Schwab

I opened a Schwab account last night, the first time since I actively, actively traded (oh, say 1987 through 1999 or so, and, no, I didn't fall prey to the Dot-Com Bubble) and then gave it up as futile. Why did I open an account up? I was accumulating too much money in my left pocket. Although US Bank is my bank and is beyond reproach WE THINK, and all deposits are guaranteed by the US Government, it is time to "diversify."

Which leads to the $5,000 minimum to buy and sell options. But why would I do that (buy and sell options)? My long-time experience is that the options are always priced too high to make a profit in the long run. Still, I covered the minimum.

The real issue is that it is now time for us to take command of ourselves and not rely on investment advisors and others.

Along those lines this week's New Yorker has a long, valuable piece on Dmitry Orlov, a 46-year-old software engineer from Leningrad, who has written a book Reinventing Collapse: The Soviet Example and American Prospects.

"When faced with a collapsing economy, one should stop thinking of wealth in terms of money."

Think bluejeans, vodka, home gardens, boats rather than trucks (to deliver goods).