Guess who I saw on TV today - Your good friend *****!

[FUEGO]

There's a link on abcnews.com if anyone is interested. You can also google him and pull up his webpage for a link to the abcnews.com video. His 10 sound byte bullet points all made sense in a generic "personal finance" way.

 

[Moemg]

I figured out who it was on the way to the library . I was originally thinking JG .

 

[bbbamI]

Unfortunately I know who he is. I'm too young to be an old timer...

Yeah, I know too. But, I'm too old to be a young timer.

I wonder if he's had pancakes for breakfast lately?

 

[PX4sc40sw]

Just watched it and I guess I'm missing something by not having the "history" of him on this board.

I thought that was fine and no different than the slightly higher caffeine level of Kramer or Orman. Just someone's approach.

I did look into the archives and see that he was a lightning rod here but in that process I learned a lot about some of the posters still here.

Interesting to say the least. Here is a post that "*****" posted back in 2004:
----------------------------
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f30/the-new-luxuries-14453.html

 

[Sarah in SC]

Gawd, that is a ***** worthy rant for sure--he was famous for those long-winded dissertations that lost all but the most desperate for reading material to give up and wander away.

A total, complete, certifiable nutjob. I'm glad that so few remember his antics and ravings. The other (Greaney) board certainly had more than its fair share of his rants and raves.

 

[ERD50]

Just watched it and I guess I'm missing something by not having the "history" of him on this board.

I thought that was fine and no different than the slightly higher caffeine level of Kramer or Orman. Just someone's approach.

I did look into the archives and see that he was a lightning rod here but in that process I learned a lot about some of the posters still here.

Interesting to say the least. Here is a post that "*****" posted back in 2004:
----------------------------
Many people associate saving money with sacrifice..... .

Gawd, that is a ***** worthy rant for sure--he was famous for those long-winded dissertations that lost all but the most desperate for reading material to give up and wander away.

A total, complete, certifiable nutjob. I'm glad that so few remember his antics and ravings. The other (Greaney) board certainly had more than its fair share of his rants and raves.

Rant? It didn't look like a 'rant' to me. Long-winded, yes, but it didn't lose me. Looks like the start of a chapter to a book, but that isn't unique to this forum.

I came in early enough to hear more negative references to the guy, but late enough to not see many of his posts. I thought that one was pretty good actually. In fact, this line captures my feelings very well:

But only those who have put aside substantial amounts of savings early in life feel free to take the risks needed to take full advantage of the new opportunities. Possession of a savings cushion allowing one to take risks not viable for most others has become a luxury.

I looked at having the savings as very liberating. And worth more to me than some of the "stuff" I could have been buying.

But it's a personal decision. I don't care if someone else decides to live in the "here and now" financially, just don't come asking me for a handout when the good times end, and you can't find your cushion, because you spent it. Don't come looking for mine.

-ERD50

 

[ziggy29]

A total, complete, certifiable nutjob. I'm glad that so few remember his antics and ravings. The other (Greaney) board certainly had more than its fair share of his rants and raves.

Yeah, we had his Hocomania on his Motley Fool board, too. Of course, at one point Greaney started getting really political on that TMF-board, most of the group disagreed with his politics, he basically changed the name of the board, vanished from that board and the place has been probably 80-90% politics ever since... (sigh)

 

[Sarah in SC]

ERD, trust me. There may have been a couple of useful nuggets in there, but nothing to make it worth having to read through the endless ravings of ***** that occurred on a regular basis everywhere he goes.
But you can always check out his rantings on other boards--(he calls anyone who doesn't agree with him a goon) if you have a lot of time to waste and a few extra brain cells to donate.
I'm getting hives just thinking about him.

 

[clifp]

Could somebody please post a link to the Ho*us interview. I am pretty sure I've never heard the guys voice only read his pearls of wisdom. Over at the Fool board, being a tolerant sort it took me a while to recognize that he was a nut case. Of course I used to debate the Berkeley street people also.

 

[PX4sc40sw]

Check your PMs. If you already have it, sorry for the duplicate.

Just an aside, the guy handled that interview on national TV with a lot of polish. Putting aside the hearsay of some posters on this board, I would never have guessed he let anonymous posters goad him into tit-for-tat.

He handled himself much better than 99% of elected politicians and CEOs of car companies.

Could somebody please post a link to the Ho*us interview. I am pretty sure I've never heard the guys voice only read his pearls of wisdom. Over at the Fool board, being a tolerant sort it took me a while to recognize that he was a nut case. Of course I used to debate the Berkeley street people also.

 

[Moemg]

Could somebody please post a link to the Ho*us interview. I am pretty sure I've never heard the guys voice only read his pearls of wisdom. Over at the Fool board, being a tolerant sort it took me a while to recognize that he was a nut case. Of course I used to debate the Berkeley street people also.

Just google Rob bennett on ABC news and it will pop up . He looks amazingly sane and it is a pretty bland interview . I was expecting much more craziness .

 

[Martha]

He has podcasts on his website.

For those who are looking at a few things and find him not so bad, it takes a while to figure out how difficult he really was. Most of us gave him the benefit of the doubt but finally there was no choice but to ban him. Worst internet troll ever. Ask the Bogleheads.

 

[ERD50]

ERD, trust me. There may have been a couple of useful nuggets in there, but nothing to make it worth having to read through the endless ravings ....

For those who are looking at a few things and find him not so bad, it takes a while to figure out how difficult he really was....

Oh, I don't doubt it. I saw enough varied posters speak negatively, and I think I saw one or two long, windy-twisty posts from him and I didn't care to look further.


I was just saying that that particular quote was pretty good actually (though long). And the interview was actually pretty good - better (or at least a bit different) than most of the "money saving tips experts" on TV (OK, that's not saying much).

It started out kind blah for me (save $100,000 to start, or less!), but getting the idea out to look at the cost of something in after-tax $, or in hours worked was good, and not so common (not new though, I'm sure), he touched on the 4% guide (x25), and the pay yourself LAST was interesting, counter to the usual advice, and I think there is merit to that, though he didn't have time to get into it, (nor do I, dinner calls!).


all, IMO - ERD50

 

[Khan]

Oh, I don't doubt it. I saw enough varied posters speak negatively, and I think I saw one or two long, windy-twisty posts from him and I didn't care to look further.


I was just saying that that particular quote was pretty good actually (though long). And the interview was actually pretty good - better (or at least a bit different) than most of the "money saving tips experts" on TV (OK, that's not saying much).

It started out kind blah for me (save $100,000 to start, or less!), but getting the idea out to look at the cost of something in after-tax $, or in hours worked was good, and not so common (not new though, I'm sure), he touched on the 4% guide (x25), and the pay yourself LAST was interesting, counter to the usual advice, and I think there is merit to that, though he didn't have time to get into it, (nor do I, dinner calls!).


all, IMO - ERD50

Did he mention the part about receiving a large inheritance?

 

[Khan]

He has podcasts on his website.

For those who are looking at a few things and find him not so bad, it takes a while to figure out how difficult he really was. Most of us gave him the benefit of the doubt but finally there was no choice but to ban him. Worst internet troll ever. Ask the Bogleheads.

I strongly urge anyone interested to go to his website and listen to his ~120 hours of podcasts.

 

[HFWR]

I strongly urge anyone interested to go to his website and listen to his ~120 hours of podcasts.

Sadist!

 

[FUEGO]

Did he mention the part about receiving a large inheritance?

Is that how he got his wealth?

Reminds me of the old joke: What's the easiest way to make a million bucks on Wall Street?

Start with two!

 

[BlondieMM]

I am totally friggin lost on this whole thing....huh??

 

[CuppaJoe]

I strongly urge anyone interested to go to his website and listen to his ~120 hours of podcasts.

This is very good concise advice, listen to Khan! I absolutely hit the wall at 1.5 podcasts.

 

[ERD50]

Hey, did everyone miss the other nugget in there? -

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7884664

Jeff Yeager - "The Ultimate Cheapskate" had a clip on the same page. Nice to see he is getting some publicity for his book. He did well.

I strongly urge anyone interested to go to his website and listen to his ~120 hours of podcasts.

I'll pass, thanks

Did he mention the part about receiving a large inheritance?

Is that how he got his wealth?

That doesn't mean he can't have good advice. I thought most of what was in that clip was quite good. Maybe he does better when he is under strict, outside controlled time constraints .

-ERD50

 

[haha]

I just looked at the Hoc clip. Looked good to me. Much of what he said focused on the psychology of saving which is pretty much beside the point for misers, but central to what the average person has to struggle with when he starts to save.

Another little Hoc tidbit- many of us including me might have more money today if we had followed his suggestion to buy TIPS and wait for a truly low risk opportunity for equity investment.

Both he and JWR were their own worst enemies, Hoc because he was boring and JWR because he was incomprehensible. But neither of them was dumb, trivial or poorly informed.

Ha

 

[Martha]

Good take on it all ha.

 

[harley]

I just looked at the Hoc clip. Looked good to me. Much of what he said focused on the psychology of saving which is pretty much beside the point for misers, but central to what the average person has to struggle with when he starts to save.

Another little Hoc tidbit- many of us including me might have more money today if we had followed his suggestion to buy TIPS and wait for a truly low risk opportunity for equity investment.

Both he and JWR were their own worst enemies, Hoc because he was boring and JWR because he was incomprehensible. But neither of them was dumb, trivial or poorly informed.

Ha

My problem with him was not necessarily his advice, since there are a lot of people who's advice I don't follow. It was the endless circular logic, unsupported and unsupportable claims, massive ego, and pure windbaggery(?). He was gone by the time I got here, but I saw way to much of it on TMF and Intercst's site. He actually drove me away from both sites long before he was banned. The personality far overshadowed any good advice he might have had, not that I believe he had much anyway.

 

[clifp]

Wow a Ho*us debate and the guy hasn't been here or any other website, that I frequent in years.

How can anybody claim he was boring Look at the excitement he has generated with one short TV appearance.

As for Khan's suggestion to watch his 120 hours of podcast. Really Khan I thought you liked us.

 

[PX4sc40sw]

Love the term "windbaggery", so appropriate for a fellow I was in grad school with. He had come to Caltech from MIT and every sentence began with "at MIT......". In 1971, most of us wanted to be involved in the space program and the schools were competing for the fundings.

We "banned" the guy by totally excluding him, to the point of being embarrassing to me today as I reflect on it.

Moral, he left. Went back to get his PhD at MIT and in 1973 (1 year ahead of sanctimonious moi), he got his first job, assistant to the head of the gleaming new Draper Labs technology lab. Epicenter of space exploration.

During the 1970's Dr. Windbaggery controlled the lion's share of NASA funding to independent space research. Those of us at JPL were left to beg for his munificence and hope he did not recall us. Of course, he didn't. Who were we in the grand scheme.

We can only hope ***** [moderator edit] is a miserable failure in life, either that or doesn't remember us if he becomes head of Retirement Forum Control.

My problem with him was not necessarily his advice, since there are a lot of people who's advice I don't follow. It was the endless circular logic, unsupported and unsupportable claims, massive ego, and pure windbaggery(?). He was gone by the time I got here, but I saw way to much of it on TMF and Intercst's site. He actually drove me away from both sites long before he was banned. The personality far overshadowed any good advice he might have had, not that I believe he had much anyway.