Quote: DRichQuote: billryanJust one man's opinion, but if the new US administration sends troops into Mexico, I can see the whole country imploding. The government and the military are very unpopular and such an incursion might be fatal. I don't buy into chaos.
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I can't imagine a scenario where we send troops into Mexico without being invited. Personally, I think we should have a couple of bases in Mexico.
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I hope you are right about not sending in troops. The last time we invaded Mexico in 1915, it didn't turn out very well. I'm not sure what having bases in Mexico would do besides expose our troops to new levels of corruption.
Quote: DRich
I can't imagine a scenario where we send troops into Mexico without being invited. Personally, I think we should have a couple of bases in Mexico.
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That will happen if the border is closed and the cartels try to force the issue, to see if we have the will internally to keep it closed and the flow of whatever stopped once there are bullets flying and losses are incurred.
The Mexican Government would fall if they allowed the US to send in troops and would fall if it was done without their permission.
Either a failed state or a US-occupied country.
As Colin Powell said- If you break it, you pay to fix it, and I don't want to rebuild Mexico.
To be continued next Festivus.
For me, the ‘up’ stock market over the past 4 years outpaced inflation.
I didn’t do as well as Musk. He was up $221 billion in 2024. He’s worth around $450 billion. He could have it in a 4% money market account and make a mere $18 billion a year.
I don’t want a billion. Maybe 50 million?
Quote: SOOPOO
I don’t want a billion. Maybe 50 million?
I agree, $50 million would be just about the right amount to have in the bank. Not enough money to get too stupid with it.
Quote: DRichQuote: SOOPOO
I don’t want a billion. Maybe 50 million?
I agree, $50 million would be just about the right amount to have in the bank. Not enough money to get too stupid with it.
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Towers of gold are still too little
These hands could hold the
world but it'll
Never be enough.
If someone is unhappy with having a few million, I doubt adding a zero will change that.
Quote: billryanQuote: DRichQuote: SOOPOO
I don’t want a billion. Maybe 50 million?
I agree, $50 million would be just about the right amount to have in the bank. Not enough money to get too stupid with it.
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If someone is unhappy with having a few million, I doubt adding a zero will change that.
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If you have no source of income, it would be impossible to live what I consider a ‘comfortable’ lifestyle with just a few million to use. Give me the 50 million and it’s real easy to live off of what you can make from that…. ‘Comfortably’.
if I had $50 million I'd just keep with my buy and hold quality thing and leave it all to charity
material possessions don't turn me on anymore
cars, clothes, jewelry, etc. - to me it's all just show off stuff
who cares___?_____not me - I guess many do - it's all boring to me
I might spend some on travel - but I hate airplanes - so I guess not
.
Quote: lilredrooster.
if I had $50 million I'd just keep with my buy and hold quality thing and leave it all to charity
material possessions don't turn me on anymore
cars, clothes, jewelry, etc. - to me it's all just show off stuff
who cares___?_____not me - I guess many do - it's all boring to me
I might spend some on travel - but I hate airplanes - so I guess not
.
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Money is ‘freedom’
Lack of money is ‘stress’.
I certainly don’t need ‘luxury possessions’. But I do want to be able to have ‘material possessions’. Like a reliable car. Like big TVs. Like two houses. Like WHATEVER my wife wants to buy.
I plan on passing all that down to my kids and grandkids.
Quote: lilredrooster.
if I had $50 million I'd just keep with my buy and hold quality thing and leave it all to charity
material possessions don't turn me on anymore
cars, clothes, jewelry, etc. - to me it's all just show off stuff
who cares___?_____not me - I guess many do - it's all boring to me
I might spend some on travel - but I hate airplanes - so I guess not
I agree that travel would probably be the most important thing to me. I do like airplanes and if I had stupid money I would probably make a foolish choice and buy one.
I like that t is easy to follow the returns on this portfolio exactly, as there have been no deposits, or withdrawals, since its inception. I have around 7 more years until I start having to make withdrawals.
Quote: SOOPOOClosing in on ATH again (I hope!). Up 195% at close yesterday. As mentioned in another thread sold some TSLA and will buy JEPI as per Billy suggestion.
I noticed I had already bought JEPQ a while ago at his suggestion. Q pays around 9% dividend, I around 7%. Both have expense ratios of 0.35%. Both are basically actively managed large cap ETFs.
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I used to be like you, tracking everything and thinking how to make more than index funds.
Then I started gambling in the casinos instead.
Gets me out of the house.
Gets me out of my computer chair. (2k steps/day vs 10k+ at casino)
Now I'm back in stocks trying to find large dividends, thanks to Billy.
I just started with a low cost dividend fund.
I will use the dividends as a slush fund that I HAVE TO spend every quarter.
It gives me permission to blow $ on creature comforts instead of buying good enough.
Ie: flying non-stop instead of 1 stop, quality hookers & blow, etc
:)
100% of portfolios should contain some FEPI.
No portfolio should be 100% FEPI. or AIPI or JEPI, or even 100% in a S&P tracking fund.
Always remember, you are swimming in shark-infested waters, but that doesn't mean there aren't pirates, jellyfish, and leeches swimming alongside.
Quote: billryanHigh dividend stocks are great, and I've been doing great with them, but they are risky. FEPI, for example, pays out around 25% and makes monthly payouts. However, it is only made up of 15 tech stocks, and if our current infatuation with AI and big tech ends, we'll be left holding an empty bag.
100% of portfolios should contain some FEPI.
No portfolio should be 100% FEPI. or AIPI or JEPI, or even 100% in a S&P tracking fund.
Always remember, you are swimming in shark-infested waters, but that doesn't mean there aren't pirates, jellyfish, and leeches swimming alongside.
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Don’t worry about me owning too much of any one stock. Years ago I bought a bunch of IYY. It I think owns a little bit of every stock. Plus I’ve ‘thrown a dart at the dartboard’ and own over 100 individual stocks. Plus a gobbledygook of ETFs. The amount of JEPI I just bought is slightly more than 0.1% of my total portfolio.
Not saying it’s been smart, but every time my TSLA holding exceeds a certain dollar amount, I sell some. When I first started doing such I’d buy my wife something frivolous with 10% of the sale. She has TSLA earrings, TSLA shoes, etc….
My general rule of thumb is not to let an individual stock be more than 5%, and a sector ETF be no more than 8%, and I'm currently breaking my rules. My portfolio was set for a continuation of the old administration and it's policies.
Quote: 100xOdds
Gets me out of my computer chair. (2k steps/day vs 10k+ at casino)
How the hell do you do 2000 steps at home. Many days I don't break 100.
I don’t count my ‘steps at home’. But when playing with my Parti Yorkie I sometimes (quite unsuccessfully) chase him around the house. And I take him for 4-5 walks a day. 2000 steps must be a real low number for me. I’m sure I do more than that golfing, even if I take a cart!?
What a blast from the past. Ericsson was a media darling in the mid-90s and my first true homerun. I bought a hundred shares for around $3 and a bunch more under $5 and watched as it roared over $100 a share. I sold most of mine between sixty and eighty and dumped the money into a fund called Vista that gave me back-to-back returns of around 40% per year.
I can only hope for a repeat.
Quote: DRichQuote: 100xOdds
Gets me out of my computer chair. (2k steps/day vs 10k+ at casino)
How the hell do you do 2000 steps at home. Many days I don't break 100.
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My house is 2 floors + basement.
computer is on 2nd fl, kitchen on 1st.
hm.. 2k steps is probably laundry day. washing machine is in basement.
To stay out of nursing homes, old people should walk up and down their stairs at least 1hr in the morning and 1hr in the evening.
if you bought a rambler (1 lvl house) because of mobility problems, then it's too late for you.
can i have your stuff? :)
Quote: 100xOdds
My house is 2 floors + basement.
computer is on 2nd fl, kitchen on 1st.
hm.. 2k steps is probably laundry day. washing machine is in basement.
To stay out of nursing homes, old people should walk up and down their stairs at least 1hr in the morning and 1hr in the evening.
if you bought a rambler (1 lvl house) because of mobility problems, then it's too late for you.
can i have your stuff? :)
The majority of my steps are between the bed and the bathroom.
Quote: DRichQuote: 100xOdds
My house is 2 floors + basement.
computer is on 2nd fl, kitchen on 1st.
hm.. 2k steps is probably laundry day. washing machine is in basement.
To stay out of nursing homes, old people should walk up and down their stairs at least 1hr in the morning and 1hr in the evening.
if you bought a rambler (1 lvl house) because of mobility problems, then it's too late for you.
can i have your stuff? :)
The majority of my steps are between the bed and the bathroom.
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You can easily double your exercise by using the more distant bathroom. Baby steps.
Quote: billryanQuote: DRichQuote: 100xOdds
My house is 2 floors + basement.
computer is on 2nd fl, kitchen on 1st.
hm.. 2k steps is probably laundry day. washing machine is in basement.
To stay out of nursing homes, old people should walk up and down their stairs at least 1hr in the morning and 1hr in the evening.
if you bought a rambler (1 lvl house) because of mobility problems, then it's too late for you.
can i have your stuff? :)
The majority of my steps are between the bed and the bathroom.
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You can easily double your exercise by using the more distant bathroom. Baby steps.
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Why in the world would I want to double my steps? My solution reduces steps.

NASDAQ futures down neatly 4%.
Easy come, easy go!
Quote: SOOPOOJust happened to look as futures now. Looks like market is heading for a crash today! I will finally buy the JEPI. I didn’t get the limit price I put in last week.
NASDAQ futures down neatly 4%.
Easy come, easy go!
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Not as bad as I thought. Nasdaq finished down 3%, S &P down 1%, but Dow actually finished up. The WoV portfolio appeared to be EVEN at the close which I thought was a great result. But…. When the one mutual fund I own in the portfolio was re-valued…. It was down 2 1/2 %, so overall down 0.25%. (TWCUX)
I have one stock in my ‘cash’ account that I have had for a few decades. B. It’s Barnes company, and does something in aerospace. I just noticed it was delisted! I don’t pay much attention to the emails or prospectuses I get. Apparently they agreed to be bought out. In an all cash transaction. So I’m going to be getting a big chunk of change, but unfortunately it will come with a big capital gains tax bill! Nothing I can do about it….
Got the JEPI at 59. Using GURU BillyRyan.
Quote: SOOPOOQuote: SOOPOOJust happened to look as futures now. Looks like market is heading for a crash today! I will finally buy the JEPI. I didn’t get the limit price I put in last week.
NASDAQ futures down neatly 4%.
Easy come, easy go!
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Not as bad as I thought. Nasdaq finished down 3%, S &P down 1%, but Dow actually finished up. The WoV portfolio appeared to be EVEN at the close which I thought was a great result. But…. When the one mutual fund I own in the portfolio was re-valued…. It was down 2 1/2 %, so overall down 0.25%. (TWCUX)
I have one stock in my ‘cash’ account that I have had for a few decades. B. It’s Barnes company, and does something in aerospace. I just noticed it was delisted! I don’t pay much attention to the emails or prospectuses I get. Apparently they agreed to be bought out. In an all cash transaction. So I’m going to be getting a big chunk of change, but unfortunately it will come with a big capital gains tax bill! Nothing I can do about it….
Got the JEPI at 59. Using GURU BillyRyan.
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I'm not a guru, and never claimed to be any better than anyone. I've made many mistakes, but I'm an example of how long-term investing succeeds.
always a buying opportunity, assuming you have the funds and maybe a need to rebalance. I'm doing my usual, some modest purchases with an eye on whether it is going to continue to go down ... in which case I'll still be buying
I predict this to be of short duration, that compromises on tariffs are going to happen fast. Failing that, could turn into a black swan dip. Just saying. Be ready to buy.
Quote: billryan
I'm not a guru, and never claimed to be any better than anyone. I've made many mistakes, but I'm an example of how long-term investing succeeds.
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Intellectual humility is pretty much an essential component of being a guru. Not that an actual guru would ever use the term or admit to being one.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
Quote: SOOPOONew ATH. +198%. I have the psychological +200% just around the corner.
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After the drop right after this post, quick return to + 198%. I thought about this a bit today. This portfolio is around 40% of my net worth. It’s not some pocket change like my present EV on my sports betting is. I made a (successful!) bet a decade plus ago on a bunch of picks from a bunch of generally random people. Hopefully any day now it will be TRIPLE what it started as.
Quote: SOOPOOAs of now WoV portfolio down 1/2% from close Friday. Barely a blip. If this is the disaster that arises out of adding untold billions in tax money (tariffs) to our Treasury I can deal with it.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
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My problem isn't so much with the tariffs as with the complete lie that Americans don't pay for them. Comic books are just an example.
Marvel Comic cost $ 4.99 last month. Lunar is anticipating they will be $6.25 when the tariffs kick in. Omnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
Quote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOAs of now WoV portfolio down 1/2% from close Friday. Barely a blip. If this is the disaster that arises out of adding untold billions in tax money (tariffs) to our Treasury I can deal with it.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
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My problem isn't so much with the tariffs as with the complete lie that Americans don't pay for them. Comic books are just an example.
Marvel Comic cost $ 4.99 last month. Lunar is anticipating they will be $6.25 when the tariffs kick in. Omnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
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We are under a Capitalist system right now. You are saying that some book will be $110 instead of $100 after a tariff is instituted, thus the ‘consumer’ pays for the tariff. Answer me this, if the ‘consumer’ is willing to pay $110 for the book, why isn’t the book $110 NOW? It’s disingenuous to believe a company will add a SPECIFIC amount to the cost of a product because of a new tariff.
Let’s say a US based competitor has been charging $100 for an equivalent or similar book. Do you think the Chinese company will just raise its price to $110, thus not SELLING ANY because it’s overpriced compared to the American made one? Or the Chinese company will still charge $100 retail and eat the tariff?
The answer to my questions is really somewhere between there.
Canada has a ‘Value Added Tax’ on most of its products. Explain to me why that’s better than tariffs on ONLY foreign made products?
Quote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOAs of now WoV portfolio down 1/2% from close Friday. Barely a blip. If this is the disaster that arises out of adding untold billions in tax money (tariffs) to our Treasury I can deal with it.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
link to original post
My problem isn't so much with the tariffs as with the complete lie that Americans don't pay for them. Comic books are just an example.
Marvel Comic cost $ 4.99 last month. Lunar is anticipating they will be $6.25 when the tariffs kick in. Omnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
link to original post
We are under a Capitalist system right now. You are saying that some book will be $110 instead of $100 after a tariff is instituted, thus the ‘consumer’ pays for the tariff. Answer me this, if the ‘consumer’ is willing to pay $110 for the book, why isn’t the book $110 NOW? It’s disingenuous to believe a company will add a SPECIFIC amount to the cost of a product because of a new tariff.
Let’s say a US based competitor has been charging $100 for an equivalent or similar book. Do you think the Chinese company will just raise its price to $110, thus not SELLING ANY because it’s overpriced compared to the American made one? Or the Chinese company will still charge $100 retail and eat the tariff?
The answer to my questions is really somewhere between there.
Canada has a ‘Value Added Tax’ on most of its products. Explain to me why that’s better than tariffs on ONLY foreign made products?
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If Disney could print and sell the book for $100 in the US they would. Sadly, no American company has stepped up with the billion or so dollars to replace the plant DC built in Canada. It's much cheaper for Disney to lease time on the Canadian presses than to invest in a huge new plant for a business that has declined roughly 85% for the peak years of the 90s.
The tariffs are intended to offset lower income from tax cuts on the top bracket earners.
Quote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOAs of now WoV portfolio down 1/2% from close Friday. Barely a blip. If this is the disaster that arises out of adding untold billions in tax money (tariffs) to our Treasury I can deal with it.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
link to original post
My problem isn't so much with the tariffs as with the complete lie that Americans don't pay for them. Comic books are just an example.
Marvel Comic cost $ 4.99 last month. Lunar is anticipating they will be $6.25 when the tariffs kick in. Omnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
link to original post
We are under a Capitalist system right now. You are saying that some book will be $110 instead of $100 after a tariff is instituted, thus the ‘consumer’ pays for the tariff. Answer me this, if the ‘consumer’ is willing to pay $110 for the book, why isn’t the book $110 NOW? It’s disingenuous to believe a company will add a SPECIFIC amount to the cost of a product because of a new tariff.
Let’s say a US based competitor has been charging $100 for an equivalent or similar book. Do you think the Chinese company will just raise its price to $110, thus not SELLING ANY because it’s overpriced compared to the American made one? Or the Chinese company will still charge $100 retail and eat the tariff?
The answer to my questions is really somewhere between there.
Canada has a ‘Value Added Tax’ on most of its products. Explain to me why that’s better than tariffs on ONLY foreign made products?
link to original post
If Disney could print and sell the book for $100 in the US they would. Sadly, no American company has stepped up with the billion or so dollars to replace the plant DC built in Canada. It's much cheaper for Disney to lease time on the Canadian presses than to invest in a huge new plant for a business that has declined roughly 85% for the peak years of the 90s.
The tariffs are intended to offset lower income from tax cuts on the top bracket earners.
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Well the top 2% now pay around HALF of all federal income taxes. H. A. L. F. So if that is corrected a teeny bit then tariffs have done a good thing. I am not going to cry if someone who would have paid $100 for a comic book now has to pay $110.
Anyway, it’s been a week since the tariffs were announced and the market is flat since then. So Wall Street is nonplussed.
Would you agree that Musk is worth more than the lowest 40% of the US population? Some studies indicate that as many as 30% of American adults have a negative worth. Is it easier to get more revenue from them or from the richest few?
I took two economics classes in school but only remember enough to be dangerous if I tried to debate tariffs vs taxes, and I know even less about VATs beyond getting refunds by mail a few times in school.
We had an election, and the people spoke. God Bless America and the Republic for which it stands.
Quote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOQuote: billryanQuote: SOOPOOAs of now WoV portfolio down 1/2% from close Friday. Barely a blip. If this is the disaster that arises out of adding untold billions in tax money (tariffs) to our Treasury I can deal with it.
As far as Billy’s comic book story, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that tax money is collected on such. If we need to fund the government, I am not convinced tariffs are worse than income taxes, or sales taxes, or inheritance taxes, or taxes on gambling winnings, or sin taxes (cigarettes and alcohol), or road taxes (which are tolls), or real estate taxes, or capital gains taxes, or (you get the point).
link to original post
My problem isn't so much with the tariffs as with the complete lie that Americans don't pay for them. Comic books are just an example.
Marvel Comic cost $ 4.99 last month. Lunar is anticipating they will be $6.25 when the tariffs kick in. Omnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
link to original post
We are under a Capitalist system right now. You are saying that some book will be $110 instead of $100 after a tariff is instituted, thus the ‘consumer’ pays for the tariff. Answer me this, if the ‘consumer’ is willing to pay $110 for the book, why isn’t the book $110 NOW? It’s disingenuous to believe a company will add a SPECIFIC amount to the cost of a product because of a new tariff.
Let’s say a US based competitor has been charging $100 for an equivalent or similar book. Do you think the Chinese company will just raise its price to $110, thus not SELLING ANY because it’s overpriced compared to the American made one? Or the Chinese company will still charge $100 retail and eat the tariff?
The answer to my questions is really somewhere between there.
Canada has a ‘Value Added Tax’ on most of its products. Explain to me why that’s better than tariffs on ONLY foreign made products?
link to original post
If Disney could print and sell the book for $100 in the US they would. Sadly, no American company has stepped up with the billion or so dollars to replace the plant DC built in Canada. It's much cheaper for Disney to lease time on the Canadian presses than to invest in a huge new plant for a business that has declined roughly 85% for the peak years of the 90s.
The tariffs are intended to offset lower income from tax cuts on the top bracket earners.
link to original post
Well the top 2% now pay around HALF of all federal income taxes. H. A. L. F. So if that is corrected a teeny bit then tariffs have done a good thing. I am not going to cry if someone who would have paid $100 for a comic book now has to pay $110.
Anyway, it’s been a week since the tariffs were announced and the market is flat since then. So Wall Street is nonplussed.
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The market was skidding until the Mexican President announced the tariffs were postponed. Right now, I'd say people are wary of the future but have developed large appetites, and they need to stay on the gravy train as long as possible to beat the market.
Disney made billions off Marvel movies and merchandising but may fold its print division if comics and other periodicals keep declining. One hundred forty million people have seen a Spiderman movie, but less than 20,000 buy the monthly comic.
Quote: billryanOmnibus books that were $100 will now be $110, but we are supposed to believe China is paying the $10 tariff, not the customer who actually pays it.
Yes, because the tariff is collected on it entering the country whether the item sells or not. If it doesn't sell, how is a customer paying it?