Trading on the stock market.

Join Robinhood and we'll both get a share of stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint for free. Make sure you use my link.

http://share.robinhood.com/ronw8

So now you're seen the link...  here's the scoop.  I was always fascinated by the stock market.  Always wanted to try my hand at it.   The problem was, and still is, the online brokerages have minimum deposits that were too much for me.  Then the fees they charge seemed too expensive.   I never tries trading, but never lost my interest.  

Someone I know had just opened an account with a large broker and was talking about trading.  It rekindled my interest again.  I started researching online brokers, all their fees and commissions, and I found Robinhood.  No fees, no commissions and no minimum deposit.   I researched them, felt like they were legitimate and took the leap and opened an account.    Opening the account was easy.  They do need your social security number, for tax purposes, and a checking account to transfer money in and out of.   I know, sounds like a scam.  I thought so too at first.   So here's what I did.  (I know this sounds paranoid)  I opened a checking account for the sole purpose of trading.  I deposited a small amount of money and my adventure in the stock market began.  

Here's the low down on Robinhood.  They really don't charge and fees or commissions.  Buy 1 stock, if it goes up 25 cents and you sell it, you pocket the quarter.   Obviously you want to make more than a quarter, but you get the idea. 

Robinhood does not have each and every stock out there. They do not trade in foreign exchanges or over the counter stocks.   It does not offer all the bells and whistles of the larger brokers.  No charts, no deep diving research tools, just free trades.   You can find all the research tools elsewhere for free if you want.  

How does Robinhood make money you ask.    They offer "Robinhood Gold".    It's a margin account.  Basically you deposit  $2000, sign up for a "Gold" account and they make your $2000 so you can buy $4000 worth of stock.   For that margin they charge a monthly fee.   Personally I don't use that service, it's not for me and it's not required.   

So, do your own due diligence.  Check out Robinhood and if you decide to give it a try for the first time like me or if you already trade with another broker and want a second account with no fees click my link above.  When you open your account we'll both get a free stock.  

You may make some money, you may lose.  It is after all the stock market.   as for me, I'm up a bit and having a lot of fun learning, researching and trading stocks!

College? Read me first

Thinking about going to college?  Maybe going back to college and finishing up after years?  Thinking it will land you that dream job, make you lots of money, further your current career?  Here something to consider.

If you are graduating high school and shopping for a college, good for you.  Take all the grants and scholarships you can and go for it.  College can be a great experience.  You will learn a lot and grow as an individual.  You will have the opportunity define yourself as a person.  Share thoughts, opinions and ideas with other people you may have never had that chance to. Not to mention a degree and a GPA to prove you did it.

Now for a bit of reality.  College costs money, A LOT of money.  The college recruiters will tell you all about their outstanding programs, excellent placement record and maybe even about their unbelievable sports teams.  They will tell you that 90+% of their graduates work in their field.  How people with a degree from them are highly sought after and earn top dollar.   Think about that statistic for minute.  How many people are in the major you are taking?  How many other colleges are there in your area? And  how many open positions are available in that area in your field?  90+% seems hard to achieve thinking of it that way.  And how about the large starting salaries?  Those are hard to believe too.

So here's the hard truth about a student loan.  The debt you rack up will probably be in  $100,000 dollar range.  That debt MUST be paid back.  Think about how much a home in your area costs and balance that to the debt of your student loan.  Now think about graduating for the college of your choice already burdened with 100k in debt and you haven't landed that high paying dream job.  Here's another truth, I'm sure there are high paying jobs in your field for someone that has no, or little, work experience in that field.  But, believe me, those are VERY few and far between.  So if yiu are lucky enough to land a job in your field it will probably be about at a pay rate 50 - 70% less than those college recruiters promised and you have that huge debt hanging over your head.

When you talk to the financial people at the college ask them about that.  See if they will explain that the only way out of that debt is to pay it, become permanently disabled, or die.  And, by the way, death may not really end the debt.  If your parents or someone else co-signed for you the inherit it with the same conditions. So if someone does co-sign, take out a life insurance policy so if something does happen you won't send them into poverty trying to pay it off.

Student loans are a great lie.  They will never tell you that it will hang around you neck for years.  You see, I did that.  I decided that I would return to college and finish my degree.  I visited several colleges deciding which one to choose. They all told me what a great program they had.  That employers were clamoring for their graduates, they all were paying top dollar too.  Their job placement rates were on the field I chose were all over 90%.   They were setting me on a path to my high paying dream job.  So off I went, worked full time during the day (I had responsibilities and a family) and carried a full credit load in the evening.  I graduated with a 3.7 GPA.  Not bad.   I lived in a large metropolitan area, lots of jobs with lots of competition for those jobs.   All the colleges placement department every did was call me regularly to see if I had found a job in my field.  I'm guessing if I did they could count that in their win column.  I eventually did, on my own foe about 35% of the salary they said would be out there.  By them I had a house and thought my future was bright.  This is what really happens.  They don't care if you got your job, what your responsibilities are, who you're taking care of, if you keep or lose your house.  All they care about is getting that loan paid.  If the loan payment puts you in poverty, so be it.  If you can't take care of your loved one, they don't care.  And there is no recourse.  You can't file bankruptcy against it, you can only pay it, become disabled or die.

I'm not saying don't go to college or get an education.  Just be educated about the loans and options after you graduate.  If your not, they will crush you, your hopes and your dreams.

Preditors

Let's start by looking at the definition according to Merriam Webster.

Predator
An animal that lives by killing and eating other animals : an animal that preys on other animals.

A person who looks for other people in order to use, control, or harm them in some way.

I think that's what we need to focus on.  We spend way too much time worrying about, being pissed off about, and/or complaining about things that "offend" us.    We have laws that protect us.  Protect our constitutional right, our personal protection and freedoms.  But there aren't any laws that say you can't be offended.  So suck it up, get over it and focus on something else.

How about focusing on the not so obvious predators.  The obvious ones are easy to focus on.  The ones that we put people in prison for and see on the news all the time. 

What about the one we might see on the news for a moment and then forget about.  Like banking institutions and huge corporations that swindle hard working people out of their money and then when the get caught have to pay a small percentage of the profits they made as a fine.  What about the companies that offer credit and loans that trap people in debt for years upon years. What about the "for profit" colleges that promise an education that they can't provide, false placement and salary ranges that will, in most cases, never be achieved.  Only to drown someone in a debt they will never be able to pay.

How about the businesses out there that scam the elderly, and ill.  The businesses that charge outrageous prices for their products just because they can.

There are countless examples of these kinds of predators but we are too busy be angry because someone offended us over something that's legal but just don't like it.  You do indeed have the right to be offended or angry over something that goes against your personal feelings and beliefs.  But the rights of others don't stop where your feelings begin.  If you don't like the way someone does business, don't do business with them.  If you don't like someone because of their actions or beliefs, don't associate with them. There's no law that says you have to.  Then take all that pent up anger and frustration and focus it on the people and organizations that take advantage of others and get away with it.  Who know, you may be next to be taken in by one of them.

Computer Magic

Computer magic.  Everyone that uses a computer expects it, people experience it without even knowing it, and most are disappointed when it doesn't live up to what they think it is.

Computer magic is real.  Think about the small rectangle in your hand that, somehow, knows where you are and can guide you to some place you would like to be but have no idea how to get there. Think about being able to type your thoughts or other information into, click a button and mere seconds later your recipient is reading your post.  No stamps, trips to a mailbox or waiting for days to pass to another person. Even if they are on the other side of the planet!  Just like the tales of black magic and witchcraft, computer magic has a price to pay.  And that cost is money.   You can do just about anything you can think of with the help of modern technology.  All you have to do is be able to pay for it.  Someone out there can make it happen if the check is big enough.

But lets think about this first.  Everyone wants everything in an instant and without effort.  But is that possible?  Let's put it into perspective.  The average car has something like forty thousand moving parts.  Think about everything that happens when you turn the key and start the engine.   All the electrical, mechanical, and yes computerized components that make the engine purr.

Now consider Microsoft Windows has somewhere around fifty million lines of code.  The Mac OS, eighty six million, Android, twelve million and iPhone about ten million.  So, when you click that link, launch that app or request some info and lose your mind in twenty seconds because that stupid computer is going so slow, imagine all the parts that are so tirelessly trying to do or get what you want are orchestrating.   All the information that's being moved from you computer to another, most likely thousands of miles away.   How did people survive when they had to use a pen and a piece of paper, write something on it, then have to get another folded piece of paper, write on it, stick yet another piece of paper on the corner and take it somewhere by hand.   The we waited for an eternity for some other poor soul to repeat the process in reverse.  

Amazing what we take for granted, all the while we lose our minds because the wheel on our computer screen spins for twenty seconds.  Sounds ridiculous doesn't it?  It's true, happens over and over everyday.   Oh yeah,  don't forget how that stupid computer is broken when you can't seem to enter or remember your password either. 

Tired of it already!

So here we go.  I'm glad this blog is still out there.  I obviously don't make it a priority, but I should.  It's a great place to rant that I would bet no one sees.

Tired of it...    tired of the usual political campaign bullshit.  Finger pointing, name calling, and promises nobody will be able to keep.  At least not in the manner that they were presented.  
I'm not taking sides or "backing" anyone.   They all lie or tell partial truths, they all hide something, and they all promise something they can't deliver.   I'm not just talking about the Presidential election.  That behavior is systemic.   I'm sure the commercials in your local area have your local officials promising to make things better.   They won't, at least not for the majority of the people.  They will say whatever they think will get them votes and then do what's in the best interest of their career.   Again, I'm not sticking up for any candidate,  but the national news talks about secret meetings among a political party to derail a candidates nomination.   Really?!!    So,  if that candidate can when the vote of the people and the "party" doesn't like or support them, they will scheme out some back door deal to keep that person from getting the nomination??  If that's true and can happen, why did we vote? 

I am sure there is another side to the story. There always is,  but can we believe it?

P.S.  No classified emails or private servers were harmed in creating this blog entry.

If the US Government shuts down tonight.

This is a quick addition to my last post.  I've read that if there is no deal by midnight tonight 41% of "Non Essential" government employees will be furloughed. Here's a thought.  If we can get by with 41% less government, do we really need all 41% back online?  The Government is trillions in debt.  Most of everyone knows that the Government is bloated with waste.   How about if it does shut down, we look real hard and what we start back up again.

US Government to Shut Down.... Again

So here we go again.  The US Government is going to shut down if the Democratics and Republicans can't come to so agreement.   One party is leveraging the shut down to defund the Affordable Healthcare Act.   This would, according to the national news, will cause millions of government workers to be furloughed without pay and no guarantee of back pay.  Cause benefit checks to be late and effect counts other issues.  One not being their pay of course, that wouldn't be at risk of delay.

Wouldn't it be amazing if the politicians spent less time pointing fingers and more time working together to find a solution to the problem!  But how would that serve the better interest of their personal interests and agendas?  What good could come from cooperation towards a common goal for the betterment of the country as a whole?   I'm sure that's what they are thinking and saying on the surface, but do they really belive that?   Do they really think, deep down, behind closed doors, that shutting government services down because they cannot agree is good for the country?

What is "the country" after all?  Thousands of square miles of land devided into smaller parcels?  Land, trees, mountains, lakes, rivers, and streams all segmented out and connected by roads, highways and transportation terminals.  A massive network and infrastructure connecting hundreds of thousands of commerce centers, small and large.   Does the 316 million plus population count?  Or maybe it's just a small few that count.