What pissed you off today?

[jingle.boy]

I have no words. Reprogram the alarm system to play Insomnium when there’s a break in. That should scare any sane people off.

Or Kylie Minogue.

[TAC]

Well, yesterday, but my 12-year-old step son came home from school yesterday and told us that some kid called him a "See You Next Tuesday" in the stairwell.  I haven't felt that mixed a set of emotions in a long time.  Part of me wanted to laugh, part of me got angry (my son is on the spectrum and so takes that stuff very seriously in his way; he was really upset and predictably, didn't want to go to school today), and part of me was heartbroken that at 12 we're at that level.  He's supposed to be building models and playing basketball and watching funny dog videos and...  his favorite books are still Dog-man and the like.  Sorry to hi-jack the thread...

Bill, I can totally empathize. We have identified bullying as part of my son's IEP his whole school life. Kids are assholes.

[TAC]

So my place of work got broken into last night.  Nothing stolen just kids by the looks ransacked the joint and went in looking to cause as much damage as possible.  Broken windows, folders and files everywhere, computers chucked around, plus equipment like coffee machines, plus stock in the line of confectionery and drinks literally thrown everywhere.  I've never seen anything quite like it.  Just pure destruction for no reason.

That's fucked.

[Stadler]

Well, yesterday, but my 12-year-old step son came home from school yesterday and told us that some kid called him a "See You Next Tuesday" in the stairwell.  I haven't felt that mixed a set of emotions in a long time.  Part of me wanted to laugh, part of me got angry (my son is on the spectrum and so takes that stuff very seriously in his way; he was really upset and predictably, didn't want to go to school today), and part of me was heartbroken that at 12 we're at that level.  He's supposed to be building models and playing basketball and watching funny dog videos and...  his favorite books are still Dog-man and the like.  Sorry to hi-jack the thread...

Bill, I can totally empathize. We have identified bullying as part of my son's IEP his whole school life. Kids are assholes.

I hate to sound like "that guy", but really, they ARE assholes.  Some of the stuff is really mean, and it has no point.   There was always shit going around when I was in school, but there always seemed to be SOME basis for it, no matter how tenuous it was.  "You passed a note to my girl, I'ma gonna kick your ass!".   "She's not your girl, bring it on!"    Still stupid but some remote connection to reality.  Some of what my son is going through... it almost seems like SPORT.   

[TAC]

Actually thinking about it, the kids that have been around my son have actually been really great to him. Even though he goes to school in a different town, we still see kids that he used to go to school with in our town at my other son's games and stuff. They've always been great. And even in the school he's in now, the kids have been nice to him.

[The Walrus]

The guy who caused me the most grief as a kid, on a regular basis, for years - after high school something changed, and he started being cool to me. Now I occasionally see him and invite him over to my place. Took a great many years but we're totally cool with each other now. It's just weird how people change, and how as a kid you're a completely different person, and maybe those other (asshole) kids have stuff going on at home that makes them lash out when they're at school. Who knows... still no excuse. I really hope those kids' eyes are opened eventually and they see the error of their ways, for everyone's sake.

[Stadler]

Actually thinking about it, the kids that have been around my son have actually been really great to him. Even though he goes to school in a different town, we still see kids that he used to go to school with in our town at my other son's games and stuff. They've always been great. And even in the school he's in now, the kids have been nice to him.

Oh, they're not all bad; there's a girl who has taken a shining - in a friendly way, apparently she's told him she's gay - to my son, and we have come to value her presence in his day.  He looks forward to seeing her each day and it's been a positive thing for him (I'm struggling with words here; he's not helpless by any stretch, but he's got a troubled relationship with his Dad, and so "confidence" and "security" are issues for him, as they are for a lot of kids).   It's really only a handful of kids - three at this point - that are creating havoc, but it just seems so... random. 

[Stadler]

The guy who caused me the most grief as a kid, on a regular basis, for years - after high school something changed, and he started being cool to me. Now I occasionally see him and invite him over to my place. Took a great many years but we're totally cool with each other now. It's just weird how people change, and how as a kid you're a completely different person, and maybe those other (asshole) kids have stuff going on at home that makes them lash out when they're at school. Who knows... still no excuse. I really hope those kids' eyes are opened eventually and they see the error of their ways, for everyone's sake.

I've actually really learned a lot in watching these kids at these ages; I always sort of kept my own counsel at school for various reasons, but it's shocking to me the level at which seemingly unrelated things tend to "bubble up" when you least expect it.   At my sons school, they have "meal cards", and we fund them on line for his snack and lunch at school.   You can almost tell exactly how my son is feeling by checking the log for that day and seeing what he ordered for food.  He's doing very well now with acting out, but in his previous school, he went through a period of having incidents at school, and the school would track them by day and time, and the pattern of "incident" versus when he was with Dad was as stark as a neon sign.  Apparently - and I don't know this for provable fact - one of the kids bullying here is showing similar patterns.   

Agreed, it's still no excuse, but it's interesting (and sad, in it's own way, if I think about it too much) to see the connections.

[The Walrus]

The guy who caused me the most grief as a kid, on a regular basis, for years - after high school something changed, and he started being cool to me. Now I occasionally see him and invite him over to my place. Took a great many years but we're totally cool with each other now. It's just weird how people change, and how as a kid you're a completely different person, and maybe those other (asshole) kids have stuff going on at home that makes them lash out when they're at school. Who knows... still no excuse. I really hope those kids' eyes are opened eventually and they see the error of their ways, for everyone's sake.

I've actually really learned a lot in watching these kids at these ages; I always sort of kept my own counsel at school for various reasons, but it's shocking to me the level at which seemingly unrelated things tend to "bubble up" when you least expect it.   At my sons school, they have "meal cards", and we fund them on line for his snack and lunch at school.   You can almost tell exactly how my son is feeling by checking the log for that day and seeing what he ordered for food.  He's doing very well now with acting out, but in his previous school, he went through a period of having incidents at school, and the school would track them by day and time, and the pattern of "incident" versus when he was with Dad was as stark as a neon sign.  Apparently - and I don't know this for provable fact - one of the kids bullying here is showing similar patterns.   

Agreed, it's still no excuse, but it's interesting (and sad, in it's own way, if I think about it too much) to see the connections.

That's heartbreaking. I can really relate to that, the only difference is back in my day my parents couldn't track that sort of thing. You're a good dad.

[Stadler]

I appreciate that very much; I don't look at it that way - I tend to look at it more like, "if I (and his mom, of course) don't bring everything I have to bear to advocate for this kid, who's going to?" - but it means a lot to me to hear that.   I know what I sound like in that other thread, but this is the same thing to me.  I'm tending my garden here.

[cramx3]

That is interesting that you can correlate things like that with data due to technology.  I can't imagine what it's like to be a kid today, the world is such a different place and sadly not a lot of parents are like Stadler it seems.

[KevShmev]

My nephew who is 14 now was on the receiving end of a bit of bullying in his early school years, but his dad (my brother) had him taking karate lessons early at a young age and basically told him, "Don't start anything with any kid, but if they do with you, defend yourself and make it count."  And my nephew did several times. He knocked the crap out of a couple kids in separate incidents and no one has messed with him since and he is a happy 14-year old who has a good circle of friends now.  You hate to have to do that, but bullies will keep at it unless you hit back and make them back off, and I have no doubt that if he had just sat back and taken it, he'd still be on the receiving end of it to this day. 

[Dublagent66]

That's a good Mr. Miyagi lesson to teach his kid.  Those types of skills are very powerful.  Even more so when used only for defense. 

[PetFish]

Great story!

I would have bet that the bullies and their parents would have gotten the school board to come after you and your kid, cuz that's what happens in the real world usually, bullies get away with everything and it's always 'blame the victim'.  Did they come after you guys or did everyone just get over it?

[Northern Lion]

Great story!

I would have bet that the bullies and their parents would have gotten the school board to come after you and your kid, cuz that's what happens in the real world usually, bullies get away with everything and it's always 'blame the victim'.  Did they come after you guys or did everyone just get over it?

That happened to my oldest Daughter when she was 8.  Two boys were picking on her at recess and then they went and accused her of wrong doing to the teachers.  The teachers believed the boys.  And I know it wasn't my daughter because she is on the Autistic spectrum and doesn't know how to defend herself and easily gets confused.

I got angry at the teacher for believing the boys and pulled my daughter out of that school.

[KevShmev]

Great story!

I would have bet that the bullies and their parents would have gotten the school board to come after you and your kid, cuz that's what happens in the real world usually, bullies get away with everything and it's always 'blame the victim'.  Did they come after you guys or did everyone just get over it?

Not sure if this is directed at me regarding the story about my brother and nephew, but I know that the principal told my brother several times that they didn't want kids fighting, and my brother told them in no uncertain terms that his son is not going to let other kids pick on him and get away with it. 

[Dublagent66]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

[lordxizor]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

Everybody's stock price is going in the toilet.

[jingle.boy]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

Everybody's stock price is going in the toilet.

Yup... I (regrettably) looked at my portfolio today.      

2 years of gains wiped out in 3 weeks.  And I still think the bottom is more than a few days/weeks away.

[lordxizor]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

Everybody's stock price is going in the toilet.

Yup... I (regrettably) looked at my portfolio today.      

2 years of gains wiped out in 3 weeks.  And I still think the bottom is more than a few days/weeks away.

Who knows where the bottom will be. We could be looking at a 40%+ drop like many recessions, or things could bounce back as governments release stimulus packages and the new cases of corona virus level off like they have in China. All I know is that I'm playing the long game and am not going to panic sell anything.

[jingle.boy]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.  I was looking at an 8-10 year horizon for retirement.  That's now 10-12.  Hoping it doesn't go any further.  It's not panic selling to pull the ripcord, and minimize losses.

The Dow is set to open 1100 points in the red.

[lordxizor]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

[jingle.boy]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

[lordxizor]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

Good god people. Stop panicking!

[Northern Lion]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

I still have 25 years before retirement, so I'm not too worried about that, but what I am a little worried about is falling into a depression rather than a recession.  I'm not worried about loosing my job or anything like that, I just worry about what it will do to society as a whole.

But I do plan on taking advantage of these market lows by buying a bunch at these discounted prices.

[jingle.boy]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

Good god people. Stop panicking!

I'm not entirely sure the panic isn't justified.  When an entire country is closed except for grocery stores and pharmacies, we're in some scary times.  Travel / hospitality industry is going to take a shit-kiccking - I'm willing to bet many cruise companies go tits up.  Energy... specifically Oil&Gas are in for a world of hurt.  Nobody is driving or flying anywhere.  Manufacturing supply chains are already hurting.  Current Government spending plans are going to halt so that "stimulus" funding can be put together.  Food Services... who wants to go out for dinner in this environment?

This is bad.  Real bad.

[eric42434224]

Sure the level of the downturn can be debated, but I’m not sure why people are surprised that the markets are taking a hit.  Curious what would justify a big sell-off if this scenario shouldn’t?

[The Walrus]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

Good god people. Stop panicking!

I'm not entirely sure the panic isn't justified.  When an entire country is closed except for grocery stores and pharmacies, we're in some scary times.  Travel / hospitality industry is going to take a shit-kiccking - I'm willing to bet many cruise companies go tits up.  Energy... specifically Oil&Gas are in for a world of hurt.  Nobody is driving or flying anywhere.  Manufacturing supply chains are already hurting.  Current Government spending plans are going to halt so that "stimulus" funding can be put together.  Food Services... who wants to go out for dinner in this environment?

This is bad.  Real bad.

This kind of fearful mentality is what makes it seem so bad. The panic is exponentially worse than the actual virus is (which, before some numpty gets upset, I'm not diminishing, it is still a concern). If your fear is economic fallout, which I think it is from the way your post reads, I'm with ya. The POTUS's address to the USA last night did absolutely nothing to calm concerns. Man sounded sick/nervous as hell himself

[jingle.boy]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

Good god people. Stop panicking!

I'm not entirely sure the panic isn't justified.  When an entire country is closed except for grocery stores and pharmacies, we're in some scary times.  Travel / hospitality industry is going to take a shit-kiccking - I'm willing to bet many cruise companies go tits up.  Energy... specifically Oil&Gas are in for a world of hurt.  Nobody is driving or flying anywhere.  Manufacturing supply chains are already hurting.  Current Government spending plans are going to halt so that "stimulus" funding can be put together.  Food Services... who wants to go out for dinner in this environment?

This is bad.  Real bad.

This kind of fearful mentality is what makes it seem so bad. The panic is exponentially worse than the actual virus is (which, before some numpty gets upset, I'm not diminishing, it is still a concern). If your fear is economic fallout, which I think it is from the way your post reads, I'm with ya. The POTUS's address to the USA last night did absolutely nothing to calm concerns. Man sounded sick/nervous as hell himself

You're absolutely right, but that's the way the markets work... they operate on what the future might hold, not what on the past or current.  And with projections that it's possible for 30%-70% of populations to contract this ... that's 100M-240M Americans catching this.  That's why there is panic.

[eric42434224]

Everyone's long game just got longer though.

Not necessarily. Bear markets and recessions are normal and expected, so if you weren't planning on one, that's on you. The S&P averages roughly 10% gains a year including recessions and bear markets. I'm assuming 6% gains in my financial plans (after inflation), so I'm already assuming lower than average gains. This is just a bump in the road. It'll all be fine in the end.

Fair point.  And the market is off to a ripping start.  Circuit breaker triggered in just 10 minutes.  The article I'm reading is suggesting the potential of a 20% decline today alone.

Good god people. Stop panicking!

I'm not entirely sure the panic isn't justified.  When an entire country is closed except for grocery stores and pharmacies, we're in some scary times.  Travel / hospitality industry is going to take a shit-kiccking - I'm willing to bet many cruise companies go tits up.  Energy... specifically Oil&Gas are in for a world of hurt.  Nobody is driving or flying anywhere.  Manufacturing supply chains are already hurting.  Current Government spending plans are going to halt so that "stimulus" funding can be put together.  Food Services... who wants to go out for dinner in this environment?

This is bad.  Real bad.

This kind of fearful mentality is what makes it seem so bad. The panic is exponentially worse than the actual virus is (which, before some numpty gets upset, I'm not diminishing, it is still a concern). If your fear is economic fallout, which I think it is from the way your post reads, I'm with ya. The POTUS's address to the USA last night did absolutely nothing to calm concerns. Man sounded sick/nervous as hell himself

You're absolutely right, but that's the way the markets work... they operate on what the future might hold, not what on the past or current.  And with projections that it's possible for 30%-70% of populations to contract this ... that's 100M-240M Americans catching this.  That's why there is panic.

Correct.  That is exactly how the markets operate.  Not only do they work from economic fundamentals like earnings, supply chain disruptions, etc....they also factor in the emotions (fear/panic, irrational exuberance, etc), and tend to be pretty short sighted.  Nothing new at all.

[The Walrus]

This kind of fearful mentality is what makes it seem so bad. The panic is exponentially worse than the actual virus is (which, before some numpty gets upset, I'm not diminishing, it is still a concern). If your fear is economic fallout, which I think it is from the way your post reads, I'm with ya. The POTUS's address to the USA last night did absolutely nothing to calm concerns. Man sounded sick/nervous as hell himself

You're absolutely right, but that's the way the markets work... they operate on what the future might hold, not what on the past or current.  And with projections that it's possible for 30%-70% of populations to contract this ... that's 100M-240M Americans catching this.  That's why there is panic.

Yeah, I know, that's why I said the panic is the worst, because of what it's doing to the world. The virus going to spread, and we'll get better once we get through the worst, but I sure hope the markets can recover.

[eric42434224]

deleted...responded to wrong post

[Dublagent66]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

Everybody's stock price is going in the toilet.

Yup... I (regrettably) looked at my portfolio today.      

2 years of gains wiped out in 3 weeks.  And I still think the bottom is more than a few days/weeks away.

Who knows where the bottom will be. We could be looking at a 40%+ drop like many recessions, or things could bounce back as governments release stimulus packages and the new cases of corona virus level off like they have in China. All I know is that I'm playing the long game and am not going to panic sell anything.

My company stock has fallen 55% and my YTD value loss is over $50k.  The only good part is, my portfolio is being re-balanced and I'm buying low.  How quick it bounces back (if at all) is a whole other story.  My early retirement plan could turn into a "work until I die" plan.  Now wouldn't that be a pisser?

[jingle.boy]

Company stock price is going straight into the toilet. 

Everybody's stock price is going in the toilet.

Yup... I (regrettably) looked at my portfolio today.      

2 years of gains wiped out in 3 weeks.  And I still think the bottom is more than a few days/weeks away.

Who knows where the bottom will be. We could be looking at a 40%+ drop like many recessions, or things could bounce back as governments release stimulus packages and the new cases of corona virus level off like they have in China. All I know is that I'm playing the long game and am not going to panic sell anything.

My company stock has fallen 55% and my YTD value loss is over $50k.  The only good part is, my portfolio is being re-balanced and I'm buying low.  How quick it bounces back (if at all) is a whole other story.  My early retirement plan could turn into a "work until I die" plan.  Now wouldn't that be a pisser?

Do you work in the Oil/Gas industry, or travel/tourism?

The customer I support has Royal Caribbean as a significant customer.  I checked their stock out of curiosity - $113 on Feb 12; $30 today.

[Dublagent66]

^Largest commercial and defense aerospace company in the world with employees worldwide.

Oh and BTW, another thing to be pissed off about...grocery stores.    Forget about the stray carts in the parking lot.  That's nothing compared to what we have to deal with now.  JFC!!