Gordon Calhoun

All hail Jack

VTV VXUS BNDW

They’re index-based exchange-traded funds.

Newton’s third law dictates there must be recoil. The momentum of the projectile and gasses exiting the end of the barrel must be exactly balanced by the force of holder’s hand multiplied by the time it takes to arrest all motion of the recoiling firearm.

Momentum = definite integral of force as a function of time multiplied by the duration of time where momentum and force are both specific to an equivalent directional vector.

Could also use an energy analysis. The total kinetic energy of the projectile and exiting gasses will equal the handheld force multiplied by the distance the gun moves backward - more movement backward, less average force…in the limiting case of minimal movement backward, the force will be extremely high and short-lived.

Yes, in the manufacturing of the cartridge, but once it’s made, it doesn’t need an atmosphere containing oxygen to activate. The explosive charge behind the projectile is ready to go and just waiting for prime time.

Probably bad things, which is why I feel (marginally) safer in VTV, Vanguard’s large cap value fund, focused on consumer staples, insurance companies, holding companies like Berkshire, defense contractors…basically large companies with the lowest P/E and P/B ratios. I’m not saying it won’t hurt when the bubble collapses, but it intentionally excludes the FAANG and overpriced tech.

It ain’t perfect by any stretch, but it at least tries to capture profitable and (relatively) underpriced companies with proven records instead of market darlings.

VXUS for exposure to foreign markets. BNDW for the ginormous market of bonds.

The crash will hurt. It’ll be a good buying opportunity for anyone with cash. I have a few more decades to weather the storm, so I’m just staying steady. I’ve already tried my hand at picking stocks (gambling) and learned the hard way (because I ignored the books telling me what not to do) that I suck at gambling. Technically, any normal person is supposed to suck at gambling, otherwise it wouldn’t survive as a venture.

(VTV+VXUS+BNDW)×(Roth) the most boring winning strategy. Get modestly rich slowly through consistently disciplined and simple contributions. It’s your best bet for beating the house (because you’re in the house, or at least its mudroom).

I call it Exported Thought. Or Lazy Braining.

I will admit, though, that its image generation gimmick has been entertaining and useful one or two times when I wanted to quickly create a meme in my earlier days of experimenting with it.

What are the rest of the world’s equivalent to the CIA?

I have eyes only for Lizzie.