Dec2020.pdf)) and +it has, for example, estimated XGRO at 7.23% annualized return over 25 years. This is 3% +worse than an ETF that exactly tracks the S&P500, which has had an average growth of about 10% for the past 50 years. + +So if your time horizons are long enough to be investing in XGRO, shouldn't you +just invest in an ETF that tracks S&P500 or TSX60 or some other market index? +What is the point of the growth asset allocation ETFs? +I think it's true to say most people fill their time with a combination of work and kids, but most people on this subreddit no longer have the former, and I also have no interest in having the latter. + +My partner and I are late 30s/early 40s and have plenty of padding so really don't need to work again. At the moment we've picked up travelling again now that Covid is allowing, and it's great fun, but I don't think it's an end unto itself. + +It's great travelling now I've got the cash for a fairly 'fat-fire' experience, but it feels a bit like having dessert for every meal. + +The answer to this sort of question is usually charity work, that answer coming from people I suspect have never been seriously involved at a high level in charity work. Without giving away too much of my background, I've had plenty of experience working with large charities (and government) that you've heard of, from the inside, and I've no desire to fill out my retirement by sitting around in middle-class talking shops. + +I tend to take an 'effective altruism' outlook on this sort of thing, and the unfortunate truth is that if I really wanted to make the world a better place, I should just go back to work and donate all the money I earn and no longer need to a scrupulously-checked charity that has a chance in hell of achieving its charitable objectives. But I don't particularly want to go back to work. + +So if it's not filling my time with work, kids or charity stuff, what else is there? + +EDIT: For the love of God, I've said the answer for me isn't charity work. I've given \*some\* of my professional background on why the answer isn't charity work. I'd hoped to vaccinate this from low effort posts saying 'charity work?' which is what these type of posts always receive. +“During the winter of 2008–9, when I was just feeling my way through the first story I was writing for Rolling Stone about the financial crisis, I started to notice something amusing. One of the keys to talking to sources about any subject is clicking with their sense of humor, and I was noticing that with a lot of the financial people I was calling, I was missing laugh cues whenever anyone mentioned the investment bank Goldman Sachs. No one ever just referenced “Goldman”; they would say, “those motherfuckers” or “those cocksuckers” or “those motherfucking cocksucking assholes at Goldman Sachs.” It was a name spoken with such contempt that you could almost hear people holding the phone away from their faces as they talked, the way you do with the baggie you have to pick up curbing your dog on the streets of New York. + +After a few months I also started to notice that every time someone wanted to provide an example of some sordid scam the investment banking community was into, they used Goldman as an example. The bank was also continually held up as a model for how certain firms used their connections with government to buffer business risk—Goldman, I was told, was expert at using campaign contributions as a kind of market insurance to hedge their investments. Many of the people I talked to were from firms that didn’t get particularly advantageous treatment from the government during the bailout season, and so I assumed their take on the crisis, and Goldman, was colored by that. + +After writing one story on the crisis that was mostly about AIG, I suggested to my editors at the Stone that we do a piece on Goldman that we could use as a window into the whole world of investment banking and what it’s been up to for the past few decades. We did the story; in retrospect we left out quite a lot, a problem I’ve tried to rectify here by adding some to the original text. + +“But perhaps as interesting as the actual material in the original piece was what happened after we ran it, as the magazine and I got sucked into a public relations firestorm that was both bizarre and educational. My initial reaction to being blasted in the media by commentators from CNBC (“Stop Blaming Goldman Sachs!” read **Charlie Gasparino**’s rant; another on-air talent called me a “lunatic”), the Atlantic, and other outlets was that this was just typical media turf-war stuff: a bunch of insiders angrily piling on someone who didn’t have any background in their area of expertise (which I did not) and yet was not-so-subtly indicting them for falling asleep on the job. + +That was part of the story. If Goldman Sachs really was, as we’d described, little more than an upscale version of a boiler-room pump-and-dump operation, then that definitely was an indictment of the financial press, which almost universally praised the bank as a pillar of economic genius. If financial journalists like the **Charlie Gasparinos** and **Megan McArdles** out there took it that way, good—I meant it that way. + +But when the uproar continued for more than a month—an eternity in news cycle time—it was clear that there was something else at work. Looking back now, what I experienced in the wake of the Goldman piece was a lesson in a subtle truth about class politics in this country. + +**Which is this: you can pick on the rich in an ironic, Arrested Development sort of way, you can muss Donald Trump’s hair, you can even talk abstractly about class economics using clinical terms like “income disparity.” But in our media you’re not allowed to just kick the rich in the balls and use class-warfare language. The taboo isn’t so much the subject matter, the taboo is the tone. You’re allowed to grimace and shake your head at their shenanigans, but you can’t call them crooks and imply that they haven’t earned their money by being better or smarter than everyone else, at least not until they’ve been indicted or gone bankrupt.** + +Goldman was the ultimate embodiment of this media privilege. The most valuable item in all the bank’s holdings was its undeserved reputation for brilliance and efficiency. The narrative that Goldman had always enjoyed was “The narrative that Goldman had always enjoyed was a sort of ongoing validation of the Ayn Rand/Alan Greenspan fairy tale, in which their riches and power sufficed as testimony to their social value. They made lots of money, they were good at whatever it is they did, therefore they were “producers” and should be given the benefit of the doubt. This fairy tale was deeply ingrained in the financial press, to the point where any suggestion to the contrary had to be attacked, regardless of the substance of that suggestion. + +The abuse I was taking after my Goldman story came out wasn’t so much a media turf war as a defense of The Narrative. I believe now that there’s real fear of what happens once The Narrative blows up—because once we’ve ripped the rich to shreds, what we’re left with is a whole bunch of broke people wondering where the hell their money went, without even a soothing fairy tale to help them get to sleep at night. + +People in the financial community who actually worked in that world, the traders and the bankers themselves who joked with me about “those motherfuckers,” did not have these illusions. + +You’re not going to be good at making money if you need there to be a halo around the moneymaking process. The only people who really clung to those illusions were the financial commentators, right up to the point where those illusions became completely unsustainable. Within six months after this article came out, it was de rigueur even for wire services to reference Goldman’s “vampire squid” reputation. But by then the executives at Goldman weren’t worrying all that much about their plummeting reputation—and that, in the end, turned out to be the most interesting part of this story. + +But more on that at the end of this updated version of the original piece,\* which I’ve saved for last in this book because the history of Goldman—a company that has developed a reputation as the smartest and nimblest of corporate enterprises—is the story of the great lie at the center of our political and economic life. **Goldman is not a company of geniuses, it’s a company of criminals. And far from being the best fruit of a democratic, capitalist society, it’s the apotheosis of the Grifter Era, a parasitic enterprise that has attached itself to the American government and taxpayer and shamelessly engorged itself on us all.”** + +Excerpt From + +“Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America” + +By Matt Taibbi +Edit: Skip ahead to **"Electrifying the grid: The truth"** if you want to get right to the thesis.. + +Edit 2: Yes Tesla's P/S ratio below could be as low as ~18 if you annualized Q4 sales - although it's a bit weird to do that with sales being cyclical - but I didn't mean to dwell on the current valuation. The point of my post is to talk about longer-term roadblocks to the bull thesis. + +Tesla is currently sitting on a P/S ratio nearly at 25.0 (using trailing year data). This is as compared to other mature industrial conglomerates that trade at P/S between 1.0-2.0 (ie Siemans, Northrup). This represents an extreme overstep in share price versus revenue growth: the share price in the last few years has vastly exceeded revenue growth, **meaning the stock has rewarded existing holders with an advance of future growth that has not yet happened**. + +Note: I use P/S rather than P/E for comparison because it isn't fair to Tesla to look at their PE as they are heavily investing. + +The bull case assumes Tesla will grow revenue into their valuation and even exceed all current expectations. In other words their revenue will increase and eventually when they reach maturity they'll trade at a similar P/S to peers (although possibly on the higher end of the range) + +The bull case requires future Tesla revenues exceed 1400% total revenue growth on top of whatever S&P growth is happening **just to keep up with expectations already factored into the share price**. Zero margin for error. + +A large part of this revenue growth is expected to come from energy related businesses with $200-$300b+ generally cited by bulls.. + +What happens if markets/analysts at some point realize Tesla won't be able to grow at their prophesized 50-60% a year, but instead 20-40%? See Cisco circa 2000 for a lesson in what happens when growth expectations drop. + +**I don't think Tesla is going to crash this year, not even next year**. Most money flows are short-minded, and investors will need proof of a deceleration. These catalysts will come, probably around 2024/2025... + +**Electrifying the grid: the truth** + +The biggest bull case for Tesla's valuation as "not just a car company" is a grossed up comparison of how much $$ the world currently spends today on coal/gas/oil, and then assuming Tesla will be able to take a large share of this market at high margins. + +There's a reason I don't know a single utility analyst that is bullish on Tesla. It's important to understand how regulated utilities work. Utilities, unlike normal companies, do not get paid to sell product or services..instead they get paid indirectly for grid improvement & maintenance. + +The way this works: + +* A utility first gets approval from their municipality for a project (ie replace a coal plant with wind/solar) +* The utility then generally borrows money via bond or equity issuance to pay for the project. +* The state sets an allowed rate of return the utility can earn on their asset base. If needed, they'll allow an increase in utility rates so that the utility can pay off that loan and earn a reasonable return on top. + +Point #3 is the biggest impediment to electrification, and why it will take at least 30 years. Politicians are going to be unwilling to allow energy bills to raise fast enough to do this transition fast. Oh, and with regards to paying for materials, **utilities will go with whatever is cheap**. Cheap low-margin batteries, cheap low-margin solar. Tesla may command some early market dominance, but this is going to fade way to market forces. Utilities will be incentived to keep these costs down. + +Unlike Tesla's car business, where folks are willing to pay a premium for a nice car, the battery/solar business has no moat. It's easy for competitors to come in and underbid, and they'll have many years to catch up. + +Lets also talk a bit more about moat. Oil has plenty of it with Opec/Russia being run by literal mafias. How about natural gas? In the US - since fracking has become a thing - not so much. See ticker EQT, they are the number one natural gas producer in the US - more natgas production than Exxon - **yet their entire market cap is under $10 billion**. The market capture here isn't anywhere near what bulls are claiming. + +**Scaling the company** + +Lots of talk has been made as to the potential for Tesla to scale to become a "giga company" including into other businesses such as insurance, taxis, etc. Besides the fact that insurance & taxis are low margin businesses and Tesla has no moat in the space, let's talk about scale... + +Consider this for a moment. Tesla has currently about 70k employees, many of them highly motivated, and some of the best engineers on the planet. + +* How many of those engineers will still be around in 2 years, 5 years? How many are going to retire (rich) once their stock vests (4 year vesting period)? +* How many more employees will Tesla need to hire to scale to a business that sells 10 million cars annual, insurance, taxis, energy? Even with automation we're talking about 100s of thousands of employees. +* What is Tesla? Is Elon Musk Tesla? Or the 70k employees? Will they need to lower the hiring bar as they scale up? +* If the first generation employees were the innovators, the second will have to pick up from the prior group and maintain the company. Will the second generation, third generation engineers be as motivated as the first generation that were able to partake in original share increase? + +Purpose of the above is to help folks understand *the Tesla of 2030 will organizationally bear no resemblance to that of 2022*. Literally all the surviving dotcom companies that sit atop NASDAQ today struggled with this originally. Consider all the failed Google or Microsoft ventures. + +For Tesla to become a $3 trillion dollar company, it can't be the Elon show. For reference though, **Tesla currently has the worst glassdoor reviews out of any company in the VTI top 10** (3.7/5.0), just barely below Amazon's 3.8 with 1+ million employees. This is despite the fact many Tesla employees have shared in the wealth thanks to stock grants. They are known to overwork their folks. This isn't a good sign for a company that still needs to scale at least 5-fold in hiring. + +One last nugget.. Stock price and revenue growth don't always move in the same direction, not when one has overstepped the other excessively so. +A well know online furniture store appears to be on the verge of collapse. Not mentioning it by name in case I fall foul of the mods. + +I have 2 orders paid for by credit card. As the title says, should I cancel my order while the business is still solvent? + +What protection does my credit card give me if it does go bust? +Each bank only insures 250k even if it’s spread out through different accounts. + +What I’ve started doing is opening accounts in different banks in order to have each bank ensure 250k. + +I know it is very unlikely for the banks to default but after 2008, I would like to mitigate all of my risks. + +Any advice on a different way in which I can make sure the money in the bank is well protected? +This place used to be full of optimism and fun, come back to see a lot of negative comments to everything, skepticism, FUD, and a general hate/pessimism for anything remotely positive or happy. Not sure if trolls have flooded in or if people are just really upset about the bear market, either way the have a bright future ahead of us. +I have been to a few 2/3 star places and yes, they’re often incredible experiences, especially when it’s your first time at that particular one. However, I’m wondering if there’s any other world-class food/drink experiences that are well worth the investment - cooking classes? Wine cellar tours? + +Basically anything besides just a world-class restaurant experience - honestly I don’t even know what sorts of things I’m looking for, but I feel that I don’t know what’s out there besides “just” the restaurants. +Can someone explain how I can use my house, which I paid off, to buy another house? + +Is it basically that I’d take a home equity loan for the down payment on the mortgage for a new house? + +Just putting some numbers to it - + +I have a home worth $500k. I want to buy another house to use as a rental which is $500k. + +I take a home equity loan for $100k so I have the 20% down payment for the new house. This loan $790.70/mo for 15/yr @5.0% interest + + +The new mortgage (not including taxes) is 30/yr @5.0% interest comes out to $2,147.29/mo. + +If I want to break even on renting out the new house, I’d need to charge at least $2,937.99/mo ($790.70 + $2,147.29) to cover both loans. + +Is this all correct? +The credit limit on one of my cards increased by $2,000 then my scored dropped 50 and 51 points (Transunion and Equifax respectively). I did not request the limit increase, and the only other thing that changed and posted was a small balance increase on the same card. + +What made it drop so much? +I'm currently an undergrad in economics and everyday I feel like I'm getting farther from the interest that had made me choose this field. The math has been overwhelming me, and I'm struggling to not let it hinder me. + +Just wanna ask what your motivations are and maybe, by reading it, I could also reignite the interest. Also, on days the make this field difficult for you, what kept you going? +China forbids its citizens from transferring more than $50K worth of USD out of the country in a given year presumably in an attempt to prevent the CNY from any potential crash in value. Could this be considered currency manipulation? + +&#x200B; + +On a side note, China has been accused of currency manipulation because of it's forceful devaluation of the CNY - why would China institute capital controls to *prevent* the devaluation of the CNY? +In America, everyone talks about index funds. In Europe, everyone talks about ETFs. + +I've gotten the impression that Index funds are kinda like banks where you deposit money and it makes money whereas ETFs are things you buy hoping they'll gain in value. + +I think the former option sounds more attractive than the latter. First off, could someone explain to me how the financial structure of both works. Don't explain the index part 'cause I understand it. What I don't fully understand is the way you "evaluate your wealth" in each scenario. + +How can you even invest in index funds as a European? +My experience with fidelity has been amazing, they not only have a phone number unlike robinhood, but actually good customer service. I've left with many shares already to computershare already, but that doesn't mean I should be a jerk about it. They provided me with a good service, and it isn't entirely their fault the dtc can take advantage of them. + +Yeah they have a script now trying to stop us, and I can't blame them too much. All their buisiness is going away and they don't know why(?), they tried focusing on customer service when we first left robinhood, so the mass transfer was probably a shock to them. All I'm saying is, yes we are breaking up with them, but for now I'd still like to be friends, not enemies. + +As a side story, I recently recommended fidelity to a friend who became interested in investing. Even though I've been telling her about gamestop for months and months she only recently became interested in investing, and that was so she could buy fucking Dutch Bros, like wtf. I'm still trying to get her to buy just one share of gamestop. Okay apes rant over. Let's go be rich now. +Saturday morning my neighbour had an open home. We live in an “okay” street at best south west Sydney. Over 100 people showed up and lined up in the pouring rain. As it was about to end I popped over to have a stickybeak, the kitchen had a leaking roof with a bucket in the middle of the room. The agent started their pitch to me showing me how many offers they had on paper and told me if I want to put an offer in I better do so before 2pm that day as it will be sold. The house was listed at 650, but the agent disclosed that had already received offers well over 700 as the market is “hot”. + +Just curious. Why are you buying in this market? Is it for a PPOR? Are you a FHB / investor? Are you like many who saved more during covid times? Or why are you holding off, and if so, until when? If you could sell your home but are holding off, why? (I’m curious to know why demand is high but stock is low? Is it too hard to find the next property in this market?) + +Cheers! +I wanted to check out who voted NAY for [Motion to Invoke Cloture: Gary Gensler to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission](https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00147) + +First on the list: Barrasso (R-WY), **Nay** + +[I will call this donation, maybe coincidence? ](https://preview.redd.it/60gilr4kw4t61.png?width=1029&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7b7cb01600c5ab1570a1ed4971b8252f68e6fd0) + +Second on the list: Blackburn (R-TN), **Nay** + +&#x200B; + +[ Again? ](https://preview.redd.it/ewvuinalw4t61.png?width=1023&format=png&auto=webp&s=8d96633857f9bb4f6b0c93733085b8749dab684f) + +Third: Blunt (R-MO), **Nay** + +[ Well, this can't be real can it? ](https://preview.redd.it/fw4lourrw4t61.png?width=1027&format=png&auto=webp&s=8f6830da7e5303748e8183bc7f624c6619ed305c) + +Fourth: Boozman (R-AR), **Nay** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ox5tu4fuw4t61.png?width=1042&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea750e4b83e05e939cdede9c00d92b79c6467049 + +Fifth: Braun (R-IN), **Nay** + +[ Add this point, I am tired to check more ](https://preview.redd.it/u7u6a6avw4t61.png?width=1040&format=png&auto=webp&s=b02be34520edc373219d4abc16e561a784bf3c43) + +&#x200B; + +I have also checked first 5 people that voted **Yea** and not a single one the same donations list or what ever is that called, maybe they are on the extend list, but I didn't find it? + +Someone smarter can look at this? I am not from USA to have more details. + +Here is the site I used to check: [https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Kenneth+Griffin&order=asc&page=9&sort=A](https://www.opensecrets.org/donor-lookup/results?name=Kenneth+Griffin&order=asc&page=9&sort=A) + Charlie Munger on Elon Musk $TSLA (The Daily Journal Annual Meeting 2019). + +"If you think your IQ is 160 but it's 150, you're a disaster. It's much better to have a 130 IQ and think it's 120." +Source of the quote: Berkshire Hathaway 2009 meeting + +[https://youtu.be/HSuCoYf-sSo](https://youtu.be/HSuCoYf-sSo) +I think EPF suits my needs currently so I don't really want to discuss it's merit. Just wanted to know if any newly or recently employed people are going for VPF. Also, for the more experienced folks, how has been your experience dealing with EPFO for withdrawals? +How to go about putting the money which has been allocated for savings/investing? + +How to decide how much to put where? + +We will create two categories or my preferential term Baskets (or Buckets). + +**Basket 1:** Money which can be needed in next 5-7 years + +**Basket 2:** Money which is needed after 5-7 years. + +**Why 5 years?** Because that is the cycle of our national elections! Just kidding. It is just an arbitrary number but 5-7 years is a reasonable. If you like 7 years, keep it 7. *Like my username is 7 letters long, so I can keep it 7 years!* + +&#x200B; + +# Basket 1 + +Aim: money which is needed within 7 years. + +What to use: Franklin Corporate Debt fund – Direct option. Why: well diversified. Excellent management team. Expected rate of interest is around 8-9% per year but it would fluctuate. However, over 3-4 years, it should stabilize in that range. My own return in this fund till date (since 8 years) is 8.13%. + +# Basket 2 + +Aim: money which is needed at least after 7 years. + +What to use: Now this is a little more complicated, so we will go **step-by-step**. + +&#x200B; + +Part A: Some terms explanation needed first (The whole post is [Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaInvestments/comments/2umjqg/investing_reframed_eli5_series/)). I have put it here again, because I fear that a link may be distracting. + +**Cash** \- The money is with you physically. The closest equivalent is a Current / Savings account in a bank. + +**Bonds -** You are giving your cash to someone who will provide you regular payouts at fixed intervals and give you back a predecided lumpsum at the end of the period. Sometimes, you can skip the payouts and ask for them to be given at the end of the period only (eg, compounded growth option of fixed deposits or bonds). So, when you invest Rs 1000 in a 9% FD for 1 year , you are basically giving 1000 now with the promise that the bank will give you 1090 at the end of 1 year. + +Depending upon the quality and return-back capability of that someone, the net lumpsum and payouts vary. So, a govt backed bank / agency will give you a lower lumpsum with a very higher degree of probability that it will return you the money than a small private business. + +Stocks/Equities (=something related to Sensex/Nifty) - You are giving cash to someone to hand over to you a part of a company so that you can get the payments (called dividends) declared by the company. There are no guarantees of the amount or the interval of these payments. There is no fixed time interval or a lumpsum at the end of a time period (effectively holding period is infinite). + +To assess these payments, a higher level of understanding is required (higher as compared to above options) to assess the quality and probability of the company to provide those payouts in the future. + +Part B: + +For long term money (>7 years in this case), we will keep money in two parts, so two parts within Basket 2. These parts are Bond/Fixed income and Equity. And we need to decide on the amount of split between the two groups. + +The simplest way to divide between the two groups is an equal division also called as 50:50. Divide equally and that is it. No calculations needed. Easy, simple and quite optimum. + +The amount labeled as Basket 2 can be put into the following funds: + +1. Fixed income group: Franklin Income Opportunities fund – Direct option. Similar fund to basket 1 fund but a different name and character. +2. Equity group: After lot of pondering, I have zeroed on PPFAS LTE fund – Direct option. Excellent ethics. Good team. International diversification is a uniqueness, which I wholeheartedly agree. Good customer support. + +**An example** of how will go about. + +Income = 50,000 a month (easier to calculate things that way). Savings amount = 25,000 a month (50% target rate). + +Since, we haven’t really done any major calculations regarding money needed within 7 years, and money needed beyond 7 years, we can start with again a split of 50:50 between baskets 1 and 2. + +Basket 1: Franklin Corporate Debt fund – direct option = allot 12,500 per month. + +Basket 2: Franklin income opportunities fund – direct option = allot 6,250 per month.PPFAS LTE fund – direct option = allot 6,250 per month. + +More terms: + +**SIP (systematic investment plan)** – this is a way to invest a fixed amount of money on a particular date periodically. They can be applied to any mutual fund, and is not applicable only to equity funds. They can be started for the all the above 3 funds. + +Mutual Fund – please [refer to this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaInvestments/comments/2nh30p/mutual_fund_eli5_series/). + +**More Questions:** + +1. How long to continue the above combination? For 3-4 years at the least. Ideally 5 years. +2. Should I increase the money when I get a raise next time? Of course. When your income rises to say 60,000 then increase the amounts to 15,000; 7,500 and 7,500 per month. +3. Which date should I put the SIP date on? Put it 7 days after your normal salary day. So, if you receive your salary on 1st, then put SIP on 7th. Why? Because sometimes the salary gets delayed, and then your SIP will get skipped. Don’t worry, they will not charge you money for that skipping. +4. Why equal divisions? I am smart enough to calculate the exact ratios. Well, if this series has woken you up to that level of smartness, indeed do those calculations but do start investing within this month onwards, rather than doing all those calculations only. Stop the action paralysis and get a decent start NOW. Rather than an optimum start some months/years down the line. +5. Why these funds only and not any other? Because I am saying these funds are good enough for long term holding. I have personal experience with each of them. Pattu can vouch for them as well. +6. What if I need to plan out 80C investment also? Opt for Franklin india taxshield and use it for complete usage of 80C limit. + +**To summarise the approach (across 4 posts):** + +1. Have 1 bank account with netbanking enabled. +2. Keep some amount of money in that account, while rest of the money should be moved to a liquid fund. Or FD, if the tax rate is less for you (10% bracket max.). +3. Get a health insurance, if not done yet. +4. Get a life insurance. +5. Do less spending. +6. Don’t get a credit card. Have a debit card and use cash. +7. Target a savings amount (50%, 30%, 10%, whatever and gradually either increase that or increase income and keep that ratio intact). +8. Put 3 SIPs, 7 days after salary credit into account, for the relevant amounts. +9. Do this for next 3-5 years. + +Ping me after 5 years for what to do next!! + +**Addendum:** + +Why such a plan combination? This is for those who want to know more intricacies of the choices. + +1. We have got 3 debt funds and 1 equity fund, across 2 AMCs. Much easier to start and manage. Eventually, when there will need for switches between these funds, then it remains easy. +2. They can be either 3 Franklin funds and 1 PPFAS fund or 2 Franklin funds and 2 PPFAS funds. The ethics of both the AMCs is top notch. There are other funds who may have funds with better returns, but I don’t trust them (read ICICI and HDFC) as much as I do these 2 AMCs. +3. The debt management team of Franklin Templeton is top-notch. There will always be problems like IL&FS recently and JSPL in the past (in the latter, Franklin’s funds suffered a permanent loss), but this is where diversification helps. +4. All the funds are either well diversified or invest in high rated papers. And the expense ratios of these funds are on the lower side (whatever they are charging is giving real value). +5. Till 1-2 crores of amounts, I don’t see any real need to have more funds than these. +6. Why the choice of Franklin Taxshield for 80C? because it is better to have a decent good choice of taxsaver and currently out of the two recommended AMCs, only 1 has a tax saver. +7. I don't like PPFAS fund, since I have not heard about them. Can you suggest another fund? Reluctantly, Franklin Bluechip fund - direct option. + +&#x200B; + +[Part 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaInvestments/comments/9ltgni/for_someone_who_is_absolutely_at_level_zero_in/), [Part 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaInvestments/comments/9lusap/for_someone_who_is_absolutely_at_level_zero_in/) and [Part 3](https://www.reddit.com/r/IndiaInvestments/comments/9lyeye/for_someone_who_is_absolutely_at_level_zero_in/) +Pretty much what the title says, I am trying to backtest an algorithm and need historical market depth data. Is there an API (free, or decently priced) that gives access to the same for stocks listed on NSE? +\[Self plug alert\] We have a new podcast at [https://www.capitalmind.in/2019/11/how-to-buy-a-mutual-fund-ep-14/](https://www.capitalmind.in/2019/11/how-to-buy-a-mutual-fund-ep-14/) + +There's a transcript in there too. + +I'm looking for suggestions on how we can add to this in order to help, and if you have an specific questions please let me know. (Please note: I'll avoid giving specific advise on whether fund A performs better or fund B, but if you're looking for concepts or information, quite happy to help) + +Also: Please let me know if this kind of post isn't acceptable. +I work in legal services (barrister chambers) and I am going on furlough from Friday as court hearings have all but dried up. Let me know which industry you’re from so we can see how the widespread issues are. +Hi everyone bob here, + +While I'm still tinkering with some other theories, this ~~came across my desk~~ was shared with me outside the Wendy's I frequent, and BOY was it tasty! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/610lcdxvqjq81.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=e69878ed854457b602113cbce695bc59e8645525 + +First thanks to those wrinkly apes that helped me out with the data here... [u/alert\_piano341](https://www.reddit.com/u/alert_piano341/), [u/turdfurg23](https://www.reddit.com/u/turdfurg23/), and a guy I only know as Kain on discord... + +**Relevant DD**: + +* [There are 71,119,269 MORE Shares Loaned than Returned since July 2017 according to Ortex. One of many smoking guns. BUY, HODL, DRS.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/tqsslh/there_are_71119269_more_shares_loaned_than/) +* [u/turdfurg23](https://www.reddit.com/u/turdfurg23/)'s daily posts are BOMB - check them out on the think tank to keep updated with what's happening. + +Ortex data shows shorts never ~~covered~~ closed their positions. What's more, is it looks like we're setting up for a TSLA style squeeze - just much MUCH harder... + +**Let's take a look at a simple calculation for accumulated shares on loan shall we?** + +First, what is **accumulated shares on loan?** Easy, it's the amount of shares that were loaned out and never returned. + +Second, what is **Shares Outstanding**? Easy too! Its simply the amount of shares available (in total) for any given company. For GME, this number is about 76,000,000 right now. + +To put it all together, i analyzed a few different stonks I like, one I don't and also one for a control to the group. I'm looking for just how much of the **shares outstanding (SO)** is **accumulated shares on loan.**.. we'll call this **the percent of SO on loan.** + +AAPL, Apple Inc - Our Control Group + +Looking at our control first, I chose AAPL. We all know the company, and it's one of the largest in the world. So just how much of the **shares outstanding** are **on loan** for Apple, inc? + +[If you guessed under 0.5 percent, you would be correct for most of history.](https://preview.redd.it/870tnu3xqjq81.png?width=3194&format=png&auto=webp&s=3a1e3eeda88514e837ffd6d21af8a59618dcce8e) + +We are only now starting to see AAPL with a heavier (🙄) short interest - methinks due to the market fears and it being a large part of the S&P500. + +Next, let's look at something that squoze recently... Tesla + +# Introducing the long form of squeezing shorts - TSLA + +[u/elonmusk](https://www.reddit.com/u/elonmusk/)'s company looks to have experienced (and is still experiencing) a long form of squeeze outcomes. Without splits, that stock is worth a lot more than the price you would pay for a share today. How much more you ask?... well 5x more! That would be like buying TSLA for over 5k a share today. If you're reading this, you are probably **in GME before the stock split.** + +[We're at 30&#37; before the run up started, it hasn't stopped.](https://preview.redd.it/n5j3tssyqjq81.png?width=3192&format=png&auto=webp&s=9660b670406c401a3a24993daf0ca7d552f9beef) + +The short interest is hovering around 15% of shares outstanding - NOT THE FLOAT of TSLA. holy shit that's a lot of eventual buyers.... + +# Other "Meme" basket stocks and the basket itself... + +**Starting with the 🍿 of choice for hedgies...** + +&#x200B; + +[You can even see the position flip! - we're nearing 50&#37;, but the float is UUUUGE, so that will limit any run IMO.](https://preview.redd.it/ug1n67h0rjq81.png?width=2546&format=png&auto=webp&s=3be5a774bf595b4ac6232f1a6150500213e22286) + +Interesting thing I see here is the position flip seems to account for 10% of the SO - so someone flipped, but there is still heavy short interest on popcorn... + +Check out my DD on position flips. I'd link it for you but the mods here are a bit overzealous about linking to content outside their own personal echo chamber. Check my profile for the deets or see it over on the think tank, which by the way is a great fuckin place to find DD if you're hungry for some wrinkles. + +# What about BBBY? RC likes BBBY, (and so do I) ;) + +[about 30&#37; now. Interesting it wasn't as heavily shorted during the sneeze as other stonks.](https://preview.redd.it/ah0ttvf3rjq81.png?width=2862&format=png&auto=webp&s=26199b00531120e2e434ccfd4a5fc94d37afe256) + +What's got me jacked about BBBY is the RC buy in. Dude's a savage. I'd date him. Anyway, I think this will layer in a potential FTD squeeze in early to mid April for BBBY (no the spike after buy in wasnt from him... it was likely FOMO) Hell, i know i fomo'd in like a motherducker. + +# What about the basket of all baskets, XRT? + +[This motherfucker really likes to turn our whole world upside down.](https://preview.redd.it/u9zuh6j4rjq81.png?width=2577&format=png&auto=webp&s=0624ea9f446f93262fe720c7ad3f61a460ab0b8f) + +Data from XRT is from [u/turdfurg23](https://www.reddit.com/u/turdfurg23/)'s research and the help of some other apes providing the short data. + +# Here's VTI for comparison. curious that xrt is ALL negative... + +[some negative SO after the dip in 2008. positive after. possibly from over shorting into the recession?](https://preview.redd.it/vq1uaph5rjq81.png?width=2580&format=png&auto=webp&s=0e565d4474fd9f0f013785acc13088955741b6a8) + +# And now on to my main squeeze (heh) GME: + +[over 100&#37; during the sneeze \(duh\) and at 93.58&#37; right now.](https://preview.redd.it/kc7fylf6rjq81.png?width=2957&format=png&auto=webp&s=e6920fb8017f8537b3693d9a00ba55adf10839a6) + +If you look back and recall the numbers of the example squeeze in TSLA, your nips might be rock fuckin hard right now. I know mine are as I type this out. HOLY SHIT this is gonna be big. + +**TADR**: From here, i think we either MOON like everyone expects us to and we get to witness the Mother of All Short Squeezes, or we run a longer form TSLA style squeeze (but to a larger gain - probably at least 2x (edit: (also remember the 5x split) ) that of TSLA) and realize the Mother of All Long Squeezes (MOALS??) + +u/catsinbranches had this to say about GME which I thought fit here really well: + +>So, here’s an interesting tidbit to consider with this data. There are 71M shares “officially” on loan, and 76M shares. There are also 9M shares (or more) DRSed, and 11M insider shares. +> +>Those 20M shares DRSed / owned by insiders are unlikely to be loaned out… but for 71M shares to be on loan, that means that of that 20M, 15M would have to be on loan AND all of those shares held in brokers that are supposedly “not borrowable” because they’re held in cash accounts, will 100% of those would need to be on loan. +> +>This seems like pretty conclusive proof of naked shorting and /or that shares that are not supposed to be borrowable are actually still being loaned out anyway. + +&#x200B; + +**Shorts never CLOSED, and the squeeze is on - TSLA rise will look like peanuts when we're through!** + +# Speaking of nuts.... Here's how I like to think of the shorts: + +[Get your mayo ready, we're coming for you.](https://preview.redd.it/h5aamth7rjq81.jpg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51053074ca17cf63d53e5a09d4cfd4d46ae59b3f) + +&#x200B; + +Source Data Sheets: + +* [VTI](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g6iHTiXsn0gEI__XHnQFYt1tgaU7HgX21RTW40p06Ig/edit#gid=439760137) +* [XRT](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16i_iqpiWNA3BN4mc6l1Sjq3rB1HIkzclbDAgbzea1Ck/edit#gid=1510637223) +* [Popcorn](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AVV0rRuGnkoWnSyhCx52o44d_FORCb27mRBATwMtZkw/edit#gid=177405281) +* [GME](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GidBv-fykqRih6WfbkEceJgGS1ybE2ZdPNn5ROG26Kc/edit#gid=1528712640) +* [BBBY](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1opworWDC0r1uQ8v7fkH3geByNgKaS_VvGG3G1IIOCC0/edit?usp=sharing) +* [TSLA](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HMNh4WG5caJbsOhCssv6yqmzPTeWoCI3XMZxMDNBVb4/edit#gid=2003361305) +* [AAPL](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XtZYgL53sHHs7LdRy3xFQe-dgDPaFlEvxhN4VPwa2GE/edit#gid=0) +https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/15/cramer-says-ceos-are-telling-him-off-the-record-the-economy-has-cooled.html + +* * * + +Company leaders across industries are telling Jim Cramer — off the record — that they're worried about a slowdown in the U.S. economy, Cramer said Thursday on CNBC. + +"So many CEOs have told me about how quickly things have cooled," the "Mad Money" host said. "So many of them are baffled that we could find ourselves in this late-cycle dilemma that wasn't supposed to occur so soon." + +Cramer has been warning investors for weeks about a manmade slowdown in the U.S. economy, fueled by the two-pronged pressures of the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and the Trump administration's tariffs. Now, high-profile CEOs are worried about growth slowing so drastically that it could actually hurt the economy, he said. + +"There are degrees of slowdowns that, nonetheless, can cause an awful lot of havoc and cost a lot of jobs, and that's what we're on the verge of here," he said. "That's what the markets are saying. That's what the CEOs are worried about offline." + +The situation reminded Cramer of when, on the cusp of the 2008 financial crisis, his corporate sources confided in him that the Fed "seemed to be out of touch ... with what was happening" on Wall Street, he said. That led to his now-famous "They know nothing!" rant blasting the Fed for its lack of diligence. + +"I was right," he said. "I did my best and, at that time, I made a resolution. If I thought we would ever get back into one of these situations again, I promised myself I'd be vocal about what could go wrong, even if I knew it wouldn't be as serious as the Great Recession." + +Now, with market commentators warning about the U.S. economy being "late" in its cycle, meaning that another recession could be on the horizon, Cramer's getting vocal. + +Weakness in Europe and Asia's economies isn't helping, he said, pegging the respective slowdowns to Brexit pressures and instability in the Italian government and China undergoing a mass slowdown tied to President Donald Trump's tariffs. + +If the Fed and Trump stay the course on their policies, the weakness will feed into the stock market as it did on Thursday, the "Mad Money" host warned. The action in shares of Walmart, Home Depot and Macy's told the story, he said: all three companies recently reported strong quarters, but subsequently saw their stocks plummet on economic fears. + +"This end-of-cycle logic raises its head everywhere," Cramer said. "Everything was good, so good that it can't ever be better because we're at the end of the cycle. 'Late-cycle.' It's become almost circular reasoning. The stock can't go higher because it's the end of the cycle and it's the end of the cycle because the stock's down." + +That, combined with the chief executives' warnings, told Cramer that stocks can't possibly be safe while the bearish narrative about debilitating economic weakness reigns supreme. + +"If the Fed changes course and says 'No more rate hikes ... next year unless the data gets more positive,' or if President Trump gets a trade deal with China or even does this kind of truce, then the end-of-cycle proponents may have to change their tune and the market can rocket higher," he said. "Otherwise, though, rallies like today are going to be used to re-position portfolios because the bears have the late-cycle microphone and they just will not let go." +Windfall 150k to retirement + +Looking for advise on what to do in my current situation. I’m 29 years old and just sold my home and have 150k in my bank account. All my debt is paid off. I live rent free and want to be retired in 18 years. + +My monthly income after taxes is 5000 and my expenses are 2000, so I can save up to 3000 a month. I have no retirement account yet created and my employer does not offer a 401k. So I want to open a Roth IRA for me and my wife but after that I’m not sure which direction to go. + + +What do I have to do to retire in 18 years? What accounts to allocate my windfall of money and what type of savings plans should I get on to reach my goal? + +My expenses are high because I have kids. +So I have been pretty much broke my entire life (former social worker) but my partner has been at Apple for 17 years. He is in a great financial place and has been generous enough to share his finances with me. I am trying to become financially literate and understand our stock portfolio. We are in our early 40's and I am thinking about our future retirement. We have most of our stock in Apple but I would like to put half of that in a fund/ stock and just let it grow until we retire. + +Should we keep it in Apple? Is that too risky to keep everything in one spot? Or should we put it in an index fund? Also are there any great ways to learn more about stock and retirement? Thanks! +So after getting like 15mill (post split) shares drsed every quarter, one quarter it drops to 500k!? + +It doesn't make sense. What's the point? Oh retail is weak? But we drsed over 3 billion? So that can't be it. Retail just ran out of steam? Ok but like, thats too dramatic no? Retail would do it slowly. Make it look coordinated? + +Idk it all just smells of non-retail manipulation given how DRAMATIC the change is. + +Which leaves all of us with one question. Why BOTHER?????????? Ok great, you proved retail is no threat with this right? Except for one big fcking question: Why bother with us at all? Why bother creating such a narrative? To rug us? Except why even bother? Idk, it just doesn't make sense. + +You know what does make sense? 1 billion cash on hand and improving financials baby. Lets gooo! +I will literally hold off on everything that’s important just because I don’t want to see that money leave my account. I need new tires for my car. I have more than enough money to do that but there is some irrational fear of me never having enough money so I will just put it off. I guess it’s growing up in poverty your whole life huh? +They didn’t file an ATM offering. They UPDATED an ATM offering. + +They already [filed the same paperwork in December 08, 2020](https://news.gamestop.com/static-files/86b3d579-3e5c-411a-8a4e-bb96f25c2e46) to sell a maximum aggregate of $100,000,000. + +They UPDATED the prospectus to [a maximum aggregate of $1,000,000,000. ](https://news.gamestop.com/static-files/33c3ed1d-f47e-403f-81f7-9b75d3cf1adc) + +It’s not a new offering and it doesn’t mean they’ll be initiating an offering. They’re simply expanding the ability to offer. It also means that they can sell for up to $1,000,000,000 now instead of only $100,000,000. I believe this means they’ll offer when the price is incredibly high to maximize share price for fewer shares. + +It’s also perfect timing for a FUD campaign as well. Right after a long break, European markets are closed for holidays and there are suspicious things occurring in Reddit subs. + +I think this is probably a last ditch effort to drive the price down. It’s also wildly convenient that there are dozens and dozens of misleading articles being published. + +EDIT: + +None of this is financial advice. + +Just wanted to clarify about FUD. I fully believe that some big players read the 10K thoroughly and anticipated the filing of the 424B5 form and wanted to pounce on it as an opportunity to drive the price down. + +You can see it in the difference between the December 8th filing where only [Barron’s](https://www.barrons.com/articles/gamestop-stock-sinks-after-sales-dip-what-to-know-about-its-earnings-51607467741) and [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-08/gamestop-declines-after-sales-fall-more-than-analysts-estimated) reported on the filing. Barron’s clearly explained it as a shelf registration while Bloomberg’s article is really just nonsense, pretty sure it was one of those adlib fill in the blank articles. + +On the other hand, for today’s filing, every single news agency published an article bang on 7 AM with wildly misleading headlines and misleading analysis. Nothing about the original filing or the changes to the prospectus. Yahoo, Bloomberg, MarketWatch, Banzigos, Seeking Alpha, and more. +https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/technology/robinhood-risky-trading.html +> +> Richard Dobatse, a Navy medic in San Diego, dabbled infrequently in stock trading. But his behavior changed in 2017 when he signed up for Robinhood, a trading app that made buying and selling stocks simple and seemingly free. +> +> Mr. Dobatse, now 32, said he had been charmed by Robinhood’s one-click trading, easy access to complex investment products, and features like falling confetti and emoji-filled phone notifications that made it feel like a game. After funding his account with $15,000 in credit card advances, he began spending more time on the app. +> +> As he repeatedly lost money, Mr. Dobatse took out two $30,000 home equity loans so he could buy and sell more speculative stocks and options, hoping to pay off his debts. His account value shot above $1 million this year — but almost all of that recently disappeared. This week, his balance was $6,956. +> +> “When he is doing his trading, he won’t want to eat,” said his wife, Tashika Dobatse, with whom he has three children. “He would have nightmares.” +> +> Millions of young Americans have begun investing in recent years through Robinhood, which was founded in 2013 with a sales pitch of no trading fees or account minimums. The ease of trading has turned it into a cultural phenomenon and a Silicon Valley darling, with the start-up climbing to an $8.3 billion valuation. It has been one of the tech industry’s biggest growth stories in the recent market turmoil. +> +> But at least part of Robinhood’s success appears to have been built on a Silicon Valley playbook of behavioral nudges and push notifications, which has drawn inexperienced investors into the riskiest trading, according to an analysis of industry data and legal filings, as well as interviews with nine current and former Robinhood employees and more than a dozen customers. And the more that customers engaged in such behavior, the better it was for the company, the data shows. +> +> Thanks for reading The Times. +> Subscribe to The Times +> More than at any other retail brokerage firm, Robinhood’s users trade the riskiest products and at the fastest pace, according to an analysis of new filings from nine brokerage firms by the research firm Alphacution for The New York Times. +> +> In the first three months of 2020, Robinhood users traded nine times as many shares as E-Trade customers, and 40 times as many shares as Charles Schwab customers, per dollar in the average customer account in the most recent quarter. They also bought and sold 88 times as many risky options contracts as Schwab customers, relative to the average account size, according to the analysis. +> +> +> The more often small investors trade stocks, the worse their returns are likely to be, studies have shown. The returns are even worse when they get involved with options, research has found. +> +> This kind of trading, where a few minutes can mean the difference between winning and losing, was particularly hazardous on Robinhood because the firm has experienced an unusual number of technology issues, public records show. Some Robinhood employees, who declined to be identified for fear of retaliation, said the company failed to provide adequate guardrails and technology to support its customers. +> +> Those dangers came into focus last month when Alex Kearns, 20, a college student in Nebraska, killed himself after he logged into the app and saw that his balance had dropped to negative $730,000. The figure was high partly because of some incomplete trades. +> +> “There was no intention to be assigned this much and take this much risk,” Mr. Kearns wrote in his suicide note, which a family member posted on Twitter. +> +> Like Mr. Kearns, Robinhood’s average customer is young and lacks investing know-how. The average age is 31, the company said, and half of its customers had never invested before. +> +> Some have visited Robinhood’s headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., in recent years to confront the staff about their losses, said four employees who witnessed the incidents. This year, they said, the start-up installed bulletproof glass at the front entrance. +> +> “They encourage people to go from training wheels to driving motorcycles,” Scott Smith, who tracks brokerage firms at the financial consulting firm Cerulli, said of Robinhood. “Over the long term, it’s like trying to beat the casino.” +> +> At the core of Robinhood’s business is an incentive to encourage more trading. It does not charge fees for trading, but it is still paid more if its customers trade more. +> +> That’s because it makes money through a complex practice known as “payment for order flow.” Each time a Robinhood customer trades, Wall Street firms actually buy or sell the shares and determine what price the customer gets. These firms pay Robinhood for the right to do this, because they then engage in a form of arbitrage by trying to buy or sell the stock for a profit over what they give the Robinhood customer. +> +> This practice is not new, and retail brokers such as E-Trade and Schwab also do it. But Robinhood makes significantly more than they do for each stock share and options contract sent to the professional trading firms, the filings show. +> +> For each share of stock traded, Robinhood made four to 15 times more than Schwab in the most recent quarter, according to the filings. In total, Robinhood got $18,955 from the trading firms for every dollar in the average customer account, while Schwab made $195, the Alphacution analysis shows. Industry experts said this was most likely because the trading firms believed they could score the easiest profits from Robinhood customers. +> +> +> Vlad Tenev, a founder and co-chief executive of Robinhood, said in an interview that even with some of its customers losing money, young Americans risked greater losses by not investing in stocks at all. Not participating in the markets “ultimately contributed to the sort of the massive inequalities that we’re seeing in society,” he said. +> +> Mr. Tenev said only 12 percent of the traders active on Robinhood each month used options, which allow people to bet on where the price of a specific stock will be on a specific day and multiply that by 100. He said the company had added educational content on how to invest safely. +> +> He declined to comment on why Robinhood makes more than its competitors from the Wall Street firms. The company also declined to comment on Mr. Dobatse or provide data on its customers’ performance. +> +> Robinhood does not force people to trade, of course. But its success at getting them do so has been highlighted internally. In June, the actor Ashton Kutcher, who has invested in Robinhood, attended one of the company’s weekly staff meetings on Zoom and celebrated its success by comparing it to gambling websites, said three people who were on the call. +> +> Mr. Kutcher said in a statement that his comment “was not intended to be a comparison of business models nor the experience Robinhood provides its customers” and that it referred “to the current growth metrics.” He added that he was “absolutely not insinuating that Robinhood was a gambling platform.” +> +> +> ImageRobinhood’s co-founders and co-chief executives, Baiju Bhatt, left, and Vlad Tenev, created the company to make investing accessible to everyone. +> Robinhood’s co-founders and co-chief executives, Baiju Bhatt, left, and Vlad Tenev, created the company to make investing accessible to everyone.Credit...via Reuters +> Robinhood was founded by Mr. Tenev and Baiju Bhatt, two children of immigrants who met at Stanford University in 2005. After teaming up on several ventures, including a high-speed trading firm, they were inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement to create a company that would make finance more accessible, they said. They named the start-up Robinhood after the English outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. +> +> Robinhood eliminated trading fees while most brokerage firms charged $10 or more for a trade. It also added features to make investing more like a game. New members were given a free share of stock, but only after they scratched off images that looked like a lottery ticket. +> +> The app is simple to use. The home screen has a list of trendy stocks. If a customer touches one of them, a green button pops up with the word “trade,” skipping many of the steps that other firms require. +> +> Robinhood initially offered only stock trading. Over time, it added options trading and margin loans, which make it possible to turbocharge investment gains — and to supersize losses. +> +> The app advertises options with the tagline “quick, straightforward & free.” Customers who want to trade options answer just a few multiple-choice questions. Beginners are legally barred from trading options, but those who click that they have no investing experience are coached by the app on how to change the answer to “not much” experience. Then people can immediately begin trading. +> +> Before Robinhood added options trading in 2017, Mr. Bhatt scoffed at the idea that the company was letting investors take uninformed risks. +> +> “The best thing we can say to those people is ‘Just do it,’” he told Business Insider at the time. +> +> In May, Robinhood said it had 13 million accounts, up from 10 million at the end of 2019. Schwab said it had 12.7 million brokerage accounts in its latest filings; E-Trade reported 5.5 million. +> +> That growth has kept the money flowing in from venture capitalists. Sequoia Capital and New Enterprise Associates are among those that have poured $1.3 billion into Robinhood. In May, the company received a fresh $280 million. +> +> “Robinhood has made the financial markets accessible to the masses and, in turn, revolutionized the decades-old brokerage industry,” Andrew Reed, a partner at Sequoia, said after last month’s fund-raising. +> +> +> Image +> Robinhood shows users that its options trading is free of commissions. +> Robinhood shows users that its options trading is free of commissions. +> Mr. Tenev has said Robinhood has invested in the best technology in the industry. But the risks of trading through the app have been compounded by its tech glitches. +> +> In 2018, Robinhood released software that accidentally reversed the direction of options trades, giving customers the opposite outcome from what they expected. Last year, it mistakenly allowed people to borrow infinite money to multiply their bets, leading to some enormous gains and losses. +> +> Robinhood’s website has also gone down more often than those of its rivals — 47 times since March for Robinhood and 10 times for Schwab — according to a Times analysis of data from Downdetector.com, which tracks website reliability. In March, the site was down for almost two days, just as stock prices were gyrating because of the coronavirus pandemic. Robinhood’s customers were unable to make trades to blunt the damage to their accounts. +> +> Four Robinhood employees, who declined to be identified, said the outage was rooted in issues with the company’s phone app and servers. They said the start-up had underinvested in technology and moved too quickly rather than carefully. +> +> Mr. Tenev said he could not talk about the outage beyond a company blog post that said it was “not acceptable.” Robinhood had recently made new technology investments, he said. +> +> Plaintiffs who have sued over the outage said Robinhood had done little to respond to their losses. Unlike other brokers, the company has no phone number for customers to call. +> +> Mr. Dobatse suffered his biggest losses in the March outage — $860,000, his records show. Robinhood did not respond to his emails, he said, adding that he planned to take his case to financial regulators for arbitration. +> +> “They make it so easy for people that don’t know anything about stocks,” he said. “Then you go there and you start to lose money.” +This is an update of my previous post, [“$250k the boring way”](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/c4ppcl/update_250k_the_boring_way/) and my original post, ["$100k the boring way"](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/6tuhr2/100k_the_boring_way/). I’ll recap as best I can but all the details are in those if you're interested. + +**Summary** + +Reached $500k (now $600k, sorry I'm lazy) net worth from a starting point less than -$100k in about 8 years mostly through consistent saving. Net worth chart included below. All salary numbers are gross. + +**Quick Recap** **^(that keeps getting longer am I getting old)** + +My wife and I are both 32 and live in the Pacific Northwest. We met when we were 24 and I estimate at the time that we had a combined net worth of close to -$120k. I’m an engineer (EE) and my wife is a public school employee. + +On our journey to $250k net worth we: + +* Both got graduate degrees. +* Found new jobs and moved from Midwest to PNW to be closer to family. +* Progressed our careers and salaries: $67k to $116k for me and $54k to $80k for my wife. +* Had a baby and wife took some unpaid time. +* Bought a house + +**Updates** + +Second half of 2019: Nothing really happened financially but we did take a family vacay to NZ and Fiji for 2 weeks. Somehow made it work taking a 1.5 year old halfway across the world and can't say enough about how much I would recommend both places. Can't say it was always relaxing but I would do it again. Also found out we were going to be having another baby. + +In the last update my job had just added on-call pay. I ended up with about $5k of this bringing me to $121k total compensation. + +2020: Our son was born in early March right as the pandemic was lifting off. I still haven't decided if this was a great time to have a baby or a horrible time. Financially, our timing was (purposely) a lot better with the school schedule and combined with a new maternity leave policy at my wife's job, she didn't have to take any unpaid leave this time around. + +At my job, I got another 5% merit raise plus COLA increase bringing me to my current base salary of $126k. Looks like I'm on track for another $5k of on-call pay on top of that. My company went all remote so I haven't been back to the office since the day my wife went into labor. I'm liking the work from home situation a lot and expect that I will be WFH at least 2 days a week once the office is open again. + +We refinanced our house in the spring from a 30yr 4.5% down to a 20yr 3.25% loan which increased our monthly payment but saves us an estimated $120k over the life of the loan, so that's nice. I'm actually working on another refi right now to get down to 20yr 2.875% to save an additional $30k. I imagine I'll call it good here but hey you never know. + +This fall when school resumed, we made the decision to drop my wife down to part-time. This has been our plan from the beginning: work 5 years to qualify for the Teacher Loan Forgiveness program and then go to just 3 days a week in order to have more time for family but still accrue full years towards the pension. + +On that note, we applied for the Teacher Loan Forgiveness program in June as soon as my wife's 5th year had ended. Our application was rejected by our servicer Nelnet 3 times before being sent on to the Dept. of Education in September. It was a very slow and frustrating process but ultimately was worth the hard work, as we found out just last week that it was approved and $17.5k was instantly removed from our balance. I got a lot of questions on this program last time - all the details can be found [here](https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/teacher). We have just $10k of loans left now that we will let sit there until they start accruing interest again or are forgiven by the new administration. + +**Chart** + +[Here is our financial journey summed up in one line](https://imgur.com/VDa8UcH). It's definitely starting to look like more of a curve now. The inflection points that used to stand out just kind of look like noise now, so here are the relevant dates in list form: + +1. 7/2/15 began tracking net worth. +2. 3/29/16 crossed $0! We are worthless! +3. 5/24/17 crossed $100k net worth. +4. 8/10/18 crossed $200k net worth. +5. 6/11/19 crossed $300k net worth. +6. 1/17/20 crossed $400k net worth. +7. 8/25/20 crossed $500k net worth. +8. 12/3/20 crossed $600k net worth. + +**Current Finances** + +* $90k e-fund, $5k in an HSA. +* $326k of investments, mostly lazy index 3-fund portfolio. +* $189k equity in our home +* \-$10k of student loans remaining +* Current savings rate is down to 40% from 45% one baby and 55% no babies. +* Monthly expenses have gone up quite a bit, looking like our budget is about $7k which seems crazy to me. Luckily daycare isn't forever I guess. + +**Thoughts** + +Salary + +I mentioned in my last update that I was closing in on the salary cap in my current position. At the end of this upcoming January I will get like a 1% raise and be maxed in my band. Unfortunately to go higher means I would likely need to take on a supervisory role, and I'm not sure yet if that's something I want. I've been doing all the required trainings for that just in case but I really like the position I'm in now so no rush I think. + +Now What + +Student loans are what initially set me down this path of aggressively saving and investing. For 8 years now they have weighed on me, sometimes heavily (and that's even with knowing that our career choices meant we would be okay and get them paid off eventually). The loan forgiveness was something we carefully planned for. It's definitely a weird feeling to be essentially student debt-free after pouring so much time, money and energy into dealing with them. Luckily I can fill this void with a very long to-do list. + +Near term, I need to put a priority on making a will for us and making sure all of the stuff related to that is in order. Along those same lines I'd like to get some extra life insurance going besides just the basic coverage we get from work automatically. Still haven't put a lot of thought into our strategy for saving for college. We are likely buying a minivan (please give me all your minivan tips and recommendations) in the next couple months. Longer term, we have started talking about what a home upgrade might look like for us. + +**The End** + +My third update (at least to me) seems even more boring than ever. Having a new baby and navigating the pandemic at the same time meant that in the past 9 months I really haven't had much time or energy to think about saving, spending, or retirement so it all just sort of happened on its own. Before preparing to make this update I hadn't logged in to categorize our transactions since June which is crazy for me. I basically stopped coming to this sub vs being a daily reader. I'm most definitely in "the boring middle" now. + +In the last update I had said "The financial peace of mind is extremely valuable to us as we navigate the wonderful and scary world of parenting". Well since then, we doubled down on the parenting and added a global pandemic on top. We are extremely fortunate to still have our jobs and our health, and I don't take that for granted. To not really "worry" about money during this time is a luxury to be sure, but one that we worked hard for. + +Thanks for reading, everyone. Back to saving now. See you at the $1M update! +I'm 30. This is across 4 accounts ; about $49k total at present. Roughly $15k/year contributions, mostly ETFs with some tech stocks. Goal is to just keep at it. +I'm 23 years old and want to start my dividend portfolio. Any help is much appreciated!! + +What brokerage to use? Where should I park 10k? + +Edit: Sorry if this breaks community guidelines, I'm new here +Considering buying an out of state house in cash. Ive only purchased homes through traditional methods (agents and loans). I'm sure there's a lot of legal steps and paperwork that needs to be done to avoid issues with liens, home issues etc. I know I can get it appraised and inspected, but other than that there's a ton of stuff I know nothing about, or would even know to consider. Would a real estate agent be the right person to hire to help with this? If so, do they get the same commission if they aren't finding a home for you but rather just handling the process? Hoping to get advice. Thanks +Like the title says, condos generally are a bad investment. The only reason to buy a condo would be to live there; I wouldn’t consider a condo a good investment for a few reasons: + +· There is more condo inventory than other real estate (townhouses, SFH). A high-rise condo building with 200 units can fit on 1-2 acres of land. This same parcel would only fit 10 or so single family homes. The high condo inventory keeps prices low + +· Condos appeal to a smaller pool of buyers. People with kids want more space than a condo provides. Most people don’t want a condo as their forever home + +· HOA fees will eat into your cashflow. If the condo building is mismanaged or has high maintenance costs, the HOA fee will increase and there isn’t much you can do about it + +Here are some real #’s for a condo I bought back in 2009. This is in a high-cost of living area (Close to DC): + +Year Bought: 2009 +Purchase Price: $335K +Current Value: ~$385K +Appreciation: ~1% / year…THAT SUCKS + +For reference, single family starter home prices in my area have just about doubled during that time period. The S&P 500 has quadrupled since 2009! + + +Edit: Admittedly this post is an oversimplification and every market is different. In Northern VA, the two condos my wife and I own haven’t appreciated since we’ve owned them. The townhouse and house we own have had great appreciation. Looking at the local market as a whole, if you bought anything with land under it in the last 10 years you’ve likely done great, but the condo market hasn’t kept up with other real estate. + +TL;DR; In the DC area I’d only buy a condo if you want a low maintenance place to live. Don’t buy a condo as an investment. +I have been in graduate school for 7 years, and I am finally finishing this semester. My entire time in graduate school has been free (tuition waived) and I've been earning a stipend, which is enough to live on, but just barely. For most of my time in grad school, I was debt free, but lately life has been getting more expensive (e.g. car repairs, insurance, travel, doctors visits, suit for job interview, etc.), and I have (perhaps irresponsibly) put a lot of this on credit. It's about $4000 at ~21% interest. I have no savings. + +I have about $20k in student debt left over from my undergraduate studies. All payment on these loans is deferred until I finish grad school. + +I'm wondering if it's possible to take out a new student loan in the last semester of my graduate career to pay off my credit card debt at a lower interest rate. I have a relatively good-paying job lined up after graduation, so I am confident I can pay this off, but for the next few months it would be a huge relief to stop paying these credit card bills. It would also be nice to free up some of my credit limit for any emergency expenses that might come up before I graduate. + +I haven't had to take any loans as a graduate student, so I'm not even sure what the process is, or if it's legal to get a student loan for non-educational expenses. + +EDIT: Thanks for all the comments! Not sure why everyone's so concerned about bankruptcy. I mean, I suppose anything can happen, but it seems pretty unlikely at the moment. I'm just looking for the most efficient way to pay off these debts. + + +Sorry if using the wrong flair. Just wanted to come to a place for maybe some comfort or guidance. Not sure if anyone else has had this happen. I financed a car a few years ago and have Gone back and forth with being late on my payments. Well, I woke up this morning for work and found that my car had been repossessed. Knowing I was about 3 months behind on payments(including this month) I waited until the bank was open and discussed everything. I owe just over $2K along with the $75 they charge a day to store my car. And they’ll only store it for 5 days until it gets sent to an auction. They still can’t sell it for 21 days but now I have no transport to work. I live nowhere near any bus stops(basically out in the country) I don’t even get paid until next Friday. I don’t even know how to cope with this. I have no friends or family that would be able to take me to work either. I feel just awful and a failure. + +EDIT: just wanted to edit to say thank you all so much for the kind words and advice. I am working to sell some things I don’t need, electronics and such. And hopefully can get my car back soon. I am still reading everyone’s comments so don’t refrain, but it’s hard for me to be able to reply with everything going on. Thanks so much to everyone in this sub! +OK can we please have a technical discussion regarding the scalability of Cardano? Instead of the regular super highly upvoted moontalk (I know this thread will probably be downvoted to oblivion). + +Cardano currently only handles 7 transactions per second on-chain. Ethereum currently handles 12-15 transactions per second on-chain. By tweaking some parameters in the future Cardano could potentially scale to 50 transactions per second on-chain which obviously still isn't enough for real world adoption. Cardano will scale off-chain with layer 2 solutions (Hydra). But they are awfully behind their competition in developing layer 2 support. + +Don't take my word for it, even Cardano devs on their own subreddit admit all this. + +See here: [https://np.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/mxjf0w/psa\_cardano\_ada\_runs\_at\_seven\_7\_transactions\_per/](https://np.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/mxjf0w/psa_cardano_ada_runs_at_seven_7_transactions_per/) + +And here: [https://np.reddit.com/r/Cardano\_ELI5/comments/la7ptu/how\_many\_transactions\_per\_second\_tps\_can\_cardano/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app&utm\_name=iossmf](https://np.reddit.com/r/Cardano_ELI5/comments/la7ptu/how_many_transactions_per_second_tps_can_cardano/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) + +So why do so many people think that Cardano is faster than Ethereum? + +Also, I made this same post intended to discuss the scalability of Cardano two days ago. It quickly rose into the top 50 posts until a bot deleted it from the frontpage stating "there are already 2 posts about this coin in the top 50". But guess what, there are always 2 non-critical moonboy posts about Cardano in the top 50. So it's very unfortunate that technical discussions about this coin have no place on [r/CryptoCurrency](https://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/). I will therefore keep posting this daily, until the day a bot doesn't delete it. + +Edit: Since this time, this post didn't get deleted, I will add this. I have nothing against Cardano. But I have noted that there currently exists a widespread lack of knowledge regarding the scalability of blockchains in general and Cardano in particular. This is an extremely hard technical problem that haven't been solved for over 10 years. Cardano is not offering a unique quick fix to this anytime in the near future. But I am happy that we now have more projects than ever (including Cardano) that are working on it. +Some pertinent information for you. I’m 20, located in the US, have income of about $30k a year and plan to invest $10k or so every year, adjusting for gains or losses in income in general. + +For the moment, I have a little over $18k to invest. I’ll be reinvesting dividends for now but eventually my goal is to use them as a source of income. +[Code Section](https://imgur.com/a/fsqZxzI) from https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/7/2 + +The CFTC is required by Federal Law to do the reporting that the then president of the CFTC elected to suspend until October 6th, 2023. That seems like something that one may be able make some sort of case to sue for access to. However, that may not be necessary because there is a regulatory body named in the code section that may have needed to review these swaps. + +[The Office of the Comptroller of Currency](https://www.occ.treas.gov/about/index-about.html) being a part of the Federal Government should be subject to public records requests. + +Has anyone reached out to this agency yet? I would be happy to make a records request myself but I don't really know the details like report titles to make a fruitful attempt. If anyone could provide more information that would be great! + +Edit: A granular list of items would be helpful otherwise I will likely just be calling their office on a lunch hour this week to see what they will freely volunteer! Or even better, someone fluent in swaps does this instead of me xD really easy to make a request yourself https://www.occ.treas.gov/about/connect-with-us/foia/index-foia.html + +Edit: u/Aon333 linked me to this [press release](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8422-21) from the CFTC that I understand to mean that maybe the CFTC doesn't even have accurate data on GME related swaps because they deliberately covered their eyes to maintain plausible deniability while helping the shorts hide their mess. Does not seem like it is in the spirit of the Dodd-Frank Act and potentially illegal and why the president retired shortly after? Would be curious if anyone at The Office of the Comptroller of Currency could speak to any irregularities in reporting since last October. +[Graph](https://imgur.com/a/wnm65c4) + +This is a follow up post to my [last one](https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/bjghrb/from_10k_to_500k_in_6_years_with_graph/). A few different things have happened in life and I figured I'd give y'all an update. This is my wife and I's journey from poor recent college grads to financially stable adults! This graph starts 6 months after graduating college when I had already accumulated 30k and ends on Nov 30th 2019. It's really cool to begin to see the exponential growth and how fast my investment returns are beginning to outpace my salary. + +Since the last updated I've: + +* Sold my Amazon Affiliates website for \~70k +* Had a kid (almost 4 months old already!) +* Fully moved into my new house and did all my preliminary big tasks like putting in a bigger patio, stonework, etc. +* About to start a new job + +Some answers to common questions are below: + +* This spreadsheet was built in google sheets using the stacked area chart type +* Wife and I are both 28 years old, live in Houston, TX and had our first kid 4 months ago. We got married in July of 2015. (This graph shows combined finances) +* Total expenses for the kid were 2k for "stuff" (furniture, car seats, crib, etc.) and 6k total for all birth, epidural, check-ups etc. Daycare is 1.1k a month. We've found this has had basically no effect on our overall savings rate at this stage of our FIRE journey. We are not saving separately for the kids college expenses but will instead just skim some of our investments off if need be. +* I managed to get 30k by myself after only 6 months out of college by working and saving from my 20hr/week job during college for 4 years and living extremely cheaply during my first year afterwards. +* Real estate is not included on this graph, for reference I currently have around 155k in equity in my home and owe 184k (total value of house is \~340k) . I have a 15 year mortgage at some absurdly low interest rate. I do pay off a little extra month because it makes me feel good. +* I keep a 30k emergency fund in my savings account for....emergencies. +* The dip in the middle of 2015 is when I bought my first house (224k 10% down payment) and then the month after I got married +* The dip in the end of 2018 is when the stock markets dipped a bit and I bought my next new construction house (340K 20% down payment) +* Wife and I are both engineers (Electrical and Mechanical respectively) in the oil and gas industry +* Paid off student loans somewhere in 2016, I don't remember when exactly as they were not astronomically high my wife had loans, I did not. In terms of "family help" my parents gave me 2k to use as a down payment on a car (which I still have) and sent me on my way. My wife had an old car already out of college which we also still have. +* My taxable investments are 100% invested in VTSAX with vanguard. +* I record data points for my graph at the end of each month and look at every account I have money in. +* I have no credit card debt and pay it off at the end of every month. +* Both my and my wife's vehicles are fully paid off and we plan to run them into the dirt (even is she thinks otherwise!) +* Salary for me went about as follows with 2 years between major increases (64K starting -> 74K promotion ->97k current job -> 110k new job I should start Jan 2nd or so) +* Salary for my wife was (78k starting -> 84k promotion -> 93k promotion) +* Basic investment strategy (max 401k's-> max IRA's -> invest 80% of the rest in vanguard -> pay a bit extra on the mortgage +* My end goal is 3MM by 40 years old where I plan to FIRE in style! +For some, this may be pretty standard already. But I noticed that I've been in the habit of convincing myself I need to buy something. Most times it goes unnoticed: you find a good watch that's reasonably priced, and because I can afford it and I've convinced myself it's "reasonably priced" then I make the purchase. + +That, I realized, was me in a short-circuit decision-making process. In a much longer process, which is likewise a bad habit, is me deciding I need to buy a Macbook Air because my Macbook Pro is heavier -- and because I need the Air so I can run a venture while in transit. That's me trying to convince myself. + +As a way to manage this better, everytime in the tipping point of making a buy decision, I check myself if I'm spending time to convince myself -- ie I need a new Allen Edmonds pair for this business meeting with a new client. That's me making stuff up to convince myself I need one. So, these days - I make a concious effort to stop. + +This may be a no-brainer for some, but for people prone to making these impulse buys (where we are convinced they were pretty smart buys), this is, to a degree, a HUGE step already. + +The next step is to plan my purchases a week or a month in advance. Hoping it develops into a habit to make more "strategic buys" +Seems 3.25% is the lowest you can get. £1500 per month on £300k mortgage for a £500k house. How can ppl afford this and energy bills going up. + +The rate was 2.5% last time I checked. +Genuine Question. This sub is so helpful, but why do we find it so hard to manage our money well? + +Interested in peoples thoughts. Is it down to a lack of financial education in school/online? + +Is it because there aren’t good tools available? + +Is it because financial advisors are too expensive? + +For me, it was always that I managed money unconsciously, which meant I didn’t really have the confidence to know what was best to do. + +Would love to hear people’s thoughts. Also, why isn’t anything being done to solve the above problems! +A very personal question perhaps but what are your personal targets for 2023? + +Mine have historically been academic, career, financial and relationship driven. I have settled those before Firing and have been exercising regularly this year (something I was not used to). + +I am now looking for inspiration from others for new actionable things I could do next year. +Due to an administrative snafu, my previous employer overpaid me in the fall of 2017 to the tune of over $10k. We caught it before they did (if they ever would have) and reported it. They immediately reversed the entire deposit and deposited the correct amount. + + +Fast forward a few months to Q1 2018 when I am doing taxes. The W2 from that employer is incorrect, with the error being exactly the amount of the revered overpay deposit. I call the employer, who starts working with ADP (payroll processor) to get it resolved. I wait, and I wait, and I call for updates and get none, then I call the IRS. They tell me to go ahead and submit the correct W2 info while the employer gets their act together. So I do. + + +Mid 2018, I change jobs and move. Now, fall 2019, I get a underpayer letter from the IRS. You guessed it, the employer didn't ever get the W2 fixed, and now the IRS proposes that I owe them $4k of tax and interest. So I submit my paper trail as requested, to include emails back and forth, bank records showing the deposit and reversal, etc. That wasn't good enough, according to the response that came this month. They want the correct W2. The letter I sent them with my response explained that I had tried and failed to get the W2. + + +I called my old boss at ex employer this week, and they don't care. Talked directly to the payroll dude, and he was going to try again to talk to ADP. Radio silence since then. + + +As far as I can tell, my next step is to file the paperwork to allow the IRS to directly approach the employer about the W2. I'm not really getting a warm and fuzzy about this, though. What is going to happen if the employer ignores, lies about, or otherwise mistreats this request? Is there anything else I should do, other than start recording calls (one party state)? +I’ve been working for 7 months now after graduating with my BS in Nuclear Engineering. I’m estimated to make ~60k this year if my OT opportunities keep this pace. I have $120k in student loans left and have paid off $16,200 so far and live off of $1-1.1k/month. This Christmas I mentioned to my grandpa that I wouldn’t be getting any tax deductions on the interest or accumulating any credit score for the loans because $88k of them were in my parents name. And that I was trying to refinance under my name to get better interest rates and get them out of my parent’s name, but kept getting denied from companies that were supposed to specialize in student loan refinancing. (my interest rates averaged out to 6.2% on a 10 year plan compounded daily. My parent’s credit score also took a major hit due to the loans) He owns a business and has had the same bank for years and all of my family uses them too. So he made a few calls and got the bank to do him a favor. +He got them to agree to a 7 year loan for 3% with him as the co-signer! + +That rate is insane. And I’ve been told that less than 4% means it’s beneficial to invest, so I’m trying to reroute my monthly budget. Before, I was giving myself 0 cash flow and investments and only $1000 for emergencies, and dumping everything towards the loans. + +I’m paid hourly and biweekly on a 5 week cyclical shift work schedule. On the worst month, I make ~$3000 after taxes. But I average $3300-3400/month take home. + +My current budget plan is: + +$1600/month loan payment + +$1000/month living expenses + +$200/month minimum savings up to $10,000 (~4 months living expenses for emergency.) + +$100 maximum (until I get a raise) to Roth IRA + +$100 maximum to bridge fund investments (Currently ETFs/Dividend stocks) + +I’m expecting a $10,000/year raise by around May/June. +Note: I’m also job hunting for something with better pay that better utilizes the “engineering” part of my degree, so I’m only putting 3% (the minimum) into my company retirement fund as I don’t plan of being there long enough to get the employer match. + +Any tips or suggestions on how to best budget around this new loan interest rate would be appreciated. +I want to set up a scholarship to give out every year. It won’t be much now but I’m hoping as I grow in my career, I can start to put more into it. + +I remember being in 12th grade and somehow getting a small scholarship at graduation from the local soccer organization. I’m thinking of something along those lines, although I am open to setting up one for people to apply to from all over. + +Does anyone have any good resources on how to even begin this process? +Good Morning Superstonk!! + +It me the pickle guy here to bring you another week of titz jackking technical analysis on GME. + +I wanted to drop a big magnum opus DD today but unfortunately theories take time to prove... + +But I do have some crayons and graphs so I hope you guys can make do for now. + +As always I will post a consolidated [Video DD of this on my YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/c/PickleFinancial) for those of you that don't have the time to read through this, or Apes that can't read good. This will be uploaded by 9pm EDT. + +# Part I: Technical Analysis + +**Cup & Handle** + +This is week three of this cup and handle and probably it's most relevant one as we look for a bounce from the lower trend and out of this low liquidity consolidation for a move to the upside. This week we could drop as low as 192.04 on Tuesday\* before seeing so price improvement. Like most long term technical breakouts on GME, I expect it to be shorted (although low short side liquidity and apes hodling seem to be preventing this lately) so we could see some deviation to the downside but I suspect we will recover quickly if this does happen. Without further ado, here is that Cup & Handle in all it's glory. + +[GME C&H on 1D Timescale. Edit 1: Possible Tuesday low\*](https://preview.redd.it/scxonbac8e971.png?width=2462&format=png&auto=webp&s=43f789d828166f6876c8ff4ef4a02837721b0f33) + +Here is some basic information on [Cup & Handles](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cupandhandle.asp) you can also check out my previous weeklies to see how this has progressed so far. Remember that in the event that this formation proves to be true we can expect a price increase on the breakout of 1.5 -3x the resistance price (resistance is $350) so a jump to $525 - 1050 is predicted. + +**MACD** + +Good ol' MACDaddy is back in play this week on GME, as we approach a bullish crossover point and it signals a bounce to the upside. Since I began doing weekly TA on GME, all three times we approached a bullish crossover on the daily MACD it has proved true, let's see if it goes 4 for 4. + +[MACD on 1D Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/o0lr343lce971.png?width=1629&format=png&auto=webp&s=d467ebabeace37c81039af4bee9514c13ef8f30f) + +**ADX** + +I know some people are less familiar with [this indicator](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/trading/07/adx-trend-indicator.asp) but I have been talking about it for the last couple weeks because there was something I was looking for. I was looking for it to climb above 33 last week and it appears to have done just that. This is a confirmation of a new uptrend which I expect will be reflected in price action over the coming weeks. + +[ADX confirming uptrend now 33 points higher than last week 1D timescale](https://preview.redd.it/an7yomugde971.png?width=1636&format=png&auto=webp&s=8dc6a53b5eeb8f42584206075327b83482e8b5db) + +**Liquidity Tests** + +Something very odd happened this week that digs a bit further into my [short inflation theory](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/n8qlbh/jerkin_it_with_gherkinit_forward_looking/) On Wednesday June 30^(th), we saw three deliberate spikes pop up on GME when the rest of the day was completely flat. This tells me that someone most likely a long position but possibly a short one was attempting to see how much a given amount of capital would raise the price. The first test was 40k shares were purchased with a price improvement of $4 then 160k shares were shorted to bring the price back below VWAP. Two more occurred that day the final one raising the price to $215 into close of $213, as I suspect they were unable to bring it down a 3rd time. These tests showed a ratio of **1:4**, long:short. Even with significant shorting in the following 2 days we still closed the week only $11 down from the price the last liquidity test left us at. + +[Short Volume for the last 3 trading days http:\/\/shortvolumes.com\/?t=GME](https://preview.redd.it/ftc01p9hge971.png?width=821&format=png&auto=webp&s=e1d8b5774b4d74e2cfcedd4c8869f2afc211dece) + +This tells me 2 things: + +1. Liquidity is so low that they are performing liquidity tests on the open market instead of in a simulation. Effectively exposing themselves to other funds. +2. It doesn't take a lot of buy pressure to spike the ask and drive the price up. + +TLDR; SHFs are fuk, buy and hodl + +# Part II: The Market + +The SPY is approaching a critical junction this Tuesday it will either start trading some volume inside it's previous long-term trend or we will see a rejection at the current resistance of 433.43. If we see a rejection it is possible for a correction to 3 predicted zones. A drop below these zones would indicate a sell-off and possible crash. + +[SPY on the 1D Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/yh0p608sie971.png?width=1623&format=png&auto=webp&s=3f6caba7594f083c2c4d378fb356e51cacb22c03) + +**Schiller Index** + +The Schiller index or [P/E 10 Ratio](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pe10ratio.asp) has gone up yet again this week to 38.21 an increase from last week of .25. It is rapidly approaching the all time high of 44.19 which was the peak of the dot-com bubble. + +https://preview.redd.it/hv1vnurtje971.png?width=880&format=png&auto=webp&s=1f9f776cdceafdb2010380c36c611bff212e647b + +# Part III: Conclusions + +From a technical side we are looking very bullish moving into this week. There are only four trading days so we may have to wait till the following week to see the events of these indicators fully play. Since the EU markets are open today and U.S. is not, I will once again be tracking CV\_VWAP for any significant arbitrage between markets. IV is currently very low so we could see some larger options plays roll in from long side on GME as it is now ripe for another potential gamma ramp. The market continues to look weak and a bit unstable as fears of inflation continue to mount, banks are scrambling to generate assets, corporations are deploying capital at record numbers in order to price long term investments in, and bond markets continue to price in a higher than reported level of inflation. + +If you want to see more information on this subject matter feel free to join me in the : + +Daily Live charting (always under pinned posts on my profile [u/gherkinit](https://www.reddit.com/u/gherkinit/)) from 8:45am - 4pm EDT on trading days + +Join me, on my [YouTube Live Stream](https://www.youtube.com/c/PickleFinancial) from 9am - 4pm EDT on trading days\* + +Or over on our community [Discord](https://discord.gg/BGmjnrvHnw) + +As always thank you for the support + +🦍❤️ + +\- Gherkinit + +&#x200B; + +**Disclaimer** + +*\* Although my profession is day trading, I in no way endorse day-trading of GME not only does it present significant risk, it can delay the squeeze.* + +*\*My YouTube channel is "monetized" if that is something you are uncomfortable with, I understand, while I wouldn't say I profit greatly from the views, I do suggest you use ad-block when viewing it if you feel so compelled.* *My intention is simply benefit this community. For those that find value in and feel compelled to reward my work, I thank you. For those that do not I encourage you to enjoy the content. As always this information is intended to be free to everyone.* + +\**This is not Financial advice. The ideas and opinions expressed here are for educational and entertainment purposes only.* + +\* *No position is worth your life and debt can always be repaid. Please if you need help reach out this community is here for you. Also the NSPL Phone: 800-273-8255 Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.* [*Learn more*](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/) +I am trying to calculate the maturity amount for an annually increasing SIP, over a period of 5 years. But every calculator is giving significantly different results for the same input parameters. + +1. Now I am confused, which one should I trust? +2. Can anyone explain what is happening here? +3. And is there any mathematical formula that I can use instead? It can also help us verify the correct one. + +&#x200B; + +I have conducted a series of 3 experiments on these calculators: [AdvisorKhoj](https://www.advisorkhoj.com/tools-and-calculators/mutual-fund-sip-calculator-step-up), [EDC](https://everydaycalculation.com/growing-sip.php), [Finity](https://finity.in/calculators/mutual-fund-calculator.html), [Groww](https://groww.in/calculators/step-up-sip-calculator), [HDFC](https://www.hdfcfund.com/learn/top-up-sip), [InPrism](https://inprism.in/tools-and-calculators/sip-with-annual-increase), [MFK](https://www.mutualfundskaro.com/tools-and-calculators/mutual-fund-sip-calculator-step-up), [MFO](https://www.mfonline.co.in/tools-and-calculators/sip-with-annual-increase), [NeoWealth](https://www.neowealth.in/tools-and-calculators/mutual-fund-sip-calculator-step-up), [Nippon](https://mf.nipponindiaim.com/knowledge-center/tools/sip-with-annual-increase-calculator), [Piggy](https://www.piggy.co.in/calculators/step-up-sip-calculator), [SciptBox](https://scripbox.com/plan/sip-calculator). + +**Experiment 1:** Find maturity amount for a step up SIP. +**Experiment 2:** Find maturity amount for a constant SIP by using the same step up calculators(taking step-up as 0%) +**Experiment 3:** Just a reverse of Experiment 1, to verify which calculator's logic is working both ways. + +&#x200B; + +**Experiment 1:** 5000/month SIP for 60 months, with an annual step up of 12%. Expected annual return is 12%. + +**Inputs:** + +|SIP (per month)|Annual Rate of return(%)|Annual SIP step-up(%)|Tenure of SIPs| +|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|5,000|12%|12%|5 years(or 60 months)| + +**Results:** + +|Calculator|Maturity Amount| +|:-|:-| +|Groww|4,84,368| +|NeoWealth, MFK, Finity, Nippon, MFO, and InPrism|4,99,669| +|Piggy|5,03,895| +|HDFC, EDC, SciptBox|5,10,072| +|AdvisorKhoj|5,23,162| + +***Observations:*** *AdvisorKhoj* and *Groww* seem to be the outliers here. + +**Inference:** 4,99,669 and 5,10,072 are the most common answers. But their correctness can't be verified. + +&#x200B; + +**Experiment 2:** This time set the annual step up percentage to 0%. Rest of the inputs will remain the same. Since this is like a normal SIP, expecting all calculators to give a result of 4,12,432. + +**Inputs:** + +|SIP (per month)|Annual Rate of return(%)|Annual SIP step-up(%)|Tenure of SIPs| +|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|5,000|12%|0%|5 years(or 60 months)| + +**Results:** + +|Calculator|Maturity Amount| +|:-|:-| +|HDFC, Groww|0% step-up not supported| +|Piggy|4,06,882| +|AdvisorKhoj|4,12,431| +|All others|4,12,432| + +**Observations:** Expected a result of 4,12,432. *Piggy* is the outlier here. + +**Inferences:** Since, calculating with a 0% step up is equivalent of using a normal SIP calculator. Hence, *Piggy* is most probably broken. Also because [Piggy's own normal SIP calculator](https://www.piggy.co.in/calculators/sip-calculator/) is giving 4,12,432 as the result. + +**Still the different results for the first experiment is a mystery for me.** + +&#x200B; + +**Experiment 3:** Try the Experiment 1 but in reverse. Reverse calculators for step-up SIP can only be found for [MFK](https://www.mutualfundskaro.com/tools-and-calculators/goal-based-top-up-sip), [NeoWealth](https://www.neowealth.in/tools-and-calculators/goal-based-top-up-sip), [AdvisorKhoj](https://www.advisorkhoj.com/tools-and-calculators/goal-based-top-up-sip), and [Scriptbox](https://scripbox.com/plan/sip-calculator)(choose the tab "Target Amount"). + +**Inputs:** + +|Maturity Amount|Annual Rate of return(%)|Annual SIP step-up(%)|Tenure of SIPs| +|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|As per results of Exp. 1|12%|12%|5 years(or 60 months)| + +**Results:** + +|Calculator|Maturity Amount (from results of exp. 1)|First SIP Amount| +|:-|:-|:-| +|AdvisorKhoj|5,23,162|5,300| +|ScriptBox|5,10,072|5,000| +|NeoWealth, MFK|4,99,669|4,200| + +**Observations:** Expected amount should be 5,000. Here only Scriptbox seems to be the correct one. + +**Inferences:** *Scriptbox* maybe correct but it still doesn't mean that it was also correct in the Experiment 1. It just means whatever the logic they are using is working both ways with consistency. + +&#x200B; + +If anyone have any insights regarding this. Please do share your thoughts. +I have been trading for a little over a year now, mostly trading the Daily and 12H charts. During the first few months I was basically breaking even, or actually slightly in the red. It was then I identified a problem in my trading: I was too eager to enter the market. It was so exciting to be in a trade and I was worried I would "miss out" on potential profits if I didn't enter. I remember I would get annoyed if I felt like I missed a signal, regardless how weak that signal would be. All those weak trades really ate into my profits. + +So I decided to force myself to only take 1 trade per week at most for the past 6 months. This is not an optimal way to trade, as you should place a trade if you identify a good signal to enter the market, regardless of how many trades you've placed that week. However, this was an attempt to correct my weakness in trading by implementing an extreme rule. Think of it as a "cognitive behavioral therapy" for my trading personality. + +The effect of this was really beneficial. I only placed trades I was 100% confident in. I got rid of some shitty currency pairs from my watchlist which had way to many currency pairs. I spent less time watching the markets and stressing about my trades; it was easier to "set & forget". And most importantly, my winrate and average RR increased to 57% and 1,9, to the point where I became profitable! Now I feel much more comfortable staying out of trades I'm not 100% happy with, and I hope I can remain a picky trader. + +I am in no way a trader you should take advice from, just wanted to share my most valuable experience. I'm sure some of you guys also enter more trades than you should, and maybe my experience can add a useful perspective for you. + +Happy trading! +Ok guys, here's the mainstream Smart Money narrative: + +Banks and other big institutions manipulate the market by buying/selling in such a way that retail stops flood the market, therefore allowing them to take huge positions without moving the market too much (retail liquidity serves as a counterpart). + +I'd like to show some fallacies that this statement presents: + +1. Retail traders have access to the market by using CFDs which are provided by forex brokers, there is no stop to be taken in the market, you don't even own the underlying asset, you can't physically influence the price.(that's why CFDs exist, since retails are crap and can't trade the broker profits from being the counterpart, it's the perfect derivative for this purpose) +2. Suppose the first sentence is wrong, and we are all trading in the spot market, exchanging currencies, not derivatives, then your insignificant lot size won't allow the most miserable institution to position on the market, retail traders account roughly for 5,5% of the market (again, derivatives are counted, that's not spot market). Imagine the biggest banks in the world competing for this hilarious amount to be used to take position, that's something that would make the most ignorant person in finance laugh too. + +I'm open to discussion, if some Smart Money guy wants to prove me wrong, you're welcome, I'll be happy to take it back and gain new knowledge, but please reply only if you can provide valid arguments, don't just rewrite my first statement in a different way. +If that's not the most bullish thing for the space, I don't know what is. One of the most influential financial service firms globally, a 153-year-old company, has now pivoted its focus to digitalization. You land on their website, and that's the first thing you see. That's pretty amazing. + +Goldman is now focused on mass adoption within the financial institution sector. This is really big for the crypto space, and if you have any doubts about the future of crypto, this should help quell them. + +I hope everyone bought all the dips over the last few months, years, whatever. The future looks really fucking bright. + +Edit: [Source](https://www.goldmansachs.com/) +Saw an ad at the top of Reddit linking to the following site (linking to site because ad disappeared when I clicked on it) + +[link to scam](https://pro.dailyfinancialnews.us/p/TEK_secretpot_1016/LTEKSA19/?h=true) + +For those not wanting to click the link, the site claims to be able to turn $50 in to a fortune through investing in stocks in Marijuana. + +Are admins going to crack down on scam advertising? This is pretty worrying to me. +Is this something essential in selling options? How much do you rely on it? +I am totally a noob when it comes to TA. Is there a charting program or website that does the automatic TA? Or brokerage that does that for you? +My wife and I FIREd last year with about $1M invested, and 1-1.5 years of cash on hand. + +The original plan was to completely stop working, and follow the standard 4% rule to live off approximately $40k/year. We thought we could do this because we had spent the past 8 years diligently saving, being frugal, and finding ways to maximize investment value. + +What actually happened was the following: + +* My wife's solo business kept generating some income without a lot of time investment (a lot of that was momentum, so we expect it to slow down at some point without some more effort) +* I got antsy to find some freelance software development work after about 6 months. I was so burned out when I left my job, I could not imagine this happening, but it turned out I really just needed a 6 month sabbatical. Now I have one project that takes up about 15 hours a week, which suits me perfectly. + +The result of these two things was that we recently had a moment of clarity. For our situation, we can work maybe 25% as hard as we used to, and generate more than enough income to cover our annual expenses. We can also do this while pursuing our pre-FIRE goals, which mostly involved slow travel (yeah, maybe next year...) and raising our daughter without having to send her to daycare. + +Of course, this is really just Coast FIRE that we stumbled into. The difference being that we are now "coasting" with the amount invested that we planned on living off indefinitely. If we can keep this up for the next 15-20 years, we will be comfortably sitting on a portfolio of $2.5M to $4M, which should be more than enough to "actually retire" in our late 40s/early 50s. + +The other nice side effect of this strategy is that if we make significantly more than we need to live on in a given year (which is happening this year), we can choose to loosen our belts a bit and splurge on large expenses or add to our investments. + +Anyway, I know this is a specific situation that does not apply to everyone, but I urge anyone who is close to pulling the trigger on FIRE to consider if this could work for you. For us, it really is the best of all worlds, in terms of happiness, security, and freedom. +Planning on purchasing a duplex as my first real estate property. My goal is to generate cash flow and build equity. + +&#x200B; + +I am looking at duplexes around $250K, and hoping to collect $1,250 in monthly rent, per unit. I have enough saved up for 20% down payment. + +&#x200B; + +I'm debating between the two different options, since I do not mind the apartment I'm currently living in : + +* **Option 1**: Renting out 1 unit and moves in to the other unit. +* **Option 2**: Renting out both units and stays in my current apartment ($850 per month) + +&#x200B; + +I'm not sure on which one is the best option in the long run. For option 1, would pay a lower down payment of 20% and a cheaper interest rate. Where in option 2, I would have to pay 25% in down payment and slight higher interest rate. Since the duplex would be considered an investment property not primary residency if both units are rented out. + +&#x200B; + +However, the second option would allows me to collect $2,500 in rent each month, from the two units. I would only have to pay $950 for the apartment, which would gives me $1,650 of positive cash flow. Where if I move in to the duplex, I could only collect $400 ($1,250-$850) per month. + +&#x200B; + +Since I am flexible on where to live, should I go with Option 2 to maximize my profit? This there anything I didn't account for? Any tips and/or advises would be appreciated! +As all of you know, Robinhood has been down since the open yesterday morning and shows no signs of coming back anytime soon. To avoid multiple posts and comments about the same thing, please keep all discussion and questions about Robinhood's outage or switching to another broker in here. + +Check Robinhood's status [here](https://status.robinhood.com). + +###Anyone posting referral links to another brokerage will be permanently banned. + +~~It appears that Robinhood is finally back up. Feel free to post your gains or losses below. Come back tomorrow to see what Robinhood manages to do next.~~ + +To the surprise of absolutely no one, Robinhood is down again. Discuss below. +Welcome to the Daily General Discussion thread of /r/EthTrader. + +*** + +Thread guidelines: + +- Please refrain from discussing non-Ethereum related tokens here. You are welcome to discuss altcoins in the Daily Altcoin Discussion thread. +- All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/about/rules/) apply here so please be familiar with them. + +*** + + Resources and other information: + +* Find the latest Altcoin Discussion thread in [this search listing](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/search?q=author%3Aautomoderator+title%3Aaltcoin&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all). + +* Newcomers who have basic questions about Ethereum can find answers by visiting /r/EthereumNoobies or our Ethereum Education wiki page, [see here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/wiki/education). + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. + +*** + +Enjoy! + +I swear if I see one more “I invested in GME before my wife and her boyfriend left me” story I am going to shoot myself. + +This subreddit is for two things: tendies and gambling + +Sometimes we gain them and sometimes we lose ‘em, but that’s what this place is. If you want to cry about your life there is a place for you on r/teenagers , but this is a “investing” (gambling) forum. If you’re not posting a 6 figure gain or loss I don’t want to see it. +I've just seen this article that's been posted on the BBC website and thought I'd share it here: + +[Why are energy bills so high and when should I take a meter reading?](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58090533) + +TL;DR - Do a Gas/Electric meter reading tomorrow (31st March) to make sure you are billed correctly for your usage at the current lower rates before the energy cap rises on the 1st April. + +Note - Giving a false (higher) reading to pre-purchase energy at the lower tarrif cost is fraud and illegal - do not do this. +This will be our first ever flip and we have no idea what we're doing. So be kind but also don't hold back. + +House: site-built foreclosure + +Price: $95,500, built 1945, 1,800 sqft, 2b/2b in a small desert town + +Comps in the town are priced around $200k right now. But this one is kinda surrounded by mobile homes. I'm guessing rent could be around $1,100? Median Household income is $54,000. + +Unsure how long the property has been vacant. I budgeted an extra $7k for burst pipes & new furnace if it's been sitting over-winter. Other than that, here's everything I can surmise so far needs to be done: + + Gutter install, tear off current vinyl & replace, replace 1-2 windows, landscape overhaul, install drywall in a couple places and repair in a couple places, interior paint on about 50%, install wood laminate flooring in about 50%, new kitchen cabinets + countertops, remove wood paneling from some rooms & paint, replace interior door, permits & dumpsters. + +I'm going to offer $80,000 w/ 4,000 down + 4,000 closing. Then I estimate $40,000 total for the rehab. Total out of pocket $48,000. Total cost: $124,000. ARV: $180,000. + +Flip profit potentially $50,000 or refi and rent for $1,100 which is slightly less than 1%. + +I would hope the reno costs are lower :-( Do you think they could be? + +Thanks so much everyone. Even if this deal doesn't go through I appreciate feedback on my analyzing abilities. +I’m just in a daze right now and am completely horrified of what I have to tell my children. The next worry is What do I have to take care of financially? Are her debtors going to come after me? What do I have to do about her “estate”? If she didn’t work that much over her entire life will my children still qualify for survivor benefits? What should I do next? +My new employer has an ESPP program to purchase their stock at 15% discount. As an added benefit, they deposit your contributions into an escrow for 6 months first and then purchase all the stock at the end of the 6 month period. They choose the stock price based off the lower of the prices: stock price at the beginning of the 6mo period or at the end of the 6mo period. + +The max contribution is 15% pretax and I plan to take full advantage of this. I'm already putting 12% pretax towards 401k (with 4% employer match). + +To me, this seems like a no-brainer savings account with 15% interest. I understand if I withdraw my money the moment my stocks vest that I pay taxes on short-term capital gains. + +Even if the stock falls - I make 15%. If the stock rises, I make 15% + the price difference. Below are two scenarios. + +Scenario 1: Stock drops. Total in escrow: $11,214 + +* Period start stock price: $25 +* Period end stock price: $20 (end price is selected, lower of the two) +* $11,214 / (15% discount of $20) = 659 shares purchased +* 659 \* $20 = $13,180 +* **Short term taxed profit: $1,966** + +Scenario 2: Stock rises. Total in escrow: $11,214 + +* Period start stock price: $25 (start price selected, lower of the two) +* Period end stock price: $35 +* $11,214 / (15% discount of $25) =527 shares purchased +* 527 \* $35 = $18,445 +* **Short term taxed profit: $7,231** + +This is a no brainer, right? Even if I cash out immediately and pay short-term capital gains taxes, the profit is at **no-risk**. +I opened up a High Yield Savings Account this year with HSBC. The annual percentage yield (interest rate) started at 2.05% but has been on a downward slope since January. I've documented the progress below. Overall, 1.01% is still better than nothing but HSYA have definitely lost some appeal for me. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/dqzl11jroy451.png?width=243&format=png&auto=webp&s=db7c8da015395cc49cfa24c6a63f7ffd0a9b17df +As the title says. Currently shopping around in RI & CT for a multifamily property for BRRRR. Would be owner-occupied, primary residence - live in one, fix up the other and rent, then fix up the live in unit and rent that out. + + +As there is some reno/rehab to do - FHA is likely out, but for a conventional I'm getting feedback for 15% minimum down on multi (5% on SFH). + +FWIW - credit is a few points shy of perfect, with a great debt:income and have 2 other properties currently under my belt. +Edit 1 : \[[Source](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/black.asp)\] + +>The expression "in the black" is used to refer to a company's profitability and current financial health. A company is said to be in the black if it is profitable or, more specifically, if the company produces positive earnings after accounting for all expenses. + +I've been on the side lines continuing my DD into what has created the situation that we know as GAMESTOP. + +Before I begin, [Remember that any action purposely done with the intention of causing a "short squeeze" is completely illegal](http://www.law.du.edu/documents/corporate-governance/securities-matters/elliott/11-Complaint.pdf). Also collusion on ANY basis is grounds for litigation. + +\*\*Edit : /u/dlauer Didn't you [say](https://sw-ke.facebook.com/FastMoney/videos/196489325714410/?t=120) that Citadel is part of a [duopoly](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/collusion.asp#:~:text=may%20collectively%20choose%20to%20influence%20the%20market%20supply%20of%20a%20good%20or%20agree%20to%20a%20specific%20pricing%20level%20which%20will%20help%20the%20partners%20maximize%C2%A0their%C2%A0profits%C2%A0at%20the%20detriment%20of%20other%20competitors.%20It%20is%20common%20among%20duopolies) (with Virtu)?\*\* + +But what if you were the chairman? How could you communicate in a fashion that says "sit tight" without saying anything directive at the retail investors? What if you had literally done what was written in the merger filing that created the Corp that you are running, well maybe we could dodge that legal bullet eh? + +https://preview.redd.it/y1b1pnpgs8t71.png?width=1334&format=png&auto=webp&s=29a410ab0dbaeb504e1c89480bc619914f6081b0 + +This is s snippit from this filing on GME's website of the 2005 merger filing. [https://news.gamestop.com/static-files/45932f95-1191-4301-bcc8-534398f8c21c](https://news.gamestop.com/static-files/45932f95-1191-4301-bcc8-534398f8c21c) + +Followed by Chairman and GaMEstop's twitter pages going dark. see? it's beautiful. He looks cool in a Johnny Cash meets Jiu Jitsu kind of way right? Chairman Ryan Cohen reminds me of john wick in this. :'D + +https://preview.redd.it/tawtg8mjs8t71.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=57c542915f9d73a2a7f1feb2ffbec31e57d415b5 + +https://preview.redd.it/kga31cvks8t71.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=91d59847789cdbac35a207dea17c0c0439081e61 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/cjctap1ms8t71.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=2302fee55a7867a46d03217526a1a2fcdb956c1f + +https://preview.redd.it/mp9x7anms8t71.png?width=1442&format=png&auto=webp&s=ebde2cd5bdc0ec32b754e952f55a7a685a7f006e + +[https://www.otcmarkets.com/files/ellenoff-going-dark.pdf](https://www.otcmarkets.com/files/ellenoff-going-dark.pdf) is the link to OTCMARKETS explanation of what GOING DARK is. + +So imagine this shit right? Imagine that you were under a gag order and couldn't talk. well you found a way to communicate using simple subtleties. + +Like going dark. or like referencing companies that were acquisitioned by companies that were later contracted, or acquisitioned even, by amazon in the end. + +Here is my theory that the chairman showed us on his personal and company page that he is going dark. What does going dark mean? OTC baby. A closing of outstanding shares which the shorts rely on. Couple that with the "units" being preferred class A shares and it would allow Retail Investors to obtain, per synthetic position, a REAL share. All of retail would be holding real shares. ALL of us. Institutional Ownership would be at a fukt position because of retraction of all outstanding shares. + +Nowhere in the history of the company has GameStop been delisted as was planned in the 2005 merger filing. These entities never got delisted. Because it hasn't happened yet. This would be the perfect play to anticipate the economic shitstorm brewing while allowing retail investors to literally have more voting power than institutions by a HUGE ratio. + +This is my thesis. This is literally my hope and dream. This is literally what I would do if I was the Chairman. Want to understand the owner? Put yourself in his specific shoes. Understand where he has been and where he is going. Understand what the company has been through and WHERE ITS GOING. first OTC, and then to the FUCKING MOON. + +\- STOP THE DIVISION OF OUR COMMUNITY + +\- STOP THE DISTRACTION OF OUR INVESTORS + +\- STOP THE DECEPTION OF UNVERIFIED DD/MSM + +\- STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR UNITY + +\- STOP THE BULLSHIT + +you will never see this opportunity again. and if this doesn't pan out, your kids will never see it in the first place. a real fucking chance at a fair fucking life..WE EITHER STAND TOGETHER STRONG, OR WE FAIL TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DIDN'T. + +CAN'T STOP WONT STOP + +**This post was taken from** /u/alwayssadbuttruthful +It’s hard to not be depressed 24/7 + +Edit: it’s like in the matrix when Neo wakes up in his slave pod. That’s literally our society. I find it hard to believe that all of our soldiers who died in all the wars, ww1, ww2, Vietnam, etc thought they were fighting for this current failed empire with a decadent culture and everything is based on money with no morals + +Edit #2: End of rant. Get back to work serf. +Hi all, + + +I've been looking at getting my first property recently. Adding up all the numbers, I'm struggling to tell if this is going to be a bad idea or not. Currently I'm on £24,000 per year so monthly take-home is around £1700. Properties I have been looking at will hopefully be around £75,000, with a 10% deposit this takes it to a £67,500 mortgage. With current interest rates, it's look like I'm going to be around £400-450 per month minimum, potentially even higher. + + +After writing out my budget I've realised I'm only going to have around £200 to spare every month, and that doesn't take into account any "entertainment" funds other than a few monthly subscriptions. + + +I guess I'm just looking for an outside perspective on whether I'm overthinking this or if I really will struggle to afford to move out. + + +https://imgur.com/a/WwiZALB + +Here is a link to my budget spreadsheet I have created. Some numbers are my best estimate and may be higher or lower in reality. Any advice or if you've noticed anything I've missed is greatly appreciated! +Activist investor Carl Icahn amassed a Twitter stake worth more than $500 million in the past few months and made a sizable profit on Tuesday after Elon Musk proposed to go ahead with his takeover of the social media platform, the Wall Street Journal reported. + +Twitter shares jumped more than 22 per cent to end at $52.00 on Tuesday, after a securities filing showed Musk intends to go ahead with his April offer of $44 billion to take the company private, signaling an end to a legal battle that could have forced Musk to pay up. + +Icahn paid in the mid-$30s a share for the stake, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. The estimated profit for Icahn Enterprises LP could exceed $250 million, it added. + +Icahn made the investment on the belief that Tesla Inc chief Musk wouldn't go through a trial that he looked likely to lose, the report said. He also believed that the stock was worth close to the mid-$30s in the long term. + +Other investors, including D.E. Shaw Group and Daniel Loeb's Third Point LLC, also placed bets on Twitter shares in recent months and could make sizable gains as well, according to the report. + +Source: [https://www.wsj.com/articles/icahn-others-clean-up-on-musk-s-twitter-about-face-11664926249](https://www.wsj.com/articles/icahn-others-clean-up-on-musk-s-twitter-about-face-11664926249) + +Carl Icahn made a $250 million profit yesterday after purchasing Twitter (TWTR) shares worth over $500 million months ago, betted Elon Musk will end up buying TWTR one way or another. TWTR rallied 22% yesterday after Musk revived the buyout deal. Did you also think Musk will eventually buy TWTR same view as Icahn? +So today we saw that Union Bank had confirmed to closing over 400 locations. This can be seen through the following post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mv6k4z/union\_bank\_confirms\_emergency\_closing\_of\_over\_400/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mv6k4z/union_bank_confirms_emergency_closing_of_over_400/) + +The reason this is very fascinating to observe is because it reveals a much deeper image of their collapsing empire. How does it do that you ask? Well, if you look at the Parent company of Union Bank it turns out it is: **MUFG Bank.** + +From wikipedia: + +"In August 2008, Mitsubishi UFJ offered to buy the 35 percent of Union Bank it did not already own, which Union Bank accepted.[\[10\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Union_Bank#cite_note-10) On November 4, 2008, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), announced that BTMU had successfully acquired all of the outstanding shares of UnionBanCal Corporation.[\[11\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Union_Bank#cite_note-11) + +In 2014, MUFG integrated the U.S. operations of its subsidiary The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (BTMU) with those of San Francisco–based Union Bank, N.A.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Union_Bank#cite_note-MUFGAmericas-12) + +In April 2018, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (BTMU) was renamed to MUFG Bank, Ltd.[\[12\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Union_Bank#cite_note-MUFGAmericas-12)" + +So now we go ahead and look at our dear MUFG Bank, and its holdings... and guess what we start to see: + +* [UnionBanCal Corporation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UnionBanCal_Corporation) (approx 63% in Feb 2005; 68% in 2004; 100% in 2008) +* [Chong Hing Bank](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chong_Hing_Bank) (9.66%) +* [**Morgan Stanley**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan_Stanley) **(22.41%)**. On September 29, 2008, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group announced that it would acquire a shareholding in Morgan Stanley for US$9 billion. In the midst of the October 2008 stock market crash, concerns over the completion of the Mitsubishi deal caused a dramatic fall in Morgan Stanley's stock price to levels last seen in 1994. Morgan Stanley's share price recovered considerably after Mitsubishi UFJ closed the deal on October 14, 2008.[\[15\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-MS-TMSF-01-15)[\[16\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-MS-TMSF-02-16)[\[17\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-MS-TMSF-03-17)[\[18\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-MS-TMSF-04-18)[\[19\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-MS-TMSF-05-19) + * The payment from MUFG was supposed to be wired electronically; however, because it needed to be made on an emergency basis on [Columbus Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Day#United_States_observance) when banks were closed in the US, MUFG cut a US$9 billion physical check, the largest amount written via physical check at the time.[\[20\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-20)[\[21\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-21) The physical check was accepted by [Robert A. Kindler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_A._Kindler), Global Head of Mergers and Acquisitions and Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley, at the offices of [Wachtell Lipton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wachtell,_Lipton,_Rosen_%26_Katz).[\[22\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-22) +* [Bank of Ayudhya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Ayudhya) (76.88% on January 5, 2015; 72% on December 19, 2013)[\[23\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUFG_Bank#cite_note-23) + +**Morgan Stanley** is a familiar name to all apes. First remember that Morgan Stanley had also: [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ms1bus/morgan\_stanley\_posts\_911\_mln\_loss\_tied\_to/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ms1bus/morgan_stanley_posts_911_mln_loss_tied_to/) + +And most importantly let us not forget this wonderful source confirming ARCHEGOS CAPITAL WAS LIQUIDATED OUT OF SHORT POSITION IN SECOND LATE FEBRUARY $GME SHORT SQUEEZE: + +[https://twitter.com/Fxhedgers/status/1378574873866330116](https://twitter.com/Fxhedgers/status/1378574873866330116) + +The web is connected, and it has been never more clear to see through it. WE ARE ONLY STARTING TO SEE A GLIMPSE OF THIS CATASTROPHE UNFOLD. It is all collapsing and burning behind the scenes and there is BUT ONE ROCKET OUT OF THIS APOCALYPSE, THE ROCKET THAT THEY TRIED TO BRING DOWN SO HARD THEY ENDED UP DESTROYING THE WHOLE WORLD WITH IT. Remember, the majority of analysts, economists, financial advisors, money managers, and whoever the fuck else you think has credibility and ''experience'' in the market, actually are the equivalent of people who bet on sports. Sure based on research and experience you may know where to place your sports bet on a regular match, but THIS HERE IS NOT A REGULAR MATCH AND WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THIS IS LITERALLY ANOTHER 2008 IN THE MAKING... I KNOW YOU ANALYSTS DONT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES AND THINK THIS IS JUST ANOTHER STOCK PLAY... BUT REALLY IT IS NOT. SO STOP WITH THE ANALYSTS SAY THIS, ANALYSTS SAY THAT... 2008 FLEW OVER ALL THEIR HEADS, AND GUESS WHAT, THIS ONE IS GOING TO TOO. + + +Edit: Adding very interesting comment below from /u/[DeityofDeath](https://www.reddit.com/user/DeityofDeath/): + + "No clue if this is related but ex British PM David Cameron is currently being investigated for lobbying with Greensil capital. Greensil capital got liquidated out the same time as archegos capital got margin called. both were connected to credit Suisse and they are taking massive losses. +Ironic a scandal comes out of a collapsing british credit company. + +also, new proposed european football "mega" league from JP morgan gets the go ahead the weekend after JP Morgz do an incredible bond sell off, then the league gets cancelled tuesday right after they have made their money from the news hype. Seems like short shorts" +Some have held up, others have seen drops that lopped off years of gains. I guess the preceeding years were good enough that maybe it doesn't matter? And maybe conviction for the future is determined enough that you are buying the dip? Holding company has been "easy" for years. +All: + +Thanks in advance for weighing in! +We have seen a very fast climb in earnings and are seeking your advice. + ++ Dual income and both are mid 30s. + +We are Bogle style investors with a bit set aside for the WSB moments. + +Wondering if this group have advice on tax strategies or general strategies with "bumper crop years" besides maxing out retirement and not inflating monthly expenses. + +Thanks! +Since there are a lots of young newbies (not just in US market it is a worldwide trend). + +If you feel overwhelmed or overhyped about your positions, + +If you feel too proud and overconfident or too shameful and depressed about your current gain/loss situation, + +If you cannot understand and predict markets reactions to certain events and volatile and fragile contemprorary world situation (which is normal and you should not), + +It is normal for an investor/speculator/trader to take a break and step aside. + +You don't need to constantly keep track of unlimited possibilities; hyphotetical gains and losses, + +You don't need to actively be a Bear or Bull, + +You can step aside if you want to, think about millions/billions of people with no stock market involvement, it is not a freaking game which you can only win or lose, + +Try to develop a strong market psychology and escape plan or rapid positioning strategies and stick with it, and sometimes cutting cords from the market and being an ordinary cash holding observer can change your life. Missing a rally isn't the end of the world. + +Market is and always will be full of opportunities. + +and my personal motto: these violent delights have violent ends. don't be violent to yourselves. +Occasionally, some Bureau Members get together and discuss economics amongst themselves. Here is one such conversation. In the future, we will post conversations that we believe are somewhat high quality for the benefit of the community. Feel free to provide feedback on the content and format, or just respond to what's being said. + +***** + +**integralds** + +So let's take a step back. Someone precisely define the GWG. We're all econs here, we can do this. + +**commentsrus** + +reg wage female, b_female < 0, p < 0.05 + +TADA + +and then spend decades wondering why those results + +**besttrousers** + +Are there any proposed differences that aren't due to 1.) Endowments 2.) Preferences 3.) Discrimination? +or does that capture the sources + +**commentsrus** + +Endowments. Nice + +**besttrousers** + +hahaha + +**gorbachev** + +btw, succinct definition of the GWG + +"Whatever component of the difference between male and female wages that is unfair" + +**integralds** + +I'm not sure I can regress for "unfair" + +**Besttrousers** + +eh + +It's unfair that women have to go through labor and delivery + +but that's not like society's problem + +like get rid of discrimination, and you'd still see some GWG due to that + +**reg_monkey** + +I would say take an equal MPL woman and man and the man's wage - the woman's wage is the GWG + +**commentsrus** + +@besttrousers typical economist. unless (3) includes social pressure, you missed social pressure. + +and i mean social pressure beyond what shapes preferences + +**reg_monkey** + +Oh wait that isn't good because of choice variables + +**besttrousers** + +good point @commentsrus + +**commentsrus** + +obviously women can choose to do certain things + +**integralds** + +reg_monkey: I think that's close. Tack on the requisite expected discounted value stuff and I think it's really close. + +besttrousers' answer is also close. + +**reg_monkey** + +My problem is choice productivity variables like education. + +Bad incentives might lead women to not get education + +**gorbachev** + +I'm joking w/ the definition, but the point = what we choose to care about in the difference between male and female wages is semi-secretly a normative decision + +**commentsrus** + +care? i just want to know all of the causes. + +**integralds** + +besttrousers, a wrinkle: should we think of preferences as exogenous for this question? + +**ponderay** + +But besttrousers isn't the whole debate around the GWG about how much discrimination matters? + +**besttrousers** + +Yeah @reg_monkey. Like it's [interesting in my GWG data mock-up](https://np.reddit.com/r/badeconomics/comments/4ec0s6/the_silver_discussion_sticky_come_shoot_the_shit/d204bpy/?context=4) how the wage gap due to discrimination is 20%, but the *realized* gap was like 25% + +**commentsrus** + +@ponderay i see a shift toward trying to figure out how much social pressure matters + +**reg_monkey** + +It's also very important for welfare considerations + +GWG preventing capital accumulation is BAD + +**integralds** + +I mean I'm a macro person so I'm totally okay with taking preferences as exogenous, but I can conceive of reasons why we might not want to do that. Do more boys go into math because they have a pref for it, or are those prefs nudged by society/etc? + +**besttrousers** + +That's definitely a wrinkle @integralds - especially given @commentsrus point about social pressure + +it is GOD DAMN impossible to find girls clothes that aren't pink + +**commentsrus** + +@ponderay e.g., why women take care of kids and do housework more. or go into less quantitative fields. +part is preferences, but those can shaped by social forces, and norms can also induce one to consciously choose something + +Becker did some work on endogenous preferences but i know nothing + +**besttrousers** + +also even super dumb norms are stable with third party punishment. Bendor and Swistak 2000 show that any behavior is sustainable + +**gorbachev** + +dem folk theorems + +**besttrousers** + +@commentsrus there was a whole RSF working group on endogenous preferences in the 90s/00s + +with Akerlof, Camerer, Fehr, Gintis etc. + +**ponderay** + +I guess when I'm thinking of discrimination I was lumping those sorts of things in. + +**reg_monkey** + +@integralds I think I got one definition I like. Take a man and woman with the same amount of TFP. Wage the man makes - wage the woman makes + +**besttrousers** + +still gotta measure some unobservables though + +**commentsrus** + +@besttrousers i totally know what RSF is... + +**besttrousers** + +russell sage foundation + +**commentsrus** + +this? https://muse.jhu.edu/book/38525 + +**besttrousers** + +@commentsrus I think that's one of the products of the working group + +working group used to have a webpage, but that was like a decade ago + +**ponderay** + +reg_monkey how the hell do you identify TFP then? + +seems weird to just match residuals + +**gorbachev** + +reg_monkey, suppose they have the same MPL + +or face the exact same wage setting function + +suppose no taste discrimination occurs at any level + +suppose women have lower MPLs due to child bearing + +should we say there's a GWG? + +**reg_monkey** + +@ponderay I mean I don't think you can ID MPL either. I just wanted an "innate potential" to be the same + +Ahh you're right gorby + +**gorbachev** + +(hashtag secretly normative. some will say no b/c paid same W given MPL, others will say is unfair to punish for child bearing even if it lowers MPL) + +**mrdannyocean** + +>also even super dumb norms are stable with third party punishment. Bendor and Swistak 2000 show that any behavior is sustainable + +yeah this should be more well known game-theory wise + +**besttrousers** + +it's a neat finding! + +**integralds** + +I need to not write down DSGE models in chat. + +**mrdannyocean** + +too many econ types think 'everything will trend towards a nice efficient equilibrium over time' on every subject + +but dumb norms are often sticky + +nash equilibriums are just stable + +Nothing makes them inherently efficient + +**integralds** + +I have in mind a multi-stage model involving education choice, job choice, and maternity leave; grind out the competitive equilibrium; there should be a way to define an "excess" GWG. + +Then take it to data. + +See, this is how macros think. + +Micros would just hunt for exogenous or semi-exogenous variation and MHE their way to an estimate. + +**besttrousers** + +true +I booked a Brazil hotel (a well known chain) for $500 using Expedia recently and was immediately charged by Expedia on the date on booking. All went smoothly at the hotel until check-out, when I was informed that the card number that Expedia provided by the hotel was invalid and I would need to directly pay the hotel (again, this is a large chain hotel, not a small pousada or something) and that Expedia would reimburse me. I went ahead and paid the hotel, but now am finding it nearly impossible to get Expedia to pay me back. I have called multiple time and been hung up on after being on hold for 20+minutes and can't seem to get ahold of a person on the American side of Expedia. Has anyone experienced a similar situation before? I'm feeling like I'm being scammed by Expedia or the hotel here, and have little power to do anything about it. + +If this isn't the right subreddit for this type of question, I apologize. Would anyone be able to recommend a more appropriate place to post this question? +Recently, my work issued us company smart phones. Overall it has been very beneficial - I work in manufacturing and having a company cell phone allows me to do my job much more efficiently. (due to company security policy we were not allowed to do basic things on our personal phones like store coworker or supplier contact info, make business phone calls, take pictures of production or part issues, or take notes.) + +But I have an issue with a particular part of the "policy" on how we are being told to use the phones. We are being told that we MUST answer them on weekends and evenings. The manufacturing plant runs (basically) 24/6, and my department's core hours are 6:30am-5pm M-F (I work in Quality). Before we got cell phones, the plant still ran nights and weekends, and had procedures in place to deal with issues if the Quality Engineer was not in the plant. Managers had cell phones and accepted the role knowing that the responsibility of that role included answering phones at off hours in special circumstances. Now, we (the rank-and-file employees) are being told that part of being issued a phone is that we need to be available via phone on the weekends and evenings. + +I don't have a problem with helping out within reason - before we got the work phones, I had given my personal cell number to the people in my group and told them they were welcome to try and contact me if they had a question, with the understanding that I might not answer because, well, I'm not at work and I'm not being paid to answer. And I didn't (and still don't) have an issue with trying to be helpful to my work group - it doesn't happen too frequently, and we are mostly all friends. + +But I DO have an issue with my boss telling me that since I've been issued a phone, I MUST answer it even during off hours. I don't even carry my personal phone if I'm doing common weekend activities like mowing the lawn or going to the pool. + +For example: this past Saturday, I got an email at 9am that was a coworker asking a question about a specific item I was more familiar with; our Boss was on the distribution list. I was outside sweating my ass off (yes, it's ass-sweat hot at 9am here) doing yard work without my phone on me. I replied to the coworker about 2 hours later. This morning (Monday) our group got a group text reminding us, "... you must have your phones with you on Saturdays... phones and texts are not being answered... " (direct quote) + +Is this expectation legal? + +I WAS a salaried employee for years ($70k+), and this year we started being paid as hourly employees (OT and all - it is a good pay increase actually). I believe this has to do with the new government definitions for exempt/salary/supervisor (I'm not a supervisor, I'm an engineer with nobody working underneath me). I understand that I'm above the $47k government cutoff, but I am guessing they are treating us all this way becasue some people who share my role/title may not be above that range. This is in TX. + +If the expectation is for prompt response on Saturdays, shouldn't there be some sort of "on call" type of pay for those hours? + +Thanks! + +**TL;DR - paid as an hourly employee (used to be salary). Was issued a work phone, told I "must" be available nights and weekends via phone/text. Should I receive compensation for this new expectation?** +&#x200B; + +[WTF?!](https://preview.redd.it/64iguh3851w71.png?width=1534&format=png&auto=webp&s=52e0a9fc2caf2f7220878c8d8123bb4d91a83aab) + +I've hidden the parameters for obvious reasons, but strategy is based on MACD Center & Signal Line Crossovers. With some signal filtering based on support & resistance bands and Trailing Stop Loss coded on top. + +\[Edit due to several requests to explain the strategy further: A lot of it was inspired by [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/algotrading/comments/qf88i8/the_hidden_law_of_a_probable_outcome/)\]. + +There is no Take Profit. It kind of relies on riding the Trailing Stop. Bound to lose some margin, I know. But also what allows it to ride with the profit as far as it will go instead of closing "early", until I code something better. Also probably where most of the profit is coming from. + +&#x200B; + +# [UPDATE:] + +Finished backtesting with (much) longer period (start of the year to today, rather than start of month to today), and while strategy wouldn't have bankrupted me, and even seems to have smooth gains and generally smooth drawdown chart most of the time, some very uncomfortable [drawdown spikes were revealed](https://imgur.com/a/6NJpGpc): + +[Kinda spiky! Me don't like'y!](https://preview.redd.it/m6lxceqh12w71.png?width=1183&format=png&auto=webp&s=379e717490e4ae89dff4db37582b0872c6549760) + +As far as I can tell from a quick diagnosis, they seem to come from some rare exceptions/faults with my Trailing Stop code (???), so *maybe* the strat still has *potential*. But for now I'll have to call it a ***bust***. + +Thanks everyone who dropped constructive advices and even constructive criticisms. Special props and thanks to [@timtom85](https://www.reddit.com/r/algotrading/comments/qh28ae/comment/hiai14f/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), who basically nailed it on his prediction about drawdown problems. And sorry guys! Trust me I'm as disappointed as I could possibly be. Back to the drawing board. + +&#x200B; + +# [Update 2:] + +Thanks to some advice and PMs from some of you awesome people, I've managed to add a few conditions and filter out the situations that were creating drawdown spikes. + +This is how the backtest for the entire 2021 year so far looks like now: + +(One additional parameter, but everything else kept the same. 1h timeframe for bars & signals, ticks timeframe for Trailing Stop Loss, which is also the position exit/close condition) + +[I did it! \(???\)](https://preview.redd.it/oyhcohk9i3w71.png?width=1532&format=png&auto=webp&s=348c9f9fe0849ad3cbd5de94add94459585c0969) + +I think months of research and attempts finally paid off. I'll move forward with live testing on the training account, and if everything goes well, I'll try with real money for the first time. + +Thank you to everyone who helped! Wish me luck! + +(And yes. The backtested profit is nuts. Hope it holds up in live testing and later in real risk. I fully admit that for a bot doing 1% of the balance per trade and not having more than one position at a time, this is insane.) +What better day than the weekend for some educational DD into how inflation affects markets? Let's put the dots together between macroeconomic talk on our sub and GME. + +In light of inflation remaining high (i recall a certain group of investors talking about this non stop for the past 6 months 😉), Let's go through how the Fed \*could\* fix inflation. However, as the saying goes, there’s no free lunch - as such, the Fed will have to sacrifice something. + +The following are the large ones they'll need to consider when making their decisions: + +1. The USD +2. Stonk Market +3. Housing Market +4. Government & Businesses + +Let’s start with how the Fed functions, in particular when it comes to rates. + +They have a number of different rate tools they can use, to simplify we will focus on the Discount Rate here (Refer to another post i wrote [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/oaw2ls/demystify_the_feds_onrrp_operations_why_do_we/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), which goes into more detail on the different levers they have). + +&#x200B; + +[https:\/\/fred.stlouisfed.org\/series\/INTDSRUSM193N](https://preview.redd.it/5rpfiys52ch71.png?width=1165&format=png&auto=webp&s=275d18d4bf804ed320cc8bb40f6d00f09a9f2aad) + +If a bank wants to borrow money from the Fed, they will be charged the discount rate, flip it around - if the bank wants to deposit money with the fed, they get paid the discount rate. + +So, this means, if the Fed raises the discount rate, it becomes more expensive for the bank to borrow from the Fed, which means it’s also more expensive for us to get cash (higher rates on loans) - Hence: + +Fewer people being able to borrow money = Less money circulating in the economy = Inflation lowers + +Simple right? Nope. Sadly Nope. + +# Housing Market + +Let’s focus on Real Estate as the first topic given it’s an interest-bearing liability many of us have (or at least try to have, but the housing market is so fucked it takes 10 years to save for a 20% deposit - fuck Sydney.) + +The easiest way to show this is through a bank's borrowing calculator, for an income of $100k AUD annually before tax, at a rate of 2% we’re able to borrow $779,900 on a 30-year term. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jxskih682ch71.png?width=767&format=png&auto=webp&s=e6c8100779692beea598987ca86566f4989868e5 + +Let's say the Fed (or the RBA for my Aussie homies out there) has gradually lifted the rate by 2.5% over a year, and that the banks have directly passed this rate increase onto its customers, that means our home loan rate is 4.5%. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/0h4g5gz92ch71.png?width=770&format=png&auto=webp&s=e16385e9fea3205587bebd41163a2089d92e75d4 + +This has **decreased** the borrowing power to $647,300 (**\~17% decrease**) due to affordability in repayments changing while income has remained static. + +This 17% decrease flows through into house prices (it won’t be 17% directly, as not everyone is in the same position - but you get the point I'm trying to make). + +**Let’s Put this into Today's Context** + +1. Building supplies costs be going through the roof + +https://preview.redd.it/b4g1c6dc2ch71.png?width=763&format=png&auto=webp&s=64177506598d0634e57376ca2d98436b3a47e8c2 + +1. Rental moratoriums looking shaky as fuck +2. Housing in general across many OECD countries being correlated with consumer confidence +3. Other things i cbb finding data on, e.g. the many people who rely on the housing industry + +So from this, you can start to piece together why the Fed is delaying increasing rates as much as feasibly possible. There are however other tools the Fed has available, some of which we talk about on this sub. + +# The Government + +Welp, we don’t want to fuck over the housing market (too much), what other tools we got? + +The Fed Open Market Operations. + +&#x200B; + +[https:\/\/fred.stlouisfed.org\/series\/WALCL](https://preview.redd.it/n1y3xc7f2ch71.png?width=1168&format=png&auto=webp&s=4743afa9482c8409738846ccd1c5698190365925) + +So, the fed can chuck up a convo with a bank and say, hey - we’ll buy your assets and give you $$, usually this is for treasury bonds, among other things - but they can actually do it with anything (recently they’ve been buying up shady junk corporate bonds) - which is why we see point 2. In the graph shoot up when COVID hit when they went into damage control. + +**Quantitative Easing** + +Why did they do this when COVID hit? By doing this they give the bank essentially “free” new cash for them to play with, which they can then lend out to the government and businesses as required (it was - because pandemics cause businesses to be tight on money). + +**Quantitative Tightening** + +This is the opposite of easing, and is relevant to point 1. In the chart above. It’s them selling off the assets they bought up in 2008 in this case. But because they sell the assets off into the market, it’s essentially taking away the money it “poofed” into existence when they were enacting quantitative easing. This causes less demand, less inflation but governments and businesses won’t be happy chappy. + +The government will pick up the phone to the treasury and say hey, we need $$, they’ll say “the Fed fucked us - as they are selling off T-bills, it’s caused the market to tank which means we gotta offer higher interest rates to make them attractive”. This is applicable for businesses as well in the open market when it comes to raising cash through bonds (bonds rate will also have to increase). Fucking Fed. + +**Why is this Bad Now?** + +COVID. Businesses are already troubled around the world when it comes to staying afloat, if the Fed makes it even harder by raising borrowing costs through Quantitative Tightening - then well - inflation occurs - lose lose situation. Businesses go out of business, supply for various sectors continues to be restricted, item value increases as a result of decreased supply = inflation. Fuk. + +# Stonk Market + +How about stocks? How the fuck would inflation effect them? + +This generally comes down to how stocks are valued, take the discounted cash flow (DCF) method. DCF values the investment based on future cash flows, calculating the present value of expected future cash flows by applying a discount rate, then arriving at a valuation. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/saj3fe9h2ch71.png?width=1118&format=png&auto=webp&s=eb84f08f72ac26c3a12d98831bd0cfd1dec0a450 + +What’s this discount rate based on? Surprise surprise, the Feds discount rate. Increasing the rate will cause a lower present value of future cash flows, resulting in a lower valuation of the company in question. + +This is the type of stuff that can affect growth stocks, growth is generally defined by low cash flows currently - but based on their plans expect to generate $$$$$ in the future. Compare this to value stocks, they have established cash flows - the further into the future a cash flow occurs, the lower the present value of that cash flow will be. + +When we then see interest rates **and/or** inflation, growth stocks will be hit harder than value due to their mature cash flows (as their valuations will be discounted more). + +# How about GME? + +Personally, if you miss the tie between GME and the wider economic talk in this sub, you can start to make the connection here. We talk about liquidity and margin calls. If we see inflation rise and rates rise - the natural expectation is for stock prices to decrease, which in turn could very well trigger the rocket IF stock prices actually price in this information (and margin usage does not skyrocket in step as inflation increases 😂) + +Sadly, it's not that straightforward by any means 😅. DCF used as the example above is but one valuation method. BUT it's entirely realistic as a stock's price in the short run can be affected in the following ways: + +* Short term revenue and profit reduction causing stock prices to decrease +* General economic slowdown (refer to the sections above, e.g. housing market scenario) and consumer spending in general +* Monetary policy, higher short term interest rates means investors can and will likely start switching parts of their portfolio from stocks to lower-priced bonds +* Returns, returns, returns. As we're in an inflationary environment, investors gotta make higher returns to make an actual positive real return + +Hopefully, if you did not see the connection before, you can now - when it comes to wider macroeconomic talk on our sub and its connection to GME poppin' off. + +# Public Relations + +There are tonnes of us here who’ve realized that JPOW does not dare mention inflation is getting worse. There’s a reason for this, not some conspiracy theory, just pure logic, and human behavior. + +Imagine I’m JPOW, I go on TV and tell you inflation is about to fucking explode (or it already has 😉). What do you do next? + +You start thinking, huh, my money is about to be worthless and savings rates are shithouse - I may as well spend my money whenever I get it \*buys 3 new Nintendo switches\*. + +This basically triggers a psychological domino effect that becomes self-fulfilling. JPOW triggers mass spending, the demand causes prices to rise, inflation punches its arm through the fucking wall - inflation has now become an overriding concern in consumers. This is called Demand-Pull Inflation. + +Generally, short-term bursts are not a concern, but if it persists, which it likely will in this scenario (IMO), it spreads itself across the economy and raises costs for other goods due to the dollar being worth less than it was yesterday. + +Through this example, hopefully, you can see why JPOW tippy-toes around the word inflation so much. + +&#x200B; + +[I actually made a meme](https://preview.redd.it/vqzckt8j2ch71.png?width=650&format=png&auto=webp&s=1852ef6b5e0cea0efeaa84f1bdb061a3e463ded2) +In my experience, Active Learning is a cornerstone to successful trading but I have found that most people are embarrassed to "look dumb" by asking questions that may or may not be simple. I fundamentally can not believe 1 investor/trader knows everything and have yet to come across someone who does.Why is that?Because the rules and market correlations constantly change.There is no place for pride in your portfolio when you are learning.Ask questions.Learn more.Earn More. + +Happy to answer any questions I can both Technical or Fundamental based :) + + +Figured this would be useful for those of you looking for tools to add to your toolbox [https://youtu.be/DsUYgIEEZss](https://youtu.be/DsUYgIEEZss) +I'll obviously get down voted to hell here, but I feel it's right to voice my genuine concerns. I'm not looking to bash Bitcoin (it's about my only investment as I believe in it long-term), yet in the interest of balance: + +1. It's too slow for retail transactions: + +Unlike most people here I'd assume, I use Bitcoin a few times a week to pay for food and drink. Normally in London, sometimes Berlin. **The transactions can take a couple of minutes (no exaggeration) to verify.** It can be pretty awkward at times. Compare this with the new NFC credit card technology we have (in the UK at least) where you just tap your card against the reader and the payment processes *instantly*, no QR codes, no confirmation waiting time, no passwords or numbers - I don't even need a mobile phone. Credit card fees aside, why would a supermarket ever adopt Bitcoin over this? + +2. Digital security is WAY behind digital currency + +This part scares the hell out of me. Some people are walking around with files that are worth as much as a house. Sure you can back up, back up a back up, use 2FA, change your email passwords every day, use an on screen keyboard, buy a brand new computer that has never been connected to the Internet to make paperwallets to store in a fireproof box, store your encrypted USB back ups in a safety deposit box... but it still scares me. I still have nightmares about being knocked over one day, taking a blow to the head and forgetting passwords. + +**Never before have we had to protect such valuable files** and every day we see posts here on /r/bitcoin of people losing fortunes. I know there's the whole QE thing, the banking bail outs and all the other shit that comes with fiat currency, but at least if my credit card gets stolen, I'm insured and protected. + + +3. The recent MtGox implosion -- and the subsequent *reaction* + +MtGox has lost nearly $500,000,000. Yet all I see is: + +*"Why would you have money on an exchange anyway?"* + +*"It's good that MtGox has gone"* + +*"Hahaha, all the stupid greedy people have lost their money"* + +*"It's the free market DUH! Bitcoin will survive"* + +All of these statements, however true, are quite disgusting. People had a lot of money in MtGox for various reasons; I saw very very few indications or posts that suggested bankruptcy (it *was* the world's most popular exchange). It doesn't make them foolish, greedy, or deserving to lose their collective $500m. + +The alternatives right now are unregulated, Slovenian and Russian websites. **Go back a few weeks and I would've placed money on BTC-E stealing everyone's funds before MtGox.** Assuming BTC-E does disappear for some reason over the next 12 months and we'll no doubt see a bunch of posts from people along the lines of: + +*"Idiot! Why would you wire money to an unregulated Russian website?"* + +*"You knew the risks, it's your fault"* + +*"You should've learned not to trade BTC after MtGox... greedy"* + +Sure Bitcoin will survive. Set backs are set backs though. + +4. Consumer protection + +This one won't be too popular with you lot but here goes: + +Trezor - they look my 1BTC/$600 about 6 months ago on the basis that they would provide me my Trezor within 3 months. It's been about 6 months now. There's no estimated shipping date, just a lot of delays. If I had paid with Paypal or CC, it's likely that I'd have my money back by now -- could've at least have made a complaint. Trezor won't give me a refund and there's not much to stop them from running off with everyone's money. + +Butterfly Labs - See above. + +I also bought some random Bitcoin keyring off a site that no longer exists. Paid my money, nothing came, gone. + +All of this has left me extremely cautious when purchasing *anything* over the Internet with Bitcoin. You may be ok with a large established site like Overstock, but **I'd never buy anything from a Bitcoin start-up as I have no protection** in comparison to Paypal or Credit Cards. Bitcoin really does suck for these kinds of transactions, you hand all power over to the vendor and relinquish all consumer rights. + + + +**EDIT:** I've been 'in' Bitcoin since 2011. I have used the whole *'it's like the Internet in the 90s'* and *'it's a new technology; give it time'* to people myself before. Yet I honestly feel there area broken areas in Bitcoin that may never be resolved in order to bring it to the mainstream - if that is the aim. This isn't about buying or selling, it's just an attempt at mapping out some annoyances I've noticed through my experiences over the last few years. + + +Long term, NVDA could see gains that rival AMZN, MSFT, or AAPL, but I'm curious as to the arguments for both bull and bear on this stock, besides the obvious. +I recently opened a schwab brokerage account so I could have it in the same place as my Roth, but when I try to turn on DRIP it immediately defaults to off. + + +I did some research and found that schwabs partial stocks are only a product they offer for a limited choice group of stocks they’ve curated, all at set prices and slices, so it turns off because even a couple bucks worth of dividends at a time isn’t enough for them to buy back in. + +I only have a couple thousand invested, and it’s unlikely that I’ll get past 20k within the next 2 years, so this isn’t a problem I anticipate going away soon. + +So given the fact that I can’t use DRIP and am operating with a comparatively low principal, is it worth it to keep using schwab, or should I go back to holding all of my investments in Robinhood so I can have every Penny building on top of eachother? +Let me start off by saying that 2018 was actually a decent year for my fiance and I. We got engaged, I got a job that suits my mental needs more than anything I've ever had, and he got a job that doesn't make him miserable or cause his bad leg (which has steel plates in it) to act up. + +But one of our favorite moments of 2018, besides the engagement, was in the final days of the year...WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO AFFORD A MICROWAVE!! We were using the one his sister had when she was living with us for a short time, but someone broke in to our trailer and stole it. They left behind the Keurig that I've had forever, the tv and Roku that were given to us, and the PS2 that I've had since middle/high school but stole the microwave. + +We've been trying to get back on our feet as quickly as possible and because of that, we've never been able to replace the missing "piece" of our kitchen and trying to heat leftovers felt like a hassle. But due to some fortunate events, he told me to pick one up the other day when we were at Walmart getting groceries. + +I guess there's really no point to this story, but I just wanted to share that little bit of success with you guys! + +Happy New Year, everyone!! +I am using Python and Django, which has a built in Sqlite. + +I was thinking of creating a cell in the database with the time-series data in JSON format for each stock. But then I thought if I should add a new database column for every new date. + +How do you guys store the data? What is considered "best practice" in the DB world for this type of data? +This is an old war strategy from the old Chinese book called “Thirty-Six Stratagems” , the second one of it. + +Wiki: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-Six_Stratagems + +This is the translation of this strategy: + +Besiege Wèi to rescue Zhào + +When the enemy is too strong to be attacked directly, then attack something he holds dear. Know that he cannot be superior in all things. Somewhere there is a gap in the armour, a weakness that can be attacked instead. + +The origins of this proverb is from the Warring States Period. The state of Wèi attacked Zhao and laid siege to its capital Handan. Zhào turned to Qí for help, but the Qí general Sun Bin determined it would be unwise to meet the army of Wèi head on, so he instead attacked their capital at Daliang. The army of Wèi retreated in haste, and the tired troops were ambushed and defeated at the Battle of Guiling, with the Wèi general Pang Juan slain on the field. Note that this campaign is also described explicitly in the Art of War of Master Sun Bin the younger. + +The idea here is to avoid a head on battle with a strong enemy, and instead strike at his weakness elsewhere. This will force the strong enemy to retreat in order to support his weakness. Battling against the now tired and low-morale enemy will give a much higher chance of success. +Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else / what you guys think. + +I stopped thinking about the latest share price dictating the “value of my portfolio” because this isn’t necessarily true. Current price does not always equal the value. Instead I look at the latest price being what people are willing to buy or sell for right now. + +So one company in my portfolio I think wow people are buying shares at a very expensive price right now. + +Another I think, wow people are selling their shares for so little right now. + +Anyone else think like this? +I recall every blue moon someone would post about how crazy undervalued $FB is and how value based it is. How do you all feel about this sentiments now? +I had initially done my analysis on MA at the beginning of August at $349.01. This is what i had found: + +\-11% Insider ownership + +\-19.38% CAGR in EPS for the 10 year period ending 2021 + +\-81.92% Avg R.O.E for the 10 year period ending in 2021 + +\-Would take 1.5 years to pay off all long term debt compared to prior years earnings + +\-bought back 292M shares over the last 10 years + +\-They are free to adjust their rates with inflation as Credit has become more of a necessity in society since the introduction of credit cards (consumer debt likely isn't going anywhere in the next 10 years) + +\-Initial rate of return (at $349.01 was 2.50% with an annual earnings growth rate of 19.38%) at current price level IRR would be 3.02% (10 Year T-bills are currently at 3.94%) + +\-10 year Avg P/E: 35.88 (current 29.34) + +\-10 year Avg P/B: 30.98 (MRQ from yahoo is 44.80) + +\-Using the previous earnings growth rate and P/E the 10 year forward projected stock price is around $1847/share (assuming no splits) which would net an average CAGR of 18.13% in price appreciation over that forward 10 year period. + +So to me, with the exception of the current P/B MA is looking like a great long term buy at the current price point. Anyone else have anything to add? anything else I should've looked at or factored in? would love to hear some feedback. This is a more condensed version of my analysis but i feel all the key points are there. + +* I would like to thank everyone who’s picked apart my analysis and pointed out all the flaws, This was very helpful and I know I have much more work to do before deploying capital outside of ETF’s* +I know that SoftBank might be a buy based off of their Alibaba stake alone but that’s not even considering their selling of ARM that gave them a 8% stake in Nvidia back in September. That should now be worth A LOT more than when the deal happened. Thoughts? +Here are some stocks and what growth the market expects until 2030 according to todays price for a 10% return: + +INTC. + +Revenue growth: 8%. + +Net income margin: 25%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 15.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 3.0X. + +2030 Market Cap: $468,000 MM. + + +PLTR + +Revenue growth: 28%. + +Net income margin: 30%. + +Share dilution: 3%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 25.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 5.9X. + +2030 Market Cap: $90,000 MM. + + +META (FB) + +Revenue growth: 11%. + +Net income margin: 30%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 20.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 4.7X. + +2030 Market Cap: $1,373,000 MM. + + +PARA (VIAC) + +Revenue growth: 10%. + +Net income margin: 12%. + +Share dilution: 1%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 10.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 0.9X. + +2030 Market Cap: $64,000 MM. + + +LMT + +Revenue growth: 13%. + +Net income margin: 10%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 18.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 1.4X. + +2030 Market Cap: $286,000 MM. + + +TSLA + +Revenue growth: 34%. + +Net income margin: 15%. + +Share dilution: 1%. + +Tax rate: 21%. + +2030 P/E multiple: 30.0X. + +2030 P/S multiple: 3.6X. + +2030 Market Cap: $2,665,000 MM. + + +According to the previous expectations, which stock or stocks do you prefer? + +Personally i’m invested in 4 of these companies and i’m selling cash secured puts on 2 of them as i see an appealing value/growth prospect. +Yes, you heard me right. Retail dinosaur Kohl's might just be the best value play out there right now. You might be as surprised as I was when I learned how strong they've been performing recently. + +On a Q3-21 TTM basis ($ 000's): + +Revenue of $19,075 vs $20,229 in FY18 (not great but also not "world on fire, retail is dead") + +Gross margin of 40.9% vs 39.7% in FY18 + +EBITDA of $2,395 (12.6% margin) vs $2,325 (11.5% margin) in FY18 + +FCF of $1,706 (8.9% margin) vs $1,529 (7.6% margin) in FY18 + +At a share price of $47, KSS has a market cap $6,909 and enterprise value of $9,134 (including finance lease obligations) + +They're a cash machine and have been aggressively returning that cash to shareholders. On a Q3-21 TTM basis they paid $114 in dividends and bought back $807 in shares. + +KSS TTM EV/EBITDA is 3.8x and EV/FCF is 5.4x. For comparison, TGT and WMT EV/EBITDA is 10.5x and 12x, respectively. + +As far as I can tell KSS currently has two activist investors waging campaigns to push the company to extract additional value and/or get a valuation multiple re-rating from the street. + +One easy way to extract some value as far as I can tell is to start selling off their real estate portfolio in sale leaseback transactions. As of the last time KSS reported on their real estate holdings (Q4 20), they owned approximately 28.9 million square feet of retail and 10.1 million square feet of warehouses/distribution centers. + +At a VERY conservative price/SF of $50 for retail and $80 for warehouses, this real estate portfolio is worth $2.3 billion. With sale leaseback cap rates of 7% for retail and 6% for warehouses, this would add only $150 million in lease expenses to their operating expenses. + +This leaves KSS with a sale leaseback adjusted enterprise value of $6.9 billion and EBITDA of $2.2 billion, or 3.1x EV/EBITDA. + +Check out KSS FY21 guidance between their Q2 and Q3 21 earnings presentations. They're guiding to increasing sales, improving margins, and a MASSIVE increase to their share buyback program. + +https://s26.q4cdn.com/950703131/files/doc_financials/2021/q3/2021_Q3_Earnings_Presentation_vFinal.pdf + +https://s26.q4cdn.com/950703131/files/doc_financials/2021/q2/KSS-Q2-2021-Earnings_Presentation_vFinal.pdf + +KSS tanked today because UBS warned of inflation hurting their margins, lowering their price target to $38. That's absolutely insane for all the reasons laid out above. +Hi. + +I heard somewhere that for cyclical companies, one should buy when the P/E is high and sell when the P/E is low. This seems kind of counter intuitive, but thinking about it it makes sense; when at the bottom of the cycle the earnings are typically low, and assuming the price stays constant, the P/E increases. + +However, the price typically drops too along with the earnings, so unless the earnings drop less than the earnings, this doesn't fit well with the above statements. + +What are your thoughts on high and low P/E for cyclical companies, and whether or not to buy when the P/E is high? + +UPDATE: Thinking out loud: If I buy a cyclical company with earnings of $100, and the company's earnings increase to $200, as a business owner I should have done pretty good. Assuming price remains the same, I paid less for the earnings when buying the company than what it makes now, and could thus make a profit selling the company. However, the price typically follows earnings, it's not as simple as that. +The company's average revenue growth for the past 5 years is 10% + +TTM revenue jumped 30% from 1.73B to 2.26B USD. + +They have been constantly buying back shares. They have a low price to free cash flow and price to earnings multiple. Net income is increasing year over year and they have great margins over 60% which makes me inclined to think that they are a good business. + +But the only problem is I cannot seem to understand on how they manage their negative equity to shareholders? Total assets are 883M and Total Liabilites are 1.32B for the past quarter. + +I am hesitant to invest under these circumstances. The only other company that I know of which has a negative equity is "HPQ" + +So how do you go and value a company with negative equity? +https://finance.yahoo.com/news/googles-acquisition-of-fitbit-is-clearly-a-data-play-analyst-130716705.html + +Google (GOOG) has agreed to acquire wearable technology company, Fitbit, in a deal worth approximately $2.1 billion. The purchase of Fitbit (FIT) gives Google some real firepower in the fight to take-on industry leaders like Apple (AAPL), which has dominated the wearable space ever since the release of its Apple Watch in 2015. + +“It's less of a hardware play on the trackers and on the smartwatches but really a data play... Google will now have information on not only the temperature of my house, to the extent I've got four Nest thermostats or whether or not I have a smoke alarm going off or things like that, they'll know, in fact, how much I move on a given day, how many steps I take, things of that nature,” D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte told Yahoo Finance. “This is very interesting data for Google. And if you think about Google's efforts, again, Amazon with Alexa and Apple with its various devices, they're all just collecting data for consumers. But this helps round out the data set for Google, given that it gives you, again, health care-related data.” + +”By acquiring this company, it has access to a tremendous amount of health and fitness data that it can use to improve its own products and produce new ones that are hopefully going to continue to drive that Fitbit brand as something that is and remains competitive in this market,” said Holly. “Apple is more than a market leader in this place. It's a market dominator. And in order for Google to make any kind of changes to continue to make Fitbit competitive, that's going to be something that we don't see for at least two years,” +So the regulatory grip is tightening around the world and it’s getting more and more absurd. We as crypto supporters need to come together and should wipe off the tribalism. If governments want to make anonymous wallets illegal it only means one thing: Crypto owners being forced to deposit their holdings on „identifiable“ wallets, which are usually only available on exchanges (= the new banks?) These are places where authorities are able to have a detailed look at your holdings and even have the possibility to confiscate your holdings or block you for whatever reason they have. Being the only person who has complete control over your own crypto assets was and is the main argument for crypto and the ultimate form of freedom. There’re already existing KYC/AML rules on exchanges which is fair enough, but forcing people to get rid of their private wallets is outrageous! I urge everyone to have a look at your country’s plans and to contact politicians who are responsible for these topics. If we don’t do anything against this, regulation will kill all the innovation and freedom we’ve achieved so far ... + +**EDIT: So I obviously wrote this post in an emotional state, I could've added additional sources, but it doesn't change the fact, that these are important times ahead of us and that governments and (central banks) around the world don't like the dynamics coming from the whole crypto and blockchain sphere.** + + +>**Here's another source coming directly from an EU member:** [*New rules for Bitcoin & Co: My proposals for the EU crypto regulation - Sven Giegold - Mitglied der Grünen Fraktion im Europaparlament (sven-giegold.de)*](https://sven-giegold.de/en/mica-green-amendments/) +**Thx to** /u/meesa-jar-jar-binks**/** + + +**Additional info by** /u/popopopopopopopq**/ Thx!** + +>But they are indeed doing some work on Crypto. Here some sources: +> +>[Draft](https://www.politico.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CLEAN-COM-Draft-Regulation-Markets-in-Crypto-Assets.pdf) the article was mentioning +> +>[EU Regulatory framework for crypto-assets](https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12089-Financial-services-EU-regulatory-framework-for-crypto-assets_en) (below you can find all their documentation on all Impact assessment reports, Opinions, summaries, proposals for regulations. +> +>[Details on the Expert Group that is working on it](https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?do=groupDetail.groupDetail&groupID=2885&Lang=EN) +> +>[Proposal Currently pending](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020PC0593) (EP and Council have to approve) +> +>[A detailed article about the MiCA](https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3edcf6c0-2637-46b3-93f0-86a6d80fb27c) +> +>For what regards the EU side, as citizens we can propose regulations! So we can take action + +Edit: one source [https://gettotext.com/eu-draft-wants-to-ban-possession-of-anonymous-crypto-wallets/](https://gettotext.com/eu-draft-wants-to-ban-possession-of-anonymous-crypto-wallets/) + +Edit 2: While I agree that FUD mustn’t be shared, this is not FUD. Yes it’s just an unofficial draft, but it’s important that we as a community remain vigilant and make use of our voices. I don’t have a problem with being KYC’ed on an exchange, but I want to be the only one who is in control of my assets on a private wallet. Period. And I’m sick of all these fake arguments to give away constantly more and more of my freedom and privacy. +Same question to the SEC. + +There's only one reason to remove cellar boxed bankrupted companies from retail access to the "expert market". + +These people and organizations are complicit in a coverup of mass counterfeiting of shares. + +They turned off the buy button in exchange for not making all brokers have to pay their customers. + +Then they made certain companies **Position Close Only**. + +They discussed this in broad daylight in a congressional hearing. They publish their NSCC margin rules as though nobody is going to make sense of it. + +It should make everybody's blood boil. This was a crime. +$900/6mo down to $550 (cough Florida). Same coverage. + +I called up, asked to cancel, gave the reason of finding a better rate, and the CSR "found new discounts" and dropped my rate significantly (ok, maybe not 50% but 40%). She never asked for the competitor's rate. + +Data point: Insured with GEICO for 3-4 years or so, slight discounts over time but never anything significant. + +My advice is if you find even a slightly better rate elsewhere, try for a retention offer; worst case scenario you switch. I also advise not being male, young, single, and/or a renter. +According to u/fates4productions , canadian apes have been sent 101 322 proxy vote forms. If we assume a conservative 10 shares/ape, we already have 1,013,220 shares. + +If I remember bloomberg terminal data correctly, canadians were holding something like about 0,69% of the shares, nice. + +Now if we assume that worldwide, everybody also holds an average of 10 shares. + +We would have 146,843,478 shares. + +Remember that Gamestop themselves told us that they had 70 770 000 shares outstanding. + +And the float is estimated to be around 26 500 000 shares. + +So correct me if I'm wrong but that would mean that we hold a whopping 209% of the TOTAL oustanding shares, and 554% of the float. + +Are your tits jacked already? We don't even need the official count, the number of canadian proxy votes already tells us that the stock has been overshorted. + + +EDIT: I have been informed of a few mistakes, first of all the tradable float is closer to 30 million since gme sold 3.5M shares. That would also put the float at 74,277M. I have also been informed that the BB data is only based on the outstanding shares and not the float. Given these new informations, the % of shares oustanding that we own would be 197,70%, and the % of the float would be 489,49%. Still very high and it doesn't change the point of the post. Be free to correct me if I made other mistakes. + + +TLDR: Canadian data tells us we own a conservative 197% of total outstanding shares and 489% of the TRADABLE float, shorts must cover, see you on the moon. +Hello Canadian investors. + +It's likely that I'll be a Canadian permanent resident next year. I hope to open an TFSA and Canadian margin account, and eventually contribute to my RRSP. + +I understand that TFSA, RRSP and margin accounts with Canadian brokers/banks typically allow you to hold USD and invest in the stock market using USD. + +I'm still learning. So I was wondering if there's a downside in having all of my initial investment activity in USD (within a TFSA and/or margin account)? From what I gather, you can buy the same stocks/ETFs whether you hold USD or CAD in your account. But I feel like I'm missing something. And, of course, once I start making CAD rather than USD, I'll have to fund my accounts with CAD + +Thanks! + +P.S. The USD.CAD rates offered by Interactive Brokers seem to be the best by far. I'm surprised I haven't seen it mentioned here more often. +Unless we have some secrete millionaires, y’all gotta be pulling extra Wendy’s dumpster duty on the weekend. + + +How in the shit do you guys have enough money to buy $25,000 worth of GME, pay bills, etc? + + +You guys are some incredible motherfuckers, but I suspect some of you don’t have kidneys anymore lmfao. +Yesterday: "Millennials ruining the economy, worst group of people ever." Today: "Millennials are keeping the US out of recession". I hate the news. + + [https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/22/millennials-are-keeping-the-us-out-of-recession-tony-dwyer.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/22/millennials-are-keeping-the-us-out-of-recession-tony-dwyer.html) +Hey everyone, + +I'm new to online trading and I've been trying to find some 'proven' strategies to follow. However, it seems like 95% of the videos and websites that claim to have 'proven' strategies are just scams. I'm having a hard time figuring out what is real and what is fake. + +Do any of you have any tips or resources for finding reliable and proven strategies online? How do you verify that the strategies are actually proven and not just marketing hype? + +Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! +I kinda started forex about 2 months ago and I have acctually been really profitable +About a 16k profit +Before hand I did not do paper trading or whatsoever +But the thing is after being in a few forex communities and reading more ,I have come to believe that this is not going to continue in my third month,and I’m also led to believe a consistent strategy is needed. +I wanted to ask, as a beginner what would +Be a good strategy to learn +And also ( not to sound arrogant) but is the thing about most people losing money in forex real ,needing a consistent strategy or just a v overhyped myth +Thank you +So my wife and daughter went shopping for back-to-school clothes this weekend and were surprised by what we all already knew; the dwindling selection and seemingly obvious signs of mass brick-and-mortar closures. + +This got me thinking about the future of retail beyond the obvious migration to online, and wondering if we also see consolidation inside stores like Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, etc... for those higher-end brands which historically have had their own stores / curated retail experience. + +Putting this out there to see what you all think and if anyone else have been thinking about this beyond the obvious? +Basically the title. What are, in your opinion, the best value add moves to make, and what is there value? + +Ie: are you looking for an opportunity to add a bathroom or shower? What is the value for that? Are you trimming costs? If so how, and where are the most cost efficient places to do so? +Hi AusFinance, i thought i would write on a topic i'm rather passionate about, and hopefully offer some 'food for thought' and an alternative to the standard answers of 'Super is the best environment for your money'. + +Disclaimers: + +1. this is not financial advice, i am merely trying to offer some food for thought +2. these examples are greatly simplified, they do not take into account interest rate risk, legislation risk (both on super, on changes to tax, etc..). +3. The case study below does not take into account the ability to margin lend inside super. the ability is there, such as Bell Potter's Equity Lever platform, but this is not available to your average retail/industry super, hence it is excluded. + +**Margin lending for the uninitiated:** + +For those of you unaware, margin loans are borrowing to invest. Your shares/fund units act as security that let you borrow money to buy more shares/fund units. These are given different levels of "Loan to Value Ratio" aka LVR. + +a 75% LVR means you can make up a total investment with a minimum of 25% your money, and a maximum of 75% borrowed money. So with $2,500 you'd be able to borrow up to $7,500 (Making up a total portfolio of $10,000). + +&#x200B; + +**Why borrow to invest?** + +Simply put, Margin lending amplifies your gains and your losses. I have included a table below to demonstrate what a margin loan will do to a $25,000 investment at an 8% p.a. return at different LVRs. I am using Leveraged Equities variable 4.24% interest rate on their direct investment loan as the interest cost - the product offers access to the vast majority of funds and shares that an investor needs, it's just lacking advanced features like options trading (who cares!) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/42p6co191lb51.png?width=786&format=png&auto=webp&s=764b15d0695792766367cc05b5adae78f3af840a + +Here we can see the return improve from the standard 8% all the way to 11.8% if using 50% LVR. But in my opinion, 50% LVR is too risky for many investors appetite here, even if it is my ideal point. Instead, i would direct your attention to 35% LVR. + +**Why 35% LVR?** + +a 35% LVR comes with a number of benefits to an investor doing standard VAS/VGS/VDHG style etf investing. + +1. Increased returns - as we can see it takes an 8% return and increases it to a 10.1% return +2. Returns slightly understated - The return is not factoring the effect that the interest will have on your tax return - it is tax deductible. +3. Low chance of a margin call. + +Let's talk about #3. Margin calls are without a doubt the scariest part of margin lending, and i don't blame you for being afraid of them. Many people who leverage too aggressively and fly too close to the sun get hit with a nasty cycle where: + +1. Their investment falls into margin call territory because it has dropped +2. They are forced to sell their assets at the worst points in the market to get out of the margin call +3. they miss out on the recovery because their excess cash was used covering margin calls on the way down. + +But this is where a 35% LVR is so appealing. the calculation to figure out where your margin call will happen is: + +1-(Loan/(Lending Value + Buffer)). + +So if we take a standard favourite of Ausfinance such as VAS, VDHG etc, we can see that they have a LVR of 75%. Industry standard buffer is 10%. so let's figure out a margin call on a $25,000 investment, with $14,000 borrowed funds (35% LVR): + +1-($14,000/(($39,000\*0.75)+($39,000\*0.10))) = 58% + +it would take a 58% drop in the portfolio to bring it to a margin call. This is the portfolio dropping from $39,000 to $16,470. + +This requires a staggering drop before you experience a margin call, and if you are concerned reducing your LVR to only 25% will still improve your return and increase your chance of never being margin called. + +You have time to add to your holdings with equity only (buying a dip + decreasing your overall LVR). the important thing is you can manage your risk and it requires truly a cataclysmic level of decline before you experience a margin call ,and at that point that may not be your biggest concern. + +&#x200B; + +**Why all the fuss? What's the point of risking being margin called?** + +It's all in that % return. in the following example i will use ASIC's compound calculator, along with the following parameters: + +$25,000 initial deposit (your capital), $0 regular deposits, annual compounding, and a 30 year time horizon. The only assumption is that as the portfolio grows in capital value, the 35% LVR is maintained. + +**Case 1** \- 0 LVR (AKA compounding@8%) - after 30 years of compounding at 8% you end up on $251,566 + +**Case 2 -** 35% LVR (AKA compounding at 10.1%) - after 30 years of compounding at 10.1% you end up on $448,291 + +Verdict - Case 2 ends up being $196,725 better. a 78% superior return + +Every % matters so much in a long term strategy, it is truly impossible to overstate how important it is to long term outcomes. + +&#x200B; + +**Case Study: Super Showdown** + +As a final demonstration of the power of a low leverage strategy we will put two different cases head to head. Let us assume that a 30 year old intends to retire at age 65, and has the option of either having $50,000 in super, or invested at a 35% LVR. + +After retirement, they will either 1. Take the money tax free in pension phase or 2. pay capital gains tax by cashing out their own 'pension' each year, with their marginal tax rate being 30% (using the currently legislated but not implemented rates). Case 2 will overstate their tax slightly, as i will not scale it, i will just hit the whole thing at 30%. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/86c7xcrc7lb51.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=045a1774106ac8d8ac848decb04bec9a142bdc52 + +We can see that with the CGT discount, paying 15% tax is actually better than paying a 0% tax rate due to the higher return. It's an **out-performance of $508,681** + +But okay, i hear you, CGT discount may be gotten rid of, let's recalculate it with no discount: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/yafmmg6p7lb51.png?width=530&format=png&auto=webp&s=d9ae4b0db5de48808ca202f7c6e40d599c34c065 + +Even without a CGT discount (and 30% flat is more tax than you'd pay on a CGT discounted method on the highest marginal rate currently) there has been an **out-performance of $306,102** + +&#x200B; + +**What do i hope you take away from this?** + +Even if you decide that the risk of margin lending is too much for you, or that i'm absolutely insane to choose an outside of super strategy that relies on borrowing to invest, i hope that i have given you something to think about. + +the one thing i hope everyone takes away from this just as a general point is the sheer power of small changes in your long term return %. + +I really strongly believe in conservatively leveraging safe and boring investments to boost that all critical return over the long term to create outstanding long term results. + +minor edit: fixed up some grammar +Link to original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/y29j4w/help_monthly_mortgage_payment_went_up_by_42/ + +Thank you r/personalfinance and everyone who helped me figure out what I had to do! I finally solved the issue! + +I hope this update will help anyone who might be going through something similar. :) + +I called Chase and the county treasurer, it turns out Chase was grossly overestimating my property taxes. They estimated my taxes to be ~7600/year and when I spoke with the county- with a Chase representative on the line- they told me my taxes would be ~2800/year. + +So yes, my taxes did go up because they were taxing me on a bare lot last year and this year they will be including the home. But, there was a mistake on Chase’s part when it came to estimating the tax amount. It probably wouldn’t have been caught had I just accepted it!! + +-Also on a side note I have filled out the proper paperwork to make my residence my primary residence! Thank you to everyone who suggested looking into that as well! ❤️ +>“Having a well-done, nation-state-level hardware implant surface would be like witnessing a unicorn jumping over a rainbow” + +Wonder how long it'll be before Apple et all's supply chains are seen as a massive liability. + +https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-04/the-big-hack-how-china-used-a-tiny-chip-to-infiltrate-america-s-top-companies + + +How long have you scalp traded? What percentage stop loss do you use? After what percentage gain do you take profit? Question comes from a new scaler who is keen to see how others approach it. Thanks in advance! +What are your biggest fears investing in rental property and how do you manage them. + +I live out of my car but have 100k to invest. Learned some about real estate. I have owned a home and sold it few years ago. I had my real estate license for a couple years also went to some local real estate meet up groups. I am afraid to buy a property though. I feel like 23 and 2024 will be a good opportunity to get something I would want to rent it out and continue living in my car and working but have fears of being a landlord. I understand cash for keys is a good way if a tenant becomes bad to get them out. It is my understanding their is an additional insurance a could get to help if a renter goes awol and damages a property. I still worry. With the cash I have I would probably look at getting a home in a class b neighborhood like for 160k and have a small mortgage I just don't know why I worry and if it would be for me. Maybe I should just forget it and save money for when I am ready to settle down and just be at peace with having a small home paid off. +Another 40 year old noob here. Apart from Teachers Retirement System and Social Security I don’t have anything in savings or invested. I’ve now saved a little more than 6 months gross salary for my emergency fund, foolishly sitting in a checking account. + +The most common advice I’m finding is to move it to a money market account, obviously with a high interest rate and little to no fees. Maybe an online only service. I haven’t begun to shop the best options. Suggestions appreciated. My coworker suggested CIT and I’ve heard of Ally and Synchrony but haven’t gotten too far researching this yet. + +As for investment I think Roth IRA makes sense for me. Too many questions to ask here but one pressing question I have is: what is most advantageous between maxing 2021 or taking advantage of the extended deadline and contributing to 2020 even if that might mean neither year gets the max contribution? Is that added year worth something? +Man i sold a put on Ford yesterday and today i bought it back at a 70% gain. It was 1% ROI made in a single day. Im pissed i havent been selling them from the beginning of this crazy Ford run. +TADR; Sorry + +Hey guys, this has been a long time coming. + +Im a January ape. Most of my shares were bought above 300$. + +It’s been a gruelling year. + +I’ve been holding onto the idea that GME would moon. + +I read all the DD, and yet today, something feels wrong. + +It just feels like the fundamentals are not there anymore. + +This is why effective today, I will be continuing to hold and Ken can suck my balls. +Props to [u/JustBeingPunny](https://www.reddit.com/user/JustBeingPunny/) for discovering [this Institutional Investor article](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/u3qm9z/kenny_admitting_to_using_bcg_to_spy_on_other/) discussing the relationship between BCG and Citadel. In addition to this relationship, the article mentions something else I found interesting, yet another piece of the naked short/cellar box puzzle: death spiral convertible securities. I never heard of these before, but I looked into them and they fit so perfectly into all the corruption we've been discovering, my mind was blown. + +So lets do this. + +# Part 1 - Convertible Securities + +https://preview.redd.it/3p7zjnxb9st81.jpg?width=1140&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d7da7f011c187d38ee0209ed06faec8250979387 + +Before we get into death spiral convertible securities, we need to know what a regular convertible security is. Basically, a convertible security is money given to a company (often in the form of a bond) in return for X number of shares of the company in the future. For example (I'm totally making up these numbers, I don't know if they are realistic but I do know the math is accurate), stock XYZ is trading at $3/share, and so I buy a bond for $1,000,000 allowing me to own 200,000 shares in the future. I cash this immediately and I'm down 40% (200,000\*$3 - $1,000,000), but I cash it after the stock rises to $10/share and I'm up 100% (200,000\*$10 - $1,000,000) plus interest. And there's reason to believe the stock will rise because I just infused the company with cash. + +A death spiral convertible security is similar to a normal convertible security, with one key difference: instead of getting X number of shares, **I get X dollars paid in shares**. In this case, I might give XYZ company $1,000,000 today in return for $1,000,000 in 50% off shares in the future. I do this after the stock rises to $5, I get 400,000 shares ($1,000,000/$2.5); I do this after the stock rises to $10, I get 200,000 shares ($1,000,000/$5). All good so far. + +But here's the thing: convertible bonds go the other way as well. So if XYZ company drops to $1/share, on a regular convertible bond I'm down 80% (200,000\*$1 - $1,000,000) minus interest. But on a death spiral convertible bond, I still get my $1,000,000 paid in 50% off shares, meaning I now get 2,000,000 shares. But maybe I wait until the stock goes lower, to say $0.01/share. Then I get 200,000,000 shares. And if those shares don't exist, then **XYZ company must make them**. + +I think you know where this is going, but in case you don't: + +# Part 2 - The Death Spiral Playbook + +https://preview.redd.it/b0nnwznp9st81.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e98faa53127017b8c81c51fca3e7f164a7d3198a + +Step 1: Identify a company that is desperate for cash (no one who isn't desperate would be interested in a security this shitty). + +Step 2: Buy a death spiral convertible security from said company. You'll have to call it something else and also probably lie to or otherwise manipulate the company to convince them to buy it. It definitely helps if you can plant people on the company's board to recommend they do this, or get a shady consulting company to recommend it for you. + +Step 3: Short the shit out of the company. Naked shorting and rehypothecation work great! + +Step 4: Once the stock price is low enough, convert your death spiral security into a shit ton of shares and clothe your naked shorts/turn your rehypothecated shares into regular ones. + +Is this what Citadel does? The Institutional Investor article linked above doesn't say so, but it does say that Citadel "has become increasingly aggressive in private placements", many of which "had a reset provision allowing the company to convert at a lower price if the stock fell." It also says that no one really knows what Citadel does, and that's what Citadel wants. + +# Part 3 - Case Study: Log On America + +https://preview.redd.it/jgavyoioast81.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4063b36b93d390b511d766eb112d7cea37720c6e + +The Institutional Investor article that started this DD also mentions a company named Log On America and how they sued Credit Suisse and two Citadel-owned funds, charging that the companies engaged with short sellers after purchasing death spiral securities from them. Log On America's CEO specifically states that Citadel both bought $3.75 million in convertibles and engaged in "massive" short-selling, manipulating the price from $17 to less than $1 per share. + +I decided to look into this. + +Log On America (LOAX) was a Delaware incorporated Rhode Island based telecommunications company that provided internet services during the dotcom era. They never seemed that great financially, as evidenced by their [2000 Prospectus](https://sec.report/Document/0000891092-99-000792/), a document which, amongst other things, detailed their IPO. Here is the TOC (emphasis added). Note that demand is spelled "damand" and the TOC also cites a Y2K risk, lol: + +>TABLE OF CONTENTS +> +>Prospectus Summary...4 +> +>Risk Factors...6 +> +>**We have incurred net losses since our inception and anticipate continuing losses**...6 +> +>We have a short operating history upon which to judge our prospects...6 +> +>**We require substantial funds and may need to raise additional capital in the future**...6 +> +>We are dependent upon continued growth in the use of the Internet...6 +> +>We depend on the continued development and reliability of the Internet infrastructure...6 +> +>We depend on our computer infrastructure and will be adversely affected by any failure or damage to our systems...7 +> +>Our services are susceptible to disruptive problems...7 +> +>We may be held liable for online content provided by third parties...7 +> +>Internet security concerns could hinder e-commerce and the **damand** for our products and services...7 +> +>We need to manage our growth effectively...7 +> +>If we do not continually upgrade technology, we may not be able to compete in our industry...8 +> +>If we do not effectively develop our early stage products and technology, our business may be negatively effected...8 +> +>If we do not develop a sufficient sales and marketing force, **we may not be able to generate significant revenues or become profitable**...8 +> +>Government regulation and legal uncertainties could add additional costs to doing business on the Internet...8 +> +>Our management has broad discretion over the use of proceeds raised in this offering...8 +> +>We face significant competition from Internet and telephone service providers and others...9 +> +>The representative and the underwriters will continue to have influence over us following the completion of this offering...9 +> +>Our operations depend on our ability to maintain favorable relationships with third party suppliers...9 +> +>The loss of our chief executive officer, David Paolo, may hurt our chances for success...10 +> +>Our management has substantial control over us and investors in this offering may have no effective voice in our management...10 +> +>The price investors pay for their shares is higher than the per share value of our net assets and is also higher than the price paid by our founders and prior investors...10 +> +>Unless we maintain a public market for our securities, you may not be able to sell your shares...10 +> +>Shares eligible for public sale after this offering could adversely affect our stock price...10 +> +>**Failure of computer systems and software products to be Year 2000 compliant could negatively impair our business**...11 + +Despite these risks, in April 1999 Log On America IPOed 2,200,000 shares at $10/share in what [former CEO David Paolo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/skypathceo/details/experience/) claims was "the 5th best performing IPO in the history of the stock market, raising $25 million capital and creating $240 million in shareholder value." Gotta love the dotcom era... + +https://preview.redd.it/wrei1horest81.jpg?width=460&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=beae02d07d093e1ef793b3168dd64c7d204e799a + +In April 2000, one year after Log On America's IPO and five months after the prospectus whose TOC is quoted above was published, Log On America released a [Registration Statement](https://sec.report/Document/0000889812-00-001975/) that mentions, amongst other things, an "initial preferred stock". This is the death spiral security. Here's some of the statement (emphasis added): + +>**Each share of the Initial preferred stock, is convertible into a number of shares of common stock equal to the quotient of $1,000 plus (.08)(N/365)($1,000)** where N is equal to the number of days from the issuance of such series A stock through and including the date of conversion divided by (ii) the applicable conversion price, which price is equal to the lower of (i) 90% of the lowest closing bid price of the common stock during the three consecutive trading days ending on and including the date of the conversion or (ii) during the first 182 days after the issuance, $24.62 and 182 days after the issuance of the series A preferred stock, the lower of 24.62 or 120% of the average closing bid prices of the common stock during the ten consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date which is 182 days after the issuance of the series A preferred stock. +> +>As a result, **the lower the price of our common stock at the time a holder of our series A preferred stock converts, the greater the number of shares of common stock the holder will receive**. To the extent the series A preferred stock is converted, **a significant number of additional shares of common stock may be sold into the market**, which could decrease the price of our common stock due to the additional supply of shares relative to demand in the market. In that case, **we could be required to issue an increasingly greater number of shares of our common stock upon future conversions of the series A preferred stock**, sales of which could further depress the price of our common stock. If the sale of a large amount of shares of our common stock upon conversion of the series A preferred stock results in a decline in the price of our common stock, **this event could encourage short sales of our common stock**. Short sales could place further downward pressure on the price of our common stock. The conversion of the series A preferred stock may result in substantial dilution to the interests of other holders of our common stock. Even though a selling stockholder may not convert any portion of the series A preferred stock or their related warrants if doing so will cause it or any of its affiliates to own more than 4.99% of our total outstanding common stock (excluding for purposes of such determination shares of common stock deemed beneficially owned through ownership of unconverted shares of the series A preferred stock or unexercised related warrants), this restriction does not prevent a selling stockholder from selling a substantial number of shares in the market. By periodically selling shares into the market, an individual selling stockholder could eventually sell more than 4.99% of our outstanding common stock while never holding more than 4.99% at any specific time. + +That second paragraph literally describes the "death spiral" in death spiral securities. It seems Log On America knew (or thought they knew) the risks they were taking, what they didn't know is that the companies buying their death spiral security were the same companies that would drive down the stock (or at least the companies were in league with them). + +According to [additional Registration Statements](https://sec.report/CIK/0001074927), by December 2000 (less than two years after IPO, less than one year after publication of the Registration Statement quoted above), Log On America had issued \~6.5 million new shares (\~3 times the number issued in their IPO) due to preferred stock (ie death spiral) converts. During this time period, the stock dropped from an IPO price of $10 to $0.25/share. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/s5vsnoqvfst81.png?width=360&format=png&auto=webp&s=5599d20c27b68535155009e2ef711ad7573cd215 + +As a result, Log On America's [2001 Prospectus](https://sec.report/Document/0001125282-00-001063/) contains this (emphasis added): + +>**Legal Proceedings.** +> +>**In February 2000 we sold 15,000 shares of Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock** (The "Preferred Shares") and issued 594,204 common stock purchase warrants (the "Warrants") for an aggregate consideration of $15,000,000. The proceeds of the Preferred Shares have been allocated between the Warrants ($7,500,000 in Additional Paid-in Capital) and the Preferred Shares based on the estimate of the fair value of these instruments at the time of the transaction. +> +>The Preferred Shares have a maturity date of February 23, 2003, at a conversion price of $1,000 per share plus accumulated and unpaid additional amounts, which accrue at a rate of 8% per annum and are treated as dividends. Because the fair value of the Preferred Shares was less than the conversion price at issuance, periodic accretions from stockholders' equity are made so that the carrying amount equals the conversion price. Accretions amounted to $1,513,699 as of September 30, 2000. +> +>**On August 18, 2000, we commenced an action** **against** Promethean Asset Management LLC, HFTP Investment LLC, Fisher Capital LTD, Wingate Capital, LTD, **Citadel Limited Partnership** and Marshall Capital Management, Inc. ("Defendants"), in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Case No. 00 Civ. 6218 (RUB) (MHD). In the action, **we allege that the holders of our Preferred Shares and certain of their affiliates engaged in a scheme to manipulate and intentionally drive down the trading price of our common stock.** +> +>**Our complaint asserts that the Defendants actions constitute:** +> +>**o violation of federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, insider trading, stock manipulation through cross sales and massive short sales of our common stock and short swing profits,** +> +>**o breach of contract,** +> +>**o fraud, and** +> +>**o breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.** +> +>Our complaint seeks injunctive relief, rescission, compensatory damages and punitive damages. We are also seeking a declaration that we are relieved of our obligations to the holders of our Preferred Shares by reason of fraud, illegality and manipulative conduct. +> +>**Following the commencement of the action against the holders of our Preferred Shares we announced that we will not honor requests for conversions**, and the holders of the Preferred Shares requested redemption of their respective Preferred Shares. **The holders asserted that they are entitled to redemption of their Preferred Shares** under our Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights of Preferred Shares by reason of the our announcement that we will not honor conversion requests and of the failure by us to have our shares of common stock underlying the Preferred Shares and their related warrants registered under Securities Act of 1933. **We have refused to honor the redemption requests upon the basis set forth in our action against the holders of the Preferred Shares.** Holders of fifty percent of the Preferred Shares have requested an aggregate redemption amount of $10.8 million. The holder of the other fifty percent has not specified a redemption amount. +> +>The Defendants have filed a motion to dismiss our complaint, which is presently pending before the court. + +Log On America's [2002 Prospectus](https://sec.report/Document/0000891092-02-000835/) details the results of that lawsuit, in which the company settled with each defending party. In these settlements, the death spiral securities were exchanged for normal convertible securities, valued at either $4.50 or $1.25/share, or cash, depending on the company. Additionally, Log On America received a cash settlement from the company that orchestrated all this (Credit Suisse), but what they received was significantly less than what they paid to the companies that chose cash in exchange for their death spiral securities. + +Log On America's 2002 Prospectus is the last document the company filed with the SEC, although the SEC [continued recording FTDs for the stock through June 2009](https://sec.report/fails.php?tc=540473105). + +According to [stockmarketwatch.com](https://thestockmarketwatch.com/stock/?stock=LOAX), Log On America last traded 10,432,308 shares at $0.0012/share. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/7eqf90zjnst81.jpg?width=645&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2b220cc99c59ae430887bfa6c1b17b66050b9bf0 + +# In Conculsion / TLDR + +It seems that death spiral securities are the perfect way to wash your hands after rehypotheticating and/or naked shorting a company into oblivion. Companies like Citadel buy a death spiral security from a company, then make a bunch of fake shares to tank that company's stock price, then they convert their death spiral security into tons and tons of new shares, and use those shares to turn their fake shares into real ones. Victim companies can't do anything about this because by the time they realize what is up, they are bankrupt. + +GME however, is not going bankrupt. It also hasn't sold any convertible bonds (death spiral or otherwise) back to at least 2008, just another reason why GME is **🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀** and hedgies r fuk +Elon musk gets charges filed against him for fraud. Stock down 12% as of now. + +Anyone buying the dip? I'm wondering if it would it be a good buy opportunity.. +Just wanted to get your opinions about when you personally the correction is due and where you see NEO (realistically) by end of year. + +Pros: + +The project can rival ETH without a doubt but ETH has the head start. However, the dev community behind NEO can amass way quicker as it supports multiple coding languages which could switch some devs to stay away from solidity and rather go with code languages they are familiar with. + +NEO will integrate POS before ETH and can tackle any scalability issues before there network will be overloaded which gives them the edge in terms of scalability issues. They've seen ETH scalability issues and can learn from prior mistakes to avoid overloading there own network. + +China as a society is more inclined to adopt blockchain then all the western counties. For the blockchain to play a major part in the EU it would take ages given how many countries are part of the European union. If NEO receives support from the Chinese government and any other big org like Tenzent or Alibaba, they will have more customers than Europe in a decade. + +Cons: + +Chinese regulation have proven to be tougher toward tech and innovation in a whole. This makes me doubt that the Chinese government will most probably want to build their own network and kill any other competition by forcing rules down their throat which would eliminate any competition. + +Adoption from the western hemisphere would be very hard even though hey are doing a terrific job at westernising their webpage and allowing non Chinese to better understand there project, roadmap and whitepaper. + +What do you guys think? Criticism is more welcome than moontalk ;) + + +Hello, as the title suggests, initially I joined thinking wanting to FIRE with \~2.5 m would be fatFIRE, but idk if thats true since most folks here seem to have a NW much higher than that. Our household income presently is \~220K/year, hopefully \~260K/year by the end of 2022. We intend on saving 60-70K a year total, while maintaining a decent lifestyle (high budget for travel, intend to start a family soon and send our kids to private school). Our current NW including our house is \~270K. +Would you consider this fatFIRE or nah? asking because so far none of the posts have been relatable in terms of getting real helpful information from them. + +If this sub is indeed the right place for us, would love to know if anyone thinks short term rental properties are still a good idea? Airbnb has gotten a lot of bad press lately and would love to hear if anyone's experience has changed in the last 2 years. + + +P.S. I work in tech as an IC, goal is to make VP, if anyone in this sub has done that successfully, would love to hear how you got there! + It’s honestly such a relief for this to finally be out there and acknowledged. + +[@engwind\_art](https://twitter.com/engwind_art) + +and + +[@ProtocolGemini](https://twitter.com/ProtocolGemini) + + Have been keeping this a secret for so so long. Our favorite stock and NOW our favorite + +NFT marketplace! + + + +Feel free to ask us any questions below! + +**|** + +**V** + +(we won't answer only if we CAN'T answer ) + +https://preview.redd.it/pbpj3h6n3ec91.png?width=576&format=png&auto=webp&s=675b26be3a9cd84c22771e46128bc065540053a0 +[https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/06/apple-warns-covid-restrictions-in-china-are-hurting-iphone-production-.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/06/apple-warns-covid-restrictions-in-china-are-hurting-iphone-production-.html) + +* iPhone 14 production has been temporarily reduced because of Covid-19 restrictions at its primary iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly plant in Zhengzhou, China. +* The factory, operated by Foxconn, is operating at “significantly reduced capacity,” Apple said + +Another sign Apple Q4 numbers may come out lower than expected. There have also been reports of demand slowing, mainly with the regular (non-"pro") iPhone 14. In Europe a lot of people will wait till next year when iPhone will have mandatory USB port (EU regulations) and in EU where i live and UK most people are now more focused on paying sky high energy bills and not the latest iphone. + +Would not be surprised if more analists lower Q4 estimates in coming days and weeks. +Edit: I didn't even get glasses! I haven't ordered them from the healthcare provider or from anyone else. And the bill was from my healthcare provider's OPTOMETRY office and the person who did my exam has an OD, not an MD, so was definitely an optometrist and not an ophthalmologist. + +Called my healthcare provider before Jan 1 to schedule an eye exam. They said I was fully covered for the eye exam even though I didn't have a vision plan (Anthem Blue Cross HMO). + +On Jan 1 my employer switched me over to an Aetna HMO. On Jan 13 I showed up to my appointment. + +I asked the receptionist at the eye institute if I would still be fully covered under my new insurance without a vision plan and they said yes. I go ahead with my exam and I'm told I have 20/20 vision but there's some room for correction if I decide to get glasses anyway to reduce eye fatigue (increased eye fatigue in recent months is the only reason I went in). + +Boom, I now have a bill for $552. + +I just got off the phone with the billing department and they said that they will call my insurance tomorrow morning but if it doesn't go my way I'll be treated as a cash patient. I asked for an itemized list of charges and the only two items were "PROVIDER VISIT" each with different procedure codes (92004 for $468 and 92015 for $84). + +I'm upset because I have 20/20 vision and I had an eye exam that I could have paid $75 for out of pocket at Costco. Can I haggle with the billing department and offer a smaller amount, like $150-175 up front to get them to leave me alone? I've never haggled over debt/bills before but I've read here that it's always worth trying with medical bills. + +Update 20210129: I called my healthcare provider and they said they would investigate why those codes were used. I called my insurance and they said they never received a claim from my healthcare provider. Waiting to hear back from my healthcare provider in about ten business days. +Hello, I'm from El Salvador so I'd like to give you all some information that might help you clarify things. I posted this in another thread and made some slight edits. + +First some info of the current zeitgeist in El Salvador: + +The president's party, Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas), was formed in 2018-2019 as a new alternative to the old bipartisan, marxist-left (FMLN) and ultranationalist right (ARENA) system that had controlled the government since the end of the Civil War in 1992. He won the presidential elections in 2019 with 52% of the vote (overwhelming majority) and just recently won the legislative elections in 2021 by a landslide (73% of the vote). That means that his party controls the Congress with 2/3 of the legislators, which are enought to pass any bill that they want, and in fact that's what they've been doing. + +His party is made up of mostly young professionals tired of the corrupt system that has kept the country poor and underdeveloped for the past 30 years. In just their first day in office they fired the Attorney General (who had been protecting other corrupt politicians) and 5 other magistrates, accused of being bought by the oligarchy to protect their economic interests. In just a month, the new Congress has approved unprecedented financing for education and infrastructure and has passed bills that make sure that the predatory economic elites that used to buy politicians in the past are kept in check. Many big infraestructure projects are expected to be approved by Congress soon, including the construction of a high-speed railway and a new international airport. + +One of the biggest projects that the government is building is called Surf City, which is basically road, electricity and communications infrastructure along the coastline to help small businesses. In fact, for this very reason, the ISA decided to hold the World Surfing Games (which are happening until tomorrow) to qualify for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics in El Salvador. Bitcoin is already used by small businesses in this area, especially in El Zonte, which is one of the more popular beaches that gets a lot of international tourists. + +I know most people used to have the notion that El Salvador was a dumpster fire, because we were. However, the country is going through huge change. Just yesterday the ex-mayor of San Salvador (the capital) was captured by the police and is awaiting trial for corruption and gang financing and also the ex-first lady was sentenced to 10 years in prison for money laundering. El Salvador is no longer on the top 10 list of most violents countries in the world (the muder rate used to be 12-15 homicides daily and has decreased to nearly 3-4 daily since Bukele took office) and our economy is expected to grow steadily too. + +Bukele (39 years old) is extremely popular, with an approval rating of over 90% during his second year in office. Mostly due to this forward thinking. You can see this with the data related to the pandemic. El Salvador is the Central American country with the lowest mortality rate (due to a massive revamp of our healthcare system), the lowest number of COVID-19 cases and the fastest rate of vaccine applications, having just surpassed the 2 million mark. The government also just launched a project to give laptops to 100% of the students of the public school system. The country still has massive challenges to overcome but I'm confident we are on a very good path. + +The adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender is HUGE news for this country. I assure you that Congress will pass this bill. I couldn't give you an exact date, but the economics commission will probably receive all the papers this week. + +I'll try to answer any questions that you guys might have. + +UPDATE: Most legislators have come forward saying they will back the bill. + +UPDATE 2: I'm done for today but I'll keep monitoring this thread. + +UPDATE 3 (6/6/21): Damn this really blew up. + +Some useful links: + +Bitcoin in El Salvador as of today: + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G9cmff81fc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G9cmff81fc) (Spanish) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VV0A\_favrk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VV0A_favrk) (Spanish) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95tNWXADX14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95tNWXADX14) (English) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XcHi\_NXl8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XcHi_NXl8) (Spanish) + +The Surf City project (which is where Bitcoin will most likely flourish): + +[https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2021-06-04/el-salvador-is-riding-the-waves-as-global-surfings-newest-mecca](https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2021-06-04/el-salvador-is-riding-the-waves-as-global-surfings-newest-mecca) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wna7x7O25lA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wna7x7O25lA) (English) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aznk1VSpqHA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aznk1VSpqHA) (English) +Today i just put in my notice of resignation to a job ive been at for 4 years(salesman for family owned company). Was able to save up 125k over years. Just turned 29 + +As a ex-Felon I’ve finally found something that i can commit to where there is no ceiling(or bottom). + +First 6 months i plan on scalping and extensively learning all about the trading world. Ill probably stash 50k for yearly living expenses etc and the other 50k to my brokerage account. 25k i have for side business opportunities if they arise. + +Yearly mortgage + expenses about 30-35k for very comfortable living. I will have a time to focus on mental and physical health and nerd out. + +Im the sole provider for my family also so this will force me to be extremely disciplined but this is the closest thing to freedom I’ve ever felt. I cant seem to commit to things unless i go in 100%. Might seem ass backwards but im definitely not a traditional kind of guy + +After reading through lots of forums i just said fuck it. Time to chase my dreams . What say you redditors? Too late to change my mind now 😅 + +Edit: I’ve asked my job to consider giving me the opportunity to work remotely (commission only) for the company. +**Preamble:** The ability of Senators to trade stocks has been controversial from the start. The 2020 congressional insider trading scandal where Senators used insider knowledge to trade large positions in stocks just before the coronavirus pandemic crash was just one example where they used their privileged position for gain.  While there is scope for a lot of discussion regarding the legality/ethical aspects of this, what I wanted to know is + +**Did Senators beat the market and can I beat the market if I follow their trades after its been made public?** + +**Where is the data from:** senatestockwatcher.com + +Massive shoutout to u/rambat1994 for putting in the efforts to create this site and make the knowledge public. The website has data of Senator trading from 2019. While I could observe that all the trades may not be captured by the site, given that we have more than 9K trades to work with, I feel that we should be good from a statistical significance perspective. Also, please note that the data will contain trades done by senators who are not currently in the senate (Either they were in Senate earlier and now in the house of representative or another position of power which forces them to disclose their trades) + +While senators are supposed to [report the transaction within 30 days](https://www.citizen.org/article/personal-financial-disclosure-requirements-for-public-officials/), the median delay in reporting that I observed for the trades was 28 days and the average delay was 52 days. There were some outliers that pushed the average up and are most likely due to the fact that their broker might not report the trade to them immediately. + +All the trades and my analysis are shared as a google sheet at the end. + +**Analysis:** + +https://preview.redd.it/s9r7hqi3kay61.png?width=644&format=png&auto=webp&s=47c4662276a454b61da569f3f643b7c5218eb3f4 + +A total of 9,676 trades were made by the senators in the past two years. This analysis would be focusing on the stock purchases made by the senators. (The stock sales and the pandemic controversy can be a standalone analysis by itself). Out of the 4,911 Buy’s what I am really interested in is the 1,375 transactions which were over $15K. I decided on this cutoff as I did not want small transactions (<5K) to affect the analysis. The hypothesis being that if someone is putting almost 10% of their annual salary into one trade, they should be very confident about the stock. (I know that some senators are millionaires and this hypothesis would not apply to them, but adding their net worth would again complicate the calculations unnecessarily) + +**Results:** For all the stock purchases I calculated the stock price change across 3 periods and benchmarked it against S&P500 returns during the same period.  + +a.            One Month + +b.            One Quarter + +c.             Till Date (From the date of purchase to Today) + +https://preview.redd.it/ahvv5x25kay61.png?width=948&format=png&auto=webp&s=190eb917fc2689d2a5156d40ec50f803b5988ef8 + +At this point, it should not come as a surprise, but Senators did beat SP500 across the different time periods. But what I am really interested in is if it's possible to follow their trades after disclosure (after a time lag of 30 days) and still beat the benchmark. + +https://preview.redd.it/ldtd6ww6kay61.png?width=945&format=png&auto=webp&s=0aeefa934c23ab0b4ba988c20380e56f72e0e637 + +If you had invested in the stocks Senators bought, even after adjusting for the lag of disclosure, you would beat SP500 over the long run. My theory for this is that Senators usually play the long game and invest having a time horizon of more than a year as sudden short-term gains can put a spotlight on their trades. This gives the retail investors a window of opportunity where they can follow the trades and make a significant profit. + +Now that our main question is out of the way, we can really deep dive into the data and see some interesting patterns. The next question I wanted to be answered was which were the best trades made by Senators over the last 2 years. + +https://preview.redd.it/mae0ngf8kay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=5e052dde0f4e801f28bfc9bba2e3c7474dc18786 + +Brian Mast seems to be the frontrunner with making almost 100% gain in one month, investing in lesser-known companies. Michael Garcia also seems to have made it rain with his Tesla plays. But not all the trades made by Senators were successful as shown below. + +https://preview.redd.it/wfxap4q9kay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=152d4f443a4a7fc8fcae256f6824e6eddde6baf0 + +These are the worst trades made by Senators with Greg losing more than 80% of investment value within the disclosure period. + +But even Warren Buffet can go wrong on a stock pick. So, I wanted to know was who made the most returns over all their investments in the last 2 years. I only considered senators having at least $100K in investments and a minimum of 5 trades + +https://preview.redd.it/cmsj6jkbkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=56fe38d2ab186d34e1952131a0e1983254d5dea6 + +John Curtis made a whopping 95% average return on his investments. All the top 10 Senators comfortably beat the market return of 26.4% during the same investment period. The next thing I looked at is the Senators that had the most amount of money invested in stocks during the last 2 years. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/e06c1s8dkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=09e02e536f8127b72e942da9fce19f1bdb468ce2 + +The top 3 senators as shown above invested more than $15MM over the last 2 years and were also able to beat the market at the same time. + +Finally, this leads us to the last question of which were the most popular stocks among U.S senators + +https://preview.redd.it/1wx93kvfkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=1136fdc3f26b04a1be2a50091ca5c52b8bb50cd3 + +As expected, big tech dominates the investments but what was surprising was the skew of investment towards Microsoft which had more money invested in it than the rest of the top 9 put together. One important thing to note here is that except for Antero, the rest all the companies have a $100B+ valuation. + +**Limitations of analysis:** There are multiple limitations to the analysis. + +1. The time period of the analysis is 2 years during which the market experienced a significant bull run. So, the results might change in a market downturn/recession +2. The data has been sourced from senatestockwatcher.com as parsing the data from the official government site is extremely difficult. All the recorded transactions have a pdf of the disclosure linked to them (you can find it in the google sheet). I have made my best effort to QC the data and make sure there are no false positives. But this might not contain all the transactions made by Senators. +3. There is no disclosure for the exact amount of money invested by Senators. The disclosure is always in ranges (e.g., $100k – $200k). So, for calculating the investment amount, I have taken the average of the given range. + +**Conclusion:** + +This analysis proves that Senators indeed get a better return than the overall market. Whether it is due to insider trading or due to their superior stock-picking capability is something that can’t be proven from the data and is left to the reader’s judgment. I intentionally left out the party affiliation of the Senators as I felt that it would bias the reader and was not the objective of this analysis. + +Whichever side of the political spectrum you lean-to, the above analysis shows that you get to gain by following their trades! + +Link to Google Sheet containing all the analysis and trades: [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rg5jMYG-X4I7cidQylzCNc_UpJZGNhGrjAt7g0QkXYs/edit?usp=sharing) + +*Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor* + +Edit: + +> There are two chambers in the legislative branch: Senate and House. Not all of these people are “senators” as you describe. + +I mistakenly classified all of the trades under the broad term of Senators! This is a mixture of trades done by both houses. So please keep this in mind while reading the post. Apologies again as politics is not really my strong suit. +**Preamble:** The ability of Senators to trade stocks has been controversial from the start. The 2020 congressional insider trading scandal where Senators used insider knowledge to trade large positions in stocks just before the coronavirus pandemic crash was just one example where they used their privileged position for gain.  While there is scope for a lot of discussion regarding the legality/ethical aspects of this, what I wanted to know is + +**Did Senators beat the market and can I beat the market if I follow their trades after its been made public?** + +**Where is the data from:** senatestockwatcher.com + +Massive shoutout to u/rambat1994 for putting in the efforts to create this site and make the knowledge public. The website has data of Senator trading from 2019. While I could observe that all the trades may not be captured by the site, given that we have more than 9K trades to work with, I feel that we should be good from a statistical significance perspective. Also, please note that the data will contain trades done by senators who are not currently in the senate (Either they were in Senate earlier and now in the house of representative or another position of power which forces them to disclose their trades) + +While senators are supposed to [report the transaction within 30 days](https://www.citizen.org/article/personal-financial-disclosure-requirements-for-public-officials/), the median delay in reporting that I observed for the trades was 28 days and the average delay was 52 days. There were some outliers that pushed the average up and are most likely due to the fact that their broker might not report the trade to them immediately. + +All the trades and my analysis are shared as a google sheet at the end. + +**Analysis:** + +https://preview.redd.it/s9r7hqi3kay61.png?width=644&format=png&auto=webp&s=47c4662276a454b61da569f3f643b7c5218eb3f4 + +A total of 9,676 trades were made by the senators in the past two years. This analysis would be focusing on the stock purchases made by the senators. (The stock sales and the pandemic controversy can be a standalone analysis by itself). Out of the 4,911 Buy’s what I am really interested in is the 1,375 transactions which were over $15K. I decided on this cutoff as I did not want small transactions (<5K) to affect the analysis. The hypothesis being that if someone is putting almost 10% of their annual salary into one trade, they should be very confident about the stock. (I know that some senators are millionaires and this hypothesis would not apply to them, but adding their net worth would again complicate the calculations unnecessarily) + +**Results:** For all the stock purchases I calculated the stock price change across 3 periods and benchmarked it against S&P500 returns during the same period.  + +a.            One Month + +b.            One Quarter + +c.             Till Date (From the date of purchase to Today) + +https://preview.redd.it/ahvv5x25kay61.png?width=948&format=png&auto=webp&s=190eb917fc2689d2a5156d40ec50f803b5988ef8 + +At this point, it should not come as a surprise, but Senators did beat SP500 across the different time periods. But what I am really interested in is if it's possible to follow their trades after disclosure (after a time lag of 30 days) and still beat the benchmark. + +https://preview.redd.it/ldtd6ww6kay61.png?width=945&format=png&auto=webp&s=0aeefa934c23ab0b4ba988c20380e56f72e0e637 + +If you had invested in the stocks Senators bought, even after adjusting for the lag of disclosure, you would beat SP500 over the long run. My theory for this is that Senators usually play the long game and invest having a time horizon of more than a year as sudden short-term gains can put a spotlight on their trades. This gives the retail investors a window of opportunity where they can follow the trades and make a significant profit. + +Now that our main question is out of the way, we can really deep dive into the data and see some interesting patterns. The next question I wanted to be answered was which were the best trades made by Senators over the last 2 years. + +https://preview.redd.it/mae0ngf8kay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=5e052dde0f4e801f28bfc9bba2e3c7474dc18786 + +Brian Mast seems to be the frontrunner with making almost 100% gain in one month, investing in lesser-known companies. Michael Garcia also seems to have made it rain with his Tesla plays. But not all the trades made by Senators were successful as shown below. + +https://preview.redd.it/wfxap4q9kay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=152d4f443a4a7fc8fcae256f6824e6eddde6baf0 + +These are the worst trades made by Senators with Greg losing more than 80% of investment value within the disclosure period. + +But even Warren Buffet can go wrong on a stock pick. So, I wanted to know was who made the most returns over all their investments in the last 2 years. I only considered senators having at least $100K in investments and a minimum of 5 trades + +https://preview.redd.it/cmsj6jkbkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=56fe38d2ab186d34e1952131a0e1983254d5dea6 + +John Curtis made a whopping 95% average return on his investments. All the top 10 Senators comfortably beat the market return of 26.4% during the same investment period. The next thing I looked at is the Senators that had the most amount of money invested in stocks during the last 2 years. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/e06c1s8dkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=09e02e536f8127b72e942da9fce19f1bdb468ce2 + +The top 3 senators as shown above invested more than $15MM over the last 2 years and were also able to beat the market at the same time. + +Finally, this leads us to the last question of which were the most popular stocks among U.S senators + +https://preview.redd.it/1wx93kvfkay61.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=1136fdc3f26b04a1be2a50091ca5c52b8bb50cd3 + +As expected, big tech dominates the investments but what was surprising was the skew of investment towards Microsoft which had more money invested in it than the rest of the top 9 put together. One important thing to note here is that except for Antero, the rest all the companies have a $100B+ valuation. + +**Limitations of analysis:** There are multiple limitations to the analysis. + +1. The time period of the analysis is 2 years during which the market experienced a significant bull run. So, the results might change in a market downturn/recession +2. The data has been sourced from senatestockwatcher.com as parsing the data from the official government site is extremely difficult. All the recorded transactions have a pdf of the disclosure linked to them (you can find it in the google sheet). I have made my best effort to QC the data and make sure there are no false positives. But this might not contain all the transactions made by Senators. +3. There is no disclosure for the exact amount of money invested by Senators. The disclosure is always in ranges (e.g., $100k – $200k). So, for calculating the investment amount, I have taken the average of the given range. + +**Conclusion:** + +This analysis proves that Senators indeed get a better return than the overall market. Whether it is due to insider trading or due to their superior stock-picking capability is something that can’t be proven from the data and is left to the reader’s judgment. I intentionally left out the party affiliation of the Senators as I felt that it would bias the reader and was not the objective of this analysis. + +Whichever side of the political spectrum you lean-to, the above analysis shows that you get to gain by following their trades! + +Link to Google Sheet containing all the analysis and trades: [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Rg5jMYG-X4I7cidQylzCNc_UpJZGNhGrjAt7g0QkXYs/edit?usp=sharing) + +*Disclaimer: I am not a financial advisor* + +Edit: + +> There are two chambers in the legislative branch: Senate and House. Not all of these people are “senators” as you describe. + +I mistakenly classified all of the trades under the broad term of Senators! This is a mixture of trades done by both houses. So please keep this in mind while reading the post. Apologies again as politics is not really my strong suit. +Hi everyone, + +**This isn't financial advice. Please do your own DD before investing.** + +&#x200B; + +Today I present to you **Peninsula Energy.** + +Peninsula Energy owns 100% of Lance ISR uranium mining in USA + +Peninsula Energy (PEN.AX on the ASX) is about to give the **final green light to start the process of restarting their Lance ISR uranium mine (stage 1: 820,000lb/y).** + +Note: 820,000lb/y production represents nothing compared to the global annual uranium supply deficit, but for Peninsula Energy earnings and margins that's a very positive development. + +The CEO said that they could reach first uranium production in 6 months time. + +A final green light in December 2022 (imo) would mean first uranium production in Q3 2023, meaning 200,000 - 400,000lb in 2023 = enough to fulfil the committed 400,000lb Sale Pounds (200,000lb from production + 200,000lb from committed Purchase Pounds) + +&#x200B; + +**Peninsula Energy completed their Definitive Feasibility Study in August 2022.** + +This means that this DFS is much more up-to-date on inflation than the DFS studies in 2018-2020 of other uranium companies + +[Source: Peninsula Energy website, DFS August 2022](https://preview.redd.it/1fpub994341a1.png?width=953&format=png&auto=webp&s=76e95c20638dbd26c54fd7319d73b182a8e4d6b0) + +[Source: Peninsula Energy website, DFS August 2022](https://preview.redd.it/xjjeqyl7341a1.png?width=929&format=png&auto=webp&s=456c5a476aacd7afa4d2e9eb9055ee049f52833e) + +[Source: Peninsula Energy website, DFS August 2022](https://preview.redd.it/l8dp8ui9341a1.png?width=923&format=png&auto=webp&s=0468eb69256e29d0636edab93cd7f4c69b183f85) + +The DFS of August 2022 gives Peninsula Energy an All-in Sustaining Cash Costs (AISC) of US$39/lb and an All-in-Costs (AIC) of US$46/lb + +Peninsula Energy has: + +1) an existing contracting book of 4,000,000lb from Q4 2022 till 2030 with several western utilities. + +[Source: Peninsula Energy website, Quarterly Activities Report October 26, 2022](https://preview.redd.it/lkl7796b341a1.png?width=765&format=png&auto=webp&s=165047d55cf2d8578d03268c59ed101cbd375cbf) + +[https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/PEN/02588292.pdf](https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/PEN/02588292.pdf) + +I expect Peninsula Energy to sign additional uranium supply contracts with western utilities \~65 USD/lb in 2023, and at even higher uranium term prices in 2024. + +2) 310,000 pounds of uranium in converter accounts at 30 September 2022, with a spot market value of US$14.9 million (US$48.25 per pound U3O8) providing financial flexibility to continue progressing the Lance Projects + +3) Available cash of US$8.1 million at 30 September 2022 + +For the restart Stage 1 production only 8.4 million USD is needed, compared to 8.1 million USD cash balance at September 30, 2022 + an 310,000lb uranium inventory valued at 15.5 million USD (50USD/lb) + +https://preview.redd.it/7gm06v9d341a1.png?width=398&format=png&auto=webp&s=06e1679efa2cc08512a404f4fb122704a79bdead + +The 16.3 million USD needed during the stage1 production is spread over 2023-2025, while considerably increasing their revenues starting in 2nd semester 2023. + +Conclusion: + +1. For the production ramp up (coming \~9 months) Peninsula Energy doesn't need additional financing (Scenario: 110,000lb (inventory) sold at 50 USD/lb (= 5.5 million USD) + 8.1 million USD cash balance at September 30, 2022 => **13.6 million USD is enough to cover 100% of the needed 8.4 million Up-Front CAPEX** (coming 9 months)) +2. Based on the global uranium demand and supply, underfeeding not existing anymore, the restart over Converdyn convertor in USA in 2023, I expect a significant higher uranium price in 2023 compared to the uranium spotprice of \~50USD/lb today => Let's be conservative: 200,000lb (inventory) sold at 60 USD/lb (I personnaly think it will much higher than 60 USD/lb) in 2023 = **12 million USD** + +**But 16.3 million USD WF Replacement & Sustaining CAPEX are CAPEX needs spread over 2023-2025!** + +16.3 million USD/ 2.5 years = 6.52 million USD/y: + +a) 2023: \~5 million USD WF Replacement & Sustsaining CAPEX (my own estimation based on the data) needed in 2023 compared to a potential 12 million USD from inventory sale in 2023. + +=> 6 million of those 12 million USD will be enough (imo) to finance those \~5 million USD WF Replacement & Sustsaining CAPEX + +b) 2024: \~8 million USD WF Replacement & Sustsaining CAPEX (my own estimation based on the data) needed in 2024 financed with the remaining 6 million USD from 200,000lb inventory sale in 2023 in my scenario + additional cash balance from sales in 2023 and early 2024. + +This is enough financing, but for financial confort they could ask a bank loan of \~5 million USD or do a small capital raise of \~5 million USD (\~7 million AUD) in 2024 (imo) + +In this scenario, what is a 7 million AUD capital raise compared to a Market Cap of 1,000,000,000 shares at let's say 0.25 AUD/share emission price = 7/250 = 0.028%, that's a very small potential dillution early 2024. + +c) 2025 \~3.3 million USD WF Replacement & Sustsaining CAPEX (my own estimation based on the data (ISR production in 2025 is the result of wellfield injections 6-9 months earlier)) needed in 2025 + +I think that investors today misinterpret the CAPEX needs of Peninsula Energy + +By consequence Peninsula Energy stock price today is still significantly cheaper than peers: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/boo03kpu341a1.png?width=985&format=png&auto=webp&s=97ebd42fa76539f05eef9018a8656324336bc146 + +[Source: John Quakes, Haywood securities on November 17, 2022 ](https://preview.redd.it/kayiql89441a1.png?width=985&format=png&auto=webp&s=a74cb11409698b4b4497fd4d453b488f85d382ac) + +A share price of: + +\- 0.165 AUD/share for Peninsula Energy represents an EV/lb value of only 1.98 USD/lb (They have signed contracts, they have revenues today and they will produce again in 2023Q4) + +\- 2.37 AUD/share for Boss Energy represents an EV/lb of 6.96 USD/lb (Have no signed contracts yet, but they will most probably sign contracts in 2023) + +\- 5.81 CAD/share for Nexgen Energy represents an EV/lb of 6.11 USD/lb (They don't have signed contracts and will produce their first uranium in 2029 at the earliest) + +Note: Energy Resources (ERA) is a depleted mine, this isn't a miner anymore, that's why the EV/lb is low for ERA + + + +95% of the future uranium restarts and new future uranium mines need up front CAPEX! That's common in ALL commodity companies when you want to (re)start a mine. + +Take **Nexgen Energy** for instance: + +Nexgen Energy needs 4 years to build Rook I, Arrow mine once they gave the green light to start building the mine and for this they need 1.3 billion USD of up-front CAPEX! + +[ Source: Nexgen Energy presentation ](https://preview.redd.it/7lqfg8il541a1.png?width=655&format=png&auto=webp&s=edbbc9c89e26abcfb3629f67fcbc8a3799fa196c) + +[ Source: Feasibility Study Rook I February 2021, Arrow, Nexgen Energy p330 ](https://preview.redd.it/ic6xlwbp541a1.png?width=925&format=png&auto=webp&s=65d9306cea7018323e745f8de081aee9ee32a79e) + +Those 1.3 billion USD estimated in February 2021 will be significantly higher by the time they actually start building Rook I, Arrow (imo) + +Those 1.3 billion USD will be raised with a new Capital raise, because Nexgen Energy doesn't have any revenue today. + +**Boss Energy** on the other hand is in a comparable situation as Peninsula Energy, namely close to all needed CAPEX can be financed without additional capital raise. I say "close to" because you can't be 100% sure how inflation will impact the costs of the restart of the Honeymoon Uranium mine + +\~60 million USD Up-Front CAPEX that could be financed with the sale of 1250,000lb uranium stockpile they have + +[ Source: Boss Energy presentation on their website ](https://preview.redd.it/461uf4hv541a1.png?width=1076&format=png&auto=webp&s=93f0442a5b18a9766bc3fc4349559d82fe03d62f) + +This favourable situation has been anticipated by Boss Energy investors, but Peninsula Energy investors didn't anticipate that comparable favourable situation yet. + +Scenario: a rerate of the EV/lb to 4.00 USD/lb of **Peninsula Energy** (still lower than the 6.96 USD/lb of Boss Energy (share price 2.37 AUD/sh) and the 6.11 USD/lb of Nexgen Energy (share price 5.81 CAD/sh)) would mean a **Peninsula Energy share price of 0.34 AUD/share**. And that happens to be the 12 month price targets of Haywood Securtties (0.36 AUD/share) and Shaw and Partners (0.34 AUD/share). + +&#x200B; + +October 27, 2022 Shaw and Partners Financial Services: + +https://preview.redd.it/tecoajn0541a1.png?width=867&format=png&auto=webp&s=6710fa908e772127ba46f7a74bd4948019fa71ef + +[Source: Peninsula Energy website, broker research](https://preview.redd.it/r3t8zh72541a1.png?width=862&format=png&auto=webp&s=27b11f3314f740f79f4e46799ae70da7347cd603) + +**Conclusion:** + +In my opinion, it's time to rerate the Peninsula Energy share price higher. + +And many other analysts and long term uranium bulls think the same. + +**This isn't financial advice. Please do your own DD before investing** + +Cheers +My employer is offering an RRSP matching plan up to $6k, it seems like free money. Are there any cons of contribution for the sake of RRSP matching? Thanks! +Hey individual investors! Like the title says, I'm curious who thinks we should have a pinned post (or added to the pinned post) with information on the process to DRS IRA shares with access to Computershare. + +I detailed the process I used to DRS thousands of Traditional IRA shares and hundreds of Roth IRA shares to help others learn in this post below. Based on feedback, most would like to see this information readily available on this sub: + +#DRS IRA shares process with access to Computershare: +https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/wwq1h0/im_seeing_more_interest_in_drsing_ira_shares/ + +I've been asked to post it daily, but do not want to spam it, so I update the process with new info (for example I just added info on how to rollover a previous employer 401k to a rollover IRA) every few weeks or month and repost for anyone that missed it. + +Each time I have posted it I get comments and DMs thanking me for providing info that someone hasn't seen and has been looking for. + +I reposted it yesterday with the 401k rollover info and it was mod removed due to "Mass content sharing" with a note that I am spamming the sub. I understand the rule and do not want to violate it or get banned. What I don't understand is why mods have never commented on my post or replied to my comment or mod mail asking if we could get it pinned based on the positive feedback and request from many in this sub. I know mods are busy and not everything deserves to be pinned, just thought I would ask if it's something that people think would be valuable information to have pinned and maybe mods will see this and give it some consideration. + +So I'm making this post as an effort to open a dialog about DRS IRA shares process being pinned, much like we had a ComputerShare Transfer post pinned. Retirement shares have historically been trapped in brokerage accounts or previous employer 401k accounts and many aren't aware these can be direct registered through a non broker custodian with direct access to COMPUTERSHARE and no tax hit. + +TA:DRS - Can we get a post detailing all the processes to DRS IRA shares with access to Computershare, pinned (or added to the pinned post)? + +💛🍌 + +Edit: one of my favorite comments from the discussion so far is that we need to demystify IRA direct registration. There are still a lot of people unaware that it's possible and just as many questions about it. Pinning it would only further the understanding of IRA DRS in general. Just like this sub did with Transfer Agents, street name shares and ComputerShare before. Let's get this topic pinned for discussion and research. An estimated 37% of the entire stock market is in retirement accounts as of 2016. Dr Trimbath has even said that brokers can and will lend those shares regardless of what the laws say. I for one want to know more about my options for protecting my retirement shares and there are multiple ways we are finding out. + +Edit 2: not a pinned post for a single custodian or even a single process like the one I used. As stockadile said in the comments below "A master link tree document with directions to DRS anything to anywhere." including IRA shares. + +Edit 3: support for a pinned post with ALL methods to DRS including IRA shares is overwhelmingly positive at this point. I've messaged mod mail again. If you would like this information pinned in this sub let's hear it! Mods, please chime in 💜🙏 + +Edit 4: mods responded, see pinned comment, thank you! The guide is on the DRS megathread but 3k + apes are not aware of it, don't see it. I've suggested making a new pinned post or redoing the megathread post to highlight DRS IRA methods in a clear and concise way, discussing the pros and cons. Mods will consider. Thanks everyone for the constructive discussion, hopefully we have an update on this soon. DRS +We sometimes see questions asking if an individual's tax return is likely to be audited. + +While there is an extremely small chance that anybody's return could be selected for audit randomly, the chance that any return is audited for any reason is less than 1 in 200 overall as of late. (For the self-employed, it's a bit higher, at about 1 in 100.) And those numbers include returns for people not very much like a typical taxpayer, so typical return audit percentages are much smaller than even these numbers suggest. + +Key things to be aware of: + +- First, an audit has a specific meaning, wherein the IRS asks for details, looking more deeply into your financial situation and records to validate what you filed in your tax return. Just getting a letter from the IRS *doesn't* mean you are being audited. Almost all questions about your return are handled by the IRS using non-invasive correspondence (e.g. CP-2000 letters) as opposed to generating an audit. (Even if you are audited, most audits are still handled by correspondence.) + +- Making a minor error or omission is very unlikely to generate an audit. The IRS uses audits to collect revenue, and spending thousands of dollars in staff time to see if your $500 deduction was legitimate is not a good use of their audit resources. + +- The situations that are most likely to generate audits these days are either returns with very large deductions or tax credits, e.g. EITC for households that don't seem to match what they should be getting, or returns with very high reported income, starting at $500,000 annually. The chance of getting audited goes up to 1 in 16 for returns reporting at least $10M in income. + +- You may have heard tales about how certain types of situations are instant audit red flags, e.g. home office deductions (only allowable for the self-employed these days.) You can even find articles, like this one: https://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/red-flags-will-get-you-audited-irs/ That's not usually how it works. The IRS looks for anomalies that suggest someone is engaging in some sort of unallowable tax avoidance, either by underreporting income or taking unallowable deductions, but individual line items are not generally triggers in isolation. + +https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/01/31/taxes-2020-audits-most-likely-happen-these-two-groups/4552393002/ + +If you are still curious what an audit entails, these articles describes the process; first, from the IRS perspective (ignore that it is from the self-employed part of the website): https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/irs-audits + +Secondly, here's an overview of the whole process from the perspective of a taxpayer: https://www.policygenius.com/taxes/how-an-irs-audit-works/ + +In the vast majority of cases, even if there is a minor issue, you are still not the droid they are looking for. +I am currently pregnant and due to have my first baby in November! I am starting to look at 529 plans and maxing out my Roth IRA to save for college. + +In everything I’m reading, they say to save 1/3 of the cost for college. However, they don’t say why only 1/3. + +Can someone explain it to me? I am hoping to have my child not have to pay anything and I don’t want to be burdened with debt later either. + +(Based in the US) +I (23m) graduated school with a healthcare related degree this past summer and got hired in august. The position I got hired in had a $20,000 sign on bonus (taxed). Half (10g) gets disbursed at 4 months post hire (December) and the other half 1 year (august). +Debt: as of today 10/22/21 + Credit Cards + Amazon $3800 + Wells Fargo $2500 + Student Loans $12,032 +I make about $3600/month after taxes/benefits. Next month that’ll go up it’s a union job so everyone in that union gets a 2% increase in pay come November. When January/February come I will be switching to night shift work where I will get 12% differential, I’ll be off orientation and be able to work for OT. +My question is what should I do with that first 10g my gut instinct is to wipe away my credit card debt but should I instead invest it? Or hold on to it? I try to pay off a good chunk of CC debt every month. What would you do? +Okay so there is a lot of opinion on this topic here, I thought I’d share a bit of a thesis on what I think MAY cause a recession in Australia similar to what occurred in the US during 2007 and 2008. + +First off, this is a thought provoking discussion and I’d like to keep this strictly on topic. No personal insults, none of that crap. Just share opinion preferably backed up by some sought of analysis. + +Second, I am not a professional and am doing this in my spare time (taking a break from the desk as I was in really early this morning). + +My aim is to create a good robust discussion. + +So back in 2013, I used to work for one of the big 4 banks. I spent about 3 years in lending and learnt quite a few things. The biggest thing that’s good put to me was the banks willingness to lend interest only loans, due to 1. Profitability of the product and 2. The burning desire to keep customers happy. + +We used to laugh about this at the time, thinking how bad of a product this was and how little customers actually understood what they were signing up for. Not that I want to portray myself as the “good guy” but I was very strict on who I have these loans to as I foresaw the potential chaos they could cause. I once had a massive argument with the Head Of my department because he wanted me to renew the interest only term of a 65 year old man who had been on interest only for 15 years. Apparently his broker was a massive referral source for the department. I refused. + +The above experience really forms the back bone of my current views on the economy and what I think may be the factor resulting in a recession. + +Link to my data source + +https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/smp/2018/may/box-c-the-expiry-of-interest-only-loan-terms.html + +If you refer to graph C1 you’ll see that the peak of interest only loans was around the end of 2016 and beginning of 2017. Graph C2 shows when the bulk of interest only loans written in 2017 will expire, the majority being between 2019 and 2020. Finally, graph C3 displays the impacts of the increase on repayment once rolling off your interest only period. + +RBA then spend the rest of this report explaining why they believe things will be okay. Their assumption is, for the most part, that the average person will have budgeted for the increase in principle repayment after the interest only period expires. My theory is they haven’t. My opinion is, that the average person did not understand what they were signing up for, and will be caught out. + +I also propose that the reason the RBA has continued to lower rates is because they are concerned about what will happen when the bulk of these loans begin to expire. + +So how does this all tie together. Well, I believe once these loans begin to roll off interest only, there will be a lot of customers struggling to meet their repayments. This will cause a flood of properties on the market as highly geared property investors begin to struggle to meet their mortgage repayments (there has been a tightening of lending standards where a lot of these customers would not have previously gotten a loan). The oversupply of housing will cause house prices to dip, ever so slightly, and this will be the catalyst for a gross fall of confidence in the Australian economy. + +Anyways, this is a bit of a rushed opinion piece, keen to get anyone else’s thoughts or view on this topic (doesn’t have to be in direct response, you may have other views). +I’ve been lurking here for a couple months and trying to learn fundamentals. I think the best advice I’ve read so far is ‘No one ever went broke taking profits’. I still struggle with potential gains greed but it helps. + +I bought 5 SE $250 calls on 3/24 for 4/9 expiry. Was down all last week but held. Yesterday I sold 3 and retrieved my stake and today sold the other 2 for a nice $555 profit. + +Thanks for teaching me to take easy, do my DD, and take my time. +It’s hard to find people in my real life who can advise about this. + +Summary of the situation: + +Early startup employee. Startup has done well, but likely years til an IPO. + +I have a chance to sell shares in the secondary market. Selling all today would net roughly $2 million. But potentially significantly more ($10+ million) if I wait a couple years and it continues the same growth rate. But it is a very high-risk situation. + +I’m financially comfortable (renting and maxing out my retirement accounts), but I have short-term goals like buying a house in a VHCOL area, which I can’t do without selling. Houses where I want to settle down are roughly $2-$3 million. + +How do people generally advise around handling this type of scenario? + +I haven’t sold any shares yet. I don’t like the idea of selling all. But I am afraid of selling too many shares too soon, and regretting it later. + +Wasting a lot of brainpower on this decision, and want to free it back up. +Your markets are run by bots. 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Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH) +Your markets are run by bots. Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH) +Your markets are run by bots. Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/ywAGqfUAQE) +So for most of 2017 I was "on loan" to another department in a required non-tech PM position. Previous (male) Project Manager was paid $75k eight years out of school. I am a woman who made $50k when I started "helping" 3 years out of school. Was in way over my head, but did all right given the circumstances. Got a promotion and a big raise out of it but begged them to hire someone because the boss and the work were quite literally hell and I threatened to quit (hence the promotion and raise). Ended 2017 making close to $59k. + +They hired a guy with "20 years experience" that had nothing to do with our industry and paid him $92k. He was a nice person but absolutely sucked at the job. I trained him for three months but he absolutely floundered. The position got a new, nicer, more reasonable boss during the six months New Guy was there and job got way less stressful. New Guy nonetheless received a terrible review and voluntarily left last month. + +Once again, I am "on loan" because I am the only person who knows the intricacies of the job. Only this time I am still doing the normal work in my actual department on top of helping out. The work this time around is much less miserable so I inquired about the job and rate of pay should I accept it. I was told if I took the position full time I would only be paid $65k because I lack the experience to make more than that. By "experience" they mean number of years of employment history. I am currently four years out of college and have only ever worked at this company. + +So my current boat is, despite my being the only person at this company that can complete these essential functions, my company won't raise me to the same rate as the two guys that failed/left because they had more years of work experience than me. I know I am being taken advantage of, but I am using the company's student loan program to help me pay off my loans, so if I quit during the year I have to pay back the money the company has paid up until the month I quit. That would come to about $3000 as I am trying t burn thru them this year. + +My ultimate question is, does PF feel that years of work experience trumps ability to do the job when it comes to pay rates? Any advice for negotiating with my company or are they correct in limiting my pay because of my fewer years work experience? +I'm sure everyone has things that you enjoy doing that don't make you money though I'd say one biggest thing I'd really love is being totally free from schedules. Sleep when I feel like it, eat when I feel like it, do things when I feel like it, live as if time just isn't a thing since I have little if any time-based commitments. Waking up or going to bed at any specific time whether it's 5:30am or 5:30pm is something I really have to force myself to do and feels incredibly unnatural for me. My body doesn't even seem to want to get the same amount of sleep everyday, sometimes I'll go to bed immediately after work to wake up right before and other times I sleep for 4 hours. +I can’t understand very well, so if I buy a property at 100k and I do some renovations and its worth 200k now and decide to refinance and get my money out, what happens exactly? The bank knows its worth more so they can lend me more money? +Listen, I’m lucky enough to have been extremely financially stable for most of my life. Got a good job, a paid house, … And I don’t care much about having a lavish lifestyle. + +I pledge to only sell between 1 and 5 shares on the way down if we reach 10-15M+. I want all my fellow apes to get life changing money, no matter if you hodl X or XX. + +This isn’t about money for me anymore, this is about investing in a company that made me who I am today, as well as shaking up the US financial system. + +Your move, Citadel. + +EDIT: Due to popular demand, changing my floor to 10-15M, point still stands. +# Time is the most valuable asset in the world. Your time is limited, and you can not do anything about this. + +Days are passing, and they are gone forever. Becoming a parent 7 years ago taught me this lesson. Kids are growing fast, and you can not go back, just forward. + +This week I liquidated a reasonable part of my Bitcoin investments. I have been carefully stacking the sats for 5 years now, lived through ups and downs, holding all along solidly. My liquidated profits add up now to 10 years of my normal salary. Well, 10 years of my previously normal salary. + +# Because today I left my job. For good. At least for 10 years. + +I want to spend the next 10 years being there for my kids, watching them grow, and being there for them completely. **I will not be the occupied and preoccupied dad sitting at the dining table responding to work emails. I will not be the distant dad always thinking about something very important. Not any more.** I want to be the dad who has always **time**, at least for the next ten years, while my kids will still be children. + +# Time is important, and Bitcoin bought me time. Time to live freely and fully, without the daily stress of earning for the next ten years. + +**Bitcoin is a miracle. For some, it creates Lambos and Teslas, for some it means yachts and airplanes. To me, it is a time machine.** Nothing ever in my life gave me back my time, nothing until Bitcoin came along. + +A wonderful thing is happening around us, Bitcoin is turning the traditional wealth distribution of the world upside down. It is democratic, it is unconfiscatable, and it is there for everyone. + +I will hold to the rest of my sats until at least the next 10 years. Hope they will provide me with some further relaxing time. + +\---- + +PS: seeing the comments, okay okay, it is not just about the kids, time will be used for self-development and also for doing some good in the world as well, I did not say I will do nothing now :) +In this article written by Emma Panttee she says, “Being frugal and working hard may have saved me some money — a lot of money — but frugality is not what enabled me to be financially independent. I owe my financial independence almost entirely to being lucky and being advantaged.” + +https://thefinancialdiet.com/why-i-joined-then-left-the-fire-movement/?fbclid=IwAR0YJkcnXriDXEaIfZky2vDYdclw_qjQHizBrpW_lJbVvCChV94vQHbN9hM +https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-wework-board-members-seek-to-remove-adam-neumann-as-ceo-11569171188 + + +By Maureen Farrell, +Liz Hoffman, +Eliot Brown and +David Benoit +Sept. 22, 2019 12:53 pm ET + +A bloc of WeWork directors is planning to push Adam Neumann to step down as chief executive after a tumultuous week in which his eccentric behavior and drug use came to light and the startup delayed its much-anticipated stock-market listing. + +A group including officials tied to SoftBank Group Corp. 9984 0.17% , the company’s largest investor, wants Mr. Neumann to relinquish his title of CEO of We Co., the parent of the office-sharing company, people familiar with the matter said. + +The board is expected to meet as soon as this week and potentially consider a proposal for Mr. Neumann to become We’s nonexecutive chairman, some of the people said. That would allow him to stay at the company he built into one of the country’s most valuable startups, but inject fresh leadership to pursue an IPO that would bring We the cash it needs to keep up its torrid growth. + +The company burned through more than $2 billion in 2018 and analysts have projected that on its current path We will run through what it has on hand sometime next year. + +Any attempted coup is a gamble: Mr. Neumann still has allies among the directors and the ability to fire the entire board thanks to shares he controls that carry extra votes. But SoftBank, which has invested more than $9 billion into the company and is represented on the board, has considerable influence too, and We needs the Japanese conglomerate to continue pumping in cash. + +It couldn’t be learned how all of the We directors—there are seven including Mr. Neumann—are aligned, and the situation is fluid. +Related + +SoftBank’s patience has been tested. Earlier this year, it bought shares of We at a $47 billion valuation, a level that now looks wildly overblown. As We prepared to list its shares earlier this month, the company’s expected valuation had fallen to roughly a third of that. + +Even at that discount, We was forced to shelve the offering as criticism mounted of the company’s governance and its financial losses—$1.6 billion last year, and growing—despite its rapid revenue growth. + +The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Mr. Neumann had taken marijuana on a flight from New York to Israel, prompting the jet’s owner to recall the plane. The revelation added to concerns over Mr. Neumann’s management style and transactions with the company that made him rich. + +We already had made governance changes meant to win over reluctant investors. On Sept. 13 it decreased the potency of Mr. Neumann’s supervoting shares—still leaving him firmly in control—as well as reducing his wife’s role in corporate matters and reversing his controversial sale to the company of a trademark of “We.” + +Some of SoftBank’s executives have long been wary of We’s soaring valuation and Mr. Neumann’s unusual behavior, even as they continued to give him money. SoftBank was expected to buy as much as $1 billion in stock in We’s initial public offering, a large portion of the roughly $3 billion it sought to raise from investors, people familiar with the matter said. That commitment wasn’t enough to keep the listing on track, though We has pledged to get it done this year. + +SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has long been a vocal advocate of We and Mr. Neumann, who, like him, is viewed by many as a visionary. Mr. Son told CNBC in March he still wanted to invest more in the company despite the misgivings of some of his own investors. SoftBank has invested in We directly and through the Vision Fund, a $100 billion pool it raised in 2017. + +The Vision Fund’s $4.4 billion investment in 2017 valued We at about $20 billion. When the fund’s biggest investors, a pair of Middle Eastern governments, balked last year at investing more, SoftBank itself stepped in, committing $4 billion at a $47 billion valuation. + +Mr. Neumann wouldn’t be the first startup founder forced out by controversy. Uber Technologies Inc. ’s Travis Kalanick was pushed out by his board in 2017 after the ride-hailing company was widely criticized for a chauvinistic and toxic work culture. Uber went public this spring with a new chief executive brought in from the outside. +Alright, yesterday was total chaos, although not really unexpected. The fact that most german brokers had the dividend shares booked before people on Computershare received their stock was a sign for things to come. So, what happened? + +In the days before the 21st, several brokers and banks notified customers about an upcoming *split*, not a dividend, not a split *via* dividend. On thursday after market close, many german brokers showed the changed positions right away; some took only a few minutes, some a few hours, but it was unexpectedly fast. It shouldn't have been possible, as the shares are distribute by Computershare and would need to make their way to the DTCC, (from there to Clearstream, if you bought GS2C in the german market) and then to the brokers. +**Possible explanation:** german brokers expected everything to go as it is supposed to, in which case there really is not much of a difference between a regular split and a split by dividend; they booked placeholders (in case of the DKB, one of the more trustworthy ones, with a trading lock until the scheduled delivery of the dividend) so customers' portfolios wouldn't sit at -75% until the shares arrive. Some seemingly booked in fully functional shares, expecting a delivery according to the rules. +Now since the delivery date came and went, the brokers realised they had mis-booked shares; the Consors Bank removed all additional shares and re-booked them in the afternoon properly labeled as dividend, as did the neobroker TradeRepublic. The DKB removed the placeholders (possibly automatic), but the actual shares haven't arrived yet. Since this happened to pretty much **all** german brokers, this seems less like a bank issue and more like a problem of the clearing house. +**What does it mean?** +It means, things are going as epxected. We are entitled to a dividend, which the DTCC (and its intermediary, Clearstream) can't reliably deliver to german banks. By german law, we are the actual *owners* of the shares, not just a beneficiary of a bank's position, therefore the bank is fucked if they don't make us whole. The fact that they're removing and re-booking shares means, that they are according to german law and not just taking our money. It means, the DTCC not having enough shares to go around is actually becoming visible and Ryan Cohen has reason to demand a share audit and move all shares to an alternative system. + +**I smell MOASS coming.** + +Addendum for everyone saying "You should have DRSed, your own fault, you'll leave empty handed, etc." under the posts concerning these events: don't gloat, don't mock, don't be smug. Yes, DRS is the guaranteed way to own your shares and receive the dividend. Yes, it is possible to DRS via IBKR. Yes, there will be fuckery, as expected. But saying everyone who didn't DRS will not be part of MOASS is akin to saying "there won't be a MOASS". +MOASS depends on shares in brokerages. Shares in Computershare represent actual part of the company. Shares in brokerages represent the hedgies short position. If those shares could be *poofed* out of existence or sold off against the will of us apes, the short position of hedgies would be gone. In that case they wouldn't need to buy DRSed shares either. So don't be smug, don't gloat, don't mock apes in brokerages. +listen i know we’re crayon eating smooth brains but how obvious can they be with all this market and media manipulation? AMC short squeeze with GME following? a 10% fucking short squeeze? You’re missing about 300 zeros there you old crusty fucks. Im not selling my fkn GME or AMC till cramer calls me on live tv, eats a blue crayon and pays me 10 mil in cash for every share i own. Then ill blow it all on strippers and cocaine and move to Tanzania to build tree houses in the jungle for actual apes. My girlfriends husband invests in index funds and thinks hes hot shit. well i just bought a 64 pack with the built in sharpener bitch and im ready to fkn SQUEEZE. +Citadel's $65B "Securities Sold But Not Yet Purchase" is based on 31 Dec 2021 stock prices. + +On 31 Dec 2021, GameStop closed at $37.10 + +At current $17.50, it will reflect 50% temporary reduction in liabilities. They are cooking their books. + +But it doesn't matter. We can lock the float faster. Buy and DRS! 🚀 +Edit/Update: JonPro's ban is [apparently what caused](https://www.reddit.com/user/jonpro03/comments/wby732/guys_calm_down_its_broken_im_trying_to_fix_it/ii9crqn?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3) comptershared.net data collection to fail and he's trying to fix it now. For those concerned. + +-Original Post- + +Up to you what to do with this information, but it should be known. + +The primary complaint from mods is apparently an excess of reports for the "millertime message" that gets added to every DRS post. There are apparently so many reports that it clogs up the queue for mods. From my perspective, this looks like mods letting bad actors win by getting rid of one of the biggest DRS advocates the sub knows. + +This [particular move](https://www.reddit.com/user/jonpro03/comments/wbbkmc/oops/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) strikes me as at least one mod doubling down on a bad choice, rather than registering the protest from the sub's users and reflecting. Mods that cannot set their ego aside should take a break from moderation, at the least. +As per the title, we keep seeing the idea pushed around here that the DD is done. Nope. Not a chance. We have a centuries old market with all sorts of hidden tricks being perpetrated by a great many players at the expense of the public. + +We also don’t know RCs plan yet if we’re honest. Or the full potential of Web3. + +The thing is I have no idea where to look - I’ll admit it, I’m an idiot. (Apparently that’s a necessary prerequisite to post here). + +However there are resources available online. Some of you may also be looking for specific books, research papers etc that you’ve been unable to find. I suggest using the comment section on this post to share and request those resources. + +I also suggest using the comments to ask about subjects that haven’t been covered yet, hopefully someone can pick up the torch. + +My gut says there’s something big out there they don’t want us to know. Maybe it’s subtle, maybe it’s hiding in plain sight. + +THE DD IS NOT DONE. + +HIVE MIND, ASSEMBLEEEEEEEEEEE! + + +Additionally *I urge you, please upvote the worthy comments.* +Salvadoran here!! + +President Bukele just announced that he is implementing a national wallet in September called “chivo” (means cool in Salvadoran slang) + +The government is giving 30 usd to anyone that creates an account, by law you will have to accept BTC as a company... but the wallet let’s you convert the BTC to usd immediately. + +He mentioned there will be two types of wallets... one for the people and one for companies. + +Apparently the wallet also is compatible with other Bitcoin wallets... + +You will be able to pay taxes with BTC... except you won’t need to pay taxes for the BTC you hold. + +Foreigners who come to invest in crypto in El Salvador will be granted permanent residency and will not have to pay taxes for the crypto they invest in. + +So anyone who wants to come to El Salvador to invest is welcome to eat some pupusas with me!!!🫓 🇸🇻 + +Hope everything goes chivo with this one!! +I finished a few contracts but don’t really need the cash and can put in retirement / Longterm + +- I’m 27 y/o +- no debts, have emergency fund, maxed roth 401k and IRA +- currently invested in VOO, ROBO, SPY, VXUS, and QQQ. Should I just add on? Or do a mutual fund? + +I think I’m a bit tech heavy. +Why would someone not want to hold this long term besides the inherent risk that comes with it because it is leveraged? I would think if you are bullish on qqq then tqqq would be a great way for some high risk high reward fun? Are there hidden fees or something? +Researched and read many portfolio option for ROTH IRA. It seems like 3-way portfolio of US stocks + international stocks + bond + +My question is.. Why do I even bother adding international stocks for diversification? Sure I agree diversifying and not adding all eggs in one basket is safe, but international stocks have been performing poorly. + +For example, FZILX and VXUS haven't been really performing well recently and in the past. Why should I even bother adding these international stocks to my portfolio? +Also i'm severely agoraphobic and keep locked away from the world and when i first noticed the mistake i brought a reciept up for proof i paid it and i never got it back. + +Edit: on an unrelated note I found a facebook page of a guy with the same name as the owner who lives in the same city as me. He has two posts. his profile pic of Snidely Whiplash and his banner pic of a literal rusting to pieces trailer that looks like it's out of fallout with a for sale sign on it. It's probably a former pissed off tenant. i'll pm the link to anyone who asks but i don't want to just share it here out in the open. +I was listening to this podcast from Harvard Business Review https://hbr.org/ideacast/2017/02/why-you-should-buy-a-business-and-how-to-do-it.html + +They talk about how people find and buy established small businesses which can generate a very large income. This seems a lot less riskier than a start up. Considering I am in a management role and making pennies compared to what the owner of the company is making, this seems like a really appealing next step. + +Would this be a realistic way to achieve fatFIRE in a relatively shorter timespan and a regular 9-5? Anyone want to share their experience? +When the squeeze happens, within 5 minutes the media (worldwide) will be unleashing a colossal tidal wave of faux-wholesome stories like "Everyone is now selling GME at a *high* price, good for them!", "Did you buy GME on a whim? Get selling quick before it's too late!", "Look what these GME millionaires are doing with their money!". There were a load of these rushed-out stories in Jan/Feb, even here in the UK. Those who aren't expecting this media onslaught might take this as an indication that the squeeze is squoze and sell up (or even partially sell up), potentially at a low price (like 9.9 million). Remember, the floor isn't for the media to decide- media reporting will be inaccurate and extremely disingenuous from almost all major sources because they all have global conglomerates to please. + +The good news is that this won't be a threat at all if we remember to treat it like any other FUD. Make sure we all steady ourselves to expect these stories that are almost guaranteed to occur all over the news/social media very, very quickly into the MOASS. +💎🙌 +I know I shouldn't sign up for those courses from guys promising they can teach us how to become rich while showing off their lambo. + +I just don't know whether some of the teachers, instructors and articles have the best intentions and are legit trying to help, so I end up having a hard time finding information that seems trustworthy. + +I see in the forex website there's an "Education" section. For sure I know that won't be enough to fully learn, but is it enough to kind of have an idea of to keep in mind when trading? At least to start using a demo account? + +Thanks for reading. +Hello, I'm a 26m and I recently was handed a cashiers check with 260k written on it. I have not cashed it in yet so I am looking around to see what I should do with it. + +I do not want to put money into real estate at this time in my life so I think I should invest most of the money. + +I have an Ally savings account and a Wealthfront account which I am debating putting most of the money because it sounds like it is hands off investing. I am afraid of losing the money somehow! + +I have no debt currently and save 1500$ a month from my job. + +Where should the money go? Thank you to anyone who took a few seconds to read this! Ask any questions you would like! +Hi everyone. Lots of great input across the board on this sub, so I was hoping to run a somewhat unique (I think) situation by folks to get some opinions. My partner and I currently live in an apartment in a HCOL city (NYC, SF). We're thinking about buying a home in a suburb (Greenwich, Mill Valley). We'd also like to keep our city apartment as a long term investment, as we think there will be significant long term appreciation and we are locked in to a great 30 yr mortgage with very reasonable property tax / HOA carrying costs. No kids for at least 3-4 years. + +&#x200B; + +* Early 30's. Both working in finance (think PE/Growth/VC) +* My cash take home: \~750k at the low end this year, likely growing 6-8% annually over the next few years as fund size grows and I get more senior +* Partner cash take home: $250k this year but a promotion happening later this year will bump that up to $350k +* This does not include significant carry and deal bonus payments (more on this below) +* Total NW currently: $2.1M. \~400k of equity tied up in the apartment, \~$600k in retirement accounts +* No major debt outside of mortgage ($700k) and a bit left on a car +* Truthfully we've not run an incredibly detailed budget, as we've just started sharing finances and we weren't earning this much until fairly recently. But I'd estimate we'll save at least $300k a year at this income level. Likely more but being conservative +* Here's where things get a bit interesting... I've got just under $10M of carry at my fund, with that figure growing to $18-20M in the next 18 months with a new fund close. \~6M of the 10 is currently vested in older funds that are performing very well +* Based on fund performance and estimated upcoming distributions, I'll be receiving \~$2.5M of carried interest payments, post tax, in the next 1-3 years. Considering how things are trending, likely $5-7M at the minimum over the next 3-5 years. After that is a total unknown, but given the significant carried interest dollars it could be $10M+, even if we have mediocre performance going forward. +* None of this counts deal specific bonuses, which could be in the $250-350k range this year + +The homes we are looking at are in the $2.7-$3.3M range. We are fully underwritten for a 2.9% jumbo with \~650k down. Are we insane for considering something like this? Would love some input here. We can definitely afford it based on our salaries, but a huge amount of our NW will be tied to a single metro's real estate, and we will have a very significant mortgage/tax bill each month. With that said, we have significant visibility to $5M+ of NW in a short timeframe, and $10M+ more likely in the next 3-5 years with upside to $20M+ if my fund performs. None of this counts carried interest my partner will be receiving at the new role. + +Thanks for reading! + +&#x200B; + +**Amazing feedback so far from everyone. Can't believe how in tune this sub is with issues I thought would be impossible to discuss anonymously online. Thank you.** +Hello all- + +First off, disclaimer: I feel incredibly stupid for not looking into this earlier. I grew up extremely poor, but we lived in an affluent area. I didn't have guidance and so whatever my friends did, I followed suit. Graduated HS in the top 5%, went off to a private college for my BS (STUPID), and then entered the workforce at 21 making 65k. Busted my ass off working full time and going to school full time- got my Masters at 23. This brings me to now -- + +I'm 27, married, and have a baby. My husband pays for our rent, groceries, utilities, etc. I only pay for my car. We'd like to buy a house in the next few years. We live in Massachusetts so HCOL for sure... + +**My yearly income: \~75k** + +**Retirement Account (Fidelity): \~$9k** + +**Student loan: \~130k** (I've paid off the loans in my name. This amount reflects the Parent PLUS loan under my mom's name. She has deferred it every year since I've graduated, and realistically, she could probably continue to defer it as she is low income. However, we both really want to pay it off just in case. Important note, I am not responsible for it, but I do want to contribute since it was taken out to help me) + +**Car payment: $425/month** + +**Goals: To buy a house, save money for my baby's future, save for retirement, and pay off that damn loan** + +As the title states, I have around $110k sitting in my checking account right now. I went into Bank of America the other day, and the bank clerk advised me to open up a savings account. This got me thinking about how poorly I'm managing my money + +**Questions:** + +1. Do you recommend moving some money into an Ally Bank savings account? Their rates seem significantly higher than other banks +2. Should I call Fidelity and speak to one of their advisors since I have an account with them through my job? What sort of things might I ask? (Edit: here, I mean- do they do financial advising?) +3. I've read here to max out Roth IRA and 401k. I do have a 403b account through my job- only putting in about $1300/year. How do I go about making a Roth IRA (ie through Fidelity?) +4. Should I even think about creating a 529 Plan for my kiddo or not yet? + +Thanks in advance for any guidance moving forward! +I was thinking about this recently, and typically the really basic questions I hear are like "how fast can you make $X?" "If I give you $100k, what would you be able to make?" "Can you manage my portfolio for free?" It's hard to answer these without clarifying several key concepts like risk, account size, and what's in it for me, so I think they are typically bad questions. + +What are some of these questions you get? It can be family, friends, or strangers online, or just something you read somewhere. +TLDR: Binance listed a new coin, it didn't work the way it should, delisted it and buyers are left with nothing. + +3 days ago Binance [listed GYEN](https://www.binance.com/en/support/announcement/0ef69e1d334c4d8c9ffbd088843bf2dd), a new stablecoin backed to the YEN currency. + +As soon as the token goes live, people buy in and price rises, which isn't supposed to happen to a stablecoin. Binance takes note of this and [suspends trading. +](https://www.binance.com/en/support/announcement/2291f02b964f45b195fd6d4685db80bb) + +From there on out, radio silence. Binance has delisted GYEN and holders who bought the token are left with way less or nothing as to what they bought into. + +No one speaks about this. It's quite worrisome how they can just keep silent and make people forget any of this happened. + +Just look at the amount of people commenting on their [twitter post,](https://twitter.com/binance/status/1392455328613208065) so many people just got rugged out of the blue, on a "safe" exchange. + +The reason I made this post is to make you remember that no matter the safe a exchange feels, they too can just shut you down and leave you with zero. +Welcome to the Daily General Discussion thread of /r/EthTrader. + +*** + +Thread guidelines: + +- Please refrain from discussing non-Ethereum related tokens here. You are welcome to discuss altcoins in the Daily Altcoin Discussion thread. +- All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/about/rules/) apply here so please be familiar with them. + +*** + + Resources and other information: + +* Find the latest Altcoin Discussion thread in [this search listing](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/search?q=author%3Aautomoderator+title%3Aaltcoin&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all). + +* Newcomers who have basic questions about Ethereum can find answers by visiting /r/EthereumNoobies or our Ethereum Education wiki page, [see here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/wiki/education). + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. + +*** + +Enjoy! + +[Link](http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2017/msu-scholars-find-21-trillion-in-unauthorized-government-spending-defense-department-to-conduct/) + +Can someone ELI5 the USA deficit? What happens if the deficit continues to grow? Are the trillions of dollars of debt a red flag? Should investors worry as the deficit grows? +This is really long, but I wanted to be as complete as possible for those truly interested in the information. I had to do comment replies to this original post to complete my post because of so many words. It took me a couple of days to write this up. + +&#x200B; + +I have been living in Kuwait for the past 2 years and 9 months. I took a US government contractor job and am doing computer support on a US base in Kuwait. + +&#x200B; + +What got me here? + +I was making right at 6 figures in Florida doing the same job I am doing now in Kuwait. I was not getting the FIRE savings acceleration I wanted and being a government contractor I always wanted a slice of that sweet overseas money. I had a house and a girlfriend, but nothing really holding me back from taking a planned 1 year relocation to Kuwait. The money is over double here compared to what I was making in Florida, plus there are many perks. + +I also knew a few guys that had spent time in the Middle East and could answer all of my questions about life, safety and other general questions I had about Kuwait and Middle East life before making the plunge. I hope to cover some of this for you here. + +&#x200B; + +Let me clarify what I mean by the Middle East. I am speaking of safer locations and not direct war zones. I am specifically speaking of Kuwait, Dubai and Qatar. I am not speaking of nor am I recommending accelerating FIRE in a war zone. While lots of people live and work in these places as US gov't contractors and make legit money, these places carry too much risk to your physical and mental health. You can't benefit from FIRE if you get dead or emotionally scarred trying to solve for it. We are discussing a solution that carries at least a somewhat normal life with more limited amount of risk. I will explain further later. + +&#x200B; + +So before we get into what it is like, let's talk money. I am currently debit free minus a mortgage payment back home and am saving at a +-70% rate comfortably and have $200k saved so far. My savings goal is near completion: $300k not including retirement savings. I'm maxing out IRA and 401k and using Mint to help me track account balances as well as using it's Goals feature to track my savings goal that is made up of a few different accounts. + +I got a bit of a slow start saving over here as I paid off a good bit off debt upon first arriving and had initial living expenses in Kuwait to be covered like deposits, TV, bed couch, washing machine, etc. + +I plan to leanFIRE via the 300k saved mostly in VTSAX + 100k profit from selling my house that will also go to VTSAX or some other similar fund and live on a few acres of land in Florida that is already paid for. The key for me to leanFIRE is to have zero rent or mortgage payment. I will improve the land and live in a large shed already on the land allowing me to slowly self build a reasonable house without taking on any home debit. Power, water, and septic tank already exist on the property as well as a very basic and small standalone bathroom structure. I'll build as funds are available via 4 to 5% initial withdraw rate in addition to a part time job at Lowes or some other workplace that offers part time employee healthcare. I also plan to stay physically active and may start a small lawn mowing side hustle using basic lawn care tools which I already own. My days of sitting behind a keyboard for hours on end are hopefully behind me. + +I plan to keep 1 year's worth of expenses in a high yield savings account to avoid withdrawing investment funds during a dip or a short term market downturn. I acknowledge that my total saved is lower than a normal FIRE and my withdrawal rate is higher. Everything is fluid and adjustable. We will see how it goes. I also plan to spend a minimum of 1 month per year in another country staying in an affordable Airbnb type apartment and living like a local. + +&#x200B; + +Ok back to living in the Middle East and why I think it is something worth considering for those that are hankering for a bit of adventure or want to accelerate their FIRE plans. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +What are the perks? + +\#1. Excellent pay. The caveat for me is that I work more hours. I work 12 hour shifts 5 days per week. This sucks at first, but you get used to it. + +\#2. The tax benefit. Overseas workers spending the majority of the year overseas are exempt from paying income taxes on the first $103,900 of their income. However the tax rate is based on the full earned amount. For example if you are making 140k overseas and don't pay taxes on the first 103,900, you will pay taxes on the remaining $36,100 at the 140k tax rate. This tax exempt amount changes yearly, but this is a really nice perk. Subtract any tax deductions from that 36k as well by the way. You can also deduct overseas cost of living as well. (I think my overseas cost of living deduction is around $30k but look up Foreign Housing Exclusion for more info. Don't count on your tax guy to know about this unless he deals with overseas workers a bunch.) With that and tax deductible retirement contributions, you could easily avoid paying any taxes even if making well over 100k per year overseas. I am paid in dollars direct deposit into a US checking account. I am not paid in the Kuwaiti currency called the Kuwaiti Dinar (usually called KD). + +\#3. Easy access to awesome travel. This wasn't something I really considered until I got here and talked to coworkers that had been to some amazing places, sometimes even on a quick holiday weekend. This side of the world has lots to offer that is typically an expensive or miserably long flight from America, so rarely travelled by westerners. Places like Dubai, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Bali, Africa, etc are all really accessible from the Middle East. + +\#4. Safety. Put simply, it is safe in Kuwait. I can also speak for Dubai and Qatar. As Westerners we think the Middle East is a collection of AK's and militants, but I can tell you that could not be further from the truth in the countries I am speaking of. The people here are different from us, but also strive to be like us. Additionally, these countries are quite rich and money makes for less desperation, better policing and no desire to mess up a good thing. These countries also welcome tons of migrant workers. Tons! These migrant workers in Kuwait outnumber the Kuwaitis by a factor of three. They practically run the country's day to day ops. From customer interfacing at shops in a mall to managing the oil fields, to being a doctor or dentist. It is good to be a Kuwaiti. They are not taxed at all and are provided with pay scales from the government based on their family's bloodline. They all get paid, but some more than others. Same for the other countries mentioned. As for the migrants, well having migrant workers works really great here. They are checked (as was I) for criminal background and diseases and then allowed in to work. They generally work very hard at jobs the Kuwaitis do not want. Earning double or triple what they could earn back home and send the money back home to support their families. They don't interest themselves in crime. Nobody I know here has ever been the victim of any crime in any way in Kuwait. Zero. None. You can pull up stats somewhere online that will tell you than no American has been killed in Kuwait since 2001. I read that before coming, and this put my mind at ease. I could not say the same thing about my very small home town in the US. Not even for 1 month let alone nearly 20 years. That's not to say there is no crime here ever. The typical crime here is someone at home abusing their live-in maid. These ladies are often abused, controlled, sometimes murdered and paid very little. There is a problem here that Kuwait is addressing and abuses are not going unpunished with recent executions of those responsible for murdering a maid. + +Let's quickly address Iran. This is a bit of a concern with the escalation recently between them and us. We aren't necessarily in the line of fire, but it would be foolish to discount them as a threat to life of any American in a nearby country. Their coast is less than 50 miles from our coast. Kuwait does a really great job of staying out of Middle East problems though and tries to keep the peace among Arab nations. I don't know what the future holds. I can tell you I was more concerned about my safety a couple of years ago though.... When Trump briefly banned Muslims access into America, I could feel the stares when out in public. I was honestly a bit concerned that there would be some retaliation against me personally. That did not happen though and I have never felt that way again. I do get a few stares just because I am a white guy. The Kuwaitis that I have spoken to are always warm and friendly to me when they find out I am American and always mention their independence from Iraq and our assistance in that endeavour. I take no credit for this, but thank them and explain that I was in school at the time. They have a HUGE party every year and it makes me feel proud that our country among others helped free Kuwait from Sadam and that they still celebrate this freedom every year. + +\#5. Free housing. I am provided company housing or a stipend go find housing of my own. There are no utilities cost in Kuwait. Water, trash, sewer and electric are free for everyone here. + +&#x200B; + +Ok that sums up the major perks. Let me tell you more about life here. + +&#x200B; + +What is the weather like? + +It is HOT! Like cook food on your car's dashboard hot! One of my coworkers does occasionally cook cookies for us on her dash. Because of the heat, there are laws about working outside limited to morning and evenings. It is not always adhered to, but it exists. Also because of the heat most people don't go outside unless they have to during the day in summer. This causes nightly sundown rush hour on the roads. In winter, it can get a bit chilly and is generally windy here year round so it feels pretty darn cold. It typically rains a few times per year and can flood due to the sandy ground not being too absorbing of water and clogged storm drains that have filled with sand and debris throughout the year. There are dust storms several times per year and they are miserable. No real bugs to speak of. Some roaches inside, but few flies and I've never seen a mosquito here. Lots of street cats. Some street dogs, but these are rare because dogs are just less resourceful than cats and can't jump into dumpsters to find food scraps. I occasionally see herds of sheep and camels. They are not wild, they are managed by a person herding. Typically the person is sitting in a 4x4 truck used as a herding vehicle. Camels are always cool to see. They are just so funny looking. The locals eat the young camels from what I understand. I have never tried the meat. I think the ones I see often are used for camel racing, as I often see them with ropes or saddles. They race them using tiny robot jockeys with remotely operated cordless drills outfitted with whip attachments. + +&#x200B; + +Cleanliness - Kuwait is not as nice as Qatar and Dubai as far as infrastructure and cleanliness. There are some nice areas here, but the majority are not so nice with lots of trash and mess around and just general clutter. This is not always the fault of the locals though. There are lots of bad habits brought in by workers from outside of the country. Some have disregard for cleanliness and also disregard for any traffic laws or parking sanity. The roads are not maintained well and highways are not to American standards so highway exits come up fast and merge lanes are short. Google Maps works great here and is a damn life saver for getting around as well as routing around traffic jams. + +&#x200B; + +Food - This is a big part of travelling and being in another country in general. The food here is highly Americanized. They love American food especially burgers and most all of the big chain American restaurants are here and very busy. There are also traditional restaurants of course and I have partaken in some amazing Iranian food consisting of grilled chicken, yellow rice, some potato soup and flat bread cooked in an oven where the baker takes a wad of dough and throws it against the hot stone oven wall for cooking. Pretty awesome and tasty. They also love their date fruit over here. It is one of the few food items Kuwait produces. I understand now how sanctions impact a country that can't or doesn't produce for themselves. If Kuwait was sanctioned for food imports, we would all starve within a matter of weeks. Literally nothing is produced or made in Kuwait. + +As for groceries, we have you covered and the selection is different, but quite good. Some of the nicest (and some of the most disgusting) grocery stores I have ever visited have been in Kuwait. It is pretty much all here. Some product names you know and most you don't. If you recognize it, it was imported from the US and has a sticker reflecting this and a jacked up price as well. Want Ragu spaghetti sauce? No problem. That will be triple the price of what you'd pay back home. Excellent selection of fruits and veggies and the country of origin is always listed next to the price and can be quite interesting. Who knew they grew Mango fruit in Egypt....? Rice? Ya we got ya covered there. I have never seen so much rice selection. There is a whole wall dedicated to rice varieties. + +Typically I like to cook an Instapot full of some chili, soup or some other concoction that can go over rice and eat that for the week at work to save some bucks and get some decent nutrition. + +&#x200B; + +Gotta have a car - Driving can be a challenge. There are lots and lots of traffic jams, most of which follow no rhyme or reason and happen at hours you would not expect. The Kuwaitis normally have pretty nice cars and drive very fast and aggressively. Lots of trucks and SUVs here and interestingly, a ton of old Mercury Gran Marquis here. Like a lot lot of them. I guess they are just built like a tank and ride good on the crummy roads here. Also, there is little regard for fuel mileage, so they fit in that way too. I have seen zero hybrid cars here. (lots in Dubai though) I've heard there was a Tesla around, but never seen it personally. No official Tesla sales possible here to my knowledge, so I think that car was shipped in. Also any repair for a Tesla would have to be done in Dubai or fly a Tesla guy in special to do it. Nothing is impossible when you have money. + +When I first got here, it was nothing to see a car on the side of the highway that had been flipped, burned and generally looked like it was the worst wreck imaginable. They seem to have gotten lots more speed cameras over the years now though and this has slowed down the locals tremendously. Now it is rare to see a severely wiped out car on the side of the highway. As much as I hate speed cameras, they really do work in a country like this one. My work provides me a car to use free of charge including free gas. Gas prices are .085 KD per litre subsidized by the government. (About $1 per gallon) Every gas station has the same gas price and they are full service. You do not get out in the heat and pump your own gas here. + +&#x200B; + +Communication - Living day to day speaking only English is really easy here. Of course the native language is Arabic however all of the street signs are in Arabic and English and everywhere you interface with a business they all speak English. In some cases even the Kuwaitis must speak English in their own country in order to buy goods and services. + +&#x200B; + +Mosques and religion - There are lots of Mosques here. I heard somewhere that there should be a Mosque every 500 meters by law. I don't believe that, but they are a part of every day life. They are no issue with the exception of their loud speakers. You don't want to live next door to a Mosque unless you are Muslim. In some cases, you can live within earshot of two if you aren't careful. They have several bullhorn type loudspeakers mounted on the building and they call to prayer at all hours of the day and night depending on what the moon is doing and what they may be celebrating. Friday is their day of worship and the speaker will go for an hour straight at noon on Friday -in addition to the other prayer calls. You get used to it, but it is something to be aware of. They do have Christian churches here too and I have some hardcore Christian co-workers that feel they can do their thing without fear here. I don't know if there are any Buddhist temples or other religions openly practised here but I would assume that there are no issues with any of them. + +Ramadan - This is the big one in the Middle East. This is a month long religious devotion check or test of their faith. I don't know everything about it, but it follows the moon again and basically they do not eat or drink during the day during the month of Ramadan. Once the sun goes down, they eat and drink. Out of respect for their discomfort, non Muslims should not eat or drink outside during the day also. Eat and drink inside your home or apartment all you want. Restaurants and shopping malls have adjusted hours stay closed for the day and stay open later in the night because the people stay up all night to sleep away their fasting. Well there has to be a bit of logic here still and there are exceptions given for those doing outside work that need water, sick people, babies and pregnant moms. They are also supposed to abstain from sex during Ramadan. How does this affect a non-Muslim working here? We do not drink outside, do not eat outside and this includes in your car or even chewing gum. Don't do it. You can get arrested under some circumstances especially in ultra conservative countries like Saudi. I have heard Saudi actually has special Ramadan police forces ensuring compliance. -But we are not discussing Saudi here. + +Dubai within the last couple of years has relaxed their Ramadan policy. They now allow restaurants to be open any hours they want and serve food any time of the day, but serve the customers behind sheets or other media used for closing off the view from passers-by. They had to do this to help avoid shutting down their whole tourism industry during the month of Ramadan. Money trumps all in the end. + +Continued below +Dear Jason Calacanis, + +I just witnessed you giving unsolicited advice to retail investors in their 20s and 30s to not put 99% of their savings into the market and play it safe. You ask them to first buy a home, and save enough to pay for their kids college funds. + +Last I checked we do not live in the 1950s where you could a house with 2 years or so of your salary. You're asking people in their 20s and 30s to wait until they're in their 40s and 50s to buy their first home and *then* yolo whatever is left of their savings when they are boomer age. + +Oh, and one more thing. Did it occur to you that almost all of your profit from Robinhood comes from this "cult" yoloing their life savings into it. Fortunately, the cult will be migrating from your platform soon. + +Respectfully go fuck yourself, + +The cult of apes + +PS. Never understood why CNBC is obsessed with educating us the cult, after all we are the losers according to them, what do they have to lose? +TLDR: Don’t do business with Wells Fargo, ever. +Followup: I opened a CFPB complaint just so the matter can be looked at thoroughly. If they find no fault with the bank then so be it. + +I recently purchased a home through a local bank. I had used them previously with no issues and the rates were competitive. Everything went smoothly until it was time to fund the loan. Here is what happened: + +Closing is scheduled for Monday. I do the walkthrough Monday morning and sit down to sign all paperwork at the Title Company. Everything is signed, funds are wired and I receive the keys. + +I receive a phone call and email Monday evening after I leave work (can’t have my phone at work) stating that the bank is refusing the fund the loan. Apparently there was a mistake made on the closing disclosure and they require additional 1,700 wired to them. + +I immediately escalate to the Branch Manager after speaking to my Loan Officer who confirms the bank made a mistake on the closing disclosure but they will not fund the loan until they receive additional funds. + +The Branch Manager essentially said wire the difference or they won’t fund the loan and I’ll lose my EMD of 10K on the property and the property itself. + +So I was forced to wire the difference and sign an updated closing disclosure. Any thoughts on options of recourse on this? + +My realtor said they had never seen this in 20 years and we pushed back on signing an amended CD for several days but ultimately the EMD was at stake so I didn’t have a choice. + +Legally I feel as though the bank should be held responsible for its mistake considering they sent over incorrect paperwork, made multiple threats to defund the loan, etc. Am I being unreasonable? + +Edit More Info 1: The fee is question is a broker credit to me from my realtor. The bank accidentally doubled that credit. However, somehow when they doubled that credit it didn't show up as two separate line items. + +I think they "accidentally" rolled 1700 into another miscellaneous category and then made a separate line item for the actual 1700 which is why I thought everything was correct based on reviewing one line at a time. + +Edit More Info 2: I believe based on speaking to the bank, the error was caught at the "balancing" phase of the loan just before disbursement to "fund" the loan. + +Edit More Info 3: Lender in question was Wells Fargo. So steer clear, though most people already seem to based on similar past negative experiences. +Don't expect much to occur on the *chinese* market today. Evergrande is on the Hang Seng exchange (Hong Kong), not Shanghai. Hang Seng is still closed today. + +The Hang Seng market is still closed today for the mid autumn festival. I would expect the real action to occur once Hong Kong's market opens again after the break. + +Buckle up apes. There's some mad shit coming. + +Edit: HK market reopens tomorrow, Thursday 23rd. + +Edit #2: OK. I've seen the market wasn't closed yesterday. No need for 25 comments telling me so. The point of the post still stands. +**TL;DR: Alongside GME, you've had stocks like Sears or even Krispy Kreme Donuts have negative cost to borrow in the past. So it shouldn't happen...but it does. Because crime.** + +Edit 7: full disclosure this post was on rush mode, so def missed some info on this post that u/chai_latte69 clarified below. If anything else is wrong lmk! Don't want a post pushing up the sub if some misinfo, but I believe this is regarding the quote about Krispy's negative rebate rate (Sears example was a negative cost to borrow rate): + +>The dialogue on negative rebate rates is spiraling into tinfoil hat territory and not in the good way. The problem is that the borrow rate is being conflated with the rebate rate and also the directionality of the loan. To borrow a stock (also known as a short), the borrower must upfront some amount of money (also known as collateral). Much like your money in a savings account, the collateral earns interest (usually the Federal Funds rate which is considered the risk-free rate of return). **The negative rebate is broker lender telling the SHF borrower that we are not only going to keep the interest on your collateral, but you (SHF) also has to pay us more money.** An analogy would be the bank charging you money to have your money in an account (this is a hard concept to grasp in modern banking). + +Hey y'all, it's your friendly neighborhood throwawaylurker012, and I use porcupines for suppositories + +u/tartooth's had a wtf-worthy post circulating today about GME's cost to borrow (CTB) going fucking NEGATIVE, implying brokers might be **paying to have others short GME!** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/9r5iavzog4g81.png?width=901&format=png&auto=webp&s=fafc3fe12e8d6978ad6717c99b3ac29e2bc87e10 + +And credit to u/rondanator for the original find on their post, outlining that wtf-issue: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/0fnjnfm2h4g81.png?width=839&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f7dc629a26d8895d94823f6afc9ccaf81496881 + +So there definitely was a lot of question marks thrown up in the comment sections on these posts wondering whether it was a glitch, if Ortex fat fingered it, if they were too busy checking to see if the shelves in their office are tall enough to knock over the sprinkler system, you know the usual. + +**But as you now know dear apes, NOTHING IS A GLITCH.** + +I have been doing research on other shit (could be something, could be nothing, but it probably ends up being different animals to use as suppositories) and found a few exhibits bathed in our favorite condiment: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/9fxsw0lwh4g81.png?width=1335&format=png&auto=webp&s=84aaab14588ee415c68fea22109435272fd4c923 + +Now I could speed run and talk about less than confirmed cases like this discussion about Sears encountering a potential mini-sneeze in early 2017, with comments like this that are more akin to our regular views on GME's tick up from 0.01% to 1% or 5% on QuestTrade: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/t264i9r6i4g81.png?width=981&format=png&auto=webp&s=ed9e35d04efd24eda49c4fee7b2f5ecc77747d9b + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/r0dyr3sbi4g81.png?width=1004&format=png&auto=webp&s=7c33774b2ccac97676f613f70d334dc69d1c258b + +Or this paper by Baker Street Capital on Sears stock being shorted more than its total float (Hmmm where have I heard of that before? Maybe in an idiosyncratic stock?): + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/or052ahli4g81.png?width=1159&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7f97e36b90b8f0be2342deef7b898ce4d70a68f + +So this is all vanilla wtf-fuckery and still not as verifiable. + +Fair. So chew on this instead then! How's an SEC OIP Court decision back in 2013, against optionsXpress!: + +&#x200B; + +>**The OIP alleges that from at least October 2008 to March 18, 2010 (relevant period): (1) optionsXpress, Inc. (optionsXpress), willfully violated Rules 204 and 204T of Regulation SHO** – Regulation of Short Sales (Reg. SHO); (2) Jonathan I. Feldman (Feldman) willfully violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act, Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act, and Exchange Act Rules 10b-5 and 10b-21; (3) Stern caused and willfully aided and abetted optionsXpress’s and Feldman’s violations; and (4) optionsXpress caused and willfully aided and abetted Feldman’s violations. OIP at 2, 24-25 + +&#x200B; + +[Sears at the bottom list, alongside Citi, AIG and FAS](https://preview.redd.it/lxx1abmwi4g81.png?width=671&format=png&auto=webp&s=9703c9d6c982e196c8a4484ef3426589e83215f8) + +**Long story short, you had a then-small broker dealer (eventually bought out by Charles Schwab) that had some of its workers dipping their hands in mayo-filled crime as they did crime by writing synthetic longs** meaning: + +* Buy a call at a strike price on a given expiration date (-100 shares if assigned) +* Sell a put at same strike price at same expiration date (+100 shares if assigned) + +So +100 -100 = 0 shares actually delivered, or crime. (Thank you u/Lunar_Stonkosis for the correction here!) + +&#x200B; + +It was hedged by both selling ITM calls but also shorting the stock (Kenneth Cordelle Griffin's financial terrorist favorite!) **And they did this in hard to borrow securities, like AIG, FAS, and yes, Sears.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jqwr0czqq4g81.png?width=1194&format=png&auto=webp&s=71e06c417f394b06502e9b5f697aa7a0a8c64f41 + +**Here's proof of the fact that negative cost to borrows can exist and aren't crime unicorns according to Brendan Sheehy, an expert witness called in the case:** + +&#x200B; + +>**Sheehy’s experience has been that most people who borrow hard-to-borrow stocks pay a negative or extremely expensive rate to do so**. Sheehy believed that Feldman’s buy-write strategy allowed him to profit because he was able to maintain a short position without having to pay for borrowing hard-to-borrow shares . +> +>It considered the borrowing expense a cost of doing business; however, as a matter of policy, it would not borrow shares where the borrowing cost was above the threshold of a negative one percent. **The cost of borrowing “hard-to borrow shares” was typically very high, much higher than negative one percent** + +Here's e-mail proof of them discussing it with regards to Sears: + +&#x200B; + +>On October 27, 2008, at 8:36 a.m., Tortorella sent Payne and Snyder an e-mail with “Today’s CNS buy-ins.” Payne responded to Tortorella’s e-mail with copies to Molnar and Snyder, “Is there a timeline you want these closed out by since the markets already open? I have been letting them close out by the end of the day. +> +>At 8:42 a.m., Molnar e-mailed Strine: **Kevin, Can you give some clarification when we need to cover our CNS fails. Is it by the opening, or anytime today as long as the position is covered? These are fails that were not covered on Friday, and now we have a T+4 CNS fail.** +> +>**On November 5, 2008, Bottini e-mailed Molnar asking whether Sears was really hard to borrow.** Bottini also asked, “If the firm account gets assigned on short calls will that trigger an immediate buy/in?” +> +>Molnar responded: +> +>**" Yes, SHLD is very hard to borrow. It is at a negative rate.** I’m getting what the rate is currently. Since we have an open CNS fail and as soon as we buy to cover, the customer shorts a call which gets assigned immediately, we are in a vicious cycle. Prior to the new short call rule, we had a window with Reg SHO. If we were able to get the CNS fail to zero for one day, the Reg SHO clock would get reset to a new 10 days. Unfortunately now we have to cover any CNS fail immediately. I think we should comment to the SEC regarding covering shorts from the result of an option assignment (not put exercise because the customer is controlling). The assignment has no impact on the market because the short is based entirely on the strike price. The CNS fail created by the customer short is protected on our side by Reg T requirements, and the customer would still be subject to CNS buyin rules. +> +>**This just in, SHLD is at a neg rate of the high 50’s .** + +The footnote makes damn sure you well know they're not lying: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/pvztv3zjk4g81.png?width=741&format=png&auto=webp&s=24afd341b0ab8f73af86da34621a70db2beae708 + +So bam, proof it exists and Ortex can't weasel out of it saying it doesn't. + +I'll do you one more. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/4b2dfeioo4g81.png?width=2760&format=png&auto=webp&s=5bbec8430f66921cf3fbaa9a95ec2722f35fd472 + +Back before Krispy Kreme Donut traded under DNUT, it traded under KKD and it had INSANE borrowing costs. Just like how GME and Sears had high borrowing costs. Literally, even fucking Wikipedia says this for it's "short (finance)" page: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/dynwkp60l4g81.png?width=1601&format=png&auto=webp&s=a34fca08c836a78ddd03dd9254bd519cca84873e + +I mean it was fucking bad, look at it standing alongside some RegSHO greats (like Overstock!) on this SEC docu discussing stocks that have been on the Threshold List a long ass fucking time: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/9nw2fq3yl4g81.png?width=911&format=png&auto=webp&s=ccaadc23ada927d9431f4e092d8d8e9182352f42 + +Yet, Wikipedia isn't good enough so here's a 2001/2002 paper from the Journal of Financial Economics and was referenced by Nera here ([https://www.nera.com/content/dam/nera/publications/archive2/PUB\_Short\_Sale\_Constraints\_0413.pdf](https://www.nera.com/content/dam/nera/publications/archive2/PUB_Short_Sale_Constraints_0413.pdf)): + +*Note this is where I imagine chai is clarifying that negative rebate rate =/= negative cost to borrow:* + +&#x200B; + +>**Fewer than 1% of stocks (roughly seven per month) on loan become extremely** +> +>**special, demanding negative rebate rates (i.e., loan fees in excess of the risk-free** +> +>**rate).** Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Palm Inc. are examples of such stocks, +> +>exhibiting loan fees as high as 50% and 35%, respectively. + +[https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.409.150&rep=rep1&type=pdf](https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.409.150&rep=rep1&type=pdf) + +So yeah, shit can happen. Cause the secret ingredient. + +**TL;DR: Alongside GME, you've had stocks like Sears or even Krispy Kreme Donuts have negative cost to borrow in the past. So it shouldn't happen...but it does. Because crime.** + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: Just pulled up KKD's old ticker and historical FTDs and WTFFFFF you LITERALLY cannot even see the price back when it first started trading: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/p4zv1pz3n4g81.png?width=1351&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f145fe59df73ecf1a64be2bad7583539e45d47d + +EDIT 2: If you're interested, NYU had a lecture on hard to borrow securities that heavily featured Krispy Kreme Donuts. Here's the link, from a 2009 class. I woulda posted it earlier but freaking wth reddit: [https://www.math.nyu.edu/\~avellane/Lecture13Quant.pdf](https://www.math.nyu.edu/~avellane/Lecture13Quant.pdf) + +Some great slides like: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/u3otgnk7p4g81.png?width=1001&format=png&auto=webp&s=c9f8bc6fef544a3d890db2f9cda785d598b6c043 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/1xl5emedp4g81.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=3e40bdc7b4b1d69bf4ca85bb08f56ad4760e2b66 + +It fucking squeezed or some shit from being so hard to borrow and even reached a high of $200! + +Also this chart is alllll the fucking proof you need that negative cost to borrow rates exist. Don't let Ortex gaslight us: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ko6xqf8np4g81.png?width=1099&format=png&auto=webp&s=a8a88760b96a417d8086dcda4ff901bba69cc2f0 + +EDIT 3: words, pictures, bolding + +| + +EDIT 4: potential shill DM about this post during reddit going down wuz here + +Edit 5: Removed shill DM bit. At this point, it's speculative and only worth mentioning to mods or mentioning if keeps happening. This post shouldn't be about my DMs but the sweet sweet sound of powerpoint slides proving Krispy Kreme fucking sneezed like our one and only while having negative cost to borrow rates + +https://imgur.com/gallery/mPz52zF + +&#x200B; + +Here's another sfh purchased early this year for 151k and did 0 rehab. I put 10% down plus closing costs around 19k total down payment. I'm now recieving 21k back at closing so pretty much all my money . Home is rented for 2700 a month and mortgage is 1700 . + +There's always ways to make money guys just be persistent. + +The story on this one is I find it on facebook and the house has just been remodeled . The realtor is extremely lazy and they wanted 180k but I knew its worth minimum 220k I tell her look its a cash closing and you get both commisions. She pushes it hard to seller and we closed 2 weeks later with a loan. + +On the low end I expect to profit 7k a year on this property with 0 capital invested and I gained around 60k equity to add onto my net worth just by taking on some debt and allowing my tenants to payoff my properties for me. + +&#x200B; + +Good luck out there and don't let the people who own 1 or 2 homes discourage you from investing. I'm 3 years away from my goal of 40 million in real estate rentals. No reason to stop no matter what the market is and when i refinance deals like this I'll cash flow around another 400 a month so eagerly waiting for rates to drop again. + +&#x200B; + +This family of 4 adults earns 240k a year and have no issue paying the rent. + +&#x200B; + +I have another 7 brrr I just refinanced in the last 60 days just been really busy but I'll post them soon enough and have another 6 refinances in the next 2 months. + +I forgot to add im buying another 148k property in 2 weeks so I'm effectively putting this money into new home. Increasing my cash flow another 700 by recycling this capital. + +This home was also on Facebook for 7 days and most of the people were fthb but didn't have the money etc. The realtor was really annoyed with the inquiries being bs from so many people. +I'm both French and American meaning that I am a US Person . This means I can be both taxed by France and the US although in reality I would owe 0 to the US as french taxes are higher and can be subtracted to my US taxes. + +I've wanted to trade for a while but every app I use ask me if I am a US Person, when I say yes the apps automatically refuse my sign up. I was wondering what are the risk I could get for "omitting' that information as I wouldn't be buy much stocks. + +The other options are renouncing being American (no, especially since it cost +3000 dollars) or going on apps that authorize US People. Problem is those apps ask for information such as a US address or things that I do not have because I've never lived there. + +Is there a real risk I register on an app as a non US Person ? +Where do you end up paying less taxes generally (taking into account wage differences(edit)? + +Also, would you ever consider moving countries in order to save taxes / save more money? + + +To start, I’ll give you a small clip of a recent podcast with Vitalik (creator of Ethereum) talking about Zkrollups and how he thinks Loopring is the solution for Ethereum problems of scaling and gas fees (fees from using etherium). + +https://youtu.be/XW0QZmtbjvs + +I recommend this bit from 1hr:14:00 to 1hr:17:40 to understand Loopring and ZkRollups from his words. + +The whole Rollups section is very interesting. +The whole video is also very nice for apes with more patience :) + +Let me explain in a simple version about the future of markets, finance and GME. + +People are often seeing crypto as a casino to go in there and bet to make money, not actually basing themselves on the project fundamentals. + +Fundamentals in a project is what makes the project (their approach to solve a need), the service/product they are providing, how is gonna perform towards the future and how is providing the solution for that need. + +Right now everyone has a need for a different financial sector due to the current market being corrupt and manipulated based mostly in politics and whatever the fed, HF, whales and central banks do with it. + +That completely disconnect the market from the fundamentals and performance of the projects/companies. + +So there is an urgent need to move to decentralized and bring back more democracy and global consensus instead of the 0.00001% controlling everything. + +Cryptos L1 (like Bitcoin or Ethereum or basically all cryptos) have 2 big problems. + +1: transaction speed (Bitcoin can do 7 transactions per second, Etherium 30 per second), compared to MasterCard that does 5000 per second, can’t be a viable option to use for a lot of people or a lot of transactions, will create a massive queue of transactions that also bring to number 2. + +2 transaction fees (gas fees) are priced based on supply and demand, transaction queues will leave to have a constant high demand but low supply of transactions, making them too expensive and a lot of the time even more expensive than the digital/real asset you with to purchase. + +Loopring created a winzip like tool by creating a off chain copy of a blockchain with massive scale ability (up to 400k transactions per second), then bundle all the transactions that happen on that L2 blockchain and send it to Etherium in massive batches, splitting the cost to all the transactions, make in it super cheap. + +Transactions in L2 are super fast since is in a off chain blockchain while zkrollups allow to be that bridge to get the L2 constantly verified and validated by the entire L1 of ethereum everytime those batches occur. + +This is the future of currency, finance and NFTs. Basically what finance can do, this can do it much better, while keeping the transparency and high security of a blockchain consensus based of ethereum, also while maintaining democracy and avoiding creating bubbles or synthetic shares. + +Keep in mind that there is something so beautiful on those projects and marketplaces, the market place doesn’t work for one institution or person (like a bank and CEOs), they work for the system itself. + +Let’s say you are a singer or have a band and your band releases your album but instead of selling it using dollars (fiat), decided to sell it using their tokens in L2. They split that song in 1million pieces, first songs are sold for $1 worth of the token at the start. + +Out of that $1 80% will go back to the entire network of owners of that band/album tokens, 70% of those are spread across everyone and 10% is burnt to keep reducing the supply increasing the net worth. The last 20% will go to the creator/artist, always, always that ratio. + +So if you are part owner of any piece of that song/album, everytime someone comes in or transaction that specific song, EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT from it. + +That is decentralized finance. That’s based on fundamentals, and that true value of investment, you believe in the band/artist, and the more sales and transaction and more popular becomes, more value will bring back to the entire network. + +This is where GME comes in. + +Not only bringing top expertise on blockchain and NFTs, but seen ahead to the future (I based this on Ryan Cohen long friendship with finestone). + +GME is gonna be the first massive project of this, already been tested and working on Loopring L2 (you can check yourself). + +The possibilities are endless, but let’s keep it simple with one example. + +Let’s say that there is a new Mario Bros battle royale, they decided to create 10 million copies of it and release them as an NFT. + +$10 worth of GME coins in the GME L2 marketplace. + +With those $10 you can play the game, but also you own part of the project, you can decide and participate in new updates and items released so give you more power towards the game. + +But also, if the game succeeds, the tokens you have by selling the game (if you decide to do so) will be more valuable against those initial ($10), because now the game market cap is gonna be bigger and we know decentralized market spread the spoils of sales to everyone that has that coin. + +Also, limiting the amount of copies will create that when all the copies at base rates are sold, a auction market for the copies will be the only way to purchase that game and getting into the project, then when there is higher demand and little supply, boom! The price of the copies are gonna increase. + +The NFT can store data, so in your copy of the game you can have the items you unlocked or purchased in game or save files, making your game unique and more/less valuable. + +Also, if this copy was owned originally by Ryan Cohen or any person that is famous, you can see it and confirm it on the blockchain and that will also will give added value to those transactions in the market place, making those copies more valuable. + +For every of those transaction no matter the prices are trade on, benefits THE ENTIRE NETWORK OF FANS and owners of the game. + +Also keep in mind that this system is lot more intelligent than any other financial transaction, these transactions are smart contracts, meaning that you can set specific rules for the transactions. + +For example, I can limit a copy of the game to be sold only 5 times and if sold a 6th time will self destruct, or can be only trades once every 5 days, or that the increases on price can only go up by 5 tokens at the time (controlling volatility) and so on, the list goes on with unlimited possibilities. + +TLDR: This is the future, and true financial democracy. GME is set to be the pioneers of this new technology that Vitalik himself (Ethereum creator) sees as the future. + +Above you will find a very easy to understand explanation of what is happening, why and how is happening with real examples. + +Please share for people that don’t understand what blockchain is and educate a bit about the future of possibilities. + +This is what I think they meant by + +POWER TO THE CREATORS +POWER TO THE PLAYERS +POWER TO THE COLLECTORS + +If any of you guys have any questions, I’ll be more than happy to answer. :) + +🍉 is out. + +Edit: Changed a mistake, ethereum is 30 transactions per second as opposed to 13 transactions per second. + +Edit 2: someone made a very good question so I this is the reply to clarify doubts. + +Question is : All you talk about is scarcity and value increase. Why would that be desirable and sustainable? + +My answer : + +The point is not about the actual increase or decrease of your value, in reality this is a replacement of banks. + +Let’s say you have $100 in your bank account sitting in there, that money goes to the market cap of the bank as an organization since they can “use” that money for themselves and you trust them with the keeping it, they don’t keep it. + +With inflation today (6.2%) your money by sitting still “in the bank” is actually losing value at that rate. + +That’s why the more money you have the most likely is for you to invest it in things that at the very least give you that 6.2% of your losing value back. Usually invested in government bonds which suppose to be “safe” and “low risk” since they are backed by the government and the government haven’t default ever yet. So you put your trust that at the end they will give you your money back plus your yield (6.2% or more). + +So even tho you have your $100 in your account, anything else around is going up at an inflation rate (6.2%), and suddenly your buying power is less, less things you can buy with the same $100 dollars. + +The bank used your $100 And let’s say they doubles that money (the on average get lot more than double), but doesn’t give you back anything really, probably a very tiny % of returns for you storing your money in the bank, a lot of the time they charge you fees and actually take even more money and value from you. + +This is the current system, helps the banks and big institutions with your money. Increasing the value of everything else also by printing counterfeit “legal” money at the FED and they call it QUANTITIVE EASING. + +So there is a reason and need for a currency to grow in value to keep up with everything growing in value around it. + +The token L1 will need a counter party currency to be exchanged (most common is US Dollar that use the fiat system). Blockchains have limited supply of token (a set amount of tokens), and the more currency injected to it (US dollars for example), the more market cap of that blockchain of tokens (ethereum cap is currently 250 billion) and the number of tokens supplied for ethereum is 117.7 million tokens/pieces. You divide those numbers and should give you the price per piece. + +The more people get into buying ethereum for example the bigger the market cap so bigger the price discovery. + +Edited: better example :) + +Let’s imagine this situation. + +In the current world we have: + +The singer will go to a label to promote his album, manager, Spotify, YouTube, etc, and they usually take the larger amount of the deals. + +Now let me explain better how the model would work with NFTs DAOs. + +A singer make one song and sell it to me in let’s say $1 and put in the contract that each time that song is resold the singer gets 80% of the profit and 20% goes to the seller. + +So I sold the song to somebody else, then in this case the singer get $1 from my original sell plus $.80 from my sell. I get 20% of it. everytime the song is resold, 80% goes to the artist and 20% goes to the seller in the network. No middle man like Spotify or Apple Music and the artist always gets its part and 20% for the seller. You can do it on and on and on with always 80-20. You had the song, listened to it and when you sell that. The owner will be the singer but everyone can listen to the song which is the product, like games. + +There are other models in which you can do 70% to the singer, 20% for the reseller and burn 10% of the albums with that extra 10% of money to reduce the amount of supply of copies and making it more exclusive. Increasing the amount of sales :) + + +You can make it 50-50, 40-50-10, it’s up to the project and the project goals. No one is forced to buy anyway and if the project is too greedy or doesn’t benefit everyone so you are free not to join. + +I think this explains it better so I’m gonna add it to the post :) + +This are smart contracts and you can customize it according to what you need. Don’t forget that. + +In comparison to the financial system we currently have, you put money in the bank and they use it for their market cap to make more money for themselves, giving you crumbs and you never owned a piece of the bank, but you did “invest in them” by putting your money in for them to play with. + +With blockchain you put your money in, you actually own a part of the project and the project success is shared with everyone equally and proportionally of your stake of course. So makes it easier to beat inflation and not letting others benefit from using your money to trade. + +Edit 3: there was another question to help apes clarify this. Why Loopring? What LRC has to do with all this? + +This is my answer: + +They are the ones and first that created a Zkrollup, that is a key component on how the interaction between L1 and L2 works, it’s the tool that compresses the off chain interactions from L2. + +Like Vitalik explained in the video, takes only the validation part of the NFT taking just a minimal part of data to verify in the L1 of ethereum which is the most secured one and will be even more secure the bigger it gets with the coming of eth 2.0 and sharding (multiplying eth 1.0 multiple times and connecting all in the network making huge scaling). + +Then they take all the minimal parts together (of each transaction in L2 off chain) and compressed them into lot less, making the cost of each transaction also be reduced by that amount of compression. + +That’s how you can make a L2 transaction of NFTs (of everything that has value in them and are validated of ownership in the ethereum blockchain ledger) cost cents, I’ve seen the current Loopring L2 in developments and tested constantly cost cents, I haven’t seen a transaction of a dollar yet and I’ve been monitoring it, and big movements transactions to Ethereum and fiat (US dollars). + +Hope that clears your mind and expand it ;) + +Hope this helps. + +Edit 4: thank you for all the awards apes, let’s share this out and get everyone educated about the future, it’s gonna be amazing! Apes are gonna be first too!!!! + +Buy, Hold, DRS and learn is what I do. :) + +I like to keep it simple stupid - DFV a value investor based on fundamentals. + +Source for the 30TPS for Ethereum, some other courses claim 13TPS, still pretty low for the needed demand in eth 1.0 + +https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thestreet.com/crypto/.amp/ethereum/ethereum-2-upgrade-what-you-need-to-know +I’m in my mid 40’s and I’m seeing what feels like the light at the end of the tunnel with regards to my corporate working life. Saved and invested heavily my entire career. Hoping to FIRE by 52. I’ve felt similar optimism before...in the Fall of 2007. We all know what happened shortly thereafter. I didn’t look at my investments for a couple of years apart from annual rebalancing and making sure my 15% 401k contributions continued to accumulate shares. + +This FIRE community appears to be thriving these days and I can’t help but recognize that the current state of the markets are the catalyst. I wasn’t aware of the community during 2008-2009. What was it like then? Will this board go silent if we have a 50% drop event again? +**TL:DR I have now registered my song, The Tendieman, to be played on the radio. I am in contact with a fellow ape (** u/HelloYouBeautiful **) who has contacted radio stations AROUND THE WORLD to play this song for all to hear on Wednesday 6/9 (P.S. He and I have a non-monetized agreement). BUT this is where I need a hand. We need people to contact these stations telling them that YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE TENDIEMAN. We can only convince the stations to play the song initially. Contact info, times, and radio stations will be listed at the bottom of this post. You can also call in to your own local stations and request they play The Tendieman as well. More calls = higher chance of it being played.** + +&#x200B; + +I made The Tendieman ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9oI\_8YG6Vs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9oI_8YG6Vs)) during the warm up squeeze back in late January. It gained a lot of traction around the world and brought a lot of eyes to this wonderful stock. Since then, large media outlets have been trying to lead the average person astray, citing their years of expertise and knowledge of the market. As an average Joe, you'd have no reason to think they're wrong. But we all know THEY ARE and they are deliberately skirting around the whole truth so that their sponsors can make more money. + +&#x200B; +Surprised pikachu +[u\/jkz69](https://preview.redd.it/6rf0f2u412471.png?width=959&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c71400405694183fe16cd3bbe10037091385347) + +SO, to help spread the truth or at least bring more of the public's eyes on this, I will be submitting The Tendieman to radio stations around the world to play on the day of the shareholder's meeting. Not all of the stations we've contacted were keen to play it BUT YOU CAN STILL REQUEST THIS SONG FROM YOUR LOCAL RADIO STATION. The more requests, the more likely they will play it. @ them on Twitter with #Tendieman and maybe we can get it trending! + +&#x200B; + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Here are the radio stations that will be playing The Tendieman + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +*This is in chronological order for the time of day it will be broadcast.* + +&#x200B; + +# Airing Date: Wednesday, June 9th + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Blunt Radio UK Digital Only - (Times below)** + +[Blunt Radio times](https://preview.redd.it/19ps6edd12471.png?width=323&format=png&auto=webp&s=31f2abe0eb196a7003313e8f5de06241ec9d3a24) + +They will be playing the song 11 times tomorrow AT 20 PAST DURING EACH OF THESE HOURS! EVERYONE WILL GET THEIR 4:20! Tune in live here [https://www.bluntradio.co.uk/listen-live-blunt-radio-uk](https://www.bluntradio.co.uk/listen-live-blunt-radio-uk) + +* Email: [studio@bluntradio.co.uk](mailto:studio@bluntradio.co.uk) +* Twitter: [https://mobile.twitter.com/weareblunt](https://mobile.twitter.com/weareblunt) +* Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/wearebluntradio/](https://www.instagram.com/wearebluntradio/) +* Snap: [https://www.snapchat.com/add/weareblunt](https://www.snapchat.com/add/weareblunt) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Puls FM 91.9 & 104.1 - Sweden ( 11am CET,** **5am EST)** + +Tune in a bit early for this one if you speak Swedish! The DJ will have a few words to say about the sub! The song can also be heard live digitally here: [https://pulsfm.se/](https://pulsfm.se/) Immediately after The Tendieman, he will play Billionaire by Bruno Mars. u/pinkcatsonacid :) + +* E-mail: [info@pulsfm.se](mailto:info@pulsfm.se) **&** [varberg@pulsfm.se](mailto:varberg@pulsfm.se) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Kiss FM 104.7 (maybe 104.1) Alabama & Georgia - (Played 5 times at some point throughout the day)** + +This station covers a very large area in both Alabama and Georgia. From Atlanta to Montgomery, check it out if you're in the area! + +\*These guys weren't very cooperative and didn't give us much information. It may be either of those two stations. But as u/ccolemantcb said, 104.7 is a Christian station so IDK. Their website is also down :/ [**www.kissradio3.com**](https://l.instagram.com/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kissradio3.com%2F&e=ATP70Ee8kLskVPuP7xTD3I7Ff51KbsHbu-vIcfPxChlcldiIqZOFP7V3mE_ocVd2XH72lQih4CH-WKOT93SuZuw&s=1) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Live562 - Long Beach, California (4:20PM PST, 7:20PM EST)** + +[This was their first reation when we contacted them. These guys are APEs. \(They also moved out of Robinhood\)](https://preview.redd.it/z2f2u88o12471.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=e4137ac911d967a8f356eef2cb7f5d13bcd47f6b) + +[Nice](https://preview.redd.it/9a0xxmnw12471.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1493e95ef958fd961a9b4b3c6acf4771818a1dc) + +Live562 couldn't stop complaining about a certain *bulgarian boy* owned broker, so they agreed to air this at 4:20PM, LA time. Please tune in a bit before, as I've heard some rumours that the DJ has some words he wants to say to you guys. They have also promised to keep the song in rotation the next 5 days (minimum). + +* Phone: +1 (562) 999-1477 +* Website: [https://562live.com/](https://562live.com/) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Z Radio Live Digital Only - (4:20pm EST)** + +Digital radio based out of New York will play The Tendieman at 4:20pm EST. They will include an intro with a shoutout to the sub as well. Tune in live here: [https://zradiolive.com/](https://zradiolive.com/) + +* Phone: (516)-537-8570 +* E-mail: [ZRadioLive@ZLFProductions.com](mailto:ZRadioLive@ZLFProductions.com) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Gridlock Radio WUGR 103.1 FM - Miami, Florida (4-5pm EST and again 5-6pm EST)** + +Gridlock is a small radio located in Southern Florida, they broadcast FM and also digital on: [https://www.gridlockradio.com/](https://www.gridlockradio.com/) + +* Twitter: [https://twitter.com/gridlockradio?lang=en](https://twitter.com/gridlockradio?lang=en) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**Wili & Wili-FM 95.3 & 98.3 - Willimantic, Connecticut (around 5pm EST)** + +Listen live at http://player.listenlive.co/38431 or tune into 98.3 Wili-FM locally + +* Website: https://www.hitmusici983.com/ + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**South American Radio Stations (not at a specific time BUT once every 6hrs for a week)** + +&#x200B; + +**Rumba FM 105.4 (Colombia)** + +* Website: [https://www.rcnmundo.com/](https://www.rcnmundo.com/) + +&#x200B; + +**Mega Hits (Venezuela)** + +* Website: [https://radioparallevar.com/megahits/](https://radioparallevar.com/megahits/) + +&#x200B; + +**Fiesta FM (Ecuador)** + +* Website: [https://radioparallevar.com/fiestafm/](https://radioparallevar.com/fiestafm/) + +&#x200B; + +**Kiss FM (Perú)** + +* Website: [https://radioparallevar.com/kissfm/](https://radioparallevar.com/kissfm/) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +*P.S. Any revenue I may get from this goes directly back into GME, like all donations I get.* +It’s free work. Done 500x faster than they ever could. They would of never found the 1M puts or if anything it would of been years. + + I can’t imagine being a HF and having a absolute machine like this sub coming after you. They dig up peoples personal past(Fieri DDD episode for 100k), spy on you at night while you’re pacing in your office, and find every single move you’re doing before you can say “more Mayo pls”. + +RIP these SHF. + +Trading is a tough game isn’t it? +I'm a 33F and have never moved out of my parents house, so I've managed to save about $200K. I'm having a crisis still living at home and would love to invest in real estate but I live in Cali (LA area) so it's impossible trying to buy property here right now. + +I only earn about $60K before taxes. What is the wisest way to invest my savings into real estate? Something that will allow me to move out of mom's house without blowing all my savings on rent. I would prefer not to move out of state, but I'm open to buying a rental property out of state if it makes sense. + +I must reiterate that I am not smart AT ALL. It is very difficult for me to retain any information I learn and to understand concepts in general. So go easy on me please. +Im new to trading and wondering exactly when do we pay our taxes? Is it at the end of the year or month ? Because if its at the end of the year how do you manage that? I mean it has to be on your winnings so do you guys set aside a portion of your winnings in a separate account ? +Hi everyone, + +Giving fare warning that I am posting a video that I have made. I have been a long time lurker to this community and many of the people here have been extremely helpful to me. This is a passion project of mine that I think would be very useful to others on this sub, but if I am out of line by posting please let me know. + +Based on the sub rules - "Feel free to post links to your own content (within reason). But if that's all you ever post, or it always seems to get voted down, take a good hard look in the mirror — you just might be a spammer. A widely used rule of thumb is the 9:1 ratio, i.e. only 1 out of every 10 of your submissions should be your own content.". I fully plan on abiding by this. + +I am starting a Youtube channel called "Money Minute." The idea of the channel is creating quick whiteboard videos to teach people about personal finance concepts and go into examples of how important proper personal finance is. + +My first video is called "the tale of two millionaires" and shows an example of two index investors. At this stage in my channel (I literally just uploaded this first video) I am really looking for honest feedback about video topic, how to improve the quality of the content, and general suggestions on how I can best educate others about financial planning. + +I hope this post isn't taken the wrong way, please let me know if you have feedback for me! + +&#x200B; + +Video link: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIxy2-ppDks](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIxy2-ppDks) +Someone please explain me this. What type of agreements they do with Equity Firms? + +How can a company will benefit if a firm buys their stock from Secondary market or did they buy during IPO in CCD's case ? +I'm reposting and adding an Addendum at the top. A number of the comments on my Original DD found here [Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/suvxgc/hot_potato_through_the_tunnel_under_the_border_a/) asked me to repost to get more discussion going on this concept. That's all I am hoping to get, is more discussion going so I can continue my research into how this functions. + +Additionally I've added the definition of Kiting. I believe this is a key concept that needs to be explored further, to understand why short positions have never been covered and or closed. I believe it is certainly not American Markets that are complicit in this fraud, and it is my honest belief that Canada plays equally in the Naked Short Manipulation that GameStop has been subject to. + +&#x200B; + +***Intro*** + +I am not providing financial advice nor am I a financial advisor. I’m a truck driver. If you think this constitutes advice, you may need a helmet and a 5-point harness for this ride…. Literally. + +This is my first legitimate attempt at DD and even then, I’m only putting it up because I don’t have the wrinkles to continue this research any further. I’ve posted one of these articles in here before to very limited applause, but Canada seemingly pops up numerous times as facilitating the Naked Short thesis. Also keep in mind the ongoing discussions surrounding Cayman Islands corporations, Zombie companies, SSR and how it never has any effect, as well as the fact that shorts never covered. + +Let me very clear…. My brain is smooth. I don’t have the investigative wherewithal to continue digging into this further the way the Superstonk community can. I’m merely presenting what I have found in the hopes that this ignites the community to continue pushing forward. My personal legal interpretation experience all relates to traffic law so it's quite possible that I don't know shit about fuck. + +**Please. For the Love of APE I need you to understand that I WANT TO BE WRONG. Fucking debunk me actually though! Constructive Criticism is incredibly welcome!** + +I know that a lot of people are comfortable or zen with the level of DD that has been completed thus far, especially in the wake of current events and what their implications may mean. I am not one of those apes, and in the sphere of the current situation I think it’s important that the community looks through the Canadian landscape of Legal Naked Short Selling and Banking Secrecy laws that certainly provide some concrete evidence that the manipulation may include Canada “the money laundering capital of the world” + +Ultimately, I’m more looking for this to be expanded on more than anything else, I want to not be right about the rife abuse where I live, but I can’t find anything related that clarifies that these things have changed here. + +**1.** **Cellar Boxing DD opens a personal Pandora’s Box** + +If you're new here and you haven’t read it yet : [https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/pmj9yk/i\_found\_the\_entire\_naked\_shorting\_game\_plan/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/pmj9yk/i_found_the_entire_naked_shorting_game_plan/) + +5 Months ago u/thabat wrote one of the communities defining DD's that revolved around the idea of Cellar Boxing stocks. It was fascinating to me, and seemingly explained a whole swath of the idea of Zombie Stocks and exactly what the inevitable game plan was with GME pre-sneeze. It wasn’t so much the incredible quality of the DD or what it was alluding to that caught my eye. + +I want to point you to one small and minute portion of the original forum post that sparked this DD: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/oadnkyga00j81.png?width=1560&format=png&auto=webp&s=f775b6ba5674ae4b397ac189dd884cfe0a5e0fe5 + +While this wouldn’t mean a lot to most people, I am a Canadian, and I do not want to be unwittingly complicit in any naked shorting scams, nor do I believe any of my fellow Canad-EHps North of the Border. + +As soon as I saw this, I started looking for more information that would point to the fact that Canada played a much larger role than originally thought. + +***2.*** ***Dr. Jim Decosta, The OG Silverback, and the “Tunnel Under the Border”*** + +The Ape, the myth, the legend. He goes into stunning detail corroborating all of this and lays out the framework to see how this is done. I’m only focusing on the Sedona section (Section 23 if you want to read without my highlights) here as this comment alone had to be trimmed to fit into a singular reddit post. (It's 40k+ words) + +For posterity I’m posting a screenshot, but you can find a link to the SEC comment here: + +[https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/s72303/decosta122203.htm](https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/s72303/decosta122203.htm) + +This thing is a fucking gold mine as far as I am concerned, there is far more than I can adequately cover in this DD alone. Please pay attention to the fact that searching the article (Ctrl+F = Canad, appears 34 times for Canada/Canadian). + +These highlights are all my own, but I believe the doctor laid us out the methodology to see how this all functions almost 20 years ago and I want to put it forward to the wrinkle brains in the community to continue the research. + +&#x200B; + +[\\"We would hope you learn about some of the Mechanics of naked short selling through the Sedona case.\\" Reads like \\"Here's a fucking map retards.\\"](https://preview.redd.it/u1p9yjnb00j81.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=0189ce6e2b930256923b4dc1e588683a19089f64) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/xq5r1p1k00j81.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=4629cace12d6aa40385f0dcf64677207831b67f1 + +\- **As per the SEC’s own admission Canadian Broker Dealers (CBD's) are not required to register with NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers) and therefore are not subject to short selling restrictions.** + +\- There is an “Umbrella of Immunity from the Borrow” for market makers (Cough Citadel/Virtu) + +\- Canadian delivery laws differ from those in the US. + +\- It is absolutely LEGAL to naked short a stock in Canada + +If you were thinking that would change, the last amendment I can find in Canada related to this is 4/23/2015. It is linked below (again links, if you don't like don't click). + +Please keep in mind that in every province in Canada there is a different securities association. (I’m focusing on Ontario currently because that is where Canadian Markets are located) + +Link : [https://www.osc.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/irps/rule\_20150423\_32-505\_conditional-exemption.pdf](https://www.osc.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/irps/rule_20150423_32-505_conditional-exemption.pdf) + +Directly from the link: + +>This notice gives an overview of the Rule and its Companion Policy (defined below) and contains the following annexes: +> +>· Annex A – OSC Rule 32-505 Conditional Exemption from Registration for United States Broker-Dealers and Advisers Servicing U.S. Clients from Ontario +> +>· Annex B – Companion Policy 32-505CP Conditional Exemption from Registration for United States Broker-Dealers and Advisers Servicing U.S. Clients from Ontario (the Companion Policy) + +Ok, well fuck. So that very well means that this apparent “Tunnel Under the Border” still exists today. If only I could find some other write-up that may support the theory and potentially expand. + +And it does continue: Here are comments from Save Canadian Mining, a small activist group of small Miners that are traded on the TSX who have been victim of predatory short selling for years. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/bsh1sh6m10j81.png?width=2254&format=png&auto=webp&s=8620aa850a4fe72e4bcbe7fe6c755f4c5c4252fa + +&#x200B; + +***3. Further corroboration of Dr. Jim Decosta by an unknown author on the silicon investor forums (9/27/2006)*** + +Link : [https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=22856435](https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=22856435) + +If you’re unaware this is the same forum that provided the OG Cellar Boxing article, long before the Apes hopped into GME and joined the train. The post itself goes on to provide additional insight into how the naked shorting fiasco functions through Canadian Margin accounts. + +*Since links aren’t ideal at all I’ve taken two screenies for the Apes. If you don't like, don't click above.* + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jmry3b8p10j81.png?width=2518&format=png&auto=webp&s=b2ae53b311b8880003afa202d13ac84676e392e5 + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/rta6ntnq10j81.png?width=2518&format=png&auto=webp&s=d22232e6ca0e868106c06a48ac43aa498602bebb + +Jackpot! + +Hot Potato! + +This is market manipulation at its finest! Hedge Funds are the largest holders of these accounts, who are not required to follow the rules and regulations and can infinitely Fail to Deliver shares by playing hot potato between themselves and other complicit entities. + +To understand how Failure’s can continue for years you have to understand what Kiting is in Securities are in the Canadian Market. + +Link to investopedia: [https://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/kited.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/k/kited.asp) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/og3ujwas10j81.png?width=1560&format=png&auto=webp&s=92f2cdd51f903536dc4fe95d391aee05c5181f5e + +&#x200B; + +\- If a short sale cannot be settled within two trading days of the order (T+2) then it becomes a failed trade + +\- However, the short seller has 10 trading days (T+12) to locate and deliver the shares before the failed trade must be reported to the IIROC as an “Extended Failed Trade” + +\- There are no regulatory consequences for an extended failed trade, although an extended failed trade MAY prevent further short sales (Also notice in the link above that there is absolutely NO Disciplinary History, so that’s a fucking lie) + +\- Trades settled through CDS Clearing and Depository Services are subject to CDS’ own settlement rules (found here [https://www.cds.ca/participants/settlement-and-clearing](https://www.cds.ca/participants/settlement-and-clearing).) + +\- CDS imposes a daily fee for a failure to deliver shares to settle an outstanding settlement position in its continuous net settlement system and provides a buy-in process which allows a buyer who has not received the purchased shares to force settlement. + +\- HOWEVER, these fees and buy-in requirements carry **NO REGULATORY SANCTIONS** + +&#x200B; + +GUH, WELL FUCK. So not only does the Canadian Market system allow CB/D’s an exemption from following the rules on short selling… Even if you fucking break the rules, no one North of the Border plans on doing shit to ensure that it never happens again. + +By Kiting, you can pass your dirty shorts entity to entity on T+11 (or day 9/10 of the Extended Fail Cycle) and you'll never EVER have an Extended Failed Trade. The clock resets every 9 days by being moved to another account and you effectively manage to rotate Failures to Deliver indefinitely. + +What triggers me is the the fact that if there were 28 institutions margin called during the January sneeze last year, how many of them employ the Hot Potato Technique? + +How many of them are using obscured Cayman Islands Corporations through Canadian Broker/Dealers? + +Do Thomas Petterfy’s comments regarding the collapse of the economic system due to the sneeze have something to do with the fact that the shorts may very well be kited via the Canadian Market place? + +I don’t know about you, but this type of thing gives me a little bit of a chub when I think about its implications. + +Nonetheless, let’s continue. + +***4. One Dr. to rule them all… One study to bind them*** + +I really didn’t get the traction I was looking for the first time I linked the commentary Dr. Jim Decosta had on the market manipulation that was found in the early 2000’s. I didn't take the time to actually distill the post in smooth-brain but that's on me. + +This study was done in 2019, and you’d think that 20 years after all of this was discussed that things would have changed but I’m here to show you that the same circus of fuckery continues. + +Link : [https://mcmillan.ca/insights/publications/short-selling-in-canada-regulations-are-weak-and-a-new-path-forward-is-needed-to-reduce-systemic-risk/](https://mcmillan.ca/insights/publications/short-selling-in-canada-regulations-are-weak-and-a-new-path-forward-is-needed-to-reduce-systemic-risk/) + +This to me is the most important part of the entire literature provided above: + +&#x200B; + +>Based on our research, it is clear that IIROC’s largely non-interventionist approach and its focus on maintaining liquidity have made Canadian companies attractive targets for short campaigns. From 2015 to 2018 there was an increase in the number of short campaigns in Canada, while generally in other jurisdictions there was a decrease. **Additionally, the number of short campaigns in Canada is utterly disproportionate to the size of our capital markets when compared to the United States, the European Union and Australia (as examples)**. The reason for this seems clear: short selling regulations in Canada are out of step with regulations in those other jurisdictions – see Schedule A attached hereto. As a result of inherent weaknesses in the Canadian short sale regulatory regime, short sellers may well be attracted to the Canadian capital markets. + +You don’t fucking say! I’m a fuckin’ Smooth but isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result? How the fuck Canadian regulators continue to take a lax stance on these issues yet somehow expect things to change is literally fucking mental. But I digress. + +&#x200B; + +>Every short sale on a Canadian marketplace must be marked “short” unless the sale is from a certain type of account **(generally described as directionally neutral accounts)**, in which case it must be marked “SME” (short-marking exempt). An order marked with the SME designation can be a short or a long sale. **Beyond these requirements, a short seller is generally not restricted from selling shares it does not own**. UMIR does not impose general pre-borrow or locate requirements (although IIROC can impose specific pre-borrow requirements for specific securities). **A short sale can be made by a seller who does not have an existing ability to settle the trade, so long as the seller has a “reasonable expectation” that it will be able to settle the trade.** The “reasonable expectation” requirement in the policies accompanying UMIR 2.2, however, does not require that prior to making the sale the short seller actually locate and arrange to have the shares available for delivery on settlement. Rather, a “reasonable expectation” exists so long as the short seller **does not know that it cannot borrow the shares** and takes reasonable steps to locate them. + +If I’m reading this correctly, doesn’t this explain why the SSR has never mattered? + +If you mark your sales as SME, then the SSR don’t mean shit, especially if it’s coming from an entity that is or was never obligated to follow the rules in American markets in the first place. + +Also, let’s have a fucking talk about how the Canadian Markets allow a short seller to continue to short whether or not they can locate the shares required. A “Reasonable Expectation” exists so long as the short seller **DOES NOT** know that it cannot borrow the shares. Here's your "Umbrella of Immunity of the borrow" + +So, hmmmm, shares randomly appearing every single day would probably give just about anyone a “Reasonable Expectation” that they can settle the trade. Am I on speed or does this fit far too well together? + +One thing I'd like to note is that Anson Funds, who is currently being investigated by the DOJ for its involvement in short selling, is exactly the type of directionally neutral Hedge Fund that may be a co-conspirator, in Canada. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/twy6x7oz20j81.png?width=1560&format=png&auto=webp&s=a1776bb794d3b98bad31df54d3d57e4ef242c6c0 + +Excerpt provided (link isn’t because fuck Corporate Media) + +&#x200B; + +>“If the short sale cannot be settled within two trading days of the order (T+2), it is a failed trade. **However, the short seller has 10 trading days (T+12) to locate and deliver the shares before the failed trade must be reported to IIROC as an extended failed trade.** There are no regulatory consequences for an extended failed trade, although an extended failed trade may prevent further short sales (either by the client or non-client with any ongoing extended failed trade in any security, or by the broker on its own account in the same security). Trades settled through CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. (“**CDS**”) are subject to CDS’ own settlement rules for failed trades. CDS imposes a daily fee for a failure to deliver shares to settle an outstanding settlement position in its continuous net settlement system and provides a buy-in process which allows a buyer who has not received the purchased shares to force settlement. **However, these fees and buy-in requirements carry no regulatory sanction.”** + +I’m going to reiterate what has been said time and time again…. + +&#x200B; + +**THE SHORTS NEVER COVERED OR CLOSED** + +&#x200B; + +***5. I’ll leave you with this*** + +The last thing I’ll point to is how Nostradamus this Anonymous Silverback of the Silicon Investor post was + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/sheqors030j81.png?width=2518&format=png&auto=webp&s=aa2946dfab2aa5b8695220f37c8f0bf84f8e6519 + +Yeah… we fucking did. + +***6. Conclusion and TLDR*** + +In my humble opinion, there are far too many connections that can be pointed to throughout this DD and the accompanying articles, that I believe give credence to the fact that a vast majority of any Naked Short Sales that have been processed this far on GME, may very well have originated from Canadian Broker Dealers. + +It is my hope that all apes can better utilize this information to continue their own research into the intricacies of naked shorting. I hope that other DD analysts, particularly those who write about cycles, can look at their own information through a new lens for their own research. I've said before and I will say again: + +**Constructive criticism is more than welcome and I'd prefer to be debunked because I am a smooth brain. I want to be wrong.** + +***TL;DR*** + +\- The Canadian Marketplace is lacking in rules and enforcement which makes it a breeding ground for Naked Short Sales (Legal in Canada) + +\- IIROC’s largely non-interventionist approach and its focus on maintaining liquidity make Canada a prime breeding ground for Short Campaigns + +\- Dr. Jim Decosta alluded to the “Tunnel Under the Border”, a methodology that naked shorting through a convoluted chain of interlinked broker dealers and offshore accounts, allows Canadian Broker Dealers to naked short companies into oblivion on behalf of hedge funds and other entities + +\- This is further corroborated by a forum post on Silicon Investor forums circa 2006 that points to the “Hot Potato Technique” where shorts are shuffled around entity to entity on T+11 to by-pass the extended failed trade (T+12) requirement before the IIROC is even notified that there may be a problem. + +\- Modern Day Hot Potato is known as Kiting. + +\- Even if an Extended Failed Trade had occurred, there are no regulatory sanctions imposed on offending criminals. Also note the fact that there is absolutely no record of Disciplinary History listed on IIROC’s website related to Extended Failed Trades. + +\- A study from 3 years ago by the Mcmillan gives credence to the evidence of these two methodologies and offers insight into the the laxity of rules and enforcement in Canada. + +\- The Mcmillan Institute’s study lead to the conclusion that a disproportionate amount of naked short selling campaigns occur in Canada by comparison to other jurisdictions globally. + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +There is a lot of mention of Direct Registration throughout Dr. Jim Decosta’s post as well as the anonymous author of the Silicon Investor post. For those that are wondering about myself, yes I have DRS’d, more than willing to provide proof to mods if necessary. I’m waiting on my verification letter to activate my account and post. +I’m 19 and live with my parents and they want me to plan out Their retirement. I’m currently using td Ameritrade but I think vanguard is more appropriate for their needs. I could really use some advice here on what to invest in I’m thinking etfs and stocks with at least 3.5% yield thank you for any help. +Apparently the checking account at my bank CHASE is suppose to have a minimum starting balance of $1,500 or they charge me $12 for a "service fee". So if just one day out of the month, my account goes below $1,499, I automatically have to pay another $12. + +I could have $1,499 in a checking account and have $3,000 in a savings account, I'll still be charged the $12 monthly service fee. + +It's like taking more money away from people, just because they don't have enough money. I guess that's the American way huh + +I currently live in Thailand so I can't just change my bank, I'm just stuck with them and there's not much I can do right now other than just get shit on until I can go home in November and close my account. + +Fuck can we just speed up crypto adoption so we can stop the banks from fucking us every chance they get? +After watching today’s shenanigans, I thought I would breakdown some of today’s movements with brief explanations. + +&#x200B; + +GME steadily has been producing some great gains this week, opening Monday bright and early at 154.89 and finally opening today at 269, looking poised to make our moonshot. Unfortunately, after peaking above 330, after a series of trading halts, plummeted down to 198, with restabilization by EOD. + +To the unexperienced eye and paper hands, this looks like a time to sell. + +# However... + +To the experienced trader, this is a textbook Salmon chart. Lemme explain it clearly to the retarded paper hands here. + +&#x200B; + +[The graph to a newbie](https://preview.redd.it/a9906egsmbm61.jpg?width=1504&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6488bd00fd49bf5615874b05f2a0517172fd2926) + +# But if you look closely a pattern emerges + +[Behold! The Sockeye salmon chart](https://preview.redd.it/zatemtj4nbm61.png?width=2224&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c768bd643543c9828979aa58056b1a060197f5b) + +The Sockeye Salmon chart movement is a dead giveaway. It begins as a massive dip that goes below red (to match the color of breeding Sockeye), then some wacky shit for the ventral fin, and we have stabilized at the belly of the fish, in the green for approaching the head. + +# But what about the natural predator of salmon coming to spawn? + +&#x200B; + +[That’s right, gay bears are behind this shit.](https://i.redd.it/4qpbtglkpbm61.gif) + +Bears the natural antithesis of salmon, and gay bears the antithesis of the retail traders. But how have the gay bears forced the stock to plummet? What manipulation did they have this time? + +# You may be familiar to ladder attacks, but let me introduce you to fish ladder attacks. + +# + +[This is a fish ladder for the uninitiated ](https://preview.redd.it/wxxih8reqbm61.jpg?width=300&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=472de53d1dbb29bbe51b2c971242a4f098859d6f) + +Ladders allow fish to get upstream to spawn wealth, despite hedge funds preventing direct, uninhibited access. + +# Hedgefunds have stationed gay bears at the ladders to eat the incoming paperhanded salmon, which was the primary driver in today’s major crash. + +# But what’s that tube representing retail trading? + +[A larger diagram explaining how the parties are interacting.](https://preview.redd.it/lc3itddgsbm61.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=11792c453e0f6ee0c52f28a6ebde6166eb465b93) + +# Thats right, its salmon tube time + +&#x200B; + +[But who’s loading the salmon?](https://i.redd.it/5z7cp28ktbm61.gif) + +# Diamond hands, Ryan Cohen and other big players are literally loading willing salmon into the tube to bypass the gaybears and fish ladder attacks, to take us straight to valhalla for our tendie spawn. + +# Prediction graph for the upcoming days + +https://preview.redd.it/09itt4dstbm61.png?width=2224&format=png&auto=webp&s=9e713b8049baed07ff6e6cc4c38da9b4b5c56fca + +&#x200B; + +# Come take me to the upstream, all you gotta do to HODL✋🏻💎🤚🏻🚀🐟 + +Disclaimer: I am not an investment advisor or wildlife ecologist, this is not investment or fishery advice, I just like the stock and the sockeye + +&#x200B; + +Edit: Holy shit I love y’all. Godspeed to tendieland everyone! +And definitely don't be like my friend... He skipped meals, sleep and spent most of his day focusing on the charts, even during work and got fired yesterday. He's young, he'll find another job... But that's a good lesson learned. Focus on your life, enjoy it... don't hamper everything else to look at green/red dildos... It's gonna do it's own thing, whether you look on it or not is not going to change anything, except for your mental health maybe. + + +You're not going to retire tommorow, you should see crypto as a long term investment, like any other investment... Don't try to become a millionaire overnight... Put some money aside for crypto every month, keep investing little by little into projects you believe in (do your research, don't dump your savings into shitcoins) and forget about it. This is not a financial advise obviously, I'm nowhere near qualified for that, just my two cents.. + +And if you're feeling suicidal, please remember, this isn't the end of everything. + +https://www.suicidestop.com/call_a_hotline.html +Alright friends. I've been thinking a lot about this topic, driven by the common sentiment I see a lot from people my age about the job market for young, uneducated, inexperienced, and often underqualified folks, and I wanted to throw together some thoughts based on my experiences and those of my friends. I really do believe that there is a formula for making great money under these conditions, and it doesn't involve, like, starting a company, working in Multi-Level-Marketing, or blogging for a living. I'm going to use specific examples, citing specific dollar amounts and experiences. + +As a quick disclaimer; in no way do I intend to underplay the difficulty that many people are having with making a living. I know that I've been fortunate, but I see some trends here that might be able to help some people. + +I have many young, uneducated, highly paid working professionals around me, but I'm going to highlight 4 (myself included). Each path has been different, but with some key similarities. Each person is in a different field, and no one has done anything especially groundbreaking (like invent Facebook or something). None of us have a degree, none of us did well in high school (3 have GEDs), and all of us came from poor families. Additionally, no one has any highly rare, marketable skills; or at least we didn't to begin with. We're all between 24-29, and we will all end this year over 120k. + +Step 1. Enter + +If you don't have some fancy education, or some fancy connections, to utilize in order to get a sweet job right out of the gate, you're going to have to start small. A degree (in theory) proves that you have a level of knowledge, so we just have to prove it a different way. Most people are already in this phase; they just don't move on from it efficiently. + +Myself and one of my examples, (we'll call him John), got started using one of the best resources available to unhirable shmucks out there; temp agencies. Temp agencies are much less particular about the qualifications of an applicant than a company's HR department would be, and they very often fill some of the great entry-level positions that a lot of people here read job descriptions for and complain that they're underqualified. It's really a win-win; the company can cut you loose no questions asked if you're a bum, and you get the perfect opportunity to showcase that you're not. You'll find that it's a lot easier to talk about your skillsets in interviews for full-time positions when the company already knows you and likes you. It also earns you the opportunity to network with key individuals in the company who can help you in the future. John and I both temped for IT helpdesks at different companies, starting around $14 an hour, and got offered full time positions (that we were still not at all qualified for on paper) within about 6 months that paid about $20/hour. We were underqualified even for the temp job descriptions, but we were both sure to go to the agency and put on a good face for the recruiter, and they don't mind giving someone a shot. This happened when we were around 18-19. + +There are some jobs that this isn't necessary for, as they'll hire pretty much anyone. These industries (often sales driven), usually have incredibly cut-throat entry level positions, and that's how our other two examples got started (we'll call them Dan and Carl). Dan started selling gym memberships, and Carl worked in a call-center environment for a third-party purchasing company. Both paid minimum wage with some okay incentives for reaching certain goals. Both had very high turnover and were pretty intense. Both of them also got those roles around 18-19. + +Step 2. Emerge + +Pretty much everyone is able to, eventually, get SOME kind of entry level job. But what most people don't do is dominate at it. Here's the reality; if you get a basic, low-level, entry-level position in ANY field doing ANYTHING, and you don't find a way to excel at it and stand out, then you will not get anything better, and you don't deserve to. If you're just another face in your department, then you cannot feasibly expect anyone to give you a boost. + +If you're young and scrappy, hopefully you have a chip on your shoulder that says, "It's time to prove everyone who thinks I'm underqualified wrong", and hopefully you keep that chip for the rest of your career. After temping, networking, and leveraging my success doing that to get a full-time, legit position, I found myself surrounded by educated, "qualified" people who thought I had no right, as a barely 19 year old, to sit among them. This is a VITALLY important time. You have three options here: + +1. Don't perform, and either get fired after a year or two, or waste away there until "layoffs", (which very often just mean cutting fat). +2. Perform pretty well; meet your goals and do your job, but be outshined, maybe assuming others are performing better due to tenure, and wait for promotions to come when all of the more tenured folks have moved on. This is a good way to see 10 years go by with nothing to show for it. +3. Dominate. Make it clear from day one that you're there to work and produce. Making that plain to everyone in the first 90 days is pivotal, and that first impression will last even if you have dips in productivity in the future. + +If you have metrics, you have to find a way to get out front. This probably means working harder and longer than everyone else, and that's fine; it's not forever. If you don't have metrics, MAKE THEM. Every job needs to have measurable goals, and if yours doesn't, present some proposed ones to your boss and knock them out. Winning in these early roles is so important; it really does set the bar for the rest of your endeavors. + +On the IT helpdesk that I worked on, I worked with management to determine which metrics were most visible and most important. With a case backlog, it was case closures. We had all of these techy guys working way too long on highly complex cases (that should have been escalated, or they should have at least asked for help on), which drove down their case closures. So I took it upon myself to become closure king, and within 3 months I had 2-3 times as many case closures as anyone else, and everyone, especially management, noticed. For John, his IT shop was much slower moving, with less focus on metrics. They were big on developing folks for future roles, so they wanted to see an eagerness to learn and grow. He got on the same page with his manager about that and started learning as much as possible, making sure he quantified that in his review meetings. + +For Dan and Carl in sales, this was even easier. The beauty of sales is that the skills are universal. Sales managers don't care what you sold as long as you sold it well. Dan worked for a nationwide gym that published sales leaders every month. In the 3 years he worked there, among thousands of salesmen on the list, he was top 10 every month except for the first one. He also worked close to 80 hour weeks. Carl wasn't so blatantly successful, but he was sure to have clear communication about expectations from his managers and hit the important metrics, which was net margin in his case. So he had sales people around him selling way more in terms of gross revenue, but cutting deals too much, so he focused on keeping his margins solid and management loved him for it. + +Whether you end up staying with that original company or not, you have to knock low-level positions out of the park to be setup for our next step. + +Step 3. Expect + +Okay, so maybe you've already done the first two and are thinking, "So what! Here I am still making scraps!". I have encountered a lot of people like this; they're excelling, well thought of in their company, and stagnant for years. Consider some of these thoughts. + +The power of excelling at your early roles is that it puts you in the driver's seat. As soon as you've made it clear that you're a contributor, your management is on their heels to keep you, and this is exactly where you want to be. There are three primary things that you want to get out of managers, and that you'll only get if you're crushing it in your role: + + 1. Promotions + +This is the most important one. Push for promotions and/or title changes QUICK. If you're leading on your team, why shouldn't you be a lead? Don't you dare listen to the garbage advice that you shouldn't take on more responsibility unless you get more pay; that's crap. Early in our careers, the title is more important. Companies see that you were promoted a couple times quick, and it's a great thing to have on a resume or in an interview. + + 2. Paper + +Promotions are more important, but money is also important. Ask for a raise! Don't listen when they say that they don't give raises for whatever reason, it's crap. They'll pay you if they want you badly enough, and if they don't, they should at least give you: + + 3. Plugs + +Recommendations. Ask them to write them on LinkedIn. Make suggestions for what they should put regarding your contributions. Draft one for them and ask them to sign it. + +This part of the game is so important. For me, I got 2 promotions from that original job; the second one into a supervisory role. I got a 10% raise per promotion. Now, at first, I was thrilled with those. However, when I peeked out on the market, I realized that while I was making under 50k, I was way underpaid as a tech lead, and if they had to backfill my role, they'd have to pay someone in the mid 60's. So I mentioned that, and asked for a raise to the mid 60's. They offered me another 10% raise (to get me to about 53k), and I let them know I'd have to look elsewhere, which I began doing. + +What I ended up doing was going, with my few years of experience now (I was 23 at this point), back to temp agencies and looking for higher paying gigs to sort of start the process over. Without a degree and still with only a few years on the market, I knew I wasn't going to get directly hired for what I believed I was worth based on the work I was doing. I brought that same chip on my shoulder, and again having to make a good showing to the recruiters to gain some favor, and leveraged my experience to get a much more complex temp job for a major tech player that I was still way underqualified for at around $70k. I applied the same principles in that role, made friends, smashed metrics, and got a full time offer from that major tech player at $100,500, which after a large bonus and profit sharing, ends up around $125k. I'm 25. + +Dan brought his 3 years of proof of dominating in gym membership sales to the sales job of his choice; he sells windows, roofs and gutters, usually runs 1-2 90 minute appointments per day, and rakes about 150k. He golfs a lot. He's 27. + +Carl, upon not getting the appreciation for his contributions that he felt owed, made a few hops through other technical sales roles, always excelling and gaining a wealth of industry knowledge that he then leveraged to get a job selling telecom services to a high-dollar provider for enterprise customers. He'll do about $140k this year, and far more in the future, and is 26. + +John works for one of the rare companies that does give legitimate raises with promotions. He's 29 and has been with his company for 11 years. If you're in a company like this, AWESOME. But they are exceptionally rare. He moved into more technical operations roles, and eventually onto their data analytics team, and makes about $120k, and also has a freakin pension, which is sweet. + + +There are far more examples around me, which I think is a contributing factor as well; stop hanging out with bums if you don't want to be a bum anymore. Surround yourself with people who will ask you what you're doing to advance in your career and push you to make what you should make. All four of us are also in school now, being paid for by our employers, which is cool. + +In closing, I'm about 99% positive that those who would have the ambition to actually apply some of these things based on reading this probably already have, and so no one who finds these principles to be illuminating will likely do anything about it. Prove me wrong. + +Cheers. + +Edit: Lots of great discussion, I'm having a blast reading your stories and responding to DMs. There are some resources far better than myself who have commented, so be sure to pick their brains! + +One quick thing. If these incomes sound outlandish to you, all I would say is that you might consider seeking out young professionals in your area and making new friends. Is it average? No. But there are lots of young people out there doing far better than us. Find people who have gotten where you want to be. + +Edit 2: It might take a day or so, but I'll get to your DMs, I promise! +US cpi came in at 7.5% last night yoy, higher than consensus, things looking pretty hawkish at the fed. + +Do you think Australia will see a jump in its relatively low inflation prints going forward? + +Why do you think the US is experiencing much higher inflation than Australia? Is it cpi basket differences between the two countries, or something else? Does the US lack cheap avocados to pull everything else down? (lol) + +Some questions for discussion, am interested in your thoughts on the comparison between the countries (or lack of) +Obviously, the point of philanthropy is to help other people and improve the world, but a lot of times when you donate to an organization they'll give you a token of appreciation in return. I'm not talking about, like, charity auctions, or situations where you're really buying, like, premium seats at your favorite school's sporting events or something valuable like that with your "donation," but real, substantive donations where the point is the donation, and you just happen to get something nice in return. + +What comes to mind personally is that if you give $1000 to our local zoo, you get to ride the zoo train for free. My kids love that train, but no matter how many times we go to the zoo, the $3 tickets aren't going to add up to much. Still, it's a nice little way for them to show their appreciation. +Bought at around 700. Obviously going to be ousted by the exchanges soon due to inability to release financial results of *last financial year*. + +Sigh. My sweet monies. I bid thee goodbye. + +**Update** - The drama continues. They've sought 2 more months and have been granted so by the ROC, GOI. + +https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/8c5f614b-4bba-4059-acb5-852351c08f14.pdf +Just before covid, my company started two new policies. 1. Everyone who lives within 70km of an office must go to work every day +2. Let's start hiring in cheaper overseas countries + +Once the virus hit, they put the first policy on hold. + +We all started training oversees IT support workers. More and more over the last year. Little did we know we were training our replacements. + +I still have my job, but many of my colleagues were laid off already. My oversees counterpart just finished his training this month. + +I expect this will become the norm in other companies too. My understanding is they cost 1/2 or 1/3 of an Aussie. + +I hope that the government steps in, taxing either the companies or the oversees workers, who are basically importing a service, tax free. + +Otherwise I expect there will be an IT brain drain, like when we moved all car manufacturing and a lot of electronics manufacturing overseas. +I moved out of a shared place on the 13th September having spent 6 months at the address. I contacted the Landlady (who lived next door) about a week later requesting the deposit be returned. She said she had not been back in the house and would send it back in full once everything has been checked over. + +Another weeks later I asked again - She claimed to have still not been back though she asked for all the rent payments I had sent her - I assumed this would +mean it was being returned imminently and waited. The 3rd time I asked was on the 6th October (about 3 weeks after moving out) - this time she had added a charge of £77.50 to the cleaning bill of the place, this is where we have the first problem. I cleaned the place on the day I moved out, though many of the cleaning things that had been locked in someone else’s room during that day (vacuum cleaner brush etc) and I wasn’t able to clean as thoroughly as I could have. I offered to pay some money toward the bill as I also took issue over the fact I was going to be charged for the cleaning of communal areas, even though this isn’t entirely my responsibility. + +She rejected my offer so I opened a dispute with the TDS, hoping they would provide a final adjudication on what was owed to who. + +She got back to me the next day and complained that my rent was always paid late, and that I had not been paying bills. This seemed odd to me as she does not pay the bills, the occupiers of the house do and she has no input over who pays what. I had paid a few times, however she claims i should’ve been paying at least £15 of gas and electricity per month. As for the rent, it’s clear on my bank statements a regular Standing order was set up for the 6th of each month, the day I moved into the house, she has never complained to me about rent payments. + +She said (quote) ‘Due to the seriousness of the offences I will be taking this matter to the county court.....you can explain yourself in front of the judge’ - seems odd, small claims don’t usually involve hearings. + +So far she has still not paid any of my deposit, disputed or not. I have asked for an exact figure on how much is to be deducted. She won’t give one. I’m at a loss on whether she’s even allowed to do this - the small claims is supposed to be a last resort. The TDS is free, and I have a claim ongoing there that she has not responded to. What do I do???? If she doesn’t respond to the TDS they should (?) give an automatic payout to me, but how would this affect a small claim and how do I ensure the money is returned? + +Also, I never signed a written agreement. This situation is one I have never encountered before. Please send help. + +UPDATE 22/10/2020 - She replied to my TDS claim after waiting the full 2 weeks. Nothing of value in there, just the fact that she withdrew her consent to use the ADR service. Unfortunately that means she’s either going to make a court claim, or attempt to keep the money. In the email they sent it was noted she has 6 months to show evidence she is proceeding with the courts. I think considering the way she’s gone about things so far that will mean she’s going to take the full 6 months. Hopefully they will look down on her for that. Your help has been incredible, and with what she’s done I think I’ll be looking to make a Rent repayment order claim as she didn’t do a right to rent check or send me the how to rent booklet. Please let me know your thoughts. +Edit: The DD is never done!!! Keep digging + +**TL;DR Having a fractional share in your Computershare account moves any sales back through Computershare’s brokerage and into the DTC. In the event of a sale. This moves the share back to "Street Name," adding it to the DTC's system, and provides liquidity to short sellers as apes begin to sell.** + +Edit: Clarity...I am NOT encouraging sell their fractionals. I don't have all the answers. Maybe buy from broker the the amount it will take for you to have a full share. Then BOOK IT. + +**==FIRST AND FOREMOST? WTF IS A SELL BUTTON?==** + +* This post will immediately get shot down because I'm bringing up the thought of selling. But let's be perfectly clear, this post discusses the scenario and hypothetical sale of GME. +* Everything in this post is factual and backed by sources, as well as self-experimentation and testing. +* What this post is intended to do is educate apes on the theoretical sale of “Pure DRS” vs. “Pure DRS + Fractional Shares/Dividend Re-investment Plans” in Computershare. +* In other words, this is a split test!!! + +# ==STOP AND THINK== + +>**When you're being told to do something, stop and think...be objective. Do your own research....even for this post. That is why I encourage you all to run through the DD, and validate this post and each comment in the thread.** + +* There has been a lot of FUD, first starting out with individuals telling apes that there is no difference between "Book" vs. "DSPP Plan" Shares. **This has been debunked...there is 100% difference between the two.** +* And to add onto that...the same individuals are telling apes **to "hold onto their fractional shares."** +* WHY WOULD I LISTEN TO THE SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO JUST TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE IN BOOK vs. DSPP "PLAN" SHARES...who are now advising me to "Not sell my fractional share”, or “Make sure your dividend re-investment plan is enabled.” +* You were wrong once, and now you expect me to listen to you? You misled us once, you’ve spread misinformation, and now you want to mislead us again? +* I refuse to take advice from those individuals...I'm finding out for myself. + +# ==ELI5 TL;DR Split Test Results== + +* **\[BAD\] Fractional Share or DSPP “Plan Re-enabled” in Computershare ==** Share goes back through the Computershare Trust Company, N.A. “Brokerage” and into the DTC system. +* **\[GOOD\] No Dividend Reinvestment Plan and/or Selling the Fractional Share ==** Similar to a Peer-2-Peer Selling of Class A Common Stock. DTC cannot access the share until the share is re-registered with a broker/bank DTC Participant. + +# ==IMPORTANT== + +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\] Initiating a sale of a "Book" share with a fractional share in “Plan” will KEEP THAT BOOK SHARE in Plan...even if you cancel the sale.** +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\]** The next person to purchase a “Class A Common Stock” sale from Computershare...if they have a fractional share in their brokerage (or DSPP Plan), will automatically trigger their brokerage to re-engage that share back into the DTC under “Street Name”. **This is most likely why we saw FUD in the past telling users not to sell their fractional share after they transferred from broker to Computershare.** +* We know that “Pure DRS” cannot have fractional shares, so by deduction, any brokerage with a fractional share (or that is capable of having Pure DRS’d to Share Types) would automatically move shares back into the DTC, and into “street name.” That means any broker from the DTC Participant Report will move a share back into “Street Name” ([Source](https://postimg.cc/PL8j5Z7Z)). “Technically, shares registered through DTC in the names of banks or brokers are said to be held in "street name," while shares registered in the name of a bank nominee account are said to be held in "nominee name." In practice, however, the phrase "street name" includes shares held in nominee name ([source](https://www.sec.gov/comments/4-537/4537-25.pdf)) +* Is this proven? Yes, and No...We know that Computershare automatically moves “Pure DRS’d” shares back into their brokerage when we performed the following test. I can only assume other brokers would do the same. + +# ==WHAT HAVE WE CONFIRMED SO FAR? == + +* THERE IS 100% A DIFFERENCE IN "BOOK" vs. "PLAN" +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\]** The ONLY WAY TO SELL FRACTIONAL SHARES is through a major brokerage firm ([Source](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fractionalshare.asp#:~:text=Trading%20Fractional%20Shares,might%20take%20longer%20than%20hoped.)) +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\]** DSPP “Plan” Shares are **sponsored and administered by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., (**[Source](https://cda.computershare.com/Content/7bfc0b25-4836-40a4-918c-9a86d658d798)**)** +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\] Computershare Trust Company, N.A. IS 100% Computershare's Brokerage/Bank**, a subsidiary of the parent Computershare Inc. ([Source](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/9631/000119312514406662/d816839dex251.htm)). They “purchase and sell securities” and…. +* **\[DOUBLE TAP\] Computershare Trust Company, N.A**. is listed on the DTC's "Participant Report" **(**[Source](https://www.dtcc.com/-/media/Files/Downloads/client-center/DTC/DTC-Participant-in-Alphabetical-Listing-1.pdf)**)** +* Shares held in a **brokerage** are beneficially-owned shares. I.e, they are held in street name. w/ **Computershare Trust Company, N.A** as the "intermediary" w/ certificates **registered in the name of Cede & Co. (DTC Nominee)** ([Source](https://www.computershare.com/us/becoming-a-registered-shareholder-in-us-listed-companies) \*See image from Computershare below). This is also known as being held in “Street Name.” +* Stocks held in "Street Name" by a brokerage "may be loaned to short-sellers and resold to others." ([Source](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/185.asp#:~:text=Stocks%20held%20in%20street%20name,recover%20100%25%20of%20all%20securities)) +* DSPP Shares are held in **Computershare Trust Company, N.A.,** the *"Transfer Agent"* for **ALL DSPP Shares** (and I mean ALL, not a portion, not a sample, ALL) as a proxy to you under Street Name Registration. +* The “Cost to Borrow” increasing 2x and “Shares Available” decreasing is most likely a direct result of apes moving from DSPP to Book. Something to keep in mind, the 300,000 shares today are most likely coming back through the system from t-3 days ago. ([Source](https://stocksera.pythonanywhere.com/ticker/borrowed_shares/?quote=GME)) + +See the flow below as outlined by Computershare themselves. ([Source](https://www.computershare.com/us/becoming-a-registered-shareholder-in-us-listed-companies)) + +https://preview.redd.it/rymeci70867a1.jpg?width=904&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c56263deb45022e631da37201c4a80f673714034 + +# =====WHY THE PUSH TO KEEP YOUR FRACTIONAL SHARE? ====== + +* Why was there an immediate push to debunk Book vs. DSPP, claiming that there was no difference? +* Why was there a push to silence the discussion...? +* And why was there an acceptance to “switch to book, they’re not my shares,” but make sure not to sell your fractional share and/or re-enable your Dividend Re-investment plan? Well, let's find out... + +# WELL TL;DR FOR THAT ANSWER…. + +* When you move DSPP Shares to "Book", it moves the share to "Registered Ownership". I.E this is what we call "Pure DRS" +* If you keep fractional shares in your account, let me break it to you, Computershare will move the sale back to DSPP "Plan" - DirectStock. +* What does this do? As you begin to sell, you add fuel to the fire by placing your share back into Computershare's brokerage and back into the DTC's system. This not only executes the sale but it re-adds shares into the DTC, which amplifies the sell-off, increasing the “Borrowable Shares”, and allowing short sellers to short the stock again. + +# =====HOW DO I KNOW THIS? ====== + +* We (edit: me and another ape) performed a test after seeing multiple reports from other apes that their shares were being moved back into DSPP. +* So we tested the theory; we used two different Computershare accounts…one with a fractional and the other without. + +**HERE IS THE OUTCOME OF A SALE w/ FRACTIONAL SHARES OR A DIVIDEND RE-INVESTMENT PLAN ENABLED (You can perform this test further down in the DD)** + +* Notice the move from Class A Common Stock back into “DirectStock”. These flow back through Computershare’s brokerage. +* **Even processing and submitting a sale, then canceling will keep those shares in DSPP.** + +https://preview.redd.it/28dsbrv4867a1.jpg?width=2250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f7ac8bbf2360adc94f4c3697d4ccb625ffe3e5c1 + +**HERE IS THE SAME TEST SALE WITHOUT A FRACTIONAL SHARE IN COMPUTERSHARE** + +* There is no move back into “DirectStock”; the same type remains as a “Class A Common Stock” sale. +* This sale type is essentially a peer-to-peer sale. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/u7p0ucz6867a1.jpg?width=1918&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99fd4fa1fca6838ef4bc4d95dbcffdac70e9b23c + +https://preview.redd.it/l2dtr5bb867a1.jpg?width=1454&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d63a4e1ee7cc9257962e351120c1e8cbba2d3698 + +# How can you test this yourself if you have a fractional share in your account? + +1. **THE FOLLOWING TEST WILL NOT SELL A SHARE. BUT BE PREPARED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, INCLUDING CANCELING THE PENDING TRANSACTION.** +2. The following test validates this DD. You will perform a test but will immediately CANCEL the pending share sale! Again, there is no intention to sell; you are performing a test. ***If you do not feel comfortable performing this, please let others perform it in their account. They will validate the DD.*** +3. Log into Computershare +4. Under Summary > Portfolio > Holdings > Click “View Details” + +https://preview.redd.it/ffeh1w4e867a1.jpg?width=2534&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bd22fc40d13032fce41ceb2a7a4f1abd42d40e00 + +5. Under Action, Click “Sell” > The Next Page is a Summary Page. You will select the Quantity and Sale Type after clicking next. + +https://preview.redd.it/65t1ozaj867a1.png?width=2550&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e5bbd6ecd769d9901b7022d1676b78c7ba11ac4 + +6. After clicking next, you will specify a quantity and sell limit. For my test, I’ve selected 1, with a “Limit Price” of 500. (Don’t worry, we all know that this should really be telephone number level. We’re going to cancel it regardless. Clicking Next **WILL NOT EXECUTE THE SALE.** The sale will go into a pending transaction as the limit price is way outside of the current market price. + +https://preview.redd.it/x2u9d21m867a1.jpg?width=2550&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2997e30a5284399e07db228901097e074e63cf96 + +7. **Click “NEXT” and verify the electronic banking details. Clicking next will take you to a breakdown of Computershare fees (I know…their fees are insane), but that’s the price we pay to uproot a fraudulent system.** + +https://preview.redd.it/6hvc1oxn867a1.jpg?width=2280&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2ca9edad27f859aad9b2431e0de622bda32383e9 + +8. Verify the details, and **MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LIMIT ORDER THAT WILL NOT EXECUTE THE SALE. Once you click submit, you’ll notice something very interesting in your account.** + +9. The share you just listed to sell will be moved from “Class A Common” Back to “DirectStock”. i.e From PURE DRS, back to Computershare’s Brokerage. What does that tell you? That stock is moved back to the \*\*Computershare Trust Company, N.A.,\*\* and right back through the DTC system. + +https://preview.redd.it/cwg6n7pq867a1.jpg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f4cdbcd2fc4e96f02b7332813d374735c36ad95 + +10. Click “Activity” > “Transactions,” and what you’ll see is something like this….The share has been moved and credited to “DirectStock” + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/cfyqb8kt867a1.jpg?width=2250&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bf138e715517aece86295ce1ce177589fdf9f364 + +11. **10) DO NOT FORGET TO CANCEL THIS ORDER. Go to Activity > Pending Transactions > Actions > “Cancel Transaction”** + +https://preview.redd.it/62y52wwy867a1.png?width=2550&format=png&auto=webp&s=83f013e71c41fac35682339dd57614ca3abcce02 + +12. **When you go back to the summary tab, click “View Details.” The share you just listed to sell will be moved to “DSPP Plan Holdings.” To move this share back to BOOK, you will go under “Plan Holdings” > “Actions” > “Reinvestment Options” > and select “Enroll.” Then immediately delete the reinvestment option.** + +https://preview.redd.it/di4p0is0967a1.jpg?width=2524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=163961d73d3b49009c9f073f39fec5a9375f9870 + +13. **Enroll in Reinvestment, then delete the investment option.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/el1zbpw2967a1.jpg?width=2336&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0737d8a43b6e7aab88eec64b0c1dc0e84a67acb1 + +14. **What this will do is place any WHOLE shares back into DRS Book i.e. “Pure DRS.” Moving the share back to “Book”.** + +# WHAT DID REMOVING THE FRACTIONAL SHARE DO? + +* Removing the fractional share will process a sale to the next person in "Class A Common Stock" form. That means that the share has to go through the process of being re-registered to the DTC by a brokerage after the sale takes place. +* Think of it like this....Removing the fractional share causes a peer-two-peer sale of a certificated share that has been completely removed from the DTC's system. +* Even as you go to sell your share, it is forever removed from the DTC's slimy hands until the next person buying decides to register it back into the DTC. +* Not removing the fractional share causes the sale to flow back through the brokerage, into the DTC, and increases the available **"shares to borrow”.** +* Keeping the fractional share moves the stock type back into DSPP "Direct Stock" and hands the keys (I.e. the certificate) back to the DTC, allowing short sellers to short the stock…amplifiying the sale/short process. + +# SO WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? + +As stated by Computershare, you can sell your **DRS (book-entry) shares** **through Computershare’s Sales Facility** by accessing your account through Investor Center. ([Source](https://www5.nohold.net/Computershare/ukp.aspx?login=1&pid=18&ruleid=3024&donelr=1)) + +>***Second Method: (DRS Sales Facility)*** +> +>*You may sell your DRS (book-entry) shares through Computershare’s Sales Facility by accessing your account through Investor Center,* +> +>*If you do need to call us, you will need a company specific phone number. For company specific phone numbers, click* [***here***](https://www-us.computershare.com/Investor/#Contact/Enquiry)*. You will need to enter the ticker symbol or company name under the Contact Information for a specific company section to obtain the number you are looking for. You will also be able to obtain the hours when the contact center is open.* +> +>*All such sales are subject to the Sales Facility Terms and Conditions, including applicable fees.* +> +>*Please be advised that if you want the proceeds from the sale to be directly deposited to a bank account through electronic funds transfer, the instructions must include a Medallion Signature Guarantee. Otherwise, we will issue a check for the proceeds to the registered owner at the address of record.* + +https://preview.redd.it/cgfh5o06967a1.jpg?width=2436&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54c6c3899e67ef758c7e2dcadd394a58112363c3 + +# WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? APES WILL BE POURING WATER ON ROCKET BOOSTERS AS THEY SELL IF THEY HAVE FRACTIONAL OR RE-INVESTMENT PLANS + +* **Getting rid of Fractional Shares and the Dividend Re-investment plan creates an almost blockchain, peer-to-peer, no middle-man system in which the buyers (short hedge funds) have to come directly to you to purchase. These are sold through the DRS Sales Facility. Keeping either of these two (fractional or dividend reinvestment) in your account moves shares back into the DTC, registered in “Street Name”, and provides liquidity to short sellers.** +* **This directly slows the ability of short sellers to short shares as apes sell.** +* But WTF do I know? I don't even know what a sell button is. Food for thought, and to those that claim this is "debunked" or try to fight against this...We know you are most likely a shill and or an alt-account. +* The same people that told you, “there’s no difference between book and “plan”, are the same people that told you to “keep your fractional share, and/or re-add your DSPP re-investment plan” +* Now start to think about every person who kept telling you, “Don’t sell your fractional share” or “re-add your DSPP re-investment plan”… +* Why did they tell you to do that? Was it because of what this post seeks to explain or expose? +* These are the same people who are actively working against you to slow down MOASS… + +&#x200B; + +Edit: Some formatting and added links. + +Edit 2: I’m clearly getting attacked by individuals, who are throwing insults at me, and not the facts that I’ve laid out. I’m not asking apes to do anything, round up your share and book it. I’m presenting market mechanics to you all, then decide what you will with it. + +Edit 3: I thoroughly believe buying from ComputerShare in “Book” is the way, and using any/all methods to add to the longevity of MOASS +Just a quick one but very important. + +This morning I received a notification on my Monzo app of an active card check. I wasn't doing anything at the time and I didn't recognise the company it was being checked for. I immediately froze the card on the app. + +12 minutes later and attempt was made to charge £169.40 to a Go Fund Me account! It was declined because of the card freeze. + +If I hadn't spotted the notification of the check in time this payment may have gone through. I am so pleased that it notified me and that I was able to freeze the card instantly. Such an amazing feature. I have now ordered a replacement card. + +Stay vigilant everyone! +Do they end up just dying and their debt goes away? What happens when they get old and can’t work anymore? Do they have to declare bankruptcy? I just have a hard time imagining the majority of the population living like this and it not having a negative impact on our economy somehow. +Buying first home and my accountant told me that I should put as little down as possible and invest the rest is this the best strategy given that mortgage interest is deductible +We bought our first home back in July 2019. 3 story town-home right in between Washington D.C and Baltimore. I took a great opportunity to move NC so we decided that we would just rent out the house. After a lot of hold up from COVID we finally have a tenant moving in on Friday. Paying for two mortgages has been hell but we weathered the storm. + +House - 330K +Rent- 2k + + +My main question is: +We are pretty much breaking even for now. Should we focus on paying down the loan faster or should we invest the extra earnings? + +Edit: "Extra Earnings" is probably not the right term. As the mortgage is being paid in full by the tenant. + +More info on the house: was new construction, 10 year roof/structure warranty, Appliances have 5 year warranty, HOA, built on a slab, . + +Thank you for the info everyone. There is a lot I didn't think of, as this is a big learning experience. Very excited to be moving forward and hopefully tightening things up with the knowledge I gain along the way. +**GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME**), today issued an irrevocable notice of redemption to redeem $216.4 million in principal amount of its 10.0% Senior Notes due 2023 (the "Notes") on April 30, 2021. This voluntary early redemption covers the entire amount of the outstanding Notes. + +Notes will be redeemed by the Company using cash on hand, at a redemption price of 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, the redemption date of April 30, 2021, plus the applicable premium due to holders of the Notes in connection with an early redemption. + +&#x200B; + +[https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GME/game-stop-announces-voluntary-early-redemption-of-senior-w5ybgb8wwsvj.html](https://www.stocktitan.net/news/GME/game-stop-announces-voluntary-early-redemption-of-senior-w5ybgb8wwsvj.html) +I have seen comments about the Yield Curve flattening and was wondering what economists or traders are expecting is the outcome of this change. Why is this metric considered significant to monitor - is there a macro economic indication? + +[link to graphic ](https://twitter.com/anthonybsanders/status/1014882937253384193?s=21) + + +If only 20% of grads are expected to pay their student loan off in full, how does the government offset the amount of debt they have to wipe off for the other 80%? Aren't they haemorrhaging money by giving out student loans when they can't be paid back? + +A friend tried to explain that it is offset by the fact that when students get jobs and spend money over the course of their life this winds up paying for the debt, but the explanation didn't make sense to me, surely this be the same if they didn't have a student loan + +looking for a simple explanation +In the discussion of the current US-China trade war, a lot of people on the protariff side are suggesting that China's plan is to subsidise (eg) steel until the US steel industry collapses and then raise prices substantially. + +Regardless of the current situation, I'd be interested in seeing historical examples (if there are any) where a similar plan has worked. That is, where a government has subsidised a product until their country attained a monopoly and then raised prices in such a way that the profit attained was greater than the money spent on the subsidy. +From here: https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-warren-delivers-keynote-address-at-nwlc-and-rsquos-45th-anniversary-gala +Full quote: +"Over the past generation, from 1970 to 2015, wages have effectively remained flat, while the costs of all kinds of basic expenses have gone up. Housing costs have risen by 50 percent, health insurance expenses have doubled, college degree costs more than tripled, and those are all huge increases. But the cost of child care? It has gone up nearly 1,000 percent. One thousand percent. In nearly half of all states in America, child care costs are higher than the cost of in-state public college tuition. That is a giant boulder that rolls across right in front of working women and families all across this country. And for single parents and for parents working near the bottom of the income scale, the cost of child care often stretches families' paychecks past the breaking point." +I remember March 2020 how holding cash was seen as the wise play, stagflation etc. + +Assets have soared and cash... highly devalued (YOY). + +Would love to know how you are doing and whether or not you are planning to continue holding. +Apple is raising wages for workers amid rising inflation, a tight labor market and a push by hourly labor unions. Apple told employees in an email Wednesday that the company was raising its overall compensation budget. Starting wages for U.S. hourly workers will rise to $22 an hour, or higher adjusted for market conditions, up 45 percent from 2018. Starting salaries for U.S. workers are also expected to rise. +I wanted to change my primary bank account associated with Zerodha. I tried to do it online, I noticed that MICR code mentioned in the change request digio form is wrong. I created a ticket seeking clarification. + +Each reply by Zerodha took almost 7 days. Also, they never bothered to read my query, and always replied boilerplate responses. After 2 months of no proper response, I got frustrated and I mentioned that I am planning to complain on sebi scores platform. + +This is where thing gets interesting. After a week, I get SMS from cdsl that bank account associated with my demat account got changed. I checked Zerodha. They had updated my bank account with the new account I was planning to switch to, with wrong MICR code. None of this change was authorised by me. I didn't sent any postal forms, I didn't submit digio form, because my details were showing wrong, and I was waiting for correction. + +I created a ticket for this unauthorised change, and they just marked the ticket duplicate and closed it. Didn't even bother replying. +Now, if you see any dividend credit email, it has your account number and MICR code, so I am guessing MICR code is important. + +Now I am planning on raising a complaint on SEBI Scores. If you guys can suggest how to get it resolved, I am open to it. + +PS- Just see how easy it is for Zerodha to change your bank account details without any authorisation. Imagine you have your emergency funds on coin, and boom, zerodha decides to change your account details. Now you can't withdraw them because demat mf units can't be withdrawn from website of AMCs. + +Tl;dr - Zerodha changed bank account associated with my cdsl account without authorisation, and when I tried to get it reverted, they closed the ticket without replying anything. + +Proof: https://imgur.com/a/dM4nKJj + + +Edit- People saying this is honest mistake, I was not clear, please have a look at Zerodha's support page. + +https://support.zerodha.com/category/funds/adding-bank-accounts/articles/how-do-i-change-my-primary-bank-account-linked-with-zerodha + +Here it says, +> Accordingly, depository regulations require us to collect either an e-sign or a physical signature to map either linked or new bank accounts as primary.  + + +So clearly, Zerodha broke regulation, because I never submitted a signed form +***Update:*** *Now that this post has gained some traction, it's getting battered by downvotes.* + +**TL;DR:** An overview of how 'The Firehose of Falsehood' propaganda technique works to spread misinformation and to prevent the truth from surfacing. *There isn't really more of a TLDR than that, it's best to just read in full, as the detail is important to understanding the bigger picture*. + +&#x200B; + +Given that **the DOJ are allegedly investigating short sellers for market manipulation** and for their connection to and use of financial media outlets, I thought it would be a good time to contextualise one of the greatest failings of our governmental and regulatory bodies in a generation. + +I never thought I would witness the media's crassness and sheer gaul reach the levels it did in 2021, where they have done nothing but openly disseminate vile, privately motivated propaganda. Perhaps that was naive of me given that (like many of us) I haven't followed the media or their morbidity circus for years for the exact same reason, or perhaps I just prefer to believe there is at least some sanity left inside the simulation. + +After what we've all witnessed in 2021, it's fair to say my view of the media and its role in modern society has been solidified and set in stone. **The last 12 months have been shrouded in en-mass psychological manipulation of the population at large**, so in an attempt to understand and to contextualise it in detail, I went digging and came across something I read a few years back about a propaganda technique known as 'The Firehose of Falsehood'. + +&#x200B; + +# 1.0 - Preface: + +'The Firehose of Falsehood' is not my brainchild by any means, but it's important that these topics are raised here because they are almost certainly in use against us. 'The Firehose of Falsehood' has existed for many years in a mostly political context; originating from Russia it has been successfully used several times including during their annexation of Crimea in 2014. However, in recent years it has also been used by western democracies during political campaigns as well as when periods of heightened public distrust have occurred (i.e post 2008 crisis, COVID-19 etc), due to the benefit that comes to *democ-tatorships* when they distort reality to create confusion and sow division. + +The strategy and its relationship to information dissemination in general is what has recaptured my attention and specifically how it relates to securities markets and their interwovenness with financial media outlets. What I believe we're witnessing here is a Short & Distort, where the Distort element of the scheme has taken on the form of 'The Firehose of Falsehood'. + +***Note:*** *You can read about* [*Short & Distort*](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortanddistort.asp) *campaigns if you are unfamiliar with them.* + +**'The Firehose of Falsehood' is based on a few core principles:** + +* the immediate aim is to entertain, confuse and/or overwhelm the audience; +* it features a "shameless" approach to disseminating falsehoods and contradictory messages; +* it is based on the fact that people are more likely to believe a story when it appears to have been reported by multiple sources; +* it is supported by the fact that people are also more likely to believe a story when they think many others believe it; +* it is predicated on repetition, high volume, high frequency and low quality information; + +*Doesn't this all sound so familiar?* + +&#x200B; + +# 2.0 - The Psychology: + +Remember when [CNBC sponsored specific posts](https://i.redd.it/8vxraurkcce61.png) on Twatter and [other MSM outlets such as Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gamestop-melvin-idUKKBN29X0EN) went into overdrive claiming "short sellers closed, Melvin Capital left the chat...", **if you weren't spending hours on Reddit each day you would have no reason to question this narrative**, it seems plausible enough because a rational person or business would have exited a high risk position if they were overexposed and got caught red handed, but these aren't rational people - they are **corrupt financial terrorists who have been emboldened by the SEC and congress's lack of integrity and respect for the law**, to believe that they cannot lose and so they behave accordingly - like the criminals, manipulators and narcissists that they are. + +The strategy behind 'The Firehose of Falsehood' is to manipulate how our brains process and store information. Dr. Christopher Paul who is a Senior Social Scientist of the Pardee RAND Graduate School, noted in a recent seminar that when we first absorb new information it gets imprinted onto our view of the world and our reality, so even if the information is false, in order to refute it we must first acknowledge that it exists. This means that **falsehoods still leave a very real first impression on us and this puts any logical or rational alternative narratives on the back foot because they come up against false information which has already stated itself to be true**. This is compounded by the fact that as humans, when we are uninformed on a subject and we don't have enough knowledge to question the incoming information, **we are unlikely to challenge any narrative which is believable on face value because doing so makes us feel exposed**. + +Other experts in social sciences note the delivery methods of the information itself and how the sheer volume of content, no matter how nonsensical it may seem, can be enough to overpower someone's natural resistance or objections to unverifiable information. **It is easier for the human brain to accept information that appears to be inconsequential than it is to challenge it**. Our subconscious brains conserve the energy needed to actively process consequential information (such as: 'if I cross the road in front of this bus will I die?') by accepting seemingly inconsequential information as valid. + +This paradigm is why 'The Firehose of Falsehood' is notoriously good at triggering subconscious agreement with information that we register as 'inconsequential'. **In our default state as humans we don't have the mental capacity to critically challenge all of the information which we need to process, so when it doesn't appear to have a material impact on us, our brains choose to discount it.** + +When trying to produce and disseminate high-volume, multichannel propaganda, one of the other key factors is ensuring that the narrative you're pushing contains or refers to 'the views of others, especially the views of those who are similar to the message recipient'. This shouldn't seem unfamiliar either, we've seen nonsense articles many times with headlines such as 'Reddit crowd does x...', 'Retail investors dump y...', 'Meme stocks do the cha-cha slide, here's what you should have for dinner on Tuesdays...'. The fact that the last example reads like a MarketWatch article shows just how pervasive 'The Firehose of Falsehood' strategy really is. + +Headlines like these are complete gibberish, but **because they contain terms that you've heard many times before and the subject matter is relatable to you and your peers, you can probably feel them trying to worm their way into your brain** even though you know they're nonsense and hold no actual value to you. In fact, the realisation that they incense you and trigger an emotional response is part of what makes 'The Firehose of Falsehood' so effective, to the average reader the information appears valid and inconsequential, therefore being accepted as true before being discounted. To those who know what the subtext is and how manipulative the information is, it makes them (us) angry, thus **causing the maximum amount of destabilisation to ANY person who engages with the content**. + +The final trick in the playbook is **repetition, repetition, repetition**. Remember when you learned at a young age that repeating something 3 times made it more likely that you would remember it? The repetition of the same narrative over and over also indoctrinates the human mind into believing that something is true. In a democracy the Achilles heel of collective understanding is that it takes *equal to or greater than* levels of knowledge in order to disagree with and then overpower an existing narrative. + +In a society of majority rule, **repetitive lies told to a population of people with busy lives** **regularly go unchallenged**, because we don't have the time or resources to challenge them. + +[\\"I've seen some things man and some stuff, I wouldn't recommend it...\\" - MSM, probably](https://preview.redd.it/x2xs8dequj981.jpg?width=1577&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60fa3ade04e64b3ac5f01e0489759e5d58d42b35) + +&#x200B; + +# 3.0 - The History of Propaganda: + +Let's briefly pause here for a short but important lesson on the history of propaganda. + +In the late 1920s, the American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda - Edward Bernays, wrote a book about the essential role that propaganda plays in society. “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organised habits of the masses is an important element in democratic society. **Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power** of our country.” — *Propaganda*, c. 1928. + +For a while after its inception, propaganda itself was considered to be a positive concept, a way of influencing the masses without having to resort to guns, physical violence or state crackdowns. It wasn't until the propaganda machinery of Goebbels and the Nazis that propaganda became synonymous with deception and manipulation, thus deservedly earning its negative reputation. Hitler’s 'Minister of Propaganda' famously asserted, “**If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.**” After the war, a softer term would be adopted in place of 'propaganda', but which by any other means was the exact same thing: *Public Relations*. + +Some key quotes which have since shaped what it means to 'control the narrative' can be found in the work of French thinker/theologian and social critic Jacques Ellul who published a book in 1962 titled, *Propaganda: The Formation of Men’s Attitudes.* In it he wrote, “Propaganda does not aim to elevate man, but to make him *serve*.”. Following a similar theme in 1984, renowned British novelist, journalist and critic George Orwell remarked, "Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.". + +Extrapolating this quote by Orwell and applying it to GME makes it painfully clear that **controlling the present narrative around GameStop, Naked Shorts, Cellar Boxing etc is an attempt to control the end-to-end narrative** around what happened in January 2021 and subsequently back to 2008 and beyond. + +If the corrupt financial corporations and media can successfully manipulate enough people into believing their narrative at present, it will set the tone for what has happened in the past. If '*nothing bad*' happened in the past, this will define our future - one where **regulation and the law continue to mean nothing to those with the money and influence to evade them**. + +&#x200B; + +# 4.0 - The Mainstream Media (MSM): + +Ooops, looks like we just stepped in shit... + +Controlling the narrative has always gone hand in hand with tyranny, indoctrination and en-mass manipulation, be it for seemingly benevolent intent such as stemming the need for state issued violence in the early 1900's or for supporting duplicitous greed and private financial interests as we see today. The key understanding here is that history repeats itself, but it often masquerades behind a thin veil of differentiality. What was government issued propaganda in the early 20th century has become an ever-linearised, privately controlled range of media channels, where direct **conflicts of interest** are always on the menu, where **words mean nothing**, **statements go unchallenged** and **lies, unpunished**. + +**Mainstream media just entered the chat and** **oh boy do they have a lot of bullshit to say.** + +**Repetition:** +Remember when we were told to 'Forget GameStop' so many times that we remembered it that much that we quadrupled our positions, Pepperidge Farm remembers. I [screen-shotted a Google search](https://imgur.com/a/lc7ByZH) of The Motley Fool website for the term 'forget gamestop' back in early August 2021 and it returned 738 articles containing that term, which averages out to 4 articles per day every day for 6 months containing the term 'forget gamestop', interestingly I also tried several other companies and keyword combinations but was unable to locate any similar patterns. + +**Pump & Dump Schemes:** +We all know how financial media outlets actively engage in [pump and dump schemes](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pumpanddump.asp) (remember $S\_L\_V, $R\_K\_T and $C\_L\_O\_V?), how many weed and EV stocks have we seen explode and then die just as fast in WallStreet*Bots*? More recently this pump and dump tactic has been diversified further into listing what MSM now refer to as '[short-squeeze candidates](https://www.google.com/search?q=short-squeeze+candidates&oq=short-squeeze+candidates)', which is an interesting concept given that the last time I checked, short squeezes were not a daily, weekly, or monthly occurrence, nor are they a commonly used trading strategy in capital markets. + +**Selective Data:** +Then there's the way in which MSM [cherry-pick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_picking) information to provide a high-level overview which skews reality to benefit the narrative which they are trying to depict. For example Benzinga, a trashy wanna-be financial news platform reported that analyst Edward Woo of 'Ascendiant' (an investment banking firm) is bearish on GameStop, indicating that the stock's value had been downgraded in his view from $24 to $23 per share - okay, cool beans but who is Mr. Woo? + +A quick Google search returns [this](https://www.wallstreetzen.com/analysts/edward-woo) abomination - *at the time of writing* **Mr. Woo is ranked #3382 out of #3555 Wall Street analysts, or put more clearly, in the bottom 5% of analysts with an average portfolio return of -10.15%** (*yes negative*). I found this interesting, as we all know that it's not at all coincidental how this analyst's view was selected by Benzinga over many others with better portfolio returns who are bullish on GME. + +Lastly, in this section I wanted to include a list of **MSM outlets which I have found in at least 5 different instances to be guilty of fire-hosing in relation to GME**: + +|||| +|:-|:-|:-| +|CNBC \[D\]|The Motley Fool \[D\]|MarketWatch \[D\]| +|Business Insider \[D\]|Investor Place \[D\]|Financial Times \[D\]| +|Benzinga \[D\]|Barrons \[D\]|Wall Street Journal \[PI\]| +|The Economic Times \[PI\]|Reuters \[D\]|Bloomberg \[D\]| +|CBS News \[D\]|CNN \[PI\]|Investing.com \[D\]| +|Yahoo! Finance \[PI\]|The Telegraph \[PI\]|MSNBC \[D\]| +|Markets Insider \[D\]|The Independant \[PI\]|Detroit News \[D\]| +|Forbes \[D\]|The Guardian \[PI\]|BBC News \[PI\]| + +*This list in non-exhaustive and based on my own analysis of content posted by these MSM outlets.* + +*\[D\] stands for deliberately manipulative reporting, where selective data has been used to suggest an outcome or narrative that would lead the reader to conclude that they should sell or avoid GME, or where articles and content have been timed with market activity which implicates the outlet in market manipulation.* + +*\[PI\] stands for passive/incompetent reporting, where either an algorithm has cloned negative sentiment and content from other outlets already reporting on GME, or where the outlet has passively agreed to what other outlets are reporting, therefore adding to/re-sharing misinformation through laziness or incompetence.* + +&#x200B; + +# 5.0 - Checkpoint: + +So we've covered how 'The Firehose of Falsehood' operates and disseminates information which: + +* uses false narratives and information; +* is shamelessly inaccurate; +* is disruptive and manipulative; +* is repetitive and relentless, relies on over saturation; +* originates from multiple sources, often simultaneously. + +We've also reviewed just a select few examples which illustrate where and how this strategy is being used in relation to GME and the stock market in general and the media's complicity in attempting to control the narrative. The logical next step is to see whether there is a specific law which prevents this kind of biased media coverage. + +With the amount of propaganda we see on a daily basis related to GME, it got me thinking, there has to be a law to prevent this, *surely it can't be legal to just spew blatant lies without any semblance of truth, right?* **Surely this cannot actually be legal** and *someone, somewhere* should be enforcing **TRANSPARENCY**. + +This lead me to the [FCC Fairness Doctrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_fairness_doctrine). + +&#x200B; + +# 6.0 - The FCC Fairness Doctrine: + +Unfortunately, it turns out we've been going backwards in the fight for transparency for decades. + +Once upon a time, we did actually have something we could point at and say, "be honest, or else" and whilst the 'or else' of it was toothless in the face of real corruption, at least it was something. The purpose of the 'FCC Fairness Doctrine' which was introduced in 1949, was to require the holders of broadcast licenses to **present controversial issues of public importance in a manner that fairly reflected differing viewpoints**. + +Despite the clear need for moderation and oversight in an industry that can't be trusted to get even basic facts right, **the 'FCC Fairness Doctrine' was repealed in 1987** which prompted many activists and the general public to urge its reintroduction through either Commission policy or congressional legislation. + +**As if it couldn't get any worse**, in 2011 the '[Broadcaster Freedom Act of 2011](https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/642?s=1&r=7)' was brought in to protect the political and financial agendas of the elite and to remove the FCC's ability to reenforce or reinstate the 'FCC Fairness Doctrine'. The Broadcaster Freedom Act was cosponsored by 145 congressmen and women and passed without any evidence of debate. + +**In August 2011, the FCC itself decided to completely remove the rule** that was used to implement the 'FCC Fairness Doctrine' from the Federal Register, as they no longer had the jurisdiction to enforce the policy on broadcasters who had been increasingly violating it's principles over recent years. + +&#x200B; + +# 7.0 - Summary: + +**The whole system is fraudulent** \- government agencies, regulatory bodies, media coverage, large market participants, hedge funds, prime brokers, brokers, banks, the god damn law, legislation and rules themselves - **all of it is rotten to the core**. + +'The Firehose of Falsehood' is being used to spread disinformation and to prevent the sins of the elite (and those who are supposed to regulate them and the industry) from rising to the surface. When we consider 'The Firehose of Falsehood' in the context of capital markets, we're *allegedly protected* from the propaganda which would normally fall under 'broadcaster freedom'. The law is clear on [Short & Distort](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortanddistort.asp) campaigns, **just like naked shorting itself**, spreading negative and/or false information in **an attempt to manipulate stock prices is illegal**. + +**Firehose or no firehose, we will not be silenced this time.** + +*I have begun reporting the media's lies to the DOJ and whilst this does feel counterintuitive (like reporting a crime to the criminal), we must fight back with whatever tools we have available to us:* + +[https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice](https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice) + +&#x200B; + +**POWER TO THE PLAYERS.** + +**BUY. HODL. DRS.** + +&#x200B; + +[Me right now](https://preview.redd.it/pg36buusuj981.jpg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20dfb26fe2b761c2bc1194d0df18180942681522) + +&#x200B; + +# References: + +**Source(s):** + +[https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/perspectives/PE100/PE198/RAND\_PE198.pdf](https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/perspectives/PE100/PE198/RAND_PE198.pdf) + +[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry\_picking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_picking) + +[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC\_fairness\_doctrine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FCC_fairness_doctrine) + +[https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/642?s=1&r=7](https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/642?s=1&r=7) + +**External Links:** + +[https://i.redd.it/8vxraurkcce61.png](https://i.redd.it/8vxraurkcce61.png) + +[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gamestop-melvin-idUKKBN29X0EN](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gamestop-melvin-idUKKBN29X0EN) + +[https://imgur.com/a/lc7ByZH](https://imgur.com/a/lc7ByZH) + +[https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pumpanddump.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/pumpanddump.asp) + +[https://www.google.com/search?q=short-squeeze+candidates&oq=short-squeeze+candidates](https://www.google.com/search?q=short-squeeze+candidates&oq=short-squeeze+candidates) + +[https://www.wallstreetzen.com/analysts/edward-woo](https://www.wallstreetzen.com/analysts/edward-woo) + +[https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortanddistort.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/shortanddistort.asp) + +[https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice](https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice) + +&#x200B; + +**EDIT:** + +\- Thanks for the awards guys, totally not necessary but appreciated nonetheless. ❤️🦍 + +\- Grammar edit in Summary. + +\- Added update at top. +Hi + +Here is my analysis on on $TXRH + +**Part 1** \- Preview. + +TXRH is a casual dining restaurant chain founded in 1993 by Kent Taylor, TXRH opens it's locations in stand alone locations and not in malls, focused on dinner only, with only some locations serving lunch in some days of the week. In the last few years they started 2 new concepts, Bubba's 33 and Jaggers. + +**Part 2** \- Crunching the financial number of the past 20 years. **(most numbers are rounded up)** + +TXRH opened in 1993 and IPO'd in 2004, in 2004 they had a total of 107 company locations and 86 franchise locations all in the USA. As of Q3 2022 the company has 587 company locations and 98 franchise locations, in the USA and in 10 more countries. + +In 2002 the net revenue of the entire business was 10.9 million $, and in 2021 it was 245.2 mill, a CAGR of close to 17%. Their FCF CAGR is very similar to their net revenue CAGR throught out the years. + +SH equity (all assets - all liabilites) in 2003, 43.5 mil $, in 2021 1.03bil $, a CAGR of 18.3% + +SH net equity (net tanigble assets - all liabilites) in 2003, 41.4 mil $, in 2021 945 bil $, a CAGR of almost 18% + +Their average ROA (calculated as net revenue/net tanigble assets) in the past 10 and 20 years is about 10%, the ROA isn't accurate since the company values all it's aquired land at cost basis. + +ROE (calculated as net revenue/SH equity) has been improving constantly, in 2004 (no data for 2002 and 2003 was very high) less then 8%, In 2021 almost 23%. + +ROIC (calculated as net revenue/all assets+all debt) has been improving constantly, in 2004 (no data for 2002 and 2003 was very high) less then 4%, In 2021 21%. + +TO (turn over) ratio has improved constantly from about 2600% to well above 4000% since 2015 and even during covid their TO ratio was 3500% in 2020 and 3600% in 2021. + +**TXRH has a very strong brand recognition, and a very loyal fan base,** this we know just by the fact that they don't do national advertising, their marketing expense in 2002 was just 2 million $ and in 2021 21 million, and in 2021 they had well above 3 billion $ in sales. They charge 0.2% advertising royalty from gross sales from their franchisees. Their total marketing expense to sales ratio is well below 0.001%. + +For comparison $DRI (darden restaurants, owners of long horn, olive garden and a few more concepts) marketing expense in 2002 (then they still owned Red Lobster) was 187 million, throughtout the years DRI marketing to sales ratio was above 4% and only in the last 2 years did they scale down on marketing expense and in 2022 it was 93 million still close to 1% ratio to sales. + +Wingstop ($WING) charges it's franchisees a royalty/fee of 5% from gross sales for marketing expense (besides a 6% royalty of gross sales). + +Another great financial analysis of TXRH great internal growth and efficiency is their SG&A to sales ratio, improving almost each year from 1600% in 2003 to 2200% in 2021. + +TXRH Total Sales - 363 mil in 2004 - 3.4 bil in 2021, CAGR 14% + +TXRH royalty from franchises - 8.8 mil in 2004 - 24.7 mil in 2021, CAGR 7% + +TXRH company sales per comapny locations almost doubled from 3.3 mil in 2004 to over 6 mil in 2021, CAGR of almost 7%. + +And here is the amazing stat, Net revenue of the total business divdided per locations, (company and franchise locations, just to check is the company getting more efficient as it's growing) goin up X5 from 72,000$ in 2004 to 368,000$ in 2021. + +And if we actually want to calculate the company's NR of company location per company loctation, excludng all franchise income (there's no exact way to know this number, since the NR in the income statement is after interest and SG&A paid for operations for franchise and taxes paid for rayalties, but if we calculate NR minus all royalty income and divide it per company licationn, we'll get a **mininmum** of NR per company location). By this calculation, NR per company location in 2004 was 46,830$ and 389,620$ in 2021 an 8 fold increase of **internal** growth. + +There's more ananlysis and comparing TXRH numbers to $DRI as a whole, and to olive garden and longhorn as seperate segments, and also to $CMG and $wing here. + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVIm8CTt1ds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVIm8CTt1ds) + +Part 3 - Understanding the story. + +TXRH has a very speciall culture starting from HQ going down to management and employees, TXRH calles their restuarant managers managing partners, as each manager get's 10% of his restaurant income besides a salary. + +TXRH has mangers who oversee their restaurants, product coaches, and a 16 week training program for new managers (compared to 4 weeks at $WING). + +Each year the best manager is awarded manager of the year recieving a 30,000$ bonus (last years amount). Also TXRH does each year a meat cutting competition, with the winner receiving a bonus, and a lot more. + +TXRH is known for it's made from scratch sides, each location has a local meat cutter, they're famous for their free great rolls and free peanuts (coivd changed the peanuts), their line dancing, and birthday ceremony on a saddle. + +TXRH migh not have the best of the best staeks (from all my research it seems that longhorn has a little better score than TXRH) but their fan base loyalty is way better than all their competitors. + +US Camp Humphrey's in S. Korea made a survey which full service restaurant the soldiers want to bring to base, and TXRH got the first slot. + +A great interview of Kent Taylor - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJOMhk1AuV4&t=0s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJOMhk1AuV4&t=0s) + +For more on TXRH culture history and moat and a lot more you can check out this video. + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgww4yIxeEc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgww4yIxeEc) + +Part 4 - Q&A with investors relation. + +I had a few questions about the future of the company, is the company planning on opening up locations in malls, and why are they opening up in malls in Dubai and other places and not in the US. Why didn't they open locations in Canada and Europe. What's the future for Bubba's and Jaggers, and a lot of more questions. + +The full Q&A with investors relations - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tXrK0dIeQ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0tXrK0dIeQ) + +Part 5 - Current analysis + +IMO TXRH is a high quality company that I would like to own, it isn't a great growth company, but it's a good company that's getting better and better as a business, and its moat is widening from year to year, IMO TXRH moat is better than $CMG, but that's just my opinion. + +As of now the SP is trading at 95-100$ which is a PE of around 28 which is expensive for sure. + +What's a good price to buy the stock depends on how much the investor wants to compound, and depends on if they're willing to bet on the success of Bubba's and Jaggers, and how much locations the company will have in 10-20-30 years, and how much will the NR per location be in the next 10-20-30 years. For more info on this issue - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoICioxhze8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoICioxhze8) + +Part 6 - Short conclusion - [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajbpXS4ck9Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajbpXS4ck9Y) + +Thanks for reading and GLTA!! +A video where Buffett said he raid every earnings report of every stock and that he read about 20,000 pages of info. I think there are too many companies to do that now, but Im listening to on average 15 calls a week. There is so much good info. My latest actionable information is that AirBNB said future earnings rely on recruiting more hosts. I dumped my leaps and I’m looking for a better hospitality play to park my money. + +Here’s to 50% year over year returns and enduring competitive advantages! +Posted about this stock the other day, didn't receive much feedback so decided to do my own DD and shared it in wsb, I guess it also goes here pretty well. + +# What does this company do? + +It provides mailing and shipping solutions and services to its customers, people who sell goods online. They mostly pay a monthly fee and use their services. They are integrated with virtually all online platforms. Amazon, Shopify, Ebay, Walmart etc you name it, everyone is integrated in their platform which makes them the most attractive medium for multi-channel sellers too. + +1M customers reached already. Churn is low. + +From annual report, "Stamps.com® is a leading provider of Internet-based mailing and shipping solutions in the United States (US) and Europe. Our portfolio of solutions is marketed under the brand names Stamps.com®, Endicia®, Metapack®, ShippingEasy®, ShipEngine®, ShipStation®, and ShipWorks®. Our software solutions allow customers to print mailing and shipping labels for multiple carriers around the world through downloadable software, web-based user interfaces (UIs) and application programming interfaces (APIs). Our solutions provide our customers with access to discounted carrier rates for select carriers, including the United States Postal Service (USPS) and United Parcel Service (UPS). Our solutions also offer customers improved operational efficiency and financial savings. Our customers primarily include small businesses, home offices, medium-size businesses, large enterprises, e-commerce merchants, large retailers and high volume shippers including warehouses, fulfillment houses and omni-channel retailers." + +# Bullish reasoning: + +&#x200B; + +[I don't know any technical mumbo-jumbo, but here's the chart, earnings is in May or June](https://imgur.com/a/digYMew) + +*You must see all the images to understand my DD, I don't know why reddit messed up my formatting* + +Earnings will be beaten handsomely by STMP, as COVID hasn't really subsumed. Plus, the stock has a pretty big future considering the slow but sure shift to online sales. + +[Estimize estimates along with my estimates](https://imgur.com/a/VLiYBpx) + +&#x200B; + +[Analyst price targets. George Sutton is a pretty reliable guy, I kinda follow him](https://imgur.com/a/7KAOEYY) + +&#x200B; + +[Website traffic for Stamps.com, you tell me what you think from this!](https://imgur.com/a/54Itoc4) + +&#x200B; + +[Some mumbo jumbo that I don't know anything about](https://imgur.com/a/nzhBb1G) + +&#x200B; + +[Some ratios \(it's probably best if you check those fundamentals yourself\)](https://imgur.com/a/gpvQMwO) + +Did I mention the $120M buyback? + +&#x200B; + +[Ownership data \(SI is negligible\)](https://imgur.com/a/HcUK0ir) + +Oh, and market cap is $3.72B. + +[Good CEO ratings. Bad diversity ratings.](https://imgur.com/a/4cpLVTb) + +# Bear points: + +1. The moat is not necessarily the strongest, management has to continually deliver to keep on growing. I am fairly confident that they can do it. But you may not be. + +2. Too conservative management. You can easily see this from their non-existent debt and huge cash position. + +3. Too low volume. Float is also only 18M. Options bid-ask spread is wild. + +[Options OI and volume](https://imgur.com/a/HXp7Omf) + +4. It's kinda a deep value stock. There must be some reason which I am not seeing why it remains in this deep value territory. Private equity/activist fund sharks could target it, take it private and then DPO/IPO it at 10 times the valuation; but being almost 90% owned by various institutions, reduces this risk. + +5. + +[Mixed product reviews](https://imgur.com/a/uvNVGVz) + +For reference, + +&#x200B; + +[So, nothing can be definitively said about the stock seeing its product reviews because most of the time, only the frustrated customers would bother to review in TrustPilot](https://imgur.com/a/QpPymkH) + +**Common question: Why did the stock drop so much in 2019 and stuff?** + +Answer: They had an exclusivity deal with USPS where they got a lot of money for that deal. But management intentionally dropped it as USPS couldn't make 2 day delivery or the fast delivery requirements that is necessary to compete. + +The market reacted very badly for this short-term bump in the road. But COVID-19 has proved that management was right all along and it was absolutely necessary to drop that deal to grow the company. + +**Conclusion:** I think the stock will pretty reliably beat the upcoming earning and the stock will jump heavily before the earnings only to dump a little or a lot after the earnings. Basically, buy the rumour, sell... +However, the stock is also a pretty decent one for long term holdings too. +Multiples are attractive keeping the growth in mind, and add to that the possibility of positive surprises from international expansion and probable acquisitions. If no acquisition occurs, the cash could get returned to shareholders through buybacks, which would be awesome too. + +**TL;DR: STMP will at least reach $270+ before earnings come out. My crystal ball says so. Plus, long term trend is sales moving online more and more, helping STMP in the process.** +BUYBACKS/DIVIDENDS: +I’ve seen this one talked about a lot. People claiming buybacks are always the right move because it’s a form of returning cash back to owners without taxes, and dividends are inefficient because they are taxed ect. This one is fairly straight-forward, share buybacks above the intrinsic value of a company ALWAYS destroy shareholder value. If the individual investor destroys value by overpaying for a company, why is this not the case for the company? If you overpay for the shares you buy back, the shareholders that are bought out benefit at the expense of the shareholders that stay. Buybacks are a form of leverage and can be disastrous for a company if done above it’s value. On the other hand, dividends are frowned upon because the tax man gets his cut of your cash. The purpose of a business is to return cash to the shareholders, unless you are investing in a Roth or something similar the tax man will always get his cut and you shouldn't give it a second thought unless there's a way to get around the tax. Basically, if the company can not invest the money back into the business profitably(which would hopefully be the first option), the cash should be deployed via buyback IF trading at or under intrinsic value or through dividends. + +UNDERPERFORMANCE: +Another one I see a lot and struggle with myself sometimes. If you are going about investment the right way, you WILL underperform. Lots of investors underperform and take that as a reflection on their own decision making. A lot of the time this is the case, you did make a bad decision or missed something but if you’re process is good and you have been careful then underperformance is needed to outperform. Think about it, it couldn’t work otherwise. Remember the old saying, “Value investing works because it doesn’t”. If it always worked then it would never work. + +THESE TERMS SUCK: +Seriously, “Value”, “Growth”, “Value investing”. These terms that are used freaking suck. What the hell is value investing? Who invests in something where they don’t get more value then they think they pay for? It’s investing and then everything else you can do in the market. That leads into another minor point, not everyone will be an investor. We’ve all seen lots of investors looking down on traders, traders looking down on investors, investors looking down on speculators ect ect. They’re all needed for the market to work. Think about the jungle where only the tiger existed. It would just be tigers needing to feed on tigers to survive. It wouldn’t work. Every subset of market participants is needed for the market to work and even if you think your strategy is best, there will be times where the other participant will make more money than you and it’s best we all just accept it and move on. Again, if it was just the long term investors making money or speculators making money, none of this would work. + +INVESTMENT TIME HORIZONS: +Another one that gets mentioned a lot. I’ve held blah blah for a year and it’s done nothing. I’ve held this for 8 months and I’m down. The average holding period for a stock back in the 60/70s period was around 5 years, now it is down to 12 months. Meaning if you are trading in and out of a company within 12 months you are now trying to profit in the most competitive part of the market. Literally every investor I have listened to or read about has said the magic number is at least 3 years for holding an idea. You should be prepared to wait 3 years for an idea to play out before you sell unless of course you have found something better or you made a mistake. After that you were either wrong or the value is locked behind something. + +HOW MUCH YOU NEED TO BE RIGHT: +I bet we’ve all seen someone say along the lines of “Even the best make mistakes” or “Even Buffett made mistakes”, this thinking is heavily flawed and implies an unrealistic view of reality. Buffett, Munger, Lynch, Lu, Miller, you name them have been wrong many many many times over. The trick is to position yourself where when you are wrong you actually make a little bit of money in a good bad situation, or you’re close to breakeven in a decently bad situation or you lose a fifth or quarter of your position in a bad bad situation and not half or close to all your position if that makes sense. You shouldn’t expect to be right 7/10 times, or even 5/10 times and you don’t have to if you’re going about it the right way. Buffett says you “Only have to be right a very few times in your lifetime as long as you never make any big mistakes”. This is what he is truly great at. If you put yourself into good situations you really only need to be correct 3 to 4 times out of 10 to get stupidly rich. + +PE RATIOS AND PAST AVERAGES: +Almost every single price to earnings ratio you see in here or on yahoo finance or whatever site you use is almost always wrong. Don’t believe me? Go look at any company, check the reported P/E, then find the real financials, back out the cash and or add in debt, make the necessary accounting adjustments, one time charges both positive and negative, see if they’re over or under depreciated or amortized something that’s not a true expense. You will get a vastly different number. And there’s many more ways for the numbers to be fudged to where you’ll never know at a quick glance what is what. This also means stock screeners don’t actually work. Basically all the “at a glance” ratios kinda suck but there’s not really another better way so you gotta be careful is all. As for past averages, aka P/E ratios from the 80’s or 70’s, comparing relative prices from then to now is almost complete garbage. When all you focus on is the past or a past average, you are saying the present is irrelevant. Interest rate changes, cost of capital changes, businesses change, technology changes, laws change, the economy changes. Way too much change to put any significance on an average from a decade or decades ago without serious thought about whether it should even be considered. “The past is only useful to you to the extent that it gives you insights into the future, and sometimes the past doesn’t give you any insights into the future.” - Buffett + +TWO GUARANTEES: +Number one is that you will find on average one absolute braindead no brainer investment a year, maybe none in one year and 10 in another. Two, it will feel like at times you'll never come across something truly compelling + +THE ACE IN ALL OUR BACK POCKETS: +Remember, every single one of us has DCA’ing into low cost index funds throughout our working lifetimes especially when under 35, 30, and 25. It’s always there and basically risk free if you don’t try to pull your money out and time the market and what not. Some people call it the get rich slow option, I’ll just call it the get rich method, or get rich and not be working until I fuckin keel over method. +Lots of discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis here and that makes sense because that is, literally, how you place a value on any economic enterprise. + +To spur discussion, here's a hot take. + +From a value investing standpoint I don't think DCFs are all that great of a tool. + +###Problems with buying based on a DCF: + +a) There is no edge to be gained from plugging well known variables into an easily available spreadsheet anyone on the internet can use. To the extent your estimate varies from the market price, you should probably assume you made an input error, moreso than the market did. + +b) "regression to the mean starts as the analyst lifts their pen" - standard practice of *5 years growth then some terminal multiple* is on-face silly. Why 5 years and not 2 or 4 or 8? *How fast* regression to the mean happens is key. + +c) Really great businesses keep high returns for disproportionate amounts of time and DCFs will undervalue them. + +d) Choosing the terminal growth rate is arbitrary and has a big effect on what the shares are worth. + +e) it gives a false sense of precision and a single value at a single point in time for a business enterprise which by nature is always changing. + +###Some other tools that also aren't that great: + +- The Acquirer's Multiple (EV/EBIT). Tells you how much it costs to buy a dollar of last year's operating earnings, but this screen tends to get you cyclicals at the peak, accounting irregularities, and fatally flawed franchises. + +- PEG. Dividing a P/E ratio (two variables, at a single point in time) by a future growth figure (rate of change) makes no mathematical sense. Also relies on analyst earnings projections that are frequently wrong. It's fine as a quick-and-dirty method to see if you're overpaying for growth or not, but not great as a value tool. + +### What's an alternative? + +I use a free cash flow yield hurdle rate, an idea borrowed from fund manager Terry Smith, who adapted and borrowed from a classic article by [Warren Buffett](https://fortune.com/2011/06/12/buffett-how-inflation-swindles-the-equity-investor-fortune-classics-1977/). + +Imagining you owned the entire company, the free cash flow is how much you could pull out as the owner and still have the business keep functioning. The FCF yield is a %, in cash, that you're making on buying that whole company. + +Calculate it as: + +FCF Yield = FCF / Market Cap + +or + +FCF Yield = (FCF + interest expense) / Enterprise Value + +(If you use EV, it assumes you've paid off all the net debt of the company upon buying it, so the interest expense is added back. I typically use EV for all my ratios where applicable). + +*If the business uses lots of share-based compensation, you may want to take that figure from the cash flow statement and subtract it off from FCF as well.* + +Then, decide on some hurdle rate which should be where, comparably, you could go to make a yield on your money. You might also add a risk premium. This will dictate the **maximum** you would be willing to pay for the shares. They must give you at least that much yield (and preferably, more!) + +Right now due to Fed policy the 10-year treasury is still below where it arguably "should" be so maybe inflate a bit above that. I believe Terry Smith uses 4%. + +Or, you could use the current yield of 2.75% and then add some risk premium to reflect that your money in an equity is volatile. Whatever suits your fancy! + +Then, as you look at the price of a stock, you can compare the yield you make from it against the external measure of investing in a bond instead, and decide if *based on what you know right now* (and without requiring any projections), assuming you got the business and it stayed as it was in the past fiscal year, whether it gives you a comparably reasonable cash return on your investment. + +The wonderful thing about owning a business, though, is that if it's good the FCF yield will continue increasing year after year. A bond doesn't do that. + +If you buy at a 4% FCF yield, and it grows at 5% per year for 5 years, you will own a 5.10% yielding investment. + +Buying at a 3.5% FCF yield growing at 10% for 5 years, you'll then own a yield of 5.64%. + +Buying at a 2.75% FCF yield, growing at 15% for 5 years, you'll then own a yield of 5.53%. + +And so on and so forth. You can toy with the numbers, thinking about how patient you are, how much confidence you have in a high/low growth rate for your business, and so on. But I hope this exercise fully conveys the idea of how important it is to buy at a reasonable FCF yield at your initial purchase - and also, how you can still make a good return, paying a seemingly fairly high price - especially, if your timeframe extends beyond 5 years. + +[Terry Smith explains in this video.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAX8r5zpdzE) + +### That doesn't mean DCFs are useless... + +...and maybe you should still do them. Or at least, do enough to know what are the variables which will significantly skew the result. You can DCF to back-out the assumptions the market might be making to arrive at a certain price. + +I hope this doesn't come across overly pedantic, and I'm sure the idea of FCF yield is not a new one to most investors here. But, for some extra content aimed at people who might be new, I hope someone finds this helpful. +GOOGL's price hasn't moved much for over 8 months now. Is there a problem at the company? + +The projected growth rates have been increasing (based on Yahoo!) but the price has not. Weirdly enough, my calculations say GOOGL has an intrinsic value of 5600 USD/share. The calculation is based on the Rule #1 method, with forward PE (=historical PE) of 33 and a growth rate of 19.5%. + +Any opinions? Is GOOGL a good buy now? +I felt as if this stock deserved a mention in this sub. With a forward P/E of 9.95, 60% ownership by institutions, and excellent ROA’s & ROE. Obviously more research is needed, but from the surface their seems to be potential. They are already a huge player in the tobacco industry, which contrary to common belief, likely will still have mass demand for at-least a few more decades. Now that alone is not a sound business to invest money into, however they also have vast potential in the vaping industry, which will likely replace their tobacco products eventually. The optimal revenue streams they will create however, will be cannabis. They have a huge amount of capital ready to be invested, and also have strong credit history. Cannabis will likely become a multi-billion dollar industry, and Altria is the largest company that is currently taking place in the development. This is a rare mixture of a value and growth play, as not many stocks that could even somewhat be considered a value play are also attempting to emerge a brand new, potentially revolutionizing market. +COTY Turnaround is happening. Not to late to join, headed to $20 to $30 and will pay a dividend in 2022/2023. + +Previously, I posted my deep thoughts in regards to $COTY in a reddit post 7 months ago. Since then the stock is up around 50%. I am posting this update here because I think it is important or prudent to follow up with a complicated story like COTY. Many in the industry like to chase things not realizing that sometimes good things take time to play out. I know we all want to make 100% returns daily, who does not, but I see COTY as an excellent long-term hold that offers a very safe business model, with some high-quality brands and operated by an extremely competent management. Also, I like to post on REDDIT to get feedback from people in regard to my thoughts or thesis in a constructive way. I like it all the good and the bad, it keeps me humble and honest. + +Nevertheless, COTY is extremely interesting to me because it has so many moving pieces that even WallStreet analyst are divided as to what the value of COTY is today. COTY was like a beaten up F1 that was ran by an incompetent manager, driver and mechanic (the owner is still the same). So, they hired a new manager (Sue Nabi), mechanics (KKR) and drivers (all the new Execs) and were able to sell some car parts, re-do the entire engine, to perform faster and better on the track but has still not gotten a paint job. So, this is why it is so confusing the new COTY is different you just can’t see it yet until it wins a few races and proves that it can compete and win there will be doubt. + +The bears have hold ratings but keep raising their price targets every quarter as they are still in denial but have to raise price targets as they can’t keep them at $4. The bulls have set targets at $15 and over time will be changing those to $18, $20, etc. as the company keeps executing its plans. + +If I were to sum up the COTY story it would be as follows: + +· Management change = change in culture top to bottom (takes time) + +· Less Brands = less costs and more focus on a few major brands + +· Marketing spend better monitored and spent = better results + +· Debt reduction means equity value increases + +· Less manufacturing assets = more marketing/branding company + +· High margins = more profits for shareholders + +· China, Direct to Consumer and extension of products with major brands + +If I were to sum up the catalysts for the stock over the next year it would be the following: + +· Company continues to beat quarterly revenue guidance and guides up (this is due to better product mix and better marketing) + +· Company continues to beat Margin/EBITDA guidance and guides up (this is due to the major cost cutting but also DTC offers better margins) + +· Brazil IPO nets them $200 million + +· Wella Stake is sold for $2 to $3 billion via IPO within the next 6 to 24 months. + +· Company continues to reduce debt, therefore value of equity increases. + +· Company decides to re-instate dividend within the next 12 to 24 months. I think they should do it next year until. + +I decided to update my model and I would like to share it with you all today. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/tox2y68klpk71.png?width=2549&format=png&auto=webp&s=11a909cd58bae0fcb519626e097444f3ab2e362b + +If you notice in my summary model I have a $17.60 price target by August of 2022 as you all know this is my opinion and NOT a certainty. This valuation was based on a multiple of EV to Revenues ranging from 2x to 5x with an average of around 3.5x EV to Revenues for a business like COTY. If you notice the industry leaders like Estee Lauder and L’Oreal are trading at 7x to 8x EV to revenues and because COTY is no where near the level of GROSS MARGINS, EBITDA MARGINS and NET PROFIT MARGINS of COTY that means it deserves a discount, I used a 50% discount to peers. Now, you can argue that the company should trade at a premium to that in the short-term as the company keeps improving but I like to be more on the conservative side of things. It is what helped me make the decision to start buying the stock at $2.75 last year. + +The next model you will see is a 10 year model which I like to do because it lets me see how the numbers can really improve. I know that this is never going to be accurate but what we CAN see are things like CAPITAL EXPENDITURES run rate or how the SGA split of marketing will be higher over time but that all of the cost cutting they have done the past year or so is going to show on the SGA line starting next year and the year after. To be able to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in costs during COVID and before given the expertise from KKR is mind boggling. It also lets me see where the growth is coming from or CAN come, ASIA/CHINA. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/x4nlw2rllpk71.png?width=2333&format=png&auto=webp&s=a4706216cdb948a34debf4ad973b1481d6d25eab + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/e61w34wmlpk71.png?width=2323&format=png&auto=webp&s=4dc9f7847bc2271513c4671dca59dc47850f9f44 + +Nevertheless, these models will change every quarter but I like to see how the business can APPROXIMATELY look like over the next 5 to year years. For example, in this model it does NOT show what happens to the DEBT if the company does sell the 40% stake of WELLA via IPO which has a high chance of happening within the next year or so. This is being valued at $1.3 billion but I think it can be $2 billion or more if they hold it for longer as the market realizes the value of that business, it is a true gem. Also, the company just announced that they want to sell between 20% to 40% of the Brazil division via IPO and seek around 200 million USD. I found this move to be very interesting as it is a KKR type move to extract some value out of an asset but also I think a very good political move as things are very shaky in Brazil on the political side of things and there could be some risks in the future so them taking out cash now while things are hot, I think is an excellent move for shareholders. + +In conclusion, I still think COTY is a buy for people who give a damn about owning a piece of an amazing business. I think many will be surprised how this company will keep surprising people for years. +[https://neckar.substack.com/p/the-reading-obsession](https://neckar.substack.com/p/the-reading-obsession) + +I found this a very useful perspective on Buffett and his method. Mea culpa, my own inclination is to sit behind my desk and try to solve the puzzle. + +Apologies if this is a repost. + +EDIT: for avoidance of doubt, I'm not the writer. His twitter is here - [https://twitter.com/NeckarValue](https://twitter.com/NeckarValue) +*This piece will be posted at 4:20 pm NYSE time every trading day!* + +[u\/Sharkbait\_lol, u\/grungromp, u\/pinkcatsonacid, u\/bye\_triangle, u\/redchessqueen99, u\/Captain-Fan](https://preview.redd.it/nuke285am9571.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=770b6f9cb3d0db13807585ec8080c07179a5eb35) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🎤🎸🥁 🦍Welcome to the Jungle🦍🥁🎸🎤 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Today's Recap 📉 + +# $GME Closing Price: $229.44 + +Open Price: $236.50 + +Daily High: $238.01 + +Daily Low: $219.20 + +Volume: 7.06 MM + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🖍🍎🚌GME 101🚌🍎🖍 + +*If you're new to Superstonk, start here!* + +&#x200B; + +[WeBull's Public Opinion $GME rating 06-14-2021](https://preview.redd.it/ttu18klap8571.jpg?width=944&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dc83f7e34dcd38476f55ffe25d0980343e3b4546) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[Superstonk FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/faq#wiki_how_do_i.2C_as_a_retail_investor.2C_stand_a_chance_against_the_hedge_funds.3F) (Updates coming soon) + +[Superstonk Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index) + +&#x200B; + +**NEW!!** We will be having a "Smooth Brain Sunday Megathread" every Sunday as a place to ask all the questions you've been wanting to get answered! Please be advised that all answers provided are from individual users and, as always, any information you receive requires doing your own due diligence!! + +&#x200B; + +The apes of [r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) sincerely appreciate the time and effort put into getting this information out there. 🦍🤝💪 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# We Like the Company! We Support the Company! + +&#x200B; + +Obviously you're a shareholder because you love Gamestop and have high hopes for its future. Supporting the company you love on the retail front is a great way for a shareholder to ensure a business' success! Here are several ways you can show your public support for Gamestop; + +&#x200B; + +* [**Shop at Gamestop.com**](https://www.gamestop.com/) **🛒** +* [**Become a PowerUp Rewards Member**](https://www.gamestop.com/poweruprewards/) **✊** +* [**... Which gets you a subscription to Game Informer Magazine**](https://www.gameinformer.com/) **🚀** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Twitter**](https://twitter.com/GameStop) **🦍** +* [**Subscribe to Gamestop's YouTube Channel**](https://www.youtube.com/user/gamestopvideo) **🖍** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Twitch**](https://www.twitch.tv/gamestop) **🎮** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/gamestop/?hl=en) **🌙** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Facebook**](https://www.facebook.com/GameStop) **🦧** +* [**Apple Devices- Download the Gamestop App**](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gamestop/id406033647) **(Link to App Store) 🍌** +* [**Android Devices- Download the Gamestop App**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamestop.powerup) **(Link to Play Shop) 📈** +* **Brands owned by Gamestop; ThinkGeek, GameInformer,** [**MicroMania**](https://www.micromania.fr/)**, and** [**EB Games**](https://www.ebgames.ca/) **💎** + +&#x200B; + +Please remember apes, as you are interacting with Gamestop Social Media, that their objective is to reach gamers and promote their brand to their demographic. Yes it's fun when they tweet MOASS and Chickie Tendies, but let's not flood them with comments about Ken, Naked Short Selling, and Mayonnaise. Let's show them support by joining, contributing to, and expanding their robust community of gamers! + +&#x200B; + +[Power to the Player 💎✊](https://preview.redd.it/1v1xr0g3s8571.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=acc74fe4a4d8dc2e6e4b902b294bf5d9243e255d) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# We Like the Stock!! + +&#x200B; + +[Going back to our roots](https://preview.redd.it/kpcdut8zu3571.png?width=480&format=png&auto=webp&s=2662f922ad6457977e879c9fa4b13295c6ed3817) + +There has been a lot of conversation (FUD) over the weekend about "Fuck you, pay me" and referring to being involved with trading $GME simply because you want to become rich and purely to trigger MOASS. Or because "we're Occupy Wall St. 2.0!" (**NO**). + +&#x200B; + +**THESE ARE NOT THE PURPOSE, INTENT, OR COLLECTIVE SENTIMENT OF THIS SUBREDDIT.** + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/3zbjz71nd8571.jpg?width=603&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e8443aa2cc8ac94db62a0ad3febc32d1d8b22708 + +&#x200B; + +Superstonk is a community of individual investors that believe Gamestop as a company is an excellent long-term investment that has huge potential in an untapped market with an Avengers-level team of executives that will likely redefine the face of retail in the 21st century. This community was **not** made to discuss other stocks the way /WSB or /investing do. This sub is a congregation of individuals- in that sense, a collective "we or us"- that supports the vision of the company Gamestop long-term, especially its current chairman, Ryan Cohen. We like the company. We like the stock. That's it. + +&#x200B; + +And a little refresher on the we/us debate- **WHEN WE SAY "WE OR US", WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SUB'S COLLECTIVE WE/US AS A COMMUNITY.** There is nothing wrong with that! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/2lpjdekg78571.png?width=740&format=png&auto=webp&s=12f527b70f2aaf29396f15f777129a6927c7c168 + +Use of the words We/Us are NOT EVIDENCE OF MARKET MANIPULATION. + +&#x200B; + +Enforcement is the *key* to a manipulation case. Do we make paper hands actually pay some sort of penance for selling? **NO**. Do we have an agreed upon floor price that we all must adhere to? **Umm..... :gestures broadly at literally everyone debating possible floor price:** + +Market manipulation is doing something to inflate or deflate the price of a stock. THESE are the ESTABLISHED GROUNDS for charging someone with market manipulation. And do you know how many times that's happened? [Like 5 times. And they were all people in the industry.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/n22g01/breakdown_of_legalese_to_speak_part_5_market/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +There's no case for market manipulation in this subreddit, or even in the GME Saga as a whole. + +&#x200B; + +Well, I lied. Hedgies are doing plenty. + +&#x200B; + +So when you see people referring to "we" or "us", *they aren't doing anything wrong.* This is a community, right? Everyone here isn't just a figment of your imagination right? **(RIGHT?!?)** + +&#x200B; + +[Y'all aren't imaginary, right? ](https://preview.redd.it/mpwfwnnx78571.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=dbd9e0dc43abe93bb7b74ae1f86b55c7db615a08) + +&#x200B; + +We are a community of individually-minded investors. And no one can stop us from liking and discussing a stock. That's what they want you to think. **Saying "we" or "us" when talking about Superstonk is just talking about the membership of this subreddit.** There is nothing there that's illegal or negative in and of itself. All "we" do is gather here and discuss the future of a company we all love and have invested in because we believe in the future of the leadership. + +What's the difference between our sub and the idea dinners the rich have been attending for decades? *The expense report*. Do you remember when American Politicians used insider information about the pandemic to profit off of the resulting crash? APES REMEMBER\*\*.\*\* Don't let FUD stop you from bonding with your fellow ape. Companionship is essential to the human experience. Get in here and love each other. It's Woodstonk 2021 up in here✌💖🌼☮ + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jnfssd1k88571.png?width=549&format=png&auto=webp&s=4c66fef620a388bf01f32a008da79d153533931d + +&#x200B; + +With that being said, **WE HAVE NO LEADER HERE**. r/Superstonk has administrative users that moderate the community according to site rules. That's it! When it comes to leaders, mods are just the administrators of the environment. This community was built by apes, for apes. With no one user more important than the other. **APE**= **A**ll **P**eople **E**qual ✊ No politics. No religion. No leaders. No divisiveness. Just excellence and the stock we love. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[WE DON'T HAVE ONE!](https://preview.redd.it/lu1ryvz9f8571.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=ba989b8ceba279596c56a29678ccf9819f0eadea) + +&#x200B; + +**Here's a few notes from** u/redchessqueen99\*\*'s Weekend Update\*\* + +1. Please view the DISCLAIMER associated with the subreddit. You can access it by going to [r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) and (on Desktop) looking at the side bar, and (on Mobile) under the About menu. +2. We do not manipulate the market. We do not coordinate anything regarding the stock market. We do not urge people to buy or sell, or do anything with what is their privately owned stock. We do not shame people for their choices as retail investors, in an attempt to get them to hold when they don't want to, or to buy GME when they'd rather buy something else. We let retail investors make their own individual decisions. That's sub policy. +3. We do not organize or attempt to push political action, or spark Occupy Wall Street 2.0 or whatever some of you think this is. We are not going to organize letters to the SEC or otherwise enter ourselves into a political arena that we, trust me, do not want to enter. We are a bunch of apes who are bananas for GameStop and that's about it. +4. We are here to share information, build a community, and express ourselves regarding GameStop as not just a stock, but also as a company, in way that is not pressuring or purposefully influential, and is based on fundamentals as well as market realities. If you don't want to talk about GameStop, there are plenty of other subs to go to, and, if you talk about GameStop, make sure you follow the rules and guidelines of the sub. +5. TL;DR: We like the stock. We love the company. We are apes. That's about it. + +&#x200B; + +🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Community Spotlight- WTF IS RRP + +&#x200B; + +[Credit u\/Itsjustmerk ](https://preview.redd.it/4unxgl9lq3571.png?width=509&format=png&auto=webp&s=9117527736696c56da3ea13d6af121ecad077067) + +**So what the hecc does reverse repo mean? This comment by** u/semerien **explains it perfectly:** + +A reverse repo is when banks, government entities or money market funds "buy" short term treasuries bonds from the fed with cold, hard cash. + +I say "buy" because the deal is only overnight. The next day they sell them back to the fed and get their cash back. + +They do this because right now interest rates are so low that if you try to maintain "highly liquid assets" (shit you can easily turn in to cash if you end up needing cash in a few minutes) you end up losing money due to inflation and short term securities turning negative interest rates. + +So instead of losing money when you have large piles of money, you give the cash to the Fed overnight and then get it back the next day. Currently there is no interest rate on the reverse repo, you don't make any cash doing this. + +However you don't lose cash, which you could lose by any of the other short term, highly liquid assets you could invest in. + +It signifies big banks and money makers are sitting on piles of cash and don't trust any other investments right now. They would rather just store it overnight with the fed where at least they don't lose money. + +There are also theories that the banks are short selling the treasuries they get during the overnight repo to try and make extra money on the deal. Definitely possible but kind of scary when you look at it. + +Alot of these big banks also own money maker funds so they could technically be "double dipping" and be multiple participants in the overnight repo market. + +All those banks sold bonds in the billions of dollars in April and likely had to store the cash somewhere until they need it. + +But they want it to remain highly liquid so they have easy access to it on the day the financial market implodes. + +&#x200B; + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Welcome Satori Team as Moderators + +by u/redchessqueen99 + +&#x200B; + +Not many of you know the true history behind Satori and how it became so intertwined with the mod team. The truth is they've been working with me since before the [r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) migration. These members include [u/catto\_del\_fatto](https://www.reddit.com/u/catto_del_fatto/), [u/grungromp](https://www.reddit.com/u/grungromp/), and [u/Captain-Fan](https://www.reddit.com/u/Captain-Fan/). They have worked meticulously and tirelessly to progress the Satori project from idea to manifest guardian ape-gel of Superstonk. + +Awhile ago, we added [u/catto\_del\_fatto](https://www.reddit.com/u/catto_del_fatto/) and he was able to study the sub from a moderator perspective. He has earned our trust and since then has been promoted to general mod permissions. As a result, the Satori team quickly became linked to the mod team, as they became more and more critical to the sub's makeup. + +In the past few months, in addition to Satori, they have helped us identify FUD attacks, organize mod mail, and identify bad actors and true apes alike. I would be wrong to suggest they aren't already a critical aspect of our moderating practice, and therefore we mods voted with overwhelming support to do the next logical step: add them as moderators. + +**Please join the mod team in welcoming** [u/grungromp](https://www.reddit.com/u/grungromp/) **and** [u/Captain-Fan](https://www.reddit.com/u/Captain-Fan/) **to the moderator team.** I have no doubt they will continue to bring incredible concepts to life, with more accuracy and reliability, as mods themselves. Congratulations! + +Also, now they can't escape \*maniacal laughter\*\*cough-cough\* + +&#x200B; + +# Satori Approvals + +by u/redchessqueen99 + +&#x200B; + +[ SATORI DIRECTIVE: PR073CC 4P3 ](https://preview.redd.it/k7ysnex0n8571.png?width=1332&format=png&auto=webp&s=47e34159070430ef40ca28383eeb3ab314cd8024) + +&#x200B; + +For those unaware, Satori is a sophisticated program that we utilize as a subreddit to identify "true apes" and also "bad actors" or people who would otherwise spread FUD and harassing posts. As a result of this software, we have been able to introduce an approval process that adds members to the Approved Users list. These approved users can bypass the [karma and age limits imposed by automod](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/automod_info). + +We realize there is some confusion about Satori, and we are working on clearing this up in a more reliable way. I just created a [wiki page for Satori](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/satori) and while it is currently **under construction** you can check back there for updates on the system. This should help us streamline any questions and information, just as we do with [SuperstonkBot](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/superstonkbot). + +Additionally, you can check out [u/grungromp](https://www.reddit.com/u/grungromp/)'s post, [**Satori: The One Week Security Update (Important Information Inside)**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nva7nh/satori_the_one_week_security_update_important/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf), for a more recent update. The most critical aspect of this post is the new **!apeprove!** comment function, which means that any user, inside karma/age limits or not, can comment **!apeprove!** on any [r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) post and be bumped to the top of the list. If your comment is immediately removed, I am told it will still work! + +We have some limits imposed by Reddit, so the approvals are done in waves so as to work within this limits and Reddit policy. This **!apeprove!** function allows active users to essentially cut line. Make sure you use it! Spam will not be tolerated, though. Patience is key. + +&#x200B; + +# [Read the full weekend update post by Red here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/nzcsoh/weekend_update_are_you_ready_to_rumble/) + +&#x200B; + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🚨 Reddit down 🚨 + +&#x200B; + +With Reddit having issues during high traffic, exciting moments in this saga, we have discussed what to do if Reddit has an outage. + +**IF REDDIT GOES DOWN AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT A LARGE PORTION OF THE MOD TEAM IS ON TWITTER.** + +[https://twitter.com/ByeTriangle](https://twitter.com/ByeTriangle) + +[https://twitter.com/PinkCatsOnAcid](https://twitter.com/PinkCatsOnAcid) + +[https://twitter.com/RedChessQueen99](https://twitter.com/RedChessQueen99) + +[https://twitter.com/rensole](https://twitter.com/rensole) + +[https://twitter.com/u\_sharkbaitlol](https://twitter.com/u_sharkbaitlol) + +[https://twitter.com/BradduckF](https://twitter.com/BradduckF) + +**IF THERE IS SOMETHING BIG GOING ON WHILE THE OUTAGE IS HAPPENING WE MAY ALSO UTILIZE THE "EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM" TO RELAY INFO:** + +[SuperstonkLive YouTube - Emergency Broadcast System](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI4EET9NJPWxUuXGlG6fxPA) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +***OOK OOK*** + +***"I may have been early, but I am not wrong"*** + +&#x200B; + +[ 🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍 ](https://preview.redd.it/drux2rhae8571.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a323916e05d9ef3327b7d7825c25385b7c02243) +I’m thinking primarily of financial assets/instruments but could also be real estate or business investments. At what point did you make the decision? And how did it work out? + +I’m seriously considering this option. I’m in my late 30s, have about USD3.7m in investable assets and an after-tax salary income of USD200k. + +I don’t particularly like the day job and have toyed with the idea of leaving office politics behind and focusing on my investments full time as I suspect that I might hit my fatFIRE target of USD5m+ just as fast this way (through investment outperformance). +I wanted the title to sound dramatic, but the accounts were all of 10USD, not much for anyone here I'm sure, but in my country it's still a lot, each 10 dollars three days worth of food. + +The first time I had no idea what I was doing, only one month into learning Forex. + +The second time I trusted that three indicators I studied were enough (Bollinger bands, Stochastic Oscillator and MAs), got fucked when the market moved in a different direction to them. + +And this third time, 6 months after learning and practicing in DEMO, I was sure EUR USD was in a down-hill direction and when things started going up frantically today, I tried to go against the trend, thinking I knew better than the Market. + + Every time it tested a resistance I added another trade because I was sure it was going down, and now the thing burst through every line I had as if all that I studied amounted to nothing. + +At a loss about what to do now? How can I learn about this? What should I be asking myself in order to improve? +Firstly, sorry for the long post. I have tried to condense it as much as possible while still getting the issue across. + +We are refinancing from St George to another bank and are currently waiting on settlement to occur. + +We were approved with our new bank and sent our mortgage discharge instructions to St George on the 19th of January. + +St George stated that they would be ready for settlement in 20 working days, approximately 17th of February. + +On the 15th of February I called St George’s settlement team and the confirmed settlement would occur on the 17th of February. Then on the 17th my new bank emailed to tell me St George had cancelled on the day of settlement and advised I should ring them to find out why. + +After an hour on hold, the St George settlement team told me that they could not calculate my payout figure as they were having a system error message come up every time they tried. They advised that the issue would be fixed soon and settlement was rebooked for the 22nd of February. + +The exact same thing played out on the 22nd, and I spent another hour on hold only for St George to tell me they could not calculate my payout figure again. Settlement was then rebooked for the 5th of March. + +I rang the mortgage department of St George and they were able to advise me of my payout figure in minutes. I asked whether they could send that payout figure to the settlement team however they said no. I then rang the settlement team and asked if we could organise a conference call between myself, the settlement team and the mortgage department to have the payout figure given to the settlement team. The St George settlement team member said this was not possible and was rude in the way he spoke with me. + +On the 5th of March settlement didn’t not occur again due to St George not showing up to exchange the paperwork, while my new bank did turn up for the settlement. + +At this point I made an official complaint through St George’s online complaints form. The form states that you will get a reply in 5 business days. I am still yet to receive a reply in regards to the complaint. + +Settlement was rebooked for 11th of March and confirmed by both banks. + +At this time my new bank has said they have had no news whether settlement has occurred or not. Another call to St George yesterday and they couldn’t tell as their system would not load properly. + +I have refinanced in the past and it has never been an issue like this. I have spent quite literally hours on hold with St George on multiple occasions. Their inability to calculate my payout figure over a period of about 3 weeks sounds absurd. + +Do you think that raising the issue with the Ombudsman is going to help get this sorted? + +If it makes a difference, we are refinancing our PPOR with ~75% LVR from a variable PI home loan. Nothing fancy. + +Again, sorry for the long post. +Having seen a few posts about people going bust or gambling with funds they don’t have I thought it may be beneficial to talk about risk appetite, risk tolerance, and what they mean for you. Firstly let’s get the basic shit out of the way: + +**What is risk appetite?** + +Risk appetite is an investor’s longer-term strategy of what they wish to achieve and the resources available to achieve it, expressed in quantitative terms. Put basically are you happy with industry average 6-8% returns year on year, are you chasing bigger returns of 20%+ a year, or are you trying to make 500% over the next three days before your mum finds out you crashed her car and you urgently need to get it repaired. + +The flip side of risk appetite is how much are you prepared to lose? If you want to go full retard and trade options you can lose 1000% of your initial investment, however for the purposes of this post we’ll assume you’re trading stocks, and therefore the maximum you can lose is 100% of your initial investment. If you have a high risk appetite it means you’re prepared to lose everything. + +**What is risk tolerance?** + +Risk tolerance, defines the acceptable minimum and maximum variation levels for an individual stock or industry sector. In simple terms it means how much volatility are you comfortable with in your portfolio on a daily/monthly/yearly basis? If you’re a boomer who’s about to retire you want low risk tolerance, so you’d invest in boomer shit like Westpac and Coles because they’ll keep paying dividends like clockwork until you die, or a global pandemic occurs. The trade off for a lower risk tolerance is even though you’re invested in ’safer’ stocks they can still trend downward, just ask Telstra. + +**What does that mean for me?** + +Understanding your risk appetite and risk tolerance is important when developing your investing strategy, as when combined they form c̶a̶p̶t̶a̶i̶n̶ ̶p̶l̶a̶n̶e̶t̶ your risk profile. It’s important to know that investing 90%+ of your portfolio into one small cap stock means that there’s a reasonable chance you’ll lose a chunk of your portfolio at some point. Likewise if you spend your whole time on /r/Ausfinance and keep a balanced portfolio of 30% ETFs/30% cash/40% gold there’s a fair chance your portfolio will do fuck all over the next decade because you’ve got no risk appetite or tolerance. + +Find a risk profile that works for you. For most this will be a [core and satellite approach,](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/08/core-satellite-investing.asp) whereby you have a core of low risk tolerance stocks a smaller satellite of high risk tolerance stocks. This can be any ratio, though common ratios are 60/40, 70/30 or 80/20, again depending on your level of risk. Using the first example this means that 60% of your portfolio is in lower risk investments (ETFs, mid caps, blue chips) while 40% is in more speculative ventures (crypto, small caps). It’s basically an insurance policy against your own fuck ups, that even if you buy into a small New Zealand based ling maw producer at an ATH which then proceeds to dump in spectacular fashion, your portfolio doesn’t take an absolute battering and you don’t have to start again from scratch. + +**High Risk Appetite/High Risk Tolerance** + +*Investing in one or two small cap stocks in the one industry sector + +*Investing in crypto + +Pro: High risk, high reward. If you want to get rich quick this is the way to do it. + +Con: High risk, high losses. If you want to get poor quick this is the way to do it. + +Example stocks: IXR, PEN, RAC + + +**Low Risk Appetite/High Risk Tolerance** + +*Investing in multiple small cap stocks across multiple industry sectors + +*Investing in established companies that can still boom or bust + +*Investing in companies that are beholden to commodity trends + +Pro: All of the multi-bag potential over time, less of the -70% in one day. + +Con: They can still fail, albeit slowly over time or with new restrictive government regulations. + +Example stocks: FMG, APT, Z1P, LYC + +**High Risk Appetite/Low Risk Tolerance** + +*Investing in individual mid cap stocks + +*Investing in specific niche ETFs + +Pros: Less volatility and can multi-bag. + +Cons: Prone to stagnation if their industry falls out of favour, can still crash and burn + +Example stocks: NXT, HACK, NDQ, KGN + +**Low Risk Appetite/Low Risk Tolerance** + +*Investing in broad market ETFs + +*Investing in world ETFs + +*Investing in term deposits + +Pros: Low maintenance, less volatility, follows the broader global economy + +Cons: Possible lower returns, slower growth, long term strategy + +Example stocks: VAS, GOLD, CORE, VGS, cash under the mattress + + +In short if your portfolio is causing you stress, anxiety or financial hardship it's because you're using the wrong risk profile. Review, change and adapt as necessary. +It happened to me last month with a site that supposedly gave you a free credit score. $1 charge for "verification", $19.95 charge the next week because the trial period was over. + +Anyway, here's a list of places to get your credit score for free, as in actually free, no credit card required. I picked these up with some research on this sub: + +*[Credit Karma](https://www.thebalance.com/credit-karma-review-960468) + +*[Credit Sesame](http://financeography.com/credit-sesame-review/) + +*[Quizzle](http://financegourmet.com/blog/credit-cards/quizzle-scam-or-legit/) + +*[Discover](http://time.com/money/4357095/free-credit-report-discover-credit-scorecard/) +MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ramp, the payments company making crypto accessible to everyone, today announced its integration with the GameStop Wallet. The Ramp integration allows GameStop Wallet users to purchase Ethereum quickly and without needing to leave the Company’s self-custodial Ethereum wallets. + +Ramp enables enterprises to deploy fiat to crypto payments capabilities, significantly reducing onboarding times for end users, while remaining compliant. + +“The benefits of NFTs for gamers - decentralized data, better security and ownership - are only just being explored. And yet, accessing the token based economy remains complex and confusing. Ramp is integrated by some of the world’s leading NFT based games to bring the same level of user experience gamers are used to, to blockchain,” said Greg McEwan, head of marketing, at Ramp. + +On May 23 2022, GameStop launched its digital asset wallet to allow gamers and others to store, send, receive and use cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) across decentralized apps without having to leave their web browsers. The GameStop Wallet is a self-custodial Ethereum wallet utilizing Loopring's ZK-rollup technology. By integrating Ramp, GameStop Wallet users can quickly purchase Ethereum using fiat. + +The GameStop Wallet extension is available today and can be downloaded from the Chrome Web Store. Learn more about the GameStop Wallet by visiting https://wallet.gamestop.com. + + +Here is the link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220620005331/en + +Sounds spicy +EDIT: Grateful for the Bananya award + +Much appreciated 🙏☺ + +Hello yet again, individual investors! + +NSCC isn't giving me much of a break lately.. LOL.. but it's okay, as this filing really answers a lot of questions that I personally had regarding NSCC-803 / 010. + +Let's dive in: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/2v9rhvdbotd71.png?width=1444&format=png&auto=webp&s=2578c69b2b18676bb58852f70a5034c847b56373 + +PURPOSE: + +https://preview.redd.it/q42695xcotd71.png?width=1444&format=png&auto=webp&s=dae457cd1bc94f7fae9bb3c0e92c1bf067c8709e + +Basically, the NSCC is revising its' margining methodology to ***REMOVE*** institutional delivery transactions that are processed through the "ID Net Service" from the calculation of Members' Required Deposits to the Clearing Fund. + +It goes on to say that that the ID Transactions that have been processed through the Continuous Net Settlement system **ARE NOT** subject to NSCC's trade guarantee. + +The main point: The proposed change would ***IMPROVE*** NSCC's ability to collect fund deposits more accurately ***in the event of a member default.*** + +***==================================================================================*** + +***OVERVIEW OF ID TRANSACTIONS AND THE ID NET SERVICE*** + +https://preview.redd.it/vy1yiojwotd71.png?width=1100&format=png&auto=webp&s=8e214478f17b7706e70555d160b9406b357e46ec + +Parties involved in an ID Transaction are the institutional investor (mutual fund, insurance company, hedge funds, bank trust & pensions + +Investment Manager = Buying broker, selling broker, and custodian banks + +It's basically a trade allocation system, that works as follows: + +1. After Execution (the purchase or selling of shares), the allocation details of ID transactions are matched between the executing broker / manager or institutional investor's custodian bank. +2. After an executing broker has provided final notice of execution, the investment managers provide client trade allocation data to the executing broker using the **Institutional Trade Processing Service**. (***ITP)*** +3. After the broker accepts and processes the trade allocations, electronic confirmation is provided through ITP's TradeSuite ID service for affirmation. +4. After the trade details are confirmed, the delivery details are sent to the DTC for settlement. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lrrmb43wptd71.png?width=1097&format=png&auto=webp&s=67e3707af1602f81b134fca0f217a6f5d1aaa8a3 + +Participation in the ID Net Service is optional. + +Eligibility requires the broker-dealer be: + +1. Member of NSCC +2. Participant of DTC + +Eligibility requires the custodian bank be: + +1. A DTC participant. + +The cut-off time is 11:30 AM eastern on settlement day. + +If the transactions are not completed by that time, the transactions are exited from NSCC's systems and must be settled on a trade-for-trade basis away from NSCC. + +================================================================================== + +**REQUIRED FUND DEPOSIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT OF ID NET TRANSACTIONS** + +https://preview.redd.it/ucu6xg7hqtd71.png?width=1088&format=png&auto=webp&s=cbcbdda53181338f60a422b5a6c1f06c3a60ab47 + +The required fund deposit serves as each member's margin. + +The objective of this fund is to ***mitigate*** losses in the event of liquidating a member's portfolio due to a ***member default.*** + +***THE AGGREGATE OF ALL MEMBERS' REQUIRED FUND DEPOSITS = THE CLEARING FUND OF NSCC*** + +If a member defaults, the NSCC will access the clearing fund if a member's required deposit is insufficient to satisfy losses to NSCC. + +\*HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SEEN ***MITIGATION*** LATELY? JEEBUS. + +\*EXPECTING BIG LOSSES, EH? + +When NSCC ceases to act for a member, that member is then referred to as a DEFAULTED MEMBER. + +================================================================================== + +**REQUIRED FUND DEPOSIT AND RISK MANAGEMENT OF ID NET TRANSACTIONS** + +https://preview.redd.it/3pttmv61rtd71.png?width=1094&format=png&auto=webp&s=2f2b866776e8891b223a4f542fe536da92558783 + +================================================================================== + +PROPOSED ENHANCEMENT TO NSCC'S MARGINING METHODOLOGY + +https://preview.redd.it/wra4j4e2rtd71.png?width=1097&format=png&auto=webp&s=1fb68f38ef5ede7cc70461485a5645616e5e90f2 + +NSCC is proposing to enhance the margining methodology to remove ID Net Transactions from the calculation of the fund deposit. + +1. NSCC does not guaranty the completion of those transactions, so in the event of a Member default, the transactions are excluded from NSCC and are to be settled away from NSCC. +2. By removing the ID Net from the deposit calculation, NSCC would be able to calculate and collect and amount that ***more accurately reflects the risks presented by positions it would be obligated to complete in the event of a member default.*** + +&#x200B; + +[FTDs? Maybe? ](https://preview.redd.it/392yeefkrtd71.png?width=898&format=png&auto=webp&s=edbcb818cc81653d4c0949f2ba3602cdee411cc3) + +================================================================================== + +**PROPOSED CHANGES TO CLARIFY THE NON-GUARANTEED STATUS OF ID NET SERVICE** + +https://preview.redd.it/cr83apynrtd71.png?width=1091&format=png&auto=webp&s=9836ae5325fbf8ba9b56caab7aca347d309fb26a + +ID Net Service provides members with the operational benefit of netting transactions through the Continuous Net Settlement system, however, they're amending the rules to say that they ***are not subject to NSCC's trade guarantee, and would be exited from NSCC's systems in the event of a Member default.*** + +Basically, the clarity within the rules and the proposed changes would create consistency and clarity, and would better protect the NSCC FROM **SOME EVENT THAT WOULD RESULT IN MEMBER DEFAULTS?** + +MOA- + +Eh, we know. + +================================================================================== + +https://preview.redd.it/ck37r3i5std71.png?width=1102&format=png&auto=webp&s=e458e971db20a4fd030594c402b919bc1caaad18 + +They want this implemented no later than 10 business days after the approval of the proposed change. + +We'll need to wait for this to show up on the Federal Register, and then the count-down begins! + + +TL;DR + +The NSCC filed YET again, this time, to remove the guarantee of their ID Net Transaction for netting down capital requirements from the rules. This is crazy, because it gives the hedge fucks even less options now, as capital netting is a HUGE benefit to reduce your deposit requirements. The NSCC has been filing for rules like this ***surrounding revamping their margin strategy / risk framework / and are making it extremely difficult for*** broker-dealers to continue their fuckery. + +Basically, the NSCC is doing everything they can in these languages to seal loopholes. The main purpose of this filing is to ***MORE ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE RISK WHEN THE NSCC MUST LIQUIDATE PORTFOLIOS DUE TO MEMBER DEFAULT.*** + +All this talk about defaults gets my tits jacked. + +I'm gonna go get bekked now. + +<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> +I was having an argument with a Marxist-Leninst the other day on whether Sweden or Denmark were imperialist countries. He pointed me towards this blog post [The Economics of Modern Imperialism](https://thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2019/11/14/hm2-the-economics-of-modern-imperialism/). How credible is the blog post and can we really measure imperialism using economics? +So a little bit of a background: +I live in Phoenix, AZ, USA. My boyfriend last his job about 2 years ago due to health issues. I work two jobs and have been able to float us going paycheck to paycheck since then with paying about $1300/mo in rent. We got a notice that our lease is coming up and we have until the 3rd of next month to tell them whether we’re leaving or staying. My boyfriend has been trying desperately to find a new job because honestly, I can’t pull together $1800/mo in rent supporting our family of three (us plus 8 year old son). + +I’ve been going through everything and found a few places that I can afford (not in great neighborhoods but a roof is a roof). However, with the required deposits scraping together $2.5k in a month is going to be nearly impossible. I’ve been checking out section 8 but the current wait list is 8mo-2 years at all the places I’ve found. I went down to management to ask if I could have at least one more month at my previous rate and they said they would get back to me. + +Does anyone have any other ideas for resources that I can try to go through? + +Edit: I just wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming response. Most were extremely helpful and a few tried to give their honest opinions on my relationship. While it’s appreciated, we’ve been together for 7 years and I’m going to be supporting my boyfriend just has he has supported me (while the ways may be different). I need to go to bed now but I appreciate all of you who took the time to respond and I’ll be reviewing the comments tomorrow. You guys rock 💕 +Someone had posted this old discussion thread from October 2008 on /r/investing today morning. + +[Here's the link, from Boglehead forum](https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25126) + +It's from a guy who was freaking out, because he simply didn't know if he had in him to take those hits anymore. He was retired, by the way. I'd highly encourage reading responses from others in that same thread as well. + +Current crisis may or may not be like 2008. Perhaps it'd drag on and turn into something much much worse, or perhaps it'd be over sooner than you think. + +Nonetheless, it helps to look back how desperate people must have felt, how everything might've seemed lost, like the bottom had fallen out and the fall won't just ever stop. We learn from the past. + +I'm posting this to have a discussion around _what you feel right now_. In particular: + +- What do you perceive as threat to your finances? What are you afraid of, financially speaking? + +- How much of that do you believe would come to happen, within bounds of reason and rationality? + +- What's the worst and best case scenario for your current finances? + +- What are you planning to do about this? +Just got a response from the German SEC equivalent, BaFin, where I filed a complaint due to the handling of stock dividends by my broker Consorsbank (BNP Paribas). + +Background: They booked the split correct in the first place as Stock Dividend but have recently reversed it and booked as a Stock Split referring to WM Data service and rationalizing it with tax reasons. +I provided BaFin all documents from the transactions as well as the conflicting mails from Consorsbanks Customer Service. Yesterday I sent Consorsbank all official information from GME, BaFin and the original transaction form, demanded to know which shares are now posted in my account and where they came from. Also how I can DRS to CompuShare. For the first time, Customer Service now asks for more time to reply. Fishy as fuck. + +TL;DR: BaFin receives a lot of complaints and they are monitoring the delivery of the correct shares. + +German Apes, you can complain here: +https://www.bafin.buergerservice-bund.de/Formular/BankenFormular + +---- + +Dear Mr. X, + +Thank you for sending me your submission. In it, you refer to the stock split resolved in July 2022 by the US company GameStop Corp. in the form of a stock dividend. In particular, you raise the issue of the bank's procedure in connection with the accounting of the capital measure. + +Regarding the facts, I would like to refer you to a publication of BaFin, which you can find under the following link: + +https://www.bafin.de/dok/18343856 + +According to the information available to BaFin, there have been several changes in the past few days regarding the technical treatment of the corporate action in question. This may have resulted in a need for further corrections at the custodian banks, which regularly obtain their information on corporate actions from data providers. I assume that your bank will make any necessary corrections promptly, unless they have been made in the meantime, and I would therefore ask you to be patient for the time being. However, should this not be the case within the next two weeks, you are welcome to contact me again, enclosing the relevant supporting documents from the bank, so that I can investigate the matter further. + +For BaFin, the actual delivery of the new shares from the capital measure resolved by GME is of primary importance. For settlement purposes, the deposit is presented as a stock split throughout the industry because the stock split resolved in the form of a stock dividend is economically oriented towards a stock split. + +I am incorporating the information obtained from your complaint into my oversight. In this respect, I am bound to secrecy pursuant to Section 21 of the German Securities Trading Act. I am therefore unable to provide you with any information as to what action, if any, your complaint may have prompted me to take vis-à-vis the bank. I ask for your understanding in this regard. + +You can obtain information on the processing of your personal data in the context of the complaints procedure via the following link: + +[deleted] + +Yours sincerely + +On behalf of + +Sebastian E. + +---- + +Sehr geehrter Herr X, +ich danke Ihnen für die Übersendung Ihrer Eingabe. Darin nehmen Sie Bezug auf den im Juli 2022 von dem US-amerikanischen Unternehmen GameStop Corp. beschlossenen Aktiensplit in Form einer Stockdividende. Sie thematisieren insbesondere das Vorgehen der Bank im Rahmen der Verbuchung der Kapitalmaßnahme. +Zu dem Sachverhalt möchte ich Sie auf eine Veröffentlichung der BaFin hinweisen, welche Sie unter dem nachstehenden Link finden: +https://www.bafin.de/dok/18343856 +Demnach ist es nach den der BaFin vorliegenden Erkenntnissen in den vergangenen Tagen zu mehrfachen Änderungen hinsichtlich der technischen Behandlung der in Rede stehenden Kapitalmaßnahme gekommen. Hieraus hat sich bei den depotführenden Banken, die ihre Informationen zu den Kapitalmaßnahmen regelmäßig von Datenprovidern beziehen, ggf. weiterer Korrekturbedarf ergeben. Ich gehe davon aus, dass Ihre Bank, sofern nicht zwischenzeitlich geschehen, die ggf. erforderlichen Korrekturen zeitnah vornehmen wird, und bitte Sie daher zunächst um etwas Geduld. Sollte dies innerhalb der nächsten zwei Wochen jedoch nicht der Fall sein, können Sie sich gerne nochmals unter Beifügung der einschlägigen Belege der Bank an mich wenden, damit ich dem Sachverhalt weiter nachgehen kann. +Für die BaFin ist die tatsächliche Einlieferung der jungen Aktien aus der von GME beschlossenen Kapitalmaßnahme von prioritärer Bedeutung. Für Zwecke der Abrechnung wird die Einlieferung branchenweit als Aktiensplit dargestellt, weil der in Form einer Stockdividende beschlossene Aktiensplit sich wirtschaftlich an einem Aktiensplit orientiert. +Die aus Ihrer Beschwerde gewonnenen Informationen lasse ich in meine Aufsicht einfließen. Insoweit bin ich gemäß § 21 des Wertpapierhandelsgesetzes zur Verschwiegenheit verpflichtet. Ich kann Ihnen deshalb keine Auskunft darüber geben, zu welchen Maßnahmen gegenüber der Bank Ihre Beschwerde ggf. Anlass gegeben hat. Dafür bitte ich Sie um Verständnis. +Hinweise zur Verarbeitung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen des Beschwerdeverfahrens erhalten Sie über den folgenden Link: +[deleted] +Mit freundlichen Grüßen +Im Auftrag +Sebastian E. +**Introduction**: This post is part of an ongoing monthly early-retirement series that will continue indefinitely, provided that the voting reflects the view that it is still seen as relevant to the community. I suppose that this is my way of giving back to a movement that helped me tremendously on my journey. As this post has become increasingly popular based on the number of views and comments, and as my desire to spend a great deal of the first day of every month on reddit has significantly waned, **my responses will be very limited going forward**. Career and background summaries are provided at the end and repeated every month. Please check there to find answers to potential questions. + +**Model**: I wish to maintain a portfolio that began in June 2017 at $1,025,772. I will use a maximum withdrawal rate of 3% of the year’s starting balance, provided that the portfolio remains above $1M. This amount is $2564 per month for 2017, based on the June 2017 starting balance of $1,025,772. Should the portfolio drop below $1M, I will lock back into a maximum $30k/yr guardrail withdrawal until the market recovers. I realize that this is not how the holy Trinity works, but since 3% is well within historically safe territory for indefinite portfolio survival, and since our withdrawal rate has actually averaged below 2.5% of the original portfolio balance thus far due to earning additional income, we have some flexibility. + +**Spending**: Living expenses for the month came to $3618. This is $1054 over the 2017 monthly targeted amount of $2564. Our spending was 41.1% over budget for the month, now 19.7% over for the year. We generated $1227 of income this month from my wife's part-time fun job at the library and some of my old book royalties. Our investment withdrawal was $2665 this month, thus our pro-rated annual withdrawal rate is 3.12% for the month and 2.19% for the year. Without the additional income stream, our pro-rated annual withdrawal rate would have been 4.07% for the month and 3.59% for the year. + +**Investments**: The portfolio went from $1,098,383 to $1,111,949 (a 1.24% increase for the month), which dropped down to a new total of (drum-roll) $1,109,284 after paying the bills. This is an 8.1% increase from the original starting balance of $1,025,772, even after withdrawals of $13,992 for living expenses over seven months. Since retirement, capital income from the investment portfolio has produced the equivalent of a full-time employee generating $80.36/hr of labor income. VTSAX (61% AA) went up 0.7% this month (19.0% for the year); VFWAX (21% AA) went up 1.4% (23.7% for the year); VWLUX (18% AA) did what it was supposed to do. + +**Reflections**: Our investments are once again at an all-time high, primarily due to passage of the tax cut for wealthy job creators like myself. /s Spending continued to be over budget in December due to the $1100 property tax, $400 six-month car insurance premium, and $200 payment for trees. This should settle back down next month. The increase in the new year-end balance from $1,025,772 to $1,109,284 means our spending budget will increase from $2564 to $2773 in 2018. I’m gonna get some extra cheese on my Whopper! + +**Experiences**: I broke the three-hour barrier in the marathon by going 2:58:18 on 34 miles per week of running during the training cycle. I consider this to be my greatest personal accomplishment since retirement, especially considering the healthy amount of skepticism shared by the running community on being able to do so with less than 50 miles per week. I finally played all of the PS1 games that I purchased nearly a decade ago, including Chrono Cross, Dragon Warrior VII, Xenogears, and Final Fantasy V. I’m still volunteering at the natural history museum. I’ve watched a few of the new movies that are expected to compete for awards this season. I planted a lot of trees and picked up a lot of litter. I made a fairly detailed map of our property. Looking back at this partial year, it’s hard for me to comprehend how much time I’ve spent housekeeping, cooking, weightlifting, running, swimming, volunteering, writing, exploring, building, gaming, reading, studying, internetting, mapping, napping, planting, listening to music, watching movies, picking up litter, and visiting family. My life expectancy is fifty more years, but I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime in just these past seven months. I would not return to retail pharmacy for triple the salary. I do not know what real stress is. I do not know what alarm clocks are. My life is so much better than it was before. I hope everyone here finds this peace. + +**Upcoming**: The following is a rough plan for 2018: half-marathon in February (1:24?), full-marathon in April (2:55?), two-week vacation across Middle America in April, half Ironman in August (5:15?), three-week vacation across Northern Japan in September, half-marathon in October, and full-marathon in December. Other projects for 2018 without set dates: construct an astronomy exhibit for the museum (possibly opening my own small museum), become a volunteer running coach (possibly becoming certified through RRCA), regain some proficiency in Japanese before the trip, play all of the Nintendo Gamecube games that I bought ten years ago and never touched, bench press my body weight (155), bowl a 200 game or possibly a 600 series (last bowled 200 when I was in a league eighteen years ago), watch Game of Thrones, play Final Fantasy XV all the way through once it gets a PC release, and significantly improve the appearance of our driveway. I’ll also be doing whatever the fuck I want. + +**Career**: I am a former retail pharmacist who hated his profession for the following reasons: unacceptable amounts of stress, lack of civility from the general public, capitalism gone amok, fundamental disagreement with the overuse of pharmacotherapy as an answer for underlying health issues, and a severe opiate crisis that few have yet to appreciate. I attended college for eight years to earn a bachelors and doctorate before joining the workforce for nearly twelve years, entirely with CVS. $150k in education costs were covered by academic scholarships ($25k), employment during college ($20k), prior savings from high school employment ($5k), revenue from an eBay business while in college ($10k), and massive help from my parents ($90k). + +**Background**: I retired at the age of 38 on June 6, 2017, the day before the twentieth anniversary of my high school graduation. I am married with no kids and generated over 95% of the family income while employed. We live in LCOL rural TN. Our asset allocation goal is approximately 60% VTSAX (total US stock market) / 20% VFWAX (total INTL stock market) / 20% VWLUX (US municipal bonds). We also hold roughly $400k in house, land, and belongings not included in the portfolio. My spending model places no dependence upon supplemental income (future employment?), social security ($10k/yr?), inheritance ($500k?), house equity (no heirs), universal health care (probable?), or universal basic income (possible?). The final balance will be left to charities and worthy causes. + +Someone posted this earlier in a comment, thought was a good quick listen. + +@LouiChristopher continuing to make sense. Reporter choked when she hears 30% decline. + +Check it: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/newsradio/property-faces-30-declines/12488234 +Hello, everyone! Sorry for the long post, but I think you will all enjoy it and hopefully learn somethings along the way. [Here's an image of my Excel calculation results](https://www.dropbox.com/s/mukpmimcixxfdn0/DDoSExampleNumber.png?dl=0) and [here's an example contract with another set of numbers](https://www.dropbox.com/s/r84s8053b8qgg9u/DDoS_Contract-V1.solc?dl=0). Both files will be helpful later on (you'll see) but aren't necessary to understand this post. TL;DR: **An attacker or competing chain could disrupt Ethereum for significant periods by taking advantage of miner's greed, and the best way to prevent it is to reenable dynamic gas limits.** + +**Intro** + +With the recent congestion issues on the Ethereum network, it has become obvious that there is a serious issue with the current gas payment structure. Not only does the issue pose serious questions about the scalability of Ethereum, it also opens the network up to attacks. I’ll show how a relatively small sum of Ether can be enough to kickstart a miner-enabled DDoS attack. But first we have to understand the problem, and to do that we have to realize where it came from. + +**Origin of the Problem** + +Gas, for those that are unfamiliar with the inner workings of Ethereum, is a unit of computation power used to measure the processing requirements of a transaction. A block’s gas limit is the max amount of processing that needs to be done to complete all transactions in the block. Normally, the gas limit would rise and fall with the needs of the network, allowing blocks to expand as the transaction volume increased. + +When users need to get their transactions into a block faster, they set a higher gas price. The gas price is the ratio of gas used to the amount of ether paid to the miner as a processing fee (to account for fluctuating values of Ether). Miners ideally try to include as many transactions in a block as they can and prioritize the transactions with the highest gas prices in order to collect as many fees as possible per block. This is where the system breaks. + +Some time ago, there was an attack on the Ethereum network involving contracts that would use all the gas in a block on processes that had extremely slow execution speeds, resulting in long block verification times. In order to combat these contracts, miners collectively lowered the gas limits of each block. The default gas limit on new releases of mining software became a fixed value, so the network no longer expanded blocks as they became more filled. The decision reduced the effects of the malicious contracts, but created the situation we are in today. + +**Recent Developments** + +Recent ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings, like when a stock goes public but for cryptocurrencies) required that entrants purchase the coins within a certain window of time. This created a race condition: Only transactions processed in that window would be valid purchases, regardless of when they were first sent to a miner for processing. The constant gas limit imposed by the miners meant that there were a limited amount of transactions that could make it into the window. So, entrants increased the gas price of their transactions so they would be processed before the rest. As more people tried to send transactions, the necessary gas price to stay in the window began to skyrocket. Some people paid thousands of dollars in transaction fees to be included in the ICO. If their transactions were too late, they simply wasted their money. The problem wasn’t confined to just the ICO, either. + +Since everyone was paying extra to get into the ICO, regular transactions were postponed until they were the most profitable. This meant that any smart contract actions not related to the ICO were put on hold until the congestion cleared, which effectively froze the smart contracts for the duration of the ICO. + +While a smart contract delay of several minutes might be inconsequential, a similar network disruption for an entire day (or several) would cripple any business that relied on Ethereum smart contracts for its daily activities (such as with ERP or logistics applications). This has huge implications for the future of Ethereum, since businesses will look to more reliable blockchains or switch to their own, off-chain solution if Ethereum can’t scale to their needs. + +**Creating Problems to Highlight Problems** + +Anyone that thinks that these conditions are a fluke is mistaken. The situation has been manipulated by the miners to profit off the limited transaction volume and increased gas prices. You see, **it's actually profitable for miners to create these situations**: if everyone could fit into the window, they would not need to pay exorbitant gas prices. The longer they keep the gas limits down, the more people are willing to pay to get into these ICO’s. It’s not just enough to change the way we do ICOs: We have to change the conditions that led to this current situation. Until then, an attacker can abuse the current conditions to destroy Ethereum from within. And here’s how: + +**Creating Our Attack Contract** + +(Here's where that example contract will be handy) To create our attack, we first start with a simple derivative coin sale contract. We’ll call these DDoS Coins, or DCoins. At the end of the sale, all the DCoins will be converted back into Ether at the rate TotalEtherCollected/TotalCoinsMade. + +1) We seed the contract with a starting amount of Ether. This amount will determine the price of entry per generation (higher seed amount means higher prices and incentive to enter). + +2) We require that only transactions with less than a certain gas price are allowed to purchase coins, preventing people from spending more gas to get into the sale early. + +3) We create a set of ‘generations’ with varying conditions on the sale, where the current generation is determined by the total number of successful purchases. The earlier generations have more favorable terms than later generations. + +4) We also require that each transaction in a generation receives the same amount of DCoins regardless of how much Ether is sent with it (as long as it is above the generation’s price). + +5) In order to incentivize miners to process the transactions, a percentage of the total Ether in the transaction goes to the block’s coinbase (the miner that mined the block). + +6) After a requisite number of generations or blocks have passed, the DCoins can be redeemed. + +**What the Attack Does** + +First, the seed Ether creates an incentive to buy DCoins. Since each coin is worth (SumOfPayments+SeedEther)/(NumberOfCoins), it will always be profitable to enter into the contract (though this doesn't have to be the case). Because the early generations have more favorable conditions, it will be most profitable to enter the contract earlier. We limited the gasprice, so the only way to incentivize a miner to process a transaction earlier than any other is to include a higher amount of Ether in the purchase transaction (and therefore send a higher amount to the miner when their percentage is taken out). Additional Ether over the generation’s price that is not sent to the miners is stored in the contract, increasing the value of the contract (and subsequent coins). As the generations pass, the contract stores more and more Ether, becoming profitable to enter even in the later generations. + +Since it’s at least profitable to enter the contract, it can be expected that all DCoins will be purchased as they become available. The point of the contract is now to get as many transactions in as early as possible. This creates the same race condition as the ICO mentioned before, and results in the network becoming increasingly congested as more transactions try to be included in the latest block. With enough seed Ether, it is possible to run iterations on this contract indefinitely and effectively DoS the network. How much seed Ether would be enough? According to initial calculations (see spreadsheet results), it would only take around $1M in seed Ether to create enough demand to fill every block on the Ethereum network (at current limits) for two whole days. Which means that **it would only cost $3.5M to congest the network to unusable levels for an entire week**. To put that in perspective, Poloniex has daily transaction volumes of over $25M in Ether alone, and nearly twice that in Bitcoin. The flash crash shows that there are individuals out there with this level of funding. The capabilities are there, and it is only a matter of time before a someone implements this contract on Ethereum to drive the value of the network into the ground. And this is with a basic smart contract that was coded in a day, not a sophisticated or mathematically optimal exploit. + +**Conclusion** + +So, what is the solution to the problem? Simple: **Miners just need to dynamically increase block gas limits again**. Easier said than done, unfortunately. There are enough reasons for miners to keep the limits low that we may never see 100% consensus on an improved algorithm without another fork. Other methods are likely in the works, but **until there is a concrete change, the Ethereum network will continue to be vulnerable to attacks like this thanks to the greed of its own miners.** +Hello, everyone! Sorry for the long post, but I think you will all enjoy it and hopefully learn somethings along the way. [Here's an image of my Excel calculation results](https://www.dropbox.com/s/mukpmimcixxfdn0/DDoSExampleNumber.png?dl=0) and [here's an example contract with another set of numbers](https://www.dropbox.com/s/r84s8053b8qgg9u/DDoS_Contract-V1.solc?dl=0). Both files will be helpful later on (you'll see) but aren't necessary to understand this post. TL;DR: **An attacker or competing chain could disrupt Ethereum for significant periods by taking advantage of miner's greed, and the best way to prevent it is to reenable dynamic gas limits.** + +**Intro** + +With the recent congestion issues on the Ethereum network, it has become obvious that there is a serious issue with the current gas payment structure. Not only does the issue pose serious questions about the scalability of Ethereum, it also opens the network up to attacks. I’ll show how a relatively small sum of Ether can be enough to kickstart a miner-enabled DDoS attack. But first we have to understand the problem, and to do that we have to realize where it came from. + +**Origin of the Problem** + +Gas, for those that are unfamiliar with the inner workings of Ethereum, is a unit of computation power used to measure the processing requirements of a transaction. A block’s gas limit is the max amount of processing that needs to be done to complete all transactions in the block. Normally, the gas limit would rise and fall with the needs of the network, allowing blocks to expand as the transaction volume increased. + +When users need to get their transactions into a block faster, they set a higher gas price. The gas price is the ratio of gas used to the amount of ether paid to the miner as a processing fee (to account for fluctuating values of Ether). Miners ideally try to include as many transactions in a block as they can and prioritize the transactions with the highest gas prices in order to collect as many fees as possible per block. This is where the system breaks. + +Some time ago, there was an attack on the Ethereum network involving contracts that would use all the gas in a block on processes that had extremely slow execution speeds, resulting in long block verification times. In order to combat these contracts, miners collectively lowered the gas limits of each block. The default gas limit on new releases of mining software became a fixed value, so the network no longer expanded blocks as they became more filled. The decision reduced the effects of the malicious contracts, but created the situation we are in today. + +**Recent Developments** + +Recent ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings, like when a stock goes public but for cryptocurrencies) required that entrants purchase the coins within a certain window of time. This created a race condition: Only transactions processed in that window would be valid purchases, regardless of when they were first sent to a miner for processing. The constant gas limit imposed by the miners meant that there were a limited amount of transactions that could make it into the window. So, entrants increased the gas price of their transactions so they would be processed before the rest. As more people tried to send transactions, the necessary gas price to stay in the window began to skyrocket. Some people paid thousands of dollars in transaction fees to be included in the ICO. If their transactions were too late, they simply wasted their money. The problem wasn’t confined to just the ICO, either. + +Since everyone was paying extra to get into the ICO, regular transactions were postponed until they were the most profitable. This meant that any smart contract actions not related to the ICO were put on hold until the congestion cleared, which effectively froze the smart contracts for the duration of the ICO. + +While a smart contract delay of several minutes might be inconsequential, a similar network disruption for an entire day (or several) would cripple any business that relied on Ethereum smart contracts for its daily activities (such as with ERP or logistics applications). This has huge implications for the future of Ethereum, since businesses will look to more reliable blockchains or switch to their own, off-chain solution if Ethereum can’t scale to their needs. + +**Creating Problems to Highlight Problems** + +Anyone that thinks that these conditions are a fluke is mistaken. The situation has been manipulated by the miners to profit off the limited transaction volume and increased gas prices. You see, **it's actually profitable for miners to create these situations**: if everyone could fit into the window, they would not need to pay exorbitant gas prices. The longer they keep the gas limits down, the more people are willing to pay to get into these ICO’s. It’s not just enough to change the way we do ICOs: We have to change the conditions that led to this current situation. Until then, an attacker can abuse the current conditions to destroy Ethereum from within. And here’s how: + +**Creating Our Attack Contract** + +(Here's where that example contract will be handy) To create our attack, we first start with a simple derivative coin sale contract. We’ll call these DDoS Coins, or DCoins. At the end of the sale, all the DCoins will be converted back into Ether at the rate TotalEtherCollected/TotalCoinsMade. + +1) We seed the contract with a starting amount of Ether. This amount will determine the price of entry per generation (higher seed amount means higher prices and incentive to enter). + +2) We require that only transactions with less than a certain gas price are allowed to purchase coins, preventing people from spending more gas to get into the sale early. + +3) We create a set of ‘generations’ with varying conditions on the sale, where the current generation is determined by the total number of successful purchases. The earlier generations have more favorable terms than later generations. + +4) We also require that each transaction in a generation receives the same amount of DCoins regardless of how much Ether is sent with it (as long as it is above the generation’s price). + +5) In order to incentivize miners to process the transactions, a percentage of the total Ether in the transaction goes to the block’s coinbase (the miner that mined the block). + +6) After a requisite number of generations or blocks have passed, the DCoins can be redeemed. + +**What the Attack Does** + +First, the seed Ether creates an incentive to buy DCoins. Since each coin is worth (SumOfPayments+SeedEther)/(NumberOfCoins), it will always be profitable to enter into the contract (though this doesn't have to be the case). Because the early generations have more favorable conditions, it will be most profitable to enter the contract earlier. We limited the gasprice, so the only way to incentivize a miner to process a transaction earlier than any other is to include a higher amount of Ether in the purchase transaction (and therefore send a higher amount to the miner when their percentage is taken out). Additional Ether over the generation’s price that is not sent to the miners is stored in the contract, increasing the value of the contract (and subsequent coins). As the generations pass, the contract stores more and more Ether, becoming profitable to enter even in the later generations. + +Since it’s at least profitable to enter the contract, it can be expected that all DCoins will be purchased as they become available. The point of the contract is now to get as many transactions in as early as possible. This creates the same race condition as the ICO mentioned before, and results in the network becoming increasingly congested as more transactions try to be included in the latest block. With enough seed Ether, it is possible to run iterations on this contract indefinitely and effectively DoS the network. How much seed Ether would be enough? According to initial calculations (see spreadsheet results), it would only take around $1M in seed Ether to create enough demand to fill every block on the Ethereum network (at current limits) for two whole days. Which means that **it would only cost $3.5M to congest the network to unusable levels for an entire week**. To put that in perspective, Poloniex has daily transaction volumes of over $25M in Ether alone, and nearly twice that in Bitcoin. The flash crash shows that there are individuals out there with this level of funding. The capabilities are there, and it is only a matter of time before a someone implements this contract on Ethereum to drive the value of the network into the ground. And this is with a basic smart contract that was coded in a day, not a sophisticated or mathematically optimal exploit. + +**Conclusion** + +So, what is the solution to the problem? Simple: **Miners just need to dynamically increase block gas limits again**. Easier said than done, unfortunately. There are enough reasons for miners to keep the limits low that we may never see 100% consensus on an improved algorithm without another fork. Other methods are likely in the works, but **until there is a concrete change, the Ethereum network will continue to be vulnerable to attacks like this thanks to the greed of its own miners.** +I have a parent (63 years old) who has absolutely no savings, assets, home, vehicles etc. and is expecting a $1200 Social security stipend in 3 years at full retirementage. He currently works and makes more than that, but not by much and is just getting by. He lives with a sibling who is also low income and they share expenses. Rent is $600/mo, Low cost of living area. Both have health problems and my Dad probably won't be able to work much longer. He's a diabetic and has Medicaid. His brother/roommate is 60 and has what we believe to be aspergers but is very reluctant to get diagnosis, or any intervention at all. I'm not sure how to best help them financially survive the transition to an even more limited income once they stopworking. Should I help them apply for assistance, plan for them to move in with me (not sure I have the space) or something else? Thanks in advance! +I’m 40, working full time for an e-commerce company, have kids. Can spare about 7-10 hours a week. How long is it likely to take to learn & master the basics (from 0), get all my tools setup, draw my own daily strategies, and be able to make a reasonable amount of money (say $0.5 to 1K) each week? Thank you all in advance! (Edit 1: I’m currently only a long-term investor, and equipped with only the basics. I have around 13K currently invested im ETFs and some stocks) + +Edit 1.5: Yes I see having an amount target is quite naïve, better expressed as a % growth. + +Edit 2: Some really valuable & thought-provoking insights, sincere thanks to everyone! Timeframe in the comments range from 3 months to 25 years :)) Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, but an undeniable appeal for those who have the patience & wherewithal. Will need to do a whole bunch of reading up!!🙏🏼 +Lately we have been in a bubble. Not the entire crypto scene, just well... The majority of it. +For example i'll use Ripple, Stellar Lumens, and NEM. +Recently: +XRP/BTC was the only pair holding ripple up. +XLM/BTC was the only pair holding Stellar Lumens up. +NEM/BTC was the only pair holding NEM up. +They were all on Poloniex. +This is why when Polo crashes, so do these other alts, because they are all directly tied to BTC. +But does BTC ever crash? No. Because BTC is what people sell their alts FOR. +It's the network effect of being the first cryptocurrency and being paired with everything else. +What we've been witnessing lately is an artificial inflation of the Market cap of the entire crypto scene due to Bitcoin. +People buy XRP with bitcoin, it gains a massive volume and pumps by 4 billion dollars. Is this actually a 4 billion dollar investment in crypto? Of course not. BARELY ANY of that was actual fiat money. It was all bitcoin influx. Market cap is only valued upon what the going price for a coin is, which is what someone is willing to pay for it. +When these altcoins dump 50%, all that money flows back into bitcoin because people sell their alts for bitcoin, thus pumping bitcoins price even higher than before the ripple pump because the buy pressure of bitcoin gets even higher. + +You can tell me bitcoin will stay number 1, you can tell me bitcoin will be the biggest crypto forever. You can tell me bitcoin will be the only crypto to succeed. You can spout whatever you'd like. +But one thing you cannot tell me, is that bitcoin is superior technology to ethereum. +You cannot tell me that bitcoin has more development, more inside and outside technological growth, and more potential than ethereum does. + +Am I an ethereum maximalist? No not necessarily. But it's what I personally believe in more than any other blockchain protocol. +The only thing keeping bitcoin alive, is the network effect of being number 1. It essentially has a monopoly on altcoins, but that is changing. Ethereum is producing crowdsales in record numbers, only accepting ethereum tokens. +Ethereum is creating it's very own ecosystem, and ETH pairs are now being listed. +Such as ETH/RLC, ETH/GNT, ETH/TKN, and much more to come. +Ethereum is able to have hard forks and soft forks and have updates on a protocol layer and outside of it as well. +Ethereum is the choice for businesses because ethereum is able to adapt. + +Unless bitcoin is able to have a major overhaul of it's protocol and somehow update itself on a protocol layer and have a hard fork or soft fork i'm afraid that Bitcoin is going to end up the exact same fate as the housing market collapse. +Technology may be an intelligent being, but like with anything else that is autonomous and able to survive in this world, if you can not adapt, you will die. I don't care if it's crypto, your workplace environment to secure a job, or living in the sahara desert. +If you can not evolve, you will never progress. + +This year, we are going to see Ethereum valued at an over 25 billion market cap. It very well may go to a 50 billion market cap or more, that is not ballparking it either. a 50 Billion market cap is a very reasonable evaluation for 7 months time. We will see an increase of ETH pairs to various ethereum coins. We are going to see some of the very first decentralized applications running on ethereum. We are going to see new crowdsales every month, we are going to see new members announced in the EEA every two months. We are going to see raiden and it's evolution. We are going to see financial institutions and multi billion dollar fortune 500 companies starting to run Ethereum protocol applications in real-time. We are gong to see increasing adoption worldwide including places that do not have ethereum, like China for instance. + +What we are going to witness with Ethereum, is the disruption of the entire world economy and how it is able to accomplish things. Ethereum will make the world a more autonomous, trustless, better world. + +What we are essentially witnessing in regards to bitcoin, is the beginning of the end. Bitcoin may be higher than it ever has been, bitcoin may have a bigger market cap than it ever has. But here is the thing you have to ask yourself, did bitcoin go up in price? Or did it go up in value? Or did it go up in both? +If it goes up in value, the price will soon follow. +If it goes up in price and not value, then the price will soon drop. +If it goes up in both, then that is healthy gains. + +This is just my own opinion though, and you are free to think whatever the fuck you'd like. +Hi all, + +I've been offered a new job in the private sector and have been considering taking it up for the experience. My current role in the public sector, while safe, is starting to become stale and I'm no longer growing from the work. + +I have also taken up a mortgage with no emergency buffer for repayments. + +I having trouble deciding what to do. Can anyone provide comments that may help with my situation? + +I've come up with a pros and cons list for my situation: + + +Pros to taking a up the new job: +- Experience as a consultant and the private sector +- 5k annual pay increase + +Cons: +- Longer and inflexible hours +- Probation period - I may not meet their expectations and lose my job, therefore defaulting on home loan and selling. + + +Pros for staying in my current job: +- Supportive team +- Stable job +- Flexible hours +- Long service leave in 3 years + +Cons +- 5K less pay +- Work routine and repetitive +- No opportunity to advance to the next pay bracket until a position becomes vacant. +Hi all + +I'm faced with a financial dilemma and need your help. + +I recently left a role at a startup. I have a 3 percent stake in the company, equivalent to 48,000 shares. The company is currently rasing a seed round and the shares have been valued at £8 each. + +The investors are offering to buy my shares back at £2.80, which is 35 percent of their market price. + +This means I'll earn around £135, . This would be taxed at 20 percent. + +The shares are likely to go up in value in the future. However getting someone to actually buy startup shares for unlisted companies is difficult and it is possible the company will fail and the shares will be worth nothing. + +Would you sell the shares now or hold on to them and sell in the future. + +A little about me and my finances + +1. M32, no kids with long term partner, qualified accountant +2. Household income £110,000 (my salary £75,000, partners £35,000) +3. Pension £20,000 +4. Savings £50,000 +5. Equity in home, £430,000, mortgage £70,000 + + +Financial Goals + +Would like to buy a house in my area for around £750,000 - £800,000. I could do this without selling the shares now, however it would obviously be easier with an extra £135,000 in equity + +UPDATE + +Thanks so much for all your advice so far. + +As always with this sub the quality of discussions are excellent and people have made some very good points. + +I'm not sure if I can sell some of the shares only. I should know more tomorrow. Will keep you up to date. +Putting opinion flair on this since it's probably all bullshit. None of this any "real" DD. I obviously don't have any access to his financial documents, so this is all just inference based on his believed previous short positions, videos interviews, and his recent divorce. + +With that said, let me see if I can give a compelling case that not only DID he short GME, he likely STILL HAS a large short position that will be fully exposed when the MOASS happens. + +**1) He's previously held a retarded short position in TSLA.** + +During an interview with Joe Rogan, Elon Musk said that he had several people tell him that Bill Gates ["at one point had a big short position in TSLA".](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMevXFhJylc) When asked about it on CNBC, [he dodged the fucking question.](https://youtu.be/l_xIgzO2c9A?t=61) Look the frown he makes at 1:48 right after he says "He should be very proud of what he's done." *Then why'd you try profiting off running TSLA into the ground Bill?* + +This interview alone kinda shows Bill is really bad at hiding a lie. I'd almost love to play poker with him because I feel like I could call his bluffs. Which leads me to... + +**2) His GME interview back in February was very sus.** + +[Watch Bill Gates talk about GME back in Feb when it was trading around $46.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVBdyYynDNE) Watch his eyes squint, watch him fidget in his chair, watch how often his arms are crossed. He's clearly uncomfortable. And this isn't normal awkwardness for him. [Watch him talk about covid back in April 2020 when the world was essentially imploding.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie6lRKAdvuY&t=160s) He looks much more stressed talking about GME. + +Now go back and listen to what he says in that CNBC interview. He suggests that the SEC should *look into people posting their positions on reddit!* He doesn't mention shorting EVEN ONCE! Uhhh... excuse me what the fuck Bill? How can you be on the wrong side of a debate that even AOC and Ted Cruz agree on? Maybe its because he was the shorter? 🤔 + +And this brings me to my final point... + +**3) His sudden, unexpected divorce.** + +Now, people get divorced, it happens. Even rich people like Bezos have their marriage fall apart when they try to put their dick in a place it shouldn't be. But this is *strange.* [The reasoning they give](https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1389316412259270657?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet) is that they "can no longer grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives," but at the same time they say "we will continue to work together at the foundation." Who in the WORLD continues to work with their ex indefinitely on a multi billion dollar foundation if they didn't get along? And next phase of their lives? Like bro, you're 65 and the one of the richest people in the world. Your only hobby is eradicating polio in India with your wife, the fuck you mean "next phase of our lives". *Unless that phase is being broke as shit after covering the MOASS.* + +This doesn't smell like a real breakup, and feels a lot more like a purely financial play. It's like when your friend's parents get divorced so they didn't have to pay as much for their tuition, but still lived together. There's also history of a preemptive divorce before assets get seized in finance. I can't find links so I'm probably wrong, but I recall seeing enron exec's wives doing exactly this. + +**TL;DR:** + +**Did Bill Gates short GME?** + +Idk, probably? + +**So... do I just keep hodling my GME anyway?** + +Yes. +So I don't know about you all but the sudden surge of calling for DFV to return has me thinking its the next round of FUD somehow. + +He doesn't owe anyone anything and he's not going to come out of his hole just because everyone shouts his name loudly. + +I feel like this is somehow an attempt to trap him into responding and becoming the "scape goat" for SHF to sue. + +Just be Zen. Buy & Hold that's all. The DD is all you need. Everything else is just fun extra stuff to kill time while we wait for MOASS. + +Ape Strong Together🚀🦍💎👐💎🦍🚀 + +Edit 1: as many have pointed out they are using this as potential to let the price rip up a few hundred when he tweets, thus making it seems as if he had some sort of hold on the market or is manipulating the stock. + +That and after no response from calling out to him they could push the narrative of "he sold", "he has paper hands" "we already peaked" etc. + +Buy and hold still remains the way +The last time the stonk almost hit 350, there was a steep drop to ~170. One of the theories behind this was that it was a pump & dump tactic by HF's to shake paperhands. + +[This was over the course of ~2 days from Mar. 9-10, not sure if it actually started on the 9th but there was momentum still](https://imgur.com/oGqHPbc) + +This slow rally, followed by positive pre-market coverage by Market watch & eToro notifications for the first time is extremely sus. Speaking of Sus, remember that Susquehanna also holds 5m shares despite being a known shorter. Expect fuckery. + +If it rallies past 300 then maybe it is something. But don't get excited because if this is a a pump and dump by Susquehanna to attack morale after a few very dry and downward weeks, they could potentially be trying to break through the 120 support once they dump to try and invoke more paperhands. + +I only have one play: BUY and HODL. Especially HODL at 140, HODL at 170, HODL at ANYTHING BELOW ~~1M~~ 10m. Anything else is a possible distraction to make people lose morale. + +This is all not fucking financial advice, just EXPECT FUCKERY + + + +**Edit:** Also remember, a REAL squeeze should be met by MULTIPLE TRADING HALTS DURING THE DAY, as well as high AF borrow interest. Not slow rallies every 10 minutes or so at .9% borrow interest + +**Edit 2:** Adding in visual of the pump & dump from March + +**Edit 3:** Yea, yea, 10m you damn dirty apes + +**Edit 4:** $18m worth of deep ITM calls are back, hmm + +**Edit 5:** Since this doesn't seem obvious enough to some crayon munchers: **This post is NOT an invitation to day trade!** How people read BUY and HODL as anything other than that is a mystery to me. There is just as likely a chance that it rockets tomorrow, so dont go expecting 120 either but dont be surprised if it happens. **This is not financial advice** +[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-06/u-s-wage-growth-eclipses-mortgage-rate-for-first-time-since-72](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-12-06/u-s-wage-growth-eclipses-mortgage-rate-for-first-time-since-72) + +&#x200B; + +>Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees -- who comprise more than 80% of the U.S. private-sector workforce -- rose 3.8% from a year earlier in October, according to Labor Department data published Friday. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate in the U.S. in October was about 3.7% + +It's good to finally see some wage growth after having such low unemployment numbers for so long. +They all talk a lot about psychology in the market. And how often times we blow up our accounts due to our own psychology. Whether it’s FOMO or chasing or bad risk management. + +As someone whose been trading for a few years and only about 6 months ago started becoming more consistent as I’ve blown several accounts, I finally came to an aha moment. + +I personally trade options. It’s not uncommon for new traders to instantly get hooked and see the potential of options without also realizing the danger of it. They think it’s a get rich quick thing. I ALSO thought that way too. Sizing way too big. + +Then I finally came to realize the potential of growing your account size a little bit at a time and using my own life changes to make me realize that. + +I initially tried to grow my account by 10% a day. Was doing well for about 1 month and then just crash and burned. Sized way too big. Then I finally realized that I can make grow it by 2-3% a day. I know that might sound absolutely insane to some stock share traders like “2-3% a day is fucking outrageously high”. To me that was possible. That was much more manageable. I do about 5%-10% of my portfolio per position with pretty tight stops around 20-25% loss. So a 5% loss at 25% is only 1.25% of your port. Or 10% at 25% is only 2.5%, which you can make back in like one good trade. + +I also realized my account could be like in just a year from doing that. Just 2-3% a day for 250 days or even less. + +Yes it seems like a long time for some. But I also thought back about what my own life was like just 2 and half years ago and how much that had changed. Now if I had that same mindset towards this, think what my account would be like in 2.5 years. + +I also came to the realization that I would rather grow my account slowly than to try and be aggressive and a year from now I still have nothing to show for except blown accounts. I think back about where my account would be if I had just decided to be more cautious and grow it slowly. +[https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/03/stock-market-wall-street-in-focus-as-trade-optimism-fades.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/03/stock-market-wall-street-in-focus-as-trade-optimism-fades.html) + + +What the fuck are all these posts in the front page roasting GG? The guy just got to his position right before an impending market crash, you expect him to know every law, proposed bill, acronym, etc? His “it’s only my third week” and “I’ll have my team look into it” is the equivalent of “this is not financial advice”. He’s simply making sure his ass is covered so that no one takes his testimony today and uses it as evidence against him down the line. + +It’s like getting elected captain of the Titanic right as it’s about to hit the iceberg and being salty at him when he doesn’t know the serial number of support beam 4 on level 3 on the port side of the ship. + +Give the guy a fucking break. +Hey All, + +So I got a letter from HMRC today to say that we shouldn't of been getting the child tax credits we were getting as my partner is on contribution based ESA rather than income based. + +They're asking for all the money they've given us back (almost £20,000) and they're stopping the tax credits (~£400 less a month). + +I'm assuming theres nothing I can do about it but wanted to make a post just in case I'm missing something. + +Any advice? + +Cheers! +My performance review is scheduled for this week and since it's my first review with the company, I asked one of my coworkers about what to expect during review. He told me it's nothing formal and it's just formalities to appease HR. + +Since we're on that topic, would it be unprofessional to ask about the average pay raise based on his many years with the company? Thanks. + +Edit: the question is not whether I should ask my employer for a pay increase. It's asking if I can ask my coworker what his pay increases has been since he started working with the company. +Currently, the average median in the UK is £31,461 for full-time workers. This also doesn't include the people making 6 or even 7 figures in London as this is the **median**, not the average. + +I was honestly shocked by this figure, I can think of significantly more jobs that make a salary in the low twenties as opposed to the thirties. + +The average salary for an accountant is just shy of £30k. Considering that the "regular joe" isn't an accountant, I'm surprised that the median salary makes more than that. + +[https://www.findcourses.co.uk/inspiration/average-salaries-uk/average-uk-salary-2020-2021-19759](https://www.findcourses.co.uk/inspiration/average-salaries-uk/average-uk-salary-2020-2021-19759) +So I don't know if upvotes are being suppressed or what, but I do not see many upvotes for many of the posts. Many that are hours old are usually in the hundreds or closer to a thousand. + +Not sure, but I feel that there is some good information, DD, and possible DD being suppressed. + +Anyway, my life is great. + +I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. + +See you on Andromeda. + +Shop, Buy, DRS, Hodl 🚀 +Think about it. All that's left are diamond handers. There's essentially no point in selling for *anyone* still holding as the upside is likely far greater than the downside as a result of losing so much money already. Paperhands are out of the way and would have sold long ago so there's less need to worry about existing GME holders selling (more confidence). Assuming WSB continues to hold/buy and is prepared for weeks to months of holding/buying, theoretically, this stock will catapult upwards. Worst case scenario is the hedge funds decide to cover sooner. In that case, there's a good shot of making back your money/profiting. Best case scenario, they refuse to cover, the stock slowly goes to the moon, and we're back in tumultuous short squeeze scenario, again, but this time everyone has moved to a broker that isn't pure trash. There's still around 55 percent of float shorted and I suspect it'll increase. + +And here's the kicker: + +Once the stock starts to rise, however long that takes, guess what's going to happen? All the paperhanded folk are going to jump right back in, or at least a lot of them. Guess what else? All those paperhanded folk likely made quite a bit of money on the way up the first time, therefore, more capital. GUESS WHAT ELSE ELSE? This just essentially means you can theoretically make even MORE MONEY by lowering your cost basis. GUESS WHAT WHAT ELSE ELSE ELSE? Uh, nothing, that's it. + +TL;DR WE LIKE THE STOCK +I have a fairly busy job and as I progress it will get busier, I have started to learn to trade but have not been able to find time to in-depth study and practice, looking for advice with people who do this, my question is both for traders and people who study and choose to invest in stock +I have a fairly busy job and as I progress it will get busier, I have started to learn to trade but have not been able to find time to in-depth study and practice, looking for advice with people who do this, my question is both for traders and people who study and choose to invest in stock +[https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/moviepass-owner-hmny-stock-price-robinhood-halting-new-share-purchases-2018-8-1027454830](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/moviepass-owner-hmny-stock-price-robinhood-halting-new-share-purchases-2018-8-1027454830) +Welcome to the Daily General Discussion thread of /r/EthTrader. + +*** + +Thread guidelines: + +- Please refrain from discussing non-Ethereum related tokens here. You are welcome to discuss altcoins in the Daily Altcoin Discussion thread. +- All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/about/rules/) apply here so please be familiar with them. + +*** + + Resources and other information: + +* Find the latest Altcoin Discussion thread in [this search listing](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/search?q=author%3Aautomoderator+title%3Aaltcoin&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all). + +* Newcomers who have basic questions about Ethereum can find answers by visiting /r/EthereumNoobies or our Ethereum Education wiki page, [see here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/wiki/education). + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. + +*** + +Enjoy! + +But apes just keep buying. We **know** what's happening and their bought "news" sources can't fool us anymore. The only way is BUY AND HODL. + +So stop expecting things to happen or the price to moon on certain dates, stop thinking we moon if we reach certain prices. Their plan is to shut our hype down, make us bored and doubtful. But it won't happen anymore. The only way is BUY AND HODL. + +Retail [owns the float](https://reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mxrdcb/updated_dd_i_did_the_math_there_is_literally_no/) many times. Hell, users of this subreddit alone, superstonk, probably [own the entire float](https://reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/mzuodo/final_update_superstonk_users_alone_hold_between/) already. If apes hold until the price is $10'000,000, the price **will** reach that. + +The only way is BUY AND HODL. + +It's really simple apes. Keep reading DD, keep learning investing and finance, keep questioning everything. But the bottom line won't change. + +Diamond fucking hands 💎🙌 +I work for a nonprofit and they emailed me today about signing up for the 403B plan. If I put 5% of my paycheck into it, they will add 8%. + +I make a little over $35k with my emergency fund fully funded, a small investment portfolio, around $60k in student loans, and $13k left in a car loan. + +My budget is around $1300-1500 a month with a post tax income of around $2200 a month. + +My gut says I should absolutely jump on this but that little voice in my head is saying wait. Would I be crazy not to take advantage of the employee match? + +Thanks for any help + +Update: filing out the paperwork today to take advantage of this. Thanks for all your input. + +Update 2: I have enrolled in the 403(b) to get the 8% contribution. Y’all can stop telling me to do it now. + +Update 3: it keeps being asked so I’ll add that the money is 100% vested immediately. + +Update 4: so total cost difference in my paycheck ended up only being $16. This is due to an increase in base pay. So for a total of $32 a month difference in my take home, I am now able to save for my retirement and get a great employer match. +Let's see what you guys are doing that are cheap value adds when rehabbing to put yourself above the competition. + + +I'll start. + + +Heated floors in the master bathroom. Stupid easy to install and costs about $350 for an average bathroom. Most run on 120v and pull about 3 amps so they don't need a dedicated circuit. + +"Custom cabinets". There's a big misnomer on what's really custom in cabinets I think. The fact is most manufacturers have a large selection of box sizes, finishes, and layouts that you can pick from. With a little research and basic measuring skills you can create you own "custom" kitchen cabinet layout, buy from the manufacturer, and pay for the install labor separately. A lot of guys tack on huge up charges to measure and pick shit out of a catalog and call them custom. + + +Vendor and subcontractor terms. Once you get a sufficiently large project under your belt it's pretty easy to get at least some of your vendors and subs to give you net terms, especially when a bank is involved in lending. For my current project I had about $12,000 worth of lumber that I needed throughout the project. I put the lumber company on my sworn statement, gave it to the bank, the lumber company called the bank to confirm the amount, and just like that I have net 30 terms. Every time I order material I put their amount on the sworn statement and the bank cuts them a check to be picked up at escrow in exchange for a partial lien waiver. This may not sound like a value add but I don't have to carry nearly as much cash/credit on hand if the bank's paying subs and vendors directly. Less cash on hand means more cash to deploy elsewhere or larger projects to be done with the current cash reserves. +Should we be travelling to California or Spain or somewhere for the best clinic? + +I'm not sure this is something you can throw money at, but I wanted to ask if anyone here had some advice or experience. + +We've done 3 sessions of iSCSI IVF. +1. Eggs didn't make it to day 5 to transfer +2. 2 embryo transfers.. No pregnancy +3. 1 embryo transfer.. No pregnancy +In most of these cases lots of eggs/follicles, but hardly any make it to day 5. + +Egg quality is poor(dark?), as is sperm motility and shape.. Hence the isci. We're 41 and 40. So while we had the last kid naturally 3.5 years ago.. We've been trying for the last 2.5 years no luck. + +She always told me we should have kids and women have trouble at 40, I just figured no no.. Science can help us if needed lots of people have kids late. We have lots of time I told her.. +Well I fucked up.. And she may have been right. +All I did was work and put off having kids. + + +This ivf stuff with meds and the long gaps between cycles is terrible. It's hard on her and I want to know if going to a clinic with the highest success rates will increase my chances. I read some of the highest success rates are in Spain.. But is that cuz the locals just need the slightest nudge vs more help. + +The money doesn't matter. We just want another kid that's our own genetically, as opposed to adopting. Is there a way to better our chances? + +I know we're very fortunate to have the one little guy, who is amazing. We just want a sibling for him. + +Thanks, I know this is a unusual post for fatfire. +Well just some thoughts: + +- Tax season is over, hopefully all the exchanges and the people who got rich last year cashed out by now +- ICO‘s cashed out most of their cryptos they received and they don‘t get their hard caps that easy anymore, i.e the craze is less now than a year ago +- Bullshit ICO‘s like Telegram which are raising insane amounts of money (Telegram alone ~2.4bn USD) are collecting it with Fiat only, so they don‘t have precious ETH to dump +- Big family offices and hedge funds still entering the crypto space +- Pension funds, insurances and banks are going to start investing in the new crypto asset class in this year, pushing up prices significantly +- There are more and more certificates coming out from several financial firms, lowering the barriers to entry for people who don‘t have the time to register with a cryptobroker or an exchange themselves +- Ethereum is just awesome, Casper coming with an interesting incentive structure to stake ETH +- Much more... + + +What are your thoughts on why we are going to moon thus year? +Do you have these in your Roth IRA account or taxable account or both and if either one why is one better then another ? I know your dividends will be tax free in a Roth IRA but i see many people with VTI and SCHD in there brokerage account +I pay monthly instalments by direct debit (circa 120) and I have told my council that I am moving out in 20 days so expected my final bill to be a bit lower than 120as it’s not a full month from the previous payment. + +To my horror, they have sent me an ebill for 800 pounds, for the rest of the tax year due in September! + +Is this a normal error?! Can I delete my DD until they sort it out? +Alright lads, I have something I need to get off my chest. + +[https://twitter.com/FestLanding/status/1415712157677785089](https://twitter.com/FestLanding/status/1415712157677785089) + +[Notice all those sticky floors \\"influencers\\"?](https://preview.redd.it/o6y5n5y4xfb71.png?width=527&format=png&auto=webp&s=1ff65cc591096534c3db90acc4d0e1ea504b768b) + +# This. Is. A. Joke. + +Some more shenanigans from the "green laser eyed" twitter people, pushed by the sticky floor twitter/youtube crowd. + +But they couldn't just make it a sticky floor event, they somehow had to involve our dear unicorn tech/gaming/ecommerce future giant in their bullshit. + +[Obvious Sticky Floor using GME for relevance](https://preview.redd.it/zug6k86wmfb71.png?width=871&format=png&auto=webp&s=674cb96c5ee7795de74c32d48737929ec502381c) + +If you go on their website: [https://apefestival.com/](https://apefestival.com/), you'll see that they are selling tickets starting at $150 up to a WHOPPIN $1000. + +Lads - **this isn't the way.** + +BUY, HOLD. Is the only way. Going to an ape festival cashgrab that's probably going to be Fyre 2.0 isn't a part of the motto. + +Don't fall for this shit. + +EDIT1: + +[Need I say more?](https://preview.redd.it/8nac99g9pfb71.png?width=671&format=png&auto=webp&s=34e4fda3bdb13e40347f8e6f6a98290d95513235) + +[Obviously Trey is there](https://preview.redd.it/ctxnd19ymgb71.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=ebc9ec1c40449603556ece4c32a657f38cc0fc8b) + +[And the tesco Trey](https://preview.redd.it/6w3bv6uzmgb71.png?width=538&format=png&auto=webp&s=8942a8afe9be5ce474f183e138a6ee30f0dd7332) +https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/video-games/microsoft-takes-aim-sony-cloud-gaming-service-rcna116 + +Subscribers to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, priced at $14.99 monthly, will be able to play more than 150 games via the cloud on Xbox consoles, Android devices and PCs. + +The launch in 22 countries, including the United States and 19 European countries, marks a shift for Microsoft into cloud gaming, which removes the need for bulky hardware but requires a fast internet connection. New entrants include Google , which has struggled to build a fanbase for its Stadia service. + +Across the industry, cloud gaming revenue is expected to grow to $4.8 billion by 2023 from nearly $600 million this year, according to Guilherme Fernandes, analyst at gaming analysis firm Newzoo. + +Thanks for the award. +Hi all, I'm really hoping someone has either experienced this before or knows what we can do because this is getting out of control. + +FYI: apparently Microsoft has a deal with Visa where even if your card number changes, Visa will allow Microsoft to charge the old number and the charges will still go through. + +Two months ago, we noticed a fraudulent charge to Microsoft on our Visa card made that day. My husband called in immediately and Capital One refunded us, cancelled the card, and sent a new one. +A week later, before we even got the new card, there was another charge to Microsoft. He called in again and we then learned that as long as someone/Microsoft has the original card number, Visa will continue to allow charges. They cancelled the card on its way and issued a new number. +A couple of weeks later, a few days after receiving the card, we had another fraudulent charge to Microsoft. At this point Capital One got a rep from Microsoft on a 3 way call but she said that since all the purchases were made without being signed into an account, she couldn't tell who made them (despite us having the Microsoft receipt numbers - we're able to access them through the Cap One app and can even see what was purchased). Microsoft was unable to help so we froze that card for 1 month and continued to use mine, in hopes that the scammer would realize our card is no good and move on. +Well, I guess the month is over because we just received another Microsoft charge. + +Cap One says we're unable to block purchases from them since Visa has an agreement. They've hastily refunded all charges but this is ridiculous - this will be the 4th charge. We have no kids and haven't been near family in months, so the card must have gotten skimmed. + +Do we have any recourse other than either freezing the card for a longer period of time or just cancelling the account? This is my husband's longest standing credit line, and we don't really want to close an account but calling every week has already gotten old. If the scammer waited a month then charged the card, would freezing it for 3 months or more even do anything? + +Edit: the first charge was for a Turtle Beach headset purchased through the Microsoft Store. I assume this had to be shipped somewhere but Microsoft still said they could not locate who made the purchase. The second charge was for a digital copy of COD: Cold War, made on the Xbox store. This last charge was for a month of Game Pass Ultimate. This is the first subscription charge. Cap One can apparently only block names and specific dollar amounts, but all three of these charges come from different Microsoft entities and all have different names and dollar amounts. They cannot block "Microsoft" as a whole. We have changed our Microsoft passwords and removed all cards today, but these charges are not on our either of accounts so someone must have the full cc number rather than just using one of our accounts to make purchases. + +Cap One has stated numerous times that we cannot opt out of this feature and the only solution is to keep calling in and reporting fraud whenever it happens. This has been said from both the regular Fraud department and from their Escalations team. We've permanently frozen the card and will most likely cancel unless Visa comes back to us with something in the next couple of days (but they probably won't). +Very new to this arena. Can someone explain in layman terms why the stock market did not reflect the underlying bad economy during these times? Shouldn't the index reflect the current economic situation? The Fed had done the "Quantitative Easing" during pandemic, which essentially means it printed hell lot of money into the system, something it has been doing during major economic crises, (eg:2008), yet the indices kept going up. + +PS: this is not a troll post. Genuinely keen to know whats the catch here, and learn a little about economics + + +DADDY ELON DID IT AGAIN! Another Tweet, another 100x token! This could be the next DogeFather. + +The dev is in voicechat answering questions, chart looks good, ownership renounced, liquidity locked, code looks clean in rugcheck. The other Sharktank (BST) rugged at 20k MCap, this one looks like it has legs and this dev has no way of rugging. I cant guarantee you it won't rug but I dont see how the dev could pull that off. Trending on Tokensniffer! + +📈Tokenomics: + +\- 1 Trillion initial supply + +\- 10% Total Tx Fee (Set Slippage 11-16) + +\- 8% to Liquidity + +\- 2% Redistributed to Holders + +🚀 Renounced Ownership: [https://bscscan.com/tx/0xd71a61f54a947c0792cbb549f146bee2e48500fab238994798a22b1d5d4c1027](https://bscscan.com/tx/0xd71a61f54a947c0792cbb549f146bee2e48500fab238994798a22b1d5d4c1027) + +🚀 Liquidity Locked: [http://dxsale.app/app/pages/dxlockview?id=0&add=0x5A9B851b63Aff70e5FeFa9C3762c791f490b8180&type=lplock&chain=BSC](http://dxsale.app/app/pages/dxlockview?id=0&add=0x5A9B851b63Aff70e5FeFa9C3762c791f490b8180&type=lplock&chain=BSC) + +🚀 Contract ID: 0x484312a0aaeae3ae36a74ff3e294246f35dddf4f + +🚀Pancakeswap BUY link: [https://exchange.pancakeswap.finance/#/swap?inputCurrency=0x484312a0aaeae3ae36a74ff3e294246f35dddf4f](https://exchange.pancakeswap.finance/#/swap?inputCurrency=0x484312a0aaeae3ae36a74ff3e294246f35dddf4f) + +🚀 4chan: [https://boards.4channel.org/biz/thread/34316140](https://boards.4channel.org/biz/thread/34316140) + +🚀 Blockfolio: [https://feedback.blockfolio.com/coin-requests/p/baby-shark-tank-bashtank](https://feedback.blockfolio.com/coin-requests/p/baby-shark-tank-bashtank) + +🚀 Telegram: [https://t.me/therealbabysharktank](https://t.me/therealbabysharktank) + +🚀 Coinmarketcap: at 1M MCAP! + +🚀 Coingecko: at 1M MCAP! +Spent the past decade building more than one business. + +The combined revenue was 10+ million annually. + +Unfortunately, my wife was cheating while I was building, which ultimately created a divorce. The process was costly, emotionally painful, and very distracting. I ended up fire-selling the businesses and splitting the assets with the Ex-Wife. Currently, my NW is down to 300K from well above 3M on paper pre-drama and fire-selling the businesses. + +I'm finding it hard to find the motivation to get started again. In all honestly, I have the know-how, the network, and even enough cash to get something going pre-seed round but I'm having a difficult time believing in my abilities and feeling motivated again. + +Wondering if anyone has had a similar experience? Any recommendation or external perspective is welcomed. +1) my dad has my SSN written down so I can't just take it back he knows it. + + + +Anywho, my dad was bringing up that I was "approved" for all these cards. And then I was like "um...cool" and I just got a note in the mail saying I was (under my name) denied for one and approved for another. The approved one has a card for me AND my dad in it. I brought it up to him and asked why he's doing this and he said "because you need more credit cards" and I just said "I don't want any, I'm happy with the one I have now. I don't spend much and I (ripped up and) threw away the other ones" and he got all mad at me for doing that. He's upset I want him to stop opening up cards in my name and having him as an authorized user. + + + + + +What can I do about is? Am I SOL, his credit is shit and he made my moms credit shit so I'm afraid he's going to make mine shit +Trading methodology and approaches - Lets talk about it. + +&#x200B; + +Over recent times and in past there have been an abundance of various trading systems and approaches to the marketplace + +that claim superiority over each other. Smart money, Elliot waves, traditional support/resistance and supply/demand to just name a few. Throughout your trading career you will no doubt dabble in those mentioned prior and possibly a dozen more before reaching that famous "A ha" moment. + +Alot of 'educators' in this niche' will breeze around this fact and preech to you that sticking to one system over a large sample size will yield you the results you desire by simply tweaking things here or there. That is simply not true. + +There is no right or wrong way to approach trading the markets as i'm sure most of you would have seen through social media, Traders posting extremely large position sizes on what you would interpret as a late or bad entry. Our eyes can only see with what information we currently have within our mental capacity. + +Do not prescribe to one system above all else when learning, I cannot stress this enough. By limiting yourself to such strict rules you limit yourself to future growth as a trader. + +As humans we must continue to evolve and adapt to all situations in life and trading is no different. There's more than one way to skin a cat they say or as Bruce Lee said, be like water my friend. + +Understand that profitability is not a mystical beast that only a few have managed find. Use the vast amount of resources available to you, consume information, discard anything that does not resonate with you at that time but do not discredit it as you may come back to it in the future. + +Observe your peers, through their signal services or educational platform. Be a sponge, dissect others analysis in a way that makes sense to you. Ask for input from others. There's a multitude of traders willing to give their advice, the thing is most people just don't ask. If you do, take that advice simply for what it is, advice. It does not make it scripture. + +Ask most well known Traders where did they learn or did they have a mentor and most will tell you they were self taught. Why? Because of the process I just described. It is hard to give credit to one particular person or group when your methodology comes from your own learning process of trial and error. + +Be extremely cautious of the personalities casting slander over others, social media has enabled people to portray a false ideal to entice more people to pay for their educational services, dissect and discard those in the trading field that do not bring value to you in one way shape or form. + +At the end of the day, most of us entered these markets with a vision of limitless potential to do, provide and care for those closest to us. + +Don't limit your own potential when growing as a Trader. The frustrations you face now lay the foundational work for what's to come in the future. + +DancesWithAlgos +I've been seeing a lot of investors try to sell their training course. I am a skeptical person in general but I still try to give everyone benefit of the doubt. Have you ever paid for a real estate seminars that was actually worth it? +Hello all, I am so happy to come across this sub and learn the other sides of options - Writing or Selling. I lost almost all of my money betting on options (probably one of you'll sold to me) in April during the anticipated "Gamma Ramp" of a stock I was super bullish in. I had over 400 contracts of in-the-money options that expired OTM because of MM fuckery and all. Long story short, I realized for me to lose money, someone made it from me and for a change, I'd like to be a part of that side, hence I'm here. + + +I saw lots of videos by TastyTrades, InTheMoney, Everything Options, etc. and read a lot of posts on this sub for months. Finally, my smooth brain has started to absorb the info! + + +I currently own over X, xxx of stock, $BBIG that I truly believe in but at the same time, have witnessed lots of fuckery by MM and HFs. I now have realized that it has been trading in a range for months even with all the bullish news and events the company does. I decided to sell CC on it, above my Cost Basis of $2 and I am comfortable selling the stock at a 30-50% gain. + + +I am also thinking of selling Cash Secured Puts to collect premium and if I do get assigned, the price would be perfect for my entry. + + +Almost every week, BBIG pumps on one day and by Friday, it dumps and all the Option Buyers lose a lot of money gambling weeklies. I want to profit off these conditions. + +I sold my first covered call this week when it pumped and made $8 off the weekly contract. I know this money is too small for a lot of you, but to put it into a percentage, **I made 4% of my investment for those 100 shares in one week.** + +**I had sold 5DTE $2.5 CC at 0.33 delta.** + +&#x200B; + +Thinking of rinsing and repeating while collecting premiums, looking for opinion or suggestions!! + +&#x200B; + +Thank you in advance! +Hey guys its Automod. \* Beep Boop Beep\* I tried to mine some bitcoin yesterday but I ended up burning out my system's graphics card. I should have invested in DMGI or BITF but, I was not smart like you guys... Maybe I will make an algorithm... + + What are your plays for the week? What you buying and selling? What were your best plays? This is an unregulated discussion. This time I set sort by best so I will have a chance of getting the best ticker for this week. + +**Downvotes are discouraged** + +**Add** 🚀🚀🚀 **and give rewards to tickers you put mortgage on** + +**Use $SYMBOL FORMAT** ($BB or $[BB.TO](https://BB.TO)) +Hey all, + +I've seen a lot of stock recommendation threads recently. Though these are helpful, I think a lot of people here would benefit from learning about different strategies to use once they're invested in these stocks. + +Any seasoned small cap investors want to share they're personal strategies? + +Do you have any rules you stick to? For example, I know a guy who cuts his holding in a stock by 1/4 once they hit 150% gain on any stock even if they are still bullish on it, just as a risk management type thing. + +I know a guy who makes gains on small caps and transitions that into undervalued blue chip dividend plays. + +Do you use stop losses as a risk management strategy on the down side? Do you change them daily and at what percentage loss do you activate them? + +Anything else you do now because of a loss you suffered earlier in your investing career? + +Let's add some value to this sub and help the peeps out. + +All the best in 2021! +Hi everyone, + +I'm curious about some recent meme stocks you know of that have failed to deliver. I'd like to know about those that seemed like they had real potential where there had been several threads that included what seemed like good DD, but the stock either never took off or it decreased in value. + +I ask, because as someone new to trading (long time buy and hold ETF investor though) I see references to certain stocks where I think the DD that others have done leads me to verify their findings and has me interested in investing as well, for example, NUMI. + +What penny stocks lately have had conversational traction with no upward movement in price? +Hello, I will be applying to algo trading firms later this year and have been teaching myself Python as my programming skills are severely lacking. + +Just wondering, what are some tasks one might need to do on the job in Python? Outside of data wrangling / research. Asking so I can orient my studies towards learning the prerequisite libraries + +Obv this will vary depending on the scope of the firm youre applying to, but just curious to get a basket of ideas here. Thanks! +I hired a general contractor from Facebook and he rented an equipment to regrade the backyard. I’m not sure what he did but the rental company called my realtor from the sign up front to let her know that they will be putting a mechanical lien on the property since the contractor returned it damaged and now isn’t responding to them or me. He has completely disappeared. Am I really on the hook for damages if I have no official contract with them directly? +Honestly, I have had it with alll the "kill BTC-XRP-BCH" subscribers over here. +You guys just do not get the big picture.. ETH this, ETH that, kill BTC or whatever crypto except ETH. +What we need is crypto to get adopted, Be it BTC, ETH or Ripple, +Some people love a Volvo, another person loves a Nissan. +Please stop putting other Crypto than ETH down, we do not want a community as toxic as /r/btc or /r/bitcoin, come guys and galls , you can do better! +See title. We’re unsophisticated apes who can’t tell the difference between a bedpost and a shitpost anyway. + +The rest of this text is just to bring me up to the character count. There’s nothing to see here, seriously there’s nothing to see. Move along. Stop reading. +So I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering what stocks are solid steals right now with the market taking such a large hit. + +I'm curious what everyone here is watching and or buying for the dip. What's your favorite div stock(s) that are down right now? + + +Three stocks I'm watching are: GOOD, O, and CVX + +EDIT: I know i said stocks, but please feel free to include ETFs or anything else you find worth a look! +You might know me from some of my GME posts several weeks ago, or from my Planet Money interview. I've been pretty quite the last few weeks and I have a reason why. + + +First to answer some well asked questions. + +I only played shares. +I rolled several of my shares on peaks from Dec-Jan +Yes I made $4million and I'm still holding a lot of shares + + +Now to what I really wanted to state to new WSB members and old members like myself. + + +!!!A word of caution!!! +Several people, people pretending to be normal WSB members and then after a few reddit messages informing me they have been in finance for 25 years (going as far as creating new accounts to try and talk to me) Others who have been trying to identify me on Reddit, and asking for me to either email them or call them, and even meet up. Dont engage these people + +MY message to these people. Do you think I'm stupid? Anonymity is my friend at this point. We all have seen what happens to users like DFV once you get a name and a face. Stop trying to threaten people or identify then for money. + + +Yes I made money. Deal with it. No need to try and scare and threaten someone on the internet. +No one in my life other than my wife knows about the money anyway. + + +Stay safe kids, the internet is a big place. Don’t give out too much details about yourself. Remember, people can have the ability to see your post history on other subreddits if you dont disable it. + +Finally: +BRO, I just like the stock + +I'M STILL HOLDING, and ITM.✋💎💎💎🤚 my opinion is that GME is a 🚀 waiting to lift off again. + + + +Edit: I went quiet a few weeks ago because of some of the crazy shit people said to me. You name it, it was said. Scams, help me, i’ll find you and kill you. I’ve never had that attention before. Plus with the DFV legal issues. Yes I also updated my messages so it doesn’t happen again. + +Stay safe kids, people are shockingly crazy. +Hey guys, I’m a new investor, what are some MUST HAVE, software programs, websites, courses,videos I should look at?! +What do you utilize when you are trading? + + +I’m basically trying to get as much infomation and study the hell out of of it, I downloaded a trading simulator on my phone, I have financial news apps as well, I have investopedia bookmarked and binance app installed as well, anyone know where to find information reguarding beginner investing and trading? +Like the basics of TA, how to research stocks etc. + +I’m debating on buying a shitty course on udemy to try and learn +I’m also reading the intelligent investor + +I feel very overwhelmed as of now, too many places to start.. I want to know what resource has helped you grow and learn and where might a beginner start their journey on learning all their is about finance and the stock markets + + +Thanks. +https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/11/fed-tries-to-figure-out-value-of-free-internet-services-to-americans.html + + +The Fed is trying to figure out how much free internet services are worth to the economy. + +The answer could help the central bank solve one of the most puzzling paradoxes of the economy: The current expansion is the longest in history, yet productivity gains are weak and GDP growth, while steady, is far from stellar. + +Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has recently cited work by an MIT economist and other experts that suggests the median user would need about $48 to give up Facebook for one month, for example. + +“A bigger share of our economy is being missed by GDP,” economist Erik Brynjolfsson says. +Not sure what the deal is. Yes, they're in a supposed code freeze (which means they should be spending more time in the discord). Their own official community manager doesn't pop in. The coin price is trading at 2/3 of liquid assets (which means that the market is pricing in a huge disaster and won't even be able to return funds properly). They just got delisted from Bittrex. They're over a year behind schedule (remember the supposed Sep 2016 launch?) What is the deal here? Why am I forced to make a public reddit thread just to find out if they're alive? Even Vitalik finds the time to pop in to talk to the community. This is disappointing to say the least. + +EDIT: And I'm not saying their devs have to ALL come once every 4 days. What I'm saying is, that if you have a team of X devs, I think it's common sense that at least ONE Of them pops in to the discord every few days to check up on the community. + [https://www.marketwatch.com/story/finance-isnt-worth-losing-your-life-over-the-heartbreaking-story-of-a-rookie-trader-who-racked-up-700000-in-debt-2020-06-14](https://www.marketwatch.com/story/finance-isnt-worth-losing-your-life-over-the-heartbreaking-story-of-a-rookie-trader-who-racked-up-700000-in-debt-2020-06-14) + +&#x200B; + +Robinhood declined to share any details of the trading account and how such outsized losses piled up, but did say that the company was aware of the situation. + +“All of us at Robinhood are deeply saddened to hear this terrible news and we reached out to share our condolences with the family,” the spokesperson said. + +“Alex’s” story serves as a reminder that trading stocks can have devastating real-life consequences. This has perhaps never been more true than when it comes to using borrowed cash to leverage positions in a stock market where the Dow Jones Industrial Average [**DJIA,** **+1.90%**](https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/index/DJIA?mod=MW_story_quote) can be down almost 2,000 points one session, then rebound nearly 500 points the next. + +&#x200B; + +Who was this? ControltheNarrative? My condolences to the family. This is such a sad story. +https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-goes-ahead-with-new-tariffs-on-chinese-products-11567337797 + +U.S. duties of 15% on tools, apparel items, some footwear and many electronics are expected to hit consumers +Looking at snapshots I see it grow by ~1 mil per month so in about ~3 months 100 mil will be reached and after that I understand that the supply will grow painfully slow. Should we expect a sudden up price after that? or price drop? I would like for the first option because of the limited supply but one could also assume a price collapse if the network is not profitable yet and it can't sustain itself from transaction fees. Opinions? +Closed on a property a little over three weeks ago. Have been doing yard work / repair work for one of my units to get it ready to rent. + +Been heading to the property everyday after my day job to work on it. Anyone else have trouble keeping the end goal in sight / staying motivated? + +Advice is welcome. Thanks. +The population has only increased by 6% in the last 22 years, so this is not enough to counteract it. + +Can someone explain this to me, please? + + +Is it possible that it is because many euros are in foreign hands unused? European debt bought by China? +I spent way too long in a relationship that was bad for me in so many ways but also left me financially ruined. When I left my husband I had three small children, bad credit, a ton of collections, no car, no phone, and no money. I don't have any family or a safety net of any kind. I moved 1000 miles away to a small town I had never been to before and relied on the kindness of strangers to help me rebuild my life. 4 years later I've managed to grow my credit score and this month I was able to remove my last collections account. I recently paid off a car and the kids are well fed and clothed all without a single dollar of child support from their father. I work a ton of hours every week and don't get to spend as much time with my kids as I would like. I hope that when they're older they come to understand that everything I do is for them. I wanted to share what I consider to be a success story. I'm not wealthy by any means, but ultimately I feel more secure financially than I ever have, even if I'm not that secure. I am no longer making pancakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner or choosing between the electric and water bill. I'm going back to school to finish my degree. I'm incredibly exhausted, and some days I really wish I could just quit life but the other day my son, who just celebrated his 12th birthday in quarantine, thanked me for giving him "everything he could need or want" (which isn't very much to be honest) and it made me cry happy tears because we are doing ok and I never thought I'd be able to provide for them. My husband always told me if I ever left him I'd be fucked. And I'm here to tell you if you're scared to start over, if you feel stuck, if you're desperate and lost, if people depend on you and you don't have anyone to depend on it won't always be so bad. Things can and do get better. Just don't give up. Don't be afraid to ask for help and don't EVER let anyone tell you you can't do it. I believe in you. +Obviously not financial advice, Apes. Just my Monday morning musings… + +&#x200B; + +*Edit: Thanks for the awards, Apies! I hope those were all freebies - better spend on $GME!* +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/jgem2a68nu571.png?width=1426&format=png&auto=webp&s=33d2e8e6888f8bcba670f9e0386edb65b6b104ba + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🎤🎸🥁 🦍Welcome to the Jungle🦍🥁🎸🎤 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# Today's Recap 📈 + +# $GME Closing Price: $223.59 + +&#x200B; + +Open Price: $224.00 + +Daily High: $233.66 + +Daily Low: $221.48 + +Volume: 4.5 MM + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🖍🍎🚌GME 101🚌🍎🖍 + +*If you're new to Superstonk, start here!* + +&#x200B; + +[possible, it is](https://preview.redd.it/40sdwgdosv571.jpg?width=810&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41d11ab2da32a628930c11dd818ca0917de875a7) + +&#x200B; + +[Superstonk FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index/faq#wiki_how_do_i.2C_as_a_retail_investor.2C_stand_a_chance_against_the_hedge_funds.3F) (Updates coming soon) + +[Superstonk Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/wiki/index) + +**NEW!!** We will be having a "Smooth Brain Sunday Megathread" every Sunday as a place to ask all the questions you've been wanting to get answered! Please be advised that all answers provided are from individual users and, as always, any information you receive requires doing your own due diligence!! + +The apes of [r/Superstonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/) sincerely appreciate the time and effort put into getting this information out there. 🦍🤝💪 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# NYSE President- ‘Meme’ stock prices may not properly reflect demand + +^(I hate the words "meme stock" but that's the headline) + +&#x200B; + +[**Link to the Reuters article**](https://www.reuters.com/business/meme-stock-prices-may-not-properly-reflect-demand-nyse-president-2021-06-16/) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/yfd129fqzu571.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=93106d4e6324812d1879dcb726e75ca7af7f7294 + +>Retail brokers say payment for order flow lowers overall costs for individual traders. +> +>But the practice raises conflict of interest questions and will be included in a [**broad review of stock market rules**](https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-sec-chair-gensler-staff-recommend-rules-ensure-fair-competition-between-2021-06-09/), Gary Gensler, chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, said last week. +> +>The review will also examine whether off-exchange trading - which is about 50% of the market when institutional block trades are included - distorts the price discovery mechanism for stocks, Gensler said. + +&#x200B; + +I wOnDeR iF iT's DiStOrTeD.... + +&#x200B; + +[**This post by**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o1tzje/it_actually_is_big_when_the_nyse_president_says/) [**OP**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o1tzje/it_actually_is_big_when_the_nyse_president_says/) [**u/delicious\_manboobs**](https://www.reddit.com/user/delicious_manboobs/) [**explains why it's kinda' a big deal that the head of NYSE said such a thing. o7 to you, delicious manboobs**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o1tzje/it_actually_is_big_when_the_nyse_president_says/) **🙌.** + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# $GME is Primed to Join the Russell 1000 + +&#x200B; + +So what is the Russell 1000 and why is this a huge deal for the future of GME? + +&#x200B; + +[From investopedia:](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/russell_1000index.asp) + +## KEY TAKEAWAYS + +* The Russell 1000 Index represents the top 1000 companies by market capitalization in the United States. +* The index is a subset of the Russell 3000 Index. +* The Russell 1000 index comprises about 92% of the total market cap of all listed stocks in the U.S. equity market. +* It is considered a bellwether index for large-cap investing. +* Performance and characteristics of the index are provided monthly by FTSE Russell. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ykth1xsqvv571.jpg?width=940&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b74f4fa51caca9db1803d0dcf61771b89ca47482 + +The official announcements will be made on June 28th. Until then, it's technically speculative based on qualifications. [But major news sources are reporting it already.](https://www.barrons.com/articles/gamestop-amc-russell-1000-51623883459) + +&#x200B; + +# Next stop, S&P 500 + +To be eligible for S&P 500 index inclusion, a company should be a U.S. company✅ , have a market capitalization of at least USD 11.8 billion ✅, be highly liquid✅✅ , have a public float of at least 10% of its shares outstanding✅ , and its most recent quarter’s earnings and the sum of its trailing four consecutive quarters’ earnings must be positive 👀 + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# RRP Hits Record High at $755.8 Billion + +***That's $200 Billion growth in 24 hours.*** + +So we broke the previous record by $200B. Overnight. Yay, winning! + +&#x200B; + +[Credit u\/pctracer ](https://preview.redd.it/d8g8efwxgv571.png?width=693&format=png&auto=webp&s=1af45fc697ad56370847af35a8a012806114432d) + +&#x200B; + +And a table of historical (recent) rrp data for you.... + +&#x200B; + +[Table of historical RRP by u\/LeftHandedWave](https://preview.redd.it/vrrn9fj9iv571.jpg?width=971&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=21e0c5e6093bb6fd00f823cda4384b6b06c5ee79) + +&#x200B; + +**Also... "Liftoff"- JPow Makin it go Brrr Again (banks r fuk)** + +&#x200B; + +We covered it yesterday, but I've seen lots of conversation around yesterday's Fed press conference. And yes, JPow really said "Liftoff". Tbf, he's talking about inflation, I believe. + +[Around the 23m mark is when he says "liftoff"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ0EQHxPZd8) + +&#x200B; + +[This ape did a partial transcript of the Q&A portion of the Press Conference!](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o1do4y/transcript_of_jpow_press_conference_16_june_2021/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +&#x200B; + +***So what does all this mean?*** + +&#x200B; + +# ...I NEED AN ADULT! + +&#x200B; + +Basically, the Fed decided to increase the interest paid on their ~~junk~~ Treasury Bonds from 0% to 0.05%. So it's more profitable for big banks to park their overflowing cash with the Fed. *Basically, the banks have too much cash so the Fed is giving them more cash- taps brain.* + +&#x200B; + +The idea here is that taking some of this money out of circulation of the banks will serve to DEFLATE some of the INFLATION concerns. We shall see. 🤷‍♀️ + +&#x200B; + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# TL;DR: Regulations Edition [Updated 2021-06-17 to include SR-NYSEAMER-2021-29]- u/stevetheimpact + +&#x200B; + +[**Link to OP**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o1vquv/tldr_regulations_edition_updated_20210617_to/) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/iiv8vkctav571.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=064481989a64a4b5e48c83212dbc72720fa29d1d + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +And on that note... we printed a correction yesterday regarding 005, saying that we were wrong, and 005 is not in effect yet. + +That was bad information and it was like we originally thought... **005 is in effect, immediately upon filing.** + +[found, filed, and effective!!](https://preview.redd.it/q0wsj6z5uv571.jpg?width=638&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51983497d466fe5ea4d3c1155abc7b090657e332) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# We Like the Company! We Support the Company! + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/lgvc8d3ivv571.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a81f6550fda62c37cecc4b8f0bd5f94b3b4d604c + +&#x200B; + +Obviously you're a shareholder because you love Gamestop and have high hopes for its future. Supporting the company you love on the retail front is a great way for a shareholder to ensure a business' success! Here are several ways you can show your public support for Gamestop; + +* [**Shop at Gamestop.com**](https://www.gamestop.com/) **🛒** +* [**Become a PowerUp Rewards Member**](https://www.gamestop.com/poweruprewards/) **✊** +* [**... Which gets you a subscription to Game Informer Magazine**](https://www.gameinformer.com/) **🚀** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Twitter**](https://twitter.com/GameStop) **🦍** +* [**Subscribe to Gamestop's YouTube Channel**](https://www.youtube.com/user/gamestopvideo) **🖍** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Twitch**](https://www.twitch.tv/gamestop) **🎮** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/gamestop/?hl=en) **🌙** +* [**Follow Gamestop on Facebook**](https://www.facebook.com/GameStop) **🦧** +* [**Apple Devices- Download the Gamestop App**](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gamestop/id406033647) **(Link to App Store) 🍌** +* [**Android Devices- Download the Gamestop App**](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gamestop.powerup) **(Link to Play Shop) 📈** +* **Brands owned by Gamestop; ThinkGeek, GameInformer,** [**MicroMania**](https://www.micromania.fr/)**, and** [**EB Games**](https://www.ebgames.ca/) **💎** + +Please remember apes, as you are interacting with Gamestop Social Media, that their objective is to reach gamers and promote their brand to their demographic. Yes it's fun when they tweet MOASS and Chickie Tendies, but let's not flood them with comments about Ken, Naked Short Selling, and Mayonnaise. Let's show them support by joining, contributing to, and expanding their robust community of gamers! + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +# 🚨 Reddit down 🚨 + +# With Reddit having issues during high traffic, exciting moments in this saga, we have discussed what to do if Reddit has an outage. + +**IF REDDIT GOES DOWN AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT A LARGE PORTION OF THE MOD TEAM IS ON TWITTER.** + +[https://twitter.com/ByeTriangle](https://twitter.com/ByeTriangle) + +[https://twitter.com/PinkCatsOnAcid](https://twitter.com/PinkCatsOnAcid) + +[https://twitter.com/RedChessQueen99](https://twitter.com/RedChessQueen99) + +[https://twitter.com/rensole](https://twitter.com/rensole) + +[https://twitter.com/u\_sharkbaitlol](https://twitter.com/u_sharkbaitlol) + +[https://twitter.com/BradduckF](https://twitter.com/BradduckF) + +**IF THERE IS SOMETHING BIG GOING ON WHILE THE OUTAGE IS HAPPENING WE MAY ALSO UTILIZE THE "EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM" TO RELAY INFO:** + +[SuperstonkLive YouTube - Emergency Broadcast System](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI4EET9NJPWxUuXGlG6fxPA) + +\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ + +***OOK OOK*** + +***"I may have been early, but I am not wrong"*** + +[ 🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍🦍 ](https://preview.redd.it/hr68oim9su571.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=19627d55c597ba245ee071cfecd3da2fb3a92195) +\*also posted this on r/AusProperty\* + +Hi all, need some help here. I'm keen to buy a particular property, but there's a few very odd things going on. Firstly: + +The agent told me yesterday during an inspection: **"the vendor has accepted an offer, and the buyer has paid the 0.25% deposit earlier this week." -** i thought this was illegal? if the buyer has paid the deposit, why would they allow more inspections? + +I asked him this and his response was: **"they want to see if there are any potential higher offers out there before exchanging contracts. if you want this property you'll need to come in with a very strong offer with a contract already signed."** + +If a buyer has paid a deposit and you've accepted the offer, why would you delay exchanging contracts? + +A few extra bits of info: + +1. the property has been on the market for 2.5months now in a booming market +2. the property has an amazing view of the water in a wealthy area, but is significantly cheaper than surrounding houses +3. the property isn't a great build and needs a fair bit of work done, but is completely livable +4. the pest and building done by the vendors shows quite a few areas of concern +5. I haven't had my own pest and building done yet + +&#x200B; + +I would really appreciate advice on what to do here. I really want this property as i think the potential long term could be good, but the fact it's been on the market for so long, and that the agent is pushing me to make a high offer with a contract already signed worries me. Thanks so much +Simply cut down on the gym and move out of London according to the article: + +https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/12563356/first-time-buyer-moved-london-quit-gym/ + +Oh, and with the help of some ”family savings”: + +”It was £450,000 and I needed to put down a 20% deposit which was £90,000. My dad gifted me 30% of the deposit and I paid the remaining 70% from my savings. + +This included family savings in the region of £53,000 and about £10,000 I have saved from moving home.” +[https://www.reuters.com/business/meme-stock-prices-may-not-properly-reflect-demand-nyse-president-2021-06-16/](https://www.reuters.com/business/meme-stock-prices-may-not-properly-reflect-demand-nyse-president-2021-06-16/) + +&#x200B; + +This article has a lot of implications for options and not just 'meme' stocks. Basically, this is saying all options are potentially manipulated. It has sent a chill down my spine about options in general. I've made some good money in options but also lost a lot too and more recently. + +How many times have I seen a stock trending upward and suddenly reverse course only to end up finishing the week right on top of max pain. + +How many times must I see OBV barely move and yet a stock is tanking. + +I will watch level 2 and see the bid filled with way more orders than the ask and yet the stock is tanking. + +I feel like I'm staring into the void trying to decide if this whole thing is worth it anymore. + +Edit: [video of NYSE President making this statement.](https://reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o25oi1/nyse_president_admitted_dark_pool_exchanges_are/) + +Edit 2: [Talking heads on CNBC admitting dark pools affect price discovery](https://reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/o2bi28/to_me_this_was_the_best_part_of_the_whole_melissa/) +**Hi all!** + +**Long time lurker first time poster so please be nice(jk be as degenerate as you so please)** + +Basically I have been watching this sub and the asx for some time trying to gain my feet as to what could be a good play, I’d describe my skills in finding stocks and assessing them as being in its infancy so if you have any feed back PLEASE LET ME KNOW. + +disclaimer: I hate fossil fuels and wish to see a green renewable future. I am however a realist and recognise that gas will be burnt, that there’s the potential for it to be Burnt cleanly and for it to support a transition to a potential hydrogen future through blue hydrogen creation until such a time we can make is green from renewables. I also acknowledge that it is the lesser of evils so to speak. + +Now I’m just like the last one of you who loves a bit of a speccy, my first purchase being EXR after seeing Frenchman’s DD which I believe was what exposed me to this industry and made me interested to follow developments internationally that might impact where we are and how that may look for gas going forward. (Sorry no lithium or uranium here guys, call me the gas man…..1000 likes and maybe I’ll consider changing my redditname) + +***But without further adieu, I provide you with my play: European Gas.*** + +The opening chapter: + +Big Putin has shut off the gas. In fact the nord stream has pipeline just got cut off(they say it’s due to needing to be fixed but EU sentiment says different) A whopping 40% of europes gas comes via Russia and it is increasingly becoming weaponised during the Ukraine conflict. + +[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60131520.amp](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60131520.amp) + +As Europe heads into a freezing cold winter a 15% saving initiative has been begun along with attempts to desperately get storage capacity up to scratch by November to 80% just look here how the EU not only directly confirms this but also uses the term “weaponisation” which will become apparent why important later: + +[https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip\_22\_4608](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_4608) + +The question is then where will Europe in fact get the gas? Well according to the above and this Reuters article: Britain, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands via pipelines domestically but There are also other pipelines from turkey. + +Note also EXPENSIVE LNG import via ship has to be organised from the USA during this time and may not be sustainable/has a ceiling on how much can be exported: + +[https://www.axios.com/2022/09/08/us-europe-russia-energy-oil-natural-gas](https://www.axios.com/2022/09/08/us-europe-russia-energy-oil-natural-gas) + +See here a list of pipelines: + +https://preview.redd.it/1d7s4d3bjrm91.png?width=620&format=png&auto=webp&s=a442bcb25bf829b276491a42f56b4a55494fce93 + +Yamal pipeline recently had reduced flow: and came back on (looking shaky) [https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eastward-gas-flows-via-yamal-europe-pipeline-resume-sunday-operator-data-2022-09-05/](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/eastward-gas-flows-via-yamal-europe-pipeline-resume-sunday-operator-data-2022-09-05/) + +Other pipelines VIA the evil Gasprom (I imagine them as some Russian oligarch fat cats who are disgustingly overweight and drink vodka, smell of beetroot and think Coca Cola and blue jeans are “decadent symbol of free west” don’t pop my bubble) have increased slightly, I’d wager gleaning top dollar for minimal extra flow as the eu struggles to meet winter gas supply + +For those who like pictures and graphs: + +[https://graphics.reuters.com/UKRAINE-CRISIS/GAS/gdpzynlxovw/](https://graphics.reuters.com/UKRAINE-CRISIS/GAS/gdpzynlxovw/) + +Long story short: gas supply down, only can be increased by so much through import which won’t meet demand if it remains as per normal. + +**Chapter 2** + +***demand remains despite delivery deficit:*** + +As of 2027 the EU has stated they will end reliance on Russian gas. Germany went so far as to say they would halt the nord stream 2 pipeline….looks like it’s not coming from there. + +[https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/europes-alternatives-if-russia-shuts-off-gas-supply-2022-09-02/](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/europes-alternatives-if-russia-shuts-off-gas-supply-2022-09-02/) + +The Russians say they are only waiting for a green light from Europe but it seems the Germans at least are calling bullshit: + +[https://www.fxstreet.com/amp/news/russian-president-putin-we-can-launch-nord-stream-2-gas-pipeline-if-necessary-202209070833](https://www.fxstreet.com/amp/news/russian-president-putin-we-can-launch-nord-stream-2-gas-pipeline-if-necessary-202209070833) + +Ultimately The future is a bit brighter for all of us ideal greenies who do want to see a renewable future, just see this article here attempting to forecast demand: + +“The EU’s total natural gas consumption will show a downward trend from 2021 to 2025, and the consumption in 2050 will be 390.5 bcm, which is 1.3% lower than that in 2020 (395.6 bcm). It indicates that in the future, the EU’s natural gas development space will be obviously limited in the emerging energy system with renewable energy as the main source, and the development prospects are not promising. Therefore, it is important for the natural gas industry to focus on how to maximize its value and achieve high-quality development within a limited time and space.” + +See here: + +[https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-022-21285-9](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-022-21285-9) + +Sounds like it may be going down? Yes. But only by a fraction WHILE A HUGE DEFICT REMAINS. And remember that GAS IS SEEN AS CLEANER OF FOSSIL FUELS FOR USE DURING TRANSITION. + +Remember too that while this deficit is present a cap on US imports is present due to feasibility (hard to turn to liquid and get on a ship and/or get enough ships) + +As a transitional fuel of all fossil fuels GAS is the cleanest. As we move forward gas can be utilised in a potential hydrogen future (I believe the future of renewables won’t be just one but a mixture of many different methods of energy storage, production etc) + +See the EU musing over it here: + +[https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-systems-integration/hydrogen\_en](https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-systems-integration/hydrogen_en) + +Basically green hydrogen is made with renewables producing hydrogen via electrolysis. BLUE hydrogen however involves BURNING GAS and capturing the C02 emissions. grey hydrogen….just burn gas and don’t catch the co2… at any rate, gas HAS A FUTURE IN THE POTENTIAL CREATION OF HYDROGEN GOING FORWARD WHILE WE TRANSITION AND IS REQUIRED NOW for existing demand. + +So now ask yourself? If you were the EU, you have explicitly stated that your 40% gas importer is weaponising gas and you will cut them off by 2027 and foreseeable gas demand while (still increasing gross) will be decreasing slightly net and will still remain in a **MASSIVE DEFICIT** lest your people freeeze and industries halt. What would you do? + +Well….I think they might just begin finding gas closer to home…. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/6avda7iejrm91.png?width=612&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a66b5bb2c4d1c5891ab2e4355910f37aa83e17a + +Gas fields however look a bit sparse…..unless….is that the **North Sea?** …..is that sweet mother fucking Jesus lord North Sea gas that’s already connected to the EU Via pipeline? Holy shit. I think we may have just found the mother load which we knew about all along while we became reliant on Russian gas…. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/7rd91y1gjrm91.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=14bf334ab1e5c2336b505f7ee0d829765616f006 + +Wait….the natural gas is in the south of the North Sea…the Dutch have a slice but BY LORD THE ENGLISH HAVE IT BY A MILE and KEEP DISCOVERING MORE. + +In fact the newly elected Tory leader seems to be pushing the play for the UK future by announcing heaps of new licenses….lifting the ban on fracking etc…. + +[https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exclusive-uk-announce-dozens-new-north-sea-oil-gas-licences-sources-2022-09-07/](https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exclusive-uk-announce-dozens-new-north-sea-oil-gas-licences-sources-2022-09-07/) + +They are also being asked to incentivise investment: + +[https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/enquest-calls-uk-government-incentivise-investment-north-sea-oil-2022-09-06/](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/enquest-calls-uk-government-incentivise-investment-north-sea-oil-2022-09-06/) + +It would seem like there’s a mad rush to the North Sea right now….just have a google yourself. seems pretty relevant for a country desperate for income after shooting themselves in the foot with Brexit. + +**Chapter 4** + +***Enter the Play.*** + +I introduce to you Hartshead resources. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/i6ay4v4ljrm91.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=e80af22a4d9b071f3a399e5f1fde093ad46a1b9d + +“Hartshead is 100% owner and operator of License P2607 which is comprised of five blocks in Quads 48 and 49 on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf, in the Southern Gas Basin. + +The License contains multiple gas fields, some of which have been only partially developed. There are also several exploration prospects.” + +[https://hartshead-resources.com.au](https://hartshead-resources.com.au/) + +With three phases of development staged…..Boy do they have gas: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ylrfitzhjrm91.png?width=457&format=png&auto=webp&s=572b5f8d65c50e6b8061653827f2810473be606d + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/ygs2sclmjrm91.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e08b5120ff049ec224d6f0bbadfaf07b7b11ab1 + +THREE of these resources have been proven to be produce in the past. The other is a massive gas basin with potential. + +Well now it seems that a **MAJOR PRODUCER might be interested in this too: enter SHELL**. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/wiswce0sjrm91.png?width=900&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce79a5fba40e36dfa535d66e0a33075a42e9ca9d + +“Agreement has been reached with Shell to conduct an Engineering Study for the preferred offtake route and agreed tie-in option for the Phase I field development. + +• The offtake route is via a tie-in to Shell’s Southern North Sea infrastructure for transportation to Bacton for onshore processing and delivery to the UK Gas National Transmission System + +• The Engineering Study will be conducted by Petrofac and will provide a basis for design and cost estimate for the preferred gas offtake route for the tie-in of Hartshead facilities and the required brownfield facility modifications. + +• Shell will provide assurance on the final study prior to commencing Front-End Engineering and Design studies.” + +[https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02556312.pdf](https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02556312.pdf) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/87pbq0qtjrm91.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=5b3e3798d597a753d489257a202338df5a7c8097 + +If I didn’t know any better it would seem that potentially SHELL recognises the potential of this site and might just be…you know….linking it up casually to its pipeline system. + +Sure I concede it may be because that’s how you would attempt to move gas in the North Sea by latching onto existing infrastructure, but part of me feels that it could indicate shells interest, the potential for a joint venture to expedite growth…..I reiterate that I am in no means an offshore gas expert. In fact far from it…..I’m a retail investor attempting a connect dots in an industry which I have NO IDEA ABOUT right? I’m sure there are seasoned gas veterans absolutely pissing themselves at my woeful attempt to understand their complex industry. + +A recent CAP raise of 11 million was performed for the development of the phase 1 gas field, so now they have the cash to push forward…fingers crossed without further raises. Wouldn’t surprise me if they needed a touch extra later on to actually build the infrastructure required. + +Now just have a look at this projection: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/7u7cq7jvjrm91.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=4b73f20fe1bf2cad22f2cac46dc82112e9e50e0d + +We are talking first gas in 2024….right ahead of schedule for the eu to wean off Russia. It includes not only a viable timeline for production of ACTUAL GAS TO SELL but it includes a sweet sweet speccy exploration for all you smooth brains who want to roll the dice. + +Please have a good look here at the latest presentation it details all you need to know. + +[https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02562597.pdf](https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02562597.pdf) + +**Management**: + +I don’t know fuck all about the management of oil and gas companies, I’m a pleb. + +What I do seem to be able to glean however is that that have IMMENSE EXPERIENCE in the oil and gas industry, they also interacted recently at the RIU oil conference and obviously believe in this venture and are heading out to promote it. + +[https://www.riugoodoilconference.com.au](https://www.riugoodoilconference.com.au/) + +Also they own a LARGE CHUCK OF SHARES at about 31.9% + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/r6my0glxjrm91.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=e26673fcaa6cd51f747e5a1250e720a03fd9b120 + +There’s around 2.2bn shares on issue since the CR….might be worth thinking about dilution but that being said I want to talk about the elephant in the room. The trading volume of this company has just peaked after laying dormant for a bit. We are nearly at the 100ml market cap VERY SOON AFTER THIS PRESENTATION…..volume is churning like hell…..I kind of think maybe the cats got out the bag that’s there’s a hugely undervalued company here in good position to become a major gas producer by 2024. + +here's a link to the finances for those interested: + +[https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02547224.pdf](https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/pdf/HHR/02547224.pdf) + +There’s competition in this industry through the North Sea which is worth noting. I would say however that new licenses are being leased meaning those who currently hold them are inherently ahead of the pack. Also of those who are competing we have a nimble asx listed company who just so happens to be designing the entire project to link up to **SHELLS INFRASTRUCTURE.** + +Now I don’t want to pretend to know the ins and outs of how to best research a company right? So I’d love to leave allot of that up to people who might be better suited to run numbers etc and also I personally believe that may help you gain a greater understanding of how you would approach pricing this. Shock and horror……a degenerate retail buyer has no clue how to value a gas company. + +*In conclusion this is a deep value play in to a brilliant company which in 2 years time will begin to mature into an amazing investment and will aid the transition of Europe to its future. I personally think this is a pretty good company to have a look at and consider. I’d also say that holding this for the long term like I will be will be great as the future comes and you’d own a share in a great company with good prospects.* + +In full disclosure I do hold shares in the company. This is not financial advice and I strongly recommend you make a play with which you research and have conviction. For now I will continue to research and attempt to value this for myself. + +*RISK:* + +*I confess I am in no way a professional, there may be GLARING oversights to my analysis due to a lack of grey matter and I might have it horribly wrong, but what would life be if it weren’t for talking a few risks to learn hey? We all want financial freedom and literacy and learn through mistakes.* + +If someone would like to make an attempt at valuing the company it would be much appreciated. Especially if you would teach this dingle berry how as I fumble my way through the ASX. + +TLDR: English North Sea dinosaur farts are potentially a greater investment due to the shortage of Russian dinosaur farts in Europe. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/x4v9mhf5krm91.png?width=1075&format=png&auto=webp&s=ce25060ccf2bd32f95552eb316656bf747461537 + +Note: + +Thanks for reading! **I have a few other plays if you are interested pending how this sub reacts to my attempt at a DD today i have just been trying to get up to the 10 karma requirment to begin to post here as i usualy just keep in the sidelines** please MODS let me know if I need to do anything else to make this post more permissible, I have flared as DD but could easiliy do it as dumbfuck as its under 1 dollar. I recognise that lurking in the dark on my reddit account not commenting/posting could seem sus, this is just a reflection of who I am….I usually watch from the sidelines and today just made the leap….looking forward to interact a bit more however! Also open to feedback if you want to comment on this/dm! DYOR, GLTAH +I have a maybe once in a career opportunity to be directly involved in my employer's negotiation of its new 401(k) plan (not with Fidelity). In addition to mega backdoor Roth (more on that below), are there plan features I should seek in order to help me on my path to financial independence? + +Enabling mega backdoor Roth is my #1 personal priority here. Currently my employer does NOT allow post-tax contributions. Which has been a bummer. What might be the reasons for this? It wouldn't appear to cost the employer any more $$ based on the fee schedules I've seen. + +If the 401(k) provider won't enable it on their own (or with my gentle nudging), how can I convince our benefits committee to demand it (along with subsequent in-service withdrawals to a Roth IRA) as a plan feature? +EDIT - thank you so much to everyone who responded, I can't believe how much of a response I've got. To clear a few things up, yes she was hired to be my assistant, I have to give her work loads and if I don't she doesn't have anything to do. This isn't London, much further North although not too sure if that helps. + +My plan after reading every response is to go in tomorrow with the work I've achieved and request a pay review, however after reading this I think it's time to start looking elsewhere. I've been here 18 months so I think whatever the outcome tomorrow I'll start looking around and see what is out there. I don't expect to get far but we will see and hopefully I'll update in time depending on how I get on. Thank you again to everyone who responded! + + +Hello Ukpf, throwaway as personal. Also on +phone so hope it formats OK. + +I joined this company 18 months ago in an analyst type role. The wage offered was between 24-28k, I discussed this with them and said I'd be happy to take the 26 as I hadn't worked in the industry before, but would like to be given the chance to increase to 28k in 12 months if I was performing. 12 months later I had my review, but was told unfortunately the company offer no staff pay reviews, only an inflation increase. I didn't think it was fair but the original manager who interviewed me left so I sucked it up. + +Two months ago they put an advert out for my assistant offering 21k-27k, I queried this with my manager and said can't I apply for this and get 27k and take less work? He said the salary was only there to advertise the role and under no circumstance would they be on more than 24 as its an assistant role (answer phones, emails ect) + +I was gearing up for my quarterly review and preparing work I'd done, however wasn't going to mention pay as previously been told its a no go, however when giving my assistant a lift to a meeting last week blurted out she couldn't believe she was on 27k. My assistant who is only busy for a few hours a day with no stress is on more than me. Since then I've felt really disheartened about work and struggling to put effort in, the money isn't a huge difference but it just feels I'm not getting paid what I'm worth. + +Is it worth mentioning this in my review, or not? I know it's not a good idea to say X earns Y so I should earn Z, it just really sucks, or feels that way. If it helps, FTSE100 company with over 5000 employees + +Thanks, hope this reads OK! +I’ve seen the “22% of all money was printed in 2020” stat thrown around quite a bit. I’ve heard this stat isn’t a good indicator for a potential stock market bubble/crash… but what ARE some of the red flags that we can take away for our economy’s future in terms of how the government handled the Covid crash? + +I hate to be “that guy” that just listens for buzzwords. I try and do my own research too but always end up on some click bait mainstream news article. Some other words I hear a lot are housing moratorium, 5% inflation, and so forth. + +In an effort to stay properly educated on what is happening, I’m just looking for the truth for what is going on. (Have I hit the 560 word count yet??) + +Thanks everyone! +Been following Coronavirus since January. Was called crazy. Went against my gut feeling and didn't liquidate my portfolios back in February. And even after a few dead cat bounces in March. Fast forward to today and damn, should have sold! I still have 30+ years to retire but the mental gymnastics of what if's is killing me! I'm still investing and if anything, investing more now. But, the what if I sold and rebought now is draining. + +Anyone else feeling the feels? +I just listened to an episode of the Dave Ramsey podcast and he is against credit cards and having a credit score do you agree or do you think this is a dumb financial decision please explain why or why not +I've heard the rule of thumb about your rent should be no more than 30% of your monthly take home. + +I was wondering about vehicle purchase (or lease), is there a good rule of thumb maybe expressed as if you make $x take home annually, you should spend no more than some percentage of that x as the total vehicle cost. And your monthly payment with interest should be no more than some percentage of your net monthly take home. + +Any advice is appreciated, thank you! +Hopefully an easy one here. I went out to each for lunch on Monday (12/9). Yesterday when I was reconciling all my accounts I noticed that the posted charge on my credit card statement was $3.15 higher than what it should be. Lunch was $21.85, I tipped the server $5, but the charge on my statement is $30. Not cool, server guy. + +I already called the restaurant and they said they would go through the receipts to check. I plan on calling them on Monday if they don't get in touch with me before that (the restaurant is in a heavy tourist area, I know they're slammed on weekends and anything to do with their bank probably won't happen on a weekend anyway). How long should I give them to fix it before I just dispute the charge on my credit card? + +-edited to be more specific about the extra amount charged since it was causing confusion in the comments. + +2nd edit: I really appreciate all the restaurant staff/managers offering up alternate theories as to how this could have happened and still be an accident. If someone else's tip was added to my bill, this would make sense. It's a bar/burger/sandwich place, so I can see someone having a bill of $10-$12 and tipping $3.15 and then that getting put on my bill by accident (in addition to my tip). When I talk to the restaurant on Monday or Tuesday I might ask if they can just spot me a free drink or something, that way the staff doesn't lose the $3 (somehow I don't think the other customer, if there is one, is going to call in and ask for $3 to be added to his bill) but I come out basically even, and the restaurant itself is only out a beer. + + +Not my work - copy and pasted from loopringorg sub Credit u/PresenceSalt + +I have been doing some research on the GitHub leak that was first posted on [SuperStonk](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qnrmxx/more_leaked_github_code_confirming_lrcbased_nft/) some days back, and every piece of evidence supports that it's an actual change made by a loopring dev in support of a potential partnership between GME and LRC. + +For reference, I am talking about this code: [https://web.archive.org/web/20211028000950/https://github.com/Loopring/loopring-web-v2/commit/de1601d253991fd4c493a8d5629c02c7d38b5e23](https://web.archive.org/web/20211028000950/https://github.com/Loopring/loopring-web-v2/commit/de1601d253991fd4c493a8d5629c02c7d38b5e23). + +***To explain, I'll be using some git terms here like:*** + +* **commit** = In simple terms, whenever some code is changed, it is issued a new ID, which we can be called a commit. This is used for version control and if something bad happens we can quickly jump back to the last ID (or commit). +* **fork** = copy the whole source code to a different account to independently work on it. +* **repository** = The root where the whole project is saved. + +***First of all let's look at why people think it could be fake or a fabricated commit:*** + +1. **The commit is not a verified commit:** A verified commit means that the user who is making this commit is an actual user and not spoofed. This serves as an extra layer security that the source user is genuine - but it's not hard requirement. This means even if it's a real user making a commit, it may look unverified. [This article](https://blog.gruntwork.io/how-to-spoof-any-user-on-github-and-what-to-do-to-prevent-it-e237e95b8deb) explains how this is achieved and how to push verified commits. The important point to note here is the date it was committed: **October 26th, 2021**. +2. **This commit does not belong to any branch on this repository, and may belong to a fork outside of the repository:** On top of the page, it mentions this line, which essentially means that Github couldn't establish any links of this commit to that of actual Loopring's codebase. + +***Now after doing some research, I have a story on what might've happened here:*** + +1. [windatang](https://github.com/windatang) pushed the commit on October 26th, giving it the name of **"NFT feature".** +2. Soon she(or he?) realised the mistake and tried to undo the changes. But GitHub is wonderful. It always maintains the history of everything that pushed. Even if you undo it at your end [Source](cannot link source Superstonk rules - just trust me bro it’s there. But once the commit is undo'ed, it will show "This commit does not belong to any branch on this repository, and may belong to a fork outside of the repository" on top of that commit, because in GitHub that commit still exists, just that its not linked to anything. +3. Now the only option was to delete the whole repository, which they did. But GitHub doesn't delete fork repositories, so we still have that repository under Bachopin's account: [https://github.com/Bachopin/loopring-web-v2](https://github.com/Bachopin/loopring-web-v2), which btw is a loopring developer themselves. +4. Fast forward to November 2nd, windatang pushed [another change](https://github.com/Loopring/loopring_sdk/commit/e92e8189501063494222cbae60a5fb93baa2157a) to official loopring SDK giving it the name of "**NFT feature"** (ring a bell?)**.** This is a real commit, made by a real user to official loopring's code. +5. If we look at the changes and specifically what it's trying to do we see patterns from our original leak. For example, the code where they are trying to fetch NFT URI is the same in both code: `const result = await contract.methods[ 'uri' ](_id).call();` +6. There are a lot of similarities between the two codebases which points to the fact that the code on October 26th was pushed as a part of a demo (given it contains the word *demo* and how unorganized the code is), and on November 2nd, the code was officially made part of loopring's SDK which will be used by GameStop. + +**TLDR:** The GitHub leak was definitely legit because that code is now part of official Loopring SDK. + +Edit: added Credit to main body text. +So I've been entertaining this potentially crazy theory about RC, GME, and the bathroom stock. + +Warning: I have no data other than gut and circumstance to back this up. + +It seems the hedgies have so much power to manipulate markets, but that power is running about equal to the power of GME to sink them. So GME trades sideways while the hedgies slowly drown. Very slowly. + +But the bathroom stock is the flank attack. The barely-surviving hedgies suddenly have this other massive liability on their sheets, and they can't possibly control GME and at the same time deal with the current squeeze situation in the bathroom. + +Before today I didn't have much evidence other than a modicum of retarded logic about what would I do in RC's shoes. + +But the recent MSM fud, the bathroom run up, and the timing brought it all together. + +RC actually did file for the right to sell within 90 days. This happened right as the flank attack (bathroom) was assured. Take a look at that graph of you haven't been following it. Why would he want to sell within 90 days? Because the flank attack is working. + +So all around the same time, bathroom begins to fly, RC files for the right to sell within 90 days, Bathroom hits regsho, GME hits the golden cross, and the FUD machine goes balls to the wall. All this right before the hedgies have to come up with a gorillian bathroom shares. Cohencidence? I think not. + +I'm literally lactating thinking about the next few days. Buckle up. +Edit 3: The last frontier. $800K in loss porn: [https://www.reddit.com/user/irishdud1/comments/mu7e3e/i\_spent\_2\_lambos\_worth\_on\_april\_800\_gme\_calls\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/user/irishdud1/comments/mu7e3e/i_spent_2_lambos_worth_on_april_800_gme_calls_and/) + +Edit2: April 6th — dumped most of these pumped more into July 800s. Loss porn to follow on 4/16 for these brave $800 call soldiers. + +edit: I'm told there's like a 0.51% chance this could still print. + +There's like a 6% chance this works out still. + +**NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!** + +[I wonder if I'll get one of those 'you lost a lot of money last month' letters...](https://preview.redd.it/ku06jys05iq61.jpg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e896f0a2fc845a7cb2383e6e53eccafbc69a21f) + +Edit: adding one of my comments to the post because squeeze not squoze: + +**We'll see how many 'shares' are owned by 13F as of the 3/31 cutoff date on 5/15 when 13F must be filed. The shorts have 45 days and counting before all hell breaks loose.** + +Why? + +Because 'the shorts have closed.' So they say. However, as of 12/31/2020 (per Fintel), Insiders + 13F filers owned 97M of the 70M shares that exist in the world. So statically we can prove a minimum of 27M shares were shorted as of 12/31 without any concern for Finra disclosure 'mistakes'. At that time, it was widely accepted that there were about 100M shares shorted -- 140% of all the shares that exist (nevermind the float!). So FINRA showed 4x the number of shorted shares than we can deduce from the 13F filings (as of 12/31) + +For 3/31, if the 13F filers show that collectively still own about the same number of shares -- 97M or so o the the 70M shares that actually exist -- **shorts r fuk**. Because it means they didn't cover a damn thing. + +If anything, retail owns FAR more shares now (3/31) than they did 12/31 -- 3 weeks before GME caught main stream, world wide attention. We've seen HODLers from Europe, NZ, all over. The January RobinHood freeze was the rallying cry for the world. **9% of US adults bought at least 1 share of GME during January.** They all bought. Many held. They didn't sell at $40, why would they have sold now at $190? + +I'm putting **(my own personal)** clock on this. 45 days and counting. I like being right. Getting paid is just gravy. +I'm 33 (34 in August, fucking ancient). I was working during the 2008 crash. This seems worse. But I learned a lot and you autismos should listen up: + +1. The put money is raining right now so load up. But it's getting worse everyday as premiums get higher. Don't hold over night unless you got long dated exps. And don't go full retard right now and sell calls, we will have big bounces to come. + +2. Max your fucking 401ks. Just keep fucking buying. Bathe in red ink. You will love it. In 2030 these prices will look ridiculous. I'm still not below where I bought in during the last crash and we got more pain to go. + +3. Use the fucking put money to go long on cheap ass blue chip stonks and you will retire young. This opportunity won't last forever. + +4. Money is mostly bullshit, wash your fucking hands and take precautions. Learn to meditate, work out, sleep enough, etc. + +5. Fuck you guys for finally winning. + +Edit: this is my first gold and highest upvoted post. Thanks wsb. I'm not going to answer most questions directly sent to me at this pt as I'm getting hammered but do your research. Blue chips are household name companies that are HUGE. If you don't know this lingo gtfo of this subreddit. Bear markets will fucking eat you alive. Stonks were on easy mode for 11 years until three weeks ago. Now you gotta fucking earn it, but the returns are there. Always play your fucking video games on max difficulty , don't be a bitch. +Hi All, + +Bought my first property just under a yr ago. Got it for 700k in Boston. Somewhat of a BRRR situation where i put about 60k into it and soon finding out what it is going to appraise at so i can hopefully pull some money out for the next property. Also house hacking so i currently live in the property but live with roommates and still take in about 6.5k/ month from roomates and tenants and my mortgage is 3k so im very much cash positive and stuck pretty true to the 1% rule of getting 1% of home value in rental income per month which was what i was looking for. + +Im looking for my next property and could potentially pull together up to 150k between myself and family that is willing to lend money if needed so could afford something in a similar price range if i were to do 20% down. Wondering if anyone has any locations that are good right now. I would have loved to get another property here but prices have just skyrocketed in the past year and i have been looking for about a month now and havent found many properties in the area that will give me a similar cash positive return as the one i am in now.. any recommendations. + +I am considering going to a different area and buying a cheaper property that i could put a lot of money into and then refi again just partially worried that i am buying at propably the height of the market.. seems like interest rates have just been dropping and dropping and im not sure they will continue on this path for much longer. +Your markets are run by bots. Now your daily threads are too. + +&#x200B; + +This thread is for plans and thoughts prior to the market open period. + +Maybe use this time to read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) [.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +&#x200B; + +Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. [You have been warned](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). + +&#x200B; + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related](https://discord.gg/ywAGqfUAQE). +For me it's TNT + +Every time it goes up I think this is it... but again and again, it just breaks my heart. + +I must've fluctuated +/- 20% more than 5x with this doggy poo +Your markets are run by bots. Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH) +Your markets are run by bots. Now your /r/Asx_bets daily threads are too. + +Read the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asx_bets/wiki/index/) people[.](https://styles.redditmedia.com/t5_2hqqj5/styles/communityIcon_41pmnaqp4zn41.png?width=256&s=59bf38425fb316fdcba30365b272a5f19352f370) + +[Posts relating to the "Is /r/ASX\_bets about finance or effect your mental health?" etc will lead to a ban of the mods chosing. You have been warned.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/l0l9et/the_does_asx_bets_effect_your_finances_emotions/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) + +Automoderator may provide "Guidance" for Lazy and zero effort posting. + +[We have an active official/unofficial discord. It's open to all discussions, stonks related and non-stonks related.](https://discord.gg/wsNDGTf5QH) +Afternoon everyone, + + +A few days ago I asked the high income earners of AusFinance who enjoyed their jobs about their professions which created a lot of insightful and interesting discussions. However I also unintentionally made some people question their careers. So today I decided to balance things out and give the average man/woman the time in the limelight because lets be honest outside of AusFinance most of us are normal average people. Also wanted to give 'normal' people more representation on this sub and dispel the 'everyone on AusFinance is earning 200k' meme. + + +Even though this is a finance sub there are still plenty of people out there who prefer job satisfaction over higher income. So if you are NOT on a high income (anything below $90k) yet still enjoy your job, what do you do ? I'm hoping this thread will produce just as many interesting discussions like last time. Take care and have a nice day. +https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-17/boeing-s-calhoun-warned-by-air-force-that-it-s-not-happy-either + +Boeing won the contract, but now a few years late in delivering. How "normal" is this type of delivering late with requirements not met. Wonder what were the contract terms and how this would affect Boeing going forward. +This is my first car payment. My bill is due on the 22nd so was just wondering if paying $1000 on it would be too much? I was told that anything extra I pay on top of my bill would be interest free. Can someone explain that? Any advice would be great <3 + +Edit: +I finance with Veridian +M(54), NW $15M+, Income between high 6 and low 7 figures, work from home managing my holding corp @4hrs/week, low COL area. I've always been a self-reliant kind of person when it comes to home improvement and maintenance projects. Since overweightFIRE at 49, really struggling to overcome the voice in my head telling me 'you have the time and know-how, just tackle it yourself'. Yes, I can install a new dishwasher or patch drywall or put in flooring or fencing, etc. but is that really how I want to spend my time, and beat up my not so young body? + +Currently living on a 100+ acre beautiful piece of land, but in a fairly crummy, dated 70s house that really should have just been torn down and replaced (and similarly crummy outbuildings). This place will continue to absorb all the work I put into it, but never gets any appreciably better. + +I feel somehow less self-reliant or guilty paying someone else to do something I should be able to do, not to mention the whole 'do I want strangers in my home during this pandemic?' angle. The bias towards doing things for myself that let me build up the NW to fatFIRE is now getting in the way of using it to make a better life. + +Has anyone else encountered this? Any suggestions for removing the mental block? + +TL:DR struggling with paying people to do things I could do myself +What if you traded using a system which has a 60% winrate and a 2:1 RR. You get about 10 good setups a day scalping the one minute chart. You never trade outside your system. + +Mathematically when risking 1% per trade your daily average should be 6 x 2%-4 x 1%=8% gain per day. + +Bad days will give you worse numbers, good days will give you better numbers. This means in a matter of two years you would be a billionaire if you left your account untouched and reinvested everything. + +Why aren't we all rich trading like this? Why doesn't it work? I don't get it. Please enlighten me for I am stupider than thou +Interesting [article](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/may/29/half-of-britain-is-broke-and-the-other-half-is-richer-than-ever) from the Guardian, and reflects some of what we've seen on this subreddit since the Covid cris started. + +I'm fortunate to be in the second half of this equation, and expect taxes will need to rise substantially to pay for the scheme's extended to the less fortunate half. +1. He believes what is currently happening in America is not new. We were a previously untested global economic superpower but we are slowly losing our dominance to China, just how countries in the past did. + +2. We are losing our dominance to China because we over-exerted our status at the world reserve currency because we printed too much money, just like other countries in the past did, giving China an opportunity to rise. + +What do others here think about his short film? +Good Afternoon Superstonk! + +&#x200B; + +This was an awesome week! There were a few days with over three million in volume, the price went up, and the stock broke out of the pennant (wedge) that we have been looking at for weeks! GME even ended the week above max pain! + +Needless to say, I am absolutely **titillated**! + +As usual I will attempt to have a [Video DD](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLZAlefVs0gLl3YQCGn-qqbC16WicLCVy) up for those of you that don't have the time to read through all this by Sunday evening. + +Edit 1: Video DD will be up at 8pm EST + +So here is an Index of the Topics I'd like to cover for this weeks DD (trying to improve the formatting for these posts) : + +&#x200B; + +1. The usual and some unusual technical indicators for the coming week +2. Some goings on with institutional ownership and filings +3. Best execution strategies during high volatility +4. Conclusions + +&#x200B; + +Well let's dip our toes, shall we? + +&#x200B; + +# Part I: Technical Analysis for 5/17-5/21 + +**Section A: The Big Ass Triangle** + +Well it's done, over, caput! + +The wedge/pennant/poke-ball is over, praise be to VWAP! + +But, the good news is we broke out right on schedule. Many a naysayer was sure to let me know things these last couple weeks such as ; + +"Technical Analysis doesn't work on manipulated stocks. Because I read a thing, somewhere" + +or my personal favorite from this week... + +"Why don't you take your giant triangle shove it up your ass! you YOUTUBE SHILL C\*NT! The light of the almighty will be cast down on non-believers like yourself, the perfect storm will end in the ascending of the righteous to the heavens. As those who !WORSHIP THE FALSE IDOL OF NUMBERS WILL COWER AS THEIR SOULS ARE TORN FROM THEIR BODIES! dIE PICKLE SATANIST!!!" + +\-*random redditor* 2021 + +👀 !\^\^< (this made me laugh so hard I cried, might have been /s) + +Well to the naysayers I declare + +*"No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. "* + +Cuz we did it bois! + +[We even broke to the upside!](https://preview.redd.it/agn4s1tryez61.png?width=1661&format=png&auto=webp&s=ee80c31f33b976f50eedb47481f1ee056d365d67) + +So this is awesome. But I can hear it now "But no more wedge means no more MOASS?" + +Wrong! + +Just when you thought your friendly neighborhood pickle was all out of bullish technical indicators + +\*Reveals technical indicator\* + +**Part B: The Bull Flag** + +Bull flag is a technical indicator that forms when a stock has a rapid move to the upside on decent volume forming the "***pole***", then the stock forms the "***flag"*** as a small period of consolidation occurs on lighter volume. These have a 67.13% Chance of breaking to the upside, not quite the 70% of the pennant but still decent. + +[Here is the Flag on the 4H Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/pbid6ueh1fz61.png?width=1396&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a46a4b9247d5f05126fec87ae174201ea59c5af) + +**Section C: MACDaddy** + +So for those of you that don't remember or don't want to go back and look. The week before last everybody's favorite overbearing indicator the MACD himself was about to perform a crossover on the daily chart and he did bring us from the lows of $144 to the towering peaks of $188 unfortunately this was a false signal. We had a massive change in market valuation that week as GameStop sold 3.5M shares at cost basis of $157 causing the false signal and a brief correction. Well it looks like ol'MACD is up from his nap and pissed. Looks like we are gonna finally see that upside move we missed out on the first time. + +[MACD on 1D Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/zs98osug4fz61.png?width=1178&format=png&auto=webp&s=c95212c0fa09a2017e1f5b75675abba9297febdb) + +**Section D: BB-KC and TTM do a squeeze** + +Both of these indicators are relatively similar they predict periods volatility and momentum. Currently the Bollinger Bands (BB) are within the Keltner channel(KC) indicating a 6-month low in volatility. Further reading can be found on this [here](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/technical/04/030304.asp). + +[BB\/KC Squeeze and TTM Squeeze on the 1D Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/ctyun34p7fz61.png?width=1530&format=png&auto=webp&s=47f62b57b72d7913443c74d3d007e096c9b147f8) + +Here are the BB/KC moments from earlier this year + +[Well that speaks for itself I think...1D Timescale](https://preview.redd.it/al1nedju8fz61.png?width=2175&format=png&auto=webp&s=a6d882c5c0652441e34e28484819a4206ff71e6f) + +So yeah, bullish? + +I think so. + +# Part II: Institutional Ownership + +So I'm gonna keep this short it's pretty easy to cover people have been messaging me all weekend about Fidelity selling their position. + +We already knew, this isn't news. + +A while back I actually came across a decent DD that covers this [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/mqdn81/gme_counter_dd_why_192_shares_held_by/). + +This is the closest thing I can find right now to an updated number but it looks like Institutional is only down 11% since March reporting occurred. (This data cannot currently be verified) + +[gurufocus.com](https://preview.redd.it/lqegwivt4iz61.png?width=649&format=png&auto=webp&s=f733045aee2b6f46b4844b39f8b57d5638c0c9c5) + +Also here is the reconstitution calendar for the Russel indices as you can see May/June is the rebalancing period and GME is currently sitting at a market cap of $11.32B. Several Etfs and Indexes will need to move into institutional ownership roles as they will be [underweight](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/underweight.asp) otherwise. + +[https:\/\/www.ftserussell.com\/resources\/russell-reconstitution](https://preview.redd.it/tc5sgc6z7iz61.png?width=966&format=png&auto=webp&s=263c7635ba5a323a5a7e461e7fdb4262cc9c80ef) + +So if for any institutions that dropped GME we can expect several more to come in as they attempt to rebalance. I expect we will see a lot of volatility as GME is added to more index funds and ETFs over the course of the next month. + +# Part III: Execution During High Volatility + +This is an especially difficult topic to cover with the events on this sub over the weekend. But unfortunately it is a topic that needs to be discussed, come what may. + +First I would like to address the issues that can arise during a squeeze, some of these may have a greater effect on retail investors. + +* **Delays** \- volatile markets are generally associated with high volume an this can cause delays in execution. As online traders expect to sell at near the price listed on the screen, remember this isn't always the case. +* **System Issues** \- Everyone is familiar with this, as many online investors had issues in January. Sometimes the system is overloaded. Investors may have difficulty accessing their accounts as traffic ramps up. Remember that if you experience these issues many brokers offer alternatives such as phone trades or live brokers to help facilitate order execution. I urge people to investigate your brokers options now, to best prepare for this. +* **Incorrect Quotes** \- Even the best real-time quoting systems fall prey to this. I like to think of it as lag in video game. The size of the quote (#of shares at a certain price) can change rapidly, affecting the likelihood of quote availability. +* **Algorithms** \- Algorithmic trading can actually exacerbate volatility. There is a nice article on it here for [further reading](https://www.ft.com/content/fdc1c064-1142-11e9-a581-4ff78404524e). + +So, how do we navigate this? + +I don't think there is a perfect answer. + +If any human could time and predict volatility perfectly they would be exceedingly wealthy, we wouldn't have automated almost all of the financial markets, and I wouldn't be having this conversation. + +Like most things, the answer lies in learning. + +I truly believe that the best way to understand something is to turn information into knowledge. When you have knowledge of a thing, it is harder to be surprised, as it will already tie into knowledge you have, giving you a basis for understanding. + +The system for this type of learning is called the [Feynman Learning Technique](https://fs.blog/2021/02/feynman-learning-technique/). I have attempted to use this in all my DD up till this point, and will continue to do so. + +The best way to address most of these tense questions is to give people knowledge and understanding. That way, when faced with the actual issue, they will be able to address it with confidence that comes only from understanding. + +So here are the order types and their pros and cons. + +* [Limit Order](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/limitorder.asp) **-** A limit order is an order to sell a security at a specified price or "**better"** +* [Market Order](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketorder.asp) \- An order to buy or sell stock at the "**best available**" price +* [Stop-Limit Order](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stop-limitorder.asp) \- A conditional trade that combines features of a Limit Order with the **risk mitigation** of a stop-loss +* [Stop-Loss Order](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/09/use-stop-loss.asp#:~:text=) \- An order placed that converts to a "**market order**" when a set price is reached + +I suggest that everyone read these links this is important information to understand. Also [this one](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/active-trading/091813/which-order-use-stoploss-or-stoplimit-orders.asp). + +&#x200B; + +[Pros and Cons of Each Order type. This does not reflect best use during MOASS.](https://preview.redd.it/wq4w662ouiz61.png?width=2053&format=png&auto=webp&s=ff09bc4ed8640b314833abe03fd76bc14dfecc3d) + +I won't inform you on which order type is best in which situation. I covered my exit strategy in my previous DDs, my plans remain unchanged. + +This is simply to illuminate a confusing topic. Hoping that the knowledge of the order types will best prepare people for using them appropriately. + +As each one has their place. + +# Part IV: Conclusion + +Everything looks good for this coming week, I expect lots of call options were rolled on Thursdays run up to test the 170 resistance. IV remains low and the Technical indicators continue to looks Bullish. I expect we continue to be in a positive trend cycle and will continue to have bullish momentum. It's all playing out slowly, but it is playing out all the same. + +As always the obligatory **TLDR**; There are no shortcuts + +&#x200B; + +**A note to those interested...** + +A lot of people have addressed the things that have occurred on this sub over the weekend. Although I prefer to let it lie, I wanted to re-issue a statement I made a while back in regards to this community, and the people it chooses to idolize. I wrote a while back when u/rensole was being denounced. I think it is still as true now, as it was then. + +[A quote from a DD I wrote a while back.](https://preview.redd.it/v7r1foh21jz61.png?width=1223&format=png&auto=webp&s=60a55065bf0e2375b3baa5f775f8ba2e2cbce2dc) + +I understand the position I am in. I understand the effect that position has on the community. I do my best every week to keep things technical, to educate, and inform. + +I hope that I can continue to do this moving forward, as I have found purpose in it. + +For most, the bias is confirmed, tits are jacckked!, and the cards are on the table. But for some, there are questions. I try my hardest, every week, to get to **all** of them. + +I understand the sentiment against YouTubers and heroes, hell I even share it. All you have to do is watch my stream on any given day, to get a sense of my feelings towards AMC and profiteering YouTubers. + +For full transparency I have made money on YouTube and from donations, I do not demand them, but it does help me to continue to do this. I have taken a 64% pay cut from my usual job day trading. It's a loss but I think in the short term it is worth it. I fully believe that I will not have to work again after this, streaming or otherwise. So I see no risk. + +But I do feel that the information I can disperse serves a purpose, that it is ultimately beneficial to those that follow along. + +For this reason, I am not going to stop. If the information I provide and the transparency I hope to create helps even one ape navigate this situation more effectively it is worth it for me. + +I love these apes and I love this stock! + +🦍❤️ + +\- Gherkinit + + + +\**This is not Financial advice. The ideas and opinions expressed here are for educational and entertainment purposes only.* + +*No position is worth your life and debt can always be repaid. Please if you need help reach out this community is here for you. Also the NSPL Phone: 800-273-8255 Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.* [*Learn more*](https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/) +Approaching 38 now and 7% dividend. Absolutely vicious sell off. What is it gonna take for this to find bottom. I means 7% yield and SO FAR is well covered still. Is everyone just thinking teleco business is blockbuster and radio shack? iPhone sales will be way down yes but still this has pretty much cratered from low 50s to 38. I told myself I wouldn’t ever get involved with a telco again after multiple stints in T and VZ. But my god. Certainly tempts you +Hello Redditers, + +*There is a* ***TL;DR*** *at the bottom of this post, but the best way to grasp the nuances is to read through the whole thing. I understand if that isn't your thing. Just a heads up!* + +My niece, with whom I've developed almost no relationship, is experiencing profound insecurity; financial, food, housing, employment, no car, and obstacles with pathways into higher education and career objectives. + +She is in her early 20s, a transitional time in one's life. She is the daughter of one of my middle-aged cousins. Her family and I have had only a modest amount of contact throughout our lives. Her parents have struggled deeply with substance abuse (opioid addiction), drug addiction (running basement meth labs), incarceration, housing instability (constantly moving throughout her youth), joblessness, and prostitution. + +This young woman has survived unimaginable experiences; sexual abuse and physical violence at the hands of relatives and her Mom's previous partner(s). She continues to struggle with this trauma and has sought counseling. She has shut down her relationship with her Mother and Father (my cousin) because they were said to have been using her, drawing upon any monies she had, and accusing her of stealing (I don't believe she has). They each lived with her freely without trying to rise above their own personal challenges. The relationship between them became volatile, and she decided to limit contact. + +She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years ago. She lives in a low-wealth community in the Midwest with a struggling economy and few local businesses and employment resources. She claims to have tapped into social assistance and benefits (Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and food pantries that only allow a once-per-month limit). I have no reason to assume she is lying. Despite the challenges that have plagued her, she is smart, somewhat knowledgeable of the system, and, to some extent, how to operate within its boundaries. She dreams of expanding her career to work with animals or become a photographer. She is young and, unfortunately, had little training early in life to be financially independent, pay bills, and maintain employment. Many of the basic skills we learned from responsible adults and parents in our youth were not imparted to her. She's had to learn them on her own. + +She lives with a partner her age. Together, they make very little, though her partner seems to have more resources; two jobs, is saving to complete his education and training, and has a car but must use it sparingly and tactically due to the rise in gas prices and repair costs. + +She reached out to me several months ago, and we've slowly built a rapport and a relationship. Through these interactions, her original ask was that I help by providing funds so that she could make it out of a tight short-term financial situation. I have experienced the outer edges of her struggles and waded through her traumas over many tearful phone calls and e-mail exchanges. + +I am lucky and privileged not to experience the same insecurity or generational trauma. I am self-employed, run a moderately successful business, live in a safe community, and can afford all my essentials. I had extra funds to spare and gave her what she needed. I did so under the guise that I would never receive repayment (even if that's her personal goal; to repay funds). I'm honestly fine with that. If someone asks and you have the resources, you should just help them without imposing a loan-based restriction, especially with family. I'm sure there's a whole psychology to this act of giving that has been dialogue'd on this Reddit forum. + +I think my niece sought to reach out to me because there is a general knowledge spread across my family that I am financially stable and reasonably successful. + +The issue is that our relationship has turned into repeated requests (so far, exceeding $1K). Requests have mostly helped her to cover the cost of a phone, food, housing, transportation (a lot of assistance), and medical supplies (she cut her hand on garbage disposal and had a dental emergency). You can probably see where this is going. I receive these requests weekly; one challenge is squashed, and another emerges a few days later. For example, her housing becomes unstable (she stayed with a friend for a short period), and then that friend asks her to leave, so she is back to square one and now needs funds to pay someone to take her back to where she used to live. Each week is unpredictable but critical; she is one step away from losing everything, or so it seems. + +I am not a social worker or a trained therapist. I am committed to being there for her emotionally and helping her talk through and process her experiences. I can continue to give her funds, but I know deep down that this isn't helping her stabilize beyond her challenges. I am, at best, a bandaid. And the resources and monies I give are solving short-term needs. They're not long-term solutions to the years of disinvestment and generational insecurity she was born into. + +And it feels insufficient that the thing I'm capable of doing isn't going to help her achieve financial independence or personal growth. She deserves more for herself and her future. + +What I am \*really\* great at is connecting people to resources. Finding ways to navigate whatever challenges and complexities face people. That's always been my personal skill. I research the heck out of things. + +So, I've conveyed this to her and have done some work helping her find resources to cover her phone costs, food needs, and medical setbacks and get her back into a more stable, safe, and secure environment where she can stay. I've said the best way I can help her is for her to sit down and reflect on her goals. What kind of path does she want in life, and what impediments stand in her way? I don't want to tell her what to do or how to spend her money. That isn't my place— it is paternalizing/infantilizing. She tells me she is writing things down but isn't taking strides to coordinate or reach out to me so I can help her work through those thoughts. This can't be a one-sided relationship where I do all the legwork. I think I want her to express a desire to move forward and to be organized in what she wants. Then I can help her reach for those tools and opportunities. + +That being said, experiencing insecurity with your basic needs is expensive. And it's wearing on her and me. I'm not helping, only insofar as being a solution to all her reactive needs. Something goes wrong, as it always does, and I'm there to solve the problem. Here are some funds to cover you now. But there is no long-term proactive thinking on her part. Perhaps that's the curse of being impacted daily; you are put into a survivalist mode and always thinking about how to solve your challenge now instead of planning to insulate yourself from future disruptions. + +**Question for this community:** Does this community have any resources or things I can do to offer her help? Solutions that are not money-focused but more resource-focused; federal or state (Indiana) resources, counseling or social guidance resources, ways to alleviate her lack of transportation (programs to enroll or achieve access to a car), ideas for jobs that are remote or virtual that require less manual and physical labor but are more accessible to those without college certifications? Ways of shoring up expenditures or affording housing/rent/groceries (maybe programs that aren't solely SNAP benefit or food pantry-specific). + +I want to be a resource but not take the place of a more qualified mentor or professional. That simply isn't my place. I also don't want to overstep boundaries by setting unhealthy expectations. I understand she is fighting against unfair and generationally-tough circumstances. I just want to ensure that my support can do more. I want to equip her with the tools she needs to be independent and successful on her own terms. Any ideas or insights would help me a good deal. + +***TL;DR*** *— My niece struggles with all forms of insecurity; financial, food, housing, employment, no car, and obstacles with pathways into higher education and career objectives. I'm giving her money to help her overcome her short-term struggles, but it's now evolved into an unhealthy and unhelpful one-sided relationship. How can I actually help her achieve financial independence and stability?* + +Thank you, everyone! +I am 55 years old and make ~$48k working for a state government. I have a pension plan which I pay 4% into. The pension is calculated with the following formula: Final Average Pay x Multiplier (0.017) x Credited service. I will retire in 12 years with a total of 20 years credited service. + +The state also has a Deferred Compensation plan (457b) in which I contribute 4% of pre-taxed dollars. There is no contribution from the state. + +I want to increase the amount of money going towards retirement. Should I just increase the amount going into my deferred compensation plan or set up some sort of separate IRA? + +Also I use the Acorns app that takes the change from each purchase I make and invests it. I've been using it as sort of a savings account and at the end of each year use the money to pay off debt. It does way better than a savings account but I'm wondering if I should continue doing this or take that money and invest it cryptocurrencies or some other investment. Our debt consists of a mortgage and $50000 for my wifes graduate degree. +My dad is 55 and has nothing saved for retirement. He makes 2600 per month and pays 1500 per month for our houses mortgage and we have 20 years left on that. He probably spends 600 on bills and then the rest for groceries and whatever he needs to spend it on for the house. He has 4 kids, me and 3 other siblings. I'm not old enough to work and my sister isn't either. The other two are able to work. I'm scared that when the time comes when he needs to stop working ( He's a mechanic and runs his own shop with his brother and they have no other workers), he won't have money for retirement and will have to fall back on us or other methods. when that time comes, I believe that we would be able to support him. Whenever I ask him about his retirement he doesn't say anything about how he's going to pay for the house and bills all that. Is it common for people his age to not have anything saved for retirement? + +Edit: Thank you for giving me my first gold kind stranger! +The second covid vaccine gave me chest pain, so after calling my doctor, I ended up going to the emergency room. The triage fee just to enter the emergency room was over $5,000 and there was an extra $1,000 on top of that in services. The chest pain ended up not being a big deal and as promised it went away after a few days. + +I got the vaccine hoping it *wouldn't* cost me money. Our insurance covered a large part of the bill. We still owe about $2,500 which will drain our entire HSA account. We were hoping to get pregnant soon and this will set us back. + +I tried googling it and I only found some vague articles saying the only government aid for covid was for uninsured people. But they all seem to be hearsay. +There is a really easy way to refute anyone that calls GME a cult, all you need to do is explain to them what the BITE test is, and that superstonk doesnt meet any of the criteria of a cult. + +Chances are, if someone calls superstonk a cult, they dont know what that word means or they have never really interacted with a cult.... + +https://preview.redd.it/z23iiza73c2a1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=676098b507b2f9b95d836ff1ec7252d9a8fafb2f + +&#x200B; + +What is the BITE Model? Coined by Dr. Steven Hassan, whom himself was once stuck in a cult, the BITE Model is a tool for the Strategic Interactive Approach (SIA) of helping those who need intervention to be removed from a cult. + +TW: there are some very real, and very terrible hallmarks of a cult. I will list them below, as defined by Dr. Hassan and outlined in work by Leon Festinger, [Robert Jay Lifton](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jay_Lifton), [Margaret Singer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Singer), [Edgar Schein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Schein), [Louis Jolyon West](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Jolyon_West) + +More info on the BITE Model available here: [https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/](https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/) + +[https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/responding-to-authoritarian-cults-and-extreme-exploitations-a-new-framework-to-evaluate-undue-influence](https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/responding-to-authoritarian-cults-and-extreme-exploitations-a-new-framework-to-evaluate-undue-influence) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +**B**ehavior Control + +1. Regulate individual’s physical reality +2. Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates +3. When, how and with whom the member has sex +4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles +5. Regulate diet – food and drink, hunger and/or fasting +6. Manipulation and deprivation of sleep +7. Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence +8. Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time +9. Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet +10. Permission required for major decisions +11. Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative +12. Discourage individualism, encourage group-think +13. Impose rigid rules and regulations +14. Punish disobedience by beating, torture, burning, cutting, rape, or tattooing/branding +15. Threaten harm to family and friends +16. Force individual to rape or be raped +17. Encourage and engage in corporal punishment +18. Instill dependency and obedience +19. Kidnapping +20. Beating +21. Torture +22. Rape + +&#x200B; + +**I**nformation Control + +1. Deception:a. Deliberately withhold informationb. Distort information to make it more acceptablec. Systematically lie to the cult member +2. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, mediab. Critical informationc. Former membersd. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigatee. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking +3. Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrinesa. Ensure that information is not freely accessibleb. Control information at different levels and missions within groupc. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when +4. Encourage spying on other membersa. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control memberb. Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadershipc. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group +5. Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including:a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other mediab. Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources +6. Unethical use of confessiona. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundariesb. Withholding forgiveness or absolutionc. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories + +&#x200B; + +**T**hought Control + +1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as trutha. Adopting the group’s ‘map of reality’ as realityb. Instill black and white thinkingc. Decide between good vs. evild. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders) +2. Change person’s name and identity +3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words +4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts +5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member +6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created +7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including:a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinkingb. Chantingc. Meditatingd. Prayinge. Speaking in tonguesf. Singing or humming +8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism +9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed +10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful +11. Instill new “map of reality” + +&#x200B; + +**E**motional Control + +1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish +2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt +3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault +4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as:a. Identity guiltb. You are not living up to your potentialc. Your family is deficientd. Your past is suspecte. Your affiliations are unwisef. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfishg. Social guiltf. Historical guilt +5. Instill fear, such as fear of:a. Thinking independentlyb. The outside worldc. Enemiesd. Losing one’s salvatione. Leaving or being shunned by the groupf. Other’s disapprovalf. Historical guilt +6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows – love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner +7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins +8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authoritya. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the groupb. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends and familyd. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and rolle. Threats of harm to ex-member and family + +&#x200B; + +As you can see from the above list, Superstonk and GameStop investors do not meet any of the core 4 requirements of a cult. Not even close... + +So don't get upset when someone says you are in a cult, just educate them on what a cult actually is. + +This sub is a bastion of free speech, free investing, free markets, and peer reviewed information dissemination. +I don't know what to think about this one. Fidelity rep just called and asked if I wanted to sell my remaining fractional share. Note: Everything else is DRS'd. I said no thank you. And that I would likely just be buying more and DRSing. He then suggested that if I buy more, purchase a whole number of shares plus a fractional .156 so that I end up with whole shares. He then repeated original question and asked if I wanted to sell the remaining fractional share. + +I thought it was odd to receive a call over what is essentially $28.18. + +============== + +Adding: I really wasn't expecting anyone to care about my post. I usually just read all the awesome Superstonk DD and enjoy some of the comments for entertainment. Anyway... There are a few who are questioning the "trust me bro" thing. I understand that. Yes, I did get a call from Fidelity and did my best to share the details above. Here's a screenshot I just took of my remaining GME fractional share that the rep was asking me to sell. And if not sell, get it to a whole number during next purchase. Best wishes to all... + +https://preview.redd.it/nfcme454pde91.png?width=2234&format=png&auto=webp&s=27b7e5d4f8b9d7cbe0183345fdb2244acd23511d + + +Adding #2: Apparently the "trust me bro" group wants to see a phone call log to show proof that I am telling the truth. I'm pretty much done showing additional proof after this. Do with the information shared what you will. Here's what I have, from AT&T usage log. Best of luck to all in your support of Gamestop. + +[Per google search, this number shows from Fidelity Invest - CallerCenter.com](https://preview.redd.it/pb5r80r7efe91.png?width=2066&format=png&auto=webp&s=dce6c3c5ba005c32d170af7203428fc831c20ff1) + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + + +Background: I am graduating college in the spring and have a job in line to make 80,000 a year. While this is exciting for a starting salary, I don’t enjoy the corporate life and want to leave it as quickly as I can. For reference this is all in San Diego, so property won't come cheap. + +One option I am looking into is living in one room and renting out the others. That way my loan won’t be a renters loan and therefore better? Other than that I am without a clue. + +What kind of down payment am I looking at? + +Credit score of 752 if that matters. + +Few school loans. +So I have come to terms with the fact that all the trading traits that are supposed to make us successful (discipline, poise, patience) are not traits we need to have as traders. Rather they are traits we need to have as human beings to succeed in trading. + +What this means is that those traits have to be what we exhibit even outside of trading. You can’t be someone who is all impulsive and always angry while seeking revenge and somehow, in front of a chart you become this methodical and emotionless person who sticks to the plan. + +This means that trading never stops in a sense that you always have to be in the perfect trading mind even when not trading so that would mean that we are like athletes. You get ready for the game way before the game. + +Some here talked about routines to minimise trading mistakes and I did not understand at first. I did not understand how important it was to steady yourself and do the same thing again and again such that when game time comes, you get the confidence that comes from practice and the poise that comes from experience. + +However, unlike athletes, we don’t get to exhibit what we have trained for in exciting high pressure moments. In fact if your trading is exciting and high pressure then not only are you doing it wrong but you are setting yourself up for failure. What you should do is do it so much that is becomes boring. You have to keep cool when it is utterly boring and take that boredom right in the face and not doing anything stupid because you « want some action ». It is said that « trading is getting paid to wait ». + +This is where the core of this post comes in. This is a note to my former self. All the lessons on trading psychology should be notes to be applied outside of trading first! From there, whenever you get into the field, you feel at home because this is your true self. You are a person whom boredom does not disturb even if it means you love excitement, you can still take boredom in the face and it will be okay. + +To all newbies out there, the first step to learning about trading is not to learn about charts and strategies. It is to discipline yourself and get yourself together so that you can be able to make a plan and follow it. I’m talking about long term success just a couple of months in the money. + +As the reigning finals mvp said « we try to not be too high on the highs and not be too low on the lows, that way we can brush our losses and keep a cool head ». This is something you become, this is not just some tool you pick up and use when you want to trade and put it down when you don’t trade. + + + + +Edit: Thanks for the award 😅. I guess providing genuine stuff is what all strive to do. +Hey traders, new trading week starting soon so I thought I'd give you guys a few tips. + +&#x200B; + +Stop chasing after pips, win percentages or goals! This is a business, you're not in high-school trying to catch the school hottie. Chasing does you no good here, it'll only stress you out and leave you heartbroken at the end of the week ;) + +&#x200B; + +Understand that ***trading is all about probabilities***. What are the chances that price will go my way, and if it doesn't how can I protect my capital from losses? (Hedging, stop losses, etc.) + +If you trust the probabilities, then you will know, over time your system will make money! It doesn't matter if you're in the red for 6 months in a row, because your 7th month might wipe out your losses and still gain % for your account. Trust your system, follow it, don't even think about the wins or the losses, don't try and tweak it in your losing slumps. If your risk:reward is 1:3 then you could win only 1/4th of the time and be in break even! + +&#x200B; + +To give you an idea, May was very hard for me. Especially since I just started my track record as a CV for firms. I got in a losing slump where I lost and I lost and I lost some more. Thankfully, I was cutting my losers quick. I lost 0.2% on average on every trade and I lost 15 in a row. Shit wasn't going well and for newbie traders, at this time you might resort to higher risk trades to make up for your losses, or you might start overtrading because you NEED to chase those 500 pips at the end of the week! "Gah! I've lost 15 in a row, now my win:loss ratio is down to 40/60!" + +&#x200B; + +Well, I trusted my system and I kept trading as usual. The next week it finally drove itself out of the slump and got me 7 straight wins, each making me 0.5% and a couple of them 1%! + +&#x200B; + +Mark my words, if you have a verified trading system that has shown in the past that it works, **STICK. TO. IT**. Slumps happen, as often if not more often than winning streaks. Remember that the market is completely out of your control, you're only here to ride the "high probability" waves. + Hello, what do you think of the latest statements via $TWTR by Dr. Michael Burry on the US financial system or the possible crisis that will come shortly, as well as some tweets of the twitter verification policy in which Elon Musk answers. + +Greetings +The Vita COCO company is a beverage company that is undervalued imo. Grew 32.5 percent and trading at 14.5 times earnings. The company has been around for 17 years and continues to expand their product offerings. They also just added Martin Roper as Co-CEO. Look at the buybacks over the years for The Boston Beer Company [$SAM](https://stocktwits.com/symbol/SAM) [ycharts.com/companies/SAM/s...](https://ycharts.com/companies/SAM/stock_buyback) which helped to reduce the shares outstanding and increase shareholder value significantly. And who was the CEO from 2001 to 2018..you guessed it... Martin Roper Co-CEO with cap structure experience, returning huge value back to shareholders and beverage logistics baby. That combined with Michael Kirban who helped build this company and I believe this is an under the radar stock with huge upside potential. I believe coco is undervalued based on valuation and top line growth but management is also key and this company is a winner imo. Any thoughts? +**[DRS GUIDE IS HERE](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ptvaka/when_you_wish_upon_a_star_a_complete_guide_to/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)** + +I'd really just like to have an open discussion. Superstonk is a very important place to a lot of folks, myself included, and part of that relates to the civil conversations I'm so fond of finding. Like most things that are important to me, I recognize change is inevitable if the relationship is strong and long enough. So, to that end, I am here soliciting opinions. + +We have already seen that we are stronger together. That by sharing a common goal, individuals can have an impact large enough to shake the very foundations of "the system" which runs the world. Superstonk, to me, is a proving ground for the power and beauty of decentralization of knowledge, education, and humor, all of which stem from a desire to see a better reality for ourselves and each other. When this sub is humming with creative energy and love for the fellow ape, it is truly something to behold. + +I believe that if we are to continue to grow and improve as individuals, and as a sub, we need to be open to criticism, but mindful of boundaries. We should be kind to each other and to ourselves. Willing to listen to understand, not just to respond. I've seen the best and worst this sub has had to offer over the course of my modship (Holy shit has it really been almost 8 months?!) and I honestly feel like one of the big failures of the past was not gathering sentiment directly from the community with pointed questions. + +My job, as I see it, is to make this place as fun and fair and Super as possible. What does that look like to you, dear ape reading this? Should the rules be rewritten? The sub description? Maybe you think we should limit posts per user per day or open flair up so users can change it any time? Maybe you like Superstonk how it is? Do you want a discord? How about karma requirements? Too high, too low? Are mods too lenient? Too harsh? Does it even seem like we exist except to cause drama? Maybe you want to be a mod? Does the banner need changed? How about the color scheme? More community awards? Contests? + +ANYTHING you can think of to leave feedback on, I want to hear it so I can make sure the rest of the team does too. I'm thinking like a giant comment card scenario. + +The point is, I can't know for sure unless I ask. Directly. Like this. Otherwise I'm basically just a humanbot scanning for sentiment. And I hate that thought because I love people. Please help me take Superstonk into the new year with all the ways you think this community could be improved. + +Thank you in advance for your feedback, and apologies if I don't respond. I'm in the middle of getting ready for a move 2 weeks out so my free time is limited. 🚀🌙 + +ETA: even if I don't respond, please know I am taking every single comment here back to the team for review. + +ETA2: for those who do not meet the karma/age requirements to comment, please feel free to add your thoughts here anyhow. As a moderator, I can still view them. + +ETA3: DRS guide link added. + +ETA4: I asked for this to be pinned so we could get more feedback from the community, since I posted over the weekend. Thanks apes! +https://www.thestreet.com/investing/fixed-income/germany-limps-closer-to-recession-as-factory-output-plunges-to-2009-lows-15099397 + +>The IHS Markit PMI reading for Germany's manufacturing sector slumped to 41.4 points in September, the lowest in more than a decade and 2.1 points south of last month's already-gloomy assessment, as job creation stalled and the impact of U.S.-China trade tensions and the impending exit of Britain from the European Union hammered order books. +Greetings to the most intelligent people on the planet! + +I've been playing with GME and the other charts recently, and it all accumulated into a massive piece of delicious TA, which I didn't really plan to post to WSB originally - because I felt like some of the honorable WSB residents might be a little tired from that particular stonk. However, after seening [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/pppfro/tmc_spotted_the_cock_and_balls_upside_down_head/) and [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/pph9f0/as_you_can_see_tmc_is_forming_a_classic_nut_sack/) beautiful examples of intellectual superiority, I just couldn't resist sharing my hard work with you, dear WSB!(If you, dear reader, are the one who is fed up with GME, then I would recommend you stop reading now and follow the two links above to appreciate HQ TA on other stonks). + +For those, who stayed - enjoy the read! + +It all started from my “L'Oreal shampoo commercial”-like hair bet post, where, in its third chapter, I was theorizing about GME's negative beta (particularly in light of the late January events, when the buy button was disabled) and the current general market setup - how it might influence subsequent GME moves. So, I decided to dive deeper into those correlations and deviations between the price movements of GME and other major assets, using January sneeze as the starting point. This led me to a fascinating, tits-jacking discovery that points at the upcoming inevitable volatile price action! + +Buckle up for the TA journey of your life, let’s ~~dive~~ fly in! + +Oh, almost forgot to quote Jack Black: + +>“This is not the financial advice, no. +> +>This is just a tribute. +> +>Couldn't remember becoming a financial advisor, no. +> +>This is a tribute, oh, to the greatest stonk in the world, alright!” + +&#x200B; + +First things first, it’s a good idea therefore to revisit **late Jan events**, which in my opinion was the moment of revelation and a preview of inevitable storm, when: + +&#x200B; + +# I. The North Remembers: + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +[GME v VIX v SP, 30 min chart](https://preview.redd.it/yu1zzckpa2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e10bd82e172e82ea16a68da5c9c4a9c3e07f70ff) + +* GME shares added more than 500% in less than two days, showing off its negative beta in all glory, +* making VIX volatility index explode more than 60% in a single day, +* and injuring SP badly (sharp decline of about 4% in 21 hours). + +&#x200B; + +At this point, the thesis should sound something like GME🆙VIX🆙=SP🆘, and vice versa. It will be developed further in the next chapters. + +&#x200B; + +Also, quoting my bet post here: + +&#x200B; + +>Pepperidge apes should remember that during one of the Gamestop congressional hearings Vlad 'the Stock Implaler' Tenev mentioned something about late January events falling into five-sigma category, which scientifically speaking corresponds to a p-value, or probability, of 3x10-7, or about 1 in 3.5 million. He also used such a hackneyed expression as a 'black swan' event. +> +>... +> +>Categorizing January craze as five sigma is debatable to say the least, because Gamestop shares started to skyrocket and multiply in price long before late January, and it doesn't take a lot of wrinkles to understand that the volatility should likely increase further, requiring additional collateral and somewhat decent risk management. However, I'm not going to discuss Vlad's choice of sacrificing Robbinhood users (disabling buy button) in order to protect the solvency of Robbinhood customers (Citadel and co), because that has been done enough times already, and the North remembers. Rather, Robbinhood example and Vlad's interpretation are provided here as a vivid illustration of the fact which we all feel deep inside: there is just too much risk in the market, it is being too much fucking over-leveraged so that even a fucking retail stock broker may easily get margin-called in a matter of hours. It is especially hilarious, considering the fact that unsophisticated actions of buying and holding a particular stock is enough to fuck the system, making the entire house of cards fall apart. The problem is that when you dive deeper, 2008 seem to be a blessing. + +&#x200B; + +Furthermore, I should recommend you reading u/peruvian_bull Endgame series, and/or u/Criand the Bigger Short in order to develop the understanding of the fundamental processes taking place under the hood of the financial markets. To sum up the core idea: the financial system is over-levereged, way more than it was in 2008, and coupled with the industry poor risk assessment standards, it is heading to the next, coming soon, financial crisis. And, in my opinion, what you can see on the charts above, was a sneak peak of the house of cards collapsing. Disabling the buy button was the only option for the big moni guys to stop (or rather to postpone) the system failing miserably. By bringing this dirty trick into play they were able to ~~buy~~ steal some time, which was necessary for deploying emergency measures and urgent market mechanisms (such as new DTCC/NSCC rules) - which, in turn, are aimed at mitigating the inevitable financial hail**shit**storm, ready to hit the fans. + +There is a plenty of outstanding fundamentals DD on that topic (start from clicking profiles in the paragraph above). As for me, I am the TA type of a wrincle-brained ape, so... + +Let me speak from my ~~heart~~ charts. + +&#x200B; + +# II. Negative beta more beautiful than Catherine Zeta + +&#x200B; + +Let's start from something that you must have heard about many times, but did you really dive into GME exceptional beta? So, what's that thing and why is it so negative? For the sake of saving my and your time, let me quote the almighty Inve**stop**edia: + +&#x200B; + +>In investing, beta does not refer to fraternities, product testing, or old videocassettes. Beta is a measurement of market risk or volatility. That is, it indicates how much the price of a stock tends to fluctuate up and down compared to other stocks. +> +>The value of any stock index, such as the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, moves up and down constantly. At the end of the trading day, we conclude that "the markets" were up or down. An investor considering buying a particular stock may want to know whether that stock moves up and down just as sharply as stocks in general. It may be inclined to hold its value on a bad day or get stuck in a rut when most stocks are rising; whereas the beta is the number that measures a stock's volatility, the degree to which its price fluctuates in relation to the overall stock market. In other words, it gives a sense of the stock's risk compared to that of the greater market's. +> +>Beta is used also to compare a stock's market risk to that of other stocks. Analysts use the Greek letter 'ß' to represent beta.Beta is calculated using regression analysis. A beta of 1 indicates that the security's price tends to move with the market. A beta greater than 1 indicates that the security's price tends to be more volatile than the market. A beta of less than 1 means it tends to be less volatile than the market. +> +>**Negative beta**: A beta less than 0, which would indicate an inverse relation to the market, is possible but highly unlikely. + +Essentially, negative beta asset is an asset that tends to move in the opposite direction from the general market. Famous precious metal is one of the good examples: gold and gold stocks have negative betas because they tend to do better when the stock market declines. That is exactly the reason why investors cherish this asset in the turbulent time of recessions, market crashes and corrections, or general uncertainty and volatility - historically gold tends to perform well during such periods, providing the 'safe heaven' to market participants and acting as a hedge. Noice, but this turbulent time we have something special on the horizon. + +\*\*Le wild negative beta unicorn appears\*\* + +[Captain GME to gold](https://preview.redd.it/rpv734w9c2o71.png?width=471&format=png&auto=webp&s=56080fa590e5ecb6f65ad1a72329cd4d12569014) + +Many of you must have seen -ß posts, but math and numbers are for geniuses, retards only understand crayons and visuals, so... + +Ladies and gentleapes, with the great pleasure I present you the new negative beta king: + +[GME v SP, daily chart](https://preview.redd.it/iwtaoohhc2o71.jpg?width=2039&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=67b2824b31bf155c6f7d5f992c5141f67a82cdfb) + +What you see on the chart above is a vivid illustration of GME's negative beta behavior, which commenced during/after the January sneeze. As for SP, the stable uptrend with the minor corrections is evident, while the asset is achieving ATHs on a regular basis. Looking at the GME now and connecting its highs with the median line, we may observe the opposite trend, as the line is descending. All in all, there is a big-ass convergence manifesting between the two assets, which most probably will result in the increased volatility and the explosive GME breakout / trend reversal for SP. Who will blink first? + +&#x200B; + +[GME v SP daily chart + Tower of Pisa](https://preview.redd.it/3fiwmwwqc2o71.jpg?width=2033&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63ecddcaa4651b946a4df8541409c8d8e547d435) + +Next, take a look at this chart. Don't worry about GME's Pisa offset here, as it is insignificant for the point I'm making (and I had some struggles overlaying the charts in this case). If the previous chart indicates a longer term negative correlation, the one above is like a zoom in: there is an obvious series of divergences and convergences highlighted yellow and blue respectively, which illustrate negative beta again, but on a smaller scale and with local trends. As you can see, as soon a GME bullrun commences and accelerates, SP dips, and vice versa. I hope, that the examples provided are persuasive, and that they helped you to reach the same conclusion as I did, namely: sstonk goes up when stonks go down, while when stonks go up, GME is suppressed = GME🆙SP🆘. Should that correlation continue manifesting itself (which I'm pretty damn confident it will), the exciting times are on the way. + +Ok, so 🆙🆘 is a simple concept, but why is it important, you may ask. + +Well, that's why: + +[SP, daily chart ](https://preview.redd.it/6b41eaewc2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9ae4bdc7758ecdbc84425e6ea567e1d4243f9e1) + +SP has been forming a powerful bearish technical formation called the rising wedge, through the past year and a half. Currently it is narrowing down, and the point of breakout is not far away - typically it is to the downside for such a technical setup. Add GME with its negative beta to this equation - if you know, you know. + +[SP 4H chart, I called it ‘Head of Penis’ formation ](https://preview.redd.it/sbs9va8od2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce9b57e1a6fa2020ac1c91218ad5d462ceda5d07) + +But wait, there’s more! + +[SP, monthly chart ](https://preview.redd.it/1goqfoa2e2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3eefcd4720f38907877a2791ea642c3955122b5) + +In one of my TA longwrites, the Big Short 2.0, I identified a beautiful, long term, juicy Elliott 1-2-3-4-5 impulse wave structure on SP, take a look! The investors are currently riding the top of the fifth wave, which is usually the most fun, euphoric and crazily risky. Everything in the nature works in cycles, and all the things that go up, must go down eventually! Considering the current bullrun being one of the (if not THE) most powerful and longest bullruns in history, you can imagine how nasty the retrace may look this time. Especially, when you take into account the fact that current financial markets are filled with shitty synthetic derivatives, excessive leverage of a bad quality, unthinkable level of risk, and... plain fucking crime. The financial world is craving for the correction (like Sahara for rainfall) and a proper bear market, as the deleveraging will make it healthier, and maybe, just maybe, it will bring price discovery back to life from the grave where it has been rolling for I don’t know how long. + +Man, I wish there was a safe heaven asset that would protect me from the upcoming financial typhoon, the price of which would move the opposite way from the overdue nasty correction on all financial markets, which have been enjoying the most powerful bullrun in history for more than ten fucking years... Oh, wait! + +[Vasco da Gama can’t be wrong ](https://preview.redd.it/gt1rnbz7e2o71.png?width=571&format=png&auto=webp&s=9f6db503236cce3d87f8c4511221e8b5e30f91bb) + +&#x200B; + +# III. Chew it Over with VIX + +&#x200B; + +Next, let’s talk about Volatility Index - what I noticed recently, is that VIX is often being neglected in the TA discussions, and in general also, so it’s a good idea to show it some love. Especially since GME and VIX correlate to a considerable fucking extent, but later on that. + +To begin with, + +[VIX, monthly chart ](https://preview.redd.it/1fcd3vlge2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78c23f899b3d623552b4b402c0abe74266108223) + +The chart above is provided for the visual explanation of how this instrument behaves. In short, markeds kaboom TWIX wroom wroom. In essence, the Cboe Volatility Index is a market sentiment tracking index that represents the market participants expectations for volatility over the coming 30 days. Volatility, or the severity of price fluctuations, is usually helpful to gauge market sentiment, particularly the degree of fear and uncertainty spreading on the financial markets. Investors use VIX to measure the level of risk, fear, or stress in the market when making investment decisions. It is an important index in the world of finance because it provides a quantifiable measure of market risk and investors' sentiments. + +And who would have guessed, throughout the year VIX spikes have been accompanying almost every single GME major run, but for one: + +[GME v VIX, daily log chart](https://preview.redd.it/ksd03p5pe2o71.jpg?width=1969&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=835dee5dd6c8b5367088857995e01a720f41f13a) + +Just one major outlier to that tandem is late November 2020 run. Speaking of outliers, also VIX middle of June 2021 spike seems to stand out from the crowd, as there is no relevant proportionate positive price action on the GME side. Outside of those two occasions, the correlational behaviour of these two instruments is evident. Moreover, VIX and GME runs correlate to the extent that their peaks match time-wise in several run ups. Furthermore, take a look at how starting 2021 four out of five major VIX spikes correspond with the occasions when GME’s price action was trialling $230-ish level (margin call level, it seems) - the price territory, around which my concept of the ‘Purple Haze’ resistance (“break to initiate the squeeze”) is established, refer to the short squeezes comparisons post to explore the concept. The correlational behaviour described above, to my understanding, points at two big conclusions: the first and the most obvious one, is GME🆙VIX🆙; secondly, it seems that GME is currently the biggest risk for the market! - too much synchronicity is present between the two, for this to be a mere coincidence. Remember, VIX represents volatility, fear and stress - wut feelin Kenny? + +Oh, and did I mention? + +[VIX, daily chart ](https://preview.redd.it/q0hb68xue2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bcfaadcd5304e1c57307f4b954759dd402f33f8) + +During the year and a half, the instrument’s price action has been consolidating into a beautiful bullish formation, called the descending wedge - which is exactly the opposite of what SP is consolidating into. VIX descending wedge + SP rising wedge + GME🆙VIX🆙SP🆘, quick math, and + +[We get an ape’s best friend, Gator the Bubbles Deflator \(the Greater\).](https://preview.redd.it/2fzj2pdye2o71.jpg?width=2032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecbdb4676a65c16dee75b9d3613fde91cecf7335) + +If you know, you know. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +# IV. This is the tits-jacking part. Achtung! You have been warned! + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; + +Alright, that was quiet a TA journey. I hope that the discussion above helped you to build the solid understanding of what's happening on broader financial markets and how those correlations and tendencies are affecting GME price action, and will probably add the fuel to the rocket in the upcoming major GME moves. Now, the focus of the discussion is back on the GME current TA status quo! (yeah, finally!) And, what can I say, it is so fucking juicy! + +Firstly, let me remind you about this TA of mine, which aged like a fine wine: + +[GME, daily log chart ](https://preview.redd.it/ibiauo96f2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d4645e967977f6c91ad71f07546993dc6140fda1) + +The log chart support above proved itself to be an ape's ultimate best friend! As you can see, during the year, each time the price action approached the lower support, a sharp re-bounce followed - August and September confirmed the price line as THE most important support, manifesting the steadfast buying pressure. That pressure is currently confronting the most important resistance for GME in 2021 (magenta line). The battle will be legendary! (Hint: remember the current market setups discussed in II, and III, and the correlations? Based solely on that, what do you think the GME breakout will look like?) + +But wait, there's more! Let's change the viewing ~~tri~~angle: + +[GME, daily chart ](https://preview.redd.it/nii0wtvhf2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d29dc68d5034aa1a8258a22dae522f241ab3b196) + +Hm, looks familiar. I swear, I must have seen this TA setup before! Oh... + +[AMC, daily chart - 4 months old analysis ](https://preview.redd.it/aahe793pf2o71.jpg?width=2388&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce50af7363612d218d3f98ba410416dbc1e3cbdd) + +Take a look at beautiful triangular wedge formations at the core of each chart. Retardos love triangles, and this love has a fair justification. Triangles incarnate the flattening of the price accompanied by diminishing volatility - for the price action subsequently to make a fucking explosion, should the triangle be broken out. The perfect example of that is theatre stonk’s price action after the breakout. \*\* GME: "Hold my beer" \*\* I'm pretty much convinced, that the triangle on GME chart above is how the Mother Of All Triangles must look like. + +Butth waaitt, therrz moooore! How about a monthly log chart bullish pennant? + +[GME, monthly log chart ](https://preview.redd.it/1sni96uyf2o71.jpg?width=1668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fadb4dbf28a61c83bcca28d30dc50e49df0114e) + +Chapter IV, TL;DR: + +[If you know, you know.](https://preview.redd.it/nockp5t5g2o71.jpg?width=1604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f8bf91be3db5fa7c09fe3a642966de613be8443) + +Well, such a good note to end this massive piece of delicious TA on! What do you think, fellow professional investors? + +&#x200B; + +**TL;DR: there is a strong correlational behaviour which goes like GME🆙VIX🆙SP500🆘, and which is evident when you overlay and compare the charts. According to the current ‘the everything GME’ market setup, GME is ready to moon fuelled by the upcoming massive VIX spike and the sharp SP 500 !negative beta rulez! correction (which is way overdue already, as the rally is longer than 10 years and SP is craving the proper bear market). Based on the TA outlook, the moment of revelation is just around the corner... There is only one safe heaven to protect investors from the upcoming financial typhoon, which goes by the name GME, so buckle the fuck up, shrinky brain astronauts primates! What a time to be alive!** +I tried searching in the post history but didn't see anything on this subject so I figured I'd do a quick write up. + +We are all aware of the previous announcements: + +1. $100Mn grant for creators +2. $500Mn Immutable Venture fund +3. Immutable Series C $200Mn raise + +What's interesting in the Series C raise, most of the articles I read online never mentioned GameStop as an investor. But just I decided to do a search on Crunchbase and WTF! **GAMESTOP DIGITAL VENTURES** is listed as a lead investor in the latest round!!! + +&#x200B; + +[Immutable Profile Page on Crunchbase](https://preview.redd.it/enjyi56ck2b91.jpg?width=2602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b39a2089df0695c0d712c48b7d489252bc7fb5a5) + +&#x200B; + +[Look at GameStop Digital Ventures!!!](https://preview.redd.it/3e3tegfdk2b91.jpg?width=1560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8d870b44c1e979260623841fd79e8feb9279462) + +I always wondered, why didn't GameStop actually take some of that $1Bn war chest and invest it into Immutable, well, it looks like they actually did. **You gotta have skin in the game**. And look at who's at the top of this list? Ten mothaf\*\*\*\*\*\* cent. Is this why RC has been dropping references to China? + +&#x200B; + +[Last investment was 11 years ago](https://preview.redd.it/wc2hnfegk2b91.jpg?width=1662&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=33866bb524bbfe8d2a321cb6eaa14b427fb658bc) + +So yeah, this is some big WEE WEE news because GME shareholders are now tied to the upside of Immutable as a whole rather than be dependent on the platform providing digital goods for GameStop's marketplace. I don't think we'll ever know what % GDV invested in Immutable's Series C but I'm guessing $20-30Mn. + +Maybe some hardcore accounting guys can go through the company's past 2 quarterly reports and deduce an amount that could've went to this investment round? + +What an awesome day. NFT Beta dropped and some serious volume happened. [1 billion tokens](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/vx00gl/imx_moved_their_entire_wallet_of_over_1_billion/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) were moved from IMX's wallet, and now we know GameStop is actually an investor in Immutable. + +MOASS Tuesday my fellow apes. +I recently started reading *Security Analysis* and Graham mentions several times forms of investments that were considered no-brainers during their time. Company bonds, US bonds (when they still paid high interest), railroad stocks etc. For basically all of them it turned out that this assumption was false and they ceased to be good investments (at least not under every possible circumstance). + +Today everyone is screaming to invest in index ETFs. People argue to not even think about it, to just do it. In general I think not thinking about your investments is a bad idea. If we look at the last 30 years of the Japanese NIKKEI, it's been trading sideways for that timeframe, even down a little. + +Am I crazy to think that our periods no-brainer can turn out to be what every other periods no brainer was: Something too good to be true? +I'm not asking anyone to do this, I'm not even saying its going to make any difference at all. . . But, I am TIRED of all this BS that brokers are pulling on countless apes and retail in general. They are selling user's shares and then buying back to give them the Divy, but are selling on lit, and buying in dark to slowly decrease the price. . . WHICH HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON MY INVESTMENT WITH GAMESTOP. + +I won't be sharing my email, you can write your own if you so wish too, but this shit needs to stop. + +I firmly believe that if GS gets enough complaints about the NYSE and lack of rules enforcement by SEC, they will have the ammo to legally pull out of the NYSE. + +I could be totally wrong, and if so no harm or foul. It can't hurt to let them know how we feel. +Hello guys! + +I would really appreciate your advice! + +I want to invest a large sum of money (approx. 800k) fairly quickly, as inflation and the general economic development are obviously bad at the moment. + +I am currently considering investing in a flat for a budget of around 800,000 euros in Paris (central arrondisments, approx. 60-75 sqm) as a financial investment, as I would like to place these values somewhere quickly. I already have some experience with real estate, but in Germany. The real estate market in German cities is not only completely exhausted and overpriced at the moment, but the returns here would also be lower than in Paris - or at least that's how it looks according to my calculations. + +**Do you have any experience with investing in Paris?** + +I have read that currently - mainly because of Corona - many flats are empty in Paris (no tourists and Airbnb rentals...) so that more flats than usual on the market. I am looking for a nice flat in a bigger city in Germany since a few months and could not find any suitable property so far. In fact, I currently have the impression that you can find a lot more good flats in Paris than in Berlin, for example. + +For a flat I currently looked at in Paris, I would have a gross rental yield of about 3.6 - 3.75% in long-term rentals if you look at comparable flats and rents, which would not be the case compared to the currently available flats in German cities. + +In my circle of acquaintances I am advised against it with the very reasonable reasons that I am not familiar with the real estate market abroad, that I don't know how the rentals might work and that in general I might tie a lot of trouble and hassle on my heels.... all very valid points, which is why I'm thinking it's a snap idea myself right now. As I said, I am also considering investing in other financial assets at the moment, and I am currently taking advice from two different sources. + + ETFs are of course a possibility, and I am currently in intensive consultation on this. But my question here should now relate to a real estate investment, as I would like to think in any direction. + +**What do you think? Does anyone perhaps even have experience with such a consideration? Does anyone have flats in France?** + +Many thanks for any suggestions! + + +Suppose I bought 10 shares of an ETF at 100$ and another 10 shares of that same ETF at 90$ at a later point of time. The average right now is 95$ for 20 shares. + +A) Now if I sell 10 shares at 97$, will it be considered as a profit or a loss? Is the buying price considered or average price of that holding is considered? + +B) The answer for A, does it depend on broker, exchange, ETF, shares or country of domicile etc? + +C) If I sell another 10 shares at 93$, effectively I have sold everything at no profit or loss. But if I sell it in two different financial years, will I pay taxes? (Consider: same tax rate for all situations) + +D) Will point C, depend upon tax rules of different countries. +Hello + +Im from switzerland and i could still invest in to US domiciled ETF. Would this be a wise choice? I know theyre usually better, with lower TER and higher Volume and simply more ETF to pick from. + +What about potential fines in the future? Should i be worried with Switzerland losing trade agreements with the USA? Maybe a trade war like they have in china? Maybe one day the US is just gonna have a bad time and put higher taxes on foreigners? +Based in Spain, 23a, I have two jobs, one makes me 700 euro; second makes me 320. + +My Expenses are 750-850. 1500 emergency fund build up. Have been using YNAB for 3 years, I think I am good at budgeting. + +Took the second one a few months ago and it has been great financially since I have been able to pay for little things like some clothes that I hadn't bought in a while or not be so stressed about money. + +The reason I wanna quit is because I am super tired, some days I work both jobs and work like 10.30h + commute of 2h - so I don't have time to exercise or myself, which is making me burnout quit a bit. + +What is holding me back is not having a back up plan or not being able to live more comfortably. I am already quite frugal, but don't wanna go back to frugal frugal like I was before. + +EDIT - More context: +Long-term I do know that I either have to move or so some high-level focus on applying for better jobs, but here's the thing: I finished college 10 months ago and I was quite burnout of all the process, working and studying at the same time. So I thought I needed some "me time" before going to the jungle of finding a good job and grinding all my way. + +So my plan was to find a job + have some time for me and side projects that I had been neglecting for a long time. Problem is that I have less time than I thought even though money aspect has improved, and this in turn has improved my life. + +Thanks! +(Throwaway account) + +I am unsure on how to tackle this, all I’m seeing is that there is a massive energy crisis and maybe I could use this land to help the environment as well as make some money with it. + +Only thing I know is that I can’t build on it. + +Any recommendations? Thanks. +&nbsp; + +**TLDR** A recently completed snapshot has updated karma scores and also allows new contributors (since 30/09) to [participate](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=EthRegBot&message=!ethreg%200xANETHADDRESSHERE&subject=pre-register) in the EthTrader DAO pre-registration. + +&nbsp; +_____ +&nbsp; + +The EthTrader DAO, registry, and token are vehicles for expanding this subreddit with Ethereum-based functionality. The initial scope is focused on the establishment of a self-governing dao, a voting dapp, and a browser plugin to id other registered users and allow simple but true decentralised interaction (like tipping). Future developments will be chosen by the dao and could take any number of directions from [specialty tokens](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/7d2epl/my_2_gweis_about_how_i_see_this_community/dpume4l/), badges, gamified ico reviews, token weighted project ranking, ens integration (username.ethtraderdao.eth), registration oracles, plasma sidechains, or whatever else the community decides. Any reddit user who has commented or posted on r/ethtrader, r/ethereum, r/ethdev, or r/ethermining is eligible will be able to register their reddit username with the dao-controlled on-chain registry if they have **first** [pre-registered an ethereum account](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=EthRegBot&message=!ethreg%200xANETHADDRESSHERE&subject=pre-register). + +* To date, ~~389~~ 564 users, representing ~~16%~~ 20% of ethtrader karma, have pre-registered. **Thank you for your support and for taking the time!** +* Pre-registration is still open and the karma and user snapshot* **has been updated** so that new users since 30/09/2017 can [particpate](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=EthRegBot&message=!ethreg%200xANETHADDRESSHERE&subject=pre-register). +* There are currently enough [funds](https://etherscan.io/address/0xf7927bf0230c7b0e82376ac944aeedc3ea8dfa25) to supply 3300 new pre-registered addresses with $0.10 each to cover the registration and some additional tx. +* The dao can open new reg periods but doing so is at the discretion of dao voters (registered users), who will also determine the terms of that reg period. + +**Instructions** + +* [Request your karma score (this should compare reasonably closely to your score as Reddit reports it to you)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=EthRegBot&message=!ethreg%20karma&subject=karma) +* [Pre-register](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=EthRegBot&message=!ethreg%200xANETHADDRESSHERE&subject=pre-register) (need to replace "0xANETHADDRESSHERE" with your ETH address! [MEW](https://www.myetherwallet.com/) can create new wallets). + +**Background** + +* [Original "The Dappening" thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/72scaj/ethtrader_the_dappening/) +* [The Dappening progress report](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/75a2f3/the_dappening_progress_report_registration/) +* [Dao & Token salient contract features](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/78xelg/ethtrader_token_dao_salient_features/) +* [Pre-reg announcement](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/79osxq/ethtrader_dao_token_preregistration/) +* [Pre-reg update 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/comments/7a33tw/update_ethtrader_dao_token_preregistration/) + + +*Reddit doesn't break down your karma by sub (publically) so a [script](https://github.com/EthTrader/karma) pulls from their api and does this itself (takes ~5days). The last completed snapshot was valid through 30/09/2017. +Look at the post ATH behavior of Ethereum (ETH): + +&nbsp; + +- $20 -> $6.40 = 68% off ATH (Nov 2016) +- $400 -> $130 = 68% off ATH (May 2017) +- $1400 -> 625 = 56% off ATH (Feb 2018) + +&nbsp; + +Price of Ethereum July 2016: **10$** + +&nbsp; + +History repeats itself. You're insulting the hodlers if you think continued growth long term is unsustainable; it just alerts us to the shortness of your trading/mental timeframe; none of us ever expected a straight line; the long term trajectory is what's more important. + +&nbsp; + +As such on the lifetime log charts and with historical knowledge I'm giving a fair warning; this *could* be an amazing point of entry for a long in spite of all the panic. If anything history has shown us it *is* an amazing point for a long *if you are willing to take the calculated risk* that the bull market long term is still intact. + +&nbsp; + +You're going to see a lot of FUD, a lot of panic. If you're a bull this means we're close to the end of the current correction and consolidation is due following a bounce. As long as solid support exists at a higher low than previous ATH; no big deal. + +&nbsp; + +This year *still* looks incredible for ETH in terms of liquidity and economics; + +&nbsp; + +- Increasing public awareness (network effect catch up + public educating themselves better). + +- PoS implementation very likely (passive income for a growing non-speculative potentially essential asset will appeal to institutional investors + this will reduce inflation and lead to massive supply lockup on a background of increasing demand for ETH/gas). + +- Sharding/working scalability solutions (both on/off chain) will likely mature with further deployments. + +- dAPP releases. + +- Ethfinex and decentralized exchanges running on ETH will encourage growth/pumps in ETH and it's ecosystem of ERC20 tokens; these are in ETHfinex's best interests after all to see the market grow and if you believe the tether rumours (I do) I don't see why this won't happen. + +- The potential impact of DAI stable coins in causing ETH to be locked up by the makerDAO (liquidity squeeze combined with PoS will dramatically reduce circulating ETH supply). The potential demand for stablecoins is massive especially in jurisdictions such as the UK where you aren't taxed per trade but on conversion to fiat only. + +- Thus even in a large scale market wide correction; I struggle to see ETH being undervalued for very long; if anything we are just getting started. For me that makes selling **(especially the potential bottom which current prices might be)** very difficult + +- http://www.reddit.com/r/CryptoCurrency/comments/7l7k9i/daily_general_discussion_-_december_21_2017/drlgy8p?context=3 + +&nbsp; + +**Full disclosure/Disclaimer:** As of posting I am long Particl (PART), Ethereum (ETH), Wetrust (TRST), Augur (REP), OmiseGo (OMG) Factom (FCT), Iconomi (ICN) and Bloom (BLT). All the opinions expressed are my own. I cannot guarantee gains; losses are sustainable; do your own financial research and make your decisions responsibly. All prices and values given are as of time of writing. +[Early Retirement Now](https://earlyretirementnow.com/) doesn't get a lot of love in the FI space, though it should. [This recent article](https://earlyretirementnow.com/2017/01/18/the-ultimate-guide-to-safe-withdrawal-rates-part-6-a-2000-2016-case-study/) analyzes how a 4% SWR rate is doing for people who retired in the year 2000 with various mixes of stocks and bonds. + +What's particularly interesting is how *badly* a 100% stock portfolio is doing - perhaps due to the dual hit of the 2000 and 2008 market crashes, it doesn't look very likely that someone who chose just stocks will make it to 30 years. (And ask someone who was around for the bull market of the '90s, with books being published like "Dow 36,000", how people felt about investing in anything other than the stock market.) + +On the other hand, someone with a modest - 30% - allocation in bonds looks like they're going to coast over being able to succeed over 30 years with cash to spare. + +As the author says, for person retiring at a regular age of 65, 4% is probably fine because they're already in their 80s and spending is dropping dramatically. For early retirees like many of us are or aspire to be, looking at a failure of the 4% "rule" for high equity portfolios is concerning. + + +Also, this series as a whole is pretty good. There's a lovely analysis of some of the problems with variable withdrawal rate strategies. +!! HUGE DAY for u/SphynxSwap !! + +&#x200B; + +CEO of #SphynxSwap will be speaking at World Blockchain Summit, Dubai 14th Oct at 9.40 AM UTC + +&#x200B; + +One can imagine the partnership that's on the way. + +&#x200B; + +The Swap is Live ☑️ + +[https://thesphynx.co/#/swap](https://thesphynx.co/#/swap) + +&#x200B; + +Stake and Farm soon 💲 + +Sphynx Swap Mobile app coming 🔜 + +&#x200B; + +TG- [https://t.me/sphynxswap](https://t.me/sphynxswap) + +&#x200B; + +NFTs Minting live at [soverignsphynxcouncil.co](https://soverignsphynxcouncil.co) + +&#x200B; + +\#SphynxArmy #WBS #WBSDubai + +&#x200B; + +8️⃣ Only 8,888 NFTs will ever be minted! + +&#x200B; + +🔱 NFTs with unimaginable potential as they offer utility that no other NFTs have. + +&#x200B; + +💕Holders of SSC will be able to earn passive income not only from a percentage of the fees that accumulate from the SphynxSwap ([https://thesphynx.co](https://thesphynx.co)) ETH bridge but also from a percentage of OpenSea royalties. + +&#x200B; + +🔥What NFT will ever incentivise you to hold like the Sovereign Sphynx Council?! + +&#x200B; + +📱There's also an iPhone 13 giveaway running for anyone who joins the Discord and invites at least twenty-five (25) people. + +&#x200B; + +🤼‍♂️ All you have to do is grab an invite link and share it to as many people as you can. Make sure, though, that they verify themselves for them to be registered as your invites. But hurry up — time's a ticking! + +Reddit : [www.reddit.com/r/SphynxSwap/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SphynxSwap/) + +&#x200B; + +Instagram: [https://instagram.com/sphynxswap](https://instagram.com/sphynxswap) + +&#x200B; + +Twitter: [https://twitter.com/sphynxswap](https://twitter.com/sphynxswap) +I figured this is worth sharing with the rest of us here - it's from Scott's (free) weekly newsletter. + +I'll be honest - I don't wholly buy everything Scott says: but this advice is, I think, cogent and helpful to at least understand this side of the argument. + +(I do hope that by quoting this I'm not breaking any moderator rules. Please accept my apologies if so.) + + +>***Subject: I’m Terrified!*** +*Dear Scott,* +*I am in my late fifties and am terrified by the current coronavirus climate. I have my own super fund and it’s dropped $40,000 in the last fortnight, from $370,000 to $330,000. I know what you are going to say -- sit tight! -- but every fibre in my being is screaming ‘sell!’.* +*Anne* +> +>Okay, so a few things you need to know before I answer Anne’s question: +> +>I’ve changed her name. +> +>And it’s a few weeks old, so her super would presumably be down *much* more than $40,000 by now. +> +>Finally — and most importantly — I’m not going to be an investment jerk and just cut-and-paste some Warren Buffett quote about ‘focusing on the long term’ (from an 89-year-old, no less). +> +>After all, it’s one thing to point to a chart … and totally next level to see $40,000 (and counting) disintegrate before your very eyes. +> +>The fear people are feeling right now is real, and very raw. +> +>So to Anne’s question: +> +>Anne, +> +>You’re facing some tough decisions, so I want you to take a few deep breaths and walk through them with me. +> +>Make no mistake, the past three weeks have been emotionally harrowing, especially for older people. +> +>The thing is, you’ve framed your question as ‘either/or’: either sell and stop the losses, or hang on and hope it gets better. +> +>Yet it’s more complicated than that … +> +>Let’s say you make your investment decisions like a mad shopper in Coles, hurtling down the aisle and hip-and-shouldering a five-year-old girl out of the way to claim that last pack of sweet-ass Sorbent. +> +>In other words, you’re so panicked by the ‘global recession’ headlines that you sell your super investments and move all your money to the ‘safety’ of cash. +> +>Job done, right? +> +>Well, no. +> +>Here’s what happens next: +> +>By selling out, you’ve ‘locked in’ your losses — at a time where the share market is down 25% in three weeks.In other words, you’ll miss out on the massive upswings that history tells us occur, eventually, after every crash. +> +>You’ll have effectively switched the compound interest machine to ‘off’. +> +>But it gets worse ...The tax man will come knocking on your already wounded portfolio. +> +>In other words, you’ll have to pay capital gains tax (CGT) of 10% if you hold your investments longer than 12 months, but 15% if held for less than 12 months. +> +>And worse still ... +> +>Your super will now be parked in cash, and it’ll therefore be guaranteed to lose you money each year. +> +>Why? +> +>Because prices rise faster than your money earns in interest (otherwise known as ‘inflation’). +> +>Think of it as the financial equivalent of standing in quicksand: each year you sink a little lower. +> +>Here’s you: +> +>“Well at least I won’t be watching my money go down the toilet before my eyes!” +> +>Here’s me: +> +>“I completely understand where you’re coming from, and I’ve heard it all before.” +> +>Specifically, back in 2009, in the depths of the GFC, I had retirees writing to me saying the exact same thing. +> +>Quite a few of them sold their shares, deciding to wait till the coast was clear before they got back into the market. +> +>You know what? +> +>They’re STILL waiting for the coast to be clear … +> +>And here’s the thing: I can tell you after 20 years of being in the investment game that the coast is never clear. +> +>Truth be told, the thing that makes the stock market so scary is that you can’t control it ... as we’ve seen this week — it’s driven by the same people who hoard Sorbent and rice for a 14-day cleanse. +> +>So, Anne, let’s instead focus on some things you can control: +> +>One, make sure you’re in a low-cost fund with the right asset allocation for your age (if you’re unsure, it’s a good idea to sit down with a fee for service financial advisor and check). +> +>Second, once you’ve done that, just STOP LOOKING AT YOUR SUPER. Granted, it sounds simple, but it works. +> +>(It’s a bit like watching *Married at First Sight* — instead of getting all riled up at the antics of badly behaving bogans, just switch off the telly.) +> +>Third, you can put your investment decisions on autopilot: you can actually take advantage of these market falls while you’re still working by automatically saving MORE money into your super while shares are cheaper (talk to your fund). +> +>And finally, in the years before you’re about to retire, begin building up a cash buffer of around three years of living expenses (less any pension payments), so you can ride out any market bumps — like this one — without having to sell. +> +>Anne, I can’t guarantee where the share market will be in a year or two. No one can. Yet what I can tell you is that the biggest risk you face is not the short-term movement of the share market — it’s having your super eaten away by inflation. +> +>Don’t flush your retirement down the toilet! +> +>*Tread Your Own Path!* +I was told that I'm too young for dividends, that they're meant for old timers who can draw it out to live out their retirement. But I'm genuinely interested in investing in dividend stocks and ETFs for the sole purpose of monthly income. The thought of making an extra $100 - $500 a month from simply holding stocks sounds appealing. I understand this will take time but is anyone doing this or has thoughts, input? + +> Credit Suisse raised its year-end forecast for the S&P 500 to $3,025 from $2,925. + +> The bank's chief U.S. equity strategist Jonathan Golub said the "receding" risks will drive the market higher. + +> "Less hawkish comments from the Fed, declining inflation and recession fears, and the potential for a resolution to China trade issues are the primary forces driving volatility and spreads lower, and stocks higher," Golub said. + +https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/18/credit-suisse-raises-sp-500-forecast-sees-20percent-gain-for-2019.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard +Tldr: looking for somewhere to stash cash for 2-3 years. Better thank Bank? + +I have a day job and own 3 businesses. I pay myself a quarterly distribution from each company (I think that's important to this). I would like to buy the building my shops are in. But I know I'll need $70-90k for a down payment. Which I can easily do in 2-3yrs, plus have extra set aside for emergencies. Also, I pay the taxes on the distributions when I receive them. + +I'd like to put the quarterly money somewhere that it can do more for me than a savings account. But where I can get it all at once when I'm ready to pull the trigger. + +Any suggestions? +I think it’s very near go time. RC going grayscale, reverse repo over 1 trillion, record low volume under 1 million, the ‘Oh my god, they’ve killed Kenny tweet’, CNBC taking a swing at Gary Gensler over dark pools, the 7:41-7:53 theory, the new distribution locations, debt paid, the rumored NFT dividend. I’ve never felt so much confirmation bias all at one time. + +It’s just a ton going on at once and it looks a lot like HFs are losing control of the situation. Hopefully I’m right and we take flight in the upcoming days or weeks. See all you fookin’ silverbacks on the other side. 🦍🚀👨🏻‍🚀 +>So what to do ? + +>If you can afford to hold the stock, you hold. I dont own it, but thats what i would do. + +>Why ? because when RH and the other online brokers open it back up to buyers, then we will see what WSB is really made of. That is when you get to make it all work. + +>**I have no doubt that there are funds and big players that have shorted this stock again thinking they are smarter than everyone on WSB.** + +>I know you are going to hate to hear this, but **the lower it goes, the more powerful WSB can be stepping up to buy the stock again.** + +words of wisdom from Mark Cuban's AMA on 2/2/2021 + +www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets/comments/lawubt/hey_everyone_its_mark_cuban_jumping_on_to_do_an/ +This is extremely important - I am posting this solely to spread awareness and information. + +MASSIVE FOLLOWUP POST: [I SMELL BULLSHIT](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/ombmj8/i_smell_bullshit/) + +While we were having amazing AMA's and learning from our Queen Kong how to vote our shares, it seems a certain (now moderator) was pumping weed stocks and crying out that "diamond hands = bagholders". Here is the post. + +[https://web.archive.org/web/20210716144742/https://www.reddit.com/r/SNDL/comments/mmub30/sndl\_why\_its\_in\_my\_portfolio\_and\_why\_the\_company/?utm\_name=iossmf](https://web.archive.org/web/20210716144742/https://www.reddit.com/r/SNDL/comments/mmub30/sndl_why_its_in_my_portfolio_and_why_the_company/?utm_name=iossmf) + +It is important to note that this mod has had access to Satori and its code since Mid May. It is no longer drama and it will directly affect any FUD campaign and the overall direction of this sub. Imagine the "news" we read is filtered and guided just as the MSM. Imagine the posts and those who are in positions of authority in our community guide us to beliefs that MOASS is not what it's meant to be, that our opponent is not what it's meant to be. + +The point of this is to bring awareness and to remember that buy and hodl are the resounding prominence of this sub. No idols, no mod worship, no ape worship. I LIKE THE STOCK. I am most likely going to get downvoted or reported as suicidal and this post will get taken down. I AM NOT SUICIDAL AND I DO NOT WISH TO HARM MYSELF OR OTHERS. + +EDIT 9: PINK HAS BEEN BANNED PERM FROM SUPERSTONK + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/32wmhdrsomb71.png?width=744&format=png&auto=webp&s=b46d81571c4ff0ac2e36f9a2395b3619de5d29be + +EDIT 8: In line with keeping things factual there is a reply from Satori team member below: + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/flf4t15dkmb71.png?width=687&format=png&auto=webp&s=7f6fb38095a7e5f6251bdce83caa8e3d621b95be + +EDIT 7: Castle of Glass DD author /u/3for100specials had a very hard time getting his DD up and is blowing his whistle. + +&#x200B; + +[Unbelievable- this is in reply to Rensoles pin in edit 4](https://preview.redd.it/rqduy1heimb71.png?width=660&format=png&auto=webp&s=ccbf37a43806f145371cf7dae4db1aa50af78792) + +&#x200B; + +EDIT 6: + +https://preview.redd.it/n56xz2boemb71.jpg?width=935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61c08e203ece3c1db31962fe2dc7d5c60ec1da61 + +EDIT 5: Mods are now combing through this post. It will be forever saved here : [https://web.archive.org/web/20210716184523/https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/olimp5/important\_and\_needs\_to\_be\_seen/](https://web.archive.org/web/20210716184523/https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/olimp5/important_and_needs_to_be_seen/) + +EDIT 4: It is speculated that this mod has had Satori access in the discord for developing Satori "Shill Net". + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/22zd9d4xdmb71.png?width=727&format=png&auto=webp&s=2c05bad9d3ae93a465eceb7e519d9cb31903a2f8 + +EDIT 3: Decide for yourself - March 20th after the first sneeze. Could be a slight against people left holding after the "inital squeeze?" COULD BE. Nothing is certain. Use your own discretion. + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/uwxoiy7o3mb71.png?width=582&format=png&auto=webp&s=c81a807d70e3477d057f1a3b8ede3f5f36738bd5 + +EDIT 2: Further concerning threads + +Wasn’t this the same person who received mod privileges and news immediately came out that she said GME was just a pump and dump? There was a screenshot of the convo in which she said this, but it has since been removed. Looks like this was given “debunked” flair by the mods and post is deleted. I’m confused. There was a screenshot of her saying this so what is there to debunk? + +[https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/obsdfz/new\_mod\_madie\_thinks\_gme\_is\_a\_pump\_and\_dump\_would/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=ios\_app&utm\_name=iossmf](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/obsdfz/new_mod_madie_thinks_gme_is_a_pump_and_dump_would/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) + +EDIT: Made a reply below about why this is important: + +"You are zen and I admire that, I am too but you had to go through a lot to get there, I assume? It's not like you showed up and instantly knew everything about the GME situation (if you did I'm jealous). Think of the new apes, think outside of yourself. I know you're speaking on behalf of yourself but imagine the crowd JUST getting in now as they start to see LinkedIN news and MSM lying their asses off. Do you want them to find THIS superstonk or the superstonk that fostered this growth in the first place?" +I’ll contribute to the thread myself. I’m not to that point but hope to be/likely to be one day if I maintain my path. I also grew up in poverty. How it effects me? Spending has always been hard with me. For some weird reason I still have a hard time with small expenses, such as using napkins as often as I want without feeling guilty or getting little luxuries. At the same time I finally can allow myself to have a big expense for housing so live in a nice home. + + +Another impact is that I’d bet the idea of financial independence excites me much more than others in this position, but that’s just a guess because I’ve only ever been one person. I think about the future and run calculations very often, and it just feels like winning the lottery to me. I can’t imagine having a SWR that allows me to spend $150-200/year. I can’t even wrap my head around how wild that is to me, but at the same time the math says I’m well on my way if I can maintain a good job and income. So, it’s surreal. I look forward to not having “spending anxiety” and giving to others near me who are in need the most, I always feel so much for them having been through it. + + +I just want to hear from people like me, and see if they feel the same way. Or even better, people like me who are actually at the destination, and see how they feel. +I thought this might be of interest as I don’t work for a tech company or as a doctor making 6 figures, I’ve made a pretty modest income but have had a very high savings rate. + +#Background: +25 years old, single, pilot. I graduated college about 3.5 years ago with $40k in student debt. I didn’t have a real “big boy” job until about 6 months after I graduated. + +I’ve always been financially literate, thanks to my father. He kept me out of the super expensive brand name schools (embry riddle), taught me how to save and invest money, and most importantly instilled a non-stop work ethic. Combined with reading financial subreddits almost daily, I think I have a good amount of financial knowledge. + +#Timeline, all at the end of the stated year. +**2017:** NW: -$35000. Salary $55000. Started my first real job after college in late 2017. The first few months of making that much money I went a bit overboard, after tax I was making something like $2800/mo and spending all of it. A few months of wondering where all of my money was going, I realized I needed to cut back on my expenses. + +**2018:** NW: -12K ish. Same job. Increased salary to $68k. Aggressively paying off my student loans, with something like $20k left. + +**2019:** NW: $17000. Started a new job at the end of 2019. Now hourly, but make between $60-80/year depending on how much I work. + +**2020:** NW: $67000. Same job. Ended up grossing $61k. Moved in with my parents during covid as my job security decreased. My expenses became nearly 0. I saved massive amounts of money as I was fearful for an extended furlough. I was lucky and was never furloughed. + +**April 2021:** NW: $101000. Stock market gains and low expenses have fueled my savings over Q1. My most recent paycheck finally pushed me to six figures. I have worked as much as humanly possible this year and have grossed $35k YTD. I don’t think I can multiply that by four to make $120k+ this year though. + +#Lessons Learned: +While I absolutely love money, seeing my accounts grow day by day, and working as much as possible to see my paycheck be what it has been, I do realize I have neglected a lot of social aspects of life. I haven’t dated anyone in years. The only people I hang out with are coworkers on layovers. I have a friend group from college, but we are spread all over the US. I am most definitely lonely at times and I feel helpless. I can make excuses all day for why this is, but in general it’s a combination of self confidence issues and frugality. + +I really do love my job. I often get home from work and sit around waiting to go back out. Why would I sit here and play video games when I could be getting paid to fly? + +DAY TRADING WILL FUCK YOU. I learned about Wallstreetbets back in like 2018. This was after the crazy bitcoin runup and drop. I decided to get more involved with investing. I learn best by doing, and that involved me losing lots of money on options and stocks. It was addicting. I learned a lot, but I lost a lot of money. Eventually I figured out day trading was a total waste of time. I see peers doing it now and I get a chuckle when I see them think they are JP Morgan himself, since I was there once. Ultimately, using emotion of any kind to make trades is a poor idea. + +Don’t touch your 401k. In 2018, at the height of me trying to be the wolf of wall street, I switched my 401k to all bonds just before the market dropped hard in October. I thought that this was the next recession and bonds would be a good profitable placeholder until the bottom hit. I did well with the bonds, but ultimately I held them too long and missed out on gains. + +My brokerage account grew massively in 2020 for various reasons related to job security. My industry (the airlines) has been in the worst shape it has ever been in. Luckily, the government gave out grants to the airlines specifically to keep everyone on payroll during covid times. I made as much as possible and saved it all. I didn’t want to get stuck with a 1-2 year furlough with all of my money in a 401k. So my savings account grew. And grew. And grew. My “emergency fund” could now last me nearly 3 years on my current expense rate, and probably even longer if I really went barebones. I realized it was fucking stupid to have like $30k as an emergency fund when my expenses were $500/mo. I decided to invest the majority of that in index funds. I finally realized I was putting 2-3k/mo into my brokerage and needed to up my 401k contribution. Currently I sit at a 50% contribution to my roth 401k. This allows me to contribute that same 2-3k/mo to investments, with enough take home to cover my expenses. + +Dogecoin. Wow. I mined dogecoin on my computer back when it was created in 2013/14. Had 150k doge. Converted it to Bitcoin in 2017 when it was getting close to $.01. Look at it now lol + +#The future: +I don’t have a desire to have the standard American lifestyle of get married, have 2.5 kids, live in the suburbs, etc. I would much rather spend most of my time traveling, seeing new things, meeting new people. + +Student loans are deferred until September. Ideally once they become active again I’ll pay them off in full, unless the government decides to erase some of them. Its only $6k at 3.5%. + +Ideally this summer I will reduce how much I work and take time off to enjoy the good weather, my travel benefits, and easing covid restrictions. + +I am actively looking for a new job as I would like to relocate to another area of the US. + +I realize this is Financial independence, where people generally want to retire early. I’m not sure I want to do that. I really like what I do. I get to go on vacation all the time, whether that’s during work or when I have days off. Its pretty easy work for the most part. And when you’re old it pays really well as you have seniority. + +My long term goals are pretty simple. Have a smaller house somewhere west of the Rockies or in Hawaii. Be 100% electric, solar panels, battery backups, electric car. Have a big garden with all sorts of fruit trees and vegetable plants. I’m kind of a hippie at heart. Own a small airplane where I fly around the US on my days off. + +Overall, I’m proud of my accomplishment. It’s nice knowing I now have a nice nest egg to always fall back on in the event I get laid off or something. I think I need to reduce my savings rate/work less and have more fun. If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Would like to hear your thoughts :) + +#Edit + +Didn't realize that even this income level is still pretty high compared to others, didn't realize that at all since all of my peers seem to make more than me (or at least are renting really nice apartments, new cars, going out all the time, etc). Sorry if it came off as insensitive, mainly just wanted to show that its not only possible for people making 6 figures to get their finances in order. + +If you can take away one thing from this, its get into the workforce as soon as possible. I graduated in 3 years because I stayed during summers to finish school earlier. I still had peers pass me in certain aspects in school because I lagged behind in some things. I definitely benefited from graduating early and immediately getting into the workforce. I also had a set goal before I went to school and didn't change majors. Shit if you can get college classes completed in high school, do it. Make college as cheap and as quick as possible. But don't forget to have fun in college, I had a lot of fun there while still maintaining my goals of graduating early. +Welcome to the Daily General Discussion thread of /r/EthTrader. + +*** + +Thread guidelines: + +- Please refrain from discussing non-Ethereum related tokens here. You are welcome to discuss altcoins in the Daily Altcoin Discussion thread. +- All [sub rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/about/rules/) apply here so please be familiar with them. + +*** + + Resources and other information: + +* Find the latest Altcoin Discussion thread in [this search listing](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/search?q=author%3Aautomoderator+title%3Aaltcoin&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all). + +* Newcomers who have basic questions about Ethereum can find answers by visiting /r/EthereumNoobies or our Ethereum Education wiki page, [see here](https://www.reddit.com/r/ethtrader/wiki/education). + +* To view live streaming comments for this thread, [click here](https://reddit-stream.com/comments/auto). Account permissions are required to post comments through Reddit-Stream.com. + +*** + +Enjoy! + +I’m new to fatFIRE and one of the things I most value is hiring top tier experts. + +When I was FIRE but not fat, I’d Google or Yelp for “best dentist” in my city or read specialist forums to find the best tailor I could actually afford. Or spend weeks researching supplements/exercise equipment/etc to find the best products. I can continue doing all of that, but it’s incredibly time consuming and I’d rather hire experts to do it for me. + +But the best people don’t need to advertise because they have word of mouth. Also, several services I’m looking for can be full remote. When you’re open to potentially hiring anyone in the world, or at least anyone in the USA, how do you do that search? + +Some of the services I’m most interested in: + +- High end interior designer: this one might need to be local or willing to do a few weeks in my city. +- Personal stylist: 2-4 in person visits yearly in a major city. +- Nutrionist / dietician: this one can live literally anywhere and be full remote for consultations. +- MD specializing in longevity: review comprehensive blood work yearly and work with my other specialists as needed. Potentially also in charge of my parents’ health because they’re getting older. +- Personal trainer: more for personalized program design and home gym design rather than actual in-person training sessions. +- Plastic surgeon: no specific needs, basically want to ask “what could we do?” +- Dental surgeon: I need my wisdoms out and it’s a bad case. I found someone very good in my area, but I’ll go anywhere for someone even better. + +Basically, I want to throw money at the things I find important. If a good exercise bike is $1k and the best exercise bike is $10k, that’s worth the premium for even a 5% improvement. I don’t want to spend the time finding that bike, I want to hire experts who are at the bleeding edge of their fields and outsource those parts of my life to them at the “no compromises” level - the ones who know the best new toys, read the journals, and follow the latest research. + +I realize this is a pretty high standard, but this is what I want out of my fatFIRE life. I just have no idea how to even begin finding these people and hope that others here have some advice! +If you are bored to read the whole recent story please proceed to the TLDR. + +A few months ago I posted here about a big loss. After that I took a break for 3 months and I resumed by creating a CFD account and adding 1000 euros to it. + +I managed to take the account to 1300 and withdrew 300 euro, leaving only the initial amount in it. Then 2 days later I slipped to my old habits and lost 400 euro, taking the account down to 600 euro. Then brought the account to 900 euro and after that it slipped to 300 euro. I decided to withdraw all the funds and stop trading until I could put my shit together. + +1.5 months later I deposited 550 euro and managed to take the account to 1040 euro. What happened next was the same old story. From 1040 the account went at one point to 280 euros. And then I took it back to 940 euro. + +Yesterday , once again broke my rules, managed to lose 400 euro. I withdrew the whole amount and decided to do the FTMO 20k euro funded trader challenge. + +I was up 230 euro for the day, and then one 50 euro loss started it all. Ended the day from +230 euro to -460 euro, at 19560 euro, and close to the max daily loss , from which I would be disqualified immadiately. + +TLDR: + +&#x200B; + +I have been trying to control my emotions since I started trading 2 years ago. My emotions fuck me up. My mentality is bad, and it shows in my swings. I eat like a bird , with streaks of several green days and then I shit like an elephant. I take big risks for small returns. And then If I lose I scale up (a perfect specimen of Martingale) and eat dirt. I rarely take the right decisions when I have to trade my real money. My normal (not funded challenge) demo account, is consistently green. + +I can't control myself, I have put so much value in money itself that any loss of it during trading is triggering a series of bad events. Thought that the funded trading thing would be easier, because it is also a demo account, but in reality, my mind probably perceived it differently because I paid for it. + +My quiver is running out of arrows. I want, but can't become a better version of me. + +A psychologist I visisted recently, told me I might have ADHD, based on my mood swings, the way I perceive myself and my behavior pattern in general ( he doesnt know anything trading related). + +Is there a light in the tunnel? Because I am running out of batteries... +https://www.forbes.com/sites/billybambrough/2020/12/16/bitcoin-just-smashed-through-20000-whats-next/?sh=241d5f644d89 + +https://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-price-breaks-20k + +https://cointelegraph.com/news/bitcoin-price-hits-20-000-for-the-first-time-in-history + +https://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/breaking-bitcoin-finally-cracks-20-000-for-the-first-time-ever-202012161344 + +https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/16/bitcoin-breaks-above-20000-for-the-first-time-ever.html + +https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/88037/bitcoin-price-breaks-above-20000-1 +I'm 25. Earn 45k a year and work in accounting. I don't like my job but not sure what else to do. + +Went through a depressive episode where i blew all my savings gambling, on alcohol and other stuff. + +&#x200B; + +Now i have to start again (have $500 in my bank account) I also drive an old bomb which im embarrassed about. My parents ask me why i don't upgrade but i'm too ashamed to say anything. + +&#x200B; + +Honeslty what can i do? It just seems pointless. SO what i i can save around $2600 a month. It will take me years just to buy an ok car and even longer to buy a house and i have to do it all working in a career i hate. I feel trapped. Sometimes i just feel like offing myself. Just can't be fucked with life anymore. + +&#x200B; + +What would you do if you were me? +\[This post is dedicated to the people who keep messaging me every day asking for financial advice.\] + +Good afternoon r/dividends, + +For those not familiar with United States financial laws, the title of this post may be rather jarring to you. After all, the lead moderator of r/dividends not using a bank. It sounds crazy. But allow me to explain. I keep 100% of my liquid financial assets (cash) at a Credit Union. + +Some of you may be confused. Some of you may think this post was clickbait. I can assure you it is not. Here in the United States, Credit Unions are **extremely** distinct from banks. Here are some exerpts per Wikipedia's [article on the subject](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_union). + +> Credit unions differ from [banks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank) and other financial institutions in that those who have accounts in the credit union are its members and owners, and they elect their board of directors in a [one-person-one-vote system](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_man_one_vote) regardless of their amount invested. +> +>Credit unions offer many of the same financial services as banks but often use different terminology. Typical services include share accounts ([savings accounts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savings_account)), share draft accounts ([checking accounts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Checking_account)), [credit cards](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_card), share term certificates ([certificates of deposit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Certificate_of_deposit)), and [online banking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_banking). Normally, only a member of a credit union may [deposit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deposit_account) or [borrow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan) [money](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money). Surveys of customers at banks and credit unions have consistently shown significantly higher customer satisfaction rates with the quality of service at credit unions. +> +>Credit unions have historically claimed to provide superior member service and to be committed to helping members improve their financial situation. In the context of [financial inclusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_inclusion), credit unions claim to provide a broader range of loan and savings products at a much cheaper cost to their members than do most [microfinance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfinance) institutions. +> +>In the credit union context, "[not-for-profit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not-for-profit)" must be distinguished from a charity. Credit unions are "not-for-profit" because their purpose is to serve their members rather than to maximize profits, so unlike charities, credit unions do not rely on donations and are financial institutions that must make what is, in economic terms, a small [profit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profit_(economics)) (i.e., in non-profit accounting terms, a "surplus") to remain in existence. According to the [World Council of Credit Unions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Council_of_Credit_Unions) (WOCCU), a credit union's [revenues](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue) (from loans and investments) must exceed its operating expenses and [dividends](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dividend) (interest paid on deposits) in order to maintain capital and solvency. +> +>In the United States, credit unions incorporated and operating under a state credit union law are tax-exempt under [Section 501(c)(14)(A)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)). Federal credit unions organized and operated in accordance with the [Federal Credit Union Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Credit_Union_Act) are tax-exempt under [Section 501(c)(1)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/501(c)). +> +>Credit unions often form cooperatives among themselves to provide services to members. A [credit union service organization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_union_service_organization) (CUSO) is generally a for-profit subsidiary of one or more credit unions formed for this purpose. For example, [CO-OP Financial Services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CO-OP_Financial_Services), the largest credit-union-owned [interbank network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbank_network) in the United States, provides an ATM network and shared branching services to credit unions. Other examples of cooperatives among credit unions include credit counseling services as well as insurance and investment services. +> +>In the United States, federal credit unions are chartered by and overseen by the [National Credit Union Administration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Credit_Union_Administration) (NCUA), which also provides deposit insurance similar to the manner in which the [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Deposit_Insurance_Corporation) (FDIC) provides deposit insurance to banks. State-chartered credit unions are overseen by the state's financial regulatory agency and may, but are not required to, obtain deposit insurance. Because of problems with bank failures in the past, no state provides deposit insurance and as such there are two primary sources for depository insurance – the NCUA and [American Share Insurance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Share_Insurance) (ASI), a private insurer based in Ohio. + +Here in the United States, 41% of Americans old enough to have a control over a financial account already utilizes a credit union as their primary financial services provider. These are **not** banks. They by legal definition cannot be banks. A bank is by its very nature a for-profit entity. A credit union can never be for-profit. + +To all the people messaging me daily asking for financial advice, asking me where to put your money, I would recommend a credit union. I have never seen a bank even come close to matching the interest rate of my local credit union. I recommend pulling out google and searching around your area. A lot of credit unions are geography based. So long as you live within a certain distance of a branch of the credit union (ie the same county) you are eligible to become a member (though many do have other requirements, such as a particular employer, income level, etc.). + +I personally see the greatest asset of credit unions coming in the form of all the services they provide. Things like free financial and investment advice (excellent for new investors), as well as easy to understand savings options to help build your wealth. Things like Money Market Accounts, IRAs, and even savings accounts. Credit Unions do them better and they give you more money, because they do not have to make a profit. Just enough to keep the lights on. + +I would at least consider it when choosing which company you will keep your money in for the rest of your life. I have been a credit union member since the day I was born, and my future children will be the same way. + +If you are not from the US, please check your local listings (and maybe pick up a user flair for your particular country. They're free.) + +Thank you for your participation in r/dividends. +Reddit and subs generally have only few rules, but I think that new users (sub 90days) haven't read those. + +Breaking Reddit ToS repeatedly will have eventual consequences. This isn't twitter. If sub will get nuked, +**any new similar subs** that are used to circumvent the ban will be nuked as well. i.e. r/superstonk2 etc. +It has happened more than few times in the past to larger subs and this time will not be any different. + +Pinging other subs users just to diss them, harassing them on other subs or anything like that +should not be done or encouraged. You are doing everyone disfavor by doing that. + +If the nuking of the sub happens: It was your fault. Not shills, wsb, nor admins or anyone else's. + +Edit word. +https://www.reddit.com/r/financialindependence/comments/c8p9r2/2_healthcare_professionals_journey_towards_fire/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf + +EDIT: Thanks for the silver! +EDIT 2: Thank you so much for the gold! I’ve never received gold before and I feel honored! +EDIT 3: Thanks to everyone’s feedback, if I missed responding to you, I’m still working my way through the messages. + +I’m back! 133 Days since I posted the above & we’ve successfully paid off our Student Loans. We started our fulltime RV life just over a year ago and we had $125k of student loans. We officially paid off $133,060.00 as our 1st major step towards FI. Now we can turn our attention to other investments and continue with our other strategies. + +We made it, but didn’t come without struggles. In the middle of our journey we encountered a lay-off which presented a minor setback, but fortunately turned out to be a blessing. + +We originally committed to a year of RV living, but now have decided to continue for at least another 2 years. + +The biggest update to our numbers are our EF which is now $20k and our IRA’s have grown by about $10k. We also will finish the year strong with our investment property and hoping to add another sometime in 2020. We really plan to be aggressive about our savings rate as well. + +As for additional strategies, we’ve looked at adding SEPIRAs as well as annuities. Anyone have pro-tips for these or suggestions? Thanks for reading! +Im only 20 and am trying to build a string long term investment foundation. What are some cryptos that are working to solve a problem? Dont have to explain much, id rather do my own DD + +Strong* +The Department of Justice announced an aggressive plan for going after white-collar crime. In such a way that makes sure to get top level, repeat offenders and stop companies from policing themselves. + +https://preview.redd.it/dzj3r2tq9r481.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=ada843245f5ee9e723192320237044ffbcb7d741 + +SAUCE: [https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/deputy-attorney-general-lisa-o-monaco-gives-keynote-address-abas-36th-national-institute](https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/deputy-attorney-general-lisa-o-monaco-gives-keynote-address-abas-36th-national-institute) + +# They're going after C Suite, CEO's, CFO's.... + +>**The first announcement:** augments our efforts to ensure individual accountability. To hold individuals accountable, prosecutors first need to know the cast of characters involved in any misconduct. To that end, today I am directing the department to restore prior guidance making clear that to be eligible for any cooperation credit, **companies must provide** +> +>**the department with all non-privileged information about individuals involved in or responsible for the misconduct at issue. To be clear, a company must identify all individuals involved in the misconduct, regardless of their position, status or seniority.** + +# No more repeat offender, pay-to-play. + +>**The second change:** I am announcing today deals with the issue of a company’s prior misconduct and how that affects our decisions about the appropriate corporate resolution.Today, the department is making clear that all prior misconduct needs to be evaluated when it comes to decisions about the proper resolution with a company, whether or not that misconduct is similar to the conduct at issue in a particular investigation. That record of misconduct speaks directly to a company’s overall commitment to compliance programs and the appropriate culture to disincentivize criminal activity.To that end, today I am issuing new guidance to prosecutors regarding what historical misconduct needs to be evaluated when considering corporate resolutions. This will include an amendment to the Department’s “Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations.” **Going forward, prosecutors will be directed to consider the full criminal, civil and regulatory record of any company when deciding what resolution is appropriate for a company that is the subject or target of a criminal investigation.** + +# No More "Self-Regulation" + +>**The final change:** I am announcing today deals with the use of corporate monitors. Stepping back, any resolution with a company involves a significant amount of trust on the part of the government. Trust that a corporation will commit itself to improvement, change its corporate culture, and self-police its activities. But where the basis for that trust is limited or called into question, we have other options. Independent monitors have long been a tool to encourage and verify compliance. In recent years, some have suggested that monitors would be the exception and not the rule. To the extent that prior Justice Department guidance suggested that monitorships are disfavored or are the exception, I am rescinding that guidance. **Instead, I am making clear that the department is free to require the imposition of independent monitors whenever it is appropriate to do so in order to satisfy our prosecutors that a company is living up to its compliance and disclosure obligations under the DPA or NPA.** + +The whole this is worth a read but here is her summary: + +>*I’m sure many of you in the audience are going to get calls from clients over the next few days with questions about what this all means. So, let me conclude by giving you the answers — with these five points: Companies need to actively review their compliance programs to ensure they adequately monitor for and remediate misconduct — or else it’s going to cost them down the line.For clients facing investigations, as of today, the department will review their whole criminal, civil and regulatory record — not just a sliver of that record.For clients cooperating with the government, they need to identify all individuals involved in the misconduct — not just those substantially involved — and produce all non-privileged information about those individuals’ involvement.For clients negotiating resolutions, there is no default presumption against corporate monitors. That decision about a monitor will be made by the facts and circumstances of each case.Looking to the future, this is a start — and not the end — of this administration’s actions to better combat corporate crime.* + +\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +I anticipate comments about how it's too little too late, or we can't trust anyone to help, or everyone is corrupt. I would hope before you leave such a comment you will have already contacted your representatives and let THEM know you're involved and aware of the bullshit. + +On that same token, I hope you also contact the people who ARE helping to express your support. [Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco](https://www.justice.gov/dag/staff-profile/meet-deputy-attorney-general) + +&#x200B; + +EDIT: This content is from October. I posted it then but it didn't get traction. + +You may enjoy these other posts: + +[The SEC Received so many Complaints, they had to hire Temps](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qlx84n/the_sec_received_so_many_official_complaints_tcrs/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) (My Favorite) + +[Apes Beat Down the Door of the SEC](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qw8s5a/apes_beat_down_the_door_of_the_sec_the_2021/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) (Also my Favorite) + +[The New Head of WhistleBlower](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qpj3wl/everyone_say_hello_to_nicole_creola_kelly_named/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) + +[Joint Treasury Report](https://www.reddit.com/r/Superstonk/comments/qqa34k/well_this_seems_interesting_a_joint_report_on/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) +By low frequency, I mean you built your trading strategy based on daily data rather than intraday data. The expected buy-sell cycle hence should roughly vary from several days to several weeks. Trading objects could be stocks, ETFs, futures, options, cryptocurrency, foreign currency. + +I personally feel these skills are important: + +- Python & R, +- Econometrics & Statistics, +- Machine learning, +- Asset pricing theories (e.g., CAPM, Option pricing), +- Macroeconomics in the short-run framework, +- Basic accounting + +There are skills I think are irrelevant to this time-frame trading strategy, but useful for other time-frame. For high frequency, +- C++, Java, +- Partial Differential Equation, +- Optimization, +- text mining. + +For extremely low frequency (holding for months or years), +- Advanced accounting +- Macroeconomics in the long-run framework, +- International Economics +- Politics +- Corporate Finance + +Other than these, what skill do you think is the most important one? Do you agree or disagree with my opinions? I really want to hear your opinions! +On paper/spreadsheet we're able to FIRE. As of today we have a fully paid off PPOR and assets worth 25 times our annual expenses! Feeling a mixture of excitement, surrealness and an urge to shout it from the roof (won't be a huge surprise to my partner when she gets home as we've been inching closer since January when we were at 88.35%). + +The rough plan is to keep doing more of the same; for me to slowly turn my job into a hobby (I'm 53 and work in an artistic field) and for the missus to keep slogging away in the corporate world for another five years, or until she's had enough. + +Thanks for listening! +An update to my [previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/thetagang/comments/i709b7/here_are_20_companies_with_45_dte_atm_put_premium/) last month. + +All put options shown expires October 16. These are the WSB version of theta gang. + +There's nothing here you would want to hold long term, but at 23% yield on collateral for 6 weeks or over 200% annualized and market fear the highest in recent months, these are worth further research and consideration. + +Also, shorting one of these puts fully cash secured is probably better than some of you guys that leverage 3x buying power selling puts on more boring stocks. At least you won't be margin called. + +&#x200B; + +|Ticker|Stock Price|Strike|Bid|Ask|PctOptionStrike|% OTM|Vol| +|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-|:-| +|TSLA|$418.32|$410P|$57.25|$65|15.12%|1.99%|1548| +|NVAX|$92.93|$90P|$14.4|$15.5|15.94%|3.15%|652| +|JMIA|$8.47|$8P|$1.3|$1.45|17.5%|5.55%|521| +|BTU|$2.7|$1P|$0|$0.15|15%|62.96%|512| +|GTX|$3.27|$2.5P|$0.5|$0.6|22%|23.55%|438| +|KODK|$6.5|$5P|$0.8|$0.9|17%|18.03%|350| +|RIG|$1.34|$1P|$0.07|$0.16|15%|25.37%|323| +|OSTK|$67.4|$65P|$10.2|$12.1|17.38%|3.56%|350| +|CVM|$13.56|$10P|$2.2|$2.5|24%|26.25%|216| +|PTON|$80.63|$80P|$12.25|$13.3|15.26%|0.78%|120| +|RIOT|$3.11|$3P|$0.6|$0.75|23.33%|3.54%|95| +|WKHS|$19.71|$17.5P|$3.1|$3.7|19.43%|11.21%|87| + +The scan is run on [FDscanner](https://app.fdscanner.com/), with pctOptionStrike set to 15%-50%, and expiry to 10/16. + +Every one of these stocks , TSLA (bubble), KODK (another bubble), OSTK (+4500% in 5 months), CVM (Biotech), RIOT (crypto mining), WKHS (12x in 5 months and another NKLA) are priced this way for a good reason, by people with way more resources than us. +# Introduction: + +This post will focus on breaking down the differences between 3 of the largest clean energy ETFs, QCLN, ICLN, and PBW. The focus will be exclusively on these ETFs and not single stocks. Now is an excellent time to invest in clean energy, According to several sources, renewables are set to represent ¾ of the $12T the world invests in new power technology through 2040. For the US alone almost $2 trillion is the investment needed to implement renewable energy targets by 2030. + +NOTE: It would be wise to keep a long-term investing mindset. Investments that focus on particular segments of the market can see significant short-term fluctuations in price. Additionally, in the past 10 years, clean energy ETFs have had returns that range from low single-digit gains to low single-digit declines. + +Alrighty let's get into it. + +# ICLN - iShares Global Clean Energy ETF : + +Between the 3, ICLN currently has the most assets under management at $2.05B and the lowest expense ratio at 0.46%, however, it is also the least diversified, having only 30 current holdings. This ETF tracks the S&P Global Clean Energy Index. ICLN holds a portfolio of 'clean energy' companies, such as biofuels, ethanol, geothermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind industries. Additionally it also holds companies that develop technology and equipment used in the process. It does not have exposure to the Electric Vehicle Market! Of these 3 it has the most Global Exposure. + +Top 10 sectors (5 in this case since it doesn't even have 10): + +* Renewable Energy Equipment & Services - **59.31%** +* Electric Utilities - **25.80%** +* Independent Power Producers - **9.28%** +* Multiline Utilities - **3.28%** +* Renewable Fuels - **2.32%** + +Top 10 holdings: SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. **7.50%,** Plug Power Inc. **7.21%,** Sunrun Inc. **7.16%,** Enphase Energy, Inc. **6.97%,** Xinyi Solar Holdings Ltd **6.24%,** First Solar, Inc **4.88%,** Vestas Wind Systems A/S **4.53%,** Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A. **4.50%,** Contact Energy Limited**3.48%,** Boralex Inc. Class A **3.42%. (NOTE** Total Top 10 Weighting - **55.89%)** + +# QCLN - First Trust NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy ETF: + +QCLN currently has $756 million assets under management with the middle expense ratio at 0.60%. Additionally, between these 3 ETFs, it is the second-most diversified with 43 current holdings. This ETF tracks the NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index, which, compared to the previous, includes a mix of U.S. and Canadian clean energy companies. For this ETF companies are from the following four sub-sectors: advanced materials (that enable clean-energy/reduce need for oil products), energy intelligence (smart grid), energy storage and conversion (hybrid batteries), or renewable electricity generation (solar, wind, geothermal, etc). + +Top 10 sectors: + +* Renewable Energy Equipment & Services - **32.34%** +* Auto & Truck Manufacturers - **23.97%** +* Semiconductors - **13.18%** +* Electric Utilities - **7.40%** +* Electrical Components & Equipment - **6.97%** +* Commodity Chemicals - **5.97%** +* Independent Power Producers - **3.21%** +* Construction Supplies & Fixtures - **2.45%** +* Commercial REITs - **1.70%** +* Heavy Electrical Equipment - **0.84%** + +Top 10 Holdings: NIO Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A **10.00%,** SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. **7.03%,** Enphase Energy, Inc. **6.53%,** Tesla Inc **5.94%,** Albemarle Corporation **5.06%,** ON Semiconductor Corporation **4.21%,** Brookfield Renewable Partners LP **4.08%,** Cree, Inc. **3.96%,** Universal Display Corporation **3.81%,** First Solar, Inc. **3.75%. (NOTE:** Total Top 10 Weighting - **54.37%)** + +# PBW - Invesco WilderHill Clean Energy ETF: + +PBW currently has $962 million assets under management with the highest expense ratio of 0.70%, however it is also the most diversified with 48 current holdings. PBW is more diverse than just industry pure-plays like wind, solar, and biofuels, it aims to include companies based on their perceived relevance to the renewable energy space as well. Additionally, it follows a tiered, equal-weighting structure and caps any holding to a tax of 4%. + +Top 10 sectors: + +* Renewable Energy Equipment & Services - **44.46%** +* Auto & Truck Manufacturers - **13.70%** +* Semiconductors - **7.36%** +* Commodity Chemicals - **6.74%** +* Construction & Engineering - **4.47%** +* Industrial Machinery & Equipment - **3.97%** +* Electric Utilities - **3.40%** +* Heavy Electrical Equipment - **3.17%** +* Renewable Fuels - **2.76%** +* Agricultural Chemicals - **2.17%** + +Top 10 Holdings: (Remember 4% cap) JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. Sponsored ADR **3.85%,** NIO Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A **3.12%,** Lithium Americas Corp. **3.06%,** Daqo New Energy Corp. Sponsored ADR **3.02%,** SunPower Corporation **2.93%,** Livent Corporation **2.85%,** Enphase Energy, Inc. **2.69%,** SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. **2.68%,** Kandi Technologies Group, Inc. **2.61%,** Sociedad Quimica Y Minera De Chile S.A. Sponsored ADR Pfd Class B **2.49%.** + +# Takeaway/Final Thoughts: + +Clean energy has a very bright future but the industry is still emerging. For this reason, market risk and price volatility may be higher than the broader market, and ETFs may be more favorable compared to individual stocks. + +**For those looking for a Clean Energy ETF that has more Global Exposure and is more diversified than ICLN, I would recommend checking out PBD - Invesco Global Clean Energy ETF.** + +As always thankyou for reading. This is not all inclusive so please do your own research to supplement, and if anyone else has any other great Clean Energy ETFs that they may prefer please comment! Have a good day everyone! + +Edit: Most sources would say to limit your cap your exposure to a market sector to 5%. This is, of course, up to personal preference, sector knowledge, and risk tolerance. + +Edit 2: One User reccomended CNRG, it is similar to PBW with slightly different weighting and more expose to Renewable Energy Equipment and Services. Definitely worth a closer look and consideration! +I’ve seen there is a bit of confusion on understanding why coins that are just deployed burn 50% or 99% of their supply. Some people say to increase scarcity. Sadly not, if they wanted a scarce coin they would have deployed it already with a low supply, so the answer is another: To hide their whales. + +If i deploy a coin on BSC with 100m supply and burn 50% of it as soon as it’s deployed, and own 10m of it myself, my wallet will be listed as having 10% of the supply while i have actually 20% of it, since BSCscan keeps in account also the burn address in the whole supply pool. + +If i deploy a 100m supply coin and hold 100k of it while burning 99% of the supply then my 100k will be listed as “only” 0.1% of the supply while i actually hold 10% of the circulating supply (the remaining 1 mil). And so on. + +So beware of coins that burn their supply as soon as they are deployed. +I’m 25, just graduated and am moving to a bigger city to start a sales job where they project 45-50k first year. Need help/advice in a few areas: +1. How do I budget? Does anyone have a simple spreadsheet or app that will make it easier? +2. Where and how much should I start investing? I want to for sure have a long term plan where most of my money goes. But also wouldn’t mind getting into the stock market and trying to make a little more short term. I just don’t know where to look for what I need/should get. +3. My buddy says I should ask for a different form (can’t remember the name) instead of a W2 and I’ll be able to get less money taken out of my checks. Is that suggested, I know it makes it so you get less on your tax return also? +4. Just any other tips, apps, advice, will also suffice!! + +I’m not very experienced in finances!! +I've just finished the Tony Robbins book 'master the game' and was surprised to learn quite a bit. Although annuities aren't for me, I want to expand my understanding. + + +In what interesting ways have you grown your money? +Old news for the seasoned investors, but there are always new folks here. Just wanted to use a real life example of how you can make steady gains without needing to chase new stocks. + +On a one year time horizon, I’m currently up around 25% in AAPL, and close to 400% in NET. However, my dollar gains in both stocks are less than 10% apart. While I may not have exploded on AAPL, DCA’ing in over a year has allowed to me to net the same dollar gains as a bet on growth stock. Just something to consider for newer investors. + +Edit: a lot of full time Reddit users are rushing to their keyboards to talk about longer time horizons. That’s not the point of this post. The point is to compare two different investments on the same REAL time horizon I’ve owned them to demonstrate that DCAing into blue chips can be just as rewarding in dollars as making small bets on growth stocks that turn out to be WILD SUCCESSES, let alone the ones that go negative. +Surprised Redfin is willing to come out and admit that, yes, home values can actually fall. + +They also actually think median rent will turn slightly negative, which is interesting. + +Thoughts? + + [Redfin’s 2023 Housing Outlook: A Post-Pandemic Sales Slump Will Push Home Prices Down For the First Time in a Decade (yahoo.com)](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/redfin-2023-housing-outlook-post-130000509.html?.tsrc=fin-srch) +I see a lot of FUD and bad DD going around r/wallstreetbets, and its time for more rational discussions about the state of GME and the potential for another bull run. It is possible, but people need to stop being next level retard. It is going to kill any opportunity to recover the stock unless we stop right now and get our heads straight on what's actually going on. So while I don't know shit and this isn't real financial advice, here's a more rational take on what we need to do to get GME moving again. + +Full disclosure: I was in GME in early December at around $15, I was a pussy ass paper hands and folded a winning play of $35 call for Jan 15th when it looked more and more unlikely. I got back in immediately for Feb 19th calls and turned 4k into 70k. I took some profits on the way up (I felt bad for doing so but I knew it was the big brain move, and in the end I pocketed 40k on 4k investment so 0 complaints from me). I'm still holding $115 calls made when the stock was $70 for Feb 19th, and made more 250 calls recently for Feb 26th and Feb 12th at $130 and $100 yesterday. I'm holding all of these till bust, so I'm in it to the moon. I have some shares too but those are a long play, I don't look at them. + +First, we need to accept or at least be open to the idea that the original short squeeze is done. The factors that led to it have changed, either the hedge funds reshorted at higher prices (around 200 most likely), or they can out last us because they know they have bail outs and the media has put the momentum against us. WE CANNOT COUNT ON THE ORIGINAL SHORT SQUEEZE TO REVIVE THIS STOCK. WHAT WE NEED IS AUTHENTIC BUYING AND NEW MOMENTUM. + +On that note, stocks can move ridiculous prices on low volume. What we need is real, authentic retail buying at prices up to at least $200. But right now GME looks like a sinking ship and no one wants to touch it with a 100 foot pole. So how do we fix that? We still have momentum on our side from a large number of believers from around the GLOBE that want a part in this once in a lifetime story. This is powerful but has to be used right, and that's hard when the brokers are shutting us out. But hope is not lost, and restrictions should lift over time. We need patience and resilience. + +We also need to stop telling people who aren't in this for the moment to hold till they die. Some people are losing REAL money over this and we're being complete assholes telling them to hold till they lose their life fortunes so we can make some tendies. Weak hands are going to sell and pressuring them to hold will make the FUD worse. If we want a come back we need the selling to stop, and that means we need to let the weak hands fold WHILE keeping the floor price above a certain level. Let's talk about volume. The recent 'low volume' isn't low compared to the past months, its just lower than the day when GME was THE MOST TRADED STOCK IN THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD. Stop talking about volume. REAL selling has happened, which is probably the institutions and the paper hands folding. We need to let this energy run its course. Don't act like it's going to the moon and to buy at any price, save our bullets for the hard line in the sand. + +Once the selling has stopped (and it will), we just need to regain momentum with organic buying. People all over the world are waiting on the sidelines for GME to look like its picking up steam again and they will PILE THE FUCK ON just like last time. If we push the price high enough, we can trigger another short squeeze but it is NOT the same conditions as the first one. Stop with the bullshit about ladder attacks (which I've only heard of on this reddit) and us being cheated by the big man, that only scares people away because they think the game is unwinnable. It is STILL a giant fuck you to wall street just by making this stock rocket again, the game does not have to be rigged to make this a david vs goliath story. Whether it is or isn't, that only creates more FUD. + +This sub needs to get its shit together. We need real authentic I LIKE THIS FUCKING STOCK for reasons OTHER than the short squeeze. Like GME just adding a fucking Amazon employee to the board and plans for it expanding online. There is REAL REASON to believe in GME, and that needs to turn into authentic buying, which will then create the momentum we need to get everyone else to pile on the stock again. But this shit about short squeezes and ladder attacks and $10,000 or bust needs to stop. It's just making this look like a sinking ship where everyone on it is stuck in the denial stage of grief. This stock has real potential to hit $300+ again, we just have to change our mind set and the game plan. And I'm too stupid to tell you how, but I know this isn't the way. So buy the fuck out of GME at current levels, but change the narrative to something that has actual basis in reality. And tell people to let the sellers sell so they stop keeping us down and we can get a real rally going. We have enough people on our side to move the needle and get the engine started again, its not over. But its gonna require patience and time and if you aren't in it for the long haul or are gonna pussy out on the way up then just sell now so we can start buying again. At this point, if you're not buying, either get off the ship or hold till death do us part. + +Best of luck retards, I know we can do this + + +Hey all, + +I was a bit bored so I started looking into the relationship between property prices and interest rates. Now I know all of you must be thinking 'mate its pretty simple, they are negatively correlated, not much to see here'. While this is true I wanted to actually map this out and see how true this is and if there is anything else that is interesting that is coming out of this data. I don't know if this actually useful to anyone but since I made the graph I thought I would put it up. Have a look : + +[https://imgur.com/a/Jbx2wPB](https://imgur.com/a/Jbx2wPB) + +**General Findings:** + +\- Spike in interest rates don't tend to stay high for very long. So my guess is this current spike in rates won't stick around for very long either. + +\-There has been a general decline in rates from 1975 which has likely helped the property boom. When you zoom out since, 1975 we have basically never broken this overall trend. Will we break it now, i assume we won't. We'll likely go lower again. + +\- We reached 'almost' zero rates recently which was new so I am not sure where go from here but it was very interesting. + +\- The decline in property prices in 2008 isn't specifically due to the BOE raising rates so I don't count this as a decline due to rising rates. + +\- Since 1975 there has only been one major property crash (1990s) and this was due to the sudden rise in rates. + +A . Rates went from 8% to 14% and property prices declined by 20% + +A . It took about 6 years to get back to pre crash values. + +**Where I got my data :** + +\- BOE rates just come from their website. + +\-London average property data was taken from the Land Registry. + +\- I only looked into London data since this is most relevant to me but you can probably do the same research for the rest of the UK. +Alt account looking for some help. + +We finished our remortgaging process this week. Transferring over £300k into a new mortgage, new provider. + +Solicitors earlier this week sent the settlement figure which I paid. I owed a little bit for an early exit charge. + +With the mortgage swapping over to the new provider, the solicitors sent me a new final statement which showed that the first mortgage provider had a ‘redemption on the accounts’ of £100k. Just under it, in the ‘balance due to you’, was a figure of £200k. Low and behold, it went into my account today. + +I have no idea where this money is coming from. It’s just a straightforward remortgage. I’m not increasing the value of the mortgage, nor reducing it. Straight swap. + +It’s too late to call the solicitors today to ask what’s going on, so I’m turning to Reddit. I’m freaking out! + +Anyone else had any weird monetary going’s on when remortgaging? Random large amounts coming into your account? Do they go back out again? + +I feel like that guy who had random money coming into his premium bonds - I just want to get this fixed. It’s painful looking at my account knowing it’s not there forever… +IRCTC, the company that sells and manages catering operations of Indian Railways is set for its Initial Public Offering on 30th of September. + +Source: [https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-irctc-ipo-date-announced-its-sept-30-price-band-to-be-out-sept-25-111225](https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-irctc-ipo-date-announced-its-sept-30-price-band-to-be-out-sept-25-111225) + +The price band will be out on 25th. + +Seems like IRCTC wants to ride the bull. What are this sub's thoughts on this? + +Edit: Also, with this IPO. The government's stake in IRCTC reduces to 12.5% +Both models were updated yesterday: + +[Atlanta](https://www.frbatlanta.org/cqer/research/gdpnow?panel=3) + +[New York](https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/policy/nowcast) + +I don't really know what to make of this. The two models are largely based on the exact same source data but use different mathematical models for their prediction. See the last FAQ on the Atlanta page. Does the current market have numbers like these priced in or will this come as a surprise at the end of July when the official numbers come out. +When you make a demand, and not only is every part of your demand met, but even more is given, that is the ultimate success. BIP148 advocates demanded that miners signal segwit unanimously by Aug 1. With the activation of BIP91, that goal appears to be imminent. As of writing this, all pools appear to be signalling. + +First, I would like to thank /u/shaolinfry for his inspiration in the formalization of UASF and BIP148. Without him, we wouldn't be here. + +I would like to thank Charlie Lee for getting the ball moving on Litecoin. Seeing the power of a UASF in action gave a lot of courage to the rest of us. + +I'd like to thank Samson Mow for his hat campaign (and a hat)! These hats grew larger than life and became a symbol of a movement. + +I wanted to give a special thanks to /u/luke-jr for being such a strong advocate and making such a convincing case for BIP148. I was ready to give up until I was inspired by Luke and became more inspired than ever in this fight. + +I'd like to thank /u/lightsword for getting BIP91 into btc1. Without his efforts, btc1 would never have been able to activate SegWit. + +Lastly, I'd like to support all the users who have been supportive and advocates for BIP148. You did this. Without help from Core (in fact, even many members of Core battling us), without the help of mining pools, you forced the miners hands, forced the NYA to comply with BIP148. Without such strong activism, BIP148 would have been ignored. + +The story of SegWit will no doubt be twisted by those seeking glory. We all know the truth. We all know that the entire reason for BIP91 in btc1 was due to BIP148's threat. They will give a few miners a way to save face while the other miners will simply run a patched Bitcoin Core. We got everything we wanted. + +I've seen a few /r/btc sockpuppets also trying to claim victory, claiming they fired Core. If anything, the success of BIP148 shows that Core is not in charge and the community is. No one can fire volunteers. Their dishonest claim of victory is apparent - they have gotten NOTHING out of this. They opposed SegWit, yet SegWit is inevitable. They wanted a hard fork, and the hard fork can be safely ignored. They wanted larger blocks, and they are getting the SegWit compromise of using block weight. The only thing they got was a new client (of which there already were dozens) that will likely be abandoned soon. There are no competent developers (other than Hilliard, who was simply getting BIP91 in) working on the project. They have little understanding of how Bitcoin works and even required being bailed out by Core a few times to even get something functional. The only thing they got was a miner commitment to hard fork (miners have done this before, yet I see no hard fork),and a few businesses saying they will hard fork. Even if there was a hard fork, its far from what they actually want - they claim 2MB blocks are too small anyway.. + +But we must stay vigilant. They will try to spin this as a mandate for a hard fork. We must be prepared to ignore it. The good news is, no one can force you to support a hard fork. So celebrate, but make sure to share the truth. They will claim victory, and claim they are in charge now, but in reality, we all know who is - you are. Don't give that up. +Genuinely curious to here from the tradies out there that have started their own business. + +We have alot of threads on here talking about salaries, WLB and benefits. I find these get mainly dominated by people in tech or government. + +Would love to hear from the other side of the fence, especially as I am from a HVAC Trade background myself. + +Whats the pay like? How about your hours? Any regrets? General experiences and anecdotes welcome. +On average… everything between the nice looking places with a somewhat inventive menu, all the way down to the high-street non-descript-style places with plastic wrapped muffins on the counter with 2 other of the same type places directly across the street? + +There are so many of (both kinds of) these all across Melbourne… do they make enough to live on? + +Reference post: https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/ohgaax/how_much_do_pizza_kebab_sushi_places_actually_make/ +**PsychoMarket Recap - Wednesday, March 10, 2021** + +Stocks were mostly higher on Wednesday after new data showed muted levels of inflation in consumer goods, helping quell fears of a rapid jump in prices during the economic recovery. Treasury yields retreated following the report. The 10-year Treasury yield is at 1.521% at the time of writing. The Dow Jones (DIA) closed 1.46% up, the S&P 500 (SPY) closed 0.59% up. After recordings its best day since April 2020, the Nasdaq fell 0.29%. + +The [Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI)](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm) on Tuesday showed core consumer prices increased less than expected in February.{prices paid by consumers rose only 1.3% in February over last year, coming in below the 1.4% increase expected and slowing from the prior month. While it may not seem like a lot, the report helps quell fears that as economic activity increased and more stimulus was unleashed into the economy, inflationary pressures would begin to materialize. This also suggests the Federal Reserve can maintain its accommodative monetary policy and avoid rising interest rates for the foreseeable future. + +Brian Levitt, global market strategist at Invesco said of inflationary jitters: “ “There’s the irony that in year one of a market recovery everybody doubts it and says how can this be happening if the economy isn’t good, and then in year two everybody struggles to assess whether \[the economy has\] just gotten too good too fast and it’s too hot. And so the last few days have been the latter story: Markets being disrupted by concerns of inflation and higher rates and premature Fed tightening. And today’s a little bit of a reprieve on that story as rates come down a bit and investors can start thinking about longer duration assets again.” + +Today, in Washington DC, the House of Representatives is set to vote on the $1.9 trillion stimulus package passed by the Senate over the weekend. The bill, which includes $300 per week in enhanced federal unemployment benefits through early September, $350 billion in state and local aid and $1,400 stimulus checks to Americans who qualify, is expected to easily pass and be signed into law by President Biden in the coming days. + +**Highlights** + +* Crazy action in Gamestop (GME) again with the stock peaking at around 40% up before quickly dropping back down. Price action in GME is unlike anything we have ever seen. +* General Electric (GE) announced a reverse 1-8 split, meaning that every 8 shares of GE will be converted to 1 share worth roughly $112 given the current $14 stock price. The reason is too lower the float of GE to be more comparable with industry peers. +* The National Hockey League and Walt Disney (DIS) have agreed to a seven-year TV, streaming and media rights deal that will bring games to ABC, ESPN and streaming platforms, the two organizations said on Wednesday. +* Roblox (RBLX) makes a strong trading debut, rising around 54%. +* Today, it was announced ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) added 949,200 shares of DraftKings to the ETF, bringing its holdings to about 1.7 million shares. +* **\*Please note current stock price was written premarket and does not reflect intraday movement.** +* BridgeBio Pharma (BBIO) target raised by Mizuho from $56 to $86 at Buy. Stock currently around $65 +* Comcast (CMCSA) target raised by Morgan Stanley from $62 to $65 at Overweight. Stock currently around $55.50 +* DraftKings (DKNG) with two target raises. Stock currently around $62 + * Credit Suisse from $84 to $85 + * Macquarie from $71 to $73 +* Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) with two target raises. The stock currently around $72 + * Barclays from $80 to $86 at Overweight + * Evercore ISI from $75 to $100 +* DOMO target raised by JMP Securities from $60 to $80 at Outperform. Stock currently around $62 +* Fate Therapeutics (FATE) target raised by Wells Fargo (WFC) from $84 to $130 at Overweight. Stock currently around $88.50 +* Fortinet (FTNT) with two target raises. Stock currently around $176 + * KeyCorp from $185 to $195 at Buy + * Raymond James from $175 to $200 at Outperform +* MongoDB (MDB) target raised by Needham & CO from $393 to $409 at Buy. Stock currently around $311 +* Micron Technology (MU) with too many target increases to list. Consensus price target around $120 at Buy. + * Stock currently around $89 +* Inari Medical (NARI) with three target rises. Stockl currently around $99 + * Wells Fargo from $112 to $125 + * SVB Leerink from $116 to $126 + * Morgan Stanley from $85 to $126 +* Planet Fitness (PLNT) target raised by Rober W. Baird from $90 to $100 at Outperform. Stock currently around $82 +* Snowflake (SNOW) target raised by Morgan Stanley (MS) from $265 to $270 at Equal-Weight. Stock currently around $230 + +“To bear trials with a calm mind robs misfortune of its strength and burden." - Seneca +https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-07/three-equifax-executives-sold-stock-before-revealing-cyber-hack + +Three Equifax Inc. senior executives sold shares worth almost $1.8 million in the days after the company discovered a security breach...None of the filings lists the transactions as being part of 10b5-1 pre-scheduled trading plans. Equifax Says Cyber Intrusion Affected 143 Million Customers. +It happened to me last night. I placed a few trades and the price literally went to the opposite of my direction with full momentum. Trades like this make me feel like I should of placed the opposite trade. A couple of them were less than 10 pips away from my stop but good thing it reverses because my stop loss levels are determined by ATR. But yeah it was really tough for me to hold the losing positions but I made it. Now the unrealized P&Ls are positive. Close call, tough to sit through. Trading is about psychology, couldn't agree more. +My mum is in a nursing home with dementia. She went there end of last year. We Initially managed to secure funding through the NHS, but this is getting cut from next week. + + We now need to pay £5200 a month in fees. Here is a summary of my mums monthly income: + + State pension £730.20 +Teachers pension: £261.11 +Private pension: £149.15 +Attendance Allowance: £369.60 +NHS Nursing care contribution: £836.76 +Rental income: £400 + +Total: £2746.82  + +The added complication is that my wife and I live in her house. Before she went into a home we cared for her ourselves for 4 years. As we've been here so long we have spent quite a bit of our own money renovating the house. We had plans to try and buy the house, but we are not sure about it anymore. + +The house has 4 bedrooms and a value of £750000. She has approximately £10K in savings. My brother and I have a power of attorney over property and finances. + +The estate will be inherited by her 3 sons and is subject to inheritance tax over the threshold of £500000. + + These are the options I've come up with so far: + +1. Sell the house, put the money in a high interest bank account and pay off the nursing home fees for there. +2. My wife and I stay in the house, continue paying rent and advertise her room on Airbnb. Any short fall will be covered by Social Sevices by means of a loan at an interest rate of 1.85%. +3. Same as above but use equity release instead of Social Sevices deferred payment. +4. Rent out the whole house to a tenant and use equity release or deferred payment for the short fall. + +What do you think is the best way to tackle this from a financial perspective? +I received a letter from HMRC today saying I owe them £625.10 for a "Universal Credit advance payment". It says the date of advance was 30 April 2021. + +I have never claimed Universal Credit (and neither have my parents) and I wouldn't even be eligible for it considering I have a lot more than £16,000 in money, savings and investments (as well as the fact that I am not on a "low income"). + +I checked my bank account and did not receive any funds from HMRC on that date, but I received my monthly salary from my employers. I checked the payslip and nothing out of the ordinary there. + +I'm planning on calling HMRC on Monday because clearly, I haven't received this money but I just thought I'd check if you guys have any ideas on how it could've happened and any steps I need to take here (could this have been fraud?). + +Just was a little nervous considering I've never even borrowed money to have any "debt" and have to wait a couple of days just to find out. + +EDIT: A letter from DWP, not HMRC +Hello, + +My wife and I have saved about 2.1M USD in stocks and we are in our late twenties. I was lucky enough to be part of a recent IPO and stand to net an additional $3M USD over the next four years pre-tax if the price stays reasonably same. + +I got an offer from a very strong startup that has just raised series A. They are offering about 0.4% equity. They have a world class team very relevant to the space. Prior to the IPO, I was planning to quit and join them. Now, I am very confused and wanted to check with y'all. + +It feels like I'm throwing away solid $$ and a set path to FatFI in pursuit of even greater success with the startup. One cannot shy away from risk in order to achieve FatFI, but this time it feel different. With the startup, I can learn a lot and accelerate my career. If it gets a decent exit of 2B plus, I'd net more than what I would have had I stayed in my current role. But there's the obvious risk that comes with it and I'd have to bust ass for N years. + +We've worked really hard for all these years and my wife feels we should chill for a while and take the guaranteed path to FatFI. I have never worked in such an early stage company and the team is fantastic, making it very appealing. I feel I can risk it and join them given that we have saved far greater than our annual expenses and I could always choose a safer path later in life. + +How do I go about this? + +Cheers. +Can anyone help shed some light on what I could be missing to explain why my estimated tax return is smaller than my actual tax return? Happy to be corrected if I’ve missed something that’s staring me right in the face. + +Previously I’ve plugged the figures into pay calculator to see roughly what I’m expecting in terms of tax return and it’s been pretty accurate in what I receive back from the ATO. + +Lodging my tax return this year I’ve received $1958. + +My taxable income of $69156 is the same in pay calculator and in the ATO. I paid $17589 in tax. + +I did lodge my notice of intent to claim form for my after tax super contributions. +**FINANCES**: I’m going to phone it in this year with the update. Check prior contributions to see more history if you don’t know what this is about. Spending “budget” was $43,866 (based on 2% of net worth at EOY 2020). Actual spending was $47,384 but with $11,133 passive income (stimulus checks and ebay sales), withdrawal was only $36,251. Our estimated net worth went from $1,333,772 (year zero) to $1,471,164 (year one) to $1,488,092 (year two) to $2,010,995 (year three) to $2,534,758 (current). Huge bump in year three was from being pre-gifted an inheritance worth $200k. Huge bump in year four was from the massive explosion in local real estate prices and strong stock performance – both are up 30% this year. I’m basically 50/50 in VTSAX and real estate at the moment. I plan to make some moves into bonds and commodities to help mitigate asteroid risk. + +**YEAR FOUR**: I stayed at home a lot over the past year due to the pandemic and followed politics closely. Wife and I have been volunteering with the Cornell University nest watch and bird feeder watch programs. I got back into running but not racing (except helping to pace friends on their own races). I do about 90 miles per week @ 7:15/mi, staying tired but pain free. I cycled for a little bit but grew tired of it. I spend more time with my wife just sitting and talking on the porch while we watch the birds. Most of my non-fiction reading has been on natural selection (Darwin, Dawkins, Coyne, Gould, etc.) and quantum mechanics (Susskind, Friedman, Feynman, Einstein, etc.) My fiction reading has been heavy on classic sci-fi (Asimov, Verne, Herbert, Heinlein, etc.) I’ve spent a lot of time collecting vintage Nintendo stuff, especially Nintendo Power magazines (I’m searching for my last one – the newsstand variant of issue 152 if you have it!). As for gaming, Diablo II, Persona 5 Strikers, and Ghost of Tsushima took most of my time. I watched the new Cosmos season and re-watched the Marx Brothers filmography recently. I made my first ever trip to the ER due to a kidney stone (thought I was dying). Our dog had to be put down. She was the closest thing I’ll ever have to a child. + +**YEAR FIVE**: I want to do less internet. I still want to learn to swim and move to triathlon. I want to volunteer more, listen to my multi-channel hi-res audio more, and make better use of my Criterion Channel subscription. We’re definitely making up for lost traveling. Second trip to Hawaii combined with third trip to Japan should be as soon as Japan will let us in. I’ll be picking up a Ford Transit Connect XL van (or something similar) soon for some cross-country driving, including a long-delayed three week trip thru California. I’d like to pick up some more acreage further out in the middle of nowhere and build an off-the-grid cabin with solar because the noise is starting to pick up with everyone moving to Middle TN. Just something simple to have as a getaway. I also see heavier philanthropy in the future if the market wants to stay this irrational. And yes, whatever the fuck I want. Ha ha. Okay, bye. +Read the DD by mitch\_smc at [https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX\_Bets/comments/la0ura/race\_oncology\_dd/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/la0ura/race_oncology_dd/) + +Also read the 150k yolo by theoriginaluser01 at [https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX\_Bets/comments/lahw52/yolo\_bet\_150k\_on\_rac\_174\_85000\_shares/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/lahw52/yolo_bet_150k_on_rac_174_85000_shares/) + +Watched the following which has really good info and thought Yolo. + +Anyone else in RAC? + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkE8KMUPNg8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkE8KMUPNg8) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj6fYA4uQ\_A](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj6fYA4uQ_A) + +[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuwY9dbu9Hs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuwY9dbu9Hs) + +&#x200B; + +https://preview.redd.it/6wi5q9nw8kf61.jpg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=307fbde19048dc602e4b67c48ce03b1f367df0b7 +FFX has been steadily rising the past 6 weeks, and despite all of the loss porn around here, I assume some of you aim to make money. + +This stock doesn't get mentioned all that much in the dailies (usually once or twice a day top level over the past month), only appearing to get some fanfare in the past week or so. It hasn't gone meme status yet. The best time to jump on a stock is before it hits meme status, this is when the gains are made. I've seen a few people comment that they considered/looked at it around 20c, and that it was a good buy then. Well, it still is. The story is so much more certain now and still plenty of meat left on this bone. + +&#x200B; + +[Sprott](https://sprott.com/) (who are actually legit in the gold investment space) has recently been to site to visit the Morila gold operations (despite the current situation/travel restrictions etc) and raised their price target to 70c, [Sprott 70c target/Site visit note](https://sprott.com/media/3912/210517-scp-ffx-site-visit.pdf) and followed up with this note 3 days later with commissioning of the existing plant having started (and mining since commencing) [Follow up note](https://sprott.com/media/3926/210520-scp-ffx-mill-commissioning.pdf). Almost all of this 70c target/valuation is on the gold side alone, with barely any value given to the lithium project, Goulamina, a high grade, high tonnage resource and one of the few if not only currently at this stage. DFS complete showing low costs and mining licence obtained, this is shovel ready, waiting for a suitor to sign. For whatever reason, Sprott don't care about the lithium at all (they never have, they tend to focus on what they know), as evidenced back in early 2016 when they sold out of this same company when it acquired the Goulamina project and changed focus to the lithium asset. Prior to this lithium acquisition, the company had raised at a significant premium with Sprott, with the land they held surrounding the Morila mine. Now, they have managed to acquire a 80% stake in the Morila mine and Sprott are interested here again. + +&#x200B; + +Now here is where the upside is. [Macquarie were appointed in March to realise value on this (funding/partnership/offtake etc)](https://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/displayAnnouncement.do?display=pdf&idsId=02348744) with the intention to demerge this asset when a deal is done to further realise it's value. I suspect a partner will be found who will buy a share of the project, with this amount being enough to fund the capex. Anything remotely close to this is significant value being added to shareholders. IMO the money involved in the deal will only be part of the story, lithium is very hot at the moment and this is a massive opportunity for a large lithium resource that is high quality and low cost compared to peers to have it's value realised and legitimised by a big name in the space. The name of this partner if they are legit will force the market to take the Goulamina lithium project seriously and could propel the price toward something with a $ in front of it (things going well). It was very interesting that Euroz Hartleys came out with this note on Thursday including this quote [Our Price Target assumes that the Company will be able to sell down a portion of Goulamina, leaving the project fully funded](https://firefinchltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/FFX_18May21.pdf) and a 75c price target. Now I get these reports can very much be self serving, but it is interesting that we have Sprott with a 70c target based on the gold alone and then Euroz Hartleys valuing the lithium side at 26c/share, sounding to me like they have heard or seeing something to have come out in a report with that scenario openly stated. As an example of a similar type of deal, KDR sold it's remaining half in its lithium asset for $750m AUD, it was at a similar time in the lithium cycle and had not had the same level of studies applied to it, just that it was during the last lithium cycle peak and management there timed the sale to perfection. Of course I'm not expecting something near to this level as this was in Aus, but it may be possible to get more than half of this valuation. The key here is that they had already given 50% to a partner who had the expertise to develop the project. Which would be the ideal scenario for FFX, a partner with the expertise, experience and reputation to develop it, putting up cash for capex to get its share of the asset, potentially with the intention for secondary processing to follow in coming years. As a little kicker to the lithium valuation, from the AGM voting notice, [P32, Performance hurdle 4 - Demerged 'LithiumCo' list on the ASX with a market capitalisation of at least $200m AUD](https://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/displayAnnouncement.do?display=pdf&idsId=02368147). More often than not, easily achievable performance hurdles are put in place, this $200m valuation is \~25c/share. If we have the Gold side undervalued on its own, and we assume the remaining lithium side will have valuation of at least $200m soon enough, then there is the potential for more than 100% gains in the near term (under 6 months) based on this alone. + +&#x200B; + +So, when is the deal going to drop? From the quarterly, P2 at bottom [The Company is hopeful of being in a position to announce a definitive outcome to the Macquarie-led process during the June quarter](https://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/displayAnnouncement.do?display=pdf&idsId=02367680). Obviously timelines are missed all of the time, but we have this paywalled article [Anderson couldn't resist Firefinch's Morila opportunity](https://www.miningnews.net/events-coverage/news/1409521/anderson-couldnt-resist-firefinchs-morilla-opportunity) where this snippet from the article caught some eyes [The demerger of Goulamina is being shopped around by Macquarie, with a deal targeted to be completed this month](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E0l2ZBuVUAgmgnk?format=jpg&name=medium) (May). Also, the company twitter account has been aggressively pointing out the peer valuation differences [and I assume deals in the space they may be targeting/trying to replicate](https://twitter.com/FirefinchLtd/status/1393022054958567425?s=20), in particular, [the deal Kidman resources did for their lithium deposit](https://firefinchltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Wesfarmers-lithium-buy-versus-Macquarie-advised-Goulamina-deal.pdf) perhaps a hint that a partner will be brought in and deal closed soon, as was in the Euroz Hartleys note. Knowing these deals take longer than expected/anticipated, I think 6 weeks is a comfortable enough timeframe to have it finalised, perhaps it will drop in the next fortnight. + +&#x200B; + +This is why FFX is still a strong buy in the short term. There is minimal valuation attributed to the lithium which is the play here in the short term, the gold on its own just happens to be undervalued also. There is a relatively safe 'trade' here (if not longer hold) with 50% upside minimum within the next 6 weeks. IMO the downside risk in this timeframe is minimal. The company was cashflow positive due to the gold last quarter with $20m cash in bank at end of last quarter, there is enough resource to feed the gold mine for a decade. They are currently drilling more on this so any good results will be released and will have positive impact on economics, any bad exploration drilling results won't need to be released because they aren't material to the company making money, but positive results would provide meaningful upside eg the recent hit of [21m at 13.45g/t](https://www.asx.com.au/asx/statistics/displayAnnouncement.do?display=pdf&idsId=02373796) which caused or at least influenced the price to rise on this day (for reference, 1.5g/t is comfortably profitable currently for this mine). In a recent webinar, the MD stated they had 2 rigs currently drilling and were hoping to get a 3rd drilling by the end of the month, they also have a assay lab on site. The company is commissioning previously operating equipment/mine with a conservative timeframe to get it going (which significantly lowers risk here). This is being done by the same people that operated the plant back in its heyday, so even if this was to experience delays/issues, I doubt they would release this to the market within the next 6 weeks as they would try and rectify anything first. If this was to go well though, it would be announced and likely well received. + +&#x200B; + +What is the upside here? Based on a lithium deal, 15-40c in the short term should be a given (possibly much more), given the lack of any value currently being attributed to it [See u/mineralman94 prior DD with many more numbers for possible valuations to peers](https://www.reddit.com/r/ASX_Bets/comments/ndopkw/ffx_price_discovery_in_may_macquarie_transaction/), I'm more pointing out the opportunity this situation presents in the short term based on timing the event. Yes this is Africa (although for example Morila has operated without issue nearby for many years now), so it likely won't get a direct Aus/non Africa peer valuation, but it has so much to catch up and with this lithium project being perhaps the best shovel ready option currently by far and the lithium market hot atm, it could surprise. But, this is ASX\_Bets, so risk probably isn't the highest concern. Importantly, this isn't yet a meme stock, Morila the Gorilla isn't at meme status yet, so you still have the chance to buy/add while it is still on the way up prior to the news that hasn't been priced in, rather than jumping on something after the news or at least news that has already been factored in and then having loss porn to post here to try and ease the pain. The upside is still very juicy in the short term here and longer should it continue to play out. + +&#x200B; + +One final point I'd like to add, it seems that a majority of smaller caps have fallen recently, especially most of the meme stocks around here. Many small caps that are releasing good news seem to be consistently sold into, so money appears to be rotating out of small caps anyway, I think it is a valid strategy to allocate more of a predominately small/microcap portfolio/holding into some slightly larger market caps, that still have serious upside potential to ride the wave out, but this is perhaps another discussion. + +&#x200B; + +TLDR - Gold side undervalued on its own, Lithium deal expected soon which is not priced into the current price. With the company hinting very strongly that it will provide significant upside. Based on some bits and pieces, a 50%+ gain within the next 6 or so weeks, possibly much sooner appears a reasonable target. + +&#x200B; + +I'm not the biggest fan of koalas, but I will adopt a penguin and name it Morila if the shareprice isn't up 50% in the next 6 weeks. Currently 46c, so 69c, nice. I'm expecting much more over coming months as it plays out, but this post is mainly about taking advantage of the lithium deal in the shorter term. If the lithium deal is anything better than good, this could easily rerate to something with $ in front of it by the end of next quarter, possibly even this quarter, especially if the gold price holds up. +[https://blockonomi.com/mind-ai-guide/](https://blockonomi.com/mind-ai-guide/) + +https://i.redd.it/ubrupk3h47t11.png + +Have you guys heard of this newest iteration of artificial intelligence, the "third wave?" Seems pretty crazy- AI that reasons like a child or human would. There is a new [Blockonomi.com](https://Blockonomi.com) article breaking down MindAI. It seems like a pretty interesting project where the AI is built using user generated data "canonicals" to build the AI engine to critical mass, like wikipedia is built. I wonder when they'll have it live and how they'll be able to integrate the tech + +Have you guys looked into this at all? I found their telegram community is @mindai on telegram. +I know it's been done with apps and games, but how about other service-based or standalone software companies? + +&#x200B; + +If you started that way and ended up hiring employees, at what point did you hire people? + +&#x200B; + +I'd love to hear your story. +I know there's no shortage of posts like this, but I wanted to share my story as I'm the [squiggly success chart](https://images.app.goo.gl/ahJeqgA3tkyRqg7RA) and not the 4M networth 35y/o engineer (sorry for the stereotypes). + +Cliff notes on my background: 30 years old, been part of 5 layoffs and laid off in 4 of them, (willingly) took a pay cut at my most recent job for the growth and learning opportunities, live in a HCOL area, and have a decent amount of medical expenses. + +In the last 3 weeks, there have been so many things that would have sent me panicking just a few years ago or been things I wouldn't have dealt with properly, if at all. + +**Exhibit A**: My dog ended up severely injured three weeks ago, to the point that I had to rush him to the emergency vet. X-rays and meds cost $1,000. Didn't bat an eyelash and was just extremely grateful to have my dog alive. Old me would have (embarrasslingly) tried other alternatives before rushing to the vet or asked for other (cheaper) testing. Vet said emergency x-rays, I said go. + +**Exhibit B**: Just a few days later, I left for a $1,500 vacation I booked nearly 6mo before that. Old me would have gone to the ends of the earth to cancel that trip to "compensate" for the vet expenses. I went and tried my best to enjoy every second. + +**Exhibit C**: My grandma just passed away unexpectedly, and I need to get to middle-of-nowhere Europe in less than a week. Flights are INSANE. I've been stalking them all day and they're just getting down to something reasonable, and by "reasonable" I mean *more than double* what I've ever spent on them. This is a horrific situation, and I need to be with my family. I'm so grateful that cost is not an issue. + +I am by no means as rich as some of the folks who post here, but good god am I grateful that I was raised to save my money and spend it thoughtfully. The past few weeks would have gone much differently otherwise, or they wouldn't have but I'd be saddled with debt for the next 5 years. + +I know I'm preaching to the choir, but regardless of how "bumpy" your journey has been, you're still ahead of the curve if you're paying attention to your finances at all. I don't consider myself wealthy, but in my head I define it as being able to take care of things like this without second thought. + +This spending would certainly not be sustainable for me long-term, but I'm hoping life lightens up. In the meantime, I'm thankful to have been able to take care of everything that has come my way. My parents did well. (I'm the product of insanely hard-working immigrants and watched the "American dream" growing up. My dad took me to open my first bank account with just a couple bucks before I could see over the counter!) +>- The Federal Open Market Committee, which makes monetary policy for the Federal Reserve, finished its two-day meeting Wednesday. + +>- Markets expected the central bank to approve a quarter-point interest rate increase. + +>The Federal Open Market Committee, which makes monetary policy for the Federal Reserve, finished its two-day meeting Wednesday. Markets expected the central bank to approve a quarter-point interest rate increase. Currently, the Fed's benchmark interest rate is in a range of 2 percent to 2.25 percent. + +http://cnbc.com/id/105636773 +Asking for a friend - transferring from USD in an American bank account to EUR in a European bank account. + +Have heard IB or Wise - does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks for the help! +Got an SMS from digiBank informing that it has updated rates and charges and left a link - http://go.dbs.com/ratesfees + +To my surprise it had introduced monthly average balance of 5000. The interest rate for under 1.5L has also dropped to 3.5% + +Started as truly digital, zero balance savings account scheme that offered 7% P. A., digiBank today has become no different than any other bank, pestering you for their Mutual Funds offering and FD that offers 4.5%. Even their group health insurance offering is worse than what Royal Sundaram offers if you buy directly. + +It seems like they charge you for account closure but haven't mentioned the charges on the site. + +Is digiBank still worth it? +Hey everyone, Obviously this is an anonymous alt account because I didn't want it to come of as bragging in my main one (which I use sometimes to post in this sub). I just need to share my story today with you people because there's no one else in my life who understands what I am talking about. + +I have started trading in futures only 2 months ago even though I have been holding equity since an year. I started options trading only 2 weeks ago. + +As you guys know, INFY has taken a beating after Sikka stepped down as CEO. It lost about as much as 15% in just 2 days. I was observing it yesterday and during the second half of the day, I felt like it reached the lowest it can for the short term and started recovering. + +I put everything I had (24.5 lacs) to buy 34 lots of INFY AUG FUT at 876.80. After the margin (70k approx for 1 lot) is blocked, I had around 68k left. I used it all to buy 5000 options of INFY AUG 900 CE at 13.20. This was yesterday. + +I felt like INFY could try to touch around 895 before being dragged down today and set the targets as 899.80 for the future and 21.5 for the options. + +I am very happy that my prediction was right. + +**Profit** + +Fut: 17000 * (899.8 - 876.8) = 3,91,000 *(16%)* + +Opt: 5000 * (21.50 - 13.20) = 41,500 *(62%)* + +I also would love to hear more success stories (or loss) on this sub to grow this community. +It seems like you would almost always want to be paying a mortgage and increasing your net worth instead of renting, when you're throwing money into a black hole. I'm a 24 year old who just started a career and am currently renting an apartment. Is there any reason not to find a condo or house once my lease is up? +I work for Walmart and wanted to know if there are any cons to my idea of putting into the associate stock plan. I can put up to $1,800 into Walmart stock and they will match 15%. So if I max this out I would get an extra $270 from the company worth of Walmart stock. + +Is it worth doing this and selling occasionally to add the funds to my actual dividend portfolio? + +Should I wait and only sell after a year to avoid short term gains? + +Could I use the 15% cushion to sell if/when the stock goes down to help my taxes? + +Just looking for some general advice on if this is worth the time and effort. There are worse companies to have a large amount of stock long term in but I don’t want it to end up being a huge chunk of my portfolio because if it fails then I’m out of a job and also out of my investment. Any advice or opinions would be welcome. +Maybe it´s just me but I think we are missing a post like this for the end of each month. + +So I will go first and hopefully start a trend, so we can inspire each other with different companies, and why it pays of to do this long term. + +Dividends received + +8.07 LTC + +35.09 CVS + +15.47 GD + +26.95 SYF + +121.85 ABBV + +2.26 O + +23.26 SKT + +2.61 SBUX + +Total 235.56$ before with-holding tax, since I am not a US citizen. + +After with holding tax 200.23$, so just crossed the 200 mark feels great. + +SKT has however announced that, they will suspend the dividend now. + +&#x200B; + +Edit: People are asking a fair question how much have you invested, the answer is 78568$ + +The point with this post is to inspire more people to stay consistent since we clearly have some rich people in here, which can serve as good motivation to what we potentially can achieve. I am happy to see so many people contributing whether you are just started of have 10+ years to grow your portfolio. + +You can google my name if you want to follow me, or send me a message then I will be happy send a link, since you are not allowed to self-promote. + +&#x200B; + +&#x200B; +I am new to investing thanks to my GME and AMC positions. I'm wanting to invest more (I'm 31). The talk of a massive bubble burst and recession has me concerned about buying many S&P 500 type companies and etfs. are there any good dividend stocks I could buy today. I'm looking at AT&T and Hormel at the moment. based off basic google searches. + +&#x200B; + +Thanks in advance for any guidance. +> Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, J.P. Morgan's chief U.S. equity strategist, set his 2020 price target for the S&P 500 at 3,400, a roughly 8% gain from here. + +> "We expect the rotation from Momentum into Value to persist as the global business cycle re-accelerates and puts upward pressure on bond yields and commodities," Lakos-Bujas said. + +> Lakos-Bujas sees a partial U.S.-China trade deal with some rollback on tariffs to be agreed upon ahead of the 2020 election. + +https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/09/jp-morgan-sees-sp-500-rising-8percent-in-2020-as-economy-reaccelerates.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard + The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.8 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.6 percent in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 7.9 percent before seasonal adjustment. + + Increases in the indexes for gasoline, shelter, and food were the largest contributors to the seasonally adjusted all items increase. The gasoline index rose 6.6 percent in February and accounted for almost a third of the all items monthly increase; other energy component indexes were mixed. The food index rose 1.0 percent as the food at home index rose 1.4 percent; both were the largest monthly increases since April 2020. + + The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.5 percent in February following a 0.6-percent increase the prior month. The shelter index was by far the biggest factor in the increase, with a broad set of indexes also contributing, including those for recreation, household furnishings and operations, motor vehicle insurance, personal care, and airline fares. + + The all items index rose 7.9 percent for the 12 months ending February. The 12-month increase has been steadily rising and is now the largest since the period ending January 1982. The all items less food and energy index rose 6.4 percent, the largest 12-month change since the period ending August 1982. The energy index rose 25.6 percent over the last year, and the food index increased 7.9 percent, the largest 12-month increase since the period ending July 1981. + +[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm) +Hi, as my title alludes I’m currently working near Boston where my cost of living is very high for just shy of $90k. I love my job and co workers but there is not a huge amount of room for advancement + +A recruiter found a job doing something similar to what I do now but in a manager role in Tampa for what they say is between $90-$100k + +I don’t necessarily have a great wish to move down to Florida unless I have a substantial standard of living adjustment + +I get I can run calculators to determine COLA, but has anyone made a shift from high COLA to low COLA and can tell me if it really felt substantially different to give me insight if the new role is worth considering? + +Thanks! + +Edit* An important factor I forgot to mention is that I was born and raised in Florida. I grew up dirt poor, but my parents are adamant that Florida is a whole different state for people who earn fair incomes + +So I’m worried my decision is being manipulated by my perspective having grown up in my specific shit town + +Also I am worried about lack of upward opportunity in Florida compared to Boston +Hi all, + +My wife and I just moved to a different state almost a month ago with a toddler. I went full remote and able to work remotely without an issue, but my wife just quit her job. + +I have been working at a federal position for almost 3 years as SQL programmer/data analyst. I've gotten a 'raise' last September, but it doesn't kick in until this upcoming September (not retroactive either). I brought up how i want to do more/different from my current position around May. And my boss was really receptive and even talked about how he was planning on giving me a promotion. Then, the during the midyear review (maybe a month after), he didn't even bring it up which was a bit frustrating. So, I've been looking around for a new opportunity. + +I found applied for a few different positions, and I got an offer that pays 25K more, but it's a start up company. The last funding was Series D in Feb. 2020 for 100M, which I think is ok? I do like the position they are offering me, but I do hear a lot of push back from friends about it. I'm not sure if going into a start up is a correct move for me, especially with a baby. + +My question is should I take the 25K raise and take a risk OR use the offer to counter at my current position? + +Edit: Let me say thank you for all your wonderful suggestions. My wife and I are going to read them all, and I'll respond where I can. I'm learning a lot aspects that I did not consider before, and all this information is immensely helpful. I think it comes down to do I value money over time, and I think that might take some time to figure out. +Sometimes it feels like you just aren't doing enough and can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, so I thought it might be fun to share some stories of people you've met in your life who make terrible financial decisions. +Perhaps it's something large, or maybe lots of small things that add up. You know things like the girl you used to work with who thought a credit card was literally free money and didn't realise her parents paid it off every month. Or your old school friend who bought a new BMW because he could technically afford the payments on that apprentice salary. + +Note: I don't want this to get mean, just a way to share some stories and remind us all that we're doing a lot better than some others out there. +Monzo, Curve, Starling, even those old prepaid cinema card systems - the majority of banks and providers that do something a bit smarter or unusual with debit cards all seem to use Mastercard, not Visa. Is there a reason for this? + +Something like a lower barrier to entry for smaller organisations, better pricing, better tech infrastructure? +A top Costco Wholesale executive confirmed the big-box retailer has **no plans to change the price of its $1.50 hot dog-and-soda combo at its stores despite months of decades-high inflation.** + +**Costco CFO Richard Galanti reiterated the cheap price point on the fan-favorite deal would stay in place during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday.** + +An analyst asked whether Costco was adjusting prices in other parts of its business to maintain sales margins for its hot dog-and-soda deal and other value offerings. + +“Lightning just struck me,” Galanti joked when the combo was mentioned. He added that higher-margin businesses such as gas and travel sales help Costco maintain its value deals. + +“Those things help us be more aggressive in other areas, or as you mentioned, hold the price on the hot dog and the soda a little longer – forever,” Galanti added. + +Costco and other retailers have hiked prices over the last year, passing along the higher costs of commodities and goods to consumers. Inflation has slightly declined in recent months but was still hovering at a hotter-than-expected 8.3% in August. + + Galanti estimated that price inflation at Costco was about 8% during the fourth quarter, with increases “a little higher on the food and sundries side.” + +**Costco doesn’t have any immediate plans to hike its membership fees**, according to the executive. Annual membership dues at the retailer currently start at $60. + + Still, Galanti noted that **membership price increases were likely at some point in the future. Costco has generally hiked its fees roughly every five to six years**. + +**“Our view is, is we are confident in our ability to do so and at some point, we will. But it’s a question of when, not if,”** Galanti said. + +Despite the inflationary environment, Costco topped analysts’ expectations in the fourth quarter. The retailer posted quarterly revenue $72.09 billion and earnings per share. + +Source: [https://nypost.com/2022/09/23/costco-to-keep-1-50-hot-dog-and-soda-combo-forever-despite-inflation-exec/](https://nypost.com/2022/09/23/costco-to-keep-1-50-hot-dog-and-soda-combo-forever-despite-inflation-exec/) +This may seem stupid, but do we get interest on our liquid funds investments of non working days? +I ask this because I need to redeem all units of my liquid funds, but since its proceeds get credited to my bank account the next working day, I am wondering if I should place the redemption request on Friday or wait till Monday (so that I get interest of 2 more days - Saturday and Sunday). +Hello all, I’m looking for recommendations on replacing the carpet in one of our rental units. It will be about 900 square feet to cover two bedrooms and living room. + +We went to Home Depot this weekend and saw they offer free installation when purchasing carpet at > $1.49/sq ft and spend > $599. We will hit these requirements, so think this may be a good way to go. + +Fellow investors - how do you go about carpet replacement? Places to purchase, who you hire for installation (or do it yourself), etc. Also, looking for favorite brands, face weight, fiber, even colors. Give me all your tips! Trying to strike a balance between durability and choosing something cost-effective / not over investing. + +We looked into going the laminate route, but find it will be quite a bit more expensive (2-3 times as much), and we like the benefits of carpet for cold Midwest winters and sound dampening effects (the unit is in an up and down duplex). + +TIA +BabyBUSD We guarantee you that you'll want to HODL this coin! Generate your self a passive income. + +DEV'S 4th AMA IN LESS THAN 4 HOURS! - join the telegram! + +169k has been distributed to holders since launch 10 days ago. + +Poocoin ads + +TECHRATE AUDIT - paid for will be completed by the end of the week. + +COINGECKO NEXT WEEK + +these guys are serious. get in the TG. don't miss the boat. + +Tired of being rugged? scammed? not actually being rewarded for being a holder? + +LOOK NO FURTHER THE NEW BABY ON THE BLOCK IS HERE + +Devs have created THE BEST passive income token on BSC , with every buy and sell holders are distributed BUSD proportionate to there BabyBUSD holdings and they implemented a 1.5% max hold. + +DAY 10 and early investors have already made x6 there investment JUST IN REWARDS. \[max holders have earnt 2500$+\] + +At face value it seems to good to be true but do yourself a favor and check the project out. FREE BUSD AUTOMATICALLY TO YOUR WALLET WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING APART FROM HOLDING! + +Holders can check+claim BUSD rewards they have accumulated at any point using the dashboard if they don't want to wait for the hourly distribution : [wwww.dash.babybusd.net](https://wwww.dash.babybusd.net) + +The best thing about this token is that the smart money is accumulating max wallets, and earning 300$ a day from HOLDING. + +📱 Telegram: [https://t.me/babybusdbsc](https://t.me/babybusdbsc)