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Thanks Smitty, Sounds like you, while ahead of me by far in investment experience have the same results from buying low when everyone else is running to sell too late. And selling high off the top should it become necessary. I did not wait for full retirement age and took my first deposit last month as I turned 62 this past May. My SH is going to draw at 62 as well. We already lived on just my retirement when we fulltimed for seven years on retirement from the AF at 45. I believe the extra cash from a full second career would have made me miss a five year professional stint to earn enough to catch up to my goals for now, and not have netted me any more. It would, however, have caused us to miss out on the seven years land yachting when very young and able to physically handle whatever. I am so happy for you guys! I also bought my property when it was very low and just before the fracking gas boom here. It's worth three times what we paid for it in late 2003. Don't be too impressed, we took advantage of a sell cheap and save their credit rating liquidation, and it was worth twice what we paid then. We weren't going to touch our nest eggs, but did take a five year position for high compensation low job security that paid off. I could have stayed but my funds were enough and I pumped most of my salary into funds 2007/8/9. Then stayed with them, retired again and used my petty cash fund to get into Tesla on IPO in 2010. I was going to use $30k of that to build in solar here but then used it too as now solar is 20% what it cost then for components. And then I'd have bought grid connected, rather than wait a few years more for storage solutions just now coming into focus as a direct result of Tesla's impact on both land and space transportation. I don't time these things they just fall into place sometimes. It has been a good 16 years for us financially and personally, since retiring from the AF.

Welcome aboard Karen! We think very much alike I see. Good for you guys!

Wow! Popeye, that second link to the article on AV sending personal files back to the vendors is news to me. I thought I was aware, but I had no idea. I no longer use products from the manufacturers listed in it, haven't for years except on some new or test systems before loading them up with my personal files. This is because I can use email and my Internet until in a three week period I decide the new system is worth keeping. That way if returned very little to no data can be recovered even by forensics . And if I were under that much scrutiny I'm sure the "they" doing it could hack into all my data. I use the default Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Pro on my Windows 8/8.1 systems, and MSE on my Windows 7 systems and on setting up Windows on each new computer, or when I'm doing a factory reset, I opt out by selecting customize on those screens in addition to the same opt outs in setting up my AV. At least MS allows the opt out. No word there on Malwarebytes or Comodo. Thanks for that important info bud! Forewarned IS forearmed.

For those still reading here is a great in depth article about why I'm still in. http://marketrealist.com/2014/06/incredible-stock-whats-big-deal-tesla/

I can attest to Avira free being excellent in being quiet and auto updating as well as being top rated and free. I returned the Lenovo 8" tablet with Win 8 Pro and full Office. It was a one week test that told me none of the problems that Bitdefender had, or that Avast has according to your test of them Popeye..

Bitdefender's last answer: "Dear Derek, Thank you for your reply. We apologize for any negative experience you have encountered with our products or our support. Your feedback is appreciated, and will be directed to the appropriate team for review, to enable us to improve our support and services. Thank you for taking the time and please do not hesitate to contact us if you need further details from us. Have a nice day, Derek! Best regards, Valentina Dima Bitdefender Support Team"

I finally got a response from Bitdefender. I had written this to them: "I downloaded the free edition from your website. After it locked up my computer on install during downloading and locked me out of restart I finally got back in and all seems well. Now I get a screen telling me ti login and create an account. I do not want an account. Is that why it says 29 days left? I thought I downloaded a free AV and am testing this out for our group that previously used MSE. We can go to Avira free if this is a scam and says free but is really trialware. So what happens in 29 days, and if I do create an account does that remove the 29 day thingy? Thanks. Derek" They replied back with this non answer: "From: Bitdefender Support Team Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎March‎ ‎20‎, ‎2014 ‎6‎:‎18‎ ‎AM To: RV@rvroadie.com Dear Roadie, Thank you for your interest in our security solution, Bitdefender. In order to answer to your inquiry, we recommend you to repair Bitdefender Free Edition. In order to do this, follow the path from the Windows start menu: Start → All Programs → Bitdefender Free Edition → Repair or Remove. A new window will appear. Select the action you want to perform: Repair Installation - to re-install all program components. If the issue still persists, please send us a screenshot for being able to further assist you. Please follow the steps below in order to generate one: For windows 8: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/take-a-screen-shot Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a nice day, Roadie! Best regards, Valentina Dima Bitdefender Support Team" I sent them this response today: "You did not address my question about having to register a free program? Every person in our tech forum had severe problems installing it on, updated, infection free, systems running Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. We have all already moved on, and now recommend all our friends and readers stay away. Avast free and Avira Free are being tested now with none of the problems e had with Bitdefender, as our possible candidates for endorsement on all of our websites including posts on Windows Secrets and all the RV forums. One thing I found ironic. Your removal tool worked faster than your installer did, and caused none of us problems. See our reviews here in several threads on this computer forum: http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=109694 http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=109873 http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=109873 http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=93503&page=5#entry684610 I won’t be back. RV"

Popeye, I told you it's been awhile since I had Avast on a computer! It is a circle with an a in it @. Ok update here. MSE and Windows Defender have been getting some bad press. So I checked the AV Comparatives Labs and AV-Tests results after reading that Kaspersky which is paid only, and Bitdefender were rated tops with Bitdefender was also chosen AV product of the year by PC Magazine. I checked and found that both Bitdefender, and Avira which came in third place had free versions so I posted the research and said I'd be testing them and recommended them based on the test lab results. Well all of us starting with Popeye then Wes and me, then we found Roger as well, all had the program crash, freeze up, mess up registries, and other issues on install. I thought it bricked my new tablet. Fortunately all of us got it off and didn't lose anything but time and stress. Soooo scratch Bitdefender. I had already tried Avast which was rated right in the middle of the top half of the AV Security products. Popeye is trying it again as none of us writing here have used it in a couple of years on our computers. I loaded up Avira Free and it loaded much better than Bitdefender. No problems yet. One thing I did notice about both Bitdefender and Avira is that both withhold some services until you open an account online and log in. Well, that kind of sets me against them. I went to Bitdefender support online and opened a support ticket on it asking about the account requirement. That was several days ago. I did the same for Avira today. We'll see. So far, as far as free programs go, it is Avira and Avast free programs that seem to be well rated and load safely. I am seeing some slow downs on the tablet running Avira on loading webpages. Checking to see if it is causing it or not. Seems to run fine so far.

Hey catfish! How are you feeling about it today at $259.00 a share? http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=tsla I've been outlining exactly what was going to happen to the fine folks here since before Cindona started this thread in 2011, about three years ago. And on these forums since 2003! My investment was not beginners luck. I knew what was coming. Elon never lies or brags, he just goes ahead and does what he already knew he could do. I am no longer playing with small money. Morgan Stanley just raised their target to$320! Don't sell until mid to late 2017 when we will know the final details of the megafactory for batteries and the Model E. We are well past the tipping point of changing the world. Most still won't accept that until it is far too late. Some folks still don't believe what is real. Some just resent being so wrong, so long. Is this market great or what?!

Don't feel alone Jim, I felt that way about Windows 8 a year ago before I had touch. I think I am going to sell the big 27" new desktop and get the 18" portable desktop and charging stand or similar. And pass along my great deal to someone who will use it. I realized being slightly nearsighted the quad HD is no good without sitting back enough to need my glasses! I don't need glasses to use my computers, kindles and analog readers with organic based reading panes. Anyway, they are coming out with a major revision to 8.1 in April, and while I like 8.0 it may get more confusing while they respond to the folks that won't change, buy a touch screen for their desktops, or make sure any new Windows 8 laptop has touch too. Anybody want a 2720 for less than half price email me. My email is in the clear and on my website. I love it on my tablets but I only had the Androids no iPads so I can't compare the two.

Yeah Avast does not have a bunch of spyware but lots of previously clean sites do. Use Bill's link. Also remember to avoid CNET downloads and that Major Geeks is always clean http://www.majorgeeks.com/ as is Filehippo http://www.filehippo.com/ but regardless always look for boxes that allow you to not download free offers. Read every part of every page, uncheck what you don't want and then you will likely be OK.

woohoo! Congrats! It was trading today at 74.53 - 79.86 so if not today, very soon it will be double what you paid. Any doubts it will, long term, double and triple? Then read this that just came out today. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/innovations/wp/2014/01/16/elon-musks-five-insights-into-solar-energy/?wprss=rss_technology&wpisrc=nl_tech Most folks won't read that link, it is too long, and like my early almost IPO investment in Tesla, most would have feared buying another block at $135.00 or so last month like I did. I almost bought more SCTY and now realize I would have doubled my money there instead of just 30%or so gains. Just proves I only know Musk and his companies. I am no investment guru. I do know we are about to have another Tesla short squeeze in the next month or three. I am thrilled for you. After reading the article perhaps you'll see where it is as long term as my Tesla stock is. You are going to get accused of being a tree hugger like I have by the deniers who hate to be the only ones left behind. Now if SCTY can, like Tesla, just keep up with demand, which they will, there are going to be a lot of folks not making fun of the investments, but still negative because they still won't understand. We are investing in the actual future as the tipping point has been reached. If I miss anything about them let me know.

Yep! But while it was trading @ $75.00 at noon, it didn't close at that. It closed @ $76.80

Last May I posted this in this thread: http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=93326&p=621313 Today it trades at $75.00 http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=scty&ql=1 I hope some of ye of little faith realize it isn't a fad anymore Toto.

Bob, That is not my entry. I bought in at IPO in 2010 for 17, then two more large blocks at 22.5. I took my original investment plus 5k profit off the table at 90 so even though a tidy sum at this point, it is all house money not mine. My goal is to leave it in there very long term now, at least to the Model E, which should be out in 2017, right after the Model X in 2014. This was just adding back in a block I had in cash earning nothing. Our other investments are our land and home all paid for, and USAA funds in abundance, as well as a military retirement and other assets. It will at least double or triple by then. On edit: Bob, if you haven't been following go to the page one and just read a few of my posts on the first two or three pages. That was 2011 well after my initial entry into Tesla.

I just bought another large block of Tesla at 121.00 earlier this week I timed that right.

Tesla is doing very well. I just saw them coming. Told everyone here too from long before they IPO'd. This thread goes back a couple of years, and I mention them on page one. Another one coming soon is Space X, still privately owned by Musk. I will be buying a few blocks of them when they go public too.

Tesla closed at $144.68 today. Boy am I glad I am still in! I put all my liquid assets there at 17 and 22.5. three years ago. Been a fun ride so far!

????? I have never gotten any warnings the whole 13 or so years I have been here on SKPs. The only person I ever reported was one here on Finances and investing back in 2004 or 5 I forget which, when a guy who I think is still here and will remember some pretty vicious invective he lashed out with at me about Apple computers having never been infected, not even once, then I showed him and he really believed it was a fake and impossible. Then when I posted that some folks were having serious issues with the Apple hardware, specifically the airport wireless router and the Time capsules that were failing left and right but Apple did not acknowledge them and even made their customers pay for repair/replacement, only admitting the issues two years later, he went on a rampage! Cindona, Once again don't take that comment out of context. I was trying to remove the stigma for some who are polarized politically that Tesla was the result of an Obama decision, when in fact the applications for the Advanced Vehicle program loans closed in December of 2008. No politics. Simply saying that Obama and Tesla are not linked, but I am sure he will not correct anybody giving him credit for that success. I am apolitical, this forum is about finances and investing and I am passing along my one investment in individual stocks and sharing that with my friends here. As well don't be too sure it was either/or. There are a lot of agendas on these forums that I learned to not respond to but are there regardless. Perhaps you might take your anger into email. I will, as I offered before to you, be very happy to discuss politics, to the extent that I would with anybody, offline in emails. My website link below has an email link on every page. Feel free! But please cross check facts, it saves time and face. So to clarify, I would be happy to discuss the other political topics with you offline. Let me share a long poem with you that deals with the fact that we cannot read the minds of another, we can only see our own, and so, project how it works on others, when we are trying to figure out what another is thinking or their motives without asking. There are several folks here who depend on having elephants in the room. I don't have hidden agendas. And anytime you read into my stuff things that are not there, negative attitudes or grudges, or trying to sharpshoot another when all I am is happy at what IS being done, well it shows. I get emails from friends here wondering how one or another could read my posts 180 degrees out of what was on the paper. This was written for here back when another group was judging the thoughts and intents of others who believed differently than they did. The short version is that when dealing with another who is adversarial they declare what they are and will do to me if given the chance. For example I do not lie. Not by omission or commission. So if someone accuses me of lying to them, when I never have, they just told me that they are liars, and will lie to me if given the chance. I also do not cheat or steal. So if someone accuses me of stealing from them, and I never have, I am forewarned they will steal from me. When another sharpshoots every post of mine convinced I am being clever and writing double meanings in my posts, then I can count on them to always try to out clever me. They can't read my mind, so when they want to figure out what another is thinking, they look to the only mind they have access to, their own. I am not your enemy Cindona. Nor your friend. It does not go either/or. Sometimes my choice is not to choose sides. Sometimes that decision is the only way to win some games people play. Just don't play. This one especially applies to investors and their pundits who grind their personal axes from fear. Fear of disruptions from new anything in the markets. Fear of appearing to support or not support a wealthy or common man perspective. The worst are the liars who claim everybody else is lying, and trip themselves up like Barron's dis in retaliation to Musk telling them he would not continue the interview with them, by writing three articles over the weekend inventing things from Musk's own speeches, and mixing them up with the frustrations of the Engineers at GM who have not been able to come up with the battery technology to compete with Tesla. Smoke and mirrors, and worse. Fear, personal ego, power or thinking one has it. Most don't. So here you are The Bridge When each we come from different paths, and on the road should meet, We bring along the baggage of our land, our home, discreet. On each side of a bridge we stand, our baggage still secured, Until such time we see some sign, familiar, reassured, It might start with the other, as they open just one case, To show you from a distance where they come from far apace. From the strangeness of their costume, they draw a flag of white, Seeking only to get by you not desiring fight or flight. Or you might first draw sword, seeking only that they see, You're well prepared, if fight you must, and "no one treads on me!" For in the past when faced with folk from far and distant land, A sword was always safer when you did not understand. The impasse now has widened, and the other side must choose, What to show, or what to say, and what they stand to lose. So the leader of the others shouts across the chasm span, But the language vastly different your group doesn't understand. In the presence of the foreign, kinsman all draw out their sword, As you both eye one another, seeking any common chord Or a sign of any weakness, any sign of hidden strength, To gauge the danger each must face to cross that bridge's length. Some kinsmen shout in anger, while some others shout in glee, As they have no way of dealing, with those others peacefully Still others silent, thinking, of a way to cross that span, Courage yes, they do possess, but value every man. A few they count in quiet, all the baggage that they see, Negotiate! they say out loud, while plotting treachery. Some also gaze across that span enthralled by the display, Exotic folk, and foreign ways unknown until today. You weigh each of your options, you weigh each of your risks, And think of every time you’ve faced, men's honesty and tricks But the basic confrontation, the decision you must make Depends upon the course you think, the other side will take. Not knowing what they're thinking, unknown if they are just, No way to gauge, how they'll behave, yet cross that bridge you must. Unknown the mind of strangers, you turn to your only source, For the only mind that you can read sits high atop your horse. If the mind you see is frightened, you'll assume the same of him, If the mind you see is evil, you'll be first to do him in, And the minds of all his kinsman must of needs be same as yours, Sheath your sword? Hold it high? Another stab at words? If the mind you see is gracious, your rule noblesse oblige, Would that not, if of like minds, eliminate the siege? Perhaps they won't be allies if beliefs that they hold dear, Were found to be too different, were something that you'd fear. Were it not the fate of man to bear the lonely cross, Of isolation, of each mind, and fear of any loss, Then bridges would not pose the threat we find most every day Our swords would disappear, and we’d all be on our way. ©Derek Gore/RV Roadie 2006 All Rights Reserved. Three rights is left. I am taking this time only because your political bent sees political agendas in my posts where there truly are none. I am sorry Cindona but you are looking in the wrong place in my case. If you are so frustrated at not being able to discuss politics here take it into email where you can tell me what you really think, but remember that is a double edged sword.

I know Barb. Thanks.

I hear ya Jack! Not me Barb! I am talking a start up, Tesla, that I invested in after threatening that when they finally go public. Took two years after they put their first EV, the roadster into actual production they finally did, and I did. You will notice that since Tesla is considered green, and got a tenth of the DOE money that Ford got, and 1/3 of what Nissan got for advanced vehicle research, IMHO did lots more as far as concrete results and paid back their loan, they are under attack by folks that have an ax to grind about other unrelated programs they lump together as green, and therefore the enemy. I am talking about my investment that I am still in on. Cindona, I wasn't being sarcastic. I thought you were throwing out how silly some anti anything they think is green were with that article. I thought you were giving me something to laugh at. If you were serious and believed that article then my apology for making fun of your beliefs. I also respect druids and wiccans along with the big four. I don't do politics, and I was born at night, but it wasn't last night. Now that was tongue in cheek.

Good morning Cindona! No fits here and no diversion. Two things first. I already told you that my mention of Solyndra was part of a para I deleted but missed the opening sentence. But sure have it your way, my post had an error. Second thing. You new list makes much more sense. But you are still trying to say faltering about unspecified others with no falter facts mentioned. The chapter 11 filings are definitely faltering, no doubt, but overgeneralizations in place of facts seem to be the preferred article choice for you. A good example is the Tesla article you linked to. I'm sorry but I have to agree with the majority of the comments below the article. For those who missed it, it claims Tesla paying back its loan early cost the government more than the loss Solyndra cost us. Reading the comments at the bottom yields many that laugh at the article, but the one I liked best was from "Richard" who wrote: "Does Slate not understand logic or even basic math? Solyndra: $528 million down the drain. Tesla: (($465 Million+ Interest (repaid early))+Interest on Future Profits Loss on Solyndra << Profit on Tesla Who you got writing article over there? A bunch of poop throwing monkeys?" Thanks for the morning funny. You did mean to be funny right?

Thanks Barb, We're still in!

Jack, TWRs are supposed to be on track for a demo in about ten years or sooner. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, which has his billions and Warren Buffet's Billions in it is backing it. I may not live to see them run all over. But I am sure I will see one start to provide power. I do believe I will see the oil industry start a serious implosion/crash as the reality of EVs and natural gas fired electrical generating plants and solar installs from companies like Elon Musk's other public venture Solar City which just got Goldman Sachs backing for financing to the tune of 500 million. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130516-706559.html

Calm as can be. Wow! You completely sidestepped answering my main question. What is meant as faltering by them, and you. There are lots of companies laying off workers and downsizing today. Is IBM faltering because they are laying off workers right now too? I am truly interested in finding out why all are faltering but the bankrupt ones filing chapter 11 are they? Is that like GM and Chrysler did in 2008? They are still here. So please do find the wording for faltering, and what filing chapter 11 means to you? The ones that went completely under like Solyndra are held up as the poster children of the waste of government spending but no mention of the spending to bail out the nation's biggest "too big to fail financial institutions" is made or even referenced. So once more could you give the research on why each are called faltering. My goodness the original article was so full of holes and gross errors in guessing that they actually had a Government laboratory on the list. They had to retract silly stuff and correct it like these: CORRECTION: Figures for four companies have been updated: Beacon Power received $43 million from the U.S. government, not $69 million as originally reported. Azure Dynamics received $5.4 million from the federal government, not $120 million as originally reported. Compact Power Inc. received $151 million as part of the stimulus, not $150 million as originally reported. Willard and Kelsey Solar Group received $700,981 in government funding, not $6 million as originally reported. The following companies have been removed from the original list: AES’s subsidiary Eastern Energy, LSP Energy, Schneider Electric, and Uni-Solar did not receive government-backed loans, based on additional research. The National Renewable Energy Lab did received $200 million in stimulus funding, but it is a government laboratory. I did miss that Solyndra reference on editing the post from a digression I decided to remove as not really on topic explaining the different loan categories as they are missed a lot. You will note all of my posts are edited immediately because for some reason I see most, not all, I missed, on seeing the different font. No comment on the results from a half a billion loan to Tesla with spectacular to me and others results, and the disappointing, at least to me, results from Ford and Nissan with three to ten times what Tesla borrowed and paid back? Don't you think that as a fiscal conservative the companies posting larger profits should pay back as soon or sooner than a start up? I would demand it of Ford and Nissan were I looking for budget recovery from Gov't loans in the same category and others. I am really looking for that breakdown Cindona. And thanks for the sources all copying the same article, some after the original was edited for embarrassing errors. Personally I doubt the companies called faltering are all faltering, or even most. But without the research and sources, I'm from Missouri. And now you know about the three different industries that DOE invested in, and that the applications for the loans in the ATVM program were closed in December of 2008 and had nothing to do with the companies on your list. You see, I have no interest in investing in any solar production company trying to compete with the last three year dump of panels by the Chinese bringing prices down to 1/10th to 1/20thj of what they were. So define faltering. Let me know if you think the other two surviving companies that borrowed with Tesla did anything nearly as beneficial to our country in jobs, tech, and just plain innovation. That is my American way! Oh and BTW. Too late. I took all my original investment out plus $5k so no matter what happens I already made my money from Tesla. The much larger amount for now is still in, and will be for a year or ten. We will see. But I am not greedy, and the advice to take a bit off the table was sound. So I took as little as I could and still have plenty in play for the next rise to 200 a share maybe 5 or 600 like Google and Apple. I remember folks bailing on Apple as it could go no higher they thought at $55.00. I have learned that there is more hype in the investment circles and no one who can guarantee a profit, than I realized. When I first started posting here I thought to learn some about stocks because I was fed up with not making anything on savings. Several hundred percent is acceptable using my crazy research and facts and background of the players approiach regardless of how many said I was wrong, should game the system by shorting it??? The more I read investment articles, the more I like real novels where the authors admit it is all fiction and that any similarity to actual persons or events is coincidental.