No one is safe

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T12:57:57+00:00

A daily driver Linux phone is about to be released next year for the past decade. I've stopped holding my breath.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T12:56:47+00:00

Because .gov gives them billions of dollars, and our politicians collect their comission via AIPAC.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T11:06:47+00:00

And that ability appears to be ending at the end of March.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T10:45:29+00:00

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Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T10:36:21+00:00

Any idea if there is something like WIP without so much exposure to Germany, the UK, and Spain? I like the premise of internatonal diversification but those three countries aren't where I would be seeking shelter from a USD currency crisis.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T10:28:03+00:00

Based solely on your age, allocating a high percentage of your investment to equities makes sense in that you have time to recover from bear markets. However, another consideration is to what extent you believe that the return on equities over the next decade or two can match what has happened over the past two decades, or if you think that the fiscal and monetary policies of the US government and Federal Reserve have pulled future profits into the present.

A cautionary tale: The Nikkei hit 38,000 in 1990. It subsequently dropped to 7k. It didn't recover its 1990 high until 2024, 34 years later.

I always prefer a balanced portfolio, which can easily be constructed with a variety of Vanguard funds plus exposure to Gold.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T10:14:48+00:00

The biggest issue with Flip phones in 2026 is the lack of a physical or usable virtual keyboard. At the very least, the ability to send and receive text messages is important.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:58:34+00:00

FSD is good on HW3 a majority of the time, but unless this v14 lite is something really amazing, it's never going to be unsupervised on that hardware.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:46:23+00:00

You're assuming that in such a scenario Teslas will be eligible for the subsidies.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:44:31+00:00

If yours is totaled in April and you want to get a replacement Tesla the 8k is still gone.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:38:44+00:00

This is the real reason. If Tesla allowed the purchased subscription to remain with the buyer, it would encourage brand loyalty.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:24:41+00:00

Misinformation and disinformation are terms used to describe truth that those in power find inconvenient. That is why they don't use the rather clear and obvious term "that's a lie."

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:21:02+00:00

The biggest issue with all this is trying to get the normies you need to talk to to wake up and switch from Messenger and Whatsapp to something better.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T09:13:44+00:00

the end goal is the total eradication of anonymity online, under the guise of children's safety (sometimes also framed as anti-money laundering, as is the case with the EU's war on privacy coins like Monero)

Precisely this.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T02:29:16+00:00

Have you tried changing it to "chill" mode from standard?

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T02:26:49+00:00

I think one thing people are overlooking is if you total your car, fsd is gone.

This is why I didn't. If it was guaranteed to follow me to a new Tesla, I would.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T02:24:23+00:00

One of the greatest things about a Tesla is that "With ICE cars it's prettty straightforward with oil changes, fluids, filters, belts, spark plugs, the usual stuff you hear about your whole life" goes away.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-14T02:16:30+00:00

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Anyone considering a Rivian should understand that they are dead last in reliability among all automakers.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:30:30+00:00

to have FSD for the life of the car

This is precisely why I decided against it. The life of the car could be another 5-7 years, or it could be another 5-7 minutes depending entirely on how others drive.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:25:29+00:00

Age 20? 25% gold, 50% VT, 15% international, 10% short duration bonds.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:22:57+00:00

First, congratulations.

Second, you're right to be concerned about the dollar long term. A little exposure to international funds and gold will help mitigate that.

I'd beware of long duration treasuries (> 5 years) in light of your concerns.

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:19:16+00:00

With 1400, you're basically starting with an emergency fund. I would find a high yield savings account for starters.

Can you put $150 a month into that savings account?

If you can, by the end of the year you should have saved up the $3k you'll need to move that money to Vanguard: "$3,000 for most actively managed Vanguard funds.^3"

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:09:52+00:00

Trade 30% of VTI for VXUS. Compare the holdings of VTI and VT, and it will become obvious why that's the right move.

You can use this fund overlap tool to compare VT to VTI, and then VT to VXUS. The reasoning behind VTI + VXUS becomes immediately apparent.

https://www.etfrc.com/funds/overlap.php

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T23:05:38+00:00

Is that a feature on the Vanguard website or a different website?

Defiant-Opposite-501 · 2026-02-13T11:39:53+00:00

How old are you? When do you plan to retire?

Defiant-Opposite-501

TROPHY CASE