Anyone worried about the Ukrainian situation?

[Options]

Not at all. I ignore the hysteria of the press (business, financial, "news", etc.). What passes for "news" today is noise. All press is designed to ignite the imagination, narrowly focus attention, and hopelessly distract from that which is most important. An outstandingly scathing review of the press, business and otherwise, is contained in Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Taleb.

Making optimal investment decisions based on short-term events is a fools errand, IMO.

12/17/07 Forbes interview with John Bogle:

Everyone asks your advice. What's the best investing advice you've ever received?

"It was the best advice and the earliest advice. I was working at a brokerage house one summer while in college, and one of the guys who was another runner at the firm delivering securities said, "Let me tell you all you need to know about the investment business." I said, "What's that?" He said, "Nobody knows nuthin'." That sounds cynical, but we don't know what the markets hold, certainly not in the short run. We have no idea."

 

[timo2]

I got a text on Saturday from my roommate, asking if the land I have down in Southern VA has any buildings on it. I replied back "No. Why?"

Then I got another text talking about how the President was moved from DC and we gotta get out of this area, and how it's going to be worse than the Cuban Missile Crisis!

So, apparently, this stuff does scare some people.

Funny thing is, we went through roughly the same scenario 30-some years ago. I remember my Grandparents telling my Mom that if there was a nuclear outbreak, they were going to get me out of school, head down to that land immediately, and hole up. And that Mom could come meet us down there.

The part that nobody ever thought out though, is that if something like that happened, the roads EVERYWHERE would be jam-packed with traffic. Plus, DC is between us and that land in Southern VA, so even if it was some kind of safe haven, it's not like it would be that easy to get to.

And if an asteroid hits the Atlantic, southern VA might not be a good place either. It must be true because I saw it in a movie

 

[Alan]

The part that nobody ever thought out though, is that if something like that happened, the roads EVERYWHERE would be jam-packed with traffic. Plus, DC is between us and that land in Southern VA, so even if it was some kind of safe haven, it's not like it would be that easy to get to.

I've certainly experienced that situation. In 2005 Hurricane Rita was bearing down on Houston and although we lived in a town north of the city we decided to go to Austin and stay with our daughter for a few days (she REALLY wanted us to come). I needed to be at work to help organize the shutdown of the offices and computer systems and the company then closed down 3 days before the storm hit.

We left at 6am the next morning and after 3 hours we had traveled 8 miles, so we turned around and came back to ride out the storm.

 

[Andre1969]

And if an asteroid hits the Atlantic, southern VA might not be a good place either. It must be true because I saw it in a movie

I always get a kick out of the final scenes in that movie. I would love to know where Frodo and Helen Hunt Jr. managed to find a mountain that high, just miles from the beach in Virginia, where they could escape those thousand-foot tsunamis...

Actually, our family property down there is on a mountainside (sorry, should have said "South Western VA!"). 10 acres of nothing, in a little town called Holly Brook. I also have no idea what my grandparents were thinking we would live off of down there, since there's nothing on the property but a logging road, and a bullet-ridden '59 Edsel. They had a pickup truck with a camper...guess they figured we would've toughed it out in that or something.

 

[Cassie]

I've certainly experienced that situation. In 2005 Hurricane Rita was bearing down on Houston and although we lived in a town north of the city we decided to go to Austin and stay with our daughter for a few days (she REALLY wanted us to come). I needed to be at work to help organize the shutdown of the offices and computer systems and the company then closed down 3 days before the storm hit.

We left at 6am the next morning and after 3 hours we had traveled 8 miles, so we turned around and came back to ride out the storm.

How well I remember, luckily for me I was in Minneapolis for my job and watched the mess on TV. Was there longer than planned because travel back to the Houston area was staggered.

No I'm no worried about Ukraine & the stock market. However, I did notice both Shepard Smith (FOX) & Anderson Cooper (CNN) are now reporting from Kiev..

 

[timo2]

I also have no idea what my grandparents were thinking we would live off of down there, since there's nothing on the property but a logging road, and a bullet-ridden '59 Edsel. They had a pickup truck with a camper...guess they figured we would've toughed it out in that or something.

Euell Gibbons would have figured it out

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I remember Euell Gibbons. He died at age 64 from natural causes. (Actually, it was from Marfan Syndrome.)

 

[explanade]

CNBC said Putin probably has $100 billion.

Maybe he saw his net worth drop to $95 billion on Monday and decided to pull back Tuesday.

There aren't too many ways to spend $100 billion in Russia and he's not exactly a young guy.

 

[Walt34]

The part that nobody ever thought out though, is that if something like that happened, the roads EVERYWHERE would be jam-packed with traffic.

I know, I laugh whenever I hear that "We'll just head for the hills!" The DC area traffic comes to a standstill every Friday afternoon ~3:00 PM before a long weekend. They think it's going to be better if everyone in DC wants out at the same time?

 

[robnplunder]

Looks like Pootin's move backfired as Russia's stock and ruble took enormous beating.

Markets punish Putin over intervention in Ukraine

I am more worried about North Korea's future moves. Unlike Russian Oligarchs, they got nothing valuable to lose to start something stupid.

 

[seraphim]

Al - this is NOT Russia vs the US. Only in Obama's mind, perhaps. To believe such is arrogance on the part of the US. I doubt Putin gives one fig about Obama, or America, who only represents 2% of Russia's trade interest. US has neither the leverage nor the influence it had in the Cold War era. Of course, if it makes Obama look bad, I doubt Putin will lose any sleep lol.

Germany has the biggest financial ties with Russia, and Merkel's been keeping her mouth shut and working behind the scenes - would be nice if I could say the same of our current administration. Empty threats are only reducing our standing in the global community.

As mentioned earlier, the domestic indexes have already recovered and exceeded last weeks numbers. FTSE also rose, but didn't quite make a complete recovery.

There will be no war unless Putin attempts further incursions in Ukraine, and he's too smart for that. He saw a clear opening and took advantage of it. Financially, it hurts no one. Even Ukraine is benefitting financially, getting $1B from the US and looking to another $5B from the EU.

I repeat; no reason to change my financial strategy, which was the OPs original question.

 

[seraphim]

Robnplunder

The market's a fickle mistress - Russia's market recovered over 30% today, and will continue to recover as Putin plays the game. His major export markets are Germany, China (I think - correct me if I'm wrong) and surrounding former satellite nations, and they have nowhere else to turn to.

Putin is not in a tough position here. It's the EU and US which are stymied - listen to the analysts.

 

[Turboslacker]

Which crystal ball did you use?

The one that was correct

 

[NW-Bound]

So, my stock positions gained 1.71% today all together, while my MF's went up 1.42%, and of course my 25% cash is unchanged. That made the total portfolio gain of 1.19%. These numbers compare well with the S&P gain of 1.53%, though I am not an indexer.

Doing nothing about this current event, I got a new personal high water mark. But as the danger of an asteroid strike keeps getting mentioned on this forum, has anyone seen the newest alert? It might make you think about increasing your WR.

See Asteroid passing Earth will be closer than moon.

 

[robnplunder]

Doing nothing about this current event, I got a new personal high water mark. But as the danger of an asteroid strike keeps getting mentioned on this forum, has anyone seen the newest alert? It might make you think about increasing your WR.

See Asteroid passing Earth will be closer than moon.

That's it. Damn ER. I am cashing everything in. Human race is doomed.

 

[audreyh1]

So, my stock positions gained 1.71% today all together, while my MF's went up 1.42%, and of course my 25% cash is unchanged. That made the total portfolio gain of 1.19%. These numbers compare well with the S&P gain of 1.53%, though I am not an indexer.

Doing nothing about this current event, I got a new personal high water mark. But as the danger of an asteroid strike keeps getting mentioned on this forum, has anyone seen the newest alert? It might make you think about increasing your WR.

See Asteroid passing Earth will be closer than moon.

Considering it coming TODAY, I don't think anyone has time to increase their WR!
90-foot asteroid doesn't faze astronomers

 

[MichaelB]

But as the danger of an asteroid strike keeps getting mentioned on this forum, has anyone seen the newest alert? It might make you think about increasing your WR.

See Asteroid passing Earth will be closer than moon.

No problemo. We got some extra-special umbrellas last week at Seaworld, and the folks there told us they are "very strong and resistant". Given the price, they better be.

 

[audreyh1]

I really liked how the USA Today Article mentioned that the astronomers weren't "heading for the hills" with the news of the asteroid close pass. I'm thinking - "heading to the hills? That would do any good in an asteroid strike? LOL!

 

[timo2]

I really liked how the USA Today Article mentioned that the astronomers weren't "heading for the hills" with the news of the asteroid close pass. I'm thinking - "heading to the hills? That would do any good in an asteroid strike? LOL!

The telescopes are generally at the top of a big mountain, so technically at least some of the astronomers are already on the 'hills'

 

[audreyh1]

The telescopes are generally at the top of a big mountain, so technically at least some of the astronomers are already on the 'hills'

That too!LOL!

 

[haha]

Ukrainian-Russian Tensions Dividing U.S. Citizens Along Ignorant, Apathetic Lines | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

WASHINGTON—According to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center, the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine has left Americans sharply and bitterly divided along ignorant and apathetic lines, with the nation’s citizenry evenly split between grossly misinformed and wholly indifferent factions.

 

[MichaelB]

Ukrainian-Russian Tensions Dividing U.S. Citizens Along Ignorant, Apathetic Lines | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

WASHINGTON—According to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center, the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine has left Americans sharply and bitterly divided along ignorant and apathetic lines, with the nation’s citizenry evenly split between grossly misinformed and wholly indifferent factions.

I thought The Onion only wrote satire, this looks almost true.

 

[Spanky]

The telescopes are generally at the top of a big mountain, so technically at least some of the astronomers are already on the 'hills'

Does that mean that they will feel the impact before everyone else?

 

[Jack_Pine]

Well said.
Even Russia's conventional forces are plenty potent enough to screw over the world- or at least many important parts of it.

time to re-start the F22 program.

 

[jollystomper]

Ukrainian-Russian Tensions Dividing U.S. Citizens Along Ignorant, Apathetic Lines | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

WASHINGTON—According to a poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center, the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine has left Americans sharply and bitterly divided along ignorant and apathetic lines, with the nation’s citizenry evenly split between grossly misinformed and wholly indifferent factions.

"Citizen, I don't get what the problem is. Is it due to ignorance or apathy?"

"I don't know, and I don't care"