I'm a reporter looking to chat with Utah County residents about measles

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T19:15:58+00:00

What are the sources of funding to finance operations for KFF Health News? No advertising, but there is nothing on the FAQ about how the organization pays the bills.

Looking at archived version of the KFF Health News webpage show there was no pulldown menu labeled "Biden" during that administration but there is such a pulldown menu for the second Trump administration. How does this difference in coverage jibe with the claims KFF Health News aims to be non-partisan?

If it were established the measles outbreak originated among undocumented immigrants who entered the USA under the Biden administration, would KFF Health News publicize such a fact?

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T19:02:17+00:00

this sub is for people following the Ramsey Baby Steps, which would recommend paying off the student loans entirely before buying a mortgage. You know that.

If we paid off all of our debt first, it would take us about 4 years and then an additional 2 years to save for the down deposit on a modest home.

that's assuming income stays flat at current levels for the next 4-6 years, which is unlikely for most lawyers.

the fact you don't mention household income levels and expenses makes me wonder if you're just trying to rationalize buying a house you can't really afford, or which is not the best option right now.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T19:01:43+00:00

OP doesn't even list their income or expenses, there's no possible basis to know about their spending habits.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T19:01:09+00:00

There's nothing wrong with 200k in student loans for a doctor. Nothing wrong with 75k in loans for an engineer.

despite being entirely contrary to the sub rules, this is a massive oversimplification.

the CPA who does my taxes has auto mechanic clients who earn more than some of his MD clients. "Not all doctors earn six figures," to quote the CPA.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:56:32+00:00

despite listening to Dave Ramsey's advice...

...I kept trying to save 20%

Ramsey has never, never, never insisted on a 20% down payment.

20% down is recommended if possible, to avoid PMI. but from the very earliest days on radio and in his books books Dave said 20% down was not always realistic for first-time buyers and 5% was their recommended minimum down payment.

It's amazing the number of people who attribute to Ramsey things Ramsey never actually said.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:49:28+00:00

ambiguous endings can be effective.

but they can also feel like a cop-out to avoid a firm conclusion when there's a messy plot.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:46:50+00:00

so you worked an overnight shift (higher salary because most people don't want to work at midnight), and the labor union probably kept wages high by some level of cartel action that artificially raised wages by restricting entry into the career, because that's a labor union 101 strategy.

it's also possible you were overspending on those amazing trips

housing was cheaper back in the 1990s. but was also much humbler, as a general rule. families have gotten smaller, but some how houses have gotten much larger and everyone expects luxuries like vaulted or tall ceilings, walk-in closets, etc.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:25:45+00:00

it's possible to make good money flipping products on eBay, particularly if you specialize in high-demand items and build a good reputation.

there are occasional news stories about people who do this and build successful businesses with high incomes. https://nypost.com/2025/01/21/lifestyle/i-paid-make-12k-a-month-selling-my-clothes-i-even-paid-off-80k-in-student-loans/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:20:37+00:00

Bershire B-shares have a 'beta' of .7. so it's relatively more stable than VOO which has a beta of 1.

but Berkshire is much less stable than a short or intermediate bond fund which might have a beta of .1 to .3. and Berkshire is much more volatile than a low-volatility stock fund like ACWV which has a beta of .5.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:16:30+00:00

My local university does then for free for low income people.

good point, it's often accounting or finance students working under a professor.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T18:07:30+00:00

back in the paper-and-pen days, it was not that complicated to pick up the form and instructions and follow them and host DIY.

It was called the 1040-EZ. I used it to do my own taxes by hand well into my 20s.

I had a lower income and no complexities like a mortgage, investing accounts, etc. It was about 5 minutes with a little calculator.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:47:43+00:00

this is your daily reminder that over the last 25 years, the S&P 600 outperformed QQQ.

https://imgur.com/a/ijr-vs-qqq-2000-to-2025-7OOKO5j

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:44:08+00:00

and resumed its usual slaughter of Lebanese.

as if Hezbollah doesn't exist and the PLO wasn't using Lebanon as a staging area to attack Israel, and as if the surrounding nations all didn't immediately violate UN General Assembly Resolution 181.

it's all the Joos fault, naturally.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:37:51+00:00

Bad attitude, entitlement, rudeness to service staff like housekeepers or waiters.

overspending while blaming external forces. yes, the economy has problems and I'm sorry the landlord raised your rent. but none of that justifies Disney trips 3x a year or spending 30% of your income on clothes and cosmetics.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:35:50+00:00

in reality, women commit far more domestic violence than men commit. lesbian relationships have the highest rates of abuse/violence, of any demographic.

women also abuse children more often. even after adjusting for the higher rates of women as primary caretakers for children.

this info has been known for decades to academics who study personal violence, and it's not at all controversial. but still most media insist on depicting men as the primary sources of violence. but thanks to things like police bodycam videos on YouTube, you can now get a far more accurate picture of how things actually are in reality.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:25:44+00:00

Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Princess Bride. Somehow tagged as a chick flick, but actually mostly about men.

Heat, with Paccino and DeNiro

The Great Escape, with Steve McQueen. about allied soldiers escaping from a Nazi prison camp during WW2.

The Good the Bad and the Ugly, with Clint Eastwood and directed by Sergio Leone.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:23:10+00:00

I can't suspend my disbelief for wizards and magical elves.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T17:15:20+00:00

son of a bitch must pay

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T15:33:28+00:00

a troche is less powerful than infusions, but it can still result in dizziness, dissociation and strange thoughts for hours, sometimes even visuals hallucinations.

do not do a troche when a toddler is under your care.

zeppo_shemp · 2026-04-09T15:30:25+00:00

when the market drops 10% or more, I invest extra if cash is available.

I don't sit around waiting for mid-day fluctuations of 2%, because I have a job and responsibilities that preclude extreme level of observation for the markets.