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Pastimes : Prudent Bear Fund (BEARX): contrarian investing -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Joan Osland Graffius who wrote (758)	8/6/2003 6:33:59 PM
From: Tommaso	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793

I just bought more BEARX today. At some point I may switch my BEARX over to energy stocks, but I think the energy crunch will also drive down the general stock market--and in any case there is to my mind no question that the bubble is still here. I confess to being very tired of being on the short side of things, but if the Federal Reserve and the banking system are going to continue to undermine the basic fabric of the economy by encouraging spending on profitless consumption, it is hard to be optimistic. You have your CDs and I have (as of this month) a state-funded pension as well as the social security that we both get. With my house totally paid for (though under drastic and expensive repairs right now) I am confident of enough ongoing income to live comfortably, barring nuclear war, which in fact could happen.But I am sure studying hard every day to try to retain and, if possible, increase the rest of my wealth. Looks to me like energy is the way to do this, though there are many pitfalls and deceptions as to how to do that.

To: Joan Osland Graffius who wrote (758)	9/8/2003 9:44:37 PM
From: James F. Hopkins	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793

Joan; Gov I-bonds are my pick for extra cash at this time. publicdebt.treas.gov ---- Rates are now 4.66%.. publicdebt.treas.gov ---- I picture them sort of like a 5yr CD ..but you can cash after 1 yr..( you just lose the last 3 mo interest ).. The base rate will drop come NOV 1..to reflect the last Fed rate cut.. --- I expect inflation to kick in and they adjust for that. But even now they are yielding better than the 10yr Tsy. ---- You can only buy 30K in a year. I'll max out this year "before" they drop the base rate; NOV. 1st --- I buy them direct on line using my credit card.. If I buy late in the month I get the whole month on the I-Bond interest ( 3 working days before the end of the month and you get the whole month) Also my bill for them on my card rolls at the 24th so that lets me use their money interest free for almost a month if I buy after the 25th. --- I have mine staggered so if rates do get back up I can start to roll into something else. Losing the last 3 mo interest don't bother me much as I've gained almost 2 mo the way I buy them. Jim