I've been trying to warn my dad to be thinking ahead, mainly on the finances. Got him reading Denninger several months ago at least. Am afraid he's still too complacent tho, he thinks he amd mom 'll be fine since govt pension, SS, cash mainly in CDs, a few stocks (he's a B&H'er, almost recouped his Nokia losses from 2002, right when this hit).
I know he thinks I get a little too wound up at times about what's happening. Haven't even tried to get him to think about urban survival, I know he'll play the Father knows Best card on me. Unfortunately they live 800 miles from me, so not much I can do other than keep him reading in hopes things will begin to sink in harder and harder while there is still time to make some preparations at least. They live in a western town, bigger than mine, but still not that big, but more liberal than my community. Not him! the community!
Considering he and mom were both born in the heart of the Depression...well, I'm just hoping they don't have to go through it all over again in their elder years. It didn't impact my dad's family as much as my mom's family the first time round, but they both remember as young children what life was like in small town and farm country. Grandparents both sides had big gardens and still canned, even up into the late 60s-early 70s.
My area was almost that rural a few years before I moved in (septic system, backyard irrigation well and pump), but things changed before I got here. Now on city water, city sewer, rural electric. I still have a pump house out back that's now my tool shed, used to be able to use it for yard watering (shortly before my time) unfortunately a big local businessman/LDS bishop lives between me and the river.
He raises horses and hay, sank an ag irrigation well deeper than the backyard residential wells further from the river and drew down all the backyard residential wells dry around me, mine included. would start a shooting war or something almost as bad if tried to sink a new well deeper than his, probably.
I keep looking at my natural gas insert, wondering if I should convert it back to regular firewood fireplace. Sure is nice not to have to worry about chimney fires tho, been there done that. As far as water storage goes, been pricing rainwater collectors, haven't bought yet but researched the state water laws and found out its ok to do it, some western states its not ok.
So here is a question for the masses.
How do you plan an exit strategy for a 3x ETF you bought @ 51.32 and it's now in the low 20s?
I'm thinking when it hits 30 than I'll place a 5 dollar stop below whatever the current price may be. I suppose I could keep doing this until I get stopped out. Any other ideas?
Candlestick crack addict...
I bought at $66.60. This morning I put a 15% trailing stop on it. I used a large stop to keep it from stopping out in the wild fluctuations. And I'm keeping an eye on the $BKX to see when the trend appears to be reversing and I'll tighten the stop up then.
That's probably exactly the wrong way to do it, though. So I'll be reading with interest to see how others are doing it.
Lady
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. - Derek Bok
Pray a lot? For a big downturn on the opposite ETF? I read something earlier today that made me really stop and think whether I ever want to do a 3x short in a bear market. If a bear rally comes along and you don't react fast enough, the 3x short can go to zero. Whereas a 3x long, well, it will eventually recover-someday, will never go to zero, unless the entire market dies. Good luck you all. I'm blundering away with my mix of cash, commods, gold and biotech. all long or sidelines.
And JTH, thanks for your tinfoil tolerance yesterday. We probably should start another thread and not use yours further. Although-I got book in mail yesterday how to make a good solar food dehydrator and just had my little handpowered mini-washing machine and dryer delivered today for the times when electricity is unavailable or rationed.
Last edited by alevin; 03-31-2009 at 03:27 AM.
-- Tom | My Trades