patrick.net

socal2 says

Patrick says

Rabbits are quite edible. Just sayin.

They can also carry Bubonic plague in California!

I think that is why the coyotes and owls leave the rabbits alone (at least on my street) and eat our pets instead.

We lost 2 of our indoor/outdoor cats when we moved here. Now cat #3 is strictly indoors.

I wouldn't touch a rabbit. My game meat only goes to deer (venison), bison and elk.

Even if they were good and didn't have the plague, you'd have to kill 3-4 to get a meal. Unless you have master knife work, you're looking at probably an hour plus to skin them to the meat. With the other animals I mention it takes longer, but you can fill an entire freezer that will last 3-12 months. So I'm out on rabbits.

WookieMan says

Just watched a live Edgar Winter Frankenstein cover I did. I need to get those chops back. Played the percussion and drum part in the solo. One of the hardest covers I did

One of my old bands used to cover Frankenstein. I was the keyboard player. I had the synth parts nailed, and it would blow people's minds when the "mothership landing" part kicked in. The drummer in the band was a monster - veteran of Broadway, Reno, you name it and he'd played it. Good times.

That thing probably has rabies too!

I got my backyard under control since I have a fence and can plink them with my Daisy pellet gun. But I can't safely shoot in the front yard without freaking out neighbors. The rabbit shit-balls and urine really burn up my grass and they come back to the same patch over and over again making it impossible for the grass to grow back.

Looks pretty healthy to me.

Cooking should kill off plague, which is very rare anyway. Worst case, antibiotics are very effective at curing all forms of plague.

I asked AI how much money should I have to retire at 60 in Caligulan splendor

It's response:
To achieve "Caligulan splendor" (extravagant luxury and excess) in retirement, you would need a substantial amount of money, likely exceeding $10 million, depending on your lifestyle and spending habits. This is because such a lifestyle requires significant resources to cover extravagant expenses like lavish travel, fine dining, designer goods, and potentially, private jets or luxury properties.

Key Considerations:

High Annual Spending:
Caligulan splendor implies a high annual spending level, likely in the range of hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.

Investment Returns:
To maintain such a lifestyle, you'd need a portfolio that generates enough income to cover these expenses, while also ensuring the principal doesn't deplete over time.

Long-Term Planning:
Retirement planning should be a long-term strategy, starting early to allow for ample time to build the necessary wealth and develop investment strategies that align with your spending goals.

Consider Other Factors:
Besides the cost of living, you should also factor in potential expenses like healthcare, taxes, and estate planning.

Example:
A $10 million portfolio could generate a significant income through various investment strategies, such as the 4% rule, which allows for withdrawals of 4% of the principal each year, adjusted for inflation.
This could provide a substantial annual income for expenses like a private residence, high-end travel, and other luxurious items.

I asked Grok AI:

Recommended Retirement Areas in Florida

Where in Florida should I retire if I want to live in an area that is not hurricane prone, has very few sinkholes, and with the least amount of black people.

Recommended Retirement Areas in FloridaBased on your criteria—low hurricane risk (focusing on inland northern and central areas where storms weaken significantly), minimal sinkhole activity (avoiding "Sinkhole Alley" in west-central counties like Pasco, Hernando, and Hillsborough), and the lowest percentages of Black residents (drawing from U.S. Census data on racial demographics)—the best matches are in northern Florida. These areas offer a milder climate for retirement, with access to amenities like golf courses, parks, and healthcare, while balancing your specified factors.Northern Florida (e.g., Panhandle and Big Bend regions) stands out as the safest overall: hurricanes rarely make direct landfall here due to the state's shape and distance from warm coastal waters, sinkholes are far less common than in the central peninsula (where limestone dissolution is more active), and Black population percentages are generally below the state average of ~17%. Southeast Florida has fewer sinkholes but higher hurricane exposure and diverse demographics. Central spots like Orlando are hurricane-safer but sinkhole-prone and more diverse.

I can answer Booger's question above but maybe there is more hurricane risk.

The risk of a hurricane is just the inconvenience of having no electricity for a while, or being in an evacuation zone.

Solution: depart Florida during hurricane season.

In the last 3 months where I am in Florida I have seen one black person; it was a hot female driving a Mercedes.

My response one year later has not changed.

I welcome retirement. Less than 5 years to go. I’ve talked myself into smaller homes and where we want to live…well it would put us at a mortgage payment that is less than I currently pay in rent, not to mention only 1/5th of my gross retirement income not counting my and wife’s eventual social security, nor counting my 457 account.

We are planning another western US road trip. Maybe 3 to 4 weeks next year. And all I can think about is how much easier it would be if we were retired and not obligated to anything.

I took Wookiee advice and am looking at the Utah NP’s. That will wait until retirement. Wife and I have been working at it and are both in the best shape we’ve been at in a very long time. I showed her pictures of Capitol Reef NP and she thinks it looks like heaven. Some months back, totally on her own, she asked why we don’t go to Arches NP. There’s just too much I’d like to see. The NP’s in Washington, the Oregon coast, the Arizona NP’s and monuments and Monument Valley. I want to go to New Mexico and try some delicious food and see some of the mountains and historical sites there. I went to Mesa Verde when I was a kid, but wife has never been. Would love to see Black Canyon of the Gunnison…hardly anyone goes there. Also want to go eat amazing bbq in Texas. Wife is obsessed with Texas. So timing it with a country concert we’d want to see is the plan. I also want to see the US south. I’ve never been and Tennesse in not the summer seems to be a great place. Would love to see the northeast US. I’ve been to NYC and DC but nowhere else east of South Dakota.

And I’d like to go to Europe too. Wife wants London, Paris and, Rome. I’d like to go to Spain, portugal, the Azores, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Maybe northern Italy.

And that’s just a part of things I want to do. Sleeping in sounds great and so does a whiskey outdoors at night listening to Outlaw Country on Sirius. Maybe the occasional cigar. Reading books would not be a bad idea either. And I’d like to go to church more often. Wife is not happy that I don’t usually go with her. Exercising every day and making my own food every day are also realistic goals. We’re both in the best shape we’ve been in in a lot of years. When I retire, I’ll be 57, wife will be 50, I hope we both stay in good health so we can enjoy things. My parents are 83 and still in reasonable health. They actually just took a trip to the so cal mountains this week. Scares the crap out of me that my dads driving winding mountain roads at 83, but I’m happy they are out enjoying themselves and it gives me reason to be optimistic for myself as well.

Between getting ready and commute, work takes about 12 hours of most weekdays away from me. There’s a heck of a lot of things I’d rather be doing.

I am quite positive there has not been a single person in the history of humanity who is on their death bed and bemoans “why didn’t I work more?”.

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

I’d like to go to Spain, portugal, the Azores, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Maybe northern Italy.

I lived in Azores for about a year and a half. It was a great place to live but I do not see why a tourist would be interested.

clambo says

In the last 3 months where I am in Florida I have seen one black person

Where in Florida is this place?

HeadSet says

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

I’d like to go to Spain, portugal, the Azores, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Maybe northern Italy.

I lived in Azores for about a year and a half. It was a great place to live but I do not see why a tourist would be interested.

Looks amazing to me but then I abhor cruises and tours. Off the beaten path appeals to me greatly.

stereotomy says

WookieMan says

Just watched a live Edgar Winter Frankenstein cover I did. I need to get those chops back. Played the percussion and drum part in the solo. One of the hardest covers I did

One of my old bands used to cover Frankenstein. I was the keyboard player. I had the synth parts nailed, and it would blow people's minds when the "mothership landing" part kicked in. The drummer in the band was a monster - veteran of Broadway, Reno, you name it and he'd played it. Good times.

I saw Edgar Winter live at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz. He had a big boned Texas drawl and was very courteous and appreciative of the audience. I was surprised to see him do the whole Frankenstein thing himself changing instruments that were around him. He apologized that he didn't do it well enough and did it a second time. I didn't really find anything wrong with the first performance.

I have the vinyl record, and at times it was a frequent flyer on the turntable.

Booger says

Where in Florida should I retire if I want to live in an area that is not hurricane prone, has very few sinkholes, and with the least amount of black people.

Recommended Retirement Areas in FloridaBased on your criteria—low hurricane risk (focusing on inland northern and central areas where storms weaken significantly), minimal sinkhole activity (avoiding "Sinkhole Alley" in west-central counties like Pasco, Hernando, and Hillsborough), and the lowest percentages of Black residents (drawing from U.S. Census data on racial demographics)—the best matches are in northern Florida. These areas offer a milder climate for retirement, with access to amenities like golf courses, parks, and healthcare, while balancing your specified factors.Northern Florida (e.g., Panhandle and Big Bend regions)

Yeah, the Florida panhandle is definitely all that. Its beach weather from early March to around Thanksgiving.

Bay County (Panama City) went about 75% for Trump last election.

Booger:
This place is a few miles from Tiger Woods' house as the crow flies.

It's nice; I would compare it to Capitola California except it has a view of the waterway not the Pacific Ocean.

I don't like the idea of living on the Gulf of Mexico; that water is nasty during the summer. Some guys die every year from Vibrio Vulnificus "flesh eating bacteria."

clambo says

I don't like the idea of living on the Gulf of Mexico America; that water is nasty during the summer. Some guys die every year from Vibrio Vulnificus "flesh eating bacteria."

I don't like the West Coast of the Gulf of America. Tampa, Ft. Myers, etc. Panhandle is better, but can occasionally get pretty chilly in winter. Spring/Summer trips are the best up there. I don't know if there's a flow to the Gulf or rivers that drain into it on the west side. I've been down there in those parts when it's happening with the flesh eating shit.

I'm not old by any stretch, but my getting in beach water days are basically done. I'm totally done with pools as I don't get sitting in chlorine. I'll hang at both, I just don't like being wet. I'm athletic and not fat, but I compete or go big regardless what it is. So I've been hurting myself over the last 2 years roughly. In the last month I've been knocked out twice... playing ping pong. I need to get back into golf. Knowing my luck I'll get hit with a ball.

https://rudy.substack.com/p/consumers-are-collapsing

The Boeing experience was that employees retiring at age 65 received pension cheques for 18 months, on average, prior to death. A similar experience was discovered at Lockheed Martin, where on average, employees received pension cheques for just 17 months.

Apparently the experiences at Ford Motor Company and Bell Labs were similar to those of Boeing and Lockheed. Statistics at a pre-retirement seminar illustrated that the average age of retirement at most large corporations in the US was 57. So people retiring at age 65 are a minority, but it is still a startling statistic.

The thought is that the hard working late retirees (65) are more than likely putting too much stress on their ageing bodies and minds and due to the stress, they develop a variety of health problems. The associated stress induced health problems lead to them dying within two years of retirement.

Another startling statistic from the same Corporations is that those who retire earlier, say age 55, tend to enjoy their retirement on average for more than 25 years.

Some people questioned the veracity of the above article, but I found the study, from March 2002.

https://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/coe/gutub/english_misc/retire1.htm

Regarding Roth IRA vs a 401K.

Let's assume after 30 years, making 8.5%, contributing $500/month=account is worth a little under $800,000.
You can't enjoy the income tax savings from a 401K deduction, so you pay about $36,000 in taxes while you're working.

Edit: You can spend the $800,000 in the Roth IRA tax free (Federal)

What if you spend the $800,000 in your 401K? You'll owe about $160,000 income tax.

Uncle Sambo encourages people to have a 401K, yet rarely tells you about the benefits of a Roth IRA.

Why? Because Sambo wants to skim off the $160,000 of your investment gains paid for by you and risk taken by you.

clambo says

Uncle Sambo encourages people to have a 401K, yet rarely tells you about the benefits of a Roth IRA.

If one knows about a 401k they know about a Roth IRA. One should do both, but the Roth IRA has a $7k per year limit which you should max out, then load up any 401k up to its $23.5k limit. No conspiracy here. Remember also, that your current taxable income is lowered by the amount of your employer's contribution to the 401k.

You pay taxes either way. It's a wash.

RWSGFY says

You pay taxes either way. It's a wash.

??? If I put 6k per year in a Roth IRA I will be able to pull the accumulated amount out tax free. True, I was taxed on the $6k when it was earned, but that is still the case whether I put the money in a Roth or spent it on Franklin Mint collectable plates.

HeadSet says

RWSGFY says

You pay taxes either way. It's a wash.

??? If I put 6k per year in a Roth IRA I will be able to pull the accumulated amount out tax free. True, I was taxed on the $6k when it was earned, but that is still the case whether I put the money in a Roth or spent it on Franklin Mint collectable plates.

It's been debated to death and calculated 7 ways to Sunday. All other things being equal it's a wash tax-wise.

RWSGFY says

It's been debated to death and calculated 7 ways to Sunday. All other things being equal it's a wash tax-wise.

True dat. It's opportunity cost vs. deferred gratification. I.e., the opportunity cost of saving less for retirement via a Roth, vs. regular IRA.

To those saying that the taxes will be much higher in 20 years, what's to stop the gubment from changing the tax laws for retirement to fuck us all? Hell, Obama nuked the middle class offshore tax shelters that had been in place for 50 years.

RWSGFY says

It's been debated to death and calculated 7 ways to Sunday. All other things being equal it's a wash tax-wise.

Let's think that one through. Real life example - 1666 shares of Apple bought at $3 per share circa 2007 and put into a Roth. That $5000 used to purchase was taxed when it was earned, about $1250 to the IRS. Now those shares are worth over $426,000 (plus accumulated dividends) which can be withdrawn tax free when over 59.5. Had those shares been bought and put into a Traditional IRA or just kept in a regular account, one would be paying about $107,000 in taxes if one made a total withdrawal. True, one could have done a Trad IRA and invested the $1250 tax savings to buy another 416 shares which would be additional $104,000 today, but that amount would be fully taxable ($25,000 in tax) as the IRA in 2009 had a $5000 contribution limit.

In 2007, a 20-year Treasury was about 5%. So, if one put $5,000 into a 20-year fixed 5% vehicle back then it would be worth about $16,000 at maturity. Without a Roth IRA, withdrawing that would generate $4,000 in taxes. True, taking the $1250 tax savings using a Trad IRA and investing at that same 5% would yield another $4,000, but since the contribution limit is $5,000, that extra $4,000 would be taxed on withdrawal ($1,000 to IRS).

One could say that the differences between using a Trad IRA and a Roth IRA are a wash tax wise, but only if one cannot afford the full deduction and uses the tax savings to more fully fund the IRA. Or if the IRA had no contribution limits.

HeadSet says

One could say that the differences between using a Trad IRA and a Roth IRA are a wash tax wise, but only if one cannot afford the full deduction and uses the tax savings to more fully fund the IRA. Or if the IRA had no contribution limits.

The govt is going to tax it anyway.

Let's see. Roth limit in 2000 is $2000.

$2000 after 30% tax is ~$2857.14 in pre-tax money.

So we choose between investing $2K into Roth or $2857.14 into 401k w/o affecting the take-home pay.

$2000 invested into S&P in 2000 is ~$14251.80 now.

$2857.14 invested in S&P in 2000 is ~$20,345.91 pre-tax. Or ~$14.242.14 after-tax.

Basically a wash (0.07% difference if we are to be nitpicky). You get to enjoy the same amount of $$ in retirement, everything else being equal.

Roths are a wash and not worth the trouble. They would only work if future taxes are grossly exorbitant compared with today's taxes and you fucking live that long.

I ran Monte Carlo scenarios, and if you live to be over 85 years, then maybe a Roth will pay off nicely at the point you are in terminal dodder. You have to live long enough for the foreshortened funds to catch up, then enjoy compounding. Otherwise, they are just re-arranging the deck chairs of the money.

You really think they would give you something like that without gaming it? Contribute when you are in a lower tax bracket, then harvest when you are in a 'higher' tax bracket later? It's an actuarial game of chance. You can't take it with you.

It's a 'pay us taxes now and we will gladly give you a tax advantage next Tuesday'.

Well at least Headset has a clue.

In a word - pickleball.

My goal is to retire at 59 and a half. Most of my money is in Roth 401ks so no taxes on the back end. That's the plan anyway.

RWSGFY says

Let's see. Roth limit in 2000 is $2000.

$2000 after 30% tax is ~$2857.14 in pre-tax money.

So we choose between investing $2K into Roth or $2857.14 into 401k w/o affecting the take-home pay.

To be straight you should compare using $2k for both the Roth and the 401k calculation. Adding in the employer contribution is another issue. Besides, anyone who is in the 30% marginal tax bracket is rich enough to max out both the IRA and the 401k.

Think of all the Leftist nutcase childless catladies there will be in 30 years.

WHO is going to pay for their Ambien?

DemoralizerOfPanicans says

Think of all the Leftist nutcase childless catladies there will be in 30 years.

I'm surrounded by them in Santa Cruz, and the lesbo varietals, too. There are a lot more of these surviving than their male contemporaries, the grizzled gray bearded long haired old hippies from the hippie factories. My friend has lesbian neighbors on both sides, across the street, and just around the corner. Only a few of them are rancid, many are pretty nice all considered. The old lady exegetist behind us who looks like an ancient lesbo (don't know if she is or isn't, converted to becoming a buddhist priestess recently, nearly bald and wears a baseball cap) has a lesbo daughter and her partner who live down the street.

They seem to become less compatible with human beings and especially men after they go through the menopause crazies and settle into their longer term crazies (sometimes milder crazies, sometimes worse). They still retain their notions that men are servants, though, and the few pitiful men who seek their approval are leached upon mercilessly.

There is no such thing as a Mega Backdoor 401K, therefore it's not a wash. I'm approaching 5 years at my current job this month and have been maxing that out every year. In that time I've added at least 200K to it. I've maxed that, my 401K (for the match), my ESPP and my HSI. I've basically lived off of savings since I started working here.

I increased it by 170K this past year investing in bitcorn. It didn't matter if I originally had 300K or 600K or other in my 401K I wasn't going to invest that much more into bitcorn, just because it had theoretically appreciated more over the years being a 401K. I used a safe (to me) net-worth percentage.

I then went and spent a ton of that bit coin earnings on a new truck using one of my non-retirement accounts but $ is fungible.

In retirement I plan (life is what happens when you are making other plans lol) to be making way more than I do now AND I want to get my grubby fingers on the Social Security I paid in even if it turns out I don't need it - Roth doesn't count against that.

Also:
DemoralizerOfPanicans says

Think of all the Leftist nutcase childless catladies there will be in 30 years.

WHO is going to pay for their Ambien?

Maga_Chaos_Monkey says

There is no such thing as a Mega Backdoor 401K, therefore it's not a wash.

All this "mega ass door" talk is basically saying "I prefer to pay taxes now vs later". Cool as long as we're open-eyed about the whole thing.

Ceffer says

There are a lot more of these surviving than their male contemporaries, the grizzled gray bearded long haired old hippies from the hippie factories.

Quote of the Day:

Metalheads are good guys who try to look like bad guys

Hippies are bad guys who try to look like harmless nice guys

Eric Holder says

All this "mega ass door" talk is basically saying "I prefer to pay taxes now vs later". Cool as long as we're open-eyed about the whole thing.

But it's not. I max out my 401k too, but after that I have a large chunk of $ I need to do something with.

I could put it in a regular brokerage but there is no tax benefit at all doing that.

It just so happens that there is a huge tax shelter that so far hasn't been canceled, where you can put well over 50K per year into a Roth.

Also being able to put significantly more into a mega sort of negates the point of: 401k grows more quickly.

Not everyone has access to the mega though. If not and you have an employer, then bug the shit out of them to allow it.

If there were no back door or mega backdoor I would concede that it's maybe a wash.

But maybe not if it counts against your social security.

HSA after a certain age you don't even need to use it for healthcare, you can use it for whatever you want, no taxes to be paid before or after. I make healthcare payments where I specifically do not use my HSA so it can accumulate and grow more quickly. I save the receipts though just in case I want to pull some $ out of that account for something else, I would just be repaying for X,Y or Z of the past.

Annuities I really don't know much about but from what I've heard if the insurance company behind it goes bankrupt you lose it all. I like the concept of it being anon though. There is a father / daughter on the AM radio here in San Antonio that have a weekend show where they try to sell that stuff.

You can fund an Roth even if you don't have 'extra' money. I was suffocating from debt in my 20s and I still started a Roth and maxed it out every year, until my income went up and I was 'phased' out. Then I lost a decade or so until learned of the back door options.

I definitely appreciate the tips from the guys on here further down the retirement path. Maybe @rin should chip in and tell us we're all wrong. I hope that guy is still having fun with that long term chick he hooked up with. Probably so if he has no time to comment much here these days, even though he's already early-retired.

Goal of mine: $1M in a Roth before I retire. I still have a long way to go but I did cross over 500K this year finally. I want to have other investments as well but given no-tax I plan to go hard with the Roth.

We have Roths because we had extra after tax money anyway. I could never figure out how to get past the crappy rules, so the contributions don't amount to much. There are some crafty types who found ways to get more money into Roths. There are those who make it a mission just for the 'satisfaction' of not paying the taxes (although they did, just prepaid).

My wife had a thing for a while where she could contribute 50 percent of her earnings to a 401K, so we did that along with mine.

One thing you could try is to over contribute on the idea that you won't get audited. After a few years, they don't seem to bother any more. Maybe the computers are better now, so it is always a risk reward thing.