RV_

I'm holding pat, and will buy again in summer once I have my decks built for the new house.

Dave and Diane, Barb, Jim and Doit, Yep, the simple maxim that Warren Buffet says is proven in these times and when the stock market is at peaks and lows. People emotionally want to buy when the stocks are peaked out because they think that is a success standpoint , or hope to make a few bucks at the top of a peak they hope is yet to come. Look at the lottery right now. I never buy lottery tickets because I consider them to be a tax for the math impaired. Same with our local casinos, you'll never see me in there except when an out of town friend comes in and insists. I don't drink nor smoke now so they have nothing for me. However when the amounts go through the roof so do the sales as well as the odds! (Again simple math) But even those who know they can't win anymore than they can be hit with space debris as they read this, those normally sane folks go buy it when the prize is high. It is called intermittent reinforcement in Psychology, the real kind not pop psych. look it up too long to explain here. It's at work in the market when the bulls are running for awhile. Folks see the market as some kind of whole and the market indices reinforce that. So when the market is up, like the lottery the folks that think it is a sure thing or the returns are worth the possibility of losses they buy at the top. Then the folks who bought at the top panic whenever there is a drop in the overall market. And they sell. Buying a lottery ticket is indeed a tax for the math impaired. Knowing that I will buy one ticket and smile when I find I lost only 2 bucks. And I will let the machine pick the numbers. The excitement and entertainment is worth throwing away 2 bucks to me. Both violate the maxim Buffet repeats over and over, Buy low, sell high. And his corollary is to stay long. I bought heavily in the 2007/8/9 time period and when we emerged in economic recovery with .5% interest paid on my liquid savings I wanted a place to put my money other than the funds that my wife prefers for her 401 of decades now. My liquidity was because I had a large payroll with relatively one employee and two subcontractors for sales. I got tired of the success and as the hours got longer told the owner that he would need a younger guy as at 57 I was not going to work for 18 hour days and weekends like when he started the company up, and a year later when he took me on. So after five years of fantastic income, I left rather than take over, and was stuck with a large for me business checking account, which I closed and put the funds into USAA savings for a few months until I figured out what to do. and had no idea where to put it in early 2010 when I retired again. I had followed Tesla and Musk but he was not publicly trading Tesla yet. In fact I was raging here and elsewhere knowing he would need to go public soon. I was about to put in a solar system in early 2010 because anything that yielded an immediate profit of more than 50 bucks per year per $10k as my savings were offering, and I had more than a few blocks to invest. I am a total dummy about the stock market but had followed Musk and Tesla since 2003 and wrote here about his new Electric car soon to come. I was all but called a fool by folks still here but rarely on this forum. I was told before they even had their car in production it was another "pump and dump." And that no one would ever build a successful electric car. This from folks claiming engineering expertise. Then the anti progress Nazis would come in and out with smug comments trying to dismiss me and my belief that Tesla would be a disruptive tech and market mover. The problem for them is they don't think for themselves, they believe chosen media sources that agree with whatever narrative they want to believe. So "the oil and car manufacturer investors" drank deep of the kool aid against Tesla. They were really nuts too. For example the few fires Tesla had when iron I beams in the road were accidentally run over and came up through the batteries and floor. The media tried to build three fires initially with two of them after the Tesla was crashed head on through a brick wall and another into a tree or telephone pole I forget, into the narrative of (Switch to panic stricken sky is falling voice) all electric cars burn up and will kill you! Ignoring the many cars that burn up with gasoline. The Tesla drivers were told by the car to pull over and exit the vehicle as there was a fire, which they did with time to collect their things, on the two with no high speed crash involved. That crazy narrative started by the folks with anti electric energy motives ( can you say OIL, or Car manufacturers,) was doing well with the folks wanting to belong to that group, but never will. Until Paul Walker was killed, likely burned to death, in a fiery gasoline crash of a Porsche he was riding in. That really was tragic. But the way the all electric cars burn up pablum being fed to the willing was dropped that day. Now we have a Tesla that caught fire charging recently and that campaign never got off the ground. Why? Because it was too easy to go to YouTube and search for "Gas Station fires." 37,700 results to watch fueling fire videos with gasoline here: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Gas+station+fires Those were just the ones that were video'd and uploaded. I would sooner believe that gas cars are dangerous because if you crash them you burn to death which is not true of electric cars. I use that example because many investors are the same and sell low or on the way down or buy high when they feel "safe." Here is a very true and darkly funny if you lost in the market, and just plain humorous for the rest of us look at the types we see writing about and making investments: http://www.tflguide.com/2011/04/how-investors-react-in-different-market-situations.html This is a great read for the folks that do buy low and sell high, if at all. A must read for the rest who panic and expect the end at any time. Do it, Alas what I had hoped would double my money and make me a lot actually dropped several times like it is doing now, causing me to keep buying with every 10k block I could muster. Except back then it was dropping from $50 back to $22 about every few months, and I was there with another big block to buy more on the way back up at 22 or 22.50. The last big drop was from over $250 all the way back to $125.00, and I was ecstatic and bought all I had liquid at the time and caught at $130-135, which was great. It has dropped to under 201 again from a high of $274 I believe it was this year. So I am in your shoes too. Nothing liquid to sink in Tesla again. The rest I have no background with as extensive as with Tesla and Musk. Everyone sees the volatility of Tesla and there is a segment of people that hope they fail just because they did not get in early, and by extension would love to see me or in other groups Tesla early investors fail and I feel nothing but sorry for those kinds of folks. See right now I feel disappointed because I can't take my current liquidity and buy now again as I believe it is a buy opportunity. Another segment thinks the stock is over priced and they depend on media with agendas for news. Here is an article about what the media missed published today: http://ophirgottlieb.tumblr.com/post/137091368099/the-breaking-technology-changing-the-world-nflx Make sure you scroll down to the Tesla earnings big bar chart. Until that chart changes dramatically in direction for a sustained two or three quarter period it is not too late to buy in in my opinion. But I put my money where my mouth is. Some stocks trade outside the norm. Read the last article. Then think Gigafactory, Superchargers all over the US, Europe, and now China, Powerwalls, Model 3, and a production sold-out Model X and S! Lately I have heard the refrain that Tesla can't possible build its factories fast enough to meet his production goals, thus they won't meet goals. Then the same press cites that they are growing their personnel costs too fast taking on an extra 1500 personnel to build those cars. And then that Tesla is burning through a lot of cash, neglecting to mention it is for more factory space, completion of the Gigafactory with Tesla's partner Panasonic whose CEO declared all in on the financing of their share. They try to make CapEx turn into losses. Even a child knows you can't make things if there is no place to make them. Anyway all, this is not to push Tesla. I have lots of friends who started out with more money coming in than me after I retired again, but it finally sunk in that they have to me fantastic monthly payments to pay. f you read this thread from the beginning mostly my info was in response or continuing to report why I am still in with Tesla only, and only with one stock for my direct stock part of our diversified real estate and other investment portfolio. In addition we have our home on five acres and always have bought our vehicles cash, so we have no outflow other than utilities and food/clothing. Thus our liquid capital builds every few months to an amount I call enough to invest again, because other than Tesla stock, durable goods and funds, and paid for home, cars, and no debt, give us ample room to invest and upgrade our durable goods and holdings as we have a stable retirement income and medical plan not dependent on investments made in the past, just my sweat equity and a willingness to go in harm's way if needed. Most of us retirees had a second career and retired a second time paid for. But many, I'd venture to say about half or more also are mortgaged up to their ears and a military pension is not nearly enough. I started SS two years ago this May, and my wife starts this coming May. Next year I go to Tricare for life otherwise Medicare to civilians. And two years later my wife too. We take it early because my past history included heavy partying and smoking two and then three plus packs of cigarettes a day since I started at age 12 smoking unfiltered Lucky Strikes at a pack a day by age 13. According to the actuarial tables a non smoking white male in the US lives to an average of 75 years old. The US actuarial tables put me at having another 21.03 years left when I turn 64 in May. But with a life filled with exposures to asbestos, Hydrazine leaks, gun and laboratory solvents and gases, I doubt I will hit the average or much more. David Bowie just died and he was only 69. My FIL is 84 and not doing well mentally or physically. But remarkable for his having a life in the military. But he retired with 20, I did 7 more years. So despite being a relaxed of mind and long on my investments, person, my life experiences and a realistic, not from depression, acknowledgement of longevity I am going to be comfortable for the duration, draw SS early, long Tesla, and continue to invest for whatever. But holding out for the last penny isn't in my nature or I never would have believed Musk until after he proves out. For many still believe that point has not been reached yet, for me the re-evaluation of my Tesla holdings, that actually amounted to significantly more money so far, has not even scratched the surface IMO. If I had a block to invest now I would. All is spoken for, for now, to finish the outside living part of the new house. Remember, cash not finance? I would love to see my stock drop in the spring when we will be ready again. I know, back when I was hoping the naysayers would scare enough to sell low, everyone thought I was crazy looking for them to drop to my old buy price, 22.50 or on the way up until 25. Want to see what some experts in the market are saying? Again go here: http://ophirgottlieb.tumblr.com/post/137099430209/the-secret-is-out-tesla-sales-are-out-of-control I do get mixed feelings when folks say that they wish they had listened to me back then now that they see all the research I presented was dead on. I wish they had more than they do because I would love to share the feeling of standing pat on a royal flush others can't see yet. I answer truthfully that I wish they had too. The shorts are about to get squashed again within six months. At 70 bucks a share my FIL asked if I thought there was still money to be made. I told him that I was an amateur but to buy it and see. He bought as much as I had, and surprised me with that big of a risk from his perspective at $90. I bought mine at 17 and 22.5. He too was tired of the banking instruments giving only .5% or so and still lending banks lending our money to the working class at 7-22% a couple of years ago. They just got bailed after screwing not just us here, but the world too, and are still not in jail. I'm tickled to be a winner and feel good about it too.

Yawn, Watching with some little interest as they do/don't panic. Won't change our hold and outlook. I agree that the panicky will, as always.

Rich, Excellent perspective. Remember I am the tech enthusiast not a stock expert on any but three stocks. But I had never thought of economic indicators so easily collated. Thanks! Dolly, Bitcoin is beyond my scope too, and I believe I can handle hard currency if I wanted a hidden medium of exchange. (Silver/gold) I don't need anonymity so don't need dark currency or want to trade in un-banked electrons if you will. Jack, Perzackly!

Kand JBm, (could you perhaps put a name in the sig block or sign them please? Easier to reply to.) I commented on Stockman's comparisons to explain his position in the article about today, by cherry picking examples that support his premise, from far in the past. 13 years ago, you will have to agree was appropriate in that the war on terror was begun and we as a country were thinking Afghanistan would be a short intervention. I found his writing and website interesting. Are you saying that Stockman has not taken a position in the years since Reagan, consistently, every year, that the market/stocks/the economy would experience an imminent crash every year for the past 15 years at least, and been wrong 14 years and right once? The fact that they did in 2008 but not in every year he has predicted crashes, is my example of the clock being right once in 15 years. No one is attacking Stockman. I am attacking his prediction track record. Not you, not him personally. You can like him without my or our agreeing. I can predict that I will say we are in a crash when we are in one. Heck I was fat dumb and happy with a decent retirement in addition to my savings then the interest rates were yanked out from under my savings after I had several years previously paid off the short term loan on my property and house in 2006, and bought all the fund shares I could at USAA all through 2007/8/9. Does that make me a good prognosticator. Nope, and I was right and writing about them and Tesla as well a Space X here all through this decade. That and 3 bucks will get me a cuppa. I am the last person to listen to about investing in individual stocks except for twice when in 2010 I actually told all to invest in Tesla and hold through the posted business three year development plan. Now it is hold until 2018 -2020. I bought Tesla initially at $17-22.50. It closed last Friday at $220.01. And I already took my initial investment plus $5k off the table just to put it to use elsewhere, with plenty of shares remaining. The other was Apple. Being right twice out of twice getting interested is batting 1000. But that was research and interest not investment savvy. Now it is just ride and smile as it goes on its now well established roller coaster ride. We forget to check it for days at a time because we will sell it only after the Model 3 and the Gigafactory are done, and the Powerwall technology has begun to mature, along with economies of scale kicking in. 2017 - 2020. So that is all I know. I thought you had started a decent discussion. Duke, Agree, I can add a fourth. Buy low (as possible), sell high. Warren Buffet You have not lost, or made, one penny until you sell. Barring a company failing, a real risk with IPOs not preceded by established leadership in their field and production long before IPO. I have heard many bandy about rules like pigs get slaughtered (Staying too long (greedy) and watching it drop) And on and on. The article I posted as humorous is exactly how I see investors sported and sorted, it was not intended as a comment on anything other than that investors are really funny to watch from the outside looking in. The humor is in how true it is with any sense of humor. I am not putting myself out as knowing anything about the stock market really. I just studied one man and his groups, and the need for those groups today. I have only bought one individual stock in my life, and will likely stay with it, or sell and invest in SpaceX if it ever IPOs, another privately held Musk company. Selling high, to me, simply means picking your exit point, not letting the market scare you out. Of course if it is a startup with no track record it could actually fail. And we have seen established companies like Enron drop out of flight unexpectedly until we find the plane was stripped and even the engines were stolen before the crash. But seeing established companies go completely out is rare. As long as Musk draws breath, Tesla, with its already in place free worldwide Supercharger charging stations allowing long distance travel with 20 minute charge times to be reduced to ten minutes in the near future, its Powerwall technology, and it Gigafactory, will not fail. We all get to watch and see.

Hey Barb read the link on investors. Tell me it isn't hilariously spot on as the friends of mine across the pond are fond of saying.

Good article. I do believe that reaching back to 2002 and then using that as a comparison to back up that we are heading exactly where we headed then is like saying that a clock was showing the correct time now and every 12 hours when checked. Overlooking that the fact is the clock is not running is a correlational error I believe is on the same order of magnitude as that article. I will check out his website more often because while some avoid the fact of crony capitalism he does not. In his about page he is portrayed as an angry writer who is also an investment guru, from my home area of Greenwich CT. I disagree with that one as he extrapolates those four stocks as foretelling the market. The old adage that no one can time the market is true. They can fix it, pretend they are honest brokers, never taking any advantage they can, as long as the risk is worth the returns. Thus 2007/2008. But that is an opinion as neither he nor I have any crystal balls, (Let alone brass) I am not an individual stock investor but twice was struck with a feeling about a company whose tech I was into as a watcher. Those were Apple in 2005 when they announced they were changing to evil Wintel's last half for their hardware, and Tesla when they finally IPO'd after two years of successful full production of the Roadsters, intentionally competing in the super car class as was stated years before they even had a full prototype in 2005. They stated in the early development days that they were going to make a super car , then a mid priced Luxury sedan in the Mercedes/BMW/Audi top lines, and then hoping the economies of scale have kicked in would build a more affordable consumer priced car. Most folks who were not following Tesla or Musk missed that. Crying that they are too expensive is the same as crying that Mercedes are too expensive, but the roadster was in the class of the Ferrari and Lambos. Try lambasting Ferrari or Lamborghini for producing cars that are too expensive. So most folks do the same with Tesla. They miss that Tesla is selling the hell out of their cars by any standards for any start up in any industry, but with no, zero, zip, advertising costs! They compare them to the big three automakers who can't do one with the same performance or range anywhere near the price of a Tesla. They are four time less range, not even close in performance either. The big three goofed because they did not listen either. Tesla intentionally started at the top down. Let's see them build a full EV top of the line and even stay close to Tesla's Model S. There is no correlation when there is a fundamental paradigm shift in any industry. They are always disruptive to the current way of doing things if the owners of that current methodology are intransigent. The last buggy whip manufacturer likely was not able to manufacture accelerator pedals for Ford. Here is one I think is not one paradigm or another about the markets that is perfectly accurate from my perspective, and funny/ironic to boot: http://www.tflguide.com/2011/04/how-investors-react-in-different-market-situations.html This thread is now 4 years old and active. Go back to 2011 posts till now and see how many were predicting the market bust any minute the whole time. He was and is one of them. Here is commentary about his proclivity for saying that the sky is falling. http://realmoney.thestreet.com/articles/08/07/2015/david-stockmans-just-wrong-so-buy-stocks I think we all tend to the emotions in my link above and read what agrees with our feelings. I also believe lots of folks got burned by the bankers crash so badly that they have IPTSD (Investment PTSD,) and I am not being funny or sarcastic, but very serious. People are slow to stop being afraid to lose it all again, if they kept any. Got milk? Got Enron? I am not being sarcastic so please don't read that into it. I did enjoy some parts of Stockman's rants and will look into some of his historical archives. I believe he has his major failure leading to his IPTSD.

I use Malwarebytes Premium real time alongside Defender on my Windows 8/8.1 and 10 systems. I use it alongside MSE on my two remaining Win 7 systems. Least resource most bang for the buck combo for us. My five Premium Licenses are lifetime and paid for a couple of years ago. My last Win 7 laptop is only MSE We've two high end desktops, two high end Atom tablets, two highly modified SSD powered max RAM older laptops as test base and for sale soon systems. The laptops scream but we don't need them. Don't really need the money either but have to recoup the cost of the SSDs and RAM anyway. They'll bring that and then some.

The old saw of sell in may and go away is also still practiced and can account for buying back in this time of year. That despite it being proven wrong.

The disruption is coming, but not in the way being discussed: Excerpt: "There are now solid indicators that Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) will obtain much higher energy, much less costly batteries from their GigaFactory. These advanced batteries will be so good that Tesla's Model 3, even versions with 300+ miles of range, will be lighter and less costly to manufacture than similar size and performance ICE (internal combustion engine) cars. This is hugely important because once electric cars become both better and less costly than ICE cars, the car industry will disrupt and the oil industry will collapse. We now know this disruption will arrive much sooner than many expect. the disruption is decades away, or if it is clear the market will ignore disruption for a long time to come, then Tesla shares are wildly overpriced. If disruption is near at hand, and the market likely to recognize it in the near term, then Tesla shares are a bargain. It is not the purpose of this article to explore how expectations will drive share prices during an ICE to BEV disruption. What we will do is look at some interesting data, that taken together show that the ICE to BEV disruption will occur, what the first definite, specific indicator will be, and when that indicator will appear." It goes on in depth in the article here: http://seekingalpha.com/article/3537486-its-game-over-tesla-wins?auth_param=ee6s6:1b0ipqd:059aa12cf27ca308f1129d191f82690e&uprof=46 I think that we are approaching a great buy opportunity as Tesla drops in price due to uneasy markets and uncertainty. But the disruption detailed in the rest of the article says how much it will effect the demise the ICE cars and trucks, and the rise of the BEVs. Extrapolate that into commodities markets, auto manufacturer stocks, oil exploration, fuels production, futures speculation, and factor in the fears and inadaptability of The major players and we've some great opportunities presenting in the near future.

It buy time again for some stocks and some people. I'm sure lots of folks are choking with any correction. I wish we had more to invest but we are all in now.

Great article Ron! I like Yahoo Finance and read them for our stocks and other financial items of interest. Boy do I agree with that article.

Amen!

Welcome to the discussion K! The prevailing view is that the key indicator is the price meltdown of commodities. They are melting down again. But the market has a new face, those of us who are in it as a substitute for the lousy interest rates banks offer for our saving with them. We're long term, and not buying stocks for income or retirement dividends. We are in some cases also supporting what we believe in. So some segments may be less vulnerable to herd mentality and panics.

Jim agreed, Mac is a bundle of energy. I met him briefly and his lovely wife staying here at one of our casinos years ago. Great people. I keep the new tech investment areas I'm interested in covered especially emerging trends I envision becoming commodities covered, it would be nice if more folks expert in traditional investments and strategies posted more like in the other thread active here about retirement withdrawal strategy. We just recently visited with another great couple from here. I welcome you and any other SKPs to email and let me know if you will be passing through. I've never met a SKP I did not like in the park system or that stopped by since here.

Two great articles today. One does what I consider to be a credible assessment of the state of todays market using ego as a baseline and it rings true: Title: Opinion: For Elon Musk, it’s good to be the king Excerpt: "On Wall Street, flouting ego is a grand problem. Here’s the deal, though, and it’s especially important to realize this week, another in which heaving waves of ego hit Wall Street: Though Wall Street obviously never suffers modesty lightly, its narcissism comes in three distinct forms. To really get a grip on narcissism, and, by extension, Wall Street, you have to understand flouting ego in all its complex hues. So with all due modesty, let me tell you exactly how it is: Stage 1 Wall Street Narcissism This stage of narcissism is also known as the “sometimes you just have to believe” stage. Wall Street is a place where people get paid, often vast sums, for their thoughts and opinions. That’s a setup for disaster. When people are right once, they tend to feel invincible. They also start to mistake a lucky hunch for the discovery of a new pattern in the universe. Stage 2 Wall Street Narcissism Tesla TSLA, +1.36% is struggling to make and sell a suitable number of cars, but Elon Musk is busy putting men on the moon and a battery in every home. He doesn’t lack for confidence, which creates a wider cult of worship that makes others take leave of their senses. A new biography set for release next week — “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” — contained passages so full of praise that Musk’s own mother might find it overblow Stage 3 Wall Street Narcissism The third and final stage of involves a state of pure delusion. When Louis XIV declared that there was no discernible difference between himself and France, you know the dude was screwy with narcissism. This goes beyond thinking we have the world figured out: This is — we are the world. There comes a time in each market cycle when narcissism spreads to such a degree that good results for all seem inevitable. Gravitational pull no longer exists. Notions that defy reason — a man is a state or “it’s different this time” — get chokeholds on better judgment and the market crashes in on itself. That’s known as Stage 3 Narcissism. It comes at the top of every market. We’re not there yet. But it’s pretty evident that we’re deep into Stage 2 Narcissism. Don’t believe me? Sometimes you just have to. Much more in the article here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/for-elon-musk-its-good-to-be-the-king-2015-05-15?siteid=yhoof2 The second is about the new Musk Bio which is receiving rave reviews. Title: 3 Key Lessons From the New Elon Musk Biography Excerpt: "The PayPal Mafia While Musk made his first fortune from an early start-up called Zip2, it was at PayPal that the entrepreneur first showed his ability to challenge a complex industry already set in its ways. Musk’s central role as co-founder of PayPal shouldn’t be overlooked. In retrospect, the PayPal history is evidence of Musk’s unquestionable genius at rallying talented individuals around a big goal and making things happen. Musk’s track record suggests his lofty goals are achievable Vance goes beyond simply laying out Musk’s track record. His portrait of Musk shows just how crucial the entrepreneur was to the major achievements behind every start-up he was involved with. Going even further, Vance’s report of Musk led him to believe PayPal’s achievements might have been limited by a cautious board of directors who had trouble wrapping their minds around Musk’s unbridled ambition. “History has demonstrated that while Musk’s goals can sound absurd in the moment, he certainly believes in them and, when given enough time, tends to achieve them,” Vance argues. Sparking a new level of innovation in Silicon Valley After studying Musk, Vance believes that the entrepreneur is playing a key role in pushing Silicon Valley toward greater innovation and more meaningful work. Vance describes a lull in Silicon Valley between 2002 and 2007: But Musk’s bold vision and willingness to take risks, paired with surprisingly robust execution, in the automotive, space, and energy industries, Vance explains, set a new precedent. 'To me, Elon is the shining example of how Silicon Valley might be able to reinvent itself and be more relevant than chasing these quick IPOs and focusing on getting incremental products out,’ said Edward Jung, a famed software engineer and inventor. ‘Those things are important, but they are not enough. We need to look at different models of how to do things that are longer term in nature and where the technology is more integrated.’ The integration mentioned by Jung — the harmonious melding of software, electronics, advanced materials, and computer horsepower — appears to be Musk’s gift. Squint ever so slightly, and it looks like Musk could be using his skills to pave the way toward an age of astonishing machines and science fiction dreams made manifest.' Of the many profiles of business leaders, Vance’s take on Musk is among the best. The author’s objective and unbiased viewpoint captures Musk’s good and bad, his achievements and failures. Based on more than 30 hours of conversations with Musk, and interviews with close to 300 people, this investigative biography captures many facets of the inventor and entrepreneur. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future should be required reading for anyone in business." The points and achievements/leadership under all three are much more detailed in the original article here, along with links to related articles: http://time.com/money/3860353/elon-musk-biography/?xid=yahoo_money These two articles are pretty short and the best read for folks who are just realizing not all things GM, our utilities, our Space programs and energy systems claimed would always cost too much, or not work as well as the technologies we use now work are already realizing some core assumptions are just plain wrong. At this point no one can dispute Musk singlehandedly changed, and is still changing, the world. BTW TSLA is already at $247 today and was down to 198 a month ago and a very nice buying opportunity. I am putting in a new house as soon as the weather dries up enough to do the dirt pad and concrete and deliver and set it up as it is in and waiting for weather to deliver, just bought a nice used Fiver cheap enough so I could put a new roof on it, and I did install a TPO roof, and am setting up a pad for it with sewer and electric. Then we move out and live here in our new to us Fiver for the month it takes to put the house in. My older dog Skylar has dyplasia and failed Thyroid and is on thyroid hormone, so can't get up or down the RV steps and we got a solid fold out eight foot ramp that sits on the top step and he loves playing on it it is so easy for him! One of these: http://www.emedramps.com/pvi-multi-fold-wheelchair-ramp-5-to-12-feet/ Works great for my truck too for me to load motorized toys with. So I have not been able to justify buying another block now with expenditures and liquid assets all in readiness for the other shoes that inevitably drop with used RVs and setting up a new to us used RV, and new house. One thing I am glad for, besides the showroom condition it is in, is he replaced the fridge two years ago. It has an aluminum frame and the roof is a full inch marine plywood with the insulation under it, and there was no rot just a cracked seam in the front and back that did no damage, it just started. However the EPDM was paper thin and not worth repairing or saving. I used two industrial roofers that decided to start a company to specialize in RV roof replacements. They came to my house and stayed in a motel and did a super job. Obviously experienced and heat seamed overlaps rather than using one continuous piece looks like a better way to so it and they did it for $2800 rather than the $8500 the local RV places were quoting. I watched every step. there is no way any leaks can occur barring running into something to tear it in the next ten to twenty years. I did see pics of pressed wood roofs they did that were rotted from front to back too. There was a minor issue with not getting the antenna aligned perfectly and one vent fan that was plastic rotten from age and the blades broke when first turned on, not their fault on that one. So I am out of buying Tesla stock for a few months anyway. But I am sure the pundits will scare enough folks that are just dipping their toes into Tesla stock and are looking for stability not volatility and long term vision, so it will drop several times in the next three years before I evaluate my position. A SpaceX IPO would devastate me because it would be a real toss up as Tesla won't be mature until 2017 at the le, when the Gigafactory is in full production, battery prices and technologies start the price slide from economies of scale, and Tesla has put both the Model X and the Model E consumer priced EV into full production. I will reevaluate it in 2018. But when my excess liquid assets build again, as it does every few months and there is any chance Space X will IPO I will buy at least one large block of it. Anybody long TSLA with me is smiling and not surprised either.

I know about making big amounts in a week or three. Or seeing it go the other way. But it will break $300.00 soon. Soon can be from a few months to the end of this year to me. I am helping him make it happen. Tesla is making it because there are a lot of us who want a change from fossil fuels. Hawaii just announced they will be 100% renewable energy with no fossil fuels for energy by 2050. I read a sign today in my mechanic's office that said "The most embarrassing thing is when someone does something right in front of me, that I maintained, loudly to them, was impossible."

I was never interested until Musk. I followed him at just the right time from around 2001/2 on. The whole story is on this thread. I still hold long on Tesla stock. Been five years now. It has dropped 20-50% several times since I've owned it. I have watched the shorts come and go and get burned. Tesla IPO'd right when I was looking for a place to put my ~ $30-50k petty cash account at a local bank to do my three person marketing payroll from. When I retired again I was about to do a grid solar installation but boy am I ever glad I waited! I since took my money back plus $5k just to say I made a profit if it went bust, so it is all house money now. I really regret selling those shares today but at least was smart enough to keep 75% of my shares. So there is something to be said for staying the course when the disruptions aren't done and neither is the CEO/owner. Research is easy but there are so many investment gurus and so called News sources that aren't. They grind their axes for their agendas. For example check out this article from today: http://news.investors.com/051215-752200-boeing-glad-to-see-spacex-competition.htm?ven=yahoocp&src=aurlled&ven=yahoo Investors.com leaves out the important facts. Before you read the above article bear in mind these facts that are easily verifiable should it appear I am spinning the info by leaving out facts or inventing my own. 1. Boeing and Lockheed, the main partners of the United Launch Alliance are badly embarrassed, and their loose play with our nation's security goes completely unmentioned. Boeing said SpaceX could never design, develop, and test a rocket launch vehicle in 5 years. They did and docked with the ISS in that time frame. The ULA with Boeing in the lead spent millions inside the beltway trying to keep Tesla away from being able to get any Air Force contracts. Tesla sued and won some token contracts. The big embarrassment for the ULA and still suppressed info? The ULA was not building their own rocket engines. They bought new Russian Engines. Orbital Sciences the other private company picked to compete with the ULA to lower costs also bought Russian engines but theirs were old mothballed salvage engines. Orbital sciences attempt to launch with mothballed rockets blew up at launch.The Russians invaded the Ukraine, we objected, Putin said oh yeah? You get no more Russian rocket engines USA ULA! The ULA can't get another launch vehicle certified for Air Force classified missions for three years. SpaceX finishes certification next month, June 2015. SpaceX actually has a three year monopoly. After that let's see the ULA compete and bring in pricing a bit less expansive then their past over budget bloated cost overrunning and behind schedule exclusive relationship. Knowing those facts now read the article and see how carefully worded it is. And think about how Boeing has had battery problems again with their newest airliners and still refuse to ask Musk for help. Then watch for their Mars mission ads extolling their already prototyped vehicles for it. Anyone actually seen one fly? The ULA has become a bloated PR machine that simply cannot compete with SpaceX in anything except PR. Like Tesla not getting enough competition and giving away his patents this past January. Suddenly there are a dozen or more true EVs scheduled for 2017 and claiming to compete favorably with Tesla in range as well as performance. All that advertising. All those R&D dollars. But Tesla spends not one penny on advertising. Despite fans making some anyway and posting on YouTube. (They are awesome BTW) Tesla spends nothing on consumer advertising so far. His stuff is so new the press does it all for him. So there are exceptions that come along once in a lifetime. It will go up. But Tesla is volatile. That is half the fun when it is house money. There was a recent buy opportunity when it went down to 198. SpaceX will be another when it IPOs. See everyone else IPOs to do R&D. Tesla did not IPO until 2010 fully two years after he had the Tesla Roadster in full production and on the road, sold out with a reservation only by paying $100k or so in full, in advance. SpaceX is totally successful and has not IPO'd yet either. Musk does not let anyone in until it is a success first, and fully competitive. Before the naysayers with little info say anything about how it will fail my answer is huh? When is your prediction? I bought in at 17, 22 and 22.50 for my biggest blocks of stock. then bought another 10k worth because I could find no better place for it. So when it dropped from 250 to 120, we waited a day too long but still bought another block at 130. I am not an investor. This is my only individual stock buy ever, not counting our four USAA Mutual Funds in our IRA. Not beginner's luck any more than my next investment in SpaceX will be. Solar City literally invented the lease model for the current solar market. But IO was tied up with Tesla and bought a little then sold it for a slight profit and used that for our last block of Tesla at ~$130. Some stocks are different. I do not use brokers nor rely on Kramer or so called Investor magazines like the thinly disguised ones all owned by the same spin master. People believe that following them is best and the losses or lack of significant gains is just the way of the market, while those very same gurus are raking in by not doing what the average investor does. I buy via USAA and sell that way too for a cost of $8.50 per trade. No advisors. Just my research and my gut. Boy have I had some folks tell me to do it differently. If I lose it all Musk has to go first. He is not a manipulator, just a humble computer engineer and rocket scientist, with a penchant for leadership and when to say the right things. He's following his dream and I am along for the ride, and what a ride it's been. I am actually dealing with real amounts now. But heck that is all a dream because until I cash in my chips, I've made or lost nothing. This is not a stock to sell and buy cheaper later. Now that is a risk. But knowing the players and their work ethic makes for interesting research. Fun really. I am a researcher, not an investor. That is more for fun.

John (McBockalds) and Cindona, you guys still around?

Yeah I know. I was lucky to have gotten my principle back. Which is a loss with no interest/profit for two years in any event. Jim thanks for bumping it up. I too like all the different perspectives from 2011 to date.

I was overseas and had a sales guy sell me a fund from Invesco but was based on the isle of Jersey, apparently beyond the reach of information demands, I later found. Totally the wrong investment vehicle as I wasn't trying to hide funds. I finally got my money out after it losing for a couple of years. It wasn't much but was my principal anyway.

Some good advice there 5Wood.

I bought custom bed mattress and cabinets, as well as leather recliners custom med in a few days from Hilo industries in Chanute Kansas. They make all the furniture for NuWa HitchHiker trailers. They custom make furniture, window treatments, and cabinets for any RV. Great quality. You can visit and in a week drive away completely redone at relatively inexpensive prices. http://www.yellowpages.com/chanute-ks/mip/hi-lo-industries-inc-2169184

He bought the one he sold me a long time ago. And he has no fiver as he sold that too but that's god info. I'll pass it along when he comes out to do the sheetrock work on our new place whenever it dries up enough to build the pad and pour the concrete. Like I said if I get to use mine I'll post here. If you are first I'd be interested in any actual use tips you might have too.

Hey all, I have bought one for less than half price and the one I got was used because the guy had a welding flatbed on his truck and the gooseneck ball was below the deck. Fine for Gooseneck trailers, but the Andersen needs the ball level with the bed to even install. So it was new except for a heavy coating of dust on it. In any event, don't everybody go out and buy one for their short bed from my post because I have not talked to anybody using one yet. I have corresponded with a new member here who did an unboxing video but seemed to want me to go look at the sales videos. I want to correspond or talk to someone who had a 6.5' short bed and has used it on the road. Or at least did a 90 under his fiver with it. I hope it works as advertised. I am going to go down to the local dealer and see if he can give me references to anyone with one locally. I don't normally buy without seeing new stuff in action, but this one was too cheap not to buy. If it works on a full size bed and is as stable and strong as they claim I'd install a Gooseneck Hitch in my long bed that turns over od can easily be removed. If any of you with long beds disregarded the video for that reason check them out. If you don't have the bandwidth for the video oh well. But for those who do, the 12 minute one shows them collapsing the aluminum one in the press, then hitching an 18 wheeler full size trailer to it, with two sand buggies in it, and travel to the dunes at 65 mph or so for a half hour drive. All on the crushed hitch. I gotta tell ya it is impressive, and at the same time I thought testing on the open road to be a bit over the top with a damaged hitch. You gotta see the video regardless. https://www.youtube....h?v=qMW-ynhTatA