madmax757

I’ve been driving electric cars since 2017. I installed solar about a year ago . The payback on my investment will be less than 8 years . I pretty much make enough power to power my home and car with very little from the grid. I plan on getting the power wall eventually and go off the grid. I do live in the sunbelt. I only go to the gas station to use the car wash and grab milk or beer when I run out. It works great for me. So the technology is here,

JurgenKlopp

I’ve been around enough to notice that airline pilots weighing in on geopolitics is about as useful as airline pilots weighing in on precious metals being the only way to gain and secure wealth. Either opinion is usually from a fat old wht dude who you can’t stand to do a 4 day with again…

Gunfighter

We're 9 years into a solar electric system at one of our storage facilities. Payback for us was around year 5, thanks to taxpayer subsidies for over half the cost. We're looking at doubling the size this year and letting taxpayers cover 1/3 of the bill. I'm also a big fan of the torque on my Tesla. The reduced carbon wasn't a consideration, but it is a nice side benefit. Meanwhile on the topic of a 5 year market outlook, real estate, Berkshire and energy in that order represent portfolio allocation.

rickair7777

All true. But they can focus their efforts asymmetrically and in their own backyard and better leverage what they've got. Course we have a few tricks too.

That matters, to a degree. But they can still siphon off X military dollars from Y GDP, and Y is a big number.

That matters long term, not as much short-term. Mid-term, it might put them in a "use it or lose it" dilemma.

Risky. If the Ukraine thing had played out differently, PRC might have been emboldened enough to try.

But they cannot prevail by force in any rational timeline (too hard to place and then support boots on ground across that much water), so they would need to rely on a blockade. They would need to rely on the US and the world order to allow them to get away with that. The world order is not in the mood, as Putin discovered this year... and Putin didn't have to cross a 100 NM moat to get to UR. Or to support his forces, and he obviously sucks at that.

All things considered, I'd rate the PLA / PLA(N) as better than the rooskies, but not much better. They are not good enough to launch and then support an invasion across the strait against US opposition. We can splash hardware faster than they can build it. Especially on the open ocean.


I tend to agree (I do have some professional expertise). But it's hard to predict exactly what they'll do, and that's exactly how they like it. So I'm all for robust preparations. Especially since that's a deterrent in and of itself.

Trip7

I also drive all electric cars. The payback and benefits are great for us in the Upper Class/Upper Middle Class. However, the USA does not have the infrastructure nor the capacity to have the general population go all EV/Solar/little to no fossil fuel anytime soon. Hell, when it comes to charging infrastructure, Tesla is the only reliable charging network. Everyone else has years of catching up. And that's just the USA. The rest of the world? Many citizens in third world countries are just looking for stable electricity. Fossil Fuels are here to stay for the foreseeable future.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

JustNarced

As of late, I have thinking more about that sailboat and gold. South America anyone?

U.S. F-35B Flies From Japanese Carrier; First Fighter Launched From Japanese Warship Since WWII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6WqRCALGd0&t=13s

Japan Countering China’s Naval Build-up with Modern Fleet
https://news.usni.org/2022/04/11/jap...h-modern-fleet

Germany says it will expand military presence in Indo-Pacific as China threat looms
https://english.alarabiya.net/News/w...a-threat-looms

With war on its doorstep, Germany plans a major military buildup
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/22/10878...vasion-ukraine

DeltaboundRedux

"90% of all millionaires become so through owning real estate" - Andrew Carnegie.

(Back when a million dollars was actual money. I hate this quote, because it's 100% correct... younger pilots take note. I don't want real estate, but I want actual wealth. Don't be a wage slave.)

Also love the guy because he gave back in a serious way (not to his workers, of course. LOL. Your CEO hates you. 'Tis the nature of CEO's, not personal, it's just business.). Going to see the local AC library in cities all over the nation is a decent enough way to spend an overnight in a heap of DAL layovers.

Gunfighter

Adjusting for inflation, Carnegie's 1900 millionaire would have a net worth between 20-35 million today. Not surprisingly, inflation is a significant factor in creating wealth through real estate.

Carnegie was also a believer in giving away his wealth during his lifetime.

Fourpaw

On another vantage point, from…”The Millionaire Next Door,” over 90% of millionaires had a (late 90s or early 2000s whenever the book was written) $100,000 salary or less or more than half were self-employed.

As Dave Ramsey says, there’s nothing exciting about becoming rich. No tick tocks or YouTube videos about a 40 year road to no debt, multiple properties and a big 401k. Just all about the instant gratification that doesn’t exist for 99% of everyone.

Another interesting fact, is that 1/3 of all homeowners in these upper class, fancy neighborhoods can’t afford them. Even with big salaries, they are broke.

A million bucks ain’t what it used to be.

SonicFlyer

Uh..... inflation doesn't create wealth, it destroys it...... the one exception is that if you're politically connected enough to be able to get the newly printed money first before it devalues the other dollars in circulation.